“LINE UP THERE lads, the ref needs to check your studs.”
That was the call from your manager as you ambled out of your portakabin dressing room into a whirling gale.
While your opponents jogging from sideline to sideline in the other half, your team’s warm-up consisted of burying 10 yard shots in past your goalkeeper while another winger curled in corner kicks.
One sub had another sitting on his shoulders in a weekly battle to put up the nets while your manager shook his head at the dodgy job one of the dads managed in marking out the lines.
Today, we’re looking for your most cherished memories of schoolboy football. To kick off the discussion, I will give you a random good a bad story from my storied career with Tymon Bawn.
Good: I must have done a decent job against St Kevin’s Boys early in the season as, for the first and last time in my career, I was man/boy-marked in the return tie. I did not score in the game but felt mighty proud nonetheless.
Bad: Three of the team’s best players showed up 55 minutes into one of our home games. Sitting on the bench – at the clapped out age of 16 – the manager came over and demanded the number 14 jersey from me and handed it to one of the latecomers. In return, I got his oversized Umbro hoodie.
This stinks of “Jobs for the Boys” to b honest. Has Micko done much at underage/schools/club level (genuine question)?
Denis.List’s his experience right there in the article. Leinster have made a similar appointment with Cullen next season
And Cullen will be working with the Senior squad, Micko is looking after the A side.
Micko hopefully can pass on his great technical knowledge especially lineout work. As you say thou the back’s coach appointment is the crucial one
With POC still in situ ,it’s really hard to see what MOD could possibly bring after a stint coaching at schools level. This smacks of a very Munster job for one of the boys
Not a fan of players that r just retired nd then fall in coaching same players….can cloud decisions., for example is mick goin to recommend a player that he was great friends with to be dropped if his form is poor….???
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
Yea retired two years but not too many guys he wouldnt have trained or played with.It could be a great appointment but personally I wouldnt agree.
The impressive Rob Penney was shafted by the Munster Rugby board in order to make way for their good old boy, Anthony Foley, to become head coach; who in turn is intent on employing his good old boys instead of seeking the direct input of those with an enlightened, outside perspective. Group-think will now prevail.
Munster will be the big loser because Foley won’t have the same progressive-minded outlook and plan that Penney has. Munster will regress into their shell under Anthony Foley, and the slack will be compensated for by utter blarney from Foley and the media.
As a Leinster fan I hope your wrong.
If insider knowledge points to foley knowing something that mod can bring then there’s nothing wrong with appointing the right man for the job. If he’s giving his old pal a leg up it will fall apart along with his own career.
I don’t believe Anthony foley wants to throw away his carreer to give his mate a job.
Penney wasnt shafted.
Micko is looking after the a’s. Not first team. Might have little to do with the seniors.
Must be a pisser for Penny to see next years coaching ticket been lined up , could this be announced by Munster after Pennys gone ..
They let the cat out of the bag early enough this year bout him moving. Why should nexus years coaching ticket be any different? I’m sure he doesn’t hold a grudge.
Hope I’m wrong but has a ” jobs for the boys” ring to it
Micko being linked to the A squad hints fairly strongly that Ian costello could be the backs coach for the seniors.
this time last year there was howls about the fact that not one province had a native head-coach, now there’s howls when a native is appointed head coach & opts to select another native to be part of his coaching team?
Micko was known as a top-notch lineout analyst in his playing days, he had a very large part to play in the strength of the munster lineout in the past as he analysed the opposition lineouts & ran those patterns in training.