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Galway Hurling thread

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Replying To CTGAA10:  "I won't be surprised if Michael is back in charge with ye again..if that happened it would open the Dublin job to Davy.."
So Henry is gone. There is no point in blaming him for the decline over the last 3 years. Things were in decline from 2019.
A lot of people involved in Galway, at all levels, need to look in the mirror. Co Board, Clubs, Underage managers , players etc. There are no magic solutions.

SixtiesKid (Galway) - Posts: 321 - 03/07/2024 17:09:01    2556784

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There's no one blaming Henry at all. Ten allireland medals will afford you that free pass, especially in Galway.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3820 - 03/07/2024 20:21:03    2556805

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I don't think it really matters who the next manager is there has to be a clear out and rebuilding process done. Bringing a 31 YO back from America is telling in itself of where we are at. TBH Im not a fan of any of the minor or U20 managers stepping up, not that they are fully to blame but Galway have not been competitive at that level for a while and not many have stepped up to senior in recent years. I think there is talent there it just hasn't just been nurtured, S&C, strategies and managed right through the ranks, with many of the seniors holding on to positions without any real competition.
Cant see a "celebrity" manager like Davy taking it, maybe MOD with a long runway before he has to deliver, but the problem I see is not at the senior level but way before that in the academy.
The best teams start with academy excellence, any appointment should look at the academy structure and remove the dead wood so hopefully we can be competitive in 2-3 years.

BostonGuy (Galway) - Posts: 128 - 03/07/2024 21:15:07    2556814

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Replying To BostonGuy:  "I don't think it really matters who the next manager is there has to be a clear out and rebuilding process done. Bringing a 31 YO back from America is telling in itself of where we are at. TBH Im not a fan of any of the minor or U20 managers stepping up, not that they are fully to blame but Galway have not been competitive at that level for a while and not many have stepped up to senior in recent years. I think there is talent there it just hasn't just been nurtured, S&C, strategies and managed right through the ranks, with many of the seniors holding on to positions without any real competition.
Cant see a "celebrity" manager like Davy taking it, maybe MOD with a long runway before he has to deliver, but the problem I see is not at the senior level but way before that in the academy.
The best teams start with academy excellence, any appointment should look at the academy structure and remove the dead wood so hopefully we can be competitive in 2-3 years."
Come Davy Fitz the gates to the Tribesmen are open and awaits you!!

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2420 - 03/07/2024 21:43:29    2556820

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Henry Shefflin has moved on and i don't think anyone will think that he is responsible for Galway's failure to progress during his tenure in charge, he could only work with the material he had at his disposal but we have to ask what this is so.
Does the structure of the hurling competitions have anything to do with it? Is having competitions where a team can afford to lose as many games as they lose and still qualify for the quarter finals have anything to do with it? having 24 "senior" teams for so long have an input and now continuing with an in reality non championship "senior" B hamper development competitive instincts? I believe we have 12 to 16 teams at mos who are capable of being competitive in both senior and intermediate which would give the winners a decent chance to win an all Ireland as KK and Kerry do in each code as well as a steady stream a senior all Irelands. Oranmore and Moycullen are only inter winners an hard moved up the senior standings since, is the multi chance and lose and retain status blunting players competitive edge? Maybe I'm on the wrong track.

backtooldwall (Galway) - Posts: 103 - 03/07/2024 22:15:59    2556827

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Ok let's see: we are competitive at schools level, minor level, clubs level, we're kinda ok at U20, we've been to two straight semi finals in Senior Hurling before this year, we run Kilkenny and Limerick fairly close when we play them yet somehow people act like we're in a desert dying of thirst. We will be ok with the right leadership whoever that is. I look forward to the future of Galway Hurling. Galway Abu!

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2211 - 04/07/2024 04:26:37    2556848

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Replying To Trump2020:  "Ok let's see: we are competitive at schools level, minor level, clubs level, we're kinda ok at U20, we've been to two straight semi finals in Senior Hurling before this year, we run Kilkenny and Limerick fairly close when we play them yet somehow people act like we're in a desert dying of thirst. We will be ok with the right leadership whoever that is. I look forward to the future of Galway Hurling. Galway Abu!"
Nice to see optimism but think you're gilding it a bit saying at the present time that we are "kinda ok' at U20 level. When minor "gold" didnt even translate to U20 "bronze" it's a bit of a stretch to argue that imo. But yeah I think it can and will be turned around though it may take a few years. The county chairman in his recent interview more or less admitted that some of the necessary elements to nurture talent and bring it through from minor to U20 to senior had been missing in the Galway set up but said we are now 2 years into a 5 year plan to bring us up to speed. Time will tell if that's just guff or real but I'm willing to take it at face value and run with the optimism too!

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1941 - 04/07/2024 07:36:51    2556854

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Replying To Trump2020:  "Ok let's see: we are competitive at schools level, minor level, clubs level, we're kinda ok at U20, we've been to two straight semi finals in Senior Hurling before this year, we run Kilkenny and Limerick fairly close when we play them yet somehow people act like we're in a desert dying of thirst. We will be ok with the right leadership whoever that is. I look forward to the future of Galway Hurling. Galway Abu!"
Kinda ok at u20??

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1242 - 04/07/2024 08:57:00    2556860

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ìt speaks volumes the mute reaction to Sheflin on this. Moral in Galway hurling is so low now people arent too bothered to comment. No one can blame Shefflin but the one lesson in this is that outside managers do not work in Galway. Inside managers arent great either but they are much better than outsiders. This has to be the last time its done in Galway. We have 3 or 4 good candidates but who ever gets it they have to be brave and try copy what Limerick is doing.

clare_sparrow (Galway) - Posts: 436 - 04/07/2024 13:41:05    2556901

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Great interview by henry shefflin on galway bay fm this morning spoke for 30 mins. You can see the bond he has built up for the squad and what he put into it the past 3 years. Pity it didnt work out this year

Galway456 (Galway) - Posts: 100 - 04/07/2024 14:35:23    2556914

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Replying To clare_sparrow:  "ìt speaks volumes the mute reaction to Sheflin on this. Moral in Galway hurling is so low now people arent too bothered to comment. No one can blame Shefflin but the one lesson in this is that outside managers do not work in Galway. Inside managers arent great either but they are much better than outsiders. This has to be the last time its done in Galway. We have 3 or 4 good candidates but who ever gets it they have to be brave and try copy what Limerick is doing."
You'll get Davy and that's it for the next 3 years!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2067 - 04/07/2024 15:48:41    2556924

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Replying To Trump2020:  "Ok let's see: we are competitive at schools level, minor level, clubs level, we're kinda ok at U20, we've been to two straight semi finals in Senior Hurling before this year, we run Kilkenny and Limerick fairly close when we play them yet somehow people act like we're in a desert dying of thirst. We will be ok with the right leadership whoever that is. I look forward to the future of Galway Hurling. Galway Abu!"
And therein lies the problem with Galway hurling for decades, no drive, no ambition, no desire, happy if they're competitive and maybe even getting to the odd final. I am insanely jealous when I look at Limerick, a county much like ourselves for decades with only a few All Irelands in the bag, who invariably lost or threw it away whenever they did get to a final. Now they have turned into this behemoth, winning All Irelands for fun, destroying all before them, and should they win on Sunday, if not already they will most definitely go down in history as the greatest team ever. Can't ever see that happening with us, no reason why it couldn't given the players and resources at our disposal, we just don't have the drive or ambition within the county for it to ever happen?

gilly1910 (Galway) - Posts: 181 - 04/07/2024 16:54:06    2556933

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Replying To clare_sparrow:  "ìt speaks volumes the mute reaction to Sheflin on this. Moral in Galway hurling is so low now people arent too bothered to comment. No one can blame Shefflin but the one lesson in this is that outside managers do not work in Galway. Inside managers arent great either but they are much better than outsiders. This has to be the last time its done in Galway. We have 3 or 4 good candidates but who ever gets it they have to be brave and try copy what Limerick is doing."
I've no sense that an 'inside manager' would have done any better than Henry Shefflin, with this particular squad of players at this particular stage of their intercounty life cycle, taking into account the calibre of 'options' that emerged off recent under20 squads in the past 4or5 seasons.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3820 - 04/07/2024 21:55:20    2556978

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Replying To katser:  "Come Davy Fitz the gates to the Tribesmen are open and awaits you!!"
There's a lot worse options out there. He's obviously very passionate about the sport. I just want whoever can squeeze the most out of the talent in the county.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2211 - 04/07/2024 23:58:14    2556997

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Replying To katser:  "Come Davy Fitz the gates to the Tribesmen are open and awaits you!!"
Now would be the absolute wrong time to have Davy in Galway.

Somebody needs to build a good squad first. Davy takes over a team at 70-80%

I don't think Galway are currently at that. Give it another three years to get some of your 20s up to speed and I'm certain he'd win an all Ireland with Galway.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3029 - 05/07/2024 10:41:17    2557025

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It's time for a new manager(5 year term) and a mass clear out of the older players. Most of the older players are tried and tested and are currently struggling with the senior intercounty game. Don't get me wrong there is a big difference between a good intercounty player and a good club player. The step up is huge. The new manager must be given a long term contract to develop a competitive panel. Plenty of game time for players in championship for two years. Lots of young players should of got game time this year but instead has beens shipped in from lands afar. Rebuild and then maybe an All Ireland in years 3-5. Ps. Manager must come from within Galway.

Armchairreporter (Galway) - Posts: 81 - 05/07/2024 11:11:53    2557030

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "I've no sense that an 'inside manager' would have done any better than Henry Shefflin, with this particular squad of players at this particular stage of their intercounty life cycle, taking into account the calibre of 'options' that emerged off recent under20 squads in the past 4or5 seasons."
I think that's the whole point to be fair.

An inside man would have changed the panel more which was probably needed. To be fair to Henry I think he tried in the Walsh cup but was probably a bit hasty.

Make no mistake we're still recovering from the Davy hangover. He stuck with about 17 lads for five years. I'm grateful we won a Leinster. Only the 4th in my lifetime, but Egan and Rossiter had to change too much too quick then.

Davy gave only two championship debuts. Rory o Connor and Damien Reck who were too good to ignore.

We won a Leinster minor in 19 for the first time in about 50 years. Davy didn't bring any of them into his extended panel or s and c program. That's the very first thing Rossiter did.

Davy is class, but if you're going to get him the timing is extremely important.

The future of Galway hurling is about more than a single 3 year term.

If I were a Galway man I'd be mad to get Micheal back

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3029 - 07/07/2024 09:28:50    2557334

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It will be Kenneth Burke's job if he wants it I'd say. Fits all the criteria. I don't want to see Micheal Donoghue back. Got the job done in 2017 but we would definitely lose players straight away if he came back.

galway19 (Galway) - Posts: 761 - 07/07/2024 10:49:19    2557348

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Replying To Armchairreporter:  "It's time for a new manager(5 year term) and a mass clear out of the older players. Most of the older players are tried and tested and are currently struggling with the senior intercounty game. Don't get me wrong there is a big difference between a good intercounty player and a good club player. The step up is huge. The new manager must be given a long term contract to develop a competitive panel. Plenty of game time for players in championship for two years. Lots of young players should of got game time this year but instead has beens shipped in from lands afar. Rebuild and then maybe an All Ireland in years 3-5. Ps. Manager must come from within Galway."
maybe an All Ireland in years 3-5.....lovely......we'll all have a bit of that

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3820 - 07/07/2024 10:51:32    2557349

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Replying To galway19:  "It will be Kenneth Burke's job if he wants it I'd say. Fits all the criteria. I don't want to see Micheal Donoghue back. Got the job done in 2017 but we would definitely lose players straight away if he came back."
Our most successful manager since the 80s and you don't want him? What?

MOD has the vision and drive to power this thing on. He would have the players behind him 100% and knows Galway hurling inside out. Paul B and co should be doing everything they can to get him back in the door.

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1631 - 07/07/2024 11:24:57    2557360

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