Down Club Hurling & Football

[Truth hurts]

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

[wobbller]

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

Attacks and constructive criticism are a waste of time.Until most Clubs get real with the appointment of their own County delegate and Convention attendees the rot will continue.

[RadioGAAGAA]

Whats the thinking behind these coaches getting access to secondary schools?
Mark Poland going into St Colman's twice a week is going to do what exactly?
Who are we talking about and which schools exactly.
I would thought that most schools are well equipped to coach their own and would have more experienced and competent coaches than what is being sent out by the county board in some cases.
Maybe im wrong.

Completely wrong based on my experience.

The average teacher is not anywhere near the level required - and again, on my experience, pretty much all of them were not so much interested in the education side of PE, rather just the physical bit.

In my years in secondary, there were 2 teachers of any use for training and preparing for MacRory, one PE, another not PE... and to be honest, all too often the  PE folks took the easy way out and just played 5-a-side for PE "lessons".

There was fk all learning done. Not once, not fuking once, do I recall us either playing a training match, or just training at school - and any explanations or getting us to stop and think where we were on the pitch, what we were doing right or what we were doing wrong.


Fuk sake, one day training consisted of about 25 laps of the fuking pitch. Not a joke.
[Then I travelled home and did some real training with the club]


Mark Poland wouldn't be going in just to coach the kids - he'd be going in to coach the teachers [no doubt they'd react well to being told they aren't infallible after all]




(That said, of course its just my own experience, others will have it differently, some much better, some perhaps even worse.)

[Johnnysboys]

ffs the clubs that supply st Marks are always winning or competing well in our underage championships. You only have to look at results. ST Marks are still getting good footballers to their school in plentiful.

How would you change the mangerial appointment??
[/quote]

I couldn't agree with this statement more. Like I have said before my lad goes there and what's going on is a disgrace. Loads of teams on the pitches each day of the week but very limited coaching going on (apart from one coach who is excellent). Seems to just be accepted which is the worst part. Barney McAleenan bent over backwards for the clubs in the area and the likes of the point, Clonduff, rostrevor, burren, Mayobridge benefitted from his time spent with players of yesteryear.  The county benefitted at minor/U21/Senior level too. A school of 800 odd pupils needs to be producing more than they are at present. A root and branch look at this and other schools needs to be conducted to see what needs done.

[snoopdog]

Just out of interest do the IFA FAI or IRFU go into schools to coach. And does anyother county get involved in secondary schools elsewhere in the Country. ?

[Smurfy123]

Listened to Deveany speaking and to be blunt fair play to him for coming out with an interview
Some points I agreed with some I didn't
With all due respect the have the best plans at place in primary schools will make little or no difference to success for Down 12 years later

Look at car sure minor/under 20 all Ireland winners and they are in as bad a state as us
Dwveany was right we can do all we can but if we can't get the best players to commit to the county seniors we will not be able to compete with teams never mind be successful
And until we get a buy in from lads at 16/17 on we will struggle
As I said it's just not a big deal to play for Down anymore

We have no centre of excellence and the fact lads are travelling half the country to train week on week is a massive problem. I don't think people realise this

Imagine having our base with 4 pitches and our senior footballers and hurlers alongside the minors training on it. The difference it would make

Also Dr Aidan Cole made a brilliant point we harp on and S and C but did that really get us relegated? Absolutely not. Cruising against Offaly and threw it away nothing to do with S and C, dominated Cork but couldn't score nothing to do with S and C, had 2 brilliant chances against Meath at the end to win that was nothing to do with S and C, beating Cavan by 9 at half time nothing to do with S and C, Donegal beat us out the gate in Newry because they have better players and smarter players. Kilcoo aren't overly physical but they have great players. So let's some beating the S and C drum.

We need better smarter players who have the total commitment to the Down jersey and a base where everyone knows where they train.
Structures mean nothing without buy in from players

Was cheap for Doran to take a dig at James regarding how far the have fallen does he not remember last year with Down.? They were awful and on a downward spiral. He talked about under his tenure Down beat Offaly by 9 and now can't beat them. Did he forget the Meath beat Down last year by 9 but drew this year. Really can't get my head around why people think Tally's tenure was anygood.

We need the best players committed to Down football and until we get that we are going to be a division 2/3 yo-yo team and semi final of ulsters

[Truth hurts]

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

Attacks and constructive criticism are a waste of time.Until most Clubs get real with the appointment of their own County delegate and Convention attendees the rot will continue.

And what do you want the delegates to do, go in shouting to get rid of managers because that worked out well in the past.

Our present failings are down to funding and which this current crop has had to deal with. The past few years have seen an excellent improvement in the handling of the crippling debt which was placed on the county after the Newcastle debacle.

The officials who are on the county executive are good administrators but I think more delegation needs to take place and trust to be given to other young officials in the county. There are plenty of young brains who would be able to trash out a coaching plan,  an athletic development plan etc the county executive would rubber-stamp it then.

A coaching pathway could be set up by men like Mark McCartan, Mark Doran, Benny Coulter, DJ Morgan, Mark Doran, Ambrose, John Fegan, Steven Poacher, Conor Laverty, Martin Clarke, Ronan McCartan, Joe Tunney, Danny Hughes, aided and supported by Wee Pete and Barney. There are a lot of other good brains that could be added to this but getting these people together would be a start to get the process rolling.

A strength and conditioning plan should be fronted by Aaron Brannigan and Mickey Walh who could then get other coaches on board to develop a long-term goal for the county.

[sdg]

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

Attacks and constructive criticism are a waste of time.Until most Clubs get real with the appointment of their own County delegate and Convention attendees the rot will continue.

And what do you want the delegates to do, go in shouting to get rid of managers because that worked out well in the past.

Our present failings are down to funding and which this current crop has had to deal with. The past few years have seen an excellent improvement in the handling of the crippling debt which was placed on the county after the Newcastle debacle.

The officials who are on the county executive are good administrators but I think more delegation needs to take place and trust to be given to other young officials in the county. There are plenty of young brains who would be able to trash out a coaching plan,  an athletic development plan etc the county executive would rubber-stamp it then.

A coaching pathway could be set up by men like Mark McCartan, Mark Doran, Benny Coulter, DJ Morgan, Mark Doran, Ambrose, John Fegan, Steven Poacher, Conor Laverty, Martin Clarke, Ronan McCartan, Joe Tunney, Danny Hughes, aided and supported by Wee Pete and Barney. There are a lot of other good brains that could be added to this but getting these people together would be a start to get the process rolling.

A strength and conditioning plan should be fronted by Aaron Brannigan and Mickey Walh who could then get other coaches on board to develop a long-term goal for

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

Attacks and constructive criticism are a waste of time.Until most Clubs get real with the appointment of their own County delegate and Convention attendees the rot will continue.

And what do you want the delegates to do, go in shouting to get rid of managers because that worked out well in the past.

Our present failings are down to funding and which this current crop has had to deal with. The past few years have seen an excellent improvement in the handling of the crippling debt which was placed on the county after the Newcastle debacle.

The officials who are on the county executive are good administrators but I think more delegation needs to take place and trust to be given to other young officials in the county. There are plenty of young brains who would be able to trash out a coaching plan,  an athletic development plan etc the county executive would rubber-stamp it then.

A coaching pathway could be set up by men like Mark McCartan, Mark Doran, Benny Coulter, DJ Morgan, Mark Doran, Ambrose, John Fegan, Steven Poacher, Conor Laverty, Martin Clarke, Ronan McCartan, Joe Tunney, Danny Hughes, aided and supported by Wee Pete and Barney. There are a lot of other good brains that could be added to this but getting these people together would be a start to get the process rolling.

A strength and conditioning plan should be fronted by Aaron Brannigan and Mickey Walh who could then get other coaches on board to develop a long-term goal for the county.

Let the lunatics take over the asylum  ....My God

[Truth hurts]

These would be steering groups that would be overseen by the county executive. We have a lot of good people in the county and we are not utilizing them. Bu no one is a perfect coach, but rubbinbg ideas of one another are bound to help matters. We need to try something different.

[Square Ball]

You can have all the steering groups you want made up of the great and the good, but you still need access to the schools, do the schools have room in the curriculum for GAA coaching? would something else have to go? if its after school is there a financial implication for the school? I am sure some would rather concentrate on academic excellence and dont really care about GAA   

[Truth hurts]

Can anyone post Danny Hughes's article in today's Irish news, i won't see it to later

[marty34]

You can have all the steering groups you want made up of the great and the good, but you still need access to the schools, do the schools have room in the curriculum for GAA coaching? would something else have to go? if its after school is there a financial implication for the school? I am sure some would rather concentrate on academic excellence and dont really care about GAA

It must come from the clubs first - too late if they're in at 12/13. They need to have, not abity, but a serious interest in gaelic sports.  This comes fundamentally from their parents and their clubs by extension.

A lot of schools just don't have the interest but this can be changed e.g. Holy Trinity in Cookstown. They pushed on but they bring in players from other schools in Year 13 which boosts them.

But the clubs must do the work at U.7.5s - U13.5s.

[Lotto]

No need on the attacks on individuals who have given their lives to the gaa.  We can be constructive without attacks

Attacks and constructive criticism are a waste of time.Until most Clubs get real with the appointment of their own County delegate and Convention attendees the rot will continue.

And what do you want the delegates to do, go in shouting to get rid of managers because that worked out well in the past.

Our present failings are down to funding and which this current crop has had to deal with. The past few years have seen an excellent improvement in the handling of the crippling debt which was placed on the county after the Newcastle debacle.

The officials who are on the county executive are good administrators but I think more delegation needs to take place and trust to be given to other young officials in the county. There are plenty of young brains who would be able to trash out a coaching plan,  an athletic development plan etc the county executive would rubber-stamp it then.

A coaching pathway could be set up by men like Mark McCartan, Mark Doran, Benny Coulter, DJ Morgan, Mark Doran, Ambrose, John Fegan, Steven Poacher, Conor Laverty, Martin Clarke, Ronan McCartan, Joe Tunney, Danny Hughes, aided and supported by Wee Pete and Barney. There are a lot of other good brains that could be added to this but getting these people together would be a start to get the process rolling.

A strength and conditioning plan should be fronted by Aaron Brannigan and Mickey Walh who could then get other coaches on board to develop a long-term goal for the county.

You were early on the juice today TH. You want these guys to be the men deciding the coaching pathway in Down? Has any of these 'gurus' ever won anything with their teams to tell the rest of the County how to coach? You a deluded if you think that these people are the answer.

[Hard2Listen2]

Can anyone post Danny Hughes's article in today's Irish news, i won't see it to later

Interesting piece from Danny. Well written like all his pieces.
He identified issues & highlighted problems but unfortunately offered no solutions.

We all know something needs to be done but it seems no one knows what or is prepared to do it.

[CornUladh]

Id agree.
Danny listed some problems but no solutions. He must have an article like that saved on his desktop as he usually wheels it out when Down are struggling.
Down love to wash their dirty laundry in public.
Those unhapoy with the CB should try and become their club rep and exert influence for change. I don't see that happening as it's easier to blame Sean Og!
Danny conveniently didnt mention his own advisory role to the last Down manager.