Armagh Manager

Courtesy of Orchardcounty.com

Cathaoirleach Kevin Brady would like to take the opportunity to
sincerely thank Peter on behalf of the entire County and pay tribute to
him for his unquestionable commitment, passion for the county, and
dedication to a very demanding post over the last two years. The
support and application of his backroom team have also been second to
none and have demonstrated the strong volunteer ethos in Armagh GAA.

He added that Peter had shown tremendous conviction in accepting the
role, given the challenge of the team’s success in recent years, and
the fact that a number of high profile and extremely talented players
had also left the inter-county scene. This was a test that he met
head-on, and a number of new faces from his highly successful Under-21
squad and from the county club scene were integrated comfortably to the
panel.

Kevin said that the winning of an Ulster Provincial Championship in his
first year could not be underestimated, and that Peter himself had been
disappointed in not being able to build on this and reach the closing
stages of the All-Ireland series.

Peter himself is firmly of the opinion that despite the continuing
transition period following the retirements of key players in recent
months, the current senior panel is more than capable of competing for
major honours, keeping the county among the highest echelon of teams,
and considers that the county is fortunate to have such a talented and
committed panel of players available.

However, he feels after considerable deliberation that even at this
stage of development he should step aside, and that the time is right
for change at the helm of Armagh senior football.

Armagh football is going nowhere. The sacking of Peter McDonnell would confirm this, if he can't do anything for ye, then no-one can.

Bar Tyrone, Ulster teams struggle to hold onto a manager for more than a few weeks.

I feel sorry for Mc Donnell - we all know who is calling the shots in Armagh and poor Mc Donnell was only a front man - like a puppet on a string - and yet he is the one who is now made look like an asshole.

Though from what i gather he was being suitably remunerated - so perhaps he may think it was all worth it. Either way the past year has done little to enhance Armagh football if anything they have undone all the good work of the last few years. The body language of some of the more experienced players throughout the Ulster Championship spoke volumes.

Armagh people seem to think McGeeney is the answer to their problems and whilst that may be true he would be mad to step into the breach in the near future at least until the shadow of the one time messiah has been moved on.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Armagh football is going nowhere. The sacking of Peter McDonnell would confirm this, if he can't do anything for ye, then no-one can.

Bar Tyrone, Ulster teams struggle to hold onto a manager for more than a few weeks.

How do you figure that one out?

McDonnell didnt have the credentials to be manager in the first place. McAlinden will be the new Armagh manager but wont be announced untill after the u-21's campaign. McAliden was the on with Brain Canavan that built the 2002 team. Joe came in and made the complete package. Armagh u-21's were going absolutely nowhere last year and now they have won Ulster, and playing Kildare in the last 8.

Brian McAliden is a fantastic manager he will definitely get the respect out of the Armagh team and he wont be afraid to get rid of those who arent producing the goods. Armagh have the talent they just need a manager that will get the best out of them which McDonnell didnt and this was evident last year and this year.

bocerty wrote:I feel sorry for Mc Donnell - we all know who is calling the shots in Armagh and poor Mc Donnell was only a front man - like a puppet on a string - and yet he is the one who is now made look like an asshole.

Though from what i gather he was being suitably remunerated - so perhaps he may think it was all worth it. Either way the past year has done little to enhance Armagh football if anything they have undone all the good work of the last few years. The body language of some of the more experienced players throughout the Ulster Championship spoke volumes.

Armagh people seem to think McGeeney is the answer to their problems and whilst that may be true he would be mad to step into the breach in the near future at least until the shadow of the one time messiah has been moved on.

McDonnell was defintitely a puppet. As long as things are going well in Kildare McGeeney will not leave. The best replacement for McDonnell now is McAliden, he is a fantasitc team builder which he has proven this year at u-21 level and at senior.

The players just aren't in Armagh anymore. When I see their supporters blaming the manager for all their defeats, it tells me all I need to know.

And as you know, you can't train a donkey to win the Derby (unless you are Aidan O'Brien and the horse is one Frozen Fire, how that horse won an Irish Derby, I'll never know). If Armagh were in Leinster, they would be the whipping boys, not so in Ulster because the standard to put it mildly isn't great.

McGeeney will be back there next year
Bradley will take over his native Derry and Davy Fitz will be back in the banner hauling some serious ass. They mightn't get paid as much as they are currently are in 'foreign' counties but sure its all about the love of the game.
{The way things are going Micko might be back in Kerry by next week!}

Im not saying Armagh are a good team, but the management IS to blame, McDonnell who in the last couple of years has been the most deadly forward in the country for the last few year apart from the last 3 years, scored ONE point against Monaghan, now that says something about the management, he was doing all the donkey work. Armagh can be up with the best again but everyone in the county knows that it isnt with McDonnell.

By all accounts Jose still runs the show.

Can't see Geezer going in those circumstances, and certainly not Grimley.

The probarble candidates for the Armagh job are:

Brian McAlinden - He and Brian Canavan built the 2002 team, not Joe Kernan.

Paul McGrane - Ended his county career this year, wouldnt be suprised if he followed McGeeney.

Sean Boylan - Has done it all, but would Armagh take on an outsider?

Donal Murtagh - Has done what Joe has done at county level however he did take on a great team.

Joe Kernan - A return? Hope not, it was obvious that he was pulling the strings.

Pete McGrath - Would he love a return to the big stage even though he is a Down man

Big Joe appears to have the county board by the short and curlies so any new appointment will have to be sanctioned by him first. Sad really he is holding Armagh football to ransom rather than encouraging its progress. He certainly wont want Boylan or McGrath at the helm as either could easily out do his achievements.

Besides Mc Grath will probably be back in the hot seat in Down very shortly.

He dosent want anyone out doing his success. The clubs will be the ones who vote, and I believe this time there is going to be a meeting with all clubs to make sure that the manager they appoint is picked.

I think everything should go, and new comitee is in place I believe. Joe will not be liked by anyone if he does the same thing again. If he threatens to pull the Morgan Fuels sponsor, let him and then we will get another sponsor!

the clubs voted the last time and 94% wanted Grimley only for the Joe show to arrive in town and veto the whole thing and now he is holding everyone to ransom.

bocerty wrote:I feel sorry for Mc Donnell - we all know who is calling the shots in Armagh and poor Mc Donnell was only a front man - like a puppet on a string - and yet he is the one who is now made look like an asshole.

Though from what i gather he was being suitably remunerated - so perhaps he may think it was all worth it. Either way the past year has done little to enhance Armagh football if anything they have undone all the good work of the last few years. The body language of some of the more experienced players throughout the Ulster Championship spoke volumes.

Armagh people seem to think McGeeney is the answer to their problems and whilst that may be true he would be mad to step into the breach in the near future at least until the shadow of the one time messiah has been moved on.

if he allowed himself to be a puppet for Kernan or anyone else then he is an asshole.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Armagh football is going nowhere. The sacking of Peter McDonnell would confirm this, if he can't do anything for ye, then no-one can.

Bar Tyrone, Ulster teams struggle to hold onto a manager for more than a few weeks.

Loyal you do talk some s***e. The two management set-ups prior to McDonnell in Armagh both had at least 5 years.

Anyone who says Armagh do not have the players clearly do not know anything about Armagh football. Armagh have never had as much underage success as they have had the past 5 years. Now we need the right man to bring these three players through. In my opinion outside of Tyrone we have the best defence in Ireland (which makes you wonder why the manager felt the need to bring half forwards back into the defence). Our midfielders at just 21 and 22 (vernon and Toner, even Lavery) dominated against Tyrone and held their own against Monaghan. Clarke and McDonnell are class acts but just need more support in the forward line. Or we All-Ireland contenders for next year? Probably not. Are we as good as all the rest bar Tyrone, Cork (probably kerry)? I think so.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:The players just aren't in Armagh anymore. When I see their supporters blaming the manager for all their defeats, it tells me all I need to know.

Loyal, great point and the same could be said for Derry.

You see nowadays counties having success with Minor and Under 21 teams, then everyone jumps on this stating "they'll be a force when the Minor/U-21 teams get through into senior" but these players aren't doing anything as Seniors yet (with the exception of about 2-3 in each county). This makes me ask, is the standard of Underage dropping that much that we no longer see the impact of these good youth county teams?

The exception is Tyrone, whose 10 year plan in the 1990s is still working due to the structures in place there.

bald eagle wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:The players just aren't in Armagh anymore. When I see their supporters blaming the manager for all their defeats, it tells me all I need to know.

Loyal, great point and the same could be said for Derry.

You see nowadays counties having success with Minor and Under 21 teams, then everyone jumps on this stating "they'll be a force when the Minor/U-21 teams get through into senior" but these players aren't doing anything as Seniors yet (with the exception of about 2-3 in each county). This makes me ask, is the standard of Underage dropping that much that we no longer see the impact of these good youth county teams?

The exception is Tyrone, whose 10 year plan in the 1990s is still working due to the structures in place there.

There is no disputing, we are not the team we were 3 or 4 years ago. We are better though than the Monaghan and Wexford game of last year would suggest. We should be doing better than we are.

samin10 wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Armagh football is going nowhere. The sacking of Peter McDonnell would confirm this, if he can't do anything for ye, then no-one can.

Bar Tyrone, Ulster teams struggle to hold onto a manager for more than a few weeks.

Loyal you do talk some s***e. The two management set-ups prior to McDonnell in Armagh both had at least 5 years.

Listen, Sam, you are living in dreamland. Armagh football is going nowhere fast. It wouldn't surprise me if the next manager resigns the same day he signs on the dotted line, when he sees the quality of player he has at his disposal, he'll be gone.

If you say so.

samin10 wrote:

bocerty wrote:I feel sorry for Mc Donnell - we all know who is calling the shots in Armagh and poor Mc Donnell was only a front man - like a puppet on a string - and yet he is the one who is now made look like an asshole.

Though from what i gather he was being suitably remunerated - so perhaps he may think it was all worth it. Either way the past year has done little to enhance Armagh football if anything they have undone all the good work of the last few years. The body language of some of the more experienced players throughout the Ulster Championship spoke volumes.

Armagh people seem to think McGeeney is the answer to their problems and whilst that may be true he would be mad to step into the breach in the near future at least until the shadow of the one time messiah has been moved on.

if he allowed himself to be a puppet for Kernan or anyone else then he is an asshole.

Samin i agree totally with what you say - amazing what some people will put themselves through for a few quid

bocerty wrote:

samin10 wrote:

bocerty wrote:I feel sorry for Mc Donnell - we all know who is calling the shots in Armagh and poor Mc Donnell was only a front man - like a puppet on a string - and yet he is the one who is now made look like an asshole.

Though from what i gather he was being suitably remunerated - so perhaps he may think it was all worth it. Either way the past year has done little to enhance Armagh football if anything they have undone all the good work of the last few years. The body language of some of the more experienced players throughout the Ulster Championship spoke volumes.

Armagh people seem to think McGeeney is the answer to their problems and whilst that may be true he would be mad to step into the breach in the near future at least until the shadow of the one time messiah has been moved on.

if he allowed himself to be a puppet for Kernan or anyone else then he is an asshole.

Samin i agree totally with what you say - amazing what some people will put themselves through for a few quid

i genuinely believe he was not getting paid (if he was it was by sponsors such as Hugh Morgan who is big mates with Kernan)

samin the guys from Armagh who i was speaking to before the Tyrone game said he was definitely getting something - probably not through the county board but through the sponsors as you say.

Not sure were those guys were from but one of them said his brother should have been playing full back that day but he left the panel and headed to America as he was fed up with the way things were being done within the squad. They also pointed out that on eof Kernans sons couldnt make the Cross starting 15 and yet he was making the Armagh team and had also played for Ulster in the inter provincials.

bocerty wrote:samin the guys from Armagh who i was speaking to before the Tyrone game said he was definitely getting something - probably not through the county board but through the sponsors as you say.

Not sure were those guys were from but one of them said his brother should have been playing full back that day but he left the panel and headed to America as he was fed up with the way things were being done within the squad. They also pointed out that on eof Kernans sons couldnt make the Cross starting 15 and yet he was making the Armagh team and had also played for Ulster in the inter provincials.

Not sure who the guy who went to America would have been but for me Brendan Donaghey was a cert to start in full back and justified himself by being Armaghs best player in both our matches.

Its common knowledge in Armagh that the sponsors were responsible for putting PMCD in the managers role and by all accounts Kernan was pulling the strings. It would appear he stepped down in order to have his four sons there without getting the criticism. Both Stephen and Tony struggle to get on for Crossmaglen. Grimley and Kernan fell out because Grimley told him Stephen was not good enough to be starting against Fermanagh a few years ago, Hugh Morgan threatened to pull the sponsorship if Paul Grimley got the job (even though a huge majority of the clubs voted for him). There is bound to be a big fall out before its all over, hopefully Peter reveals all about what went on.