Kildare Player of the Year

I'm having a go at the tactic, not at him. Not his fault when he makes a brilliant catch and is surrounded by four Meath lads, or when a ball is kicked up between him and five Donegal lads. Actually have a lot of admiration for him. Just saying I don't see him as a footballer of the year contender, sure you could say that about 95% of the lads on the panel.

Yeah ok fair enough Ohtoohtobe took you up wrong there...sorry about that

Yeah no hassle maybe the bit about spitting out my tea was a bit much. Just think you have to do more than win some possession and get fouled/lay it off to be the best footballer in Kildare in a given year. Mind you, slim pickings this year. Think Bolton is probably the best choice.

How about a pointless thread of the Year? I nominate this one.

ill counter nominate bell end of the year...guess who im voting for??

If you think it's pointless, move on? It's a forum. Having attended many Kildare games, and taken detailed enough notes, I would say Tomás was one of the most influential players in terms of scores gotten by the team - in terms of the assist or being fouled. And he had some hand in others.

I agree, they got too bogged down in using him, which doesn't help him. Predictability of any kind isn't good. I always thought he was meant to be Plan B, that the running counter-attacking game was where they operated best, with Tomás the option. Unfortunately he became the primary option and made a great fist of it I thought, especially given some of the ball he got.

The problem with the tactic is that all the top teams play at least one sweeper. So the long ball is easy enough to defend - break it down to the spare man. But what made Tomas different to the big man of yore is he could come out to the ball hopping in front, and make the quick lay-off. Again though, the sweepers and additional defenders cut that ball off.

But regardless of the tactic, I would stand by the assertion that he was amongst the most influential Kildare players this year on a consistent basis. Bolton and Smithy would join him in my top 3.

Excellent post there Ogie

The problem with Thomas is the lack of support he gets. That was best illustrated by the incredible catch against 3 Meath players. By the time the whistle was blown 2 more Meath players had arrived on the scene and still not a Kildare player in the vicinity. The solution might be to play him at 11 where his ball winning would still be a factor but he would have more support. Definitely one our better players this year and unfairly taken off in a couple of games imo. The best full forward failed to score from play last sunday for Donegal but still had a terrific game.

I hope u are not comparing TOC with Micheal Murphy. TOC is effective in what he does and will improve but will never be the player Micheal Murphy is imo. I have a lot of time for TOC and think he was harshly treated. Never should of been subbed in the games as was doing well with what i was being given.

It looks great against Laois and Offaly lads. How did it look in the Donegal game last year? How many scores did we get off it then?

He had a perfectly good goal ruled out by an incompetent ref. That goal would have put us through to another semi final.
From what I remember he gave them as good as he was given in that game.
He gets no protection form refs. The lad has to be cut in half to get a free, where as the likes of Murphy get touched over they go and free in. For me he was one of maybe three who gave everything they had in every game this year. If they all played with his heart we would not have had such an ending to the year.

I Think TOC style gives the people the impressio he is being fouled but I think he just has an awkward style about him. He hada very good year for Kildare but the long ball to him cannot be used all the time and he need to contribute more to the scoring. Gravan in 98 was a payer who peolple used to complain about in general play but he never missed a free. We could do win a free taker now

that was last year, he would have been completely snuffed out this year.

Not one full forward has been able to perform against donegal this year as they have mastered the tactic of dropping one, two, three men around their full back line, not only this but each of these guys are able to be in the opposite end of the pitch in seconds. Dara O'Se alluded to the inability of Donnacha O'Connor to have any impact on the game last sunday, not being the first FF this year either

As with trends over the past few years in GAA, all the top teams will now try master this tactic. TOC will have minimal impact next year against the top teams, you can be guaranteed that.

Agree with Spartacus, big Tom is underrated and utilised properly has a lot to offer this team.

A full forward is only as good as the support he receives. Donegal get players forward quickly to support Murphy whereas Kildare are very slow to do likewise. Also Donegal have McFadden who is a birilliant ball winner as well as scorer, we have Kavanagh and Smith, no comparision in my opinion. Harsh maybe but sadly true.

I think Toc was in our top 3 performers this year, a great heart and willing to do a lot of donkey work also the ball coming into him was very poor at times even 60/40 he still won possession, we need to have quick forwards around him, he also frightened the life out of defenders with his fielding and he is always out in front of the defender. He has had a great season.

Unless someone else stands out in the remainder of the club championship I'd go with Mick Foley. He had at least 2 MOTM performances in the championship. He wasn't great against Cork but not many were.

Mick had a good game against allenwood if he can maintain his current level then he should be in the running for player of the year.