Playing county football is a big commitment and in doing it, you put your life on hold in many aspects. This could be in terms of your family, your career or personal development and experiences. Players who have opted off the panel for various reasons, shouldn't be castigated for it and their re-introduction to the panel should be based on merit, playing well for their clubs, with them accepting that they aren't guaranteed anything and others who've stayed around should get the first chance to impress management in retaining their place. Anything else, in my opinion, just creates a scenario of resentment and jealousy that can infect a team. If you're a player who has worked extremely hard over the last year, trying to break into the team and then a player who took off comes back and walks straight back into the team, what does that do for team morale? Yeah you might be stronger on paper, but you have weakened the inner workings of a team spirit that takes so much to build.
I think it also depends on how leaving a panel is done. If as a player, you know that in a year or two, you'll want to go traveling or move away for a time, if you let the management know so they can plan for the time without you, or if they think it's best that you aren't on the team, to develop someone else, then I don't have a problem. Or if you need to take time out for personal or career reasons, again, I don't think that this should be an issue. If they are playing well enough for their clubs and get an invite to the county team, they should have to the same amount of work as everyone else to prove they are better than who is starting. What does bother me, is how one player seems to come and go and is welcomed back time and again and due to his immense talent, slots straight back into the team. I don't know anything about his personal circumstances, but I do find it odd how one minute you can return after a few years away, proclaiming your love for the county and how you're back for good and want to prove yourself and take Armagh to the next level and then when Armagh have the best season they've has in years and it looks like we have good foundations to build on, you leave again. Again, I fully accept that people's personal circumstances change, you get job offers that don't fall in line with the county season, playing football isn't the be-all and end-all, it won't pay your bills and is only a game, so if you want to leave, then I have no problem with it, but I don't think that the slate should just be wiped clean if this consistently happens, next time you take an interest in playing county football, no matter how talented you are. This may seem naive, as we don't have an abundance of top players to pick from, but that's just my thoughts on the matter and isn't intended as attack on any player.
As for the season, I think overall it's been positive, but with one major disappointment. We played well in the league, winning Division Three and gaining promotion. It's vital that we play at a higher level if we are to progress. I think that the players are good enough to be in the top 10-12 teams in the country and playing in Division Two against better opposition will bring our players on. The emergence 0f new and fringe players as well as players developing further and really putting their stamp on the team has been really pleasing to see. Patrick Burns has been a real find and gives us more depth in the squad with the likes of Hughes to come back from injury and Morgan returning if he does well for Cross. Aaron McKay looks like a long term player at full back, which has allowed Charlie Vernon to move back to midfield. Gregory McCabe has become a really fine player. Connaire Mackin has come from nowhere and looks a real talent. Brendan Donaghy continues to be a rock for us. Stephen Sheridan and Niall Grimley have had good seasons and continue to drive the team on. Ethan Rafferty was having a good season until injury. Ryan McShane bought real pace and invention into the team. Jemar Hall really stepped up in the last few games to show his ability. Andrew Murnin had an injury free season and is pure class. Rory Grugan showed that he's a really special player. That's just naming a few and not mentioning some of the U20's who have come through and are challenging for places. Add in players that may come back and we have a healthy squad of players to work with.
However, we need to translate that optimism into getting our hump in the Ulster Championship. That Fermanagh game was awful. Yes players had off days and some of them are still inexperienced championship level and Fermanagh went onto to prove how difficult they are to beat. But another loss and another dire performance is a worry, that can't just be glossed over each time it happens. Next year we could draw Donegal in Ballybofey, Tyrone in Omagh or Monaghan in Clones, and we'll be up against it again. The qualifier run, like last season was welcome and restored some joy and pride. In Westmeath and Sligo we got the rights teams, to build winning momentum against, before playing a very good Clare side. The courage shown in that game to win it at the death was brilliant to see. Against Roscommon, we played some great football and for a bit of luck could have won it. But Roscommon had a bit too much for us in the end and showed how playing at a higher level stands to you at this stage of the season. We did look extremely open in that game and had we gone through to the Super 8's, who we would have faired would be a worry. This is something that will need to be worked on for next season - how to we play attacking football, but which doesn't leave us exposed at the back.
There's much to be positive about, while also having a few question marks going forward.