Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[tbrick18]

Venue aside, (I hate CP by the way, not because of where its at, but because facilities and parking are sh*te), when Derry are doing well, the support swells.
The core support as people talk about, are football people. People who want to see the best players in a county from different clubs pull on the county jersey and make a statement that, as a county, this is the best we have to offer and we'll put it up to anyone.
Its parochial, clannish and about earning respect from the other competing counties. You dont have to win, you just have to compete and give a good account of yourself. By doing that, the county fills with pride and the support grows and more of the better players want to play as they see a chance of success, which makes the managers job easier and the upward cycle can continue.

The problem as I see it, is that at county level we do not have the best the clubs have to offer. We are playing sh*te football, burning through managers like there's a never ending supply, are falling down the rankings and as a result losing the respect of our peers and of the football people within the county. There is no faith in the ability of the county board and when you put all these things together it actually starts to breed contempt towards the county setup. It's morale sapping for supporters to see this happening, even more so for players i'm sure. Especially when we had that fleeting visit to the top table, it feels all the worse.

I think this is where we are now. There is no pride in the county so supporters wont go to games as they think we are not going to put in a performance and probably get beat.

This, in my mind cannot be fixed easily. It will have to be small steps.
Confidence in the county board needs to be restored.
We need to make it as easy as possible for the football people to see games, should this mean move games closer to south derry I'm all for it. No-one is going to travel 30-40 miles to watch a sh*te match. They'll go and watch the mcrory game as the football will be good. Not because its in a south derry venue, but I'd guess the fact it is in south derry will mean more neutrals attend.
Improving the standard of football, by ensuring the best players are on the panel will encourage the support to come out. The support can encourage the players, which in turn can help improve the football more. And so the cycle continues.
When we are playing better football, the pride will return and people will be more likely to travel the 30-40 miles to CP to watch a match (even if they do have to walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke to go to the toilet).

All this bickering of North vs South, just a load of infighting balls that perpetuates the problem.

Rant over for now.

[TheImpactCode]

Derry need a total shake from top of bottom.  What other county would get rid of their manager after winning the All-Ireland.  Eamon Coleman was the only man to ever unite all the factions for the greater good.

However way he was able to do it, it had boys pulling on the jersey that would go through a wall for the man beside him.

Until this type of person is appointed to the county board to pull all the bickering bullsh*tters together, Derry will never get any better.

[braveheart]

Derry need a total shake from top of bottom.  What other county would get rid of their manager after winning the All-Ireland.  Eamon Coleman was the only man to every unite all the factions for the greater good.

However way he was able to do it, it had boys pulling on the jersey that would go through a wall for the man beside him.

Until this type of person is appointed to the county board to pull all the bickering bullsh*tters together, Derry will never get any better.

From top to bottom. Yes. This is very true. And this will take time. In Slaughtneil (as I bite my lip) Derry have 1 of the best club teams in Ireland. In club football,I believe,Derry club football is as good as any county. Our biggest problem over the years has been our underage teams. Between the u21s and minor our record had been terrible. Damian changed that,for that we must give him credit. Unfortunately for him,he has taken the senior job 2/3 years too early. We have a breed of young footballers coming through which makes me optimistic but it will be a few years before they'll be good enough at senior level. School teams performance are positive and the minor record improving but I do worry about that "Campbell" appointment at u17 level,that is a backward step which we don't need.

[TheImpactCode]

I take it you mean Paddy Campbell at U17 level.  A Donegal man and a Tyrone at the centre of our youth development is a strange angle.  What is the story there? Are they McIvor's appointments or was it something that the county board brought in.

Aye the school teams are going very well but I saw the St Mary's Magherafelt team listed somewhere and there are a lot of Creggan and Portglenone lads on it.  And lads from Tyrone, so maybe not a true reflection on the county.

[Newbridge Exile]

I take it you mean Paddy Campbell at U17 level.  A Donegal man and a Tyrone at the centre of our youth development is a strange angle.  What is the story there? Are they McIvor's appointments or was it something that the county board brought in.

Aye the school teams are going very well but I saw the St Mary's Magherafelt team listed somewhere and there are a lot of Creggan and Portglenone lads on it.  And lads from Tyrone, so maybe not a true reflection on the county.

I think of the starting six forwards for the convent in the quarter final there was only one from Derry

[Estimator]

I take it you mean Paddy Campbell at U17 level.  A Donegal man and a Tyrone at the centre of our youth development is a strange angle.  What is the story there? Are they McIvor's appointments or was it something that the county board brought in.

Aye the school teams are going very well but I saw the St Mary's Magherafelt team listed somewhere and there are a lot of Creggan and Portglenone lads on it.  And lads from Tyrone, so maybe not a true reflection on the county.

I think of the starting six forwards for the convent in the quarter final there was only one from Derry

3 from Creggan
1 from Ardboe
1 from Kildress
1 from Magherafelt

[oakleafgael]

Derry need a total shake from top of bottom.  What other county would get rid of their manager after winning the All-Ireland.  Eamon Coleman was the only man to every unite all the factions for the greater good.

However way he was able to do it, it had boys pulling on the jersey that would go through a wall for the man beside him.

Until this type of person is appointed to the county board to pull all the bickering bullsh*tters together, Derry will never get any better.

From top to bottom. Yes. This is very true. And this will take time. In Slaughtneil (as I bite my lip) Derry have 1 of the best club teams in Ireland. In club football,I believe,Derry club football is as good as any county. Our biggest problem over the years has been our underage teams. Between the u21s and minor our record had been terrible. Damian changed that,for that we must give him credit. Unfortunately for him,he has taken the senior job 2/3 years too early. We have a breed of young footballers coming through which makes me optimistic but it will be a few years before they'll be good enough at senior level. School teams performance are positive and the minor record improving but I do worry about that "Campbell" appointment at u17 level,that is a backward step which we don't need.

Maybe you should ask yourself why the top young coaches in Derry wont take the U17/U20 jobs. Not enough money!

The jury is out on Campbell but Mickey Donnelly is a terrific appointment.

On what basis do you think Mickey Donnelly is a terrific appointment?

[restorepride]

Venue aside, (I hate CP by the way, not because of where its at, but because facilities and parking are sh*te), when Derry are doing well, the support swells.
The core support as people talk about, are football people. People who want to see the best players in a county from different clubs pull on the county jersey and make a statement that, as a county, this is the best we have to offer and we'll put it up to anyone.
Its parochial, clannish and about earning respect from the other competing counties. You dont have to win, you just have to compete and give a good account of yourself. By doing that, the county fills with pride and the support grows and more of the better players want to play as they see a chance of success, which makes the managers job easier and the upward cycle can continue.

The problem as I see it, is that at county level we do not have the best the clubs have to offer. We are playing sh*te football, burning through managers like there's a never ending supply, are falling down the rankings and as a result losing the respect of our peers and of the football people within the county. There is no faith in the ability of the county board and when you put all these things together it actually starts to breed contempt towards the county setup. It's morale sapping for supporters to see this happening, even more so for players i'm sure. Especially when we had that fleeting visit to the top table, it feels all the worse.

I think this is where we are now. There is no pride in the county so supporters wont go to games as they think we are not going to put in a performance and probably get beat.

This, in my mind cannot be fixed easily. It will have to be small steps.
Confidence in the county board needs to be restored.
We need to make it as easy as possible for the football people to see games, should this mean move games closer to south derry I'm all for it. No-one is going to travel 30-40 miles to watch a sh*te match. They'll go and watch the mcrory game as the football will be good. Not because its in a south derry venue, but I'd guess the fact it is in south derry will mean more neutrals attend.
Improving the standard of football, by ensuring the best players are on the panel will encourage the support to come out. The support can encourage the players, which in turn can help improve the football more. And so the cycle continues.
When we are playing better football, the pride will return and people will be more likely to travel the 30-40 miles to CP to watch a match (even if they do have to walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke to go to the toilet).

All this bickering of North vs South, just a load of infighting balls that perpetuates the problem.

Rant over for now.

Good post.

[restorepride]

Best of luck to Slaughtneil. Will be close, as you want in an All Ireland semi. Our Derry Champions have a great chance, though if Sé McGuigan is not fully fit it will be a bigger challenge.  Meanwhile in Fermanagh, Gallagher's tactics and team structure could leave us in big bother.

[The Clones 500]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/gaa-football/2222855/slaughtneil-defender-karl-mckaigue-insists-there-is-no-club-versus-county-divide-in-derry/

Best of luck to The Robbies today. Karl speaks the truth as does John Joe Kearney who spoke this week that the sooner the club all ireland is played out on one calendar year the better get rid of the myth of playing St Patricks Day finals. A two and a half month layoff does Slaughtneil no favours either. Chrissy even said himself he hasn't played a full league for Derry in four years, and with April designated for clubs the Slaughtneil boys are supposed to come in to the county set up a month before championship and all of a sudden its going to click for McErlain. Damian is swimming against the tide the GAA calendar is hindering small county like Derry, this year has been a right off before a ball was even kicked for Derry.

[NatSoSaff]

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/gaa-football/2222855/slaughtneil-defender-karl-mckaigue-insists-there-is-no-club-versus-county-divide-in-derry/

Best of luck to The Robbies today. Karl speaks the truth as does John Joe Kearney who spoke this week that the sooner the club all ireland is played out on one calendar year the better get rid of the myth of playing St Patricks Day finals. A two and a half month layoff does Slaughtneil no favours either. Chrissy even said himself he hasn't played a full league for Derry in four years, and with April designated for clubs the Slaughtneil boys are supposed to come in to the county set up a month before championship and all of a sudden its going to click for McErlain. Damian is swimming against the tide the GAA calendar is hindering small county like Derry, this year has been a right off before a ball was even kicked for Derry.

100% correct that this is a problem that shouldnt exist and that the GAA need to part with sentiment and change the traditional dates to give us a better functioning calendar.

However....If I was a Slaughtneil player that was called up to my county, I would be laying down the law that I will represent both teams to the best of my ability. Hopefully there would be sense from club and county managers in that I would be training with my club only, but available for match selection with county during the league.

Maybe my thinking isnt shared by the majority I dont know, but thats my opinion for what its worth.

[Wildweasel74]

20mins in; 1-08 to no score; this aint even remotely funny!!!

[Wildweasel74]

We kicking every ball down the throat of the strongest midfield in Ulster and getting creamed! What actually goes for tactics for this Derry Senior team@  Fermanagh way fitter than Derry! Its time to play actually grown men and not U-20! Let they develope into senior age group once U-20 football is over!

[bannside]

Who are the strongest midfield pairing in Ulster?

[bannside]

I'm a neutral with a passing interest in Derry Football having spent a few years managing div 1 teams there.

Do I think you have the players to maintain a consistent  division two presence. Yes. Maybe knock on the door of division one. Yes. Do I think you have the  management team to get out of division three. No. Not this year or any time soon. Miles away. Not a hundred miles, not a thousand miles, no, much more.

Sad Days for the once great institution that once was the Derry senior Football team. 8th in Ulster and counting.