Gaelic Football RIP

Started by High Fielder, July 21, 2018, 06:37:09 PM

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thewobbler

Quote from: High Fielder on July 22, 2018, 11:22:38 AM
Bite the bullet and go professional. The best players in the country, irrespective of where their from, need to have access to the highest levels of the game. That will never happen with the county system. I don't know of any other sport where your address dictates what you can potentially achieve. There are some very good footballers in smaller counties who have to be wondering why they bother, and there's nothing they can do about it. We do our best hyping up what we have, but in some cases it's like asking Fleetwood to compete with a Manchester United and then some critics saying well they need to up their game. It's all got very boring

Anytime this idea is brought up, I point people towards two competitions: the now deceased Railway Cup and the Sigerson Cup.

Technically the Railway Cup is the highest possible level of Gaelic Football. And it could even tap into provincial loyalties as they have in rugby. Yet although the absolute cream of crop played in it throughout the noughties, crowds decreased to sizes smaller than the number of competitors.

Meanwhile, the Sigerson Cup, is clearly the second highest form of football in Ireland. It enjoys significant investment, high-profile coaches, outstanding training facilities. And it should be able to tap into extensive loyalty in the form of former players and general alumni. The end result? Crowds on average smaller than an intermediate club league match.

——

What am I getting at here?

GAA fans go to watch their club and their county. They rarely go to watch any given individual, and even when a Harlem Globetrotters style team is pulled together a la Ulster in the early noughties, nobody gives one flying f**k.

The only potential avenue for professionalism in the GAA would be to bin the county system as 32 teams wouldn't be sustainable, and as such, transfers would be required.... at which point the county system would be naturally destroyed.

At which point the question would really need to be ask about where these pro teams would actually play.

I would confidently predict that Professionalism in the GAA would have the same shelf life as the Tommy Murphy Cup.


smelmoth

The chances of professionalism being the answer to the games ills are NIL. Why? Because the chances of professionalism working at all are Nil.

Think of some lad who has the chance of getting a slot as he 3rd choice goalkeeper in the Franchise Squad based in Galway? How much would he get paid for his professional efforts and foregoing any other career or job?

Professional team sport takes care of kids years before the play a top flight game and compensates them for the fact that on retirement they have reduced skills and earning capacity for the everyday labour market.

It will not work

RedHand88

The money just is not there to pay so many players a salary. Would take a serious outside investment.

smelmoth

Quote from: RedHand88 on July 22, 2018, 12:55:22 PM
The money just is not there to pay so many players a salary. Would take a serious outside investment.

10 franchises with squads of 40 (from junior apprentice to superstar) and an average all in cost of employment of €75k (including paying out the contracts of injured and out of form players) requires an annual investment of €30m.

Who would watch it? What would the amateurs play?

RedHand88

Quote from: smelmoth on July 22, 2018, 01:03:40 PM
Quote from: RedHand88 on July 22, 2018, 12:55:22 PM
The money just is not there to pay so many players a salary. Would take a serious outside investment.

10 franchises with squads of 40 (from junior apprentice to superstar) and an average all in cost of employment of €75k (including paying out the contracts of injured and out of form players) requires an annual investment of €30m.

Who would watch it? What would the amateurs play?

The day they scrap they county system is the day I stop watching. So many people have immense pride in their county and the idea of cheering for a franchise spread across several counties is the day the game dies.

inthrough

Quote from: RedHand88 on July 22, 2018, 12:55:22 PM
The money just is not there to pay so many players a salary. Would take a serious outside investment.

Loose change to Sky, you would also have "franchises" based across the water & they would sell it big time worldwide to the Irish.

They have done it with rugby & cricket already not to mention soccer in the USA.

High Fielder

I won't disagree with any of the above. I could fully understand the indifference towards a non community based team. But the fact remains that we repeat what we do in one way or another year after year and because of many different factors, it cannot change. I have no interest in the status quo and unless you're from one of the elite counties, I don't know how you could get excited about the way things are. I loved me County and would follow them anywhere, and small triumphs mean a lot. But in an overall context, I'm losing interest

ardtole

I have to agree high fielder. I never thought I would ever say it, but county football is getting harder and harder to watch.

Jinxy

And yet, I'm genuinely enjoying this game in Newbridge.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

mrdeeds

Quote from: Jinxy on July 22, 2018, 02:18:47 PM
And yet, I'm genuinely enjoying this game in Newbridge.

Excellent game. Enjoyed last nights Dublin and Tyrone game and also a pleasure to watch Murphy's performance.

ONeill

I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

mrdeeds


longballin

Quote from: ONeill on July 22, 2018, 02:50:19 PM
Game has couped though.

has but this weekend has been better

Fear ón Srath Bán

Probably a premature obituary - keep her in the can lad. ;)
Carlsberg don't do Gombeenocracies, but by jaysus if they did...

High Fielder

A few good games a year does not make a Championship. And if it does, we can eliminate all that has gone before and cut straight to the Super 8's.