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What do ye reckon of Paudge Mulhare and Daithi Regan? Paudge has been involved in all 4 of our AI triumphs. Daithi had a decent run with Drumcullen this year. Good blend.

Maybe it's stating the bleedin' obvious, but this does seem like a good blend of Youth and Experience. Paudge's experience is unquestionable and he must be a good man to "read a game" a tthis point. To me, that's where a selector really has the best chance of influence, i.e. the ability to give good advice to the manager DURING a game.

Like it or not, Daithi has a tough-man reputation, and I think that is a "quality" that Offaly's hurlers have been lacking now for a few seasons. We need a fighting spirit (within the rules, mind you) and a streak of mental toughness, so that we dont shirk out of challenges or hold back in the physical exchanges. We have quite a few smaller lads lining out these days; a bit of steel may compensate for a lack of bulk.

Finally, McIntyre should have the technical knowledge to come up with a good training plan and be well able to marry the whole lot together. All told, I think there are good grounds for optimism. Now we just need the players to recognise that Offaly should not be in Division 2, and to do something effective about that.

I think Daithi Regan is just the man we're looking for.
We lack steel at the moment. Back in the 90s we had the likes of Hanamy, Rigney, Martin, Duignan and Regan who could use timber effectively if an opponent tried to intimidate them.

If Regan can harden up our squad, we'll become a team that commands respect once again.
Mike Mac's 'tough' regime left us with a bunch of emaciated marathon runners.
What we want are hungry animals taking the field ready to devour our unfortunate opponents!
AAAAARRRRR!!!!

Agreed. need a bit more rough & tumble from the lads and also to leave mike mac's fitness fanaticism behind & get back to de hurlin, particularly the ground hurling. thats what we're good at and what we should stick with. Wexford have taken over from us as being the major exponents of this style of late, & its lovely hurlin to watch..
we should hoist ourselves out of division 2 without too much effort, but i wouldnt expect much of us in the cship next year, i think its gonna take a few years of team building & experience before we can realistically be in with a shout of leinster title again.

We all want the lovely wristy hurlers (who break plenty of timber) we know and love....as such.

I'd say the problem with Mike Mac is that he wasn't really dealing with a generation of "hardy" hurlers. I'd be slow to blame him for the team turning up without real fight in them - there's not a single one of that team who I'd say is an aggressive person by nature, and in that situation it's very hard to make someone an aggressive person on the field of play. Even Brady and Wolverine are not what you'd call lovers of confrontation, even though they'd have the physique to.

I'm not sure whether it's related or not, but down through the years you'd have to say that most of our tougher breeds were products of either Rynagh's or Kinnitty. (The honourable Daithi excepted of course) I'd say the decline in the fortunes of those two clubs might have something to do with it.

All in all, I like the team as it stands. I'd say to ask for too much coming out of Div 2 is a lot, but given some time I could see this setup making progress.

I'm with Doon Massive on this one.
We want the wristy flicks of yore...AND we also want to see timber dispensed.

I'm never one to to have unrealistic expectations...but Regan will deliver all of this!

Lone Shark...
"Whose side are you on, son?"
"Our side, sir."
"MARINE!"
"Yes, sir."
"Don't you love your country?"
"Yes, I do, sir."
"Then how about getting with the program?
Why don't you jump on the team and come in for the big win?"

I support the Regan programme