Leinster Senior Hurling Championship 2020

[HURLING1]

Why hire managers from counties like Kerry and Kilkenny and then expect them to have no ambition.

[High Fielder]

I've often wondered the same HURLING. I suppose it ticks boxes, fits the budget and looks good. The problems start when the magician asks for a wand.

[Leixlad]

Lets be honest the county board have spent the last couple of days deciding what to do next in this situation to not make themselves look bad - they will not have given a thought to what was said or how to improve Laois hurling/football.
What Brennan said was 100% true and everyone knows it. Leaked accidentally my eye - Brennan was stitched up for publicity and personal gain. Im sure it was no surprise to any genuine Laois supporters - i didn't bat an eyelid when i heard it anyway. Was hardly breaking news.
I dont subscribe to the notion that the county board shouldn't be criticized because they "volunteer" - thats boll*cks. Volunteers or not they are responsible for the running of Laois GAA and if they are doing a bad job why shouldn't they be held accountable and criticized? Woops we made a mess of another generation of hurlers but its ok we are volunteers, dont worry we will have another group come along in a few years. Look at our environmentally friendly lights though.
I dont see any change coming from this - If men like Sugrue and Cheddar walked away that tells us everything we need to know.
Brennan will walk shortly, Quirke not far behind i would imagine and the cycle will start all over again. 

In 10 years time -
Remember the hurling team we had in 2019. We had some great days following them. Twice in Croke park that summer, TWICE! Laois hurlers in Croker. Knocked Dublin out on a magical day in Portlaoise. We were the talk of the country. On the news, in the papers. Ambitious panel and a good young manager. Rowland was robbed of an All Star, John Lennon was sweeper not a singer.
What ever happened them afterwards? County board made a balls of it, had no plan to back it up, no ideas to sustain success, wouldn't support the manager and eventually he walked as they had no ambition.

[High Fielder]

Great post Leixlad. John Lennon was a sweeper not a singer. Beauty.

[Laoisred]

Have to agree with Finbar above and indeed with most of what Eddie Brennan has said in the 'interview'. Its tough operating in a small backroom team when you have to fight (and ask) for every little thing you need. Having said that, you have to have some respect for those that employed you and it is clear that that is not there in this case. There is a potential solution in the short-term by having an additional liaison officer operating between the backroom team and the CB but that will only paper over the cracks. The real issue is that the ambitions of the current management don't align with those of the county board for hurling. (And of course there is the related issue of an uneven playing field when it comes to resources). It pretty much seems to be the same reason why John Sugrue and Cheddar left similar positions in the past: short-termism, no plan, no ambition

I know EB has many fans here, (especially in the local media) and throughout Laois but he needs to be challenged too - why has he continued with punditry, continuous media, social media etc etc throughout his term as manager of Laois? (none of the other managers except Davy Fitz do as much as him). Why won't so many of the players commit to a Laois hurling team under him ? Why were Laois so so bad two weeks ago versus Dublin? People have short memories. I'm not sure the CB (primarily those named in the interview) have the ability or stomach to challenge him constructively for the betterment of Laois hurling.

The upshot is that he will leave either now (if things can't be patched up) or next year, most likely for Dublin (given Corcoran's connections), or potentially for Wexford, where resources are not an issue. Laois will remain in and around the tallest of the dwarfs.

[BallyroanAbu]

Really shows a lot of lads on here have no real clue,  there is no Sugar Daddies out there willing to give money like Wooly and Eddie described.  Of course there is decent contributions made by Sponsors and Laois People.   However knocking the County Board like this won't encourage Sponsors to put more in.    If any of you remember the state of the County Finances and level of infrastructure in the early 2000's you might not be so quick to criticize.  There is a lot I don't agree with in regard to Laois Football & Hurling,  can we be improve ?  Of course we can.  Are the County Board making mistake the simple answer is yes,  but also are they generally doing a decent job the answer is yes.  Was Eddie Brennan angling to leave before the weekend ?  Our County Board does a decent enough job looking after the needs of Football & Hurling, does this hurt one or the other at times of course it does.  Eddie comes from Kilkenny which is a  one code county, others use Tipperary a county that is twice the size of Laois,  Wexford (Who have a mega backer whose not particularly interested in Football).  Let's be realistic.

[Laoisred]

My sense is that most of the posters on here have a very real clue of what is possible in today's world. Do you genuinely believe that 'Teneo' fell onto the laps of the Tipp County Board, or in counties as small as Laois - 'Abbvie' in Sligo or 'Investec' in Monaghan??. County Boards have worked for these and asked ex-pats/senior personnel in corporations to get involved. You only need one or perhaps two (in a dual county like Laois) to supplement what Matty Walsh has been doing. It is absolutely realistic !!

[Giovanni]

Yes, it is absolutely realistic. You have to work at it of course - as Laoisred says it won't fall into your lap - but it is possible.

By the way, I would also say that having one sugar daddy type sponsor is not the only way to increase available funds (although it is a realistic ambition). I would say that a bit of mobilisation of the Laois diaspora at home and abroad could yield good returns on an ongoing basis. Again, this requires time and effort but this is hardly an idea from the lunatic bin.

[blueandwhite1]

There are two issues:

- No money
- CB haven't a clue and don't give a f*&k. Never have. Too caught up in their little cliques. They do barely enough to keep the media from their door.

The first is hard for a small county but who here has been asked for any money? I was a member of the supporters club when it existed and I'm sure it was well subscribed. Would happily put my hand in my pocket again. You need an aggressive marketing mindset to raise funds. Are we aggressive with looking for more money - my hole.

On the CB delegates and chairpersons, if they gave a f**k and were doing their best you would forgive them as volunteers. If they are not putting the county board under pressure and driving things forward then they shouldn't be put forward by their clubs or should basically f&@k off. There is a general mantra out there that there is no point in trying to break it up and change the culture but ffs, if we have that attitude then we will never be any good.

[BallyroanAbu]

There are two issues:

- No money
- CB haven't a clue and don't give a f*&k. Never have. Too caught up in their little cliques. They do barely enough to keep the media from their door.

The first is hard for a small county but who here has been asked for any money? I was a member of the supporters club when it existed and I'm sure it was well subscribed. Would happily put my hand in my pocket again. You need an aggressive marketing mindset to raise funds. Are we aggressive with looking for more money - my hole.

On the CB delegates and chairpersons, if they gave a f**k and were doing their best you would forgive them as volunteers. If they are not putting the county board under pressure and driving things forward then they shouldn't be put forward by their clubs or should basically f&@k off. There is a general mantra out there that there is no point in trying to break it up and change the culture but ffs, if we have that attitude then we will never be any good.

Lad's nobody stopping you going forward to change this whole corrupt system.  You seem to have all answers I breathlessly await what your going to do. I don't remember the County Board insulting Eddie Brennan, would you be so forgiving if it was the other way round ?

[blueandwhite1]

There are two issues:

- No money
- CB haven't a clue and don't give a f*&k. Never have. Too caught up in their little cliques. They do barely enough to keep the media from their door.

The first is hard for a small county but who here has been asked for any money? I was a member of the supporters club when it existed and I'm sure it was well subscribed. Would happily put my hand in my pocket again. You need an aggressive marketing mindset to raise funds. Are we aggressive with looking for more money - my hole.

On the CB delegates and chairpersons, if they gave a f**k and were doing their best you would forgive them as volunteers. If they are not putting the county board under pressure and driving things forward then they shouldn't be put forward by their clubs or should basically f&@k off. There is a general mantra out there that there is no point in trying to break it up and change the culture but ffs, if we have that attitude then we will never be any good.

Lad's nobody stopping you going forward to change this whole corrupt system.  You seem to have all answers I breathlessly await what your going to do. I don't remember the County Board insulting Eddie Brennan, would you be so forgiving if it was the other way round ?

They wouldn't have the gumption to insult Eddie and unlike them, he gives a damn about how our lads are treated.

I'm a nobody. The names that need to go forward, if they can get over the neanderthals that run some of our clubs, are people with clout and reputation. I will happily put my hand in my pocket and agitate with people who have names in the county but that is about the limits of what I can do.

[High Fielder]

BA sounds like a delegate to me. Or was one. Or wants to be one. Free parking. Free entry. Sandwiches and tea at half time. Cosy

[High Fielder]

The local media have had their say. We need to be good boys and girls and stop slagging off the CB. There is no way Santy comes to those who talk bad about the great volunteers in the CB.

On a serious note, I read Laois Today every day. I have to say I have nothing but admiration for the commitment and output from their team. I don't agree with a lot of what they say about the CB in particular, but that's fine, they have to get on with them and I don't. In my opinion, forums and social media, as long as they don't get personal, have their place in any discussion. The world would be a boring place if our opinions were shaped by others, and it's fairly obvious that many on here agree with Eddie Brennan and Wooly

[redsetanta]

It's easy for us to give our opinion here. Maybe CB members read it maybe they don't. If people are serious about wanting to hold on to Eddie Brennan or express their opinion on the matter then it makes more sense to email the CB directly. Not to have a go or slag them off but to put across their reason as to why Eddie should be kept on. They won't have much of an idea about any support for keeping him if it's just on Facebook, this forum or whatsapp.

[High Fielder]

Ah come on red. It's fairly obvious that getting rid of Brennan would be unpopular. Even those who defend the CB at every turn would acknowledge that, surely? I know we can be hot headed in Laois, but that would be bringing our stubbornness to a different level. The two sides need to get together and see what can be done. If Eddie can't get what he needs, for his own sake, he should walk. Just my opinion