McShea's Say: This time next year, we might not even be in the draw for Sam

With the news that Donegal will take on the Ulster champions, the Munster runners-up and Monaghan in the last 16 round robin stage of the All-Ireland SFC, the draw looks formidable.

Donegal’s form is worrying and disturbing and the way they are playing, non game is going to be easy. After a pretty significant decision was made by the players to remove Paddy Carr, you might’ve thought that there would’ve been some sort of positive reaction but it didn’t happen either in Roscommon or in Newry.

After the abysmal display in Roscommon, the latest let down in Newry against a Down team who would go on to be comprehensively beaten by Armagh, was a major concern and raises serious issues about exactly where Donegal stand at this moment.

Donegal learn their All-Ireland SFC round-robin last 16 opponents

Aidan O'Rourke's side open their last 16 series with a road trip to Munster before contesting two fixtures against Ulster rivals

This time next year, we might not even be in the draw for the Sam Maguire Cup and there’s no guarantee we will stay, never mind get out of Division 2 next year.

I fully accept that retirement and injuries have had a serious impact on this squad, but it is now time to accept that players have moved on and get the most out of the players that are available now and into the future.

I believe that the qualities of character and intelligence, sensitively nurtured in the right environment are indispensable to a county footballer. Ability on its own will never be enough.
There are other less tangible personal qualities like power, pace, and skill from which a player and ultimately a team could be wrought.

Donegal’s recent performances would suggest that confidence is at a very low ebb. I’ve no idea what has been going on at training since, and whether the defensive side of things is being beefed up a bit. The strategy Donegal are taking is puzzling.

Confidence must be imbued on and off the field. Being confident is feeling you belong. Being confident is feeling you are confident of fulfilling expectations. Confidence is a fragile but precious commodity in county football. Most or all players' performance in any game are determined in the opening fifteen minutes.

If a player goes on to a pitch feeling in any way unsure, then the risks are all the greater. Fear comes in many forms, fear of the opposition (not in the physical sense) fear of not being able to live up to expectations and fear of the unknown, which can often have as much to do with confusion in your own dressing room as anything to do with what the opposition might fling at you.

This year Donegal have played like a team seriously lacking confidence, consistently showing a serious lack of belief when the heat came on. I believe that games can not be won on the training ground or in the dressing room, but they can be lost in both places. Football is a player’s game and any man good enough to wear a county jersey requires confidence to fulfil the gifts he was born with. In looking at the modern game when the dogma of coaching has clearly got rid of natural skill, making so many matches both club and county low scoring ,boring encounters it is time to return to the non-convoluted ways of the past. While some may see it as old-fashioned passing is the key that opens all doors. Give the ball to a player in the green and gold jersey.

These instructions are easy to comply with and time again this simple imperative must be echoed across a team’s training pitch. Tell the players to keep it simple, keep it moving. These instructions are easy to comply with and that is their most profound virtue.

In Newry Donegal kicked fourteen wides and again confidence or lack of it was a factor here .I wonder how much time our county side are spending on shooting practice. Not enough I believe as our scoring stats are to be believed. The ultimate test in football management is to measure achievement against resources.

No doubt the next three games will have a bearing on the future of a number of Donegal players and their prospects of long term inter county careers and this will also apply regarding the situation with Aidan O’Rourke and Paddy Bradley. You were never going to get it easy in the last 16 of an All-Ireland series and the draw has proven that. Donegal people are optimistic at the best of times but it doesn’t seem the county team are in a great place. Time will tell.