McDonnell: Orchard’s deadwood must go

Recently-retired Armagh captain Stevie McDonnell says the new county manager must get rid of the “deadwood” within the panel.

The Killeavy man believes the two stand-out candidates for the role vacated by Paddy O’Rourke last weekend are his former team-mates Tony McEntee and Kieran McGeeney.

Crossmaglen co-manager McEntee has ruled himself out of consideration while McGeeney remains in charge of Kildare. However, McDonnell believes the new man in will have to take a knife to the group.

“It’s probably time that Armagh go back to where we were in 1997 and clear out all the deadwood and really look at the structures, have a look at how we can get back on top of the table again.

“We did that in ’97 and it took us five years to win an All-Ireland final and there’s no saying why we can’t do that again.

“Armagh certainly has a lot of talent and can they go an win an All-Ireland in the next few years? I believe so, without a doubt, but you know it’s the mentality of the players at the minute.

“I just don’t think they’re of the same mentality as what went before them in the previous 10-15 years.

“I do think that the full set-up needs a good ‘red-out’. How are they going to go about doing that is their own decision but certainly there are hard calls that must be made.”

McDonnell agrees with Paul Grimley’s assessment that the next manager should be one of the players from the illustrious 2002 All-Ireland winning team.

“Tony McEntee is the obvious one. I know he’s come out and ruled himself out and for good reason — he wants to be part of a Crossmaglen team that wins a three in a row.

“The other outstanding candidate of course is Kieran McGeeney. We all know what he was like as a player and a leader, and he’s done a fantastic job with Kildare as well.”

Injuries aside, McDonnell insists Armagh didn’t have the best 15 players in the county on the field when they lost last Sunday’s round one qualifier to Roscommon. He argues there should have been more than just Jamie Clarke and Johnny Hanratty from Crossmaglen representing the club in the team.

“I don’t believe that it was the best Armagh team on the pitch. I do believe there are still capable Armagh players that are not even in the squad.

“Certainly, I would like to have seen a few more Crossmaglen players starting more so because they have a winning mentality.

“I’m not saying that they are better players than the players who started for Armagh last week but they have a mentality to go there and they believe in themselves and that they’re going to win every match they play in.”

* Dónal Óg Cusack and Stevie McDonnell are this summer's Round The Square columnists on www.gaa.ie. The Cork and Armagh legends will give their respective expert opinion on hurling and football throughout the remainder of this Year's Championships on in the GAA's official website.