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Donegal GAA thread

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Does it hurt our pride to have Tyrone men fixing our mess? It is Donegal men that got us into this mess as an earlier poster mentioned. An arrogant self sufficiency would most likely only take us deeper into the hole. I've heard a lot of calls for the next manager to be from Donegal. Would we prefer to take yet another poor manager from within the county than a better one from outside? Granted, a backroom team would require someone with club knowledge within the county. When we don't have the quality 'in-house', it's a no brainer to outsource.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 143 - 13/07/2023 08:44:22    2494057

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Replying To StockholmGael:  "Does it hurt our pride to have Tyrone men fixing our mess? It is Donegal men that got us into this mess as an earlier poster mentioned. An arrogant self sufficiency would most likely only take us deeper into the hole. I've heard a lot of calls for the next manager to be from Donegal. Would we prefer to take yet another poor manager from within the county than a better one from outside? Granted, a backroom team would require someone with club knowledge within the county. When we don't have the quality 'in-house', it's a no brainer to outsource."
Outsiders running our Co Board and maybe an outside Manager.People would be really happy if there was a rule where we could bring in players from outside as well.Inferiority complex or what?

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1145 - 13/07/2023 10:37:04    2494074

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Replying To StockholmGael:  "Does it hurt our pride to have Tyrone men fixing our mess? It is Donegal men that got us into this mess as an earlier poster mentioned. An arrogant self sufficiency would most likely only take us deeper into the hole. I've heard a lot of calls for the next manager to be from Donegal. Would we prefer to take yet another poor manager from within the county than a better one from outside? Granted, a backroom team would require someone with club knowledge within the county. When we don't have the quality 'in-house', it's a no brainer to outsource."
You were one of one's crying for a new management team a few years ago. Where's all the so called candidates now, Reagan , Murphy, cavanagh don't want it, the only option within the county left is mc Guinness he won't take it. So the only option is an outside manager who will take it for three years if allowed, who will be on big money and won't care what happens when he's gone. Ie can't see him having a development squad because once he's gone it's of no benefit to him.. my advice is get a Donegal man in look at Monaghan.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2609 - 13/07/2023 10:49:39    2494080

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So, likely contenders who might actually apply for the job…,Maxi Curran? SP Barrett? Gary McDaid?

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 13/07/2023 11:45:43    2494096

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Replying To rorysboys:  "You were one of one's crying for a new management team a few years ago. Where's all the so called candidates now, Reagan , Murphy, cavanagh don't want it, the only option within the county left is mc Guinness he won't take it. So the only option is an outside manager who will take it for three years if allowed, who will be on big money and won't care what happens when he's gone. Ie can't see him having a development squad because once he's gone it's of no benefit to him.. my advice is get a Donegal man in look at Monaghan."
I was, because Bonner wasn't working out after what was a decent start to his second bite at the apple. Anyone worth their salt will most likely avoid applying until the mess behind the scenes is sorted. We don't have any great available and willing candidates. The success of Maxi, SP Barrett and McDaid is patchy at best to date. No consistent success, when they change to a different management position. I'm delighted Murphy has the humility to know a great player doesn't make a good manager and that he needs to prove himself and work his way up, just like Jim did. It's unfortunate that some previous Donegal managers lacked in that department. Vinny Corey was a coach under Banty so it's not like he hadn't any experience. Who cares if it's big money, it's the county board's job to source those finances, just like they do in other counties. I always look back to what Micko did at Kildare and even Laois, or Paidi O Se at Westmeath. It's about finding someone who's likely to overachieve. The development squads can be left to the academy head in Convoy if we managed to fix that man-made disaster so an outside manager would have no effect on it's functionality. We could get your idol Rory in, now that he's departed the Derry setup.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 143 - 13/07/2023 13:25:24    2494129

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Just read Paddy Bradleys interview ,very interesting and sums the situation up very well.

One big problem in Donegal GAA.There are 2 factions both think they are right and neither seem to be ready to give in.From my observations there is right and wrong on both sides but the situation was handled badly on both sides.

Secondly there will be great difficultly in getting a manager ,all our top club managers have young families and don't have the willingness to commit (which is more than fair) and outside Mc Guinness I don't see an obvious candidate.

Thirdly we are too harsh on every manager since Mc Guinness,our expectation levels are simply too high.Mc Guinness done a superb job but he had a great team and he moulded them superbly.

In summary we as a County need to row in behind each other,but im very sceptical if that will happen as there is so much bitterness. The new Croke park people might change structures but it will not change attitudes of the people directly involved and of county in general.Sometime I think we'd rather give out because we are incapable of bringing anything positive to the table.

heyday (Laois) - Posts: 35 - 13/07/2023 13:57:14    2494131

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Replying To rorysboys:  "You were one of one's crying for a new management team a few years ago. Where's all the so called candidates now, Reagan , Murphy, cavanagh don't want it, the only option within the county left is mc Guinness he won't take it. So the only option is an outside manager who will take it for three years if allowed, who will be on big money and won't care what happens when he's gone. Ie can't see him having a development squad because once he's gone it's of no benefit to him.. my advice is get a Donegal man in look at Monaghan."
I think that is a good point about an outside manager, they will have no committment to any long term strategy - why would they. They would be expected to deliver results straight away, probably unrealistic results. Would we be better to appoint a young manager from Donegal with a long term strategy and give him a few years to build something? Also they would need to have input to the academy. It is abundantly clear we have no one inside the county with a successful intercounty CV. I feel the current county board set up rules out any decent outside candidate going for the job.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 13/07/2023 14:40:04    2494142

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A big part of our management problem is that the 2 candidates that replaced Declan Bonner after minor were not potential senior inter-county managers in the future. They also had spells at u20 level. Gary mcDaid did 2 years at u20 level and although it didn't work out, he definitely deserved it and has a decent CV. We need to develop potential managers and coaches to feed into our senior set-up and the only way you can do that is have a proper academy, which we have thrown away. Paul McGonigle said in the paper after convention that it's politics before progress. He got a bit of stick from certain quarters for this, but this statement has been proven more and more true as the months linger on.

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 748 - 13/07/2023 15:44:13    2494159

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Replying To heyday:  "Just read Paddy Bradleys interview ,very interesting and sums the situation up very well.

One big problem in Donegal GAA.There are 2 factions both think they are right and neither seem to be ready to give in.From my observations there is right and wrong on both sides but the situation was handled badly on both sides.

Secondly there will be great difficultly in getting a manager ,all our top club managers have young families and don't have the willingness to commit (which is more than fair) and outside Mc Guinness I don't see an obvious candidate.

Thirdly we are too harsh on every manager since Mc Guinness,our expectation levels are simply too high.Mc Guinness done a superb job but he had a great team and he moulded them superbly.

In summary we as a County need to row in behind each other,but im very sceptical if that will happen as there is so much bitterness. The new Croke park people might change structures but it will not change attitudes of the people directly involved and of county in general.Sometime I think we'd rather give out because we are incapable of bringing anything positive to the table."
What did you observe that made you feel that both sides are equally responsible for this mess?

greatpoint (USA) - Posts: 436 - 13/07/2023 19:00:43    2494209

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Replying To rorysboys:  "You were one of one's crying for a new management team a few years ago. Where's all the so called candidates now, Reagan , Murphy, cavanagh don't want it, the only option within the county left is mc Guinness he won't take it. So the only option is an outside manager who will take it for three years if allowed, who will be on big money and won't care what happens when he's gone. Ie can't see him having a development squad because once he's gone it's of no benefit to him.. my advice is get a Donegal man in look at Monaghan."
The 2 people currently on the County Board Executive that caused the bother last year need to go first. The Academy needs to be sorted then, with Lacey at the helm. Then we will have no bother getting a Manager within the County. Until then no person within the County will touch the job and who would blame them.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 471 - 13/07/2023 21:37:29    2494233

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Chairman quoted in Donegal News regarding the review "there were no major issues found".

AudiMan (Donegal) - Posts: 683 - 14/07/2023 09:13:18    2494249

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Replying To AudiMan:  "Chairman quoted in Donegal News regarding the review "there were no major issues found"."
Yea, playing down the significance of the report, highlighting the positives outlined and ignoring any of the wrongdoing.

They are not going facilitate any discussion on their own positions, they will attempt to rumble on through the noise. The clubs are going to have grab the bull by the horns if we are going to see any change in personal.

There are very few in the county who don't think at least 2 heads need to roll. It's also naive to think that their positions are not going to influence who applies for the manager position and who will take over the academy.

Their removal should be the priority, before we move forward with anything else.

ninety-two (Donegal) - Posts: 27 - 14/07/2023 09:54:47    2494268

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Replying To AudiMan:  "Chairman quoted in Donegal News regarding the review "there were no major issues found"."
The Chairman also said that they were asked to comment on the review and that clubs were also asked to add their comments.Only four clubs bothered to add any comments.Despite all this talk about unrest the fact that only10% of clubs were interested enough sums up the GAA in the county and if the Co Board is below par then that is only reflecting the general mediocrity among club officials.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1145 - 14/07/2023 10:38:23    2494282

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Anyone know what has happened to the motions of no-confidence that were tabled by a couple clubs before the review. It feels like nothing is going to change and the same people who made the mess are going to stay in place

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 625 - 14/07/2023 10:40:36    2494283

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Replying To ninety-two:  "Yea, playing down the significance of the report, highlighting the positives outlined and ignoring any of the wrongdoing.

They are not going facilitate any discussion on their own positions, they will attempt to rumble on through the noise. The clubs are going to have grab the bull by the horns if we are going to see any change in personal.

There are very few in the county who don't think at least 2 heads need to roll. It's also naive to think that their positions are not going to influence who applies for the manager position and who will take over the academy.

Their removal should be the priority, before we move forward with anything else."
Hi ninety-two: Shocked to read the Chairman saying that after 14 high risk findings found as well as other findings. 2 fingers to Croker.

AudiMan (Donegal) - Posts: 683 - 14/07/2023 11:06:49    2494294

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Just want to thank the club delegates for doing absolutely nothing about the mess that exists in donegal gaa at the minute. The board kicked the can down the road citing the headquarter report which outlined alarming issues but again nobody paid the price. The motion of no confidence hasnt been taken any further. We have now put a waterford and 2 tyrone men into roles of doing the boards job in my opinion. Our academy isn't functioning I was chatting to fellas last week in 16 set up who told me they are getting the call about games a few days before. We flushed the winning lotto ticket down the drain.

I know a lot of good dgl gaa people who are refusing to go to games both club and county as they have lost total faith in whole system. This is future of dgl gaa. Club delegates show some pride and passion about our gaa in county. Stand up and be counted or put ppl in that will challenge our board. I can only see the manager selection being another chaotic affair unfortunately. Look at mayo they have no better fballers than us and they had 4 of the best mgt team options last year. And we can't even pull a half decent one together.

What does that tell use club delegates? No one wants to work with our cb. It's only use that can change it .

marty234 (Donegal) - Posts: 158 - 14/07/2023 11:43:15    2494303

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Replying To AudiMan:  "Chairman quoted in Donegal News regarding the review "there were no major issues found"."
Must have read a different report to the one I read. This is getting beyond a joke. The untouchables need to go.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 14/07/2023 11:46:37    2494307

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "So, likely contenders who might actually apply for the job…,Maxi Curran? SP Barrett? Gary McDaid?"
Mickey Graham..what's Youse think..

RoryGall35 (Donegal) - Posts: 193 - 14/07/2023 14:34:24    2494360

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The role of a club delegate is getting a lot of talk here. Club delegates act on behalf of clubs, anyone can turn up to a club meeting. What are you all doing at your club meetings?

Regarding the mentioned vote of no confidence, they were never actually tabled as far as I'm aware?

The main problems as I see it - The executive needs shaking up in addition to the 2 men being removed. The fundraising needs improved, the standard of football in the club scene is holding us back from developing footballers. Lacey needs to come back but he also needs to work proactively with the Co Board in terms of child safeguarding and funding. We need to encourage our ex county players to get involved in coaching courses through the academy.

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 14/07/2023 15:20:48    2494379

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Replying To RoryGall35:  "Mickey Graham..what's Youse think.."
I'd take him. But needs to be surrounded with good coaches. 1/2 coaches from Donegal.

Jason Sherlock?

Malachi o Rourke?

Martin Mc Hugh?

Any word on who is on this new interview panel?

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1208 - 14/07/2023 16:36:24    2494403

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