43 thoughts on “Poll: who would you like to see as the next Mayo manager?”

1. Has there been any talk of Cian O’Neil, or is he a definite no no – he has developed some track record for himself over the last few 5/6 yrs

2. I think Liam McHale should have been added to the list if it was only to find out out how people view his inclusion with McStay
   You can bet your bottom dollar that Kevin will have him as his right man.I agree with Kevin and would love to see him partnered with Noel Connelly or David Brady to inject a bit of steel in to the side and continue in the same vein as James Horan
   Totally disagree with a player manager.Forget about outside managers they are only journey men in for the quick buck with no interest or knowledge of our county.We need to include a few new forwards or give some of the present fringe players some valuable game time.Thats where James was lacking, also we should start grooming a full back be it a converted mid fielder or othewise
   Ger Cafferky is a good player and could perform a useful role elsewhere
   I would love to try David.Clarke or Gavin Duffy at full back
   There are plenty of goalies who play outfield for their clubs.I dont think Donaghy would be hanging around if amy of those boys were breathing down his neck the same applies to B.Brogan

3. Slightly off topic but for anyone who hasn’t read Eamonn Sweeney’s article in the Sindo yesterday, have a read. The best football writing I’ve read all year and a fitting tribute to James Horan and everything he achieved

   http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/hold-the-back-page-fantasy-football-at-its-best-30567250.html

4. Would love to see Donie Buckley and Enda Gilvarry as Joint Managers
   and James Nallen -David Brady and Andy in the Back room team

5. Alan Mulholland should be on the list Willie. A decent manager but he had nothing to work with in Galway

6. Jack O’Connor is looking at the next generation in Kerry and is going to follow the current minor team up the ranks. I couldn’t see him having any involvement in a Mayo team, now or in the future.
   Similarly, Donie has given great service to our cause but I can’t see him taking the full reins. Some men like to coach and some like to lead. Donie is a first class coach but I suspect that being the gaffer would take the fun out of it for him.
   I was under the impression that James Nallen stepped away this year to get time out after a long playing career followed by three intensive years in JH’s set up. Not likely to come back so soon.
   I’d like to see Enda Gilvarry get a crack at the u21 management job next year and I think that might be what will transpire. I don’t think anyone below him on the list will get the job and I don’t know whether or not they would have any interest. And isn’t Tony McEntee more or less insitu in the Down job now?

   Which leaves Kevin and Noel. Both have strengths and weaknesses but different ones.

   What are the odds on the two of them as a double act?

   Worth a thought!

7. actually looking back…Mulholand was visibly upset and annoyed at the same time that mayo lost..despite him being a Galway man..he wanted us to pull through..honorable, but I’m not sure about him as manager.

8. One voice from one leader, is the only way for this to work. Mc stay has the time and he has the best interests of Mayo at heart and he will get the job in my opinion.
   That’s an interesting article in the independent link, how true about Mayo being mugged, and then the photo of eamon Fitzmaurice and Mac enaney at a game too close for comfort would make you wonder.

9. How can you say Alan Mulholland had nothing to work with in Galway,they won two U-21,s in 3 years amd a minor in 2007 they had to have players coming through.

10. I agree with that Ming plenty to work with in Galway. It still has to be Mc Stay for me he deserves a chance and lets forget about player managers and cunts from outside the county who are just in it for the money

11. I would love to see Buckley stay on as he was most popular with the panel. He should be retained at all costs. The manager must be from Mayo and must command the respect of the dressing room. Noel Connelly comes to mind if he is available. Retaining Donie and E d is key to a smooth transition. Andy will lead this team one day. Noel was like Andy a few years ago. Funding should not act as a limit to our ambitions in this regard. Those who think Jack is your only man should read “The Keys of the Kingdom”.

12. I voted for Andy.

    He is smart, football brain and a leader.

    Respect of the panel, that goes without saying.

    He most likely wouldn’t make himself available for the position yet but if he does find it hard to keep going playing after this year , i really hope he is kept on as part of management at least.

13. McStay and Nallen would be my choice. But I doubt Nallen would be interested.

14. Keep it in the County………..and certainly don’t let Jack O’Connor within an asses roar of an interview for the job………He has zero respect for Mayo

15. Jack O Connor is busy raising the next generation of Kerry lads to break our hearts if we don’t get the right guys in place to manage all our teams. Didn’t James horan surprise a lot with his approach to mayo? He reckons there are always 15 lads in Mayo that can win Sam each year if we get them ready. I hope the next fella is as enthusiastic.

16. Apparently 9% of contributors to this site are a bit bonkers. They want somebody based in Caherciveen, Co Kerry to manage the Mayo football team. This though he has shown zero respect for Mayo football or footballers. A likely recipe for success.
    Expecting somebody lie Jack O’Connor [or Tony McEntee] to traipse half or more the lenght/breath of the country to do this job is utter madness and nonsense.
    Some contributors seem to think that previous All Ireland success is an essential qualification for the job. If so Mick O’Dwyer would still be managing Kerry as nobody would be seen to have the qualifications to succeed him.
    I can see no logic in bringing in somebody from outside the county. Kevin McStay in my opinion has the strongest credentials for the job and who he brings in to help should be his decision alone. Hopefully an early decision will be made as this gives him the best chance of getting the best specialised help available before other counties come calling.

17. I agree it should be kept within the county. No one knows our players better than the people inside our borders. There’s one name that hasn’t entered anyone’s mind so far and that’s John Maughan. I wonder would he be interested

18. Jack O Connor would be a worse choice than Jack O Shea was

19. The logic is we are inches away from winning an all ireland, I know very little about Jack O’Connor besides what he has done with the teams he has managed over the years. As we are inches away we need someone who could potentially do it next year, he is the only one I can think of who would give us a damn good chance of doing it. The question was not to work out the logistics of someone doing it, the whys and wherefores and all that, it was who would we like to see take the job next. In the interests of getting this team over the line, I think its him.
    I firmly believe we only need to win the fecken thing once, to get the floodgates to open, and we can get someone else in then to build a legacy.
    God knows if we had won it in 96 I think we would have won 3 or 4 more since. This thing is gone beyond ridiculous now and we just need someone who can finish it off. Not sure if K Mac can do that, one good year with Brigids is all his CV says.

20. AndyD
    Everyone is entitled to their opinion and should not be derided for giving it.

21. Can anybody confirm what Jack O Connor said about Mayo football in his book? I wouldn’t want him near the Mayo job either way anyway.

22. Does the Mayo memory wave good bye after seven years .would you knock a house because it has a few cracks. i think not ,Look at the record of this team and think likewise the man is there to do the job i have no doubt. They have the fight, they have the fire,
    let them go and get maguire Dont go back to 2007 see what happened . the bickering has started one town against another. this grieves me, this has surely stopped maguire from having his yearly holiday in Mayo, it is time to wise up .some of the names mentioned on here are the realms of fantasy .i am in the habit of repeating myself choose wisely now you may not get another chance. advert seen in window
    Manager wanted for football team to continue project well underway and very successful ,must have bike.One year contract with possible extension. After the big bucks get on the bike and start peddling – reason for bike .into further education would
    be welcomed .Must have good man management skills this is a must.apply within end of advert .

23. Reading comments ascribed to Jack O Connor aka “Jack Hard” leaves me in
    no doubt of his low opinion of Mayo football . Check his comments after the minor match in which he never credited Mayo in any form other than Kerry made it hard for themselves.

    Seeing as many in this blog didn’t seemingly rate the 2004-06 Mayo teams (I did and do, poor early tactics cost us a foothold just like 2012) Jack Hard wasn’t judged in Kerry on wins over fragile Mayos and Corks. Jack was ultimately damned because he couldn’t deal with Tyrone twice and the Dubs in 2011 where he and Kerry imploded with a hand on the cup.

    Jack Connor brings nothing to Mayo, That’s why Eamon Fitz is the Kerry boss. Also good coaches don’t always make good managers. Hence Don Howe, Malcolm Allison and Ray Harford would have made the grade in the suit.

24. Ben casey is a wise man. I heard from a lady in the shop this morning that ref Reilly is related to donaghy. Can this be true? This lady knows what you had for breakfast

25. Well, I HAVE read ‘Keys Of The Kingdom’ – and very good it is too – but those saying that Jack has no respect for Mayo or Mayo football in 2014 are IMHO a little bit wide of the mark.

    That book was written in 2007. Mayo at that point had bent the knee to Kerry in the championship for three years in a row, including two of the worst All-Ireland final performances any of us will ever have to suffer through.

    That, in 2007, was where Mayo and Mayo football were at – skilful footballers, but just not in Kerry’s league, ability-wise or psychologically.

    The only way you get genuine respect from Kerry is if you put it up to them when it counts. If we couldn’t put it up to Kerry when it counted, we could hardly be surprised if they didn’t respect us, or if Jack was a little dismissive of us in his book. Why wouldn’t he be?

    But the point is – that was then. The James Horan era, with its repeated championship defeats of teams that Mayo weren’t “supposed” to beat, means that there’s plenty of respect in Kerry for the current Mayo team. Jack O’Connor himself tipped us in the Irish Times to beat Donegal in the 2012 final, and when I saw him talking to John Maughan on RTE a few weeks ago I didn’t pick up any disrespect. Confidence in Kerry’s chances, sure. Disrespect for Mayo; no.

    If he were interested, and it were possible travel-wise, he would absolutely be the man we need. A proven All-Ireland winner in two separate managerial stints. A tactical master. Those trying to propagate the notion that he wasn’t rated or wanted in Kerry should ask themselves why there was such a clamour to bring him back in autumn 2008. Needless to say he delivered again in 2009, and got them to the 2011 final which as we all know they should have won.

    The current Kerry minors have the look of a Jack O’Connor team. They’re tactically organised, ferociously hard-working and very skilful, and they had Mayo – All-Ireland champions – beaten from a long way out in the semi-final. Watch them on Sunday week and then tell me their manager is not the man we need.

26. What is all the talk about Jack O Connor, where is your pride ? We had two good managers who nearly brought us over the line namely J.Maughan and J.Horan but both had their ideas that we did not agree with in relation to certain players who if they were given a proper chance would have pulled us over the line.Think Pat Fallon David Brady Alan Freeman Richie Feeney.Other players have been used time after time and the whole county knew they werent up to it. I am not going to embarass them by naming them.
    It is my opinion that Kevin McStay is well able to rise above this and pick the players on merit and have no hangups. Dont even mention outside managers ever again just think of the last Kerry manager we had couldnt even beat Leitrim.

27. That’s a fair point Davy J

28. philor – have a bit of manners and don’t question my pride, good lad.

    Outside managers worked very well for Galway and Kildare in 1998, Leitrim in 1994 and Offaly in 1982, for example. All of those counties still had their pride the last time I checked.

    Two of them won Sam Maguire with those ‘outsiders’. I bet you wouldn’t be complaining if an ‘outsider’ took us over the final hurdle.

    Plenty of Mayo people were proud after beating Dublin in the 2006 All-Ireland semi-final even though Mickey Moran and John Morrison were managing the team.

    And the notion of comparing Jack O’Connor to Jack O’Shea as managers doesn’t deserve a comment, frankly.

    One more thing. You don’t moderate this blog, Willie Joe does. So less of the ‘Dont even mention outside managers ever again ‘ while you’re at it.

29. All – I’m not pointing any fingers at anyone but could everyone please refrain from having a pop at people who’ve made previous comments when disagreeing with what they’ve said? The same goes when taking issue with how people are voting in the poll that’s running at the minute. House rules 3 and 6 (as well as a bit of common sense) refer.

30. I don’t care if I like the new manager or not . I don’t mind if he comes from Kerry or anywhere else . I could not care less where the manager is from once Sam is delivered to mayo before I leave this earth. As a mayo supporter I want to see Sam with us . It would not be diluted for me if the manager was from another county and we are all ireland champions . The history books will read that mayo won Sam and at this stage it’s win it by whatever means we need to use . We might be playing with an edge but I think it’s time to go further and play over the edge. Give refs real decisions to make . Give opponents a full on mayo . Let them be the ones complaining for fair play .

31. Pride has’nt much to do with this, its picking the right man for the job to win Sam in 2015
    And before everyone gets too excited (or maybe its already too late for that), this is a website poll, it wont actually decide who gets the job. Just wanted to be clear as I’m not sure everyone gets that based on some of the hysterical reactions

32. Lot of bad reaction to Jack O ‘Connor when he got the minors job in Kerry this year. Everyone knew they already had the makings of a superb minor team as they won the Hogan cup (quite easily) this year. Anyway the talk was that Jack saw the potential and that was why he wanted the job. The bedgrudgers say that you would not see him next or near the setup if this potential was not as visible.

    Also John Cuffe is correct in his analysis of why he wasn’t returned at Senior level. Too many defeats to Tyrone and leaving that one behind in 2010 was simply not good enough. That’s the standards they adhere to. Fair play to them. It’s another reason they are so successful year after year.

    Finally I don’t understand all the demand for an outside manager. Especially when you consider they will have zero knowledge on the local setup in Mayo. If anything I think because of it they would take far longer to get up to speed with how things work. And I’m not sure the players want this.

33. We don’t need to look any further than the two men at the head of the poll namely McStay on 45% & Connelly on 20%.
    Time to move on rapidly & get the appointment made before backroom staff are snapped up by other counties.
    After that it’s win the Holy Grail in 2015.

34. Jack O’Connor was undone by too many defeats to Tyrone?

    Hold on a minute lads. Let’s look at a few facts.

    Under Jack O’Connor, Kerry played Tyrone twice in championship. The 2005 AIF, won by Tyrone, and the 2012 qualifier, won decisively by Kerry.

    Tyrone’s win in 2003 was in Páidí O’Sé’s era, and their win in 2008 was against Pat O’Shea’s Kerry team.

35. Davy J – Jack O Connor wouldn’t try this hard to get himelf the job

36. I believe this team is too far on for someone like Jack o Conor . He’d want to put his own mark on them and i’m not sure that would work for this bunch.

    It just needs more of the same and a little fine tuning in terms of forward play ie too reliant on hb line moving up on the counter leaving fb line exposed, find a fb ( someone familiar with club scene ) and add in Gallagher and Regan to the forward options with maybe looking at a few more like Irwin/conroy/ etc ( connelley would know these bucks inside out from working with development squads u-19 and u-20)

37. I would like to see McStay with Holmes and Buckley. Have heard however that Buckly might be tempted back to Kerry U21’s. Hope its all chinese whispers.

38. McStay all the way for me. Overall, I have always liked him, notwithstanding the sometimes curious phraseology and basketball references he uses! But like him I do. He’s an extremely passionate Mayo man and I get a strong sense that he has his own template for this Mayo team and can take us over the line. I truly hope that he isn’t pulling back on it now, as comments since the Sunday Game might seem to indicate. This team needs a warrior to stand by them now more than ever and to shirk at nothing – and as Andy said, one who can be his own man and most importantly, improve them. This will be a huge task given how far they have come; therefore someone with the stature of McStay is important. He does understand the modern game and has proven himself tactically, albeit at Club level.
    McStay is clever and media savvy and I feel we need this big time right now. Otherwise, we will continue to be beaten down, i.e., O’Neill, with those incredible and unacceptable comments. McStay has been criticised previously, and maybe rightly so on occasion, about not calling out fellow panelists who were Mayo-bashing. However, I think he was erring on the side of diplomacy most of these times, and honorably trying to stay unbiased. This will all change if he becomes Mayo manager. I feel he may be able to instill a bit of cuteness into the team also. I can’t help but continue to feel that even though we are one of the top teams in terms of physicality, in my eyes, I still see us getting pushed around far too often. From what I have seen of McStay’s approach to analysis, he will pay attention to this type of detail. This is what I am hoping for in any event!

    Noel Connelly would be my second choice. I would agree with many posters that Jack O’Connor (excellent Manager that he is) would not be a good choice for Mayo given his comments in the past and his recent comments after the Minor semi-final.

39. Puzzled as to why Jack O’Connor is even considered. He has another year with the Kerry minors who are supposed to be just as good as this year’s bunch. Whether that is good enough to win an All Ireland will be known soon enough. He is going nowhere.
    Strongly rumoured alright that Donie Buckley will be joining Dara O’ Shea and Seamus Moynihan in the U21 set up.

40. I agree completely with the analysis by ‘liberal role’ above.
    The dream ticket would be McStay as No 1 with Connelly as No 2.
    We would then have the perfect marriage ….both analysis & motivation.
    I am becoming concerned at the tardiness in moving this on …. what are we waiting for ?
    Further delay risks losing one or both plus the background people need to know where they stand for next year.

41. I would love to see Kevin McStay/ Liam McHale taking over but there is talk that the County Board don’t want Liam McHale. Personality clashes MUST be put aside when the selection is being made. I think whoever goes for the job of Mayo manager has to be given complete control. This nonsense from the County Board putting in conditions of their own is the reason we have come so close in the last few years & been disappointed.

42. I think the. 2 front runners are where it’s at perhaps even as a duo. For outsiders I see a neighbouring county is as far as we should go logistics wise & knowledge of players & club scene being important. Not convinced a Kerry man could die for the Mayo cause. Such a manager would be fine for a rebuilding job but we already have a good team. And balance needed really county board ‘conditions’.. if too much emphasis on club scene county will suffer e.g. Donegal 2013 but it’s a fine balance.

43. … Be great if we could convince Buckley to stay. Don’t like the thought of a good Kerry u21 team either. Our Connor was also a great coach for Mayo in 2012 especially point shooting skills. Varley & Conroy & Andy could all score from the corner flags that year. Hope someone taking notes of all the good stuff we learned from these 2 great coaches. Player liaison eg Andy would be useful. That point definitely not lost on McStay.