A few thoughts on the recent announcements

Willie Joe

Photo: @CateMcCurry

It’s been a busy few days within the county and across the country as a whole. Busy here too so while I’ve had time to see and think about the recent Mayo GAA-related announcements, I’ve had little time to sit down and pen a piece about them. I haven’t long now either, to be honest, so there are a few quick observations.

Let’s start with the Lough Lannagh development, which was announced by Mayo GAA (here) the other day. The news got wide coverage, including in the Mayo News – here.

The news about the new training centre can only be seen as a welcome development. New training pitches within the county are urgently needed, so are better facilities for ladies teams and for underage teams. The fact that it’s a multi-purpose development, being put in place in collaboration with Mayo County Council, is both sensible and prudent.

Questions have been asked here about how the centre will be financed. Obviously  a sustainable plan in that regard needs to be agreed between Mayo GAA and the County Council. A project of this kind clearly has a major capex component and it’ll be important that all elements of the plan for raising the necessary cash and how it’s spent are sorted out and then adhered to.

It’ll be a while, of course, before the new pitches are available for use, which will mean that, in the short-term, the pressure on existing facilities, in particular MacHale Park, isn’t going to ease anytime soon. Anyone who has been to MacHale Park in recent months knows full well that there’s work to be done there too and hopefully the new development will provide the necessary breathing space for this to happen. Before then, though, it’s likely to be a case of muddling through as best we can with the various pitches at our disposal.

It’s on those pitches where Stephen Rochford’s decision – story in the Mayo News here – to nominate Peter Forde and Shane Conway to join Joe Keane as selectors on his management team will stand or fall. Assuming the two new appointments are confirmed by the County Board in the coming days, these are the men who will be on the sideline for us next year.

I get the underwhelming reaction to this news. I guess everyone was expecting more high-profile names to be revealed but these are the guys Stephen wants and, assuming the appointments are approved, these are the guys he’s going to get.

Stephen’s previous management team brought us millimetres away from All-Ireland glory, not once but twice, playing an often exhilarating brand of football. But it was also a management team that presided over three straight losses in Connacht to a moderate enough Galway team and that was in charge for what was, by any measure, a complete car-crash season for us at senior inter-county level this year.

What will the new men bring that the departing trio didn’t? (You could, I guess, turn the question around and ask: What did the outgoing backroom team bring that the new team might not?) I’m not qualified to answer the question, regardless of how it’s framed, but you’d have to hope that areas where we’ve struggled over the last few years, such as bringing through new players in a coherent way and in-game tactics, including substitutions, might be ones that the revamped management team will, well, manage a bit better.

At the end of the day, though, it’s Stephen’s call who he wants to work with. As supporters, the best thing we can do is wish Peter and Shane all the best in their new roles and get behind the collective efforts of management and players as they aim for glory once more in 2019.

Glory at underage level was achieved yesterday by the county’s U16 hurlers. They beat Donegal up in Ballyshannon by 1-10 to 0-11 to claim the U16B All-Ireland title. A piece detailing their campaign, including yesterday’s final, is here. Well done to them.

Finally, commiserations to the county’s U16 camogie team who were also in All-Ireland final action yesterday. They lost out to a strong Carlow team in the U16C decider, going down in Banagher by 3-11 to 0-8. Hard luck to them.

122 thoughts on “A few thoughts on the recent announcements”

  1. Congratulations and best of luck to Peter Forde and Shane Conway, they have a lot of work to do and a lot of pressure from the Mayo public while doing it but if they can all row together, 2019 could be a big year.
    We live in hope!!

  2. The obsession with Big Names needs to stop. I think it’s good news to have people on board who are familiar with the club scene. People have been complaining for a long time now that we need new playes to be brought through. With their knowledge of what’s going on at club level, these two men may be able to help a lot in that regard and perhaps that is why Rochford has chosen them.

  4. Agree there Dreamy – we hear every week how such and such a lad is shooting the lights out at club level but why hasn’t he displaced AOS/COC/DOC/Keegan yet in the Senior team.
    Too many people knocking the 2 lads who have been brought in as selectors already before they’ve even been ratified.
    I expect to see a few more names being added to the line up but the All Ireland Final hasn’t even been played yet. Still plenty of time to be planning for next year.

  5. Tweet from Mayo gaa a short while ago,

    Mayo GAA
    ?
    Verified account

    @MayoGAA
    Following Following @MayoGAA
    More
    Following an executive meeting of Mayo GAA this evening the officers of the board were authorized to meet Stephen Rochford & his management team on their structures & plans for 2019. #mayogaa #gaa

  6. re the CARNACON mess;I always thought playing for ones county was by invitation onto the panel.the players are free to leave the panel at any time of their choosing.also the management may release a player from the panel at any time.when i saw that 26 out of 28 delegates saw fit to ban CARNACON from this years championship i was flabbergasted,i could not believe it.this club are the 6 time all-ireland winners and are the reigning champions.what is going on in ladies gaa in the county.if the mayo ladies county board dont reinstate carnacon immediatly this will have consequences going forward. i think their appeal will be successful and they will play this year and will probably win the all-ireland. I thought we were yearning to win all-irelands in this county. what are the mayo county board SO CALLED DELEGATES doing . they have done an injustice to ladies football in the county are are probably the laughing stock of the whole country

  7. Best of luck to Shane Conway, i remember him well from our days in Jarlaths in Tuam and he has built up quite a coaching record in recent years.

  8. What is his coaching record Tuamstar? I am only familiar with his work for Breaffy and Rice College.

  9. You would have to wonder about the true value of selectors as such: it seems to be a bit of a GAA thing. Whilst I understand the need to have specialist back room staff e.g. stats person, surely the Pontiff SR is capable of making decisions on the sidelines without needing to consult with Cardinals Forde and Conway – what exactly will they do?

    Has the LL development being costed?

    That’s quite the souvenir for the person who got their jersey signed by ‘Francis’ – maybe that’s the end of the curse now!

    In relation to the senior ship I honestly believe Mitchels won’t be beaten – they’re a stronger outfit than last year.

  10. Carnacon players left as a block of eight not eight individuals and the block left stating the same issue (still an unknown issue). This is quite different to an individual player leaving for a particular reason. I note alot of negativity about the new SR team. An awful of contributors on this site must be managing teams at a very high level to be so expert on the team selected.

  11. Message tweeted from Co. Board does,nt confirm backing for S.R and his new team, only agreement to continue discussions ?. Seems to indicate not plain sailing.

  12. As i write this there are 10 comments and none are negative about the new additions. Where is the negativity you speak of vaaldam. I’m not being funny, I just havnt heard anyone complaining.

  13. By that line of thinking only people playing /having played intercounty are worthy of commenting on Mayo players performances during the year as well ?
    Just because I have not coached at intercounty does not preclude me from having an opinion on the appointments whether positive , negative or somewhere in between which is where my opinion falls

  14. Cod. Honestly if you had said to me back in school that Conway would go on to coach at the higest level i wouldnt have believed you. He didnt play at the higest level in school then again he is on record as saying he was in the same era as P Joyce, Michael Donnellen , Declan Meehan etc it was always hard for anyone to get a look in. I believe he has coached with many clubs in Mayo, Castlebar, Kilmovee, and has been with Breaffy for a number of years now. He also led Rice college to the Hogan cup final this year, inc beating his old alma mater on route.

  15. Not a very inspiring development. Would struggle to see how either could make any impact in getting those players to perform to the levels that Donie Buckley did over the course of his five year tenure.

  18. I would wonder, based on numerous rumours of potential selectors (in print media), if these are the guys SR was able to convince to come on board rather than the ones he wants…

  21. @Jimbo… Do you have any taughts on making ‘Allegations’ against the the county board without any clarifications?

  22. Regina,
    Or we could be like carlow, Leitrim , Meath, cork , etc etc and never a peep. Good on the Pope for being a good sport and signing it. What would Monsignor Horan say if he was around to see the Pope signing a Mayo jersey? He was some operator to even attempt getting an airport built where he did in the economy of that time. Only in Mayo I guess.

  23. More fake news going around Steven Rochford is stepping down don’t know what people get out of it

  24. Ah refs credibility will be in the gutter if his latest “inside scoop” is fake news.

  25. Just a gentle reminder for everyone to hold fire until anything concrete emerges on the stories doing the rounds this morning. I’m happy for people to discuss developments once there’s something to discuss but as yet there isn’t.

  26. Ah ref is usually on the money, not so sure it’s fake news Mayo die hard let’s wait and see.

  27. Jimbo, “re the CARNACON mess;I always thought playing for ones county was by invitation onto the panel.the players are free to leave the panel at any time of their choosing”… Well that’s where you are wrong. Rule 193. And, that’s not a Mayo Ladies Rule, it’s in the Official Guide from Croke Park.
    “SO CALLED DELEGATES doing . they have done an injustice to ladies football in the county are are probably the laughing stock of the whole country”…. The injustice was done to the Mayo Ladies Senior team and to the girls that remained (some of whom were under pressure to walk also). As for a laughing stock? The decision of those 8 that walked ensured that.

  28. Why the hell had the Mayo News to go ahead with the Forde and Conway announcement before it was clarified by the County board!!

  29. Ah Ref is well connected and doesn’t normally put something out there unless there is a real story behind it.
    I have to say, I have a mate whose source is very solid, very well connected and not of the “pub talk” variety, and what he has been hearing since August 14th is, despite media reports to the contrary, that Rochford may step down.
    There is obviously “something” not right between the county board and SR. Mike Connellys statements to the media, where he confirmed that there has been no contact between him and SR for weeks after the Kildare defeat, was puzzling. Surely there was some communication? A text, a call, a WhatsApp? Connelly then came out and said the SR has another two years but Connelly couldn’t confirm what the intentions of his backroom team were. Again, this is concerning.
    Either there was contact and both parties did not want to reveal publicly what was happening, in which case Connelly should have said “Of course I have been in contact with SR, the details of those discussions will remain private, and as soon as we have anything to publicly announce we will. We will be having our normal end of season review in due course and we will continue to back SR in the final two years of his extension”.
    Or, there wasn’t contact at all. If this is the case then SR should walk. Because the image this portrays is one of a county board leaving their manager out there to dry, alone, unsupported. Maybe this image is the reality? Maybe SR is having second thoughts and, in my opinion, the underwhelming nature of the proposed backroom appointments announced (no-one is going to convince me that they are on a par with Buckley and McEntee) point to a county board not willing to “pony-up” for the best possible backroom team, and so, reduces the options open to SR in selecting his team. In my opinion, I think SR is looking at the options available and getting second thoughts.

  30. Backdoorsam the only one who really knows is Steven but God only knows ah Ref is always on the money too well if he went I would not care everyone knows how I feel about Steven but I also go with the flow to see how it works out and sorry willie Joe I just wanted to know was it true or not

  31. I wonder too if there is lingering bad blood between Peter Forde and the county board over his “non-appointment” as Mayo manager some years ago.

  32. Time will tell how this unfolds . Did think it was unusual that the county board were giving updates with no real news over the last few weeks. I do like Rochford as a manager and would agree he made mistakes . I presume the county board had a plan B if he wasn’t going to stay on . For those hoping he’d go should be careful what they wish for as no real alternative name has been mentioned here.

  33. Hmm…when I read about the CB referring to bringing on someone commercial and announcing plans to develop facilities my initial gut feeling was ‘is this a tactic to deflect the impending bad news’?. Like a politician promising things before dropping a clanger.

    Rochford stepping away would be a mess. I’ll keep my powder dry for now on further comments.

  34. Can Mayo ever do anything the easy straightforward way without any controversy? More cheap headlines on the way for the national media in the next few weeks as this unfolds. Sure there would be journalists unemployed without us.

  35. This anonymous twitter account of ahref appears to be very well connected regardless of the validity of today’s “scoop” within the Mayo camp. I even see some of the halfwits who run the Mayo gaa banter page on Facebook have been licking up to him on twitter lately, maybe to get authorisation to be an extra admin for him too. What pathetic losers!
    It’s bad news however for Mayo football when there is a leak from the dressing room to this clown and it would be far better off for the long term good of Mayo football if whoever is leaking him this info is fucked off the panel.
    Could you just imagine someone from the Dublin setup leaking info about jim Gavin via an anonymous twitter account? Doesn’t bear thinking about!

  36. You have guys like Harrison using the words ‘relief’ when news of SR staying on came out. My take is that the players back him.

    I cannot think of anyone who could replace him. Sure he has made some errors but he’s a talented innovative and young manager. He has huge scope still to learn and develop and its clear he wants/wanted to stay on.

  38. I’m with Larry Duff on this one. No matter who the person is, or who he thinks he is, he should be fucked off the panel (or off the backroom team?) and told if any of his mates want out, now is the time to go. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out either.

  39. Ah ref posts on this blog regular. Not me I hasten!! I put my name to my lunacy. In fact he’s on this very page. Have to hand it to county board. Back room team went first. Then Manager had to scamper round for replacements. Actually feel for him. Then silence and half mumbles leaving us all to pick what we choose. Seeing as they are thinking about a training centre can they confirm that most of the money for it is being paid by a private supporter. I only ask this because I don’t want to see Mayo clubs saddled with county board debt.

  40. Why are ye assuming it’s one of the player’s leaking this info?
    The CB are well able to use the media for their own purposes, covertly or not.

  41. Mayo are finished as a top team of Stephen walks,there will be plenty players walking as well because they will know better than anyone that a new management will take a few years to get it right

  42. I hope it’s a load of rubbish and the county board moves quick to ratify the selectors Stephen wants as long as it’s stephen that wants them and they’re not being imposed on him by a club or group of players etc. I admire Stephen for wanting to continue to be manager there most be some headaches attached to the position keeping everyone happy and content within the panel.

  44. Why do you think it’s players? I think he has connections with co board He always seems to have the info smells like the co board to me

  45. Don’t know if anyone assumes its a player Tubberman, could be anyone from the County Setup including County Board members or even club delegates that get the inside track.
    Either ways, whomever is leaking details on the appointment of selectors or other rumours needs to be cut from their roles within the County setup.

  46. FBDinashui, I agree with you that whoever is leaking details like this needs to be cut. John Cuffe used the word ‘lunacy’ above – this is both crass and lunacy, and our Mayo deserves better than this. Yes, I did write ‘our Mayo’.

  47. I think it’s pointless speculating here where the leaks are coming from but it’s fairly clear that there’s been at least one solid source from somewhere on the inside for some time. It’s all utterly pointless and counter-productive but, as I know all too well from some of the info people try to post here, some people have an irresistible urge to blurt out in public information they’ve been given in confidence.

  51. If rumours are true and Stephen Rochford has been treated like that and it transpires that McGuinness gets the job then I think our county board all need to go.

  52. Mayo die hard, it also says nothing official has been announced. I think everyone should hold off the speculation until something official has been said from either Stephen or the Mayo Board.

  53. Agree WJ with that. We all know we have and have had a leak in the COBO. One of our known unknowns. Well said Swallow Swoops it is our Mayo at the end of the day.

  54. Hope its all bullshit, if Stephen is gone we are finished for the next few years at least. Part a me thinks its a bullshit rumour because its AI final week! This is usually the week big announcements are made so as they fly under the radar. So me thinks sum1 is taking the piss. If its true, we are goosed. Simple as.

  55. Mayo die hard – I find it difficult to take that ‘Sorry I mean’ at face value. That wasn’t a simple typo. Shit-stirring is clearly coming in different guises today.

  56. Agree WJ. There’s a lot of so called “fans” on here who do nothing for the cause except spread rumours like wild fire! Remember before the 2016 final replay – the whole world and his dog (including Dublin I’m sure) knew hennelly was starting instead of clarke before the match that afternoon. All because some loud mouth idiots just can’t keep their powder dry. Probably the same ones who now use that one managerial error as a stick to beat Rochford with. I’ll never understand the psychology of those people – all they do is damage the county we love, it’s never of any benefit.

  57. Ah refs tweet this morning is just looking to be fake news!! No other journalist or newapaper can seem to back him up!!

  58. So much for a blue print for mayo football! For the last 30 plus years I have seen Player revolts, county board executives meeting in secret to get rid of management teams etc. For once and for all this shit and I apologise for the profanity, this ends now. In fairness to SR whether you think he’s the man for the job or not, the man deserves more respect than this. He has a young family and has put everything into trying to win the all Ireland . If these rumours are true whoever is behind this fiasco has to go be it county board executives or players . If mayo are to win an all Ireland everyone has to pull in the same direction. County board administrate, management manage and players play. It’s pathetic that it has to be spelt out. If this is not sorted all we are doing is kicking the can down the road once again.

  59. If Rochford does indeed go then it’s quite clear what has been obvious . There is a group within the county board working against him
    I’ve a feeling they have a big name management team lined up if this is the case

    Very poor treatment of him if it is the case

  60. I’m a SR fan. He couldn’t have prepared any better for 2017 final. This year i think players subconsciously took a break. A deserved one at that.

  61. Agreed, Done Deal.
    If they’ve essentially pushed Stephen so they can put in a glamorous name instead, they should all be put out on their ear.

  62. Liam 2. Spot on.

    This stuff shouldn’t be even what we are talking about….its all very ‘amateur’. Amateur set ups don’t win All Irelands. It’s very sad and disheartening to think of the talent and potential in Mayo and yet we fail to have things done in the best way possible.

  63. When you think of all Ireland winning squads, you hear about a group of people being honest and truthful, going on a journey together as a single unit to get the very best out of each other. Players buying in completely to what their management team is saying. A extremely high level of trust between each member of the inner sanctum, all in pursuit of the common goal.
    No leaks or bullshit stories and no tactical information becoming common knowledge in the days before big games.
    You don’t think of some little mole feeding out information to a mate on an anonymous twitter account, who then uses it to promote his own agenda.
    Only in Mayo

  64. Not the way to do business, and I hope the rumours are not true. Stephen R. a knowledgeable coach, and a decent man. If McGuinness has been lined up, be prepared for a bore fest.

  65. I’m not a Sr fan, simply because his record over the last 3 when taken in its entirely is not good. However as I’ve said here before I do give him and his management team credit for the magnificent performance in the 2017 final.
    Now his team is gone and he’s clearly intent on staying and putting together a new management team. And that’s fair enough, I admire his courage. However if this rumour is true I hope that he uses his courage to give frank reasons as to why he was forced to step away. Don’t want to hear family, work commitments blah blah blah. Is it the players or the Cb. I’m not looking for someone to blame, I’m just hoping to find out what needs to be fixed. It isn’t encouraging though that this news fake or otherwise hasn’t been nipped in the bud by a statement from the cb be it a simply tweet something more official.

  66. If there is any truth to this then I don’t think you’ll be seeing McGuinness in there, you will probably be seeing Mike Solan and whomever he picks as selectors. Pure speculation this of course but I am marrying Mike Connelleys earlier comments about SR needing to freshen up the panel and the success in Limerick of bringing the successful U-21 hurling manager up to senior and the potential that the same blueprint is about to be used in Tipp after last nights win.

  67. Ah now, I think you would find, if that is the case (and there are way too many ifs, ands and buts in all of this) that SR has too much honour and pride in himself to be doing that.

  68. The CB have confirmed to Mid West SR is still in charge. Case closed hopefully.

  69. It was confirmed to Mid West Radio by the county board in the last hour that Stephen Rochford is still the Mayo manager. Whether that will still be the case this time tomorrow remains to be seen.

  71. I take your point exile, however it’s not tell all I’m looking for just a, I realise now that I don’t have the full backing of the dressing room and/or the full backing of the cb, somewhere within the statement IF there is to be one.

  74. Thanks Anne Marie so it was fake news that some people fall for and for people saying Jim would be the man he put donegal backwards and there paying for it now

  75. https://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/ro…n-speculation/

    ”
    Stephen Rochford

    THE Mayo GAA County Board has issued a statement confirming that Stephen Rochford is still manager of the county’s senior squad despite social media speculation to the contrary.

    The statement was issued to Midwest Radio this afternoon in response to a query about the Ballinrobe-based coach’s position.

    Since the statement was issued, The Connaught Telegraph spoke to the chairman of the Mayo County Board, Mike Connelly, who said Stephen Rochford remains manager of Mayo.

    No further comment is being made at this point.

    The popular Mayo GAA Banter page had posted the following on its Facebook platform earlier: “Reports this morning that Stephen Rochford has stepped down as Mayo Senior Football team manager. Nothing official from Mayo GAA yet though.”

    The post attracted 199 comments up to 1.30 p.m.

    Mayo GAA tweeted yesterday after an executive committee meeting: “Following an executive meeting of Mayo GAA, the officers of the board were authorised to meet Stephen Rochford and his management team on their structures and plans for 2019.”

    Reports also circulated at the weekend that Rochford was bringing former Mayo captain Peter Ford and Breaffy GAA coach Shane Conway on board as part of his new management teams.”

  76. The wording of C.B statement about the Manager, though curious, is in no way convincing Saying he STILL IS, or REMAINS, Manager seems to be intentionally non definitive, and is merely kicking the can down the road, for whatever reason.Looks like something else is in the pipeline anyway

  77. It’s quite something when a newspaper like the Telegraph sees fit to quote a Facebook page as a source for a story, when that page provided no attribution nor corroboration whatsoever for their ‘fake news’ claim. Little wonder the industry is suffering. Also I hope people can see now why I try to hold the line the way I do on unconfirmed rumours.

  78. Well that’s good news now people please don’t fall for fake news like mayo die hard did but it’s easy to fall for when u love mayo so that’s that how about rice he could be going to England after all that’s not fake news I’ll stand over that

  83. I have to say i hate those facebook pages and the admins are most of the time sxxxstirrers. I think there are about 5 different mayo facebook pages and one is worse than the other.
    Thats why i only pop in here for my Mayo news..
    The whole episode today must be awful for Stephens friends and family. Hope he is left alone now to concentrate in his job..

  84. All I can say is thank God that Stephen is still manager and I really hope that remains the case for 2019. I’m getting fond of the word ‘lunacy’ now – it would be absolute lunacy to want to say goodbye to a quality manager, who loves football, who got us to two All-Ireland finals in two successive years against the Greatest Team of All Time, and whose team came up just a point short in each case, the last game in the final minutes of extra time.

    AND when his expert backroom team have gone, he is even willing to come back for more! Can you imagine that?

    Odd substitution policies are simply that – odd. Let us see that he and his team had a reason for them. Bear in mind all detractors do is detract – the man himself hasn’t been heard as to his reasoning on them. Why are people going to town on him for a few errors? We all make errors. No-one – not even the all-knowing Jim Gavin is immune from errors of judgement. Do you know how many things he had to have got right to get Mayo to where they have been in 2016 and 2017? This is the central point in my wish that he stays on – he has done a very good job. Emphasising errors is a trap in thinking – think of all he got right, and I don’t even mean tactically. Think of the logistical job his team have done. Think of the level of preparedness. Think of the professionalism.Think of his dignified way of dealing with the media. Opt for another manager – and are you sure you are going to get all of that? Look at the large room for error there.
    And it is clear to me that he has the loyalty and trust of the players who in 2017 played three games of their lives under his leadership (Mayo v Ros replay; Mayo v Kerry replay and AI Final). I think it is very important that he stays on and that we see what he offers and has offered.

  85. Remember it is not social media or the County Board leaking details of the backroom before the matters was considered by the County Board in private. All sides are playing dirty here

  86. The Ah Ref lad and his so called sources has lost all credibility and from now on he should stick to what he knows best club football.

  92. Well said, MO2018. A few posters here were guilty of building him up as the man ‘in the know’. That’s the end of that.

    Assuming SR’s backroom team are ratified, you can now start your stopwatches running on the first post to suggest that having Ford and Conway on the line is the latest proof of the O’Sheas calling the shots…

  94. As regards these “leaks”, they surely couldn’t be coming from the within the current panel, given that such behaviour would seriously undermine the level of professionalism to which the players themselves have to date portrayed themselves to aspire. Right? I mean if so, it would hardly endear them to the many who have been sympathetic in recent years to their quest for excellence … It certainly wouldn’t be the brightest move in many ways.

    DavyJ, I think a few have already got that dig in, though admittedly elsewhere, not here.

    What a bizarre few days.

  95. These leaks are coming from a Executive county board meeting from last night which was called to put Stephen & backroom team to the whole county board. Only about 8 or so on Executive no players. At this there was disagreements ovr da management team. This is where da problem lines what happens here should be kept quite. And information should be on s need to know basis. And this might come as s shock to some but we as supporters don’t need to know every little detail

  96. D.J Closer to 20 members on Executive, Statement from Executive seems like a smokescreen Saying Officers were given permission for discussions with Team Manager, when this option already existed with officers, They had already planned to meet with Management on Friday night as announced by chairman at Co B meeting on Thurs last.

  97. There seems to be a demise in the levels of the big three North Mayo Clubs. Crossmolina are really struggling and may well be relegated to Intermediate. Ballina are out of the Championship, but may well prove to be unlucky as I feel Castlebar and Ballaghadereen are two very strong teams. Knockmore will also be eliminated if Charlestown beat Moy Davitts. Changed times indeed

    I dont know anything about the management situation but the statement from County Board to Midwest today would make me wonder will Stephen be manager next week. The constant leaking to one local newspaper is not helping the situation much either.

  101. be the hokey as Miley used to say. Rochford gone according to RTE so is Peter Forde repacing him?

  104. “After a meeting of the Mayo GAA Board’s Executive Committee last night, held to discuss the management team I had assembled to manage Mayo senior men’s team in 2019, the board issued a statement saying they wished to meet the management team and me about our structure and plans,” the statement read.

    “It was apparent from what transpired at that meeting that the desired level of support for me as manager was not forthcoming from the Executive Committee.

    “This disappoints me greatly. Accordingly, I see no value in meeting with the officers of the board and I am resigning my position as Mayo manager.

    “I thank all those who supporters me during the past three years, two of which saw Mayo come so close to winning the All-Ireland title.”

    Rochford added it was a “great privilege” to manage the county and says he was optimistic that his new-look backroom team would have built on the foundation set by others.

    “Like all Mayo people, I enjoyed the good days when the team won and suffered the disappointments when the results didn’t go our way.

    “The 2018 season was a disappointing one for all involved, and for our supporters. However, I had every confidence that our new backroom team had the capacity to build on the progress of previous years and drive the team on in 2019.”

  107. Thanks Stephen for some great times. I hope that the Board has a strong shortlist set up as I think we’ve lost a fantastic Manager.

    As others have said the county has to find a way to manage transitions without such controversy.

    I’d hoped the silver lining of going out early this year is that whilst the panel had a chance to recharge focus would be put on getting the S&C candidates flagged, opposition scouted (which SR did), and a new backroom set up once it was apparent most we’re leaving (a great thanks for their efforts too).

    Other than the senior / injured members of the squad having the chance to refresh none of that has happened – which is a shambles. The fact there’s a Twitter account “in the know” is the icing on the cake.

  108. I’m disgusted. Sick of our county board and sick for Stephen Rochford. He doesn’t deserve this.

  109. Cod put it best above and I am sorry to say this – we are a circus. Or maybe it’s best to say that the members of the County Board could try their hands in a circus. There was something not right coming down the track from the moment I read in the paper in July (I think it was) that the Chairman of the County Board was reported as telling a journalist that the Board would be talking to Stephen about seeing certain specific things happening in 2019 (bringing new players in etc).

    I thought at the time it was inappropriate to say the least that a head of a county board was making such a statement in public before a meeting with the manager even occurred. It was not his place. I wondered if it was the journalist who was asking inappropriate questions or putting the Chairman on the spot. But I now doubt it.

    Certain Mayo journalists also stated publicly their preference for a ‘freshening up’ in the last few weeks. And of course we have the benediction of outside ‘thought leaders’ such as Bernard Flynn who believed that the Mayo manager was ‘probably’ getting away with murder.

    In brief, certain persons have had agendas and they have stuck. And we have gotten rid of a good person. I really dislike being negative (as some of you know) and so writing this pains me. But it is what I see.

  110. My mother in law had it at 11a.m yesterday that he was gone and it was from a very reliable respected source (but I wouldn’t post it) so if the meeting was last night looks like the decision or whatever transpired happened before it

  111. Agree with swallow swoops. It had undercurrents of being all wrong. I’m fuming. What next? Mass retirements.
    Is there an All Ireland this week?!

  112. I’m still deleting … and asking again for people to be reasonable in what they post. If it’s just bile (which generally takes the form of f**k the county board) then do me a favour and grace your social media platform of choice with your profound insights and leave this place out of it. I understand that feelings are running high but if you can’t control yourself then lose control in your own place of residence online.

    There’s an informed debate to be had here on the site about how and why we got to the position we’re currently in – and, from what I can see, there was fault on both sides which resulted in an outcome this evening I truly believe neither side wanted – and it’s a debate to be welcomed. But the ill-informed name-calling and abuse that so many are attempting to post here does nothing to aid this debate, isn’t welcomed and says more about those of you who are willing to post this crap than it does about your intended targets.

  113. Willie Joe! – from what I can see, there was fault on both sides which resulted in an outcome this evening I truly believe neither side wanted –

    I cannot see where there was fault in Rochfords part except for not winning an All-Ireland. As for the County board, the dogs in street knew they wanted rid of Rochford after Newbridge.

  114. He waited far too long, Vinnieb, to signal his intentions. He should have been out of the traps quickly after Newbridge saying he planned to stay on. Nature abhors a vacuum.

    By the way, how do you know the County Board wanted him gone? Some individuals may have (as well as some more behind the scenes) but there’s no evidence of a concerted push on behalf of the executive as a whole and I don’t believe there was any such push. Mike Connelly’s ridiculous deadline for naming the backroom team certainly didn’t help, the insistence on signing off on Stephen’s new backroom team didn’t help (James Horan changed coaches three times and I don’t recall him ever having to go back for approval on this) and the ongoing leaking for sure didn’t help either. But, as I said, Stephen didn’t help his own case by waiting until the middle of this month to confirm that he wanted to stay on.

  115. It’s all good and well laying everything at the county board’s door but what I would like to know is why was there any announcements at all until a manager and backroom team were agreed upon. This is what make us look like a fucking circus.
    I said on here before that there was as much of a chance of Jose Mourihno taking the job as Jim McGuinness…I may have to eat my words altho despite what paddy power thinks I dont see it happening. I think Mike Solan or James Horan will be offered the job.
    In regard to Stephen Rochford I am really sorry it all ended like this. I have lost some faith in him in recent months and he would not be my choice but he is a decent man who has done a huge amount for Mayo football and I am sorry it all ended up in this sad mess.

    So much for that downtime Willie Joe!!!

  116. Willie Joe! Last year he didn’t agree to stay on until at least November if my memory serves right. Then he got an extension! What’s changed this year I wonder that it had to be done by Aug 31st.
    As they say ” if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck & quacks like a duck” then it’s a duck!

  117. Vinnieb – What changed this year was, of course, Newbridge. 2018 was a car crash for us at inter-county level and it wasn’t clear in the aftermath if Stephen would be staying on at all. I’m in agreement with you – as I’ve already said – that the 31st August deadline was nonsensical but I still believe that there was fault on both sides and an element of both sleepwalking over the precipice.

  119. Thank you very much for all your hard work and dedication to the senior mayo football team.
    Enjoy your time with your family as they have being very generous in giving us a great leader who led our team with pride.
    You energised so many Mayo people all over the world.
    Thank you.

  120. Rochford should have come out straight after new bridge and state he was staying, had he done so possibly Buckley and Mcentee might have stayed, a vacuum full of uncertainty left by his silence, but I fear lean years ahead unless there is a very high profile management team appointed

  121. Interesting username..the darky finn. From the song macalpines fuesillers i take it? He was actually a real person from my own neck of the woods who emmigrated to England years ago. Probably never thought he’d end up in a Dubliners song. Anyway thats my bit of useless info for tonight..now, back to giving out about Mayo.

  122. Peter, how do you know Stephen wasn’t waiting for Donie and Tony to declare their intentions first? Hard for him to confirm his intentions if he wasn’t sure what sort of backroom team he was going to have.
    As well as that, lets not forget its an amateur volunteer role. I’m involved in a committee role with my local club and don’t have to give a 20th of the time Stephen or his backroom team have to give and I find it a strain with family and a full time demanding job. So he’s perfectly entitled to take his time to decide if he and his family could have given the commitment to go again.

    Moving on, James Horan, not so sure. very difficult to come back from the softness of punditry to put your arse on the line again. Personally I think the CB want Mike Solan and that might not be a bad choice at all.

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