National Football League 2024

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BananaMan

Active Member
GAAMAD said:
I don't think there is any one size fits all approach to the league/championship with the current structure.

You can look at the like of Mayo and Roscommon who had very strong starts and hit the ground running, but ended up getting dumped out quite timidly come the later knock out stages.

Although on the contrary, you can look at Derry, who treated each game in division 2 as a chance to get fit and work and perfect their style of play and game plan. They were a kick of the ball away from the All-Ireland final.

Me personally would like to see us take the approach of Derry. Realistically these league games will be the only proper challenges we get before a potential Ulster final. No disrespect to Down and Fermanagh, but they are well below power. We need to be polished for Donegal/Derry in an Ulster final.
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Fully agree. If we were to field a "weakened" team in the first 2 league games and came away with 0-2 points from 4 then those currently calling for it would soon forget what they said and question McGeeney for not going full strength.

McGeeney has had a lot of critics both from within and outside the county in recent years. This division 2 run could see a lot of those critics disappear if he finished top of the table and won the decider in Croke Park. He will be acutely aware of this.

We played a full strength team in every league game during our years in Division 1, I see no reason why playing in Division 2 changes this. Division 2 will still be tough going.
 
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Ed Ricketts

Active Member
BananaMan said:
Fully agree. If we were to field a "weakened" team in the first 2 league games and came away with 0-2 points from 4 then those currently calling for it would soon forget what they said and question McGeeney for not going full strength.

McGeeney has had a lot of critics both from within and outside the county in recent years. This division 2 run could see a lot of those critics disappear if he finished top of the table and won the decider in Croke Park. He will be acutely aware of this.

We played a full strength team in every league game during our years in Division 1, I see no reason why playing in Division 2 changes this. Division 2 will still be tough going.
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Two points on that:

1. Armagh could win the lot this year, beating every team by 15 points along the way, and there’d still be clowns out there moaning about the management. It’s impossible to please everyone, so why even think about trying.

2. Rather than being acutely aware of his critics, I’d counter that everything we’ve seen and heard from McGeeney over the last decade suggests he doesn’t give them a second thought. No voice outside the changing room has ever mattered.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Ed Ricketts said:
Two points on that:

1. Armagh could win the lot this year, beating every team by 15 points along the way, and there’d still be clowns out there moaning about the management. It’s impossible to please everyone, so why even think about trying.

2. Rather than being acutely aware of his critics, I’d counter that everything we’ve seen and heard from McGeeney over the last decade suggests he doesn’t give them a second thought. No voice outside the changing room has ever mattered.
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You’re absolutely right on point 1. And as for point 2 that is absolutely the way it should be.

As for the league it’s all about getting a balance, need to put out a team that’s capable of winning against whoever we’re playing, while also managing the minutes of the older lads so they are flying fit come championship time, while also blooding new lads,, while also finding our strongest team for a likely Ulster final against Derry or Donegal.
 
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niall1980

Well-Known Member
Armaghball said:
You’re absolutely right on point 1. And as for point 2 that is absolutely the way it should be.

As for the league it’s all about getting a balance, need to put out a team that’s capable of winning against whoever we’re playing, while also managing the minutes of the older lads so they are flying fit come championship time, while also blooding new lads,, while also finding our strongest team for a likely Ulster final against Derry or Donegal.
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agree with this. We want to play as strong a team as possible while being mindful of not overloading some of the older lads. Getting the balance right will give those on the fringes their chance
 
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Wide ball

Well-Known Member
GAAMAD said:
I don't think there is any one size fits all approach to the league/championship with the current structure.

You can look at the like of Mayo and Roscommon who had very strong starts and hit the ground running, but ended up getting dumped out quite timidly come the later knock out stages.

Although on the contrary, you can look at Derry, who treated each game in division 2 as a chance to get fit and work and perfect their style of play and game plan. They were a kick of the ball away from the All-Ireland final.

Me personally would like to see us take the approach of Derry. Realistically these league games will be the only proper challenges we get before a potential Ulster final. No disrespect to Down and Fermanagh, but they are well below power. We need to be polished for Donegal/Derry in an Ulster final.
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I agree with alot of this, think we do need to mix it up, like 2 years ago our best players where, Rafferty, Rian, grugan, jarly og and Nugent all where fantastic and last year you could argue they where all well below that standard, and last year forker and murnin above all but also Duffy where probably the pick of our players, so I wonder was it a defensive style that made the guys who stood out 2 years ago drop level or was it burn out, maybe it's teams paying them more attention. Hard to know but I'd like to see grugan and forker play less in the league because they have put in some shift for Armagh over the last 4 years or so, manage their minutes. I think we could field 2 separate teams in division 2 and be safe, I hope that isn't me being over confident
 
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Naka

Well-Known Member
My view is that we need to win our first two so go strong there
Then we can see where we are
We then need to target as much not lose
Germans ( alright Fermanagh )and Cavan
Kildare , cork and Donegal will be toughies and could go either way given that two are away from home
So if we are struggling after the first two it could be a difficult league campaign
 
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armaghtimmy

Well-Known Member
Naka said:
My view is that we need to win our first two so go strong there
Then we can see where we are
We then need to target as much not lose
Germans and Cavan
Kildare , cork and Donegal will be toughies and could go either way given that two are away from home
So if we are struggling after the first two it could be a difficult league campaign
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Bit harsh on Fermanagh calling them Germans, or is that the other way about o_O
 
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Patrick-Armagh

Well-Known Member
Wide ball said:
I agree with alot of this, think we do need to mix it up, like 2 years ago our best players where, Rafferty, Rian, grugan, jarly og and Nugent all where fantastic and last year you could argue they where all well below that standard, and last year forker and murnin above all but also Duffy where probably the pick of our players, so I wonder was it a defensive style that made the guys who stood out 2 years ago drop level or was it burn out, maybe it's teams paying them more attention. Hard to know but I'd like to see grugan and forker play less in the league because they have put in some shift for Armagh over the last 4 years or so, manage their minutes. I think we could field 2 separate teams in division 2 and be safe, I hope that isn't me being over confident
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I think a massive part of it was the game plan that was being employed. I know that some players have said otherwise, but it was blatantly obvious that the team were setting up in a more controlled way. The previous year we had shown a lack of control in crucial moments which ultimately cost us and I think there was a big element of that to how we played. The league was used as a testing ground for it. But we went too far and the league ended up being a real slog and we carried that form into the Championship and we never really got going in a lot of games. Hopefully we'll get a better balance this year between attack, which is without doubt our greatest strength and playing with control. I'd love to see us being able to score more regularly from controlled and slower positions, because often it looks really laboured and slow and we get shut down (think Monaghan and large parts of the Derry game). But when the game becomes open and manic, is when do a lot of damage. But we can't rely solely on that, as the best teams don't allow the game to break down into that. We have to be able to get scores more regularly from play, rather than broken play, because the grand stand finish will only get you out of jail once or twice.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
Patrick-Armagh said:
I think a massive part of it was the game plan that was being employed. I know that some players have said otherwise, but it was blatantly obvious that the team were setting up in a more controlled way. The previous year we had shown a lack of control in crucial moments which ultimately cost us and I think there was a big element of that to how we played. The league was used as a testing ground for it. But we went too far and the league ended up being a real slog and we carried that form into the Championship and we never really got going in a lot of games. Hopefully we'll get a better balance this year between attack, which is without doubt our greatest strength and playing with control. I'd love to see us being able to score more regularly from controlled and slower positions, because often it looks really laboured and slow and we get shut down (think Monaghan and large parts of the Derry game). But when the game becomes open and manic, is when do a lot of damage. But we can't rely solely on that, as the best teams don't allow the game to break down into that. We have to be able to get scores more regularly from play, rather than broken play, because the grand stand finish will only get you out of jail once or twice.
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I’d honestly prefer we went all out attack like that Monaghan game in 2021. Was total madness and Rian gave one of the best performances any Armagh man has in years. Obviously it’s suicide against the best teams but it’d be better than the tripe we watched against Monaghan last year.

Hopefully this is the year we strike a balance between the 2!
 
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Hoops

Active Member
Mcgeeney has already referenced division 2 having more defensive teams than div1, and you’d expect anyone inclined to go defensive would only go more defensive against armagh. In those games where the opposition is setting up defensively, I’d expect mcgeeney will match it and use them to try to improve on the structure of game we played against Monaghan and Derry, with a focus on getting our forwards to score more. That might not be what everyone here wants to see, but ultimately if you’re going to be facing Donegal in a league final and a derry or Donegal in the ulster final you want to be well prepared for a strategic, defensive game with a few well rehearsed plays to get scores on the board.
 
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stevie_06

Well-Known Member
Armaghball said:
I’d honestly prefer we went all out attack like that Monaghan game in 2021. Was total madness and Rian gave one of the best performances any Armagh man has in years. Obviously it’s suicide against the best teams but it’d be better than the tripe we watched against Monaghan last year.

Hopefully this is the year we strike a balance between the 2!
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But last year we came closer to beating them than we did in 2021 so what is the logic to going all out attack
 
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stevie_06

Well-Known Member
Armaghball said:
Cause that shite would honestly put me off watching football, not sure about you. We’ve some very dangerous forwards it’s time we start getting the best out of them.

And it was Monaghan not prime Dublin we were playing.
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Management won't be worried about whether you or me or anybody else enjoys watching.

Seems to be this opinion we have some great attacking talents and it's just as simple as letting them off the lease. 2021 we were more attack minded and same in 2022. It didn't work

Last year management obviously decided a try a different approach. It probably didn't work out either. Hopefully this year there is a better balance between the two.

And last year the forwards had numerous chances at pivotal moments and to actually go on and win the games against Derry and Monaghan but didn't take.
 
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Armaghball

Well-Known Member
stevie_06 said:
Management won't be worried about whether you or me or anybody else enjoys watching.

Seems to be this opinion we have some great attacking talents and it's just as simple as letting them off the lease. 2021 we were more attack minded and same in 2022. It didn't work

Last year management obviously decided a try a different approach. It probably didn't work out either. Hopefully this year there is a better balance between the two.

And last year the forwards had numerous chances at pivotal moments and to actually go on and win the games against Derry and Monaghan but didn't take.
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Yeah theres definitely a balance to be found. If me or you or any of us had the perfect answer on how to find it we’d be in the hotseat lol. Hopefully we can see good football and wins this year.
 
Diarmi

Diarmi

Well-Known Member
stevie_06 said:
Management won't be worried about whether you or me or anybody else enjoys watching.

Seems to be this opinion we have some great attacking talents and it's just as simple as letting them off the lease. 2021 we were more attack minded and same in 2022. It didn't work

Last year management obviously decided a try a different approach. It probably didn't work out either. Hopefully this year there is a better balance between the two.

And last year the forwards had numerous chances at pivotal moments and to actually go on and win the games against Derry and Monaghan but didn't take.
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They might be when there is no one coming to watch the games any more. At the end of the day their gravy train is fuelled by bums on seats and TV revenue. If the quality of the spectacle on show does not improve it could be the end of the line for the game and it's Bisto kids.
 
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armaghtimmy

Well-Known Member
Diarmi said:
They might be when there is no one coming to watch the games any more. At the end of the day their gravy train is fuelled by bums on seats and TV revenue. If the quality of the spectacle on show does not improve it could be the end of the line for the game and it's Bisto kids.
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Most costs are financed by sponsorship and internal fundraising, not ticket sales. Louth affording Harte/Devlin a prime example.

Gravy Train??? If men want to train fellas 4 or 5 times a week often in the darks and colds of winter and dedicate countless hours travelling around the country then they should get a few quid, especially when half the time all they get is criticism in return. Your own club man is on the management 'gravy train' now, perhaps you should approach him directly and ask their thoughts on the matter and how rich they are getting out of it.

Begrudgery alive and well!!!
 
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