ASKED ABOUT THE return of Michael Murphy and how it was ‘all kicking off’ right about then in their win over Armagh, victorious Donegal manager Jim McGuinness answered, “Literally, aye! Listen, I just spoke about him in the dressing-room to our own lads. It’s great to have him back, great to have his presence.
“There’s not much I can say about Michael that hasn’t been said before. But I thought that he just led the line really well when he went in there.
“(He) has done an awful lot of work to put himself in that position … we didn’t want to put him into a position too early, we wanted him to be the best that he can be.
“So hopefully that’s just the start of it now, and we can recover him down and see what we can do with him next weekend.”
Away to Galway next weekend and without any great need to win having gone on six points with this win, you’d imagine Murphy might be given a half to get those lungs going again.
Either way, the game was slipping away from Donegal in the nine minutes at the start of the second half. Murphy coming on directly resulted in the All-Ireland champions going down to 14 men – an offence that manager Kieran McGeeney had no questions about. And from then on, the Armagh challenge died off.
“Donegal and Armagh will also have those types of dynamics,” said McGuinness.
“You don’t expect to race into a bit of a lead and win the game. We were four points down twice in the Ulster final last year and didn’t think we were gone. Armagh would absolutely be the same today.
“These games go down to the wire, every single one … and you have to just roll with the punches in many respects and just try and see it out.”
Asked about the red card, he answered, “No, I don’t try to comment on other people’s players. I’ve enough hassle with these bucks!”
Kieran McGeeney was asked about the continuing absence of All Star Rian O’Neill, who is taking some time away from county football.
“Listen, I chat to Rian most weeks and I just want to give him the time he needs for personal reasons,” he said.
“And despite what people say we actually do talk, you know, so those are things that you don’t step across the line and you just let them work it out.”
About the game, he said, “Just very disappointed. Discipline was huge in the outcome of the game and it was on our side that we let it go, so it’s very disappointing that way. But it’s a harsh lesson for us. You just have to take it on the chin and walk on.
“We got ourselves back in the game easily in the second half. We were well in control and then we just want to kill it, but we had a few even in the first half where we interfered with the frees, gave them easy kickouts and stuff like that.
“It was 8 out of 22 shots (missed), that we had. It was horrible, but again people getting excited about two pointers, instead of taking simple scores like we’ve seen it all over the weekend. It’s just there again, we were trying to balloon shots and there were easy passes inside.
“The game was there for us and we just didn’t take the chances that were available to us. So listen, it’s again harsh lessons.”
I think Frank has missed the point here. Not only is he white and male, he is also the nephew of Harry Redknapo and son of Frank Lampard. Lampard is very priveliged compared to most. Sterling is not saying Lampard hasn’t worked hard to get to the position he is in. But it is worrying that Lampard hasn’t grasped that he has started in a better position than others.
@EnKy: “Campbell is manager of southend, who were relegated to the fourth tier in english football this season” maybe that’s why he doesn’t have a premiership job, because he’s not a good coach, nothing to do with the colour of his skin
@Michael Oats: That isn’t my point- I wasn’t seeking to make any comparison between them at all. But, while we are at it, Lampard’s first job was Derby County. Campbell’s was Macclesfield Town. Both have had illustrious club and international careers. I know who’s position I would rather be in.
@Michael Oats: Worth noting that Campbell took them over when they were in a fairly bad position already. Lampard might be an excellent coach in time. Campbell could be terrible- but their starting positions don’t indicate that it is an equal playing field, especially considering both their playing achievements and coaching qualifications are similar.
@EnKy: Understand your point but I’ve read from various sources, mostly managers, that Lampard was the hardest working player they’d ever come across. First in each morning, last out, and a habitual student of the game, so he clearly feels his success is down to his work ethic and not his family links within the game or his ethnicity. He acknowledges that there is a wider issue, which there is, but he’s not comfortable in being held as an example of someone who has been given an armchair ride.
@Robert de Brún: again, nobody said he hasn’t worked hard. He took Derby from 6th to 6th and that got him the Chelsea job. Nobody is saying he didn’t work tirelessly to achieve that.
@Dave O Keeffe: That alone didn’t get him the chelsea job that’s very unfair, he got 6th with derby but had amazing success with youth players and fantastic football (incl beating Man Utd),which he’s doin at chelsea now, his work with the youth was a huge part in getting the chelsea job and also the fact he’s a chelsea legend??
@Philip Mckenna: I agree but he also had to be given the opportunity to prove himself. He didn’t have to start at a failing club. He did great work with Derby but at the end of the day fell short of their goals.
Hon Lamps
I don’t think Sterling ever said anybody didn’t work hard.
English media have never been shy in telling the public how intelligent Lampard is and how he speaks Latin etc. It’s strange that he would make a comment on this when the comparisons made by Sterling seem valid. Even if Is it the case that Cole and Campbell have not worked as hard as Lampard- the difference in the levels they are currently at now seem a prime example of systemic racism.
@Aidan Baragry: Soccer is a results based game. Look how over-represented black players are compared to their population percentage, don’t think there is any systemic racism, in general clubs will hire the best people they can who they think will get them results regardless of colour
Gerard got his first managers job at a big club Rangers. The point seams to be would a black manager get the same opportunity? How about we look at another Liverpool legend, John Barnes, first managerial job was Celtic. Campbell and Cole is a narrow example. Darren Moore’s first managerial role was with West Brom in the premier league. So maybe we can compare Gerard and Lampard with Barnes and Moore and it doesn’t appear as bad. Off course there are fewer black mangers than there should be.
@Kingshu: big club hahahaha hahahaha hahahaha haha hahahaha haha hahahaha haha
Name one coloured coach who has excelled more than chris Houghton one of our own, always give his all , thats what sterling should aspire to be,
Rudd guiltt crap , terry o connor crap,
If not up to the job. P45 same as anyone else
@Richy Fitz: I’ll name one. Chris Hughton