The Indo is running an “exclusive” this morning, where they carry a very rare interview with Super Mac. He lays it squarely on the line and says that he’s ready and willing to turn out for the county again this year. He says a meeting that was supposed to take place with Johnno to discuss his involvement this year never happened. He then, he says, received a text message containing the now infamous invitation to a trial game but was unable to take part as he was working in Dublin at the time. He is, he says, unhappy with how Johnno has handled the matter, in particular how The Deputy has never told him to his face that he’s no longer part of his plans.
Now, I’m not a great one for conspiracy theories. If you scratch through the facts long enough on most issues, I think you’ll more often than not find that the root cause is a cock-up rather than a conspiracy. This one has all the hallmarks of a monumental cock-up, stemming from a very basic breakdown in communications between the two. Why didn’t the meeting that was supposed to take place between them “materialise”? Why wasn’t it simply rescheduled? And why the fuck was the invite to the trial match only sent out by text message? Why? Why? Why?
Mac clearly wants to play again this year and, according to himself, he’s fit and raring to go. Johnno was, I’m told, on Mad West this morning where he spoke about Mac in very emollient terms and stressed that further additions to the panel were possible. He also made the point, as he’d done in that interview with the Mayo News earlier this week, that the only reason the panel was announced in such a formal manner was because of the grants issue. Mac says in his interview he doesn’t give a shite about getting any grant money.
There doesn’t, on the face of it, appear to be any yawning gulf between the two protagonists here. Come on, guys! This circus has gone on long enough. Pick up the phone and sort it out, FFS.
I think its all down to those guys in the mobile phone companies up in Dublin having made text messaging way too easy. That broadcast SMS service is a really dangerous thing! Hopefully, Johnno can sort this out very quickly with the Mac. If not, Enda Kenny is apparently waiting in the wings to mediate. If that does not work, just the threat of bringing in Michael Ring to arbitrate should sort things out!
As someone who, in a previous life, was in that industry, I suppose I have to take my share of the blame!
I can’t understand how SMS could be deemed a sufficient way to communicate on something like this – surely they could have mananged a phone call at least? Also, with Mac up here in Dublin working for while and Johnno up here most weeks doing his TD stuff, how come they couldn’t have arranged to meet up? It’s not THAT big a place …
The threat of getting Michael Ring involved is a good idea, I think. Failing that, there’s always the nuclear option … Bev.
I dont think its as simple as we would like to believe. On the one hand we have a manager who is big into work ethic and the team. on the other we have a gifted and talismatic player who marches to his own beat and individual style. The problem is that since the All ireland defeat of 2006 Ciaran Mac has featured as a sub against Galway and Dery in the championship since 2006. He is possibly out of synch with the other panel members. lLke the legendary Willie Joe Padden (pardoning your good self) we have to let go of our legends at some stage. Of course Macdonald would be an asset to the team but if he becomes our “get out of jail card” every time then it says little for the rest of the squad. What scares me is that we were (are) until recently depending on lads well into their thirties i.e O Neill, Brady , Nallen and Mac. What are the young bucks up to at all, Nallen won an All Star 12 years ago, O Neill 14 years ago when he was only 19. Its up to the younger chaps to grab the bull by the horns. This thing with Macdonald could be a severe distraction. By the way dont get Kenny to intervene, not impressed with the fly swatting he did on Bertie.
That’s true but I think, as someone on gaaboard.com (where there’s a great, raging debate on Mac going on for days now) said yesterday, you should only replace the old guys when you’re sure you have someone better. For my money, Mac is still streets ahead of Alan Dillon as centre-forward and, on that basis alone, he should be in.
I think Kevin McStay made the observation last year that we have a lot of the same kind of players and, if you swap them around, you don’t really notice the difference. What we don’t have are players who really stand out and who can alter the course of the game. Mac is the only forward we have who can do this – not on his own, mind you, but if the team is playing well, he’s the man to conduct the orchestra and to get the best of players inside like Mort. I still think that if he’s fit, he’s definitely worth his place in the team. For sure he’s worthy of a place on a 30-man panel.
You’re right about Enda. Maybe Ba-Ba-Bertie, with all his great negotiating skills and all that free time he’ll soon have, could do it. Then again, as it would involve helping a Blueshirt out of a tight spot and coaxing back into action the Mayoman who sank the dagger into the Dubs in 2006, maybe not!
This situation needs to be resolved pronto by Johnno (of course it should never have arisen) if this is allowed to snowball and the local media get involved with a ‘bring back MAC’ campaign its going to put JOM in an awkward position his hand will be forced and a backdown situation could arise which inturn will dent his credibility as a manger.
why in Mayo do we always shoot ourselves in the foot its happened time and time again where mis-communication etc has lead to some of our best footballers being pushed out of the picture.
Me thinks Johnno should swallow his pride on this one and extend the hand.
Message to John O’ – get it sorted, there is no county in Ireland that would let Mac stay idle for the summer.
The ball is in Johnno’s court alright and if he was being a bit cute in concluding that – on the basis that Mac has never spoken to the press much before – his side of the story would be the only one to be given an airing, that tactic has redounded on him in pretty spectacular fashion.
This looks like it could be an issue where what Johnno the Bainisteoir does is going to be influenced greatly by what Johnno TD reckons will be to his political advantage. If that it is the case, then he has to make the first move and be seen to have done so. While this wouldn’t the best motive for making such a decision, if it’s the right one (as it undoubtedly is in this case) then who cares?