Antrim Football Thread

[CitySlicker11]

Who is left in the competition? Say if both these teams perhaps were missing four players would they still be clear favourites after this round?

[glens abu]

Well I see Crossen has it this morning in IN its a straight fight between Madden and Adams v The Baker boys.He has to be right sometime so hope its now as I have always felt we need a young Antrim team to take us forward and think Madden and Adams should be given a chance.Saffron through and through.The Baker for me has had his day,a good couple of years then went downhill but the big minus for me would be the inclusion of Paddy a man who huffs and puffs if things not going his way.Could be a recipe for disaster if Father and son got job. 

[Milltown Row2]

Well I see Crossen has it this morning in IN its a straight fight between Madden and Adams v The Baker boys.He has to be right sometime so hope its now as I have always felt we need a young Antrim team to take us forward and think Madden and Adams should be given a chance.Saffron through and through.The Baker for me has had his day,a good couple of years then went downhill but the big minus for me would be the inclusion of Paddy a man who huffs and puffs if things not going his way.Could be a recipe for disaster if Father and son got job.

I'd love to manage our seniors again, but would rather wait till it's a new batch of players or least 10 years since I looked after them. Baker should do the same. I think if Madden and Adams get it they'd be using different tactics that they wouldn't have been able to do with the squads they worked with before, I know Madden has worked elsewhere but he'd have better knowledge of Antrim players and employ a style of play to get Antrim out of that league and competing again, I hope

[optimus cheese]

Would take the IN with a big pinch of salt. Sure last week Pete McGrath was getting it 

[imtommygunn]

I'd like to see Madden and Adams. Madden has done some good things and I think it's inevitable that some day he will get the job. Adams seems to be willing as well.

As glens abu says Baker did a good job for a few years and has to be thanked for that but things were going downhill and were only masked by a win against a very mediocre Galway team. He did a great job getting us to the ulster final and up divisions etc though but I thought he took us as far as he could.

That and I wouldn't be convinced Paddy would have the temperament for management.

[glens abu]

Ok, so Adams has managed a mediocre St. John's team to mediocrity.

What about Madden? I remember reading the Derry thread where people were saying he disappointed them at the Loup? Where else has he been?

Hardstation to be fair they are both young men,I know Adams has had a few years at St.Johns but also gained a bit of experience with Antrim for a year.Madden has had a couple of years experience with Derry and I think he was also coach with Glenullin when they won Derry C'ship.

[Milltown Row2]

Ok, so Adams has managed a mediocre St. John's team to mediocrity.

What about Madden? I remember reading the Derry thread where people were saying he disappointed them at the Loup? Where else has he been?

Hardstation to be fair they are both young men,I know Adams has had a few years at St.Johns but also gained a bit of experience with Antrim for a year.Madden has had a couple of years experience with Derry and I think he was also coach with Glenullin when they won Derry C'ship.

Very difficult to manage a team in Antrim when Naomh Gall were (are) winning every championship going, even Cargin have brought in some cracking managers over the years and still couldn't do it. So managing in Antrim will always be judge on games won.

I think with all the best players available for selection the lads could give it a go and get the best out them, their hearts are all in the right place

[Minder]

I don't think you would be appointing Adams & Madden on what they have achieved as coaches, given their ages. You would be appointing them on their potential. It's not as if there are a pile of outstanding candidates being overlooked & let's face it the only place the footballers can go is up.

I believe it was SaffronSam2 that said Madden was running the show in Glenullin when he was there as part of Bradley's team when they won Derry in 2009.

[Tony Baloney]

I don't think you would be appointing Adams & Madden on what they have achieved as coaches, given their ages. You would be appointing them on their potential. It's not as if there are a pile of outstanding candidates being overlooked & let's face it the only place the footballers can go is up.

I believe it was SaffronSam2 that said Madden was running the show in Glenullin when he was there as part of Bradley's team when they won Derry in 2009.

Did you get lost when looking for the hurling thread?

[stibhan]

no wonder so many young lads turn their back on the game.

Aye, these young lads are definitely turning their backs on the game because they get suspended for fighting. Strange then that nothing has changed with regards these incidents in years of underage Antrim Football. I wasn't at the game between LD and St Johns so I'll have to take everyone on here's word for it but I sincerely hope that these suspensions, even if some of them are being called harsh, are indicative of sterner punishments for both disrespect to referees and off the ball incidents in the county across the board.

Far more people are put off Antrim football by a subculture of thuggery than this supposed mass pandemic of harsh underage suspensions.

[thecracken]

I was at the game and have watched this site all week about the incidents. the fighting yes I have definitely seen worse at games in the past, but be realistic I witnessed lads punching one another, mentors(Teachers) striking lads, lads getting punched and retaliating (as you would do). Fundamentally though why did the mentors run in to the first instance, the old excuse is going in to break it up, FFS when has that ever worked, and to often is used as an excuse to have a go. IMO if they had stayed out the situation would have quickly defused itself and we could have had and end to the game, which was extremely entertaining. What I will also say, I moved 3 times during the game to get away from groups of people hurling serious and foul abuse at the referee mainly, but also at the opposition, and again those situations personally could have sparked a complete free for all among the supporters which would have been 10 times more serious than what occurred on the pitch.

The GAA should bring a rule, or some club should table a motion for the next convention that mentors etc etc are not allowed over the line under any circumstances, only medical personnel have that authority. See how that works.

[jftj]

no wonder so many young lads turn their back on the game.

Aye, these young lads are definitely turning their backs on the game because they get suspended for fighting. Strange then that nothing has changed with regards these incidents in years of underage Antrim Football. I wasn't at the game between LD and St Johns so I'll have to take everyone on here's word for it but I sincerely hope that these suspensions, even if some of them are being called harsh, are indicative of sterner punishments for both disrespect to referees and off the ball incidents in the county across the board.

Far more people are put off Antrim football by a subculture of thuggery than this supposed mass pandemic of harsh underage suspensions.

Do you think refs should receive sterner punishment for disrespect?after all,there were loads of witnesses to duffys one finger salute?

[jftj]

Well I see Crossen has it this morning in IN its a straight fight between Madden and Adams v The Baker boys.He has to be right sometime so hope its now as I have always felt we need a young Antrim team to take us forward and think Madden and Adams should be given a chance.Saffron through and through.The Baker for me has had his day,a good couple of years then went downhill but the big minus for me would be the inclusion of Paddy a man who huffs and puffs if things not going his way.Could be a recipe for disaster if Father and son got job.

I think baker was very much a 1trick pony.antrims run to an ulster final owed a lot to his tactic of playing terry o,neill as a sweeper-playmaker.this role suited terry down to the ground and he played it perfectly(I think he picked up at least 1 man of match award).after this everybody had worked out how Antrim would set up and it never changed.madden and Adams would have the guile to notice this and plan accordingly.

[stibhan]

no wonder so many young lads turn their back on the game.

Aye, these young lads are definitely turning their backs on the game because they get suspended for fighting. Strange then that nothing has changed with regards these incidents in years of underage Antrim Football. I wasn't at the game between LD and St Johns so I'll have to take everyone on here's word for it but I sincerely hope that these suspensions, even if some of them are being called harsh, are indicative of sterner punishments for both disrespect to referees and off the ball incidents in the county across the board.

Far more people are put off Antrim football by a subculture of thuggery than this supposed mass pandemic of harsh underage suspensions.

Do you think refs should receive sterner punishment for disrespect?after all,there were loads of witnesses to duffys one finger salute?

This is a childish answer.

Refs giving spectators the finger is not a widespread issue in Antrim GAA and not the determining reason why we lose players to other sports. Neither is underage suspension. Cynical challenges, off-the-ball assault/mass brawls, bad coaching and bad administration is. Parents or whoever shouting abuse from the sidelines at the referee/underage players is also.

At no stage would I say that a ref flipping the bird is helpful either. But accounting for the frequency of such incidents and the actual harm that it did to the recipients (obviously they were acting in a gentlemanly manner throughout) I wouldn't make it a priority if I was in charge. I wish that I could say the same for what passes as 'physicality' for a lot of teams.

[thecracken]

no wonder so many young lads turn their back on the game.

Aye, these young lads are definitely turning their backs on the game because they get suspended for fighting. Strange then that nothing has changed with regards these incidents in years of underage Antrim Football. I wasn't at the game between LD and St Johns so I'll have to take everyone on here's word for it but I sincerely hope that these suspensions, even if some of them are being called harsh, are indicative of sterner punishments for both disrespect to referees and off the ball incidents in the county across the board.

Far more people are put off Antrim football by a subculture of thuggery than this supposed mass pandemic of harsh underage suspensions.

Do you think refs should receive sterner punishment for disrespect?after all,there were loads of witnesses to duffys one finger salute?

I must echoe the sentiments of stibhan, I was there didn't see the incident, cant comment on it but can comment as previous on the sustained abuse from certain sections for all of the game, which again I thought was excellent given the conditions. You do really seem to have it in for the referee, your continual focus on the supposed incident, poor taste it may be and ignore the behaviour of what I can only assume are colleagues, club mates of yours for well over 70 minutes of football?? What have you to say on that, and possibly posters may engage on the overall platform. Was it you that the referee gave it to allegedly?