Antrim Football Thread

[Points a Good Score]

Id like the brutally honest one if its available, I was playing a challenge match last night for my club otherwise I would have attended as well, I have played at that level before and appreciate that support bar parents is often fleeting so try and get where possible.

From what I can see its seemed a relatively young team which could possibly bode well for the future, I'd also have thought looking through the substitutes that Conall Delargy and Padraig Mackle would have been worth there place both consistent performers for their respective club sides. Then again its possible they weren't going well at training or what not.

[country bumpkin]

Gotta agree with BS............and the old adage, 'fail to prepare, prepare to fail' does spring to mind.
Derry via Mc Cusker and Muldoon, had trial games to enlighten as to potential over the winter months and involved around 100 players to come up with their panel, and then proceeded to have several challenge games in preparation.
Were Derry superior as the Irish News as their intrepid reporter Mr Mullan would suggest..........Sure the Dungiven based Mullan is and has always been completely unbiased..........
We all welcomed the new regime in our county with three loud cheers, but hey the senior footballers having to get up in the middle of the night for a trip to London and expected to perform and the production of an under-21 team which was quite obviously lacking in preparation for the task demanded in championship fare may give hint that nothing changes in our county.

[bannside]

Brutally honest Id be wary of Points... because to do so would undermine the efforts of management and players who were all out there doing their best. But I will make a few points that are fairly obvious.

Firstly we were well beaten off the pitch. Derry have made U-21 football some kind of priority. They are investing in it. They have a director of football (Brian Mc Ivor) and all the components in place for a well oiled machine. They have a sponsor who punts in large money to back up their strategic plan. We dont have a plan. Any plan.

They have stats men, GPS cardio tracking, food after training, coaches from Belfast twice weekly to and from Owenbeg. They have gear for 40 players. They have three county players (legends) along the line. They had no less than 15 challenge games plus their "in house games" which were every bit as competitive amongst probables and possibles. All opportunities to develop a system of play.

We had nothing like this, not even close. In fact allowing for all this we got within 5 points, which tells me this might have been another one that got away. We lost 4 players to work commitments or injury.  I know one player who walked off the panel because of what he called a St Endas love in. He predicted what was coming down the track. Six players from a club that was a kick of a ball away from  playing division three this year is not going at all down easily amongst quite a few of the players who felt they were overlooked.

You mentioned Conall Delargy and Paudie Mackle. I dont know how on earth Mackle didnt start the game. Thats a personal opinion. He got three or four minutes at the end. A pure insult to the lad. Conall Delargy had treatment for an ankle injury and was told he was starting but felt he wasnt going well in the warm up and was honest enough to say that. Has a match for the club tonight and will sit that out too.

So...where do we go from here. No point in blaming the new Board. They have other priorities and we can only assume some kind of football review is imminent. If not we will bring it to their table. No point in blaming management - they put their hands up at least and gave it their best shot. No point in blaming the players - they know what the Derry players were getting and stuck with it manfully. The truth is we should blame OURSELVES.

What we need is a plan solely for football development. A specific appointment like Brian Mc Ivor (an Antrim man) to oversee it. A business community (or at least individuals) to get behind it. A committee to oversee essential criteria before making managerial appointments. A check list from county board in terms of essential support.

This is OUR priority. We`re to blame. We have to fix it.

[Points a Good Score]

Bannside when you see it down there in black and white its frightening how far behind we are in terms of preparation if even we could obtain half of the professionalism of other set ups to begin with we would surely improve.

Your comment that resonates most with me is in terms of the Derry management, as you rightly say 3 Derry 'legends', now I don't personally know the Antrim management team and am in no way trying to devalue their contribution but why is it that Ex Antrim players don't want to be or aren't asked to be involved with our teams. Gearoid as we are all aware is in with the Seniors and I know Sean Kelly and Terry O'Neill are in with the development squads but surely they are many more out there who's expertise we could be availing of? How do we get them interested and on board?

Sponsorship is massive as well, its takes alot of money to run successful county teams how to we make ourselves a more attractive sponsorship opportunity, if I was a successful businessman with a pot of cash ready to invest in sponsorship I would not be running to the county board with it as it is not a sensible investment right now, what with Casement and Dunsilly amongst other matters most press about Antrim GAA lately has been negative.

Whilst you are spot on about a Director of Football and a Football specific committee with the best will in the world these things will not happen without the proper resources and will again come down to money to implement proper structures.

On the current committee I think given time they will resolve alot of these issues and start to push us in the right direction again the main problem I see is that they are having to pool so many of their resources and experience into Casement etc that Football and Hurling at both senior and developmental stage are down the list of things to do.

On the playing side of things id commend Conall Delargy for being honest enough to withdraw as many would have tried to plod on to the detriment of themselves and the team. Ive seen Mackle play many times and is right up their with the best Under 21's in the county in my opinion. On the St Endas issue I dont know all the lads so cant comment on their indivdual abilities but it would be worrying if we are losing players to perceived favoritism within squads.

All in all another disappointing result that will no doubt just become another statistic next year, no Under 21 wins in 11 years

[bannside]

Cant argue with any of that Points. I have a lot of faith in the personnel on the new regime and its only fair to recognise that they have a lot of priorities right now and how we play football in three or four years is not anywhere near the top of that list.

I have had a chat with one or two of them informally and I do believe there can be a meeting of minds to kick start something in the not too distant future. So we can keep our eyes on that. But ultimately, this needs to be instigated so thats a plan of sorts at the minute.

Re selection, if our system allows two selectors out of three to come from St Endas, and those selectors have been associated with those same St Endas players since under fourteens, then we get what we deserve. I dont blame the players. All they want to do is play. I blame the system. But its heartbreaking to see such blatant favouritism at that level. Unbelievable really. Everyone I spoke to after the match was talking about it, even Derry men.

[Milltown Row2]

Cant argue with any of that Points. I have a lot of faith in the personnel on the new regime and its only fair to recognise that they have a lot of priorities right now and how we play football in three or four years is not anywhere near the top of that list.

I have had a chat with one or two of them informally and I do believe there can be a meeting of minds to kick start something in the not too distant future. So we can keep our eyes on that. But ultimately, this needs to be instigated so thats a plan of sorts at the minute.

Re selection, if our system allows two selectors out of three to come from St Endas, and those selectors have been associated with those same St Endas players since under fourteens, then we get what we deserve. I dont blame the players. All they want to do is play. I blame the system. But its heartbreaking to see such blatant favouritism at that level. Unbelievable really. Everyone I spoke to after the match was talking about it, even Derry men.

What was the score lines the last few years against Derry, in general at most levels?? My point is if the best managers in Ireland took the Antrim teams we'd still get what we deserve... No prep no wins, regardless of who the mangers are or if they are mainly from one club....

[country bumpkin]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

[Milltown Row2]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

We've crap facilities and we've done alright 

[paddyjohn]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

We've crap facilities and we've done alright 

Aye but you've an Ulster select.. 

[Milltown Row2]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

We've crap facilities and we've done alright 

Aye but you've an Ulster select.. 

Well if you believe that then you know nowt about us.... Look at your own club, everyone isn't without the odd outsider... 

[paddyjohn]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

We've crap facilities and we've done alright 

Aye but you've an Ulster select.. 

Well if you believe that then you know nowt about us.... Look at your own club, everyone isn't without the odd outsider... 

I jest! Knew I'd get a reaction.

[Milltown Row2]

As I said MR2 and daring to repeat the words of Mr Franklin....Failing to prepare etc, and not getting at management facilities for training in our county are just non-existent............Jeez we haven't got a county ground to facilitate at present and those clubs like ourselves are quite unable to lend/hire our floodlit training grounds as there is a huge demand from within.
We have been leading a nomadic existence for as long as I can remember as far as training facilities go and perhaps such is a part of our general situation.
My own club has led the way in the provision of facilities within (two pitches, one with floodlighting, and an all weather astro turf facility) and perhaps such is a factor in why we have remained there or thereabouts for quite a time now

We've crap facilities and we've done alright 

Aye but you've an Ulster select.. 

Well if you believe that then you know nowt about us.... Look at your own club, everyone isn't without the odd outsider... 

I jest! Knew I'd get a reaction.

You reacted first no? I also put up a smiley 

[bannside]

Ive had quite a lot of personal feedback (phone calls etc) from the few paragraphs I put on here yesterday about the U-21 match. I had one communication from a St Endas clubman who I have a lot of time for, who thought I was a fair bit out of order.  Everyone else I spoke to, from three or four different clubs were either gobsmacked about Mackle, or how Cormac Murray wasnt even on the bench, or how such and such got game time ahead of someone else, or how come a certain player was roasted all night and wasnt taken off..... those were the recurring themes.

I should point out I am not attempting to minimize or downgrade the efforts of any player or any member of the management team. Everyone was doing their best on a far from level playing field from Derrys preparation, so getting within 5 points is testimony to a lot of good quality work going on, and I know for a fact the players liked Gerard Mc Nultys training.

There are lessons to be learned if we hope to close that five point gap. Thats my only real concern to be honest. Wednesday night has come and gone...how can it be improved for next year? Or we can gloss it all off and think were doing fine!

[theskull1]

Where there's a will there's a way to do many things bannside. In Antrim we run out of willing bodies just that bit quicker than any county I can think of. 

[bannside]

If there was an all ireland for apathy we would win hands down.

However I do believe Football People in the county need to stand up. Our budget allocation each year is traditionally much less than the hurlers. Why? And if the county was to invite a think tank to come up with a few recommendations or some meaningful plan that can be taken forward, then I do believe people would step up and come up with a plan that can be implemented. A plan that can be sold to a couple of dozen businesses.

That's basic stuff. But I do have some confidence an initiative like this is not too far away. But maybe it needs "bumped" a bit.