Antrim Football Thread

[paddyjohn]

Surley theres a rake of Mammies somewhere busting to make aload of sandwiches?

Anything but egg n onion..

[JimStynes]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

[Milltown Row2]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

And did we play shit because of it??

[Jeepers Creepers]

I'd say he still gets a wear out of the Fruit of the Loom top. You know what them Aghagallon boys are like.

its now says ' uit of the loo'

[Milltown Row2]

Time to get the camper van out and make a few quid! Just follow the county teams about and make some pastie baps !

Was on the way down to Kilkenny a while back and the Antrim footballers where heading to Offaly on the Saturday, they managed to get food from the Applegreen at Lusk, they looked well hydrated and nourished...

Didn't do them any good!

[country bumpkin]

Take a walk up the Falls road on Saturday morning or in Andytown and you will see a lot of young lads kitted out in their soccer club garb, where they are treated well, and no wonder we lose them with the attitude forthcoming from some.
When was the last year South Antrim won nothing at all in football as in 2017....oh wait they did earn a div 3 league title and just for the craic when did they last take a senior hurling title back home to Belfast ?
Our games or most certainly on the wane in the second largest city in Ireland both in able participation and indeed as spectators......and few it seems care.

[JimStynes]

I'd say he still gets a wear out of the Fruit of the Loom top. You know what them Aghagallon boys are like.

It was during the time that Trevor Giles cut the sleeves off his tops. So of course we all cut the sleeves off our tops and played the tournament like Trevor Giles. We did get fed that day though 

[JimStynes]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

And did we play shit because of it??

No but as a 16-18 year old you do look on in envy. Young lads don't have the same attitude as fellas in their 30s and talk about playing for the pride of the jersey. Of course pride of playing for their county plays a part, but if they don't think they're getting treated the same as their mates in other counties then of course they're not going try as hard. I don't see why fellas on the underage county teams can't get socks, shorts and a training top ffs. How do other counties do it?

[Milltown Row2]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

And did we play shit because of it??

No but as a 16-18 year old you do look on in envy. Young lads don't have the same attitude as fellas in their 30s and talk about playing for the pride of the jersey. Of course pride of playing for their county plays a part, but if they don't think they're getting treated the same as their mates in other counties then of course they're not going try as hard. I don't see why fellas on the underage county teams can't get socks, shorts and a training top ffs. How do other counties do it?

Funding

[JimStynes]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

And did we play shit because of it??

No but as a 16-18 year old you do look on in envy. Young lads don't have the same attitude as fellas in their 30s and talk about playing for the pride of the jersey. Of course pride of playing for their county plays a part, but if they don't think they're getting treated the same as their mates in other counties then of course they're not going try as hard. I don't see why fellas on the underage county teams can't get socks, shorts and a training top ffs. How do other counties do it?

Funding

I've seen a couple of teams getting their training kits sponsored and put on fb. Surely there is a business in the county that could sponsor the minor training kit, another that would sponsor the under 16s etc.

[Milltown Row2]

Take a walk up the Falls road on Saturday morning or in Andytown and you will see a lot of young lads kitted out in their soccer club garb, where they are treated well, and no wonder we lose them with the attitude forthcoming from some.
When was the last year South Antrim won nothing at all in football as in 2017....oh wait they did earn a div 3 league title and just for the craic when did they last take a senior hurling title back home to Belfast ?
Our games or most certainly on the wane in the second largest city in Ireland both in able participation and indeed as spectators......and few it seems care.

Honestly are we still going on about how the SW has won all the cups??

When you take a walk up the Falls the next time come down to Milltown Row and you'll probably see our ladies playing on one pitch hurlers on the other and senior footballers come off after training... Saturday mornings the pitches are full... no Celtic tops either unlike other clubs 

[Milltown Row2]

I remember playing against Derry in the first round of an under 16 or minor tournament. They turned up in full tracksuits, bags, full kits etc. We ran out with our club gear on and these fruit of the loom yellow t-shirts. All the other teams we played that day were very similar and we were the poor relations. That was a right while ago and things still haven't changed. Saying that it will take a while for this current committee to change things, so will have to give them a chance.

And did we play shit because of it??

No but as a 16-18 year old you do look on in envy. Young lads don't have the same attitude as fellas in their 30s and talk about playing for the pride of the jersey. Of course pride of playing for their county plays a part, but if they don't think they're getting treated the same as their mates in other counties then of course they're not going try as hard. I don't see why fellas on the underage county teams can't get socks, shorts and a training top ffs. How do other counties do it?

Funding

I've seen a couple of teams getting their training kits sponsored and put on fb. Surely there is a business in the county that could sponsor the minor training kit, another that would sponsor the under 16s etc.

Not sure of the the sponsorship deals the county has so can't comment on that but within most clubs the sponsorship runs through to all teams and they can't use other sponsorship..

[Belfast GAA man]

Here's a thought I put on another thread but perhaps this is the thread of it:
Belfast GAA had Casement as a jewel in the crown for over 50 years. Due to an Ulster Council run project we have not had Casement for 5 years and likely to be out of commission for another 3 to5 years. Antrim/Belfast GAA doesn't have many things going for it but the honour of playing in Casement was one of them - Should the Ulster Council be paying Antrim GAA for the loss of our historic and iconic venue for a 8 to10 year period? Money we could use to make a new Belfast GAA home in Woodlands or Boucher Road pitches...

[BrendanAntrim]

Why an 8 - 10 year period? Why not for a 25 year period, or for all time? Casement is our pitch, standing on our land, built with money raised by Antrim Gaels. I presume it won't just be handed over for a 'thanks lads'.

[Hectic]

Kit and food are not essential to produce good footballers and hurlers though I appreciate with the like of primary school children they do enjoy a treat attached to involvement and would not leave any party without a party bag. 

If money is tight you look at the essential spend - if money is plentiful then you can look at treating your players to plenty of kit and set up a nutrition program which you yourself implement on match days and even around trainings. 

If food is being provided, as CB pointed out for the U17 and Minor teams in Tyrone then maybe it would be good to go the extra step and organise it to be served at an appropriate time but this is just a minor tweek to what is in place with it already been laid on but maybe not fully thought through.

But seriously, 20+ years ago the idea of getting loads of kit and all your nutrition would have been fairly alien and certainly not something that folk would have had in their sights when attending county trials - so what is changed?  I would suggest that we have reached a stage when a lot of our young lads have been pampered and pandered to to the point they are almost calling the shots.  Yes there is competition from other sports but by the time guys are 16+ they should be past the stage of making their decisions based on a kit bag.