excellant thread conor. you are right city are turgid to watch. they have been for years. it goes back to the days when noel o'mahony was in charge. a lot of mates just laugh when i try to get them go to gamesQuote:
Originally posted by Conor74
Objectively, City are turgid to watch. We have been played off the pitch by Bohs, Shamrock Rovers, Longford Town, just about any side when City travelled north of Glanmire etc. etc.
I don't mind the long ball, it can work well for limited players. It brought Ireland to the World stage. It kept Wimbledon in top flight football over the water for a while. But frankly, I don't think we have limited players. I believe that players like Murray, O'Flynn, O'Callaghan, Reynolds, could walk on to teams that play better football than us. There is no reason why Longford Town, who are slipping into relegation trouble, are able to play neater football, while City can only thump the ball forward.
Don't get me wrong, I'd take success before pretty football any day, a strategy that has worked well for Gerard Houllier at Liverpool, but this team might be missing an opportunity to get either.
For me, Murphy isn't the antichrist, and I'm sure he does try hard and is more committed to Cork City than many of us could ever be, but where is the imagination, the tactics, the pattern, the style?
we have talented players but a lot of them do go hiding when things get tough- alan carey, woods, o'callaghan. some are over the hill - daly and others are simply average - bennett. devine is a tad overated in my view while o'flynn (a gem) is plainly not match fit. others like greg, reynolds and o'grady are natural players and natural winners but don't always get the response .
form players around them.
yet why we keep going (or i keep going). it's because we know in our bones we have great potential but it just never happens. sometimes it's the players fault, sometimes it's the managers fault (dave barry to a extent, mountfield, hindmarch, murphy).
I have to admire murphy's spirit and fight in all this and that is why he has been a valuable player and servant to the club. however he would be doing the right thing in stepping down in jan. he can be his worst enemy at times giving ammo to people who probably don't realise the work that goes into running a club.
even murphy should realise he gave it his best shot and did a great job as assitant manager and taking us out of the mess created by DM. we are a lot better in someways than last season
but progession is needed. i am not in favour of seeing him sacked that could create more emity than unity- he is a after all a local man who is more city than any of us.
the guts shown by the city team on friday was great to watch but it ain't going to take us to the top i'm afraid.
