Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

Shocking to see the scale of the operation laid out like that. Very disappointing behaviour.

16 transfers in last 2 years alone.  Speaks for itself. Plastic titles.

Which is shocking?  all of it? Or just us? Is one player moving to another club shocking or players being lost forever?

Would you prefer players moving to other sports? Are you a GAA man or soccer?

So Spike, that person you mentioned wasn't integral to Cargin? f**k me, you really don't give a shit about him by sounds of it 

[Spike]

16 players. 16 players, and you're bumbling about men you don't know the name of.

16 players, years of blow ins, pigeon shit in your changing rooms and you're hanging onto 'every team has one' lol.

Grow a set and take back your club.

[Milltown Row2]

16 players. 16 players, and you're bumbling about men you don't know the name of.

16 players, years of blow ins, pigeon shit in your changing rooms and you're hanging onto 'every team has one' lol.

Grow a set and take back your club.

Grow a set . Clubs fine, even with pigeon shit in changing rooms it's managed to win some silverware over the years in hurling football and ladies football.

Brennan still coming back to buy raffles? You'll need them to pay for all managers you bring in.

As for bumbling, played against him many a time as a hurler, really lovely fella to boot, a gent to referee also, no mouthing. Obviously picked that up from his own club

You're a contradiction along with bronco.. either you're against players transferring (and managers) or not. 1 or a dozen is no difference

As for clubs losing players as they can't maintain teams that's sad, no one wants clubs to fold, unfortunately and I've said it many times, too many clubs not enough players. But hey, that's our fault

[Spike]

1 or 16 is a difference MR2.  1 is typical, 16 is not and past history suggests a club ethos.

Don't be blinded by the pursuit of shiny things at the expense of what really matters and thats the club being the heart of the community.   No one said people cant transfer but do you really expect these mass transfers to work out into integral club members in it for the long haul?  Surely some should have been encouraged to join other clubs in the area.  What happens to the st galls youngsters who are now sitting en masse on the subs bench? Its hardly encouraging for them.

Take Creggan for example, every man, woman and child is in it for the long haul. Events, fundraising, support.  They invest their time and energy into an ongoing project to which success is only a bonus.  When you win, with a collection of  players you've supported and encouraged since they were 5 years if age, it feels a much more integrated success and long after that success, you can still reminisce about the great times as they will still be about the club in some way.  From cradle to the grave.

I get that you and others don't really care as long as there's a trophy at the end of it, but for the sake of the st galls legacy and community there should at least be the attempt at curtailing the numbers somewhat.

[Milltown Row2]

You've avoided my points that's fine

If you're going to talk about it then engage

Why is Eire Og  losing players?

Have we actively recruited them? And if so can you give me evidence of this

What's the alternative to kids playing for a club with no team? Not just Eire Og in this we've also been reliant on kids coming to us to field teams, same as most clubs in Belfast. But you'd know that but highlight us, good dodge

I've said repeatedly there's too many clubs in Belfast not enough players. What's your solution? Galefast hopefully will help.

Belfast isn't made up of parishes and communities, Gorts, Endas, Ardoyne and Pearses, possibly the only clubs that puck from their area, the rest don't, it's made up off families who where their from old parishes, the bed rock is there but it's ever changing, again that's the make up of a city, not a st Galls made problem

You seem smart enough with good posts but then let yourself down by Galls bashing

Talk me through some of the points I've listed

I'll also agree that 16 transfers is way too high

[bannside]

Its obvious rural and urban idea of parish is different. For years and years the predominant sport in the city for male youth was soccer. Properly organised games every week. On top of that many schools did not have a proper GAA ethos, and for the vast majority GAA was a peripheral organisation. Many schools could not get teachers to involve themselves in coaching. So for the majority, the cradle to the grave GAA ethos was non existent.

Despite this, City teams led the way for a long time in silverware count, and although Cargin and to a more recent extent Creggan led the challenge from SW, it was Citymen challenging SW to step up.

Now we have Gaelfast tackling many of the forementioned problems with adequate solutions and are promoting the game and raising awareness. Thats a massive start. School teacher participation is high and some city clubs are getting their act together, facilities and otherwise. The ones failing to do so will eventually fold and in SA there will end up about 8 - 10 good clubs, doing things right. Quality over Quantity.

Meanwhile back in SW many clubs have started to up the ante too in juvenile development and in facilities.   I think 10 years will see a massive step  up in properly organised clubs in both regions, numbers participating, facilities - hopefully resulting in a higher number of technically proficient players that can represent us at inter county level.

The Us v Them thing is ok for a bit of craic, hopefully the competition drives everyone on a bit further. How good would it be if Antrim are giving us big days out at provincial or national level for the next generation instead of the dross we have had to endure (proportionate to our size and potential) for the last 50 odd years.

[Old Time Hurler]

In my experience almost all clubs have took in players from other clubs at underage or senior level.

At underage level it is mainly due to the players home club not being able to produce a team for said players. The player usually stays with 2nd club until he leaves minor and then decides to join 2nd club fully as he's played for them for up to 10 years at underage.

At senior level players transfer for a multitude of reasons, Fallings out with home club, moving for work, marriage etc or just wanted to play at a higher level.

Surely it is better that players are allowed to move clubs than lose them to another sport.

[Bronco]

Sad to see a referee trying to justify an inherently unfair approach by his own club to improving their fortunes.

As Victor Hugo said "Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just".....

[Milltown Row2]

Ardoyne off to a flyer with 3 first half goals. Are these teams in the same division?

[paddyjohn]

It's the outside manager and the 24 lads they've got from other clubs that's winning it for them

[Milltown Row2]

It's the outside manager and the 24 lads they've got from other clubs that's winning it for them

No, it's St galls that have them winning it! I can't believe it! The real team is putting in a better second half!

Game on

[imtommygunn]

MR2 we're not angry with you - we're disappointed 

[Belfast GAA man]

defending MR2 for a cahnge - If Eire Og fold of course you can't close your door on young lads who want to play - thats not glory hunting transfers that shouldn't happen

[BigBallWeeBall]

Ardoyne off to a flyer with 3 first half goals. Are these teams in the same division?

Glad to see ardoyne win junior after Antrims underhand tactics in Mitchell's game

[Calm Down]

MR2 not an attack here, however an honest question! Are there any rules or advice that you are given as part of refs training in relation to PR and internet use? I am astonished that you have launched into an attack against Cargin today and you reffed them in a SFC final only last season?