Armaghball
Well-Known Member
I know it’s not the same thing obviously- but look at Alex Ferguson- he had his ups and downs at the start but was backed and the rest is history.
I’ve been critical of Geezer in the past because I think all of us have seen the potential in the team this past number of years but our old failings of conceding stupid goals, throwing away leads, generally being poor defensively and not being able to win our own kickout have been our downfall for too long.
This year, so far so good, we look much more solid at the back, Blaine’s kickouts have been exceptional and there is always movement with lads giving him an option. We seem to have identified where are weak points lie in defence and are able to work a system to stop us conceding goals. In both league games against two of the best teams in the country we’ve got off to flying starts and have managed to hold on to leads when the other team has came back at us whereas in previous years we’d have lost composure and let the other team back into it.
Donaghy and McKeever seem to have been revelations since coming in, I was sitting close enough to the management team to hear Donaghy shouting on instructions on Sunday and having a character like him with his experience and medals on board is bound to give everyone a lift you’d imagine.
Obviously the huge caveat is that it’s only February and we have won absolutely nothing yet, but fair dues to Geezer, all the management team and especially the players they’ve given us 2 great days so far and deserve credit with hopefully plenty more to come. Beating those two teams, the mighty Dubs and our lovely neighbours and current all ireland (sick noise) champions is worth far far more than just four points on the board, the psychological belief and confidence that we belong at the top table we’ll have is immeasurable.
I think barring the nightmare scenario where we lose the rest of our games, go down and then get beat out the gate in Ballybofey Geezer is here to stay and rightly so.
The All Ireland this year is as wide open as it has ever been; we’ve a horrible draw away to Donegal but if we get over that the sky is the limit. Dublin clearly aren’t what they were, ditto Mayo and with Conroy gone, O’Connor only on his way back they have very little up front. Tyrone won’t have the same hunger as last year and we know they are beatable, ditto Monaghan barring the freak goals last year we are definitely a better team than them. Donegal have gone backwards. Kerry probably the favourites but still have the old problem of being poor at the back, as good and all as the Cliffords and co are, they’ll be looking at the O’Neills, Grugan, TK etc etc and thinking how on earth do we stop them. Absolutely no one will be wanting to draw Armagh as they know they won’t get it handy.
Obviously All Irelands are a long way away and even an Ulster would be an absolutely fantastic achievement but genuinely believe we’ve as much chance as anyone, no one is going to convince me that we’re a worse team than that shower who won the thing last year.
Anyway, rant over, up Armagh!
