Brian McGuigan: Tyrone is not pretty to look at but he's too strong for Cork

By Orla Bannon

It's easy to understand why Brian McGuigan, the very definition of leading football, would be frustrated with what he sees at Tyrone.

Critic Mickey Harte, which he insists "works with what he has," the triple winner All-Ireland is disappointed by a lack of creativity and individuality.

He expects that they manage to overcome a tough customer in Cork tonight Qualified for the fourth round of the SFC Ireland in Portlaoise, but fears that the Super 8 will end this summer.

"We have no copyright on our way of playing," he says. "It's a defensive and counter-attacking style of play and the teams have to play the same way to beat us, so it's not pretty to look at." It's frustrating for fans of Tyrone

"I think Tyrone will have too much for Cork because they are more experienced and stronger, but there is nothing to excite Tyrone fans."

"Mayo Tyrone has racked up big totals both last year and this year and up to the last May Kildare v Mayo thriller, have also been involved in the top two football games. This summer, he was opposed to Monaghan (Ulster) and Meath (1st qualifying round).

Yet, despite consecutive wins in Ulster and players with Ireland and under-21 medals, they are still an easy target just to denigrate defensive football.

Regardless of whether it's fair or just, what is certain is that the criticism that the team no longer has the quality to win an All-Ireland has been constant. The labels stick. Usually, it is that they are too small and / or too similar, make your choice.

"The forwards are all pretty similar … you have to say that," says McGuigan.

"You do not like coming back to your own game days but inside we had Mugsy (Owen Mulligan), Stevie (O Neill) and Peter (Canavan) who were all brilliant in their own right – but they were totally different too.

"Now the team is playing a racing game but sometimes there is no penetration as they run their heads down, instead of to look up and find a quality pbad inside.

"There is no one in there like Conor McManus or Bernard Brogan -jour to pbad it in. Anyway, there are not too many attackers in front of the ball.

"But if you had a player like that inside, you should find a player who could play that killer in him.

"Maybe Mickey knows that he's not a player like that, so they have to hang in. I think that's the reason he's got Ritchie Donnelly on the edge of the square now to bring physicality and try something different. "

Harte has always had tremendous respect for Cork, returning to his own game days.

remained an admirer and then that on paper his team, the regulars of Division One, should have little difficulty sending a team that has not been able to get out of Division Two for two seasons and just took a hammering of 17 points

Tyrone never beat Cork in the championship, losing the All-Ireland semifinals of 1973 and 2009, with McGuigan being involved in the latter.

"When we played, Cork were definitely a team that always got us into trouble, even in the league games, and they beat us well in 2009.

" Their win in Ireland in 2010 is almost forgotten . It's almost as if it's an easy Sam to win.

"But they do not have that quality now, and with their size, their number of players and their tradition, they should do much better."

"Tyrone does not set fire to the world. They should have put Cavan at ease. But there is no reason for people to make a ride to Mickey – that's all he has to the minute. We were all spoiled for a while while winning All-Irelands but the people of Tyrone forget that in the last 100 years, we have not won anything. "

Tyrone will face the prospect of Dublin, Donegal and Armagh or Roscommon"

McGuigan admits, "I can not see ourselves going any further."

"We'll be on the hard side of the draw." 8. The Cork design was the hardest we could get in qualifying and it also led to the toughest Super 8 group.

"We'll probably have to win in three out of four weeks, which means is demanding for the panel. already had so many games. "