Replying To brian:  "Hard to know, I still contend that the worst thing we did was get rid of Eamonn O'Brien. An all Ireland semi final, a Leinster title and he was shown the door. We've not been as close since and successive managers wasted the best years of many a decent Meath footballer. Banty left us worse off and O'Dowd left us on our knees. And Andy is in danger of almost as much damage. This season if there is one will determine if we're any better off. We need to show that we are still a top 12 team, get back into division one, consolidate the best of the rest in Leinster and have some new leaders emerged in place of Donal and Bryan. There's talent coming through and it could push us closer but it could be as easily wasted. Succession planning from minor to 20s is in place and maybe Senior should be considered too. Is Bernie Flynn the next senior manager? Is he gone in 23 when John McCarthy succeeds him?"

Replying To royaldunne:  "Agree with this. It's Andy last year I'd say if he can't get us back into div 1 (should league be played ) I'd say then over to Flynn and co. . There is a obvious idea that Flynn geraghty and Reilly will take over in next couple of years , maybe I'm wrong but that's what it looks like to me.
Footnote IF the u20s can have some success"

Replying To brian:  "Whilst I'd agree its obvious RD, this county board do anything but obvious. I'm not having a go at Flynn here but are we sure he's the appropriate person for the job if he did step up to replace Andy? Andy had a track record in management prior to the Meath job i.e. Meath minors to an all ireland final, club all ireland with Ballyboden. has Bernard managed at that level and does he have a track record?"

Replying To royaldunne:  "I do think it should be dependent on a successful (not saying all ire) but a successful enough u20 campaigns. He did win Westmeath senior club tittle with mullingar shamrocks. That's it as far as I know if I'm not mistaken. I'd agree btw that we need some level of a track record. I think this is where geraghty comes in, he has been a selector before, did alright with dulleek and did very well in Westmeath club"

Replying To seadog54:  "Meath/Kerry 2001 semi final been shown tonight on Eir sports at 7.30. One of our last great wins, a one point victory would have stood to us better going into final against Galway. Fans especially thought we just had to turn up and collect Sam.Such a comprehensive victory turned a few players heads also. Hard to belive its twenty years ago."

Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ywp_DmdGy4&list=LL&index=1&ab_channel=DeanFarrelly. The game is available here too, a great upload only done recently. What I found most interesting about it was the analysis pre-game and then on the Sunday game that evening. The esteem that Meath were seen in. Brolly says we've been comfortably the best team over the last 5 years. As somebody who was too young to remember that it just seems so impossible now. The only time we are ever talked about nationally is as an afterthought. An almightly fall over 20 years"

Replying To seadog54:  "From 86 right through to 2001 was a great time to be a Meath supporter (apart from a few barren years 92-95). Our style was not to everyones liking, however love us or hate us, Meath commanded respect even from our biggest critics and produced some of the best to ever play the game. Hard to understand how we have fallen so far behind. Even in the barren times of the 70s we were still a competitive side,"

Replying To brian:  "Seadog, I'd say its quite easy to see why we've fallen behind. We won two minors an U-21 and got to another minor final in between 1990 and 1993. Those players formed the backbone of a strong team from 96 to 01. Thereafter we didn't invest in our underage set up at all. We just thought the gravy train would keep rolling along and we'd be able to supplement the team with players every couple of years. It never happened. From my own underage group minor 98/Under 21 in 2001 they were a talented team and won a Leinster U21 in 2001 but very few of them had long Meath Senior careers. We'd the odd minor team here and there but at U21/U20 we've won nothing since that team. Therein is the root of the problem in Meath. A lack of investment in younger players.

Look at our school nurseries. St Pats i don't think have won an all ireland and possibly a leinster colleges since the mid 00's. Trim and Kells likewise have never come up to the standard of St Pats in football to ad to the numbers of players. I'm not sure on what levels Dunshauglin, Dunboyne and Ashbourne are playing at in secondary schools competitions but are they supplementing the numbers. And Gormanstown and Nobber were always competitive at vocational schools level. Now maybe i'm too far removed from schools football and there's been plenty of success but we need a strong schools game all through the county winning Leinster and national titles.

Colm O'Rourke put a proposal to the county board in the late 90's early 00's about what was needed to stay at the top. He was laughed out of the meeting with what he wanted yet we're now implementing almost everything he suggested in terms of facilities, underage development squads, strength and conditioning, nutrition etc.

In my opinion our county board were and continue the be an abject failure to the people of this county. I accept that they are mostly unpaid and unstaffed but the same can be said for most county boards around the country and yet they implemented the recommendations Colm O'Rourke made years ago.

As an example, look at Tipperary a mainly hurling county bar pockets in South Tipp. They had one great underage team in 2010/2011. That team was invested in, developed, trained and supported all the way. They won a minor all ireland and were robbed in an U21 final and they formed the backbone of a team that got to 2 all ireland semi finals and won a Munster title. Yes i accept a provincial title is almost impossible but why have we struggled to even get to an all ireland quarter final and beyond.

We've a minor all ireland team from 2012 in their prime and about to go over the hill and their talents will have been wasted. We're now about to rely on a fresh group of u21 players (with little underage success behind them) who haven't been fully exposed to a full strength and conditioning regime that will be physically outmatched by most teams around the county. Again that stems back to Colm O'Rourke and a county board which didn't take him seriously."

Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "The under 21 issue is a massive one. We won Leinster minor in 06 and 08. Got the all Ireland minor final in 2012 and Pats Navan won Leinster and lost the Hogan cup final in 2013. 2017 and 2018 we won the under 17 Leinster and this year when it's allowed to be played we're strong favourites to make it 3 in 4 years at Leinster under 17. So the talent up to the age of 17/18 has been there. Less so in the early 10's, but definitely now. If we can crack under 20 then we are massively on the right track. Not to be winning stuff because the Dubs are the runaway train, but to be consistently competitive, be in Divison 1 and the last 8. Look at all the teams that have had under 20/21 success. Tipp and Cavan won provincials and got to finals and that rocketed the level of their senior teams despite coming from a much lower base than we are at. I really hope the Bernard Flynn appointment and the succession plan for minor managers under 20's is the catalyst of success. It was a massive mistake letting Joe Treanor and Ronan Kerins slip away without carrying on to under 20's having won Leinster 17's with the same players, we can't let it happen again"

Replying To Thelongwoodslasher:  "I think thrust of O' Rourkes Plan at the time , and possibly key to Brian's argument now, is that we develop a watertight system of Preparation for elite Sport....and in effect take the names out of the debate . I don't mean any slight to the men you mention here LT , and ive no doubt you are correct , that there was a lack of foresight & integrity in dealing with these two, but I could mention maybe ten others that fall into the same category....and if you tot up all these people who had elements of the vision that was needed , who were then tossed aside...treated badly....that is some damage over the years. to a potential successful development pathway for county players .
Until We (and the We being those in power and authority ) realise that It is about building the System first and then surrounding the system with Top Values ….and finally, populating the system with People /mentors/Trainers ...who hold true to those values ….we will never be going anywhere that is sustainable for the long term ….If we see the priority as Investing each Year in Individuals , to bring us Success...we will get success & failure ...in equal measures...totally dependent upon the individual that is chosen.
Dublin's plan was not developed with Gilroy in mind , nor Gavin nor Dessie....they are just slotted in"

Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "That's a fair point. And my point was in essence that the pathway from successful under 17 manager to under 20 has to be there, so it doesn't really matter who the under 17 manager is, if he's clearly done a job at 17's then keep him involved. And your point is definitely valid. There was a sense that managers often succeeded in spite of the county board and not because of them. I do genuinely think this is changing from under 13-17. But then once the structure is removed, lads go off to college. Lots of them play for really disorganised adult teams. Not enough play Sigerson football and the top few play senior and focus less on under 20 and then it falls apart. There's been massive strides in the last 5 years at 13-17's structure. If we can get 17's-21/22 right then we could be onto a winner"

Replying To seadog54:  "From 86 right through to 2001 was a great time to be a Meath supporter (apart from a few barren years 92-95). Our style was not to everyones liking, however love us or hate us, Meath commanded respect even from our biggest critics and produced some of the best to ever play the game. Hard to understand how we have fallen so far behind. Even in the barren times of the 70s we were still a competitive side,"

Replying To bert09:  "Four all Ireland's, 8 Leinster's, 5 Eurovision wins, 2 world cups....wow what a time to be alive. Generation x had it all :0)"