Antrim Football Thread

[bannside]

Question. Is Antrim football currently in its worst ever state? Does anyone ever remember things AS bad?

Our seniors have not progressed one inch, and if Paddy Heaney, or any other, wants to outline his clear reasons for taking the opposite view, then lets have them!

Not only have our seniors stagnated, but Jody must also be held accountable for a shambles of an under twentyone set up as well.

The minors had, it must be said, a very middling season, although they showed some balls at least against a good Cavan minor team.

Working on down the list, and our sixteens were obviously the weakest team at a recent inter county blitz tournament run by Ulster Council, and to make matters worse, a few weeks later our under fifteens from the city were well beaten in all their games also!

On the plus side, Antrim sides on the Mc Larnon cup, and the Loch an Uir, very admirable and well done, but still grade B conpetition.

Its going to be a long long road, but it can be done, but some tough calls need to be made, and soon!

[Orior]

I saw a car in north belfast as the weekend, number plate H16 GAA.  Fair play to that man.

[milltown raver]

Fair play, but he does have bullet proof windows as well. 

Heard a few of the county panel are nearly sorted for there long haul flight across the atlantic  . Will they be slated in the same manner.
Think you'll find Jody not only plays with Paddy heaney but also lives on the same street. Maybe thats why he supports him.

Maybe that explains how the story was leaked within hours when it was supposed to be kept in house to give the boys time to reconsider. also heard that O'neill never missed 1 training session never mind 2 so Jodys talking more crap, and trying to explain his decisions.

Think more of the truth is starting to come out now about the real reasons boys have left, that the set up is a complete shambles.
Fair play to Kel for not airing the problems  of antrim all over the papers when it could have been quite easy to do so and would have got the press and everyone else of his back.

[bannside]

Raver, agree wholeheartedly about Sean Kelly. He was geting abuse here last week for supposedly deserting a sinking ship, some even questioning his loyalty to the county.

The real reason is coming out gradually in stages, and lets say the "Bot four" arnt the only culprits.

Sean Kelly has been a total role model to all, throughout a long and distinguished career with QUB, St Galls, and Antrim.

At this stage of his career, all he would have asked for was a sensible level of committment from ALL concerned, to drive on and secure promotion, and give the c`ship a big push.

Things must have been very bad for Kel to make that decision, and must have been horrified when the details were leaked to the press. Despite this, he has maintained a dignified silence, citing "personal"reasons, rather than take the high profile route to public shown by CJ.

Kelly is an Antrim man to the core, and a proud one at that, and hugely respected throughout Ulster. Its up to others now to step up to the plate, and demonstrate to Sean Kelly that there is something worthwhile for him to return to.

One hundred per cent behind you Kel.

[NAG]

If he was captain of this squad and four guys had totally let the rest of the squad down why did he not stand up and say that the rest of the committed players didnt want these four players on the squad?

Why does he wait until the damage is done in the year and then bring this up as an excuse and walk away?


seems to fit all nicely together when you look back.

[bannside]

Nag, the captains job is to lead by example, which Sean Kelly has always done. It is not his job to pick the team. In this case the management knew of the pre match booze up and I emphasize the Bot four were not the only ones drinking that night.

The management could have dealt with one or two, but six or seven drinking was too much for them to discipline, esp as they had culled the panel a few weeks earlier.

I can only imagine how disgusted S.Kelly was at their behaviour, but what were his choices? Should he have walked at that stage? You say he should have stood up and demanded the culprits should be thrown out. Now what sort of a hullaballoo would that have caused, a few weeks before the c`ship?

Instead he bottled down and gave the c`ship his best shot, but the team spirit was in rags, and in the end his choice was made easy with the diabolical, lifeless, and gutless second half display.

Sean Kelly has tough choices to make regarding the rest of his inter county career, but I would suggest tougher choices await Dr Mc Sparran, who has done nothing wrong in his tenure to date, and more importantly Jody Gormley who has now been fully exposed at this level.

[Maximus Marillius]

What experience had Jody Gromley prior to taking the county jib. I know he had managed his schoolteam of Abbey at senior schoolboy level and that he coached the Down senior squad...surely he had senior club experience of management?

[Our Nail Loney]

Loving the name 'The Bot Four' as if they are part of some political struggle!!

[Minder]

I love that there is always some other reason when Antrim get beat, it is never just the players are s*it.......

[NAG]

Bannside

He was captain and as such if he felt so strongly about the bot four then he should have stood over his principles then.

He doesnt pick the team but as a player and a leader he should be strong enough to say these guys dont respect you as a coach jody, me as their captain or the antrim public when they are doing this kind of thing so its time for a line in the sand!

[Two Hands FFS]

The soap opera that is Antrim GAA continues 

AZ Offaly should get on here & write a story on 'The Bot 4'......did they stay downstairs...in the front bar...or they did they go upstairs to the disca??

[bannside]

Jody wouldnt have any real top inter club management experience, due largely to the fact that he is still young enough to be playing himself for his club. His achievement at the Abbey was creditable, no doubt about that.

My own contacts, at the highest level, who worked close up with him when he was involved with Down, have always clouded my view. There were no tears spilt when he left, lets put it that way. Having said that I have not once in his two years made any negative comment about him on this forum or otherwise. I preferred to give him space to work his magic, and prove me wrong.

Even now I dont wish to get into a complete check list of where and how he failed, but any manager will be judged on the following, and this is only part of the story. Good man management, variation of training, a gameplan, consistency in disciplinary matters, motivation/mental/psychological, team bonding/team spirit, etc etc.

Its not for me to score the checklist, but I know for sure the dressing room is well and truly gone. Do I personally think Jody should go? Definitely yes. A good enough fitness coach, a nice enough fella, but under no circumstances should he be given longer to use my county as a place to serve his apprenticeship. Suit a decent club division two team in Derry or Down. For a few quid!

[Our Nail Loney]

NAME THE BOT FOUR!

[Our Nail Loney]

To help with Antrim fundraising for the Centre of Excellence:
Cage fight to the death. Casement Park. £20 entrance fee.

The Bot Four v The St.Gall's Four

Ask not what your county can do for you but what you can do for your county.

Yep, i would definitely pay for that! Far better value than Antrim Cavan anyway!!

[Gold]

So the Bot 4 are defo not any of the St Gall's 4 ??

Heard there was also 2 or 3 in the Eg that night and one who go knocked back from the Ray Parlour as he had no I.D.