James Horan: Mayo’s structures are farcical. We’re behind now

The former Mayo boss was speaking, on the Irish Examiner's Gaelic Football podcast, in the wake of the county's defeat to Cavan. 

FALL-OUT: Kevin McStay Mayo manager on the line during the defeat to Cavan. Pic: INPHO/James Lawlor

Former Mayo player and manager James Horan believes there are significant issues in the county that reach far beyond a shock defeat against Cavan.

On Sunday, Cavan secured a remarkable three-point win in Castlebar. It means Mayo face a serious challenge to advance from Group 1.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, Horan said Raymond Galligan’s side fully deserved their victory.

“If you look at league, current status, recent experience, how close Mayo were to Galway, possibly should have beaten Galway in the Connacht final, Mayo were favourites and rightly so, but there was no doubt about the outcome.

“Cavan were really good. Full of energy. Full of enthusiasm. Full of innovation. Mayo were the opposite, unfortunately, today. A well-deserved, well-earned Cavan victory that puts Mayo in a really tight spot.

“That is a hard hit today,” he said. “You can imagine the jungle drums down these parts as we speak. You can imagine the noise that is going on.” The result comes in the same week that Mayo’s U-20 footballers lost out by a point against Louth in the All-Ireland semi-final. For Horan, this is the time for the county to conduct a comprehensive review.

In 2010, Horan succeeded John O’Mahony as Mayo manager. He led Mayo to back-to-back All-Ireland football finals in 2012 against Donegal and in 2013 against Dublin.

In 2014, Horan resigned but returned for a second spell four years later.

“After today’s performance, Kevin McStay will get a lot of heat. Players will get a lot of heat. All that will happen and that is par for the course. But Mayo’s structures are farcical for an intercounty setup.

“We talked about Louth last weekend and where they are going - the structures in place, the centre of excellence, the stadium they are building, the coaching in place, the vision and map of where Louth are trying to go. Mayo do not have that.

“My last two years with Mayo we couldn’t train on the back pitch in MacHale Park. I was scrambling and scraping off clubs to try to get venues to train. I know the U20s are the same thing this year, in multiple club venues trying to get pitches. Can’t train on the main pitch and the back pitch in MacHale Park, you probably know it, it is used by a lot of different teams.

“We haven’t built structures or laid down foundations like we should have over the last decade. We are behind so many other counties, what they have done and how they have progressed. Their structures, their coaching, their pitches, their academies, I think that is where so much needs to be looked at. How many counties have CEOs or performance directors? Mayo, in terms of GAA, is a big brand. It’s a big business. We just don’t have the structures to support it.

“I think that is where a lot of the ire and the focus should be. Not just on what people see at the tail end of it which is an intercounty manager or the players. To me, it is incredible and there isn’t that much heat about it.” 

Mayo have recently developed plans for a centre of excellence after a site was gifted by a UK-based millionaire. Horan stressed the county is now playing catchup.

“We’re behind now. We’re behind in that regard. I’m not making a direct correlation with the performance today but absolutely those foundations need to be strong, consistent, the best of facilitates and coaching, if you want to be one of the best in the country.

“We have to up a huge amount there. Obviously I have a vested (interest). I have a lot of experience with this. I talked about this in 2010 and for whatever reason, we haven’t got our act together. Hopefully out of this, there will come a kickstart and there will be more of a focus on that.”