Kieran McGeeney

With the first ball of 2016 kicked at the weekend, the new season is well and truly underway although most of these teams have been enduring gruelling training sessions since as early back as last September.
So much for the winter training ban!

This week I’d like to offer my opinion on what aims each county should have for the year ahead and what they need to get them there.

Antrim

I am not sure how the Antrim Gaels feel but I’m getting a little tired of the constant moaning and in-house fighting that seems to derail their season year after year. Antrim club football has proven that they can mix it with the best so there is no reason county football cannot be the same. Like Armagh their players and committee must grow a set and commit to the cause for once to see how they get on, they should aim to make the last eight in the All Ireland series, getting a decent run through the qualifiers. Should they have all their players available and a fully supportive county board then this is achievable.

Armagh

If we are honest they have been something of a let down since Geezer took the reins. I felt that Kieran was the perfect fit to help them once again scale the heights of 2002 but this never materialised. The ease with which Donegal dismantled them last year shocked us all. They must aim to at last make the Ulster final this year and to get there I feel they need to show a little more commitment to the cause. You can say what you like about having an off day etc, but the way they threw in the towel so early in that game against Donegal coupled with the news that star forward Jamie Clarke has once again left the squad tells me that their heart cannot be fully in the Armagh camp. So that’s the first thing the need to change for 2016.

Cavan

For me it’s time for this Cavan team to step up to the plate. A few weeks back I wrote that I would abolish the u21 grade and some fella from Cavan wrote back saying how much the u21 titles they won in recent years meant so much to them. I’m afraid the time has come for them to back that up as endless amounts of underage titles are meaningless unless they progress at senior level and like Armagh they must aim to contest the Ulster Final this year, anything less and to me it shows no progression.

Derry

New management in Damian Barton so it will be interesting to see how they do. For me , Derry need an Ulster title and quick, it is no secret that there has been intense club rivalry in Derry over the last number of years and it has been muted that perhaps this animosity leads to a poor atmosphere within the county set up. For me that is a bit of a cop out. I know that when I played I would take the head off any of my county team mates when we clashed at club level, but the next day I would have their back if they needed me when playing for the county jersey. Derry need scoring forwards plain and simple so that must be the number one aim for 2016 is to find a few.

Donegal

It shouldn’t be the case, but unfortunately only an All Ireland will quench the thirst here in Donegal. This is the last throw of the dice for a lot of this squad and if things don’t go well this year we could see Rory move on also. We need an injection of youth, I’m told Rory Kavanagh will be rejoining the squad shortly and that will provide a boost but for me I’d like to see maybe four or five young players breaking into the first 15 for the championship. We need to find legs around the middle of the park and half forward line so for me that should be the aim early on.

Down

Like Derry they need an Ulster title to kickstart their revival. Having watched them closely over the last few seasons they lack that lethal threat that a young Benny Coulter provided. They have a few classy forwards but for me they lack the physical strength needed to get them over the line. Having watched them last year and reading into their body language during games I’m not sure if the players fully believe that they have what it takes to win an Ulster and regardless of what management do or say, if deep down the players are questioning themselves then they will come unstuck.

Fermanagh

They had a good season last year and the aim must be to build on that this year by putting a few Ulster Championship wins together. They received a bit of stick for the way they acted after the Dublin defeat but perhaps their mindset and goals may be a little higher this season having learnt from last year’s run. In order to compete in Ulster they will need all of their players available and fully committed, we saw what big Quigley produced last year and I’m sure his brother could add to that if he was in the correct frame of mind.

Monaghan

I said it last season so I may say it again Monaghan must make an impact on the All Ireland series. They have won a couple of Ulster titles now so the next step of progression is to become a force on the All Ireland circuit. Over the last few seasons they have flopped once they come out of Ulster and a bit like Donegal their big names are nearing the end so it’s a case of now or never.

Tyrone

It seems funny to say this after they dominated the Province for so long but Tyrone’s aim for 2016 should be to reclaim the Ulster title, in doing so it would provide their young guns with the belief that they have what it takes to perhaps try and emulate the amazing achievements of those great teams of ‘03, ‘05 and ‘08. They showed last year that they have the players coming through so perhaps Mickey is doing what Mickey does best and building another dynasty!!

2016 lets be having you!!