Cork Hurlers - Part 2

[Charley Sheen]

Keep hearing we have the players - is this really the case when measured against the best? Who out of corks 1-15 would make the limerick team? Think you’d be struggling to find more that 1 or 2 I think Clare and Waterford have a better 1-15 also, we are close to KK and Galway; currently 50:50 games The comments on here would make you believe KK is blowing all Ireland’s year after year. A different manager might be worth a look at but they will still be populating a team with the same players who if we are honest are a step away from the best.

 

[The Highway Man]

Keep hearing we have the players - is this really the case when measured against the best? Who out of corks 1-15 would make the limerick team? Think you’d be struggling to find more that 1 or 2 I think Clare and Waterford have a better 1-15 also, we are close to KK and Galway; currently 50:50 games The comments on here would make you believe KK is blowing all Ireland’s year after year. A different manager might be worth a look at but they will still be populating a team with the same players who if we are honest are a step away from the best.

The reality we don't have the players with the current crop, the mid twenties lads are decent hurlers but completely hyped up beyond all recognition now by The Cork hurling knowledge Ultra brigade. On the other side the mgmt team are completely dysfunctional. Would a Cody, Sheedy, Kiely or even a Davy motivate, strengthen and enhance this Squad, absolutely YES.

 

[Vladimir The Bear]

This is depressing reading.

Seems to me that there is a cohort of players far too comfortable with the status quo. Terrified of change.

Bigger clearout may be needed then I thought. Some of these guys are obviously mentally fragile. It's obvious there is something broken in that dressing room. A clean break and a complete new management team with fresh ideas and a fresh approach is what's needed.

 

[jimmym]

Keep hearing we have the players - is this really the case when measured against the best? Who out of corks 1-15 would make the limerick team? Think you’d be struggling to find more that 1 or 2 I think Clare and Waterford have a better 1-15 also, we are close to KK and Galway; currently 50:50 games The comments on here would make you believe KK is blowing all Ireland’s year after year. A different manager might be worth a look at but they will still be populating a team with the same players who if we are honest are a step away from the best.

I dont think Kiely would start any of our team,

 

[red&blue]

Firstly it’s a leak from someone to the examiner, presumably someone who is happy with the extension and secondly whenever I hear the players are happy I would ask - all of them? Or just a select group?
Because all the players are not happy and we’re all aware of various issues this year.

Exactly, but the article said “the players” which as you said can’t be true. I hope to god this is all bs. Kieran is a great guy but it’s time for a change

 

[RightHalfBack]

I must admit to finding it very strange that the CCB would have offered Kingston an extension so quickly after the game. Normally there is nothing said after a championship exit and everyone keeps a low profile for weeks. I think the whole country is getting sick of Cork at this stage - the Sunday Game analysis was all about how Cork lost the game and now after exiting the championship we are making national headlines again immediately with the manager re-appointment debate. I think we should do more of our talking on the field.

I think Kieran Kingston is a decent type of man and he has come close to success without getting over the line but I can't believe for a second that the full panel of players would want him back. It's certainly not what I am hearing anyway and multiple players were seemingly unhappy with the setup or the way they felt they were treated within the setup. I also think that if the current management stays on there seems to be a fundamental difference in hurling philosophy between Mulcahy and Furlong which for me is a massive problem. Mulcahy clearly favours the possession and running type game including going backwards and sideways where necessary while Furlong ( if you look at the way his minor team played last year ) favours a much more direct type of game where there is some ball retention at times when required but the main focus is on getting the ball accurately up the field as quickly as possible to the inside forwards and then following it in. I can't say this is true for sure but to me it looked like Cork switched from the Mulcahy game plan to the Furlong game plan from the Waterford game onwards and even last Saturday if the players had executed properly we would have won that game comfortably. Does this make Mulcahy's role untenable ? I don't know and perhaps I am completely wrong here.

Regardless of who is the manager there has to be an agreed way of playing that everybody buys into including the players as this year especially in the league final and against both Limerick and Clare, numerous Cork players looked to be bamboozled with what they were being asked to do and we all saw the results. For me this is down to clarity of leadership and execution of the plan from the top down and from the outside looking in I would have major concerns that we have too many voices and opinions that are not always pulling in the same direction.

 

[The Highway Man]

If it's the Examiner, probably a Tony Leen Special. Garbage.

 

[bluesball]

If we had won last saturday and then got a drubbing from Limerick would the CCB act as fast then.

 

[TexasRed]

Firstly it’s a leak from someone to the examiner, presumably someone who is happy with the extension and secondly whenever I hear the players are happy I would ask - all of them? Or just a select group?
Because all the players are not happy and we’re all aware of various issues this year.

Losing 3 games in a championship and the players are happy. We need a shake up, players should feel challenged and this player power shite is beyond. KK and his team have taken us as far as they can, let a fresh voice in and also give SK a chance to hurl without added pressure of dad picking the team.
Only in Cork would this be accepted. I hope I’m wrong and that the management team walk away. They’ve been great servants but move on

 

[Hurlywurly]

fair point but I think most posters on here are respectful of players and management at a personal level even if some difficult questions are being asked and frustrations are evident - this is Cork hurling we are talking about - it’s part of our tradition, our culture, who we are. It has been allowed slip back for years due to Co Board incompetence so we are justified in asking the right questions as to how we can get it back competing at the top end instead of being mediocre despite having a huge amount of playing talent

In relation to Cork hurling, and where it will go from here, chalk it down that if the vocal handful responsible for the majority of posts are already freaking out because they can't chose the manager that they want and are "disappointed", there will be very little if any positive contributions to the direction of Cork hurling from the reams of comments in this thread over the next few months.
Poor Pat Ryan will be rounded up and hounded into the job if he doesn't watch out .


On the subject of our playing talent, it's there, it's developing, it's abundant but I reckon if we are to win an AI we're still 2 to 3 years away from winning one regardless of management.

Going to take a while to transition effectively from Hoggie, Harnedy, Lehane to whoever takes over their starting positions. I think we saw evidence of that last Saturday.

I would think Joyce and whoever eventually ends up at 3 behind him will need another couple of years to become truly dominant & own that defence.

I'm not sure about midfield, Luke Meade has worked and battled hard since he was reinstated, he also looks physically stronger, if he continues on that trajectory he could be the man to unleash Fitzgibbon.
There are others who could be looked at there too.

Assessing the qualities we have in the current and extended squad versus what qualities we need to add and what qualities we can do without - tough job given the number of players involved but would be made easier with a unified vision of the style of hurling we need to play to haul ourselves to Limerick level and beyond.