MICKEY Harte has urged pundits not to rush to judge the Red Hands after winning their last three National League games to preserve their Division One status with a bit to spare.
Tyrone recovered well from losing their opening two matches to finish with a flourish against Kerry on Sunday.
They now have 54 days to prepare for their Ulster Championship showdown with Monaghan in Omagh.
Despite retaining Ulster last summer, Tyrone were derided for their flat performance against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
And the critics re-emerged after their ropey start to their League campaign.
“Sometimes people jump to conclusions too early, whether it be good or bad, and sometimes they have you as a world beater when you’re not in a position to accept that term,” said Harte.
“Other times they have you as a no-hoper when that’s not right either, so I think more balance is required when people are reporting and viewing things.
“And when that balance is there, then people should be able to interpret what’s a work-in-progress, and what’s a team that’s struggling. And I think that should help people to take a deep breath before they come out with a very definitive analysis of where any team is at.”
Harte added: “When I reflect on last year, I believe we were getting plenty of scores, particularly when summertime came. We were getting lots of high scores and not conceding a lot.
“That was the name of the game and I suppose because one particular game [Dublin] didn't turn out well for us in any shape or form, that seemed to blight our whole season. I feel that was unfair and I have stated that many times.”
Harte, though, cautioned observers not to read too much into Tyrone’s fine finish to their Division One campaign, which included successive wins over Donegal, Mayo and Kerry.
“Just because we have done well in these three games doesn't mean that anything is perfect, that we are a finished product. It means we are a work-in-progress. We won't be sitting back and thinking we are something wonderful.”
Still, winning two of their last three League games at home was noted by Harte as Tyrone prepare to host Championship foes Monaghan on May 20.
“It’s always important to get wins anywhere and I suppose to have a few at home is no bad thing either,” said Harte.
“People have come to know that Tyrone don’t do particularly well in Omagh, so it is good to get back-to-back wins against high-ranking teams. We’ll enjoy that element but the Championship is a new ball game.”
With the GAA keeping the month of April free for club activity, Harte insisted Tyrone never had any problems in trying to accommodate the clubs.
“Our players get at least 10 games in the League and they get every Championship match, so I don’t know why we’re always thrown into the same pot as everybody else,” he said.
“I think our players are well catered for - both club and county - and they go to their clubs with our blessing.
“That’s the chance you take. People can get injured at training, they can get injured crossing the road, they can get injured getting out of bed. You have to take your chances on that.
“We hope that they come through injury-free, and if they do, then that’s good for them, because everybody in the panel is getting game-time, and that can only be good in the long-term, that there’s nobody sitting stale and not playing football.”
Meanwhile, the outstanding Allianz NFL Division Four fixtures (Waterford v Leitrim, Wicklow v Limerick and Laois v Antrim) have been declared null and void. In a statement released by the GAA, it said: "Due to scheduled club fixtures (in one or both counties) in each case, it was not possible to reach agreement for the playing of these games, and they have therefore been declared null and void.
