Offaly Senior Footballers 2024

[Superhans75]

Just talking to some Loais players yesterday
Just shooting the breeze but they actually seem to get on maybe that is the problem
With us .
I don't think the present crop would be appearing in the Walton's Lol
A good team picks itself as the late Bobby Robson said ..

[ruletheroost]

Any news coming out of the meetings?
Heard at the players and committee meeting that one senior player present said he won’t be returning if current management remains. Players present at the meeting - Lee Pearson, David D, Roo Mac, Dec H and Jack O Brien.

[Behindthegoal]

What in the name of god is Jack O’Brien doing at these meetings? Maybe someone more experienced like Peter Cunningham would be better ?

[JohnnyBoy24]

Not sure a "Senior Player" who suffered a 14 odd pts defeat at home to London ,has much wiggle room to be making demands on others. Maybe take a look at yourself first. Clearly issues on both sides, but if battle lines are gonna be drawn ,it's not gonna be a victory for anyone in the long term

[jimbob17]

What in the name of god is Jack O’Brien doing at these meetings? Maybe someone more experienced like Peter Cunningham would be better ?

Bit unfair to comment on who attended in this manner. Perhaps these were the players put forward by the group to represent the group. Seems to me there was representation from a 30 yr old, 28 yr old, 27 yr old, 25 yr old and 23 yr old. That is a good spread even if there is a leaning towards younger cohort who came through Kelly's U20 teams. Wouldve liked to see few older experienced lads like Cunningham and Anton have some input and maybe they did through representative group. Hope it was a good honest meeting where all cards were laid on table. Only way to move forward whatever way the decide to proceed.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Sure if there was a players meeting first , the rep group would just be representing the output from that back to the committee, shouldn't make too much difference then who was at it.

Agree that players shoudl be careful how much is lumped at the managers door, if theres not a shared responsibility then going nowhere. And fair enough if one Senior player wants to walk away because of the manager then shock horror, he wouldn't be the first to do so.

Hopefully it was honest and that the management team are challenged by the committee about how the reasonable results of the spring turned into a nighmare Tailteann and plans to address this, and likewise the players are challenged and accept some responsibility.

[Tmacmahon]

Are we willing to get rid of an all ireland winning manager of 3 years ago after 1 years in the job?

What players are not playing next year?

This big taboo subject vthat there will be a mass exodus, how many and who?

[jimbob17]

Lads we are putting way too much weight on this u20 All Ireland win. Its a one off group that was the best that year in a 2-3 year cohort. Lots of counties have won u20 and minor since and their supporters don't be throwing huge expectation or adulation on players and management. Yes it was great achievement but senior is a whole new level. Kildare have won any amount of Leinster and minor u20s in last 10 years incl a few All Irelands and they are in Div 3 next year.

There is a big jump from u20 to Sigerson Cup, and another jump from Sigerson to inter county senior. For our young players to grow, making good Sigrson teams is the metric we should use to know if we have players coming through. So much can happen between 19 or 20 and 22-24 when lads fully develop - ie in lads life circumstances, motivations for adult football, and physicality.

Throwing that u20 groups success on a pedestal is both unfair and unwise in my opinion. It was great to win it but let's put it in perspective for what it was - a one off age grade competition win. As an example, Tullamore, for all their recent senior success are not totally reliant on one successful age grade u20 team from one given year....

[ah lethimoutwithit]

All that happening at the moment is what happens most years. So it's not about getting rid of the manager.
Season faded out badly and county board, if they are doping their job, they need to sit down with the players and management in this case and understand how the same group can work together to ensure that this doesn't happen again and what will be done to ensure that.
If there are serious grievances to be aired that is the place and suggestions for improvement. Bottom line is that GAA , both club and county is a tough gig nowadays for management (and players), and everything that can be done to ensure that they get the most out of the huge sacrifices they put , ie the best support system is put in place with the resources available is important.
A good county board , the same as any company will support the people they put in charge, no business (or county) wants to be continually replacing management and staff, much better to support progression.

But my opinion is (and I'm sure many agree) , that Declan was the best man for the job internally and that remains, and it is important to have a pipeline of internal managers to progress counties. Sure, outside managers can and have been hugely successful in Offaly but it is important to focus on supporting management progression within.

[Superhans75]

Hard to fathom the truth from the rumours
The county board should set things
Straight
Winning the U20s was a fantastic achievement and probably be the zenith
Of majority of the squads careers
Being realistic about it
As for the management a death from a thousand cuts seem the way the county
Board are managing the situation.
I think the damage is done and if Kelly is kept on the same stink will arise next spring
Players will walk away. And use travel as
Cover .
It's very messy
Mind you when in Offaly hasn't it been
Have a good week

[SearingDrive]

All that happening at the moment is what happens most years. So it's not about getting rid of the manager.
Season faded out badly and county board, if they are doping their job, they need to sit down with the players and management in this case and understand how the same group can work together to ensure that this doesn't happen again and what will be done to ensure that.
If there are serious grievances to be aired that is the place and suggestions for improvement. Bottom line is that GAA , both club and county is a tough gig nowadays for management (and players), and everything that can be done to ensure that they get the most out of the huge sacrifices they put , ie the best support system is put in place with the resources available is important.
A good county board , the same as any company will support the people they put in charge, no business (or county) wants to be continually replacing management and staff, much better to support progression.

But my opinion is (and I'm sure many agree) , that Declan was the best man for the job internally and that remains, and it is important to have a pipeline of internal managers to progress counties. Sure, outside managers can and have been hugely successful in Offaly but it is important to focus on supporting management progression within.

I’m with you on this one, Declan Kelly is the man selected by Offaly GAA to manage the Senior Football team. Talk of a change is not the solution, we have had a lot of managers down the years, and are still in Div 3, apart from 2022 when Offaly footballers had one season in Division 2, under John Maughan.

I would like to see Declan Kelly continue managing Offaly, look at Armagh, in the All Ireland Final after 10 years under Kieran Mc Geeney, when they almost made the breakthrough, only to lose out narrowly on occasions.

All stakeholders including players, and team management, and Offaly Co. Board should meet and resolve whatever differences they have, and move forward.

[Lone Shark]

(1) I’m with you on this one, Declan Kelly is the man selected by Offaly GAA to manage the Senior Football team. Talk of a change is not the solution, we have had a lot of managers down the years, and are still in Div 3, apart from 2022 when Offaly footballers had one season in Division 2, under John Maughan.

I would like to see Declan Kelly continue managing Offaly, look at Armagh, in the All Ireland Final after 10 years under Kieran Mc Geeney, when they almost made the breakthrough, only to lose out narrowly on occasions.

(2) All stakeholders including players, and team management, and Offaly Co. Board should meet and resolve whatever differences they have, and move forward.

(1) Declan Kelly was the right man for the job when he was hired. Of that there is no question. However if it has been established that he is the wrong man now, then sticking with him because it is better in general to have stability and longevity, is not the way to go.

I stress here that I am not a camp insider, I do not have any insight into DK's thoughts or those of the players, over and above the whatsapp rumours and various other speculation, none of which is firsthand and so none of it I take too seriously.

(2) Of course this is the ideal. I mean, you could say the same about what's going on in Palestine, but it's kinda dependent on all parties being willing to meet, being willing to resolve, being willing to compromise. What do you do if you have a situation where DK goes in and says "I'm the gaffer, what I say goes, and that's the end of it". Equally, what happens if a plethora of key players say that they will not play for him under any circumstances, even if he brings in Jim Gavin and Jim McGuinness as his selectors? It's all very well to say that people should meet, discuss, resolve - but sometimes they just have no interest in doing that.

Then you have the added element that it may be the case that the clubs of Offaly will not ratify him.

And once more, I have no idea if this is the case, either in terms of Kelly, or the players, or the clubs. I'm merely saying that it is possible to reach an impasse when you just have irreconcilable differences.


As an aside, Armagh never had a year of such indisputable regression in McGeeney's tenure.

[Hasselhoff]

Mcgeeney has Armagh in an all Ireland but was up to this the nearly man or hard luck manager with Kildare and Armagh.
I think he has lost two ulster finals and lost on penalties as well in previous games.

Back to our own challenge, if DK goes what is the alternative and who else can we get to replace him?

No matter how bad we are, how did we lose to London. Surely we are better than that. Are the players that bad or did they just not turn up.

[ruletheroost]

Seems that DK is getting the job for another year. Who stays and goes player wise is anyones guess.

A strong back room staff is required to take away from DKs horrible man management skills. I hope they are in place before the championship begins and they bring in some players that have decent campaigns with their clubs.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Seems that DK is getting the job for another year. Who stays and goes player wise is anyones guess.

A strong back room staff is required to take away from DKs horrible man management skills. I hope they are in place before the championship begins and they bring in some players that have decent campaigns with their clubs.

Where did you see this? All has gone quiet as regards any announcement in relation to management?
There have been a few rumours alright but I don't think anything is confirmed.