The Laois Debacle - the aftermath

[the Untouchable]

To be honest Rover, your not going to get any player to do an interview thats going to say anything most of us here aren't already well aware of, the Dublin league match was the low point for the year, they got it together after that, weren't 9 points a worse team than Dublin & things just didn't go right for them against Laois....unfortunately no player is going to turn around & slate the management for the Laois defeat...I'd love to see it sometime but it won't happen!!!

Also I think its very unfair to say KK should take none of the credit for Offaly reaching the Leinster final...like considering Offaly finished every game (bar the Laois match) with 14 players & Offaly always were able to lift it & win must say something for KK's management ability, because if you just want to give all the credit to the players for these win's & say KK is only a fool...then surely all the blame for the Laois disgraceful performance should be levelled at the players & not a KK!!!

Finally...as someone who played a small bit of county football back in my hayday I don't think it qualifies me anymore than the man propping up a bar all winter to judge county players or to critise them.

Every player be it at club or County knows that if you win your a hero & if you lose then your going to get some stick for it...fortunately very few of these lads are smart enough to not take any of our comments too seriously!!! Like look at it this way...So long as people don't get too personal with what their saying about players then there should be no problem....but I hardly think that we should only take the views of people with a proven track record in Hurlin or Football, because if that was the case my opinion (with 10 years of club football & 2 brief spells with Offaly) would far outweight those of LS or numerous others on this site who probably have never kicked a ball at any level for their club or county...& what sort of a website would we have then? I'd be writing what I like & unless you've a longer career than mine then you really aren't in a position to judge!!! Is that what you really want??

Everyone knows how hard county players train....but it is natural that supporters get frustrated when the team fails to perform. Just bare in mind that the players take defeat 100 times worse than we as supporters ever will!!!

[arbarg]

Fair Comment Untouchable

[Black & Red]

Very good last point, as disappointed and gutted as we are how do you think the players who were on national TV feel. You can train and talk all you want about raising your game for a qualifier but if it doesn't sink in mentally or it's just not in the belly then it won't be reproduced on the day

[arbarg]

F**K THIS,

Enough givin out and moaning lets get on with it, feck it, at least we had a decent run this year and the signs are good for the future. there is at least a leinster in us in the next few years.

GROUP HUG EVERYONE!!!

Allez Les Faithful!!!

[The Biff]

I have resisted commenting on this game because I was unable to go and I couldn't even watch it on TV. I suppose I didn't miss much (silver lining).

Anyway, I find it slightly understandable the level of disappointment expressed here by quite a few, but at the same time I think Untouchable has nailed it above that we should remember the players are ordinary men too.

We want to bask in the glory of our honourable amateur sports, where our favourite stars are our own neighbours, lads we grew up with, played beside or against, lads that you remember seeing playing U-14 and you said to yourself "that young McNamee lad will play for Offaly" and you were right, ......

These are not highly paid men who have all the time to train and travel. They are ordinary lads who were blessed with a little more skill than most/all of us. In any given year, which county does best might depend on Lady Luck deciding that Laois/Westmeath/Tyrone/whoever will have the 20 best lads available for THAT ONE season. Maybe some counties can make some of their own luck, by extra/better training or by a really good management team. But there is still a lot of luck involved.

I count myself very lucky that my own little county has seen Lady Luck's smile on quite a few occasions, and I'm sure there will be more. Someday. Whenever.

Meanwhile, there are a group of 30 lads plus many backroom staff who have been prepared to travel and train for many nights in the cause of representing my county on the field of play. I haven't put any money in their pockets. They owe me nothing. Maybe there is some overlap in our respective dreams, but I am in no position to question their efforts. So I wont.

They have my thanks and admiration for seizing a chance that I could only aspire to in my day. They gave my much joy this year, and some pain. Nothing different to ordinary life then? Why should there be a difference - they're ordinary lads too.

[Cona]

christ Biff,

You have me in tears. I think you just ended this discussion.

Thanks for a great Year Lads.

Allez les Faithful!

[Sydthebeat]

Thanks for a great Year Lads.

Allez les Faithful!

and heres looking forward to a successful year next year!!

[the bare biffo]

If there was an allstr award for the best post on this board this (maybe any year), then the biff would get it.

Class post, nothing more to it.

Good man the biff