Interesting Reading From the Tullamore Tribune

[Kevin]

http://www.tullamoretribune.ie/articles ... y-hurling/

Of course Hoganstand has their abridged version focusing on just one quote...

[Fargo Boyle]

Fair play to Oakley for stating it as it is. A pure Legend of a hurler who gave it his all every time he pulled on the green, white and gold.

We are accepting the moral victories too often now. We need some straight talking to sort out the team. Dooley has stagnated at this stage and we need a change in direction.

Sure we know the talent is not there but lets at least go out and play teams man for man and not get bogged down in trying to play tactics. That was one very disappointing thing about the defeat against Tipp, that there was no heart or physical hurling. We looked beaten before the game started. There was no hurl struck in anger until the stupid sending off near the end. When we did have 3 men in the full forward line we did look dangerous but that was far too often.

[Bord na Mona man]

A good interview so far. You can read between the lines on a few things he says.
You can understand Oakley's frustration - with there being no real signs of the momentum needed to get Offaly up to the next level.

[townman]

Ger was right on some point's but he has to remember he was lucky to be around when we had some class hurler's in offaly
so he shouldn't be so hard on some points about the young hurler's that are in offaly at the moment, if ger was only at the start
of his offaly playing day's would we be any better think not.

as for saying Joe Dooley should have quit this year well thats his opinion so i will be looking forward to see Ger putting
something back into the game in the next few years with underage hurling in offaly now that he is finish and thinks theres not
enough done for hurling in offaly.

[Bazil Brush]

Totally agree with townman i have to say,my own opinion is if ger was startin out again a fresh 19 year old dont think he would be much of an addition with all due respect,he was a great servant to offaly nobody can question that, when speakin about shane dooley steppin up to the plate sayin if a few more fellas were to do the same,who is he talkin about? everyone of them players done there best and put in the same effort, very disrespectful to his former teamates, also the management i dont know what "little things" they could have done to swing the match against galway the second day, he made hurling with offaly sound like an awful drag altogether in that interview, lots of club hurlers would give there right arm to represent there county,I have nothing against ger oakley id never run down any club or intercounty player but just reading that interview and some of them comments! i was very surprised,

[offalyman08]

in regards the effort by some players? well over the past few years i think SOME of the footballers effort was certainly questionable but they appeared to try a lot harder this year. But as for the hurlers i cant honestly say ive never seen them put in less than 100%. The two games against Galway they worked extremely hard. They were just lacking "another Shane Dooley" but i think thats in terms of his ability not effort. I dont think you could fault any of them for effort

[The Magpie]

From the manner in which Shane Dooley has changed physically in the last 2-3 years, you could come to one of the following conclusions:

(a) He's massively determined and committed and has followed a strict fitness regime
(b) He's a natural athlete that was going to develop like that anyway

Very very few people fall into category (b). My money is on (a), and perhaps that's exactly what Ger is referring to.

I've lost count of the number of posts that I've read on this forum about how far behind we seem to be with physical conditioning. Perhaps Ger Oakley feels that other similarly talented hurlers in the County could do similar. Coming from a guy that obviously compensated for some lack of skill with an enormous heart and great work ethic, I'd find it hard to believe that his reference in this area isn't entirely related to the effort that some people are/are not putting-in.

That is not to question how hard people try when they represent the County - those are two different things. Lads may well be trying their hearts out for 70 minutes. I've played sports with unfit, overweight guys who (through sheer character) run themselves into the ground. However, that doesn't mean that they're being all they can be.

Finally, don't forget, that as a young man, Ger Oakley was considered an addition to a very strong Offaly Panel of players. That he wouldn't be considered an addition to this squad if he were 10 years younger, is hard to believe.

[Bord na Mona man]

Oakley is suggesting that Shane Dooley has improved his game year on year and that other players haven't managed to do the same. And I tend to agree with him. Two years ago there were mutterings that Dooley was only getting near the team because of who managing it. Now he is an indispensable member of the side.

For example, how many Offaly players in their mid 20s are significantly better players now than when they were 19 or 20? The reality is that most players aren't actually improving hugely with each passing year.
Perhaps this is because of a lack of individual coaching, or fatigue from playing for too many teams in their younger years. Or maybe managers are concentrating on getting players match fit in the short term rather than focussing on technical coaching, or long term conditioning. I'm guessing you don't develop your abilities much running laps 5 nights a week for 5 different team managers.

Another point he touched on too. In most other team sports young players are gradually introduced to senior teams, often times its only after a couple of years that they start look up to the standard. Whereas in recent years in Offaly, young players are thrown in early and can either banished for life on the back of a couple performances, or become permanent team members - getting played in every game and possibly overplayed.

[durra1]

Some the comments about Ger are way off the mark..

Having given his all to the course for over 12 years it’s amazing how short people’s minds are.

I can’t recall a time when I’ve watched Ger and thought ‘ that lad doesn’t want to know about it’ or ‘ that lads coasting’. A more committed member of the side, in good and bad times you would not find.

I’m not one to name names of amateur sportsmen who give of their time for the county cause, but there a few talented members of the current crop who I have found myself shouting the above, and worse at in the recent past. I’m sure others will agree.

While he wasn’t the sweetest striker of a ball, he always wanted to play off the front foot and always gave as good as he got when the going got tough.

This talk about that he wouldn't be considered an addition to this squad if he were 10 years younger is absolute horsesh1te too. In fact, I watched Ger as a standout minor full back for Birr in the 90s when they used get trimmings from KK et all … don’t comment if you don’t know what you’re talking about.

His comments on Shane Dooley are 100% accurate – he’s the only one who could live with the physical conditioning of the Tipps and KKs. This doesn’t come with one hard winter season. Its built up over years and involves hard work.

FFS , Junior Football sides are now doing the same core / circuit training as AIL Rugby teams in some parts of the country.

Ger is more qualified than anyone on this forum to give his honest opinion on how things stand.

If it’s a wakeup call , then its sorely needed.

If your reading this Ger, the very best of luck with the retirement. You’ve been a tremendous servant to Offaly Hurling.

[Bord na Mona man]

in regards the effort by some players? well over the past few years i think SOME of the footballers effort was certainly questionable but they appeared to try a lot harder this year. But as for the hurlers i cant honestly say ive never seen them put in less than 100%.

Kilkenny 2005, Clare 2006, Cork 2007?

[durra1]

quote="offalyman08"

in regards the effort by some players? well over the past few years i think SOME of the footballers effort was certainly questionable but they appeared to try a lot harder this year. But as for the hurlers i cant honestly say ive never seen them put in less than 100%.


........ Limerick 2010 ........ X2

[offalyman08]

As dougal would say... I stand corrected!!

[townman]

in regards the effort by some players? well over the past few years i think SOME of the footballers effort was certainly questionable but they appeared to try a lot harder this year. But as for the hurlers i cant honestly say ive never seen them put in less than 100%.

Kilkenny 2005, Clare 2006, Cork 2007?

don't forget the footballers were beaten bye the carlows wexfords limericks of the football world not house hold names in football
as for the hurling kilkenny and cork were beaten most teams in the 2000s and clare had good sides in the last 15 years theres no shame
losing to the cats or cork in hurling i know they were bad beatens but you can hold your head up if kilkenny or cork beat you
but when carlows and westmeath start to beat you in football enough said.

[Bazil Brush]

durra 1 i assure u im not talkin horsesh!te,gers entitled to his opinion fair enough same as you and i, theres plenty of better hurlers past and present who hurled there hearts out and never spoke to the media havin little jibes at players and management you didnt hear brian mullins doin any complaining, you seen oakley as a stand out minor ya? heart and determination in bucket loads definatley but he was never a stand out hurler, back to reality i think kid,

[Bord na Mona man]

in regards the effort by some players? well over the past few years i think SOME of the footballers effort was certainly questionable but they appeared to try a lot harder this year. But as for the hurlers i cant honestly say ive never seen them put in less than 100%.

Kilkenny 2005, Clare 2006, Cork 2007?

don't forget the footballers were beaten bye the carlows wexfords limericks of the football world not house hold names in football
as for the hurling kilkenny and cork were beaten most teams in the 2000s and clare had good sides in the last 15 years theres no shame
losing to the cats or cork in hurling i know they were bad beatens but you can hold your head up if kilkenny or cork beat you
but when carlows and westmeath start to beat you in football enough said.

While you have clearly missed the point, a 31 point beating by Kilkenny is nothing to be proud of.