Cousins Sacked!

[GuisaSaigon]

http://www.galwayunitedfc.ie/squad/statement.html

[galboy]

Damien Richardson has agreed to take charge of GUFC

[eamo1]

Obviously they all witnessed last Saturday nights "performance".This is decisive leadership by the board i think and not a hasty reaction which some friends of mine have said it is to me in the last few mins.
I'd love to see Damien Richardson take over,it seems to be just a rumour for now though.Who knows,maybe Billy will carry on the success he had with the u21s.

[Tribesman]

The nature of our perfomances this season were very poor. I would not say this is a hasty decision.

Last season we did well to stay up and that was a good achievement.
However, our performances on several occasions were not inspiring and did not create a lot of confidence heading into the new season.

The Cup defeat to Harps last season did not help either.

The previous season we lost at home 3-1 to Dundalk in a crucial game and were easily outplayed. This did not affect the outcome of the season as we still went up via the IAG process, but it proved that when we were up against good opposition we struggled.

All the best to TC. Thanks for the effort and the commitment he gave GUFC
since his appointment in 2006. He was a super player in the League of Ireland, hopefully he will get other opportunities.

[JC_GUFC]

As eamo says fair play to the board for the decision.

I think he could have been given a bit more time but wouldn't have any huge argument with the decision.

As with when Lally was sacked I think the decision shows that the board are progressive.

If what the new poster says is true that Rico has agreed to take over, I think he'd be an excellent appointment.

[galwayhoop]

Lally resigned didn't he?????

Whoever the new manager is I think he HAS to move to Galway, if for no other reason than to show his commitment!!

It is hard to see a new manager in place before next weekend and this is good for whoever comes in as Drogs away will be very tough. That may well set up Richardson at home against his former team!!! Mouthwatering prospect!!!!!

[geezer]

i like professionalism. Phew that was ruthless by the board they are defo top of their game. Its for the best and its the only chance we have of surviving

[Tir Oilean]

Swift and ruthless. Now we truly know GUFC is a business. The minute the crowds start to slide the club would start to get into trouble financially so nip it in the bud get a fresh face. Question is who are we gonna get. Rumours abound that Rico turned it down and that Nick is off to the UK the rumour mills will be flying around for the next while but we certainly need an appointment sooner rather than later. I trust the board to turn up trumps in that area too.

[gufcfan]

Nuacht TG4 will be doing a bit about the situation in their sports bulletin.

News starts at 7pm on TG4.

Anyone who isn't near a television can watch it on http://tg4.tv/ (http://tg4.tv/).

News will be archived up on there also, by lunchtime tomorrow.

[rambler14]

I'm shocked that someones been sacked after 4 games.

[KoemansCC]

I'm shocked that someones been sacked after 4 games.

You haven't been in Terryland lately have you? No one here is shocked...shocked it took so long maybe, its interesting it came after one of the worst home crowds of the past 2 seasons (1600) when we would have been expecting 3,000-4,000, I think we had 3,500 for the same fixture last year...

[Paddyfield]

I'm shocked that someones been sacked after 4 games.

He's been manager for about 70 or 80 games I reckon.

[sligoman]

Looking forward to gufct's reaction...he seems to have been the only one defending him.

[Maroon 7]

In fairness there doesn't seem to be too many tears for the demise of Cousins. His brand of hoofball was fine for the first division but just wasn't going to cut it in the top flight where you need a bit more variety to progress. Launching long balls at one of the quickest strikers in the league in Derek Glynn was always going to get punters scratching their heads.

As for him getting the bullet after 4 games I can only presume that the board had serious doubts about him during the off-season but decided to give him a chance and once they didn't see any signs of improvement decided to act quickly rather than leave it until half way through the season.

[Tir Oilean]

Maith an fear Séan! Good to see the fans getting a word in on the tv!

[Ceirtlis]

You haven't been in Terryland lately have you? No one here is shocked...shocked it took so long maybe, its interesting it came after one of the worst home crowds of the past 2 seasons (1600) when we would have been expecting 3,000-4,000, I think we had 3,500 for the same fixture last year...


In fairness who was expecting 3-4000 realistically. Alot has been made of the crowd figure for the game the last night. If you look back over the last few times we have been promoted to the top division the crowds have always tailed off into the second season in the division. Should we have been expecting more than we had for the first game of the season against Bohs?and it was one of the worst crowds in 1 season and 4 games the season before there was around 500 at alot of games.

[Conor H]

Very dissapointed with TC on MNS.

Fair enough he's upset but the jibes at the BOD and budget were uncalled for.
Any person who loses their job and goes on a TV show 5 minutes later whining about a budget that alot of people work extremely hard for,both in a capacity at the club and voluntarily,lacks class.

Also,what is the point in asking the 3 lads their opinions on the sacking when TC is right beside them?Very biased.
Onwards and upwards.GUFC is a progressive club.TC was holding us back.Good luck to him.

[WoodquayBoy]

Totally agree with you Conor, but did you expect anything else from him?
As for the line he has been banging on with since Saturday, that he was missing 7 first team players. I can only think of 6, and 'only' four of them would be definite starters - Glynn, O'Flynn,Lester and Fitzy. Heis codding himself if he suggests Robson and O'Shea were also starters - who was he going to drop to accommodate them, Deegan and Russell.Actually, considering some of his selections, that is probably exactly what he would have done.
Also, he didn't bring United into the top flight, a nice shiny DVD did that, and only for the fact that Longford were deducted points and Waterford were abysmal last year, we could have gone down.
Yes, he kept us in the top flight, and fair dues to him for that, and best of luck to him - no one likes to see someone lose their job - but he just wasn't up to the job. He brought us to third in the First Divisionl and 8th in the Premier. Anyone who gets excited over those finishes needs their head examined

[Paddyfield]

Very dissapointed with TC on MNS.

Fair enough he's upset but the jibes at the BOD and budget were uncalled for.
Any person who loses their job and goes on a TV show 5 minutes later whining about a budget that alot of people work extremely hard for,both in a capacity at the club and voluntarily,lacks class.

Also,what is the point in asking the 3 lads their opinions on the sacking when TC is right beside them?Very biased.
Onwards and upwards.GUFC is a progressive club.TC was holding us back.Good luck to him.

It was very easy for Cousins to go on TV..... he proably only lives around the corner from the studio. Ironically, it is for this reason that he should have never been hired in the first place.

Our next manager must live in Galway.

[geezer]

Its in the past thank god. Im goin to drogheda and at least I can be sure that a true Galwegian like Billy Clery wont be looking for excuses and wont let slackers tog out.
Does anyone think Billy looks like Glenn Roeder?

[GuisaSaigon]

Did I hear Cousins right? "Our budget last season was €500,000. The same as Athlone's" What a load of crap! The budget was €1.5 Million and most of it was squandered on signings that wouldn't get picked in a school yard kick about. Get a life!
While he was up in Dublin our "professionals" were learning more about online social networking than football.
No manager in the history of Galway United has had the opportunities that Cousins had, yet he wouldnt commit himself properly.
Can you imagine a Bohs manager living in Donegal and getting his fitness coach to take training? Can't see that happening somehow.

[Ceirtlis]

Did I hear Cousins right? "Our budget last season was €500,000. The same as Athlone's" What a load of crap! The budget was €1.5 Million and most of it was squandered on signings that wouldn't get picked in a school yard kick about. Get a life!
While he was up in Dublin our "professionals" were learning more about online social networking than football.
No manager in the history of Galway United has had the opportunities that Cousins had, yet he wouldnt commit himself properly.
Can you imagine a Bohs manager living in Donegal and getting his fitness coach to take training? Can't see that happening somehow.

He was talking about the playing budget which wasnt €1.5 mill. Does anyone have a serious figure on what it actually was last year.
The overall budget was reported last year at around €1.2 mill if I remember rightly.

[bellavistaman]

Says on the star today your thinkng about approaching hendo, well back the fook up lads!!!!!

[L37Ultra]

Says on the star today your thinkng about approaching hendo, well back the fook up lads!!!!!



Dont Worry Bellavistaman. It's our manger thats going to Galway http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=87069 :D

[Paddyfield]

I met Keith Kelly (Galway City Tribune) today. He rang Tony Cousins today to give him an opportunity to tell his side of the story to the people of Galway. Cousins hung up on him after a few seconds. Ouch.

Tribune should be interesting on Friday!

Here is a link to today's Sentinel http://www.galwaynews.ie/3274-united-no-panic-find-new-manager

[geezer]

cousins was a spoofer of the highest order and has shown his true colours since yesterday. The board were not foolish enough to continue tolerating a dub who acknowledged rovers fans in tolka and terryland yet ignored galwegians who payed his wages. He is even making Dave Connell looking like a good appointment

[Paddyfield]

cousins was a spoofer of the highest order and has shown his true colours since yesterday. The board were not foolish enough to continue tolerating a dub who acknowledged rovers fans in tolka and terryland yet ignored galwegians who payed his wages. He is even making Dave Connell looking like a good appointment

Would you bring back Connell then? :D

Also,

Is it true that Leech is related to Cousins?

Is it true that Rogers commutes from Meath?

[KBurke]

Apparently Rodgers has moved to Athenry.

Also I just read John Fallons weekly article in the Galway Independant. Good piece with a few bits of info i wasnt expecting. Apparently results of players fitness tests a few months ago were shockingly poor and he feels they're not quite at the level they should be just yet. Also every player was offered to have their contract ripped up if they were unhappy at Cousins getting sacked on Monday. Nobody took him up on this.

[Tir Oilean]

every player was offered to have their contract ripped up if they were unhappy at Cousins getting sacked on Monday. Nobody took him up on this.

Jesus they mean serious business good to see, but I'm sure if push came to shove that wouldve been very costly for the club. In fairness what players would ve diasgreed with it...... they have looked miserable on the pitch I dont think they were enjoying playing for him....maybe I'm wrong.

They were not putting in the effort for him one way or the other because he was not motivating them. I dont think he told them to go out and hoof everything he just couldn't organise them and the hoofing was a direct result of that.

[Terry-Lander]

Why would they rip up their contracts? Based on the performances of the majority of players they wouldn't get a similar contract anywhere else. Who would sign them? I hope they start to perform to their ability and show some passion and pride......... if Billy can't instill pride nobody can. Here's to the future.

[WoodquayBoy]

I met Keith Kelly (Galway City Tribune) today. He rang Tony Cousins today to give him an opportunity to tell his side of the story to the people of Galway. Cousins hung up on him after a few seconds. Ouch.

Tribune should be interesting on Friday!

Here is a link to today's Sentinel http://www.galwaynews.ie/3274-united-no-panic-find-new-manager

Says it all about our former manager really. I tell you something, they might get tonked on Friday night, but they will put in a performance with pride and professionalism, otherwise I can see Billy making them walk back to Galway, and he'd have the bus drive at crawling pace beside them to make sure they didn't sneak a lift off someone!

[Claret Murph]

One thing is for sure we all know what we are going to get from Billy !!!!! I would love to be fly on the wall during his team talk before, half time and after the match I am sure we would not be able to print his comments on here ......................

[WoodquayBoy]

I met Keith Kelly (Galway City Tribune) today. He rang Tony Cousins today to give him an opportunity to tell his side of the story to the people of Galway. Cousins hung up on him after a few seconds. Ouch.

Interview with him in Advertiser, gist of their coverage is club hit panic button

[eamo1]

The point about the fitness is one i made after watching last saturdays match.We have so many players injured t the moment and Foley and especially O.Brien looked shattered with 20 mins to go last saturday too.I knew something wsnt right.

[gufct]

Eamon the players have never been fitter .The problem with Foley was he missed a lot of pre season and the first three weeks with Injuries as for Derek he missed a lot of pre season but his form has been poor in all 3 games ive seen and the GBFM commentators last saturday werent too happy.

[WoodquayBoy]

Eamon the players have never been fitter

So the board was lying when they came out this week and said fitness results were 'disturbing'??????

[Paddyfield]

Eamon the players have never been fitter .The problem with Foley was he missed a lot of pre season and the first three weeks with Injuries as for Derek he missed a lot of pre season but his form has been poor in all 3 games ive seen and the GBFM commentators last saturday werent too happy.

Billy had the lads running all week. Guess who was the slowest? Which player was lagging behind the group as they did many sprints around Drom?


Mark "Speedy" Leech.

[galwayhoop]

So the board was lying when they came out this week and said fitness results were 'disturbing'??????

maybe they were far too fit :confused: :D

[gufct]

So the board was lying when they came out this week and said fitness results were 'disturbing'??????

Those test were taken I believe before they started pre season. It depends what spin you believe.

[Tir Oilean]

Doesnt matter when the test was taken we are full time for awhile now. I doubt jf was using results from after the first month of fulltime training. Anyway thats nots TCs game we could have had 11 olympic athletes on the park and they wouldn't have know what to do due do poor management

[Demoshield]

Rumour has it players were taken for a 45min run during the week.
Some players were unable to do it & one threw up.
But i'd say that was all spin by the board

[gufct]

well seeing as our u21's were throwing up after their first day with Fergal according to an article in the Galway Independent (the paper that knows everything) and it was also stated that he wasnt asking the players that he wouldnt do himself who do you believe.

Biggest complaint that has been on here about Training was that they did too much physical work and too little ball work allegedly :eek:.

[gordongekko]

[quote=gufct;913451
Biggest complaint that has been on here about Training was that they did too much physical work and too little ball work allegedly :eek:.[/quote]


There was not a lot of point in doing any ball work any game i was at the only tactic we had was was to hoof the ball up the field.