Where and how to improve for 2011

Ah Peile welcome back to us,as always your comments are very much welcomed.

Loads of Pints wrote:

i really dont get this whole notion of bringing hughie out the field. he has performed admirably in his first two seasons in the full back line. talking to lads in DCU and they told me that he was prob lucky that he got his place on the Sigerson team and was only playing midfiled as they were short on options there. He was taken off in 2 if not 3 of their games. He is a great defender in the full back line he offers height and great ball skills, why move move him out when realistically our best 5 and 7 are flats and conway?

I wouldn't be too worried about Hughie's Sigerson Cup form. Kildare were in heavy training at the time. Sure he still looked stuck to the ground in the first round of the Leinster (v Louth). But as the year wore on he regained the form he had last year and was our best back imo last week. Although I think he could play out the field I'd be inclined to leave him where he is unless a better option for full-back emerges. It's taken us long enough to get a reliable full-back line. Why would you mess with that now ?

Regarding our midfield options I'd like to see Rob Kelly getting a run there along with Daryl in the O'Byrne Cup / League. Wouldn't mind seeing how Tomas O'Connor would do out here too, as all his appearances seem to be at full-forward.

Yeah i'd love to see o'connor midfield.I felt he was the obvious option to come into midfield last week.He can def win a lot of ball in midfield,whether he can distribute it is another story.
I feel if he can then he'd be a natual replacement for earley.It'd leave flynn to play the game he's been playin the last couple of years too.

I think he plays midfield foe clane? May get to see him there over the championship.

Hugh lynch didnt do a whole lot wrong when given game time this year. with another hard winter training behind him and an obvious higher level of confidence he could be a good asset next year.

Does anyone think Hugh Lynch might be an option at centre back if we have Earley available to partner Flynn at midfield ? Might seem like a strange option but he seems pretty good at getting possession and his distribution is good. Would also add more physicality to that line and free up Bolton for wing back which is his more natural position in my opinion. I was very impressed with the guy when he got his chance in QF and SF and wonder where he might fit in if we have the first choice midfield available. Thoughts ?

Crofter wrote:

Does anyone think Hugh Lynch might be an option at centre back if we have Earley available to partner Flynn at midfield ? Might seem like a strange option but he seems pretty good at getting possession and his distribution is good. Would also add more physicality to that line and free up Bolton for wing back which is his more natural position in my opinion. I was very impressed with the guy when he got his chance in QF and SF and wonder where he might fit in if we have the first choice midfield available. Thoughts ?

Absolutely no way - he is far too slow.

If Hugh Lynch is being moved from midfield then the only place to move him is into the forwards. Doesn't have the pace to play half back and even at midfield his marking can be pretty slack at times. He's played a bit of club football at full forward but centre half forward might be a better option for him than in on the square I'd say.

If Earley is fit for next year the only place Hugh Lynch will be is back on the bench simple as that we have already got more than enough players for the half back line plus the half forward line if every one is fit will be more the same as this year. At the end of the day when Earley got hurt against Meath who of all the supporters were saying bring on Hugh Lynch I was as shocked as most, but the lad did well in fairness but more of a squad player for me.

Could people imagine if Earley was injury free and in the form this year like he was in 2009, what would or could have happened...

If only.....

If Hugh Lynch is being moved from midfield then the only place to move him is into the forwards. Doesn't have the pace to play half back and even at midfield his marking can be pretty slack at times. He's played a bit of club football at full forward but centre half forward might be a better option for him than in on the square I'd say.

Would have thought pace equally important at centre forward as centre back but points taken

I can't see the logic in trying Hughie Lynch at centre-back. We have a whole host of options for that position already in Flanagan, Chalky, Foley, Whyte etc.

He's a midfielder (a possible half-forward option at a push). His distribution is excellent, as is his ability to kick long range points as we saw against Leitrim and Down. He needs to be more aggressive in winning primary possession though but he could improve on this aspect of his play with a NFL campaign under his belt.

It's probable that Dermot won't feature at all in the NFL next year so it gives us some latitude to experiment at midfield. Flynn has improved hugely and will go into next year as first choice. Lynch, David Whyte and Tomás Connor should all be given a run there to see what they have to offer. Dermot probably won't have the legs for 70 minutes in the summer anymore so it's important for us that one of these lads puts their hand up as a realistic midfield alternative that we could introduce in the second half of big championship matches.