Reaction to the shock departure of Eamon O'Brien

Well I'm shocked and appalled at the news breaking across the county this morning. There had been suggestions of "tactical ineptness" and the like but nobody predicted this.

From a personal point of view, I feel absolutely no thought has been put into this decision or the possibility of an alternative. And the message it sends out to likely prospective managers is that unless an All-Ireland is delivered in your first or second season, you're out the door.

As for Eammon himself, well one can only wonder what exactly he would be thinking right now. As recently as last weekend, I know phone calls had been going out to possible new panellists as Eammon fulfilled his duty of attending as many club games around the county as he could. He, more than anyone else, hardly saw this one coming.

Meath GAA is in dark place this morning. We are probably now back where we were five or six years ago.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
Meath GAA is in dark place this morning. We are probably now back where we were five or six years ago.

I said before the Kildare game that it was Meath's biggest match in a decade, adding that a loss would probably spell the end of this side. In light of that point of view, I'm not convinced that a new manager is bad thing for Meath. Certainly, O'Brien can feel hurt and betrayed but, viewing it coldly, it may be the right move for Meath in the long run, as another period of rebuilding is now necessary.

This Meath side have flattered to deceive, not only under O'Brien, but under Colm Coyle as well. They rack up big scores one day, and collapse the next. Basically, and I never thought I'd say this about a Meath side, they are flakey. New (tougher) blood is needed, although whether it is there or not is another matter.

It is sad for Eamonn O'Brien, who has obviously put in a lot of work, but major rebuilding is needed in the Royal county, and perhaps a new face should undertake that.

Teams are going to win games, teams are going to lose games. Only one team, if any team at all, will go through a season unbeaten. A single loss on its own is not enough to end a team. The sacking of the manager, as a result of that loss, though, might.

At what point will this rebuilding process end? Its been going on since September 2001 and at the first sign of improvement, we try to commit suicide.

At the end of the day, a manager is only really as good as the resources available to him. Given our performances at minor and u21 level as well as the representation that clubs have given us in national competitions in the past ten years, its clear that an All-Ireland semi-final appearance backed up with a Leinster Title ain't too bad for the resources available to us.

If we're not already considered a laughing stock, then we'll look like some circus when the new manager comes in and fails to retain our Leinster Championsip or worse, repeat the past two All-Ireland Quarter-Final appearances.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote: A single loss on its own is not enough to end a team.

It isn't a single loss Loyal. It was a hammering in the end, coming on the back of an undeserved win over Louth (a very average side).

Throw in the debacles against Cork and Limerick in previous years, and it all adds up. A team can only go to the well so often without success, and I think that that has happened with this Meath side. It happened to Laois, when their side was finished long before most of them were in their late-20s, simply because you have to keep progressing, or else you will go backwards. Fermanagh have also seen this, and Mayo, and Monaghan might as well in the next 2-3 years.

Joe Sheridan, Moyles, the Wards, Crawford, Kenny and several others, they have been there for so long, and have not done it. I'm not saying that there is anything better coming through, but I am saying that what is there is not good enough if Meath people want an All-Ireland. Maybe that is unrealistic, but the next 3-4 years will be the most open that we have seen the Championship in years, and lots of sides will have a chance. Meath have to come with new ideas if they are to be amongst them.

colm o rourke - he is related to 2-3 panel members maybe now he will take the job

i personally dont feel an allrieland is withing this current bunches grasp, then again who would have said in january down could make an all rieland final this year.

tough on o brien but hey that is unfortunately life.

Must be a fine line between a loss and a hammering. Kildare led by two points with sixty/sixty-one minutes on the clock and finally in the last ten minutes they got on top of Meath, tagging on a few worthless scores, game was up once they went 3/4 points ahead.

Other than that I agree. How do we know that there is anything close to an All-Ireland in Meath? O'Brien, for me, did two things. One, built on the work done by Colm Coyle and his management team. Two, achieved all he could with the resources available to him. I felt, if allowed, he would have continued to build on the work over the last two years but the clubs have spoken. Not sure if they have thought out the consequences but there you go. I suppose the new manager will be wise to pick one player from each club and hope the other thirty-one are satisfied with it. Because, at the back of it all, that is probably the deciding factor.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Must be a fine line between a loss and a hammering. Kildare led by two points with sixty/sixty-one minutes on the clock and finally in the last ten minutes they got on top of Meath, tagging on a few worthless scores, game was up once they went 3/4 points ahead.

Other than that I agree. How do we know that there is anything close to an All-Ireland in Meath? O'Brien, for me, did two things. One, built on the work done by Colm Coyle and his management team. Two, achieved all he could with the resources available to him. I felt, if allowed, he would have continued to build on the work over the last two years but the clubs have spoken. Not sure if they have thought out the consequences but there you go. I suppose the new manager will be wise to pick one player from each club and hope the other thirty-one are satisfied with it. Because, at the back of it all, that is probably the deciding factor.

To be honest Loyal, I thought that Meath capitulated in the end against Kildare, and that is why I called it a hammering. Meath didn't touch the ball for the last 10 minutes. It reminded me of Meath v Mayo 12 months earlier. If not a hammering, it was a very comprehensive and decisive defeat.

As for O'Brien, he did ok, but I can't help thinking that Meath have more in them than what they have shown in the last few years. The Louth game was a real disappointment, as Meath are a better side than Louth, and should have beaten them comfortably. This was a huge game for Meath, and O'Brien should have had them tuned in for it.

I'm not one for getting rid of managers just for the sake of it. I argued on here that Banty deserved another chance in Monaghan, but that was because I think he is getting as much out of them as is realistically possible. I'm not sure that that is the case in Meath, although it could prove so over the next few years.

Word on the grapevine is this is more to do with the fallout from the Leinster Final. Apparently EOB has been the (innocent) victim of a fallout between Co Board officials and the clubs. The clubs feel they were not consulted at the time and this is the payback - poor EOB caught in the middle.

it seems a strange decision, i thought O' Brien was doing an alright job with the team and going by Loyals posts there arent too many within the county who could take over and do a better job.

The clubs obviously have a gripe of some sort but it seems strange that he is the scapegoat for what happened after the Leinster Final (it thats accurate)

The championship is wide open for the forseeable future - well at least until Kerry regroup - and i would have though Meath would have been one of the teams who were certainly in with a chance of pushing for honours.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Well I'm shocked and appalled at the news breaking across the county this morning. There had been suggestions of "tactical ineptness" and the like but nobody predicted this.

From a personal point of view, I feel absolutely no thought has been put into this decision or the possibility of an alternative. And the message it sends out to likely prospective managers is that unless an All-Ireland is delivered in your first or second season, you're out the door.

As for Eammon himself, well one can only wonder what exactly he would be thinking right now. As recently as last weekend, I know phone calls had been going out to possible new panellists as Eammon fulfilled his duty of attending as many club games around the county as he could. He, more than anyone else, hardly saw this one coming.

Meath GAA is in dark place this morning. We are probably now back where we were five or six years ago.

Alas Loyal due to the premiership soccer influence two years without Sam is enough, the manager must go, even if he is managing Kilkenny footballers let alone Meath.

Look at the disgraceful treatment of Banty in Monaghan as further proof that not only the fans are mad.

The reason I have outlined above has obviously nothing to do with success or lack of it. Football people in Meath are realists and know that the current team is nowhere near winning Sam and have overachieved hugely in recent years - incl. their Leinster 'win'. You cannot win Sam with no defence and midfield. As I have said, the reasons for EOBs 'sacking' are political and not performance related.

They're off their bleeding rockers. Bring back Sean Boylan

This website should be renamed MeathTipster

bluearmy1 wrote:This website should be renamed MeathTipster

There's not that many of us on here really people just like talking about us

Jayo Cluxton wrote:The reason I have outlined above has obviously nothing to do with success or lack of it. Football people in Meath are realists and know that the current team is nowhere near winning Sam and have overachieved hugely in recent years - incl. their Leinster 'win'. You cannot win Sam with no defence and midfield. As I have said, the reasons for EOBs 'sacking' are political and not performance related.

Completely the opposite Jayo. The delegates from clubs such as St. Patricks, Trim and Duleek/Bellowstown were very critical of O'Brien's tactics and his failure to make immediate substitutions. They pointed to the Louth and Kildare games this year as well as the Kerry one last year as examples of this, and also cited our continued presence in the League and disregard for promotion as another reason for change. Its clear that the Meath public believe Meath have under-achieved under O'Brien.

Now where this inflated opinion has come from, I cannot really say? I've argued the point all day long that an All-Ireland was far too much of an ask but the clear message now is that only ultimate glory in September will be deemed a success. As far as I am concerned, his departure is very much performance-related.

Yes Loyal you have been one of the real realistic Meath supporters for many years now and your expectation levels have always been grounded in fact.....

The clubs may put forward their 'reasons' obviously but I am hearing that a lot of what they have done is aimed at the Co Board officials. They aren't gonna come out and say it though are they???

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Yes Loyal you have been one of the real realistic Meath supporters for many years now and your expectation levels have always been grounded in fact.....

The clubs may put forward their 'reasons' obviously but I am hearing that a lot of what they have done is aimed at the Co Board officials. They aren't gonna come out and say it though are they???

Well we can only speculate. But its not a theory that carries a lot of weight with me. Sack the manager to prove a point about the Leinster Final? Who are you hearing these rumours from?

I am normally fairly accurate with my Meath predictions. Your assessment has gone something like "over-achieved" for as long as I've been reading your posts. Then the Limerick game two years ago gets drawn into it. Very detailed analysis indeed. Not that that has any bearing on the current subject but you brought it up.

By all means continue....Meath may not have got anywhere near Sam but by God they'll run the Internet

bluearmy1 wrote:By all means continue....Meath may not have got anywhere near Sam but by God they'll run the Internet

RMDrive would be wise to deal with you. Not the first time you've stirred up trouble on this forum and probably not the last.

bluearmy1 wrote:This website should be renamed MeathTipster

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ........Now you know why loyal has to post here

Now now I thought yez were hard men down in Meath , all a bit of fun now ....take it out on us on the pitch

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:I am normally fairly accurate with my Meath predictions. Your assessment has gone something like "over-achieved" for as long as I've been reading your posts. Then the Limerick game two years ago gets drawn into it. Very detailed analysis indeed. Not that that has any bearing on the current subject but you brought it up.

What are you sh**ing about now Loyal??? I haven't mentioned Limerick in years on here - what did I bring up??? I have said in the past that Meath have no midfield or defence but had some cracking forwards but are nowhere near competing seriously for Sam as they proved v Kildare. TC thinks otherwise but unless they find 7/8 players they are going nowhere. We need 4/5 ourselves.

I'm not surprised at all meself, could see this coming actually.

Could Meath have had a better championship campaign? I think so.

The dogs on the street were talking about EOBs tactics or lack of them...

Some of you Meath boys are real doom merchants, I wouldn't be so pessimistic - look at what kildare achieved with a bit of organisation.

The only thin g that surprises me is that there doesn't seem to be somebody lined up for the job... that we've heard about anyway

Jayo Cluxton wrote: I have said in the past that Meath have no midfield or defence but had some cracking forwards but are nowhere near competing seriously for Sam as they proved v Kildare. TC thinks otherwise but unless they find 7/8 players they are going nowhere. We need 4/5 ourselves.

On the contrary Jayo, I think that this Meath side is finished, and said so above.

What I said on the Meath/Kildare thread was that, if they had beaten Kildare, they may have pushed on from there to contend over the next 3-4 years, given the demise of Tyrone/Kerry and the fact that the championship is going to be wide open in the next few seasons. A win would have answered a lot of the temperament questions over some of the forwards, and would have been kept the momentum generated from last year's semi appearance, and the win over Dublin.

I also said that a loss to Kildare would probably set them a long way back, and they lost emphatically. Eamonn O'Brien staying or going will not prevent that.