Replying To CiarraiMick: "I agree Lockjaw. It's like the old adage "the man that gets the name of an early riser can stay in bed all day". Jimmy McG had Donegal playing some great football but many only remember 2011.I enjoyed the Donegal team under Jimmy and never bought into the bad press he got. Same with Tyrone. 03 v Kerry they played a distasteful type of football but after that Tyrone played some brilliant football. Both Donegal and Tyrone were judged unfairly and wrongly imo."
Exactly my friend. Bad players & teams don't win All Ireland's.
There are a few other players within Donegal who the rest of the country might not be aware of. Players who for one reason or another were either injured, or maybe not mature enough for the demands of county football. A lot of people in Donegal have probably written them off as far as the county is concerned. But I just wonder if Jim's return would be the catalyst for a more focused mindset...
I'm not going to go naming names, but I can think of at least 5 men who I from a purely footballing perspective would enhance the panel. I'm not even talking about the lads that weren't involved in 2023. However, it would have to be all-in, no messing & fully buy into Jim's plans.
Feck me, I'm as excited as a chimpanzee on a helter-skelter skelter!!
Replying To Lockjaw: "Exactly. It often bemused me how these so called traditionalists could be so anti-McGuinness, when Donegal pretty much executed the textbook goal of their dreams on the biggest day of all in 2012.
Lacey bombing forward before delivering a long accurate ball into the great man, who expertly caught, turned & almost burst the net.
Or how about Frank McGlynn bombing forward in the semi final against Cork and hooking a point over from a stupid angle on his weaker left foot?
Or in the same game, big Neil Gallagher giving an absolute exhibition of high fielding? Not traditional enough?
How about the QF in 2014, Odhran MacNiallais blasting a goal past a startled Armagh keeper when hardly anyone in the ground expected it?
I could probably list a dozen more examples off the top of my head.
See this whole puke football thing does doesn't stack up at all. The Dublin game in 2011 aside, where McGuinness openly admitted himself we hadn't the attacking part of the system fully worked out. Beyond that though, Donegal could attack with as much precision & intent as any."
I think his return will be very interesting. Being so long away from sideline it will be intrigueing to see his style of play. Donegal always had great footballers and hopefully we will get to see another strong team emerge.
Replying To Lockjaw: "Exactly my friend. Bad players & teams don't win All Ireland's.
There are a few other players within Donegal who the rest of the country might not be aware of. Players who for one reason or another were either injured, or maybe not mature enough for the demands of county football. A lot of people in Donegal have probably written them off as far as the county is concerned. But I just wonder if Jim's return would be the catalyst for a more focused mindset...
I'm not going to go naming names, but I can think of at least 5 men who I from a purely footballing perspective would enhance the panel. I'm not even talking about the lads that weren't involved in 2023. However, it would have to be all-in, no messing & fully buy into Jim's plans.
Feck me, I'm as excited as a chimpanzee on a helter-skelter skelter!!"
Replying To Joxer: "That 2011 semi. Jzis :). Alan Brogan's quote about the start of the game.
"Then, the ball is tossed in the air by Maurice Deegan and as I watch it fall, I see Mark McHugh, Christy Toye and Frank McGlynn in my peripheral vision all sprinting from the Donegal half-forward line into their defence, completely ignoring the ball."
I'm sure he will come with different ideas. If he doesn't then let's hope they don't draw Derry in Ulster."
Was this before or after Karl lacey was cynically taken out of it off the by the saviours of football dublin...
Replying To arock: "I think his return will be very interesting. Being so long away from sideline it will be intrigueing to see his style of play. Donegal always had great footballers and hopefully we will get to see another strong team emerge."
It's not like he has been completely away for the last 9 years. Heavily involved with Sky, newspaper columns, talks etc so still well in the loop. He was managing an underage team in Dunfaghnaghy as well, obviously not the same level but still has been involved in the gaa circles.