Antrim Football Thread

[country bumpkin]

Think we led the way in development BS, and possibly one reason why were have current standing with training facilities up there with the best.

[Milltown Row2]

Think we led the way in development BS, and possibly one reason why were have current standing with training facilities up there with the best.

Well its finally paid off CB 😉.... We've the worst facilities in Antrim for a dual senior club... Hasn't really hurt us or stopped us attracting kids

[Kickham csc]

Think we led the way in development BS, and possibly one reason why were have current standing with training facilities up there with the best.

Well its finally paid off CB 😉.... We've the worst facilities in Antrim for a dual senior club... Hasn't really hurt us or stopped us attracting kids

In fairness CB, I wouldn't put Cargin's long term success down to the facilities, you have always had consistent and committed quality coaches, which as an outsider, would rate quite highly

[Milltown Row2]

Think we led the way in development BS, and possibly one reason why were have current standing with training facilities up there with the best.

Well its finally paid off CB 😉.... We've the worst facilities in Antrim for a dual senior club... Hasn't really hurt us or stopped us attracting kids

In fairness CB, I wouldn't put Cargin's long term success down to the facilities, you have always had consistent and committed quality coaches, which as an outsider, would rate quite highly

Long term success?  6 championships? It depends what you think long term success is I suppose.. Rossa st Johns would be what you'd call long term success though not lately 😉

[country bumpkin]

aye right MR2..........You do attract a lotta kids, but ur source is one of the most densely populated areas in Western Europe whilst Cargin, like our parish rivals from Moneyglass, and Creggan are relying on a much more limited supply base.........

[Milltown Row2]

aye right MR2..........You do attract a lotta kids, but ur source is one of the most densely populated areas in Western Europe whilst Cargin, like our parish rivals from Moneyglass, and Creggan are relying on a much more limited supply base.........

And Davitts have a wider base than us... Your point? On the Falls road alone you have 5/6 clubs further up the road you've 10 more clubs!! Add in all the other factors of the big smoke and that net gets smaller and smaller... I'd rather have a parish club than a city club

[curious]

number of kids recruited by a Club is not the issue, it's their sporting talent develoipment that makes the difference and that's where Saint Galls will be found short over the next number of years

[country bumpkin]

Tell me MR2......why do you think that Cargin are the only country club to have won a senior football championship in the past 60 years or so?
Serious question.

[Milltown Row2]

Tell me MR2......why do you think that Cargin are the only country club to have won a senior football championship in the past 60 years or so?
Serious question.

Because they only play one sport and can concentrate on that? Bit like the Loughgiels and Cushendalls of this world.. next question

[Milltown Row2]

number of kids recruited by a Club is not the issue, it's their sporting talent develoipment that makes the difference and that's where Saint Galls will be found short over the next number of years

We don't recruit them, they are attracted to the club, past players and relations, I'd say it would be impossible for any of our juvenile teams to not be heavily populated with relations to past players... as for the coaching and development we are doing alright... that great team we had for over 13 odd years was down to a coaching strategy that worked out really well... doesn't always work out like that... but that will happen again... these things come in cycles, most clubs get them, whether they get them for as long as that team did is another story...

We can't complain though, I think most clubs would be happy with that haul

[country bumpkin]

Well MR2.............Moneyglass, Casement's, Aldergrove, and Glenavy, just football......and Erin's Own did win their first county title in Hurling....consider the question again please.

[Milltown Row2]

Well MR2.............Moneyglass, Casement's, Aldergrove, and Glenavy, just football......and Erin's Own did win their first county title in Hurling....consider the question again please.

Is it because Belfast clubs produce better footballers?

Do Cargin have good coaches? and if so why have they won at least 2 (out of 6) championships with an outsider? like I have said. they have a wider parish than the rest, they are close to the Derry club teams and pre season challenge games would be of a higher tempo and better pre for start of new year, probably that's why they have won so many leagues ?

I'm bored I could go on all day.. tell me in your view why Cargin are the only club in over 60 years outside of the big smoke to win a championship at senior level?

[Spike]

Depends what facilities are available to the club as some are a nice to have rather than a necessity. Danger is that some people have the green eyed monster and think they need to get themselves into debt to keep up. if the talent isn't there then 4 training pitches isn't going to win championship. Dual clubs obviously have to schedule training sessions around the codes (but that can be overcomes), same goes with underage and camogie teams. Perhaps its a long term strategy the club itself has to set.  Moneyglass have set up a hurling team so if that goes as expected, they will need space. Cargin may have led the way in the SW but Creggan has a great set up, particularly if they can hold onto their old pitch.  Perhaps if Moneyglass or Portglenone are building new pitches they could get extra funding for a stand to accommodate a county championship match - casement looks like its years away

[Spike]

Well MR2.............Moneyglass, Casement's, Aldergrove, and Glenavy, just football......and Erin's Own did win their first county title in Hurling....consider the question again please.

Is it because Belfast clubs produce better footballers?

Do Cargin have good coaches? and if so why have they won at least 2 (out of 6) championships with an outsider? like I have said. they have a wider parish than the rest, they are close to the Derry club teams and pre season challenge games would be of a higher tempo and better pre for start of new year, probably that's why they have won so many leagues ?

I'm bored I could go on all day.. tell me in your view why Cargin are the only club in over 60 years outside of the big smoke to win a championship at senior level?

Cargin were in the doldrums for a long time but historically they wisely built upon a great minor team in the late sixties and a superb u21 side in the eighties. To be simplistic about it, Cargin have had one code to concentrate on, they benefit from the south derry schools competitive football system (but not exclusively), they have very committed football orientated families and have cultivated a competitive ethos over many years. They don't benefit from the transfer mentality that seems to prevail in Belfast and their players tend to stay involved for a decade or so. But in my mind, the single biggest difference in Cargin vs the other SW clubs is that, despite the numbers to choose from, almost all the underage boys in Cargin will turn out for the club. The percentage compared to other clubs such a portglenone, aldergrove, aghagallon etc is much higher. That gives an emotional buy-in to the club that I don't think exists in Belfast to the same extent nor in some of the other SW clubs.

[Spike]

Depends what you define as long term success obviously. St Galls have been excellent for 13 years but weren't in the discussion for the 10 before. Cargin have been there or thereabouts for 30 years now and while they haven't won as many as they should, they have always been the there or thereabouts. St Galls have had the longest cycle but St Pauls (mid to late 90's) and the Johnnies (on and off in the 80's & 90's) were there previously. Cargin have been through all of them and came back for more.  As CJ alluded to, every successful team needs a competitior and I don't think anyone could doubt Cargin have pushed St Galls along.