Well, that’s it for another year at Senior level, as we exited tamely from the Championship yesterday to Kerry at the quarter-final stage. It’s not all doom and gloom, of course, as the Minors have an All-Ireland final to look forward to in two weeks time and the women are still in it too.
Here’s what’s online about the weekend’s matches.
Senior
Locals: Mayo Advertiser, Connaught Telegraph, Radio Kerry, Killarney Advertiser.
Nationals: Irish Times, Irish Examiner (match report, James Horan quotes), Irish Independent, Irish Mirror, Irish Sun.
Others: GAA (match report, James Horan quotes), RTÉ (match report, James Horan quotes), Sky Sports, The 42, Breaking News,
Photos: Sportsfile, Inpho.
Video: GAA (highlights), GAA Fan TV (analysis).
Stats: GAA Statsman.
Minor
Match reports: Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, Irish Times, Mayo Advertiser, Western People, Connaught Telegraph, Radio Kerry, GAA, RTÉ, The 42.
Photos: Sportsfile, Inpho.
LGFA
Match reports: Ladies Football, Connaught Telegraph.
Photos: Sportsfile.
That’s the lot for now. Don’t forget to vote, if you haven’t yet done so, in the MOTM poll on the Senior game, which will remain online until later in the day. I’ll post the results of the poll – our final MOTM one for this year – later on this evening.
The magic seems to be gone from Mayo football. The crowd just wasn’t there for us yesterday- it seems last years final was a tipping for many.
We were great drama for a number of years but this year was a damp squib for us.
Any hopes of doing well in the future will depend on finding forwards….don’t mention the war!
It was the strangest atmosphere of any game I’ve ever been at. At a stage (the first 50 minutes!!!!) when Kerry were there for the taking it seemed like neither the players nor supporters believed we could push on and do it .
If I’m quite honest I was pretty disgusted with our support yesterday. Impossible to get any chants of support going. It’s easy to be the “best supporters in the country” when the team is going well. Yday was when we were needed most and we let them down .
There will be a time in the not too distant future when people are squealing about all ireland final tickets again. It’s a pity the shouting wasn’t as loud in the stands yday
Weird to see us go out so tamely, definitely felt like a team in need of a holiday or some time with the clubs. We could quite easily and lost to kildare and monaghan so were just delaying inevitable
It’s too easy to seek comfort in the fact that conroy/rod were missing but that doesn’t excuse everything. We struggled up front in the final last year with the 2 lads playing. Our forward play is and has been well below the required level for many years now.
Even allowing for the undoubted huge loss of the 2 lads up front, how does that explain so many others performing so poorly this season.
If allstar nominees were selected today you would only have leeroy (maybe oisin at a push)
Coen, cillian, aos, diarmuid, paddy, ruane, loftus all way off the pace this season. That’s far too many key lads underperforming
Agreed km79, the entire life was sucked out of the stadium when all the armagh fans left.
The 2nd game just felt lethargic, on and off the field
Well said Km79. Prior to 2012 it was never any bother getting tickets for Mayo games other than the All Ireland. Mayo supporters loved following the team over the past 10 years when they were playing well with great players. Let’s see how good the supporters are if things don’t go well over the next while.
Totally agree km79 – the Mayo support base withered badly this year. We had as few in attendance in Croke Park as I can remember. There was no prospect of ever raising a roar as there simply weren’t enough of us there.
We knew that the game yesterday was going to stretch us to our limits and likely expose a threadbare squad. But it really felt to me to like we almost abandoned them to their fate.
I get that’s it has been a difficult couple of years, and the cost of going to games isn’t helping either. But there are a lot of people who just didn’t bother as well. The likes of Keegan & Co deserve a lot better.
Thanks for the morning reads WJ….”kicked fifteen wides to say nothing of the other five they dropped short into Shane Ryan’s grateful arms”
That tells the story of what might have been, the story of mayo supporters lives.
The All Ireland series will have a much different format next year.
Has the venue for minor final being confirmed? If its a curtain raiser to Galway Derry, then it will be very hard to get any kind of mayo chant behind the team
I’m don’t really have an opinion on whether JH stays or not. Four years, 4 national finals, 3 trophies, and we were in transition with huge injuries.
I think we looked tired this year. After two big years during covid, it’s understandable. I’m hugely grateful to have had JH in charge for that period, and I think there’s very few managers out there who could have seen us through as successfully.
Why the surprise at the way we exited , the writing was on the wall during the Monaghan game , continued against Kildare and topped it’s self yesterday , games are played over 80 minutes plus , Mayo on the other hand only play for 40 minutes .
And as for trying to blame the supporters for our defeat yesterday , we have been the best supported county in the country for the last two decades , no one has come anywhere near matching our dedication on the road especially at Croke Park , and to see commentators on here trying to shift the blame for our defeat on to the fans is so embarrassing .
With all due respect Rock and Km79 Mayo fans were alienated by County Board after last years final. Treated atrociously after years of loyalty. Management has allowed an alienation of fans and team and very decent and passionate Mayo people have been taken for granted. I, as a very loyal and genuine fan, found this very hard to deal with this year. This didn’t stop me from supporting Mayo yesterday and all year and I will support Mayo teams into the future because no one ‘owns’ the Mayo team, we are all just passing through, players fans and management. Each and everyone of us have an input to ‘Brand Mayo’ . What you sow you will reap and that was evident yesterday and all through the year.
As regards Horans future, while it feels at a natural end I would be reluctant to get rid unless we have a better candidate lined up.
Jim mcguinness would be my first choice bit apparently he is going back in with donegal next year if rumours are believable.
A lot of people calling for Rochford again, I’m not sure what the obsession is with going back k to previous managers in mayo, it seems every manager gets a 2nd go at it despite not of them getting across the line first time around
The only other possibilities I see are a dempsey/terry Kennedy ticket.
O’brien that managed corofin to the 3 in a row worth a look too
…but none if those mentioned would stand out as an obvious improvement on horan
Fans were asked to travel to croke park in 2021 for a connacht final, and this year for a last 16 game v Kildare, which is the equivalent of a connacht semi final. No league game at home. Cap that with an independent pathway for our minors. Its a bit rich to fault supporters lost in a sea of orange.
Negativity Kicking in again, of course atmosphere was flat yesterday after all that drama that unfolded in Armagh v Galway game in front of a full house. I was actually very impressed with Mayo yesterday as without Ryan & TC we were every bit as good and better than Kerry for most periods of the game. Imagine if Kerry played us yesterday without Clifford and Ó Shea and we had our best 2 forwards on the pitch! Old enough to remember the days when Kerry would have us done and dusted after 15 minutes so I am relatively optimistic about the future.
The rest of June & July is difficult though. If Galway win AIl Ireland Ouch ! scary thought daren’t go there. If Derry win it I’ll have to listen to Joe Brolly rant on about how they showed they had players who had the balls to get the deal done in one visit not like Mayo. Ouch ! Ouch !. If Kerry win it we’ll have to listen to Kerry people again tell us they invented the game, more Ouch !. Highlight of the day yesterday for me was watching highlights of Spillane throwing his toys out of the pram ranting about the discraceful brawl at the end of the Armagh / Galway game. It was a welcome change from watching him getting over excited telling the nation “Mayo have no scoring forwards”! Ouch
Come on the Dubs save my Summer.
If James Horan steps away the job for the next manager is to embed the modem template of playing. That’s a three year project.
For most of our old players sub roles or not featuring and there as cover.
My view if it is that the Ray Dempsey/Terry Kennedy ticket had the best success getting a club team to play something like that Dublin style.
Remember Knockmore do not have a big pick. Let’s burst that myth immediately.
Knockmore won back to back titles with a squad packed with inexperienced youngsters.
That is not possible without effective coaching and effective tactics.
I’d wish for Gaelic football to be free and open but it’s not. The primary foundation of all modern teams is defence and an attack based on rehearsed team moves setting up high percentage shots.
Yes, kinda boring. But much success in life the route to it is the willingness to energetically tackle into boring hard work.
All you lads mouthing off about Mayo supporters – get a grip of yourselves. You guys are a total embarrassment to come out with such nonsense.
The Mayo set up lost many of the fanbase after the fiasco of last year.
A change was required post Tyrone. Mayo fans wanted change. That was very clear. Nothing happened. Fans alienated. This year, same old story, same old failings. Exact same script. Very poor communication from Horan and co throughout this season. Fans have become alienated, me included.
I stopped travelling over for league matches from the UK this year. ALIENATED. I have missed a handful of mayo games in last 10 yrs (excluding challenges).
Next year I will return assuming Horan his buddies step aside.
I am just fed up of the same old approach. Like I would say 75% of the fanbase. Why should I support them if I disagree with what’s been done? Unconditional support is the height of idiocy surely?
And there you have it. That’s why the fans were quiet yesterday and why lots stayed away.
I don’t think anyone was blaming supporters for the defeat. Cant speak for the earlier posters but the point I think they were making was that yesterday lacked the passionate and vocal support that has been behind this team in the past 10 years. Remember going to Hyde Park and Croker in 2011, and not many Mayo supporters those days. . Then the team took off and we had some fantastic days supporting them. Lots of supporters like to be associated with winning teams, but when the team seems less likely to win the support levels drop off. I am sure some supporters follow the team through thick and thin, have seen bad days as well as good and they will be tho ones going to future games even if we are not doing great. When the good times return( as we hope they will) the other supporters will return in numbers..I dont think we should blame Co Board or management etc for ‘asking’ us to travel to games. We support our team because we are Mayo people. We can choose to go or not. Some people struggle with the cost at the moment, others lack the belief that we are good enough to win and choose not to be associated with a losing team. That’s human nature. Its the easiest thing in the world to be seen to be backing a winner.
Would agree with the above comments re us having an improvement lined up. I’m definitely not saying we should stick with the current management team, but making sure we have something that’s at least as good is key. Re the consistently competitive mantra – this year is the first one in a while where we’ve got an entirely novel final coming up. By staying in Div 1 and consistently hitting SFs at least can only be good for the senior prospects. I’m sure there will be posters here that know the manager options in the county well enough to have a view on who could be an improvement and fair enough if so as I definitely don’t following from UK.
Hopefully there’s a chance now for some time to properly reflect and rest / recover in relative quiet.
@to win just once. That’s fair. Supporters come and go, with how well a team does. Across all sports. Yesterday lacked passion from supporters, but totally understandable. Mayo fans yesterday = Bill Murray in groundhog day. If you haven’t seen that movie, watch it. ?
looking at the match day 26.
17 (65%) players are from 6 clubs.
So the remaining 40+ clubs in the county make up the remaining 35 %
New Management Team
Dempsey Knockmore/ Liam McHale Ballina/ Egan Garrymore / Deane Breaffy
Have to agree with JP above. JH in all fairness did a good job at keeping Mayo competitive and always there or there about. But looking at other counties, the defensive shape seems to be the platform for success these days. Jack O’Connor making a huge call this year bringing a Tyrone defensive coach into their set up is proof of it. And even Galway under PJ have put defensive plans in place. Even though I thought their FB line was very weak on Sunday. I think ultimately the running game JH played left us too weak at the back on to many occasions throughout the last few years. It will beat the weaker counties but not the ones who move the ball quick with top class forwards. If JH does go he can hold his head up high. Gave everything but just couldn’t get over the line. He wasn’t the first and won’t be the last to fail in the hot seat for mayo.
However if he is to be replaced I think we can forget about the likes of a Jim McGuinness coming into Mayo. Why would he? He’s a proud Donegal man who is 100% focused on developing a management career in soccer. I’d love nothing more to see him on the line next year but it’s unrealistic. I think we will stay within the county. Dempsey/Kennedy not a bad call at al considering the Knockmore style of play. I think they have only conceded 4 goals in the last 2 championship seasons which is a remarkable stat. And it’s a young team a bit like Mayo. I’m sure there will be plenty of debate none the less over the next few weeks if the job does become vacant
Bit deflated after yesterday. Kerry’s movement in the final third was the difference along with our poor strike rate. Not going to delve to much in our shortcomings but there is a bright enough future. I would give Horan another year but he will need to freshen his backroom team up to add an appetite, desire and something structurally different, I think he deserves one more go with a full deck to play from. On Kerry one interesting stat from Pat Spillane only 1 point scored from a defender between this game and our 1st league game – how did they do that ?
One thing that bugged me after the game, I met a squad member who I wont name (not on the 26) that wasn’t at the game. Maybe its just me but would you not think the full squad would be present for the comradery, in it together, football family reasons etc.. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against the individual but doesn’t sit well from a perception perspective…
To win just once is spot on. There were no more than 3,000 Mayo supporters at the Connaught final in 2011. We were outnumbered 6 to 1 by the Rossies.
Mayo are like any other county – when the team are going well the support base increases and when the wheels start to come off the wagon supporters disappear again.
We don’t need to be wasting any more time.
It’s time to move on.
We already have around 7 younger lads who can play at this level …… Hession, Mullin, McLaughlin,
Flynn, ROD, Conroy & Carney.
We need now to try to build a future around these & we need a fresh management team to manage the rebuild
next year.
We need to raid the current U20s & put an emphasis on the upcoming County Championships for further
younger talent.
Can we rely on our County Board to properly manage this necessary transition ?
This is the big question.
I had no expectation of us winning yesterday and indeed had I been told what the final score would be beforehand it would have been what I anticipated. However in the context of how the game played out I feel it was there for the taking. If we had taken those chances and possibly opened up even a two point lead it would have put pressure on Kerry that they may not have handled. As it was we became deflated by the misses and once they has opened up a lead it was all over.
I have been following Mayo since I attended my first Connacht final in 1968 and the one constant failing of all the Mayo teams is an inability to take our chances when on top. We have never been short of ball winners just eecutioners up front. Look back to 1996 and 1997 for example on how to kick away All Irelands. The one exception on those teams been James Horan. And remember last year in the final we had Tommy and ROD. Why this is I don’t know but look yesterday at how comfortable Kerry were in taking their points compared to us. .
Anyway now is not the time for rash decisions to be made by either players or management and let us all enjoy the summer.
Finally thanks again Willie Joe for providing us with this forum and all the hard work that goes into it. That cannot be said often enough. We are very fortunate as lovers of Mayo football to have this.
It’s not as simplistic to say those not in attendance recently are fair weather. I didn’t go yesterday and in fact didn’t go to any game this year and I’m definitely not fairweather. From 1987 (I was 10) to 2019 I missed no more than 7 or 8 championship games. I regularly go to league away games, minor and u21 championship…the lot. For years/decades I booked holidays around Mayo football (in so far as I could). Summer and to a lesser extent Spring revolvec around Mayo football.
But I came out of Croke Park last September psychologically done. I was raging, seething, at how poor we were (and we were very poor too in the 2020 final when Dublin were there to be taken). The anger and frustration from last year has subsided only v slightly. The mental torture of all the decades finally caught up. I realised how much I didn’t enjoy the match days. I hate the games. I want us to win an All Ireland so much it’s unhealthy and I’m sure there are so many in the same boat. I’ve spent decades following Mayo football when many others weren’t. Days like Longford or up in derry in the qualifiers in 07. Our failure to win and the journey had taken its toll. I need a mental break. God love my family around me, they had to put up with it!! So, I think there are many like me who needed to step away, frustrated, burned out, angry, fed up. Not that watching it on TV makes I much easier.
I absolutely adore Mayo. My dream of seeing us win Sam remains as strong as ever. Sometimes I wish it didn’t.
I was in attendance yesterday, but like most we could see the game disappear long before the final whistle.
It’s very clear to us long serving supporters, we have seen this many times before.
20 yard efforts for a point being put wide
No defensive plan for a simple Kerry attacking prong on Cusack stand side of the pitch.
No heavy hits went in.
I know that the time is past for a completely new management structure, please no going backwards and picking a guy for a second term.
As someone that doesn’t live in Mayo, the Coaching at Underage must be poor, why are guys not able to kick points when needed at Senior level?
To be fair to Horan – given our playing personnel, and the amount of retirements the past few seasons – his second tenure hasn’t been as bad as some make out. Its clear he doesn’t have the same deck of cards available as he did from 2011-14
From when he first took over to when Rochford left was our real golden generation, and we definitely left a few all Irelands behind us in this period.
You could say that day in Newbridge was probably the end of us as a real top force (I don’t believe any of the new players since 2017 that played yesterday would get near the 2017 team, and all those that played in both games are probably not as effective in 2022 as 2017), yet since Horan returned we’ve been knocked out of the championship by the eventual champions from 19-21, and the all Ireland favourites this year.
We still generally manage to eke out wins against teams below us, yet until Horan became involved in 2011, we were infuriatingly inconsistent year after year, making a final one year then going out harmlessly in the back door the subsequent season, and so on.
That said its clear he’s very unlikely to get us over the line at this stage, so it probably is the time to change things up.. I’d worry if things become even more stale we’ll actually start losing to the likes of the Monaghans and Kildares in these awkward back door games and then we’ll be in a right mess altogether. As it is we’re actually not miles away despite having a completely mis-functioning forward line, a completely unsettled starting 15 and players simply just not good enough at the top level
Whatever about Kerry, I really felt – and still feel – the Galway game was a de facto All Ireland semi, I truly believed – and still believed – the winner that day would power on to make an All Ireland final, given the way the draw was set to pan out. The abject performance that day was a serious worry. Yet if Orme’s effort actually snuck over at the end, if we converted even a few of the simple chances we missed, we could very well be looking at an extremely winnable semi v Derry in a few weeks, and everything would be extremely rosy. Small margins and all that…
As long as we keep falling over the line against the teams below us, draws will open up and we’ll still be thereabouts… the question is are we happy to stick with Horan in the hope of remaining “consistently competitive”? or do we risk a new (maybe even unproven) manager in the hope that, even if our level of consistency suffers, that if we do get on a good run in a given year that they’ll be better able to adapt to the opposition and change things up against the big guns?
On job performance alone however, looking at the raw data on results only (only eliminated from championship once as favourites – and that being in an AI final), Horan has every right to stake his claim for another season to be fair…
Fair enough mayonaze, and I agree that there are plenty more non bandwagon supporters like yourself that made a similar choice. I know in my own family we’d gather in clonliffe around one of our cars for the sambos. We’d have had a car from kerry another from carlow one from galway and 2 or 3 from Mayo, all family spread out around the country. Against kildare and again on Sunday only one car only myself. That’s just the way it is now, our fanbase is completely fractured due to many reasons but mostly due to ultimate failure and repeated heartache.
Just one point re management. Are we not managerless now. Our season is over and with it our managers 4 year term.
I will put out a new thought provoker.
What psychologically is hurting a lot of fans is knowing we were running naive chaotic tactics and then on and off field we get labelled with that.
“Ah the Mayo lads are good craic up for a few pints and a burger”.
Fuck that burger.
We’re Mayo and our character is more steely and tough and rough hewn, we don’t want to be labelled as happy go lucky “The Mayo lads can only play one way n sure they give it a go “.
@Ciaran I think it’s a throwaway line to say the four seasons is proof enough on job performance.
The objective is to be in a 40% shot of Sam if we made a final.
Average margin of all four exits is seven points.
Eight goals conceded and one scored?
Come on that’s proof of failure.
Making a final beating Tipperary being used as proof of success in the job. Come off it.
Horan was unlucky with injuries this year but lucky to fall past Galway in the Covid champ and then draw Tipp to reach a final. Can only beat what’s in front of you and all that but he’s not getting much credit from me for that year, given Dublin cruised past us in the final as well. Then last year, great last 20 against Galway and great last 20 v Dublin but a terribly flat final performance. Followed this year by poor performance after poor performance since the game in Tralee. I’ll be shocked if he stays on. Probably a bit early for Andy given he played with so many of those players.
On the game, I thought Kerry would win by 6-8 points but I didn’t expect that Mayo would actually be in with such a chance with 20 minutes left. Mattie Ruane’s miss from 21 metres out was soul-destroying. Kerry could have been caught yesterday which makes more disappointing despite having no expectations beforehand. I don’t understand the positive comments about Hession, he got absolutely roasted by Geaney and is quite loose in possession. He has a lot of improving to do. Mullin did great on Clifford but in fairness it was a day for the backs. We have some very good players 1-9 but 10-15 we are so average without TC and ROD, I mean mid-table Division 2 average. Hope some of these minors come through fast – no pressure lads!
Oh I fully agree 2020 is a year where we benefitted from incredible good fortune – in fact its probably a championship which never should have happened in the first place.. I’m just saying Horan (from his perspective) would have every right to point to it as a season we beat all the teams we should be beating in champ (Mayo have struggled with this plenty before Horan came in in 2011) and lost to arguably the greatest team of all time in the final, so what more could he really do in that sense?
He still only got knocked out of the championship once as favourites in 4 years. We’re still getting over the line in most games, however I do understand people want more, but is it honestly achievable with our current crop of players?
GBXI i think you’re being generous with the Div 2 comparison. Div 3 is probably more accurate on recent showings. God the shooting yesterday was borderline comical it was so bad. So, so bad.
I’ve seen some comments of late about a forwards coach and yes, it sounds like something any serious team should have BUT in my opinion, the forwards coaches need to be at u14 and u16. If a lad hasn’t the skills and natural ability by the time he’s 16/17 (OFF BOTH FEET), then forget about it. Yeah sure, you can coach seniors on strategy and movement and decision making to a lesser degree but yesterday at Crole Park was lads missing easy chances. We’ve seen it time and again in the big games. So, Mayo GAA’s ‘coaching efforts’ should be focusing on the kids ages 10 to 16. Sure we’ve been saying this for years. I probably write this same message every year after we get knocked out. Someone earlier referenced Groundhog Day!
GBX1: I think you’re correct except for one thing. With a “mid table Division 2 average (forward line)”we reached not one but two All Ireland finals in a row. That speaks to over achievement and not the opposite. However you are right that there are a series of inexplicable performances now that are saying something ( but I’m going to bet it’s complex and not simple)
I think Horan deserves one more year if he wants it. There were too many things this year that are being blamed on him but have little to do with him. He has a strong history of over achievement in a county with bang average forwards ( when compared with Galway,Dublin or Kerry)
When the day comes when he’s not managing Mayo , we should keep James Horan as director of youth development. He has a special talent with these younger players and we should not throw that away.
@Ciaran I think not achievable with the current group of players but we should be closer.
Lots of players are not improving under Horan before we propagate some line around an amazing job in player development.
He aligns players with his system and his system does not work.
Lack of “ruthlessness” over the past decade is the best way to sum it all up. We can discount yesterday really because Kerry are just a better team than us right now.
I watched the 2014 drawn semi with Kerry in Croker the other day. By some distance we were a better team than them. Mayo were on their third year journey with James so had ample experience etc and players at their peak. Yet we still botched it. Not replacing an injured Cafferky was of course a key moment at the end, but more noteworthy was Cillian’s botched gilt-edged goal chance in the first half. It was a shocking miss. Calls for a peno but it would have been extremely soft.
Why did he miss a crucial opportunity in a crucial match? He failed to do it then, at his absolute peak, so I’m at loss to see how he’ll do it next year or the year after, 9, 10 years older. Again, I’m not singling out players just for the sake of it. Many other forwards have had similar moments over the past decade, some of which I referenced here over the past week.
We’ve always had chances (both at our peak, and under it, i.e. last year) to kill the opposition but we’ve always failed. I wouldn’t necessarily blame management for that. Overall, we’ve been very well prepared and set up over the past 10 years but we haven’t stuck the knife into opposition. Now it’s too late. It’s over for the remainder of the old warriors, perhaps with one or two exceptions, ie Lee.
I love watching documentaries on high achieving sports people.
My view is the most on form dominant player in a sport is Ronnie O’Sullivan in snooker.
What is interesting about him is he abandoned an attack only game style to evolve to the most rounded player in the game.
Defensive players like Peter Ebdon could knock him off his stride.
O’Sullivan with coach Ray Reardon and psychologist Steve Peters set about making him a more rounded player.
Best at getting shooters, best escape artist, best positional play and learning to deal with slow frames.
Key to his success was his abandoning a vulnerable game plan.
Key also is O’Sullivans obsession with his he is cueing and striking the ball.
It’s a horror show to see our well resourced players attempting pot shots off their weaker foot off balance over the last few championships.
That’s I will admit not all on management.
I do agree the players have some responsibility in terms of shooting performance.
Are all these players obsessively chasing better shooting performance? I kick sone shots before and after training is not that.
Our shooting technique has been poor.
The u17s thank God have had much better kicking technique.
Process that. In video analysis one can show that our u17s have on average better shooting technique than our seniors.
I’d worry where too obsessive on the pasta, weights and running side and not on kicking technique.
The greatest snooker player of all time is obsessed with the sound of his cue tip, how his body feels cueing the ball. Kieran McDonald made kicks look beautiful, all the greats do. Ibrahimowicz was obsessed about kicking straight shots with power on both feet and figured he’d only need to line his body up to left or right of the goalie.
So, yes I’ve beaten the drum around we need modern tactics. But Dublin have been chasing this excellence in kicking technique. Let’s not lose sight of that, I’m not quite sure we realize how big an issue it is for us.
I think some guys have lost the plot, I have to say Mayo have become stale and the excuses are now boring.
Please give us supporters a break, we need to see fresh faces on the sideline, new voices, new Coaching style.
@Ciaran, sure, when Horan has to defend his performance since 2019 in front of the court of the county board he will point to one semi-final, two finals, and quarter-final loss (to maybe the best team in the country) – all this after losing lots of generational talents (Boyler, Higgins – who should have played in the 2020 final, Moran, Parsons, SOS, Vaughan, Clarke, Barrett). He’ll say I gave you four new All Stars, Mullin, Ruane, Durcan, ROD and established new players like Conroy and Flynn. There’s also an argument to say that he deserves a pass this year because of forward injuries and a rough QF draw – but that’s the price you pay for losing at home to Galway. So, despite not having won one since 1951, the expectation is a final every year in my opinion, especially with the talent between 1-9 and the years of Division 1 football. It looks like we are very stale this year and I don’t know who there is out there but it would be great if we could get someone like a young James Horan in 2011 to bring new fire to this team!
@JP I don’t know you but twice today I couldn’t agree with you more. Weird tbh. I am also a massive Osullivan fan. The way he transformed his game to be more rounded is incredible. You mentioned Steve Peters there as well. If you were to throw your Mayo hat on I think we would need the same approach.
What could work perfectly is a mayo manager who has a good sense of the players in the county but with two coach’s from outside. Someone like a Paul Galvin as a coach. Take him off kildare and let him work with forwards. I think he’d be good just by the way he played the game. He had it all, skill aggression and great football intelligence. Married a mayo woman too so he could be in the county a good bit. A new voice that young and old players would buy into. As good as McDonald was as a player he unfortunately didn’t enjoy the team success at county level that Galvin did. That environment of winning needs to be tapped into. And on the point of psychology there is one person who is a MUST for the next management ticket. Caroline Currid. Everywhere she goes she gets teams over the line. Tyrone 08, Dublin 11, Tipp hurlers and now Limerick the past few years. I think she is from Sligo to which would be a help. She could be the missing key.
@GBx1, what do you think of 8 goals conceded and 1 scored in those four exits. You excuse it how?
That’s 300 mins of football with injury time and we Are 8-1 down goals.
Open minded to a counter point on that if one can be provided.
To counter your new players point, what about all the underage talent that did not improve under Horan.
We didn’t get much really of top players off 2013, 2014 minors.
Agree Mayo88, it would be different if JH had got over the line, then like Harte or Cody he’d have something to stand behind but 8 yrs, 4 lost finals, all of which were there to be won, there is no argument for giving him 2 more years.
Not sure why people are so afraid of a change.
We as supporters need to be awfully careful with what we wish for. Lets say JH goes. Fair enough, two four year terms, 7 semi finals, 4 finals, 6 Connacht titles. Not bad for a county without SAm since 1951. Desperately disappointing not to land the big one. After he left in 2014 we got Pat and Noel, two good Mayo guys. While we made the AI SF again, all was not well with the panel. JH has brought a very high level of professionalism to our set up. If he goes that same level of professionalism must be maintained, otherwise players will walk away. Its amazing that in his 8 years of management you rarely heard a negative word about him from players or ex players. Apart from one high profile departure in 2012, most hung around for a long time. While he was loyal to older players(including yesterday) he also brought in lots of new and exciting guys. As some poster pointed out we have some very good players if we get them all fit and on the field together. Our 10 years of near misses have sapped the morale of a lot of supporters and the easiest target of blame is always the management. We probably tend to be more loyal to our players than management because we see players in action, but not so much the backroom team who no doubt put in a huge effort as well. Its interesting that in the aftermath of beating Dublin last year JH was showered with praise, but that loss to Tyrone really hit people hard. If JH walks away he should do so with a lot of gratitude. From kicking some magnficent points v Meath back in 1996 ,through his two All Stars, his successes with Ballintubber, he has made a massive contribution to football in the county. He has rarely made excuses when things didn’t go to plan. He looked drained after yesterday’s game and is entitled to a bit of reflection time. If he goes will we get a better man to replace him. That is the big question.
How is it that all the posters who believe that there is a glut of All Irelands to be won if only we had different management.
MAYBE,JUST MAYBE, WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
If Mayo had a Moran ,Clifford OSullivan on our team we would most likely have won.
We don’t ,so get over it.
I think an outside man to come in would be great, but don’t have any names coming to mind and I’m not sure how appealing the job is. If Horan does decide to go, I would not be one bit surprised to see Rochford putting himself forward. I remember an interview at the start of the year where Mike Finnerty asked him why he took the Donegal role on for a fourth season and Rochford replied “no-one else asked me”. I agree with those saying its not the best idea looking back at previous managers, but Rochford was treated very unfairly I thought in 2018 and definitely deserved another crack at it. I think his type of thinking (I don’t mean him specifically) is badly needed in that squad for the next phase of development as I expect more of the seasoned campaigners to go after this year.
When you look back on the last four years all our championship exits have been at least two score beatings.
2019 – 10 points to Dublin
2020 – 5 points to Dublin
2021 – 5 points to Tyrone
2022 – 8 points to Kerry
I know its not the same team as 2012-17, and there are plenty of permutations. But four years is a natural cycle in that kind of a job and while that team does need more time to develop, you need fresh minds involved in the camp to let that development happen.
Just to clarify, I think Horan has brought Mayo football to a new level and gave us another morale boost on his return in 2019 with the league final win. The silverware is there from a Connacht perspective without a doubt and the man definitely deserves time to reflect all on what’s happened. I do also see that this year was a nightmare in more ways than one for that team. A better replacement just might not be there in the County and I fully recognise that and we could all rue the day when he is gone. Time to chill the beans on this one and get behind the minors, who are playing some very stylish ball.
We love giving managers a second term in Mayo.
If Stephen Rochford gets a second would we have to go back to Mickey Moran as the last time we had a manager who only served once. I accept Noel Connelly was one time but it was Pat Holmes second term!
Agree Quayman, he has built another strong squad although players not what we had first time around, if he wants another year he should get it, we did so much right yesterday but couldn’t score, not sure that JH fault
@ahh not agsin,
You are not sure what was James Horans fault.
1. Tactics that leave top quality forwards in lots of space 1 v 1 against our defenders.
2. Lack of a coached attacking team play. Which means the moves that lots of top teams do including small resources Derry .
So those two and they are inexcusable at this point of eight seasons proof.
The positive I would take from yesterday is that the game represented a change in tactics, a much needed blend of long kick passing to forward target men mixed with more deliberate build up movements. And the result, we created more scoring chances than kerry. On the negative side 15 wides and worse still, 5 more chances dropping short, and one missed goal opportunity
Horan has given 8 years of his life to the cause. I doubt very much if he is willing to give any more.
What exactly makes a good manager?
You dont exactly see too many ex Dublin players rushing into management. Joyce and Horan have accumulated a fair few grey hairs over their reigns. Hows Andy Moran looking these early days in his management career? McGuinness has been there and done that. He is ambitious and new project driven. Hasnt a notion.
And what do the players think of current management, particularly the new kids, Hession and co. Compared to our Galway neighbours, we have dined at the top table for many years now
Thanks @Mayonaze great post @ 12:58AM – You closing line sums up by feelings as well… “I absolutely adore Mayo. My dream of seeing us win Sam remains as strong as ever. Sometimes I wish it didn’t.” I’m similar age and been going to matches since 89 , i’m outside the county now but try go to 3\4 league games and all the championship games every year – its a blessing but i think the loss to tyrone last year broke something that’s very slow to heal… We may have just sick and tired of it… i know we will be rejuvenated next january (as long as galway don’t win the damn thing!) …. I think we have to be VERY careful in what we do next – i would look for a top Forward coach but keep JH. (Someone who could do what Paul Kinnerk did in Limerick hurling… i know easy say). We could have easily won that game yesterday if we simply took the scores around the 50-55 min mark – but the kicks into goalie hands\baaaad misses sucked the life and game over… no need for much analysis….
Next year.. i reckon we need to move hession and Keegan to half back line and mullin to midfield with ruane – move Emclaughlin and jordan to half forward line- In general, stop wasting our rolls royce players in the deep… find 2 NEW forwards to support cillian, rod and tommy and just “strategise” to score more goals!…simple! …. need to go and take the tablets now….
It was the most unuasal, bizzare and unprecendeted day in Croker yesterday. After the Galway game lots of people left and i found it very hard to get the chants and roaring on the team going. The hours delay to the game did not help matters for the supporters who were all primed to start roaring the team on at 4 pm. I was flagging before half -time which usually never happens me. The mayo misses at start of second half were terrible and sucked the supporters voices away. Hopefully the minor final will be in the HYDE and we can paint Roscommon red and green for the day. Every mayo supporter needs to go to the minor final and roar on the minor team to victory. It will not be easy to beat Galway THREE times in the one year especially with Galway being on a total high after beating Armagh.
Think players that weren’t involved yesterday that can make the matchday panel next year…
Ruairi Keane
Sam Callinan
David McBrien
Harrison
Plunkett
Ethan Henry
Fionn McDonagh
Brian Walsh
Tom O’Flaherty
Paddy Heneghan
Tommy Conroy
Ryan O’Donoghue
Darren McHale
Probably missed a few but there’s a lot of talent out there and a terrific U17 panel as well.
Horan is gone
New manager on the way…
yep its official
Plunkett is another future rolls royce player and mchale could be the next “find”
– we need to find someone to kick frees from the left
– we really cant afford to miss any frees – min of 80% success rate
– how can we kick 5 into goalie’s hands – wouldn’t happen in Jim gavin’s regime
Football is complicated – the reason we kicked wides is not a player skills\capability gap – but a direct result of the way we play our game – hard pressing and running…. if you are “wrecked”, it affects the mind and you wont plant the foot correctly and you will miss…. I think we need to start playing a more “orthodox ” style and not a “total football” style as our players are plenty good enough.. Opposition teams know we track their runners and poor cillian was killed yesterday ….
Well, people have got their wish…let’s hope the replacement is everything people want…
Best of luck to James gave it his best shot. in rebuilding mode leading Mayo to back to back All Ireland finals the last two years was a fine achievement IMO.
Best of luck to James Mayo football is in a better place because of him.
He deserved a year without any big injuries and with a proper full forward line
Thanks James Horan for all the memories. And what a footballer he was too. Up Mayo!!
Everybody has the right to their own opinion.
It’s a dark day for Mayo football.
James Horan took Mayo out of the Dark ages.
It was not his fault yesterday that balls were kicked into the Goal Keepers hands when we were getting on top of Kerry.
I am very sad to see him go.
James Horan will have plenty of Manager positions coming to his door.
Agree Carraig Dubh. Thank you James Horan.
James Horan. Thank you for your time and efforts. You did your county some service. Some excellent strides forward. Some disappointing losses that perhaps could have been different.
Mayo moves on. It’s the new phase.
A Thank you to James for all he has done ! He leaves a good squad behind with potential and hopefully the level of professionalism will remain. I think Rochford is the safe bet and to my mind deserves another crack
I felt we needed something different. It felt stale. Nevertheless it’s a sad day for us all. We all dearly wanted James to succeed.
Beat of luck to James Horan he gave us some great days and nights out he did his best but even to the bitter end he was too loyal to some of the older gang. I wouldnt panic appointing a new manager more important to get it right than rush it. Cora Staunton is the best forward we have ever produced when she is finished in Oz she should be brought in as forward coach
Sorry on Personal level for JH
What about Anto Cunningham as a manager
Thank you, James Horan, for the phenomenal input over ten years. What an amount you have given to Mayo football and we are grateful for where you have taken us.
With thanks and all the very best of everything for the future.
We cannot question that James has shown bravery and love of Mayo football over both management terms.
Dempsey, cunningham?? Are we serious here guys?
I would have been happier if Horan had taken a little more time. He got so much right yesterday with understrength panel.
I think the obvious choice and that’s if he wants it, is Ciaran McDonald
Ontheditch he has done as much as he can with a poor county like Roscommon and is only an hours drive to the center of excellence in Bekan.
Jimmy McG is a 4 hours drive from the inshown peninsula
@OnTheDitch, Ray Dempsey is a valid candidate if he puts his name forward.
Salad salad did nothing with the u21s will be the tired trope thrown at him.
Ignoring how modem he made a team packed with kids to best teams way older and about a stone a man heavier.
How could he have done that without modem coaching and tactics.
Ray Dempsey has changed how he manages and coaches.
Not sure about Ray Dempsey. Standard of club football is so poor at present in the county that winning a county title isn’t a huge achievement.
Real test was Connacht final v St Bridget’s in Ballina last year. Tactics were all wrong for first half that day. He had the two scoring forwards Orme and Naughton out around midfield for most of the half picking up handy loose ball and then kicking high ball into a big full forward who was double marked. It would be equivalent to having Tommy Conroy and ROD out around midfield and Aido in full forward. Crazy tactics.
@Southmayoexike, Knockmore were missing one of their best players. Not Brigids, Pearses play a blanket. Knockmore were not that far off.
All this with a team packed with kids.
Do you know how much his talent base was giving up in size and power? A stone a man easily. Not to mention lack of senior years playing time.
Nice to see acknowledgement of James Horans contribution to transforming Mayo from the laughing stock of Gaelic football into serious All Ireland challengers over the past 10 years. After decades of despair, he gave us a team which became the best supported in the country. Thanks James for making us proud to be Mayo supporters again. Wishing you and your family all the best for the future.
Southmayoexile, in fairness to Knockmore they went without their main man Darren McHale last season and lost their best performer of the season in that game too with King. Wouldn’t say they failed in Connacht. Poor in the final and yet kicked it away against an experienced and intercounty filled Pearses side.
Lots of options about. Not too many realistic. Biggest point of call is sorting out the defence and transition game. Whoever presents the best 2-3 year plan to rebuild will get the role. Shouldn’t just be given to a name. A lot of positives to build on bad excellent players in the county. Club football in Mayo doesn’t mirror the county team in terms of style. Maybe it’s time for some continuity from top to bottom.
– The only ones that were surprised by yesterdays result was Kerry as I would say they had expected a wider margin of victory.
– Agreed GBX1, Hession roasted by Guiney in first half, he was turned time and time again and yet he his in 3rd place in MOM poll !!!!
– Any fitness or experts that can give me reasons as to why so many kicks were on target but dropped short, is it lack of concentration ?, lack of power, tiredness, lack of conviction
– Even when our lads had a bit of space to shoot they hit bad sides so not all down to Kerry pressure
– its has been one of our main shortcomings loads of possession but cannot convert enough to scores…
– To Tuamstar no need for u to apologise for what you posted yesterday , you spoke the truth keep posting.