Tony McGahan "Not Sacked"

According to the Cork Echo, T McG has been offered a two year extension (which as we know from the coverage of Brian McLaughin's woes, means you Haven't Been Fired).

What are the thoughts of our brethren from the southernmost province? Happy? Are Munster on an upward curve under McGahan?

Provincial banter aside, it points to quite a fundamental difference in the outlooks of the Ulster and Munster. Are Ulster ambitious or disloyal? Are Munster showing faith or a lack of imagination? (I don't necessarily want to discuss this in the context of the two provinces, as it will surely turn into a peeing contest, but it's quite a marked difference.)

It's not the Cork Echo, it's the Evening Echo Also they have a track record of writing a load of Poopie. I don't really know what to think of McGahan, he is doing alright, I suppose there is not much more he can do, Most fans know we don't have the talent to win the HC but are still good enough to beat most teams on our day.

Apologies. I was pointed to the story by a forum in which the poster called it the Cork Echo.

Here's a thought, though. If it was nonsense, and there was no extension, and he professed interest in te job, would you take Brian McLaughlin?

Personally I think they are grooming Foley for the role but don't feel he is quite ready.

I would consider it. He might bring through a few talented young lads if nothing else. The criticism of McGahan up to last year and part of this year was that he didn't bring through the young fellas. But if you think about the fellas who have come in like POM,Zebo,Murray,Archer and Sherry it's pretty decent.

Brian McLaughlin is still contracted to Ulster Rugby though Don, on a permanent basis.

I know. It's hypothetical - if he resigned, because he wanted to be a head coach more than he wanted to work for Ulster, say.

It can be hard to guage how popular a head coach is - McGahan is vilified on MF.com, but that place is slightly more hysterical than the UAFC site, so I take everything with more than a Jolly Green Giant-sized pinch of salt.

Do you think he's doing a decent job with players that aren't as good as the Munster team has been in the past, Thomnd?

He is doing a pretty good job, we all know Munster aren't as talented as they were. He will always have to live up to the success of Deccie though, he will never get away from it.

I sometimes wonder if Foley's status as Genuine Munster Legend clouds the issue of how good a coach he is. Excellent players can make dire coaches - step forward one Martin Johnson. Why is there so much faith in Foley? Has he had a lot of success at lower levels of coaching? I have to say I'm fairly ignorant about his career since he stopped playing.

Don, our pack wasn't our best stength in 09/10. Foley has done a great with the A team and is now helping make Munster a dominant forward pack.

A few months back I would have been unhappy with this but given the way the team has developed (a lot of it due to Foley) I would be happy with McGahan and Foley in tandem with Foley evenutally taking over and Bradley brought in.

The only criticism I have of Mcgahan is that in reality players like POM, Zebo, Sherry and Archer should have been getting more game time in the first team earlier. Look at Hanrahan in the U20's for Ireland surely he is worth a go in the Pro12?

I would also hope Hanrahan gets time with Munster in the Pro 12 sooner rather than later..

With Downey, Lualua, Earls, Barnes (possibly Mafi unless he leaves) in the way that is unlikely. You might see him sometime in 2014....knowing mcgahan.

I'm excited by Munster again...and I'm an outsider. I don't think they fell too far under McGahan..they ran away with the League last year - cruised.

They are getting more and more young and exciting players into the side and they are back at the business end of the HC. I don't think anyone would shoot that messenger. I had my doubts about him in the beginning but I think Munster are finding their second wind (post-Kidney that is) and as for not winning a HC this year because of the lack of talent?

Not so sure about that - they fairly dismantled Northampton in HC overlord style!

Well when we got dismantled by Leinster in 09 he should have been more ruthless with the team and its not that he kept with the same players so much as that he did not give enough game time to the younger players earlier. There never appeared to be much in the way of competition (maybe we didnt have the players but when you look at the AB/Munster and Aus/Munster games I think that there were quality players available....

DOD wrote:Well when we got dismantled by Leinster in 09 he should have been more ruthless with the team and its not that he kept with the same players so much as that he did not give enough game time to the younger players earlier. There never appeared to be much in the way of competition (maybe we didnt have the players but when you look at the AB/Munster and Aus/Munster games I think that there were quality players available....

DOD - Timmy Ryan picked up a contract with Toulon from the ABs game. McGahan got that one right

Axel was also Munster's defence coach last year and he turned it into the best defence in the league. He is working his way very quickly up the coaching ranks it would seem. He is also the assistant coach of Ireland A. No comparison to Martin Johnson who coached no one before he took over England.

As for McGahan - the players seem to really rate him highly, but another year or so, Axel will more than likely take over.

Don Alfonso wrote:Apologies. I was pointed to the story by a forum in which the poster called it the Cork Echo.

Here's a thought, though. If it was nonsense, and there was no extension, and he professed interest in te job, would you take Brian McLaughlin?

Munster need a coach who is used to achieving. If Ulster win the Heineken Cup this year he would definately be a candidate though I would prefer to have a head coach who had some connection to the province (be it either former backroom staff or player).

DOD wrote:With Downey, Lualua, Earls, Barnes (possibly Mafi unless he leaves) in the way that is unlikely. You might see him sometime in 2014....knowing mcgahan.

You signed a 32 year old soccer player? I thought you signed Casey Laulala from the Blues?

Mafi is gone. Douggy? perhaps also, but less likely.

When I watched Munster take the Hairspreys apart in the 09 HC Qf. I thought, oh fock, McGahan is god. He has taken Dekkie's 08 HC winning, forward dominated 10 man rugby team and added some back play......... We are soooo focked in Croke Park.

The rest is history of course. But McGahanball (as they call it down south) is not dead and buried. They ran away with the League last year, and became the only team this year to win all their games in a group that, at the outset, looked quite tricky.

You write Munster off at your peril (to use an old cliché) I feel that they have to come unstuck at some point in the season, because they seem to play a flawed game. But they have defied logic before, and played several "miracle matches"

SecretFly wrote:I'm excited by Munster again...and I'm an outsider. I don't think they fell too far under McGahan..they ran away with the League last year - cruised.

They are getting more and more young and exciting players into the side and they are back at the business end of the HC. I don't think anyone would shoot that messenger. I had my doubts about him in the beginning but I think Munster are finding their second wind (post-Kidney that is) and as for not winning a HC this year because of the lack of talent?

Not so sure about that - they fairly dismantled Northampton in HC overlord style!

Yeah I agree. Munster won the League last year and have finished top seeds in Europe this year. They are in with a great shout of a HEC final (if they get past us ) and then who knows, they could well win the HEC.....they are in transition for sure but for a team in transition they are not doing too badly at all.

DOD - Timmy Ryan picked up a contract with Toulon from the ABs game. McGahan got that one right

True...I remember seeing young Timmy in Cork a year or so ago and passing him. He is an absolutely huge man...maybe not as big as Mushy but there or thereabouts. I remember thinking that he really should be a lot better than he was.