James Horan was interviewed on the excellent Off the Ball programme on Newstalk last night – for anyone who missed it, it’s available here (the interview starts 38 minutes into this section of the programme).
In the interview, James spoke about how he wants to develop the players both as individual talents and as a collective unit and how mental strength needs to be built up over time, with an emphasis on this aspect in training. He pointed to how well we developed from a low ebb back in 1995 and said that our poor showing this year has probably given him and his team some space. He noted that, as a county, we tend “to overreact when things go well and overreact when things go poorly” which is probably a fair enough observation to make. He finished up by saying a bit about his backroom team, where he stated that “one or two” others would be added to this team.
It was the first time I’d heard the new man talk and I thought he came across very well. It’s obvious that he’s a straight talker and so the era of spin and political bullshit now appears, thankfully, to be behind us. It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that we’re now in safe hands – or is that an overreaction?
There’s a piece by Sean Moran in the Irish Times today which is also worth a look. In it, Kevin McStay speaks in fulsome terms about James Horan and the qualities he’ll bring to the job. Kev also reckons that this is the first time that we’ve appointed a home-grown manager who previously played in the forwards for us “since Ger Courell and Jackie Carney were in charge of the team that won the 1951 All-Ireland.” And there was me thinking that managers only came into vogue when Micko and Heffo turned up in the 1970s.
Hi there,
Well personaly i think it was the right decision by the Mayo county board to appoint one of their own for the position of Mayo manager. I think Maughan would be a joke, just look at we done to our Minor lads who won an all Ireland in 06.
I think Horan has a lot of foresight and knows grass routs football in the county. He also was a very good footballer with two all stars, so in that regards he will get a lot of respect from the players.
Thanks for the link WJ. Refreshing to hear a man speak openly, not afraid that his next sentence might confer an advantage on the opposition or leave a hostage to fortune.
Its a bit disappointing that the questions at the end werent put to them. He gave a good interview but never got into detail about his plans. I suppose its early days yet.
First of all thanks for the link wj.
I feel there is room for optimism.Seems like an intelligent man.I think we all knew john o mahoney was doing the job because he felt he had to rather than wanted to,I think that attitude eventually spread to the players.Good to hear james nallen involved,which can only be a good thing on the defensive side anyways.Whatever happens I think it takes alot of desire to take the job when your james horan especially when after 97′ it would have been easy to turn his back on Mayo.
The one man manager situation did indeed come into vogue, probably following English soccer which introduced it in 62 when Alf Ramsay took sole charge of the team instead of the committee which picked the team previously. A committee picked it in alot of counties up until then- and Rugby stayed with that practice for a good while afterwards. Lecture over.
With selectors we’re nearly gone back to com’ttee decisions. Horan looks like a smart fella, and there can’t be too much in football that Jimmy Nallen hasn’t seen.
In the early 1960s Mayo at one stage had 16 selectors. Somebody wasnt even going to get their own man in.
As long as the Boss knows what he is doing you can have 3 or 4 “selectors”. Its no longer a one man show. Horan will be fine. Still trying to find the minor team of 2006 that won an All Ireland and the link that Maughan had to them?
ontheroad you might want to look for the un21 team of 2006 not the minor team .
also acording to the irish indo he is going to hold trail games in the county to find players
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/horan-new-manager-after-late-swell-of-support-2359085.html
i think jimmy kelly is talking about the rossie minors who won the minor all ireland in 2006.I hope he can find his way back to the Hogan stand.
Ah yes “On the road” – good to see you going back to the 1960s – your teenage years. The reason they had 16 selectors was that they had a rotation policy with the goalies.At that particular time there was two excellent goalies – one from Kiltane and the other from Belmullet – -they used to play the Belmullet lad in the first half and the Kiltane lad in the second so in effect all 16 selectors got “their own man in” and all those loyal supporters in the Erris peninsula were left feeling very satisfied!
Obviously the present economic tsumani has missed Samuels place of work hence the enlightnend insights to the workings of the Mayo selection committees of the 1960s. Actually Samuel to pass the time, give me the names of the goalies Mayo used from say 1965 to 1975. That should kill an hour or so?
Ontheroad – – -Do you remember that great goalie of the 60s (He also played full-back) Tomas Rua? I once saw him score a point direct from the kick-out – – mind you there was a gale blowing in from the Atlantic. Yes you are correct again the economic tsumani has not reached us here – – we haven’t been has fortunate as yourselves – – – there isn’t a trace of a drop of oil or gas here. It is ironic that we got the right man in the end as the word on the ground is that Maughan pulled out because he thought Lyons was getting the job.