Offaly Senior Football 2026

[jimbob17]

I'm sorry Jim Bob...you are really getting on my wick now!

That list of players is a joke.
1. We have a management in place to the end of the season
2. We havea current squad in there
3. I think you amongst many others have said that its time to move on from slating mgt continuously and support whose there.

Not even going to get into that list and the merits or otherwise of it. See how many of that list jump out in the club championship.
I get it that you believe any fella who put on a jersey in the past should be called back in. Youve been at it for months. I also get it that there is not much to debate on at the moment as the mood is alow due in the main to operating at the highest level we have in a number of years without a significant number of players who would make a difference. I also get it that you blame DK alone for this despite that not being anyway factual. There are a number of lads in there at present who given time will make a mark there and there are some established players who have (in my opinion), blotted their copy books during this league. So we have to wait it out until the draw for Tailteann, and see how injured players fare out. No doubt there will be a serious discussion about management for 2027. But just give it a bloody rest for now and go do a bit with your local club and try make an impact there.

My God, talk about paranoia! I'm sorry for getting on your wick but you don't have to read it if you don't like it. I have said it is time to stop slating management, you are correct on that front.

Stop putting words in my mouth please. Where exactly in the post have I slated management? A previous poster said our ceiling is middle of Div 2 with a full team. If you read what I wrote, I gave a respectful alternative view, which I am entitled to by the way. I can guarantee you that plenty of those listed will shine in county championships over and above some of the lads that will play in the Offaly and Dublin championships this year that are currently in senior panel - some of whom wouldn't get next nor near the Tullamore or Ferbane teams by the way.

You also get what about blaming DK alone for what? You are very misguided. There have been others here who blame DK alone and if there is, I am certainly not one of them. In fact, I have given him huge credit on here for the U20 success if you read back the posts. Management is a team thing, mainly driven by DK and Harte as they select the panel and team. Harte and Kelly are equally as culpable but given that DK is the only local person involved who knows the players, then people see him more in firing line. That is your interpretation, not what I think so do yourself a favour and don't put words in my mouth.

I get it that you among very few others have some form of myopic view that everything is grand now bar the injuries. I get it that there is a denial that there are issues. I get it that it is not in some peoples view to have anything objective posted on here for fear it could affect them or someone they have close ties to. Blood is thicker than water, I get it. Did you ever consider the view that the Offaly football supporters are tired of such nepotism, tired of a controlling narrative that turns the other way when the problem is staring them straight in the face. Supporters have clearly voted with their feet for home games thus far. There are problems identified by many others that you would prefer to ignore. There are problems being discussed on every corner of the county - most of it leading back to something very specific. What is tiresome is those denying the obvious.

The fact is that my post was a progressive one that looked at the possible and the positive of what we could be, possibly next year but you choose to misconstrue and mis-represent it as something else, wrongly I may add.

Senior football is now for now. Try justify to the few older players in mid-late 20s that we are picking the squad now for 2028 and ask them to train 5 times a week for next 2 years with a bunch of lads that wont be ready until 2028. Their time is now. They don't have many years left. I have never heard anything more ludicrous than mention of lads that will make mark in future. So by that do you mean they are not ready yet? Besides, if that is the train of thought, management will be out of a job by then.

Their sole job as a management is to get results now for this year. Injuries are playing part, I accept that but we are listening to this 'building' crap for too long now. We are building since the 2006 Leinster final! it's a joke to take that view. Pick the best team now for now from the lads in their late teens / early 20's to lads in early 30's who are still fit and able. Thats all is needed and stop looking a year or two down the line or more - that is what they set up the senior development squad for! If they are not good enough now, pick the best lads now. This is essentially year 3 of current management and they are still building? All they need to do is pick the best squad now for now and pick the best team now for now! ITS NOT EXACTLY ROCKET SCIENCE at all, this football craic.

And in the meantime, I do plenty for my club, not that that is any of anybody elses business, or indeed anything to do with me having an opinion on this forum.

Who on the list named is a joke?

Who are the established players that blotted their copy books?

[Snotser123]

The support the current players and management appeal lasted about two days I see some players named have been in , been given their chance and have been way off it ...some names have not been playing well enough for their clubs to be brought in ....some are just the wrong side of 30..this is sport do u honestly think meath westmeath and laois don't have the same issues with certain people thinking certain lads should be in with the county and others shouldn't ...even if Jim Gavin comes in next year you won't get everyone u want ....u can only fit so many on a panel and some fans will always be put out whether that's because manager wont give youth a chance or in Kelly's case people think he's too reliant on youth....it all goes back to if we had the players we had last year fit it would have been a very different league whilst still being unbelievably tough we may just may have scraped promotion with wins over kildare and cavan for example ...naming lads who aren't in with panel for whatever reason , and naming them over and over and over again isn't going to help us win any games and I think everyone has seen the names so let's just move on from it for everyone's sake

[jimbob17]

Interesting that you should mention wrong side of 30. I was only actually chatting a friend of mine last week who is a former Armagh footballer. We were chatting about the 2024 success and he told me that of the Armagh squad that won that 2024 All-Ireland, 15 of the panel were 29 or older and 10 lads were over the age of 30 at the time. He said that experience really stood to them in All-Ireland series in particular when they could bring likes of Soupy Campbell and Jarly Og off the bench in last 20-25 minutes. They had 5 who were 21 or under on that panel and rest between 22 and 28 from a panel of approx 40 players. Significantly, he said that of the lads that started the final, at least 5 if not 6 were 30 or older. If you are good enough, you are old enough or young enough. Or Maybe Kieran McGeeney knows nothing about football! Either way, the point stands!

I named 50, from which you could take 36-38 or so for a panel / squad. Some might opt to cut some or all of older lads. Some would be injured or unavailable for travel or other reasons. I only mentioned 6 or 7 strong players on the 30 or over mark that could be considered. Armagh had 10 on the panel that won an All-Ireland - 5 starters at least and 2 more that came on. The reaction is laughable here. It is a hypothetical list on a message board lads. Don't be getting the oul knickers in a twist over it. Some fellas are very easily offended.

[Snotser123]

But one of your said players didn't come back in this year because he didn't want to play the soupy rule ....so you are actually making my point for me

[jimbob17]

One of said players that you have knowledge on is one of maybe 50 I named. They are not 'my players' at all as you suggest. They are either former, current or possibly future Offaly players. There are actually another 49 if the lad you refer to won't do that role so you are actually reaffirming my point so fair play for that.

Lads will have variety of reasons for not committing from time to time and it is harder in the lower tier counties. And by the way, every lad wants to play. It wouldn't be good management practice to pigeon hole a lad as a sub to his face before a season even starts, promising a Soupy role. That'd be just pure naivety on management part if that is what happened and that'd only turn a lad off. Management's job is to promise fairness in selection and if that means that is the way it turns out during year, then so be it. Of course, impact players are important but lads can move from that role to starting and vice versa based on how they play and train. McEvoy has worked himself from bit part player to central player in last year or two - as has Tierney and maybe one or two more. That's the role of management - to keep people onside.

Nobody said it is easy. It certainly isn't but if you go into that role, that is how you will be judged. Can you create a harmonious positive environment where players are generally happy to be a part of. Club level is easier where you will have smaller pool of talent where teams mostly select themselves. If you can't do that at inter county level, players opt out and managements will not last. We have seen that across time. The best guys get the most of those at their disposal, by creating an environment that is harmonious, where players want to be involved and buy in; and where injuries are minimised so the best players are put out for the bigger games.

[Fairplayalways]

Lads need to relax, its only debate, I will and gave always said though, this building/minding of young players is something we have to get over, all other young prodigy's in their counties are in and playing away...we are tipping and poking with them, years tip around, lads priorities change, injuries sometimes...next thing is "whatever became of young...."

[jimbob17]

Speaking of younger players. Is there a senior development squad in training? I know there was one two yrs ago and possibly last year also.

If so, any idea who is on the squad that might make leap to senior panel in next year or so.

[Snotser123]

We can barely keep lads on the actually panel without walking away because they aren't happy with their game time so we are hardly in a position sadly to set up a second development squad

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Look , I ain’t getting into a too and fro, you’ve pages of posts here hammering out the same stuff.
You’ve listed lads retired, travelling for a variety of reasons, lads who’ve walked away and most likely won’t come back for any management (many of them not up to it anyway.)

Is everything rosy ? No, but injuries have to be considered. End of…and until they are back this constant debate over who’s there and not is pointless.
Fair enough after the championship and ahead of next year debate worth having. But I’m entitled to say after reading your post that many here are sick of certain names being trotted out when the dogs on the street know they have not the interest or ability to play for Offaly.
I didn’t say everything was perfect in the camp apart from injuries.
But in fairness the support that Offaly have received is scandalous to date and this type commentary and names being trotted out plus constant negativity is not a help.
Good luck to the Offaly set up for 2026 and 2027 will be another matter.

[Offalysupporter26]

Any word on how we are looking for the weekend?. I can see one or two changes possibly in the forwards. It would be great to get a win and be going into the last game with something to play for

[Superhans75]

Don't blame the players blame the management
Simple
But in Offaly we have arsed egos
Let's beat Cavan
Hopefully things will get better

[Snotser123]

Why do you need to blame anyone ?? Like a YouTuber over a soccer team....we had a brilliant season last year.....three quarters of our players got injured mostly our most important players ..we are in a higher division now without said players ...let's please move on and support them all going forward

[Barnes]

Why do you need to blame anyone ?? Like a YouTuber over a soccer team....we had a brilliant season last year.....three quarters of our players got injured mostly our most important players ..we are in a higher division now without said players ...let's please move on and support them all going forward

So if we go we'll it's down to management, if we go bad we shouldn't blame anyone

[Snotser123]

Or you could just realise that all our best players are injured , literally all of them ....but sure look keep destroying the whole set up with those thumbs of yours , must make ya feel great

[del]

Good few changes from that dummy team named why counties do this baffles me.
Dalton after a good game in Tyrone Dropped
Plunkett after a few good games Dropped
Niall Furlong dropped too.
Rory Egan half forward with Daire Mcdaid starting
Hyland starting which is great but how fit is he?
Murphy starting are this MGT for real
He is not up to it .
Injuries aside we still aren’t picking the best team available