NEGATIVITY breeds negativity, as Armagh found out last year.
A game plan that was built around getting bodies behind the ball, turning possession over and then making it up off the cuff from there was one that was destined to fail.
But what a difference a few months can make. They’re sitting top of the country’s scoring charts, having found the net 16 times in five League games.
That it’s been against Division Three opposition is a caveat that will on such statistics until summer but the signs are that, with Jamie Clarke back, Kieran McGeeney has found the medicine that will get the best out of a savagely talented forward line.
And as there is too much negativity in the world these days, I thought we’d start the day with some praise of the Armagh manager from ‘Dermot’.
“I want to credit Kieran McGeeney for changing his approach to Armagh team by playing quick direct football into the forwards. It suits our players much better n reaping rewards.
“Hopefully Soupy [that would be Stefan Campbell] will be back for our last two games with James Morgan. Also, what’s happened to Ethan Rafferty?”
CO’K: Who needs Soupy or Ethan Rafferty when you have Ciaran ‘The Goal Machine’ McKeever?
I really tried hard to salvage a bit more positivity from the week’s correspondence but that was it. I literally squeezed every ounce of happiness I could find out of y’all.
To start down the path of weariness, ‘Tyrone fan’ wasn’t happy with Dr Crokes’ tactics in Friday’s All-Ireland club football final, where they overcame Slaughtneil by one goal, nine points and 28 fouls to one goal, seven points and 14 fouls.
”Dr Crokes, sorry make that 'Dr Crooks', made few friends among neutrals yesterday, apart from the ref of course. Dreadful display by both Crokes and Deegan.
”The big issue here is blatant Kerry hypocrisy. We all saw how Crokes approached the game - repeated cynical fouling, play-acting and cowardly dirt; and yet we still have to buy the official line that this sort of stuff 'doesn't happen in Kerry'.
”Time to look again at the free rules generally. Crokes gave away 28 frees to Slaughtneil's 14; yet were cute enough to foul consistently when it was far enough out to be of no use whatsoever to Slaughtneil.
”In fact, very often, a free in your own half is more of a handicap than advantage. You can't score from it, and the hole that was opening up in the fouling team's defence before the free was awarded has now been plugged as they have time to reorganise. If all frees were automatically moved up to within 40 metres of the fouling team's goals, we might see less of this crap.”
CO’K: Nothing further to add, your honour.
In the interests of fairness, ‘Caoimhin’ was one of those that got in touch in response to this week’s Kicking Out, which I promise wasn’t a plagiarisation of Tyrone Fan’s comments.
I had made the point about Dr Crokes’ cynicism, particularly in terms of stopping Chrissy McKaigue throughout, but our good reader wasn’t having it.
“Ah come on Cahair - Slaughtneil are possibly the most cynical team around. I refer you as far back as their semi final with Austin Stacks two years ago where they kicked black and blue!”
CO’K: Every team does it. The problem is that the rewards for cynicism far outstrip the punishment.
We’ve had Armagh, we’ve had Kerry, so now it’s time for a bit of Tyrone.
And for a county that hadn’t won an All-Ireland for 115 years and has spent the last 15 among the elite, it seems to have a disproportionate amount of unhappy people. ‘Austin’ is one of them.
“As I was coming out of Omagh a few weeks ago after watching Tyrone v Monaghan I decided that this was going to be my last year following Tyrone as what I witnessed was complete rubbish.
“Tyrone had two extra men but still played with three extra defenders. For at least 5 minutes they played the ball from side to side in the middle of the field. This has gone beyond a joke.
“But coming out of Ballybofey on Saturday night has just reaffirmed my decision. Two of the most defensive sides in the country leads to a poor spectacle. Having said that Donegal were worthy winners as the speed of their forward line was awesome.
“Tyrone’s problem in part is the fact that Mickey has at least 13 defenders on the field, some converted to forwards. I'm sad to have to say as a season ticket holder and supporter since the mid 70s that I have decided to make 2017 my last season. You can find me on the golf course in 2018.”
CO’K: Why is the golf course not open until next year?
And then there’s the Expenses Row, which has become an actual thing now to the point where it requires capital letters upon each reference.
On the point of a £15 payment towards sports equipment being “tentatively requested and tentatively refused”, ‘Square Ball 57’ was away searching for sangwich ideas.
“Whoever came up with this idea should seriously consider their position and hang their ‘Red Face’ in shame. What next, players provide their own packed lunch on away trips, perish the thought. Just imagine Big Sean and Colm's better halves sending them off from the Moy with the egg and onion sandwiches, secured with a big rubber band in the Family Circle tin and the Thermos flask wrapped inside the gilet. Or, what if, no more Carton House, Maynooth, Carlton Hotel, Belleek beckons. You couldn't make it up.”
CO’K: Are Family Circle covered by the GPA’s new nutritional expenses?
And lastly, Derry is a county that is in a permanent state of unhappiness between January and July, and then the club football starts.
With the prospect of a second relegation in three years looming, one ‘Anonymous’ texter has had enough.
“It’s very disappointing to see our Derry team heading the direction of Division Three. Has this management team maybe considered their future? Can it not be that maybe the management have not created a better environment for these lads to perform better?
“I tell you this much, it’s time the county board had a good hard look at itself. We’re in debt to concrete walls etc and left the players behind.
“Also in the future can the management of the county board ask Derry clubs for nominations for senior management? We need to stop covering the cracks because we’re in an terrible state.”
CO’K: The senior set-up is struggling, of that there is no question, but when you consider Andy Watters’ fine stat last week that they are without 25 players that could otherwise have been available then it’s little wonder. As for the debts, they’re well on their way to being serviced and Derry were the second highest spenders in Ulster on their inter-county teams last year.
