Messages

Yeah. So minor success has nothing to do with money, because Dubs never win minor.

But U20 is all about money, because Dubs are quite successful at that level. Except, when someone else wins it, it's nothing to do with money.

Maybe, it's just because we have the best players.
Maybe it's because Stephen Cluxton is the greatest keeper of all time.
Maybe it's because Stephen Cluxton is the hardest working goalkeeper of all time.
Maybe it's because Dean Rock is the best freetaker.
Maybe it's because Mannion and Con are just awesome

Kerry are going to knock us off our perch. But until then, either enjoy our brilliance , or suck it up

5 in a row. Never been done before. You have to hand it to the lads. Hard work.

This fella still spouting absolute sh1te. Dublin GAA have won about 110 Leinster, All Ireland and National league titles in women's football, men's football and hurling and men's underage football and hurling since 2001. They won 29 titles in the 18 years prior to this. This huge increase occured at the same time millions of euros was pumped into Dublin GAA. This is the reason for the increase. Don't believe the bullsh1t from fellas like this and others like the president of the GAA.

Absolutely. Dublin have always had periods of Leinster dominance and this decade is the most dominant they have been in football. Coincided with, until the last couple of years, a drop in standards in the other top Leinster teams. Why Kildare and Meath haven't been as good as Mayo and Kerry and Donegal and Tyrone over the last decade is for another  thread. But that's changing and I think we'll see both as regulars in Division 1 over the next decade.

But despite pricey's childish ramblings (and complete lies mixed in), the games development funding has very little to do with why Dublin's elite players are so good.

Now I've learnt to put him on ignore so I no longer have to read his ramblings (he has absolutely zero knowledge of what happens on the ground in Dublin, so just makes up lies to justify his nonsense). I realise there are plenty who lap up the nonsense that pricey and Spewan dish out, but for anyone who is interested in what actually happens, you should read this article. Its purpose, seemingly, was to expose how the Games Development Funding has turned Dublin into a great senior team. And while there was a bit of plamasing at the start re this funding, it ended up going into great detail (from country people involved in Dublin clubs) about the actual real primary reasons.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/columnists/kieran-shannon/the-kieran-shannon-interview-the-real-jackanory-behind-dublins-perfect-storm-942964.html

All you can do is laugh at this f**king spoofer! Here are a quote from the article he linked to:

"I went back the following year to an U15 development squad(late 90's). And if you were to compare the quality of player coming through then to the U13s now, the difference is night and day. Kids were coming into us without the basic skills. They were kick-passing a five-yard pass instead of hand-passing it but their instinct was to kick it along the ground. So they obviously hadn't been exposed to any level of coaching.

I look now at U14 football in Dublin and the standard of football in the county is phenomenal. The level of individual skill the players have, the level of coaching teams, it's incomparable to the late '90s, early '00s. And a big reason why is obviously the GDO system going into Dublin."

Lads, the game had moved on from the dark days of the 70's. Back then it was 2 teams competing for All Ireland's. Standards started increasing across the country. The late 80's, 90's and early 00's saw Ulster counties making breakthroughs, Connacht counties became competitive at All Ireland level, I've already shown that Leinster counties were improving, same in Munster. In fact, since 1990, 21 different counties won provincial titles and 10 different counties won All Ireland's. It wasn't perfect but Gaelic Football was in good order. The inter county championships were open and vibrant.

Everybody should have been happy with this? You'd think so but Dublin were not. 1 All Ireland since 1983 wasn't good enough for them. They didn't like seeing other counties winning Leinster titles. So what did they do? They looked for answers and their findings stated that getting professional coaches involved was the only way forward. They went begging to their man in the Department of Finance. The amounts Bertie granted them and so forth have been well publicised but just think about how sneaky, underhand and corrupt this move was.

Dublin had won an All Ireland in 1995, they won 4 Leinster titles in the 90's and 4 in the 80's. Most counties could only dream of this but since Dublin hadn't won Leinster since 1995, they felt they needed to do something in the late 90's. They were seeing other counties push ahead, they hated Meath for example, they hated seeing Kildare compete at the top. They were seeing themselves slip into the pack. They'd have done anything to change this and competing fairly went out the window. The money has changed the course of history.

Dublin have now destroyed the Leinster championship, it's completely dead. They're doing the same to the All Ireland championship. It's not just men's football either. Women's football, underage football and hurling, senior hurling and club football and hurling have seen dramatic and unprecedented change with Dublin teams improving beyond recognition. It really is a shameful period for our games and it should be investigated fully.

You again want to limit it to the games development money. I've told you numerous times now, the games development money has played a key role in all of this but it's only one part in the doping of Dublin. The money was freed up elsewhere and Dublin have spent it on many other areas including senior team preparation and everything this involves. This was enough to improve from losing to Westmeath and Laois to beating teams of that standard at the start. They were still getting bad beatings off teams outside Leinster but they slowly were closing the gap. It took a huge influx of players that came through the multi million euro system to push them to All Ireland contenders. This is not the first time I've had to clear things up for you and more than likely it won't be the last.

So before the games development funding Laois and Westmeath were beating Dublin?

What's the figures, Laois beat us twice in championship in about 40 years, Westmeath once? That's awesome analysis. I'm really glad you cleared that up. Now, there's probably not many that listen to you anyway, but you've removed all doubt about your gombeenism.

2004 - Westmeath beat Dublin
2003 - Laois beat Dublin

You have it now alright. That was a great win by Laois in 2003.
Their first Leinster since 1946. The money must have started coming in from 1947, eh?  Those dastardly Dubs.

One of the most pathetic, weak, sorry excuses for an argument I've ever seen. You are a joke. 

Can only imagine the shite that would be on this thread from the board moron if Dublin had won and had 4 or 5 Minor All Stars!

How is the games development funding failing so badly?
Maybe down to the funds go to participation and have nothing to do with the elite panels!

The ladies will be getting it next week if they win 3 in a row. Cork win something like 10 out of 11 All Irelands and they're just great. But if Dublin happen to win 3 in a row it'll be catastrophic!!

Up the duckin fubs!

This is desperate stuff. Employees of Dublin GAA who've worked for 2 decades speak about how much of a difference the professional coaches have made to elite level standards, the change between the 90's and now is like night and day they say. The development squads have players going into them with all the skills, this wasn't the way pre doping. This has had an effect for Dublin male football but also hurling and as you say Ladies football.

Ok, so it's clear you find it hard to comprehend simple sentences so I'll give you some visual aids. This shows the increase in titles from the same period pre doping to the same period post doping. It's for men's, women's, underage and club titles. Even you can understand this one:

You again want to limit it to the games development money. I've told you numerous times now, the games development money has played a key role in all of this but it's only one part in the doping of Dublin. The money was freed up elsewhere and Dublin have spent it on many other areas including senior team preparation and everything this involves. This was enough to improve from losing to Westmeath and Laois to beating teams of that standard at the start. They were still getting bad beatings off teams outside Leinster but they slowly were closing the gap. It took a huge influx of players that came through the multi million euro system to push them to All Ireland contenders. This is not the first time I've had to clear things up for you and more than likely it won't be the last.

So before the games development funding Laois and Westmeath were beating Dublin?

What's the figures, Laois beat us twice in championship in about 40 years, Westmeath once? That's awesome analysis. I'm really glad you cleared that up. Now, there's probably not many that listen to you anyway, but you've removed all doubt about your gombeenism.

2004 - Westmeath beat Dublin
2003 - Laois beat Dublin

Leinsters were being divided amongst Westmeath, Laois, Meath, Kildare, Offaly and Dublin. A wide open championship. Is it wide open now? No, what are the average winning margins for Dublin? Compare that to the Leinster championship pre doping. I think it will sink in eventually.

Free remedial lessons for our special student hound.

Huh? I wasn't aware that I had been making any sort of a point.
I gave a  few pertinent stats, pertinent to the current state of football in Leinster, and left it up to the readers to draw their own conclusions.
It's very obvious that you have done that and you see no connection at all between that fact that Dublin started getting massive injections of cash in 2004 and the fact that it has won 15 out of a total of 16 titles since then.

So Dublin won Leinster in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

I would love know how exactly the games development funding money that we got from 2004 delivered these 5 Leinsters in a row? It could hardly be coincidence! Could it???

"In order to avail of funding, the clubs linked in with the local schools, sharing their coach with their new partners. By 2001, the grants aimed at increasing grassroots participation were allocated through the Irish Sports Council, with the backing of the GAA."

So that's how we won Leinster in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 ??
Amazing.
Or horseshit.
Take your pick.

I was just showing you that you were talking sh1te again. You should be showing me some gratitude. You're clueless on this topic and I'm giving you free education.

You again want to limit it to the games development money. I've told you numerous times now, the games development money has played a key role in all of this but it's only one part in the doping of Dublin. The money was freed up elsewhere and Dublin have spent it on many other areas including senior team preparation and everything this involves. This was enough to improve from losing to Westmeath and Laois to beating teams of that standard at the start. They were still getting bad beatings off teams outside Leinster but they slowly were closing the gap. It took a huge influx of players that came through the multi million euro system to push them to All Ireland contenders. This is not the first time I've had to clear things up for you and more than likely it won't be the last. 

Huh? I wasn't aware that I had been making any sort of a point.
I gave a  few pertinent stats, pertinent to the current state of football in Leinster, and left it up to the readers to draw their own conclusions.
It's very obvious that you have done that and you see no connection at all between that fact that Dublin started getting massive injections of cash in 2004 and the fact that it has won 15 out of a total of 16 titles since then.

So Dublin won Leinster in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

I would love know how exactly the games development funding money that we got from 2004 delivered these 5 Leinsters in a row? It could hardly be coincidence! Could it???

"In order to avail of funding, the clubs linked in with the local schools, sharing their coach with their new partners. By 2001, the grants aimed at increasing grassroots participation were allocated through the Irish Sports Council, with the backing of the GAA."

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/gaa-football/3191859/bertie-ahern-government-grants-saved-dublin-gaa/

Leinster Council made up of some quare hawks

Took them ages to get Dublin out of Croke Park, because of lost money
Then, when they did, they wouldn't let Dublin play in grounds below a certain capacity, because of lost money

Now they don't want them to play a quarter-final at all?

Why not leave them in and make them play in their opponent's home venue, regardless of size?

Or maybe make us play with 14 men every game 

Dublin are apart of the Leinster council, in fact, Horan advocated this idea. I think they'd prefer Dublin away from provincial grounds because a) the crowds they bring are pathetic and b) crime rates in these towns have a major spike on the days the few thousand Dubs travel.

Also, funny you're complaining about playing with 14 men for a half, Dublin haven't competed fairly against any county since 2001.

Can we just call out how f**king embarrassing it is for Dublin not to be walking these All Ireland's? Coming up on 50 million euro spent on professional coaches used to increase participation, increase standards in clubs and direct elite talent into the right channels. Millions more spent on staff overseeing all of this, a few hundred million spent on the stadium they play nearly every championship match in, millions in sponsorship money which includes free cars, free insurance, free meals etc and then, of course, millions spent on senior team preparation. On top of this, they have a far higher population to everyone else, their players have every opportunity to work and study at home so don't have to travel, they basically have every advantage you could ever possibly dream of. They are practically a professional outfit, they should be destroying every county, they should be winning hurling All Ireland's, they should be winning every competition they enter. Like I said, that they aren't is humiliating for them.

[However, II have yet to hear a credible reason as to why Dublin gets c. €254 per registered player and, say, Kerry gets only €19. I don't blame Dublin for this but I do blame Kerry.]

That's fair enough and I accept that a lot of Dublin's success is down to hard graft and volunteer work.
I have said it any times her that I don't blame Dublin for taking all the money they can get and I don't begrudge them any amount of ALL Irelands either. They are playing the same system as every other county. That's human nature and Mayo/ Kerry/Donegal or whoever would do the very same if they got half a chance.
but it is up to the other county boards to make their feelings known as bitching on forums like this won't do anyone any good.
However, II have yet to hear a credible reason as to why Dublin gets c. €254 per registered player and, say, Kerry gets only €19. I don't blame Dublin for this but I do blame Kerry.
BTW, I will be rooting for Dublin in the final and so will most Mayo people I know.

Lar, I know you didn't come up with those figures, but they are just irrelevant. Again, I know it wasn't you, but whoever came up with that showed a complete ignorance of what games development funding is. Might as well divide by the number of buses in each county and see how that compares.

You need to divide by the number of primary school children, that's were the development funds are focused. Increasing participation.

Time to expose your lies once again, here's a man who's worked for Dublin GAA for 2 decades on the difference GDO's have made to elite development squads:

"I went back the following year to an U15 development squad. And if you were to compare the quality of player coming through then to the U13s now, the difference is night and day. Kids were coming into us without the basic skills. They were kick-passing a five-yard pass instead of hand-passing it but their instinct was to kick it along the ground. So they obviously hadn't been exposed to any level of coaching.

I look now at U14 football in Dublin and the standard of football in the county is phenomenal. The level of individual skill the players have, the level of coaching teams, it's incomparable to the late '90s, early '00s. And a big reason why is obviously the GDO system going into Dublin."

That's where the development fund is going. Stop talking sh1te.

[but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.]

Time after time it gets pointed out to you but you just stick your fingers in your ears!

The games development funding plays a vital role in producing and identifying talent but it's just the first step in the financial doping scandal. These professional coaches go into schools, coach kids the basics at a young age and encourage them to join the local club. In the clubs they coach the coaches and take sessions themselves but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.

That's just complete lies.

The games developments officers have absolutely nothing to do with identifying talent.

For example, at U14 level, the mentors of my lad's team were asked to bring their best 10 players to a Dublin development trials day. The mentors, who were parents like me, had the decision to make which 10 out of the about lads were going to do. Our games development officer never went near these lads. Ever.

My lad was one of the 10, so I went along. Now, he knew and I knew that there was no chance of ever playing for the Dubs, but it was a great experience to get that tiny glimmer of hope!
From memory, they did 5 different 10/15 minute sessions, where they were mixed with one other club and doing various drills and taken by different trainers who were there. I remember David Henry and Declan Lally were there. I think Stephen O'Shaughnessy was co-ordinating it. There was probably 100 kids there, with 5 coaches plus the co-ordinator, so every coach worked with every player. There was was probably at least one other separate session with 100 more. 4 of our lads were asked back to a second session and they whittled them down until they got to a workable number.

The following year they start with the best of the lads, and ask the mentors in each team to identify any lads who missed out but they think warrant another look. The games development officers have zero impact or influence, many of them arent even Dubs ffs (we're on our fourth at my club in my time, and the 3rd one was the only Dub). I'd be surprised if most other counties don't have something similiar, albeit with much less numbers! But none of it has anything to do with games development funding directed at primary school children.

So yeah, you talk a load of shite about stuff you know nothing about.

The games development officers certainly do have a role in identifying talent. You mightn't have seen it but that doesn't mean anything.

These development squads have huge amounts of funding pumped into them. They're academy teams similar to what you'll find at the provinces in rugby. Some of the sports science testing they undergo, other counties wouldn't even know what it's called. And you only part quoted me because you again want to ignore the main point. The games development funding is not some completely separate thing. These paid coaches play a key role but also, with this paid for, there's money to spend elsewhere. It's all one big system. For example, where do you think all those numbers come from at trials etc? How did they get involved in GAA? Would the professional coaches who were in their schools and gave them one of their first interactions with sport have anything to do with it?

As I said, the financial doping is not just the Bertie fund, it also includes the huge sponsorship money which has led to professional structures at all levels.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0622/1056894-gaa-see-dublin-as-blueprint-for-future-not-the-problem/

In 2018 "Dublin spent €3.6m on coaching and games development. Of that, €1.2m from central headquarters, the clubs paid 50% of the games promotion officers and the balance of the funding comes from the county board funds, through sponsorship and gate receipts."
Dublin, with 10 intercounty sponsors on board, earned €1.46m in commercial revenue in 2017 - more than twice that of their closest rival in the financial stakes, Cork. "

It's a racket

When you spell it out like that, it is a racket , and unfair. never mind the advantages and economies of  scale associated with being a large centre of population with much better resources and facilities, (and that's not of Dublin or the GAA's making) , the 95% home games, the depth of  quality from which they can choose their players, managers and administrators . It's an awful pity that Dublin's successes over the past few years will always be sullied by the ridiculous advantages they enjoy. I'll never take away from them , that In the past 10 years they have capitalised on those advantages brilliantly and fair play to them. It's not their fault , it's the fact that the GAA have done nothing to redress the balance.

Those countries who feel that they cannot compete with Dublin should seriously look at amalgamating for the purpose of fielding intercounty teams. The answer to the "problem' should not always centre on how to neuter Dublin.

BTW. There's no danger that history will see Dublin's achievements as being "sullied", rather people will wonder at the incessant levels of begrudgery with which their achievements were greeted from some quarters.

How many cheats get celebrated? Does Lance Armstrong still get celebrated? Michelle Smith? Do you remember what Michelle and her team used to say actually? The Americans were just jealous and begrudging her success when they pointed out the obvious. Dublin's titles across all grades and levels are sullied, I've said for years there is an asterisk beside them and more and more people are accepting that now. Like Armstrong, the Dubs can live in their own bubble and abuse anyone who exposes their doping, no one else has to play along, however.

So you've said it for years! You certainly haven't said it on this forum —- unless you are one and the same as the other trolls who have appeared and disappeared here over the past few years.

Whenever Dublin win, the first issue that will be raised is the doping, it will never go away. The Dubs can't get it out of their minds either. They know they've cheated. Whenever Dublin lose they joke about splitting the opposition, this shows how much the doping is affecting them, they can't forget, no one will forget it.

[but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.]

Time after time it gets pointed out to you but you just stick your fingers in your ears!

The games development funding plays a vital role in producing and identifying talent but it's just the first step in the financial doping scandal. These professional coaches go into schools, coach kids the basics at a young age and encourage them to join the local club. In the clubs they coach the coaches and take sessions themselves but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.

That's just complete lies.

The games developments officers have absolutely nothing to do with identifying talent.

For example, at U14 level, the mentors of my lad's team were asked to bring their best 10 players to a Dublin development trials day. The mentors, who were parents like me, had the decision to make which 10 out of the about lads were going to do. Our games development officer never went near these lads. Ever.

My lad was one of the 10, so I went along. Now, he knew and I knew that there was no chance of ever playing for the Dubs, but it was a great experience to get that tiny glimmer of hope!
From memory, they did 5 different 10/15 minute sessions, where they were mixed with one other club and doing various drills and taken by different trainers who were there. I remember David Henry and Declan Lally were there. I think Stephen O'Shaughnessy was co-ordinating it. There was probably 100 kids there, with 5 coaches plus the co-ordinator, so every coach worked with every player. There was was probably at least one other separate session with 100 more. 4 of our lads were asked back to a second session and they whittled them down until they got to a workable number.

The following year they start with the best of the lads, and ask the mentors in each team to identify any lads who missed out but they think warrant another look. The games development officers have zero impact or influence, many of them arent even Dubs ffs (we're on our fourth at my club in my time, and the 3rd one was the only Dub). I'd be surprised if most other counties don't have something similiar, albeit with much less numbers! But none of it has anything to do with games development funding directed at primary school children.

So yeah, you talk a load of shite about stuff you know nothing about.

The games development officers certainly do have a role in identifying talent. You mightn't have seen it but that doesn't mean anything.

These development squads have huge amounts of funding pumped into them. They're academy teams similar to what you'll find at the provinces in rugby. Some of the sports science testing they undergo, other counties wouldn't even know what it's called. And you only part quoted me because you again want to ignore the main point. The games development funding is not some completely separate thing. These paid coaches play a key role but also, with this paid for, there's money to spend elsewhere. It's all one big system. For example, where do you think all those numbers come from at trials etc? How did they get involved in GAA? Would the professional coaches who were in their schools and gave them one of their first interactions with sport have anything to do with it?

As I said, the financial doping is not just the Bertie fund, it also includes the huge sponsorship money which has led to professional structures at all levels.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0622/1056894-gaa-see-dublin-as-blueprint-for-future-not-the-problem/

In 2018 "Dublin spent €3.6m on coaching and games development. Of that, €1.2m from central headquarters, the clubs paid 50% of the games promotion officers and the balance of the funding comes from the county board funds, through sponsorship and gate receipts."
Dublin, with 10 intercounty sponsors on board, earned €1.46m in commercial revenue in 2017 - more than twice that of their closest rival in the financial stakes, Cork. "

It's a racket

When you spell it out like that, it is a racket , and unfair. never mind the advantages and economies of  scale associated with being a large centre of population with much better resources and facilities, (and that's not of Dublin or the GAA's making) , the 95% home games, the depth of  quality from which they can choose their players, managers and administrators . It's an awful pity that Dublin's successes over the past few years will always be sullied by the ridiculous advantages they enjoy. I'll never take away from them , that In the past 10 years they have capitalised on those advantages brilliantly and fair play to them. It's not their fault , it's the fact that the GAA have done nothing to redress the balance.

Those countries who feel that they cannot compete with Dublin should seriously look at amalgamating for the purpose of fielding intercounty teams. The answer to the "problem' should not always centre on how to neuter Dublin.

BTW. There's no danger that history will see Dublin's achievements as being "sullied", rather people will wonder at the incessant levels of begrudgery with which their achievements were greeted from some quarters.

How many cheats get celebrated? Does Lance Armstrong still get celebrated? Michelle Smith? Do you remember what Michelle and her team used to say actually? The Americans were just jealous and begrudging her success when they pointed out the obvious. Dublin's titles across all grades and levels are sullied, I've said for years there is an asterisk beside them and more and more people are accepting that now. Like Armstrong, the Dubs can live in their own bubble and abuse anyone who exposes their doping, no one else has to play along, however.

Don't forget that the doping has not just improved their senior footballers, it's across the board, have a look:

[but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.]

Time after time it gets pointed out to you but you just stick your fingers in your ears!

The games development funding plays a vital role in producing and identifying talent but it's just the first step in the financial doping scandal. These professional coaches go into schools, coach kids the basics at a young age and encourage them to join the local club. In the clubs they coach the coaches and take sessions themselves but one of their key roles is identifying talent and reporting their findings to the various regional of hurling development officers who get these players into the development squads and the elite player program.

That's just complete lies.

The games developments officers have absolutely nothing to do with identifying talent.

For example, at U14 level, the mentors of my lad's team were asked to bring their best 10 players to a Dublin development trials day. The mentors, who were parents like me, had the decision to make which 10 out of the about lads were going to do. Our games development officer never went near these lads. Ever.

My lad was one of the 10, so I went along. Now, he knew and I knew that there was no chance of ever playing for the Dubs, but it was a great experience to get that tiny glimmer of hope!
From memory, they did 5 different 10/15 minute sessions, where they were mixed with one other club and doing various drills and taken by different trainers who were there. I remember David Henry and Declan Lally were there. I think Stephen O'Shaughnessy was co-ordinating it. There was probably 100 kids there, with 5 coaches plus the co-ordinator, so every coach worked with every player. There was was probably at least one other separate session with 100 more. 4 of our lads were asked back to a second session and they whittled them down until they got to a workable number.

The following year they start with the best of the lads, and ask the mentors in each team to identify any lads who missed out but they think warrant another look. The games development officers have zero impact or influence, many of them arent even Dubs ffs (we're on our fourth at my club in my time, and the 3rd one was the only Dub). I'd be surprised if most other counties don't have something similiar, albeit with much less numbers! But none of it has anything to do with games development funding directed at primary school children.

So yeah, you talk a load of shite about stuff you know nothing about.

The games development officers certainly do have a role in identifying talent. You mightn't have seen it but that doesn't mean anything.

These development squads have huge amounts of funding pumped into them. They're academy teams similar to what you'll find at the provinces in rugby. Some of the sports science testing they undergo, other counties wouldn't even know what it's called. And you only part quoted me because you again want to ignore the main point. The games development funding is not some completely separate thing. These paid coaches play a key role but also, with this paid for, there's money to spend elsewhere. It's all one big system. For example, where do you think all those numbers come from at trials etc? How did they get involved in GAA? Would the professional coaches who were in their schools and gave them one of their first interactions with sport have anything to do with it?

As I said, the financial doping is not just the Bertie fund, it also includes the huge sponsorship money which has led to professional structures at all levels.