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Messages - DandyMan

#1
GAA Discussion / Re: Leinster SFC
May 21, 2017, 09:16:14 AM
Unfortunately and I mean it, the structure of the championship is outdated and irrelevant, given the focus that teams with greater resources place on fitness levels and a professional approach to training and development of their teams. As a longstanding Dublin supporter even I am getting tired of the endless rounds of matches that lead up to the quarter finals, when the real action begins.

I cannot for the life of me see any motivation for players from the counties playing in the Leinster Championship games today to get up to the level of fitness required to simply keep teams like Dublin to a respectable score.

The solution has to be built around two sixteen-team leagues or four eight-team divisional structures based on performance. The league worked well this year with the four divisions. This means that teams get consistent games with teams of their own standard and can progress and develop to a higher division. In the championship we have outdated provincial systems that throw up meaningless and uncompetitive games and where there is little prospect of teams or players being able to progress.

We have four teams (maybe five) who are so far ahead of the rest that the present structure is unattractive and uncompetitive. It needs to change.
#2
Ciaran Whelan: Dublin
Jack Donnelly: Kildare
Dermot Early: Roscommon
#3
GAA Discussion / Re: Donegal v Dublin AISF 31st Aug 2014
September 03, 2014, 04:39:57 PM
Before anyone misconstrues my post, let me be clear. Dublin were beaten comprehensively by a better team on the day. What are your views about the five day training camp? What did it consist of? Is this not against the concept of amateurism? I am not against it in principle but does it not challenge the traditional view that the GAA is about the amateur ethos?
#4
GAA Discussion / Re: Down's greatest ever player?
December 11, 2011, 10:35:09 AM
I am not from Down, but I am surprised that Colm McAlarney (apologies if I spelt the name wrong) does not figure prominently in the discussion. He was one hell of a player.
#5
Mayo will beat Meath with or without our friend. I love the way they play football - natural and free-flowing. However when the pressure games arrive (cc Kerry etc.), they lack the balls and the wherewithal ttp get stuck in and win. I would like to see McGeeney manage them.
#6
GAA Discussion / Re: Dublin - Where to from here?
August 05, 2009, 07:10:48 PM
At present, the team with the most potential in Leinster is Kildare. Well coached, a young team and the pressure game this year will bring them on. Dublin are a bit like England in the rugby: a larger set of players to pick from. Gilroy needs to get rid of the baggage - Sherlock, Bastick, McConnell, Magee and Cullen (Cullen might have a role outside of the backline). Bed in Brennan, O'Carroll, Gill (if fit - don't know much about him). Rotate the forwards - what about Vaughan?). Take the league seriously (might be difficult - given the club commitments). Next year the danger will be Kildare in Leinster: not fussed if they win the LC, and Cork in the play-off's. Where will we finish? Semi-finals = after that, who knows.
#7
GAA Discussion / Re: Dublin - Where to from here?
August 05, 2009, 11:35:19 AM
I find it difficult to believe that we are as bad as we were on Monday. I fully accept that we were absolutely hammered out of sight on the day and I have no complaints whatsoever. However, just as Kerry didn't become a great side overnight, neither did we become a bad side in a couple of weeks. Most people felt that the Leinster Final was one of the best games for a long time. Kildare, with a little more experience and self-belief could have turned over Tyrone on Sunday.It confirms that we are behind the likes of Kerry, Tyrone and Cork ( I would not fancy us against them). We would beat Mayo or Meath however. This, leaves us in my opinion as the fourth best team in Ireland - but still off the pace.

I give credit to Kerry for identifying weaknesses in the Dublin team - particularly in the back lines. What worried me was the fact that Kerry were two yards faster to the ball on every occasion. Were we over-trained? Did we peak for the Leinster final and fail to pace ourselves for the business end of the season? A similar pattern occurred last season in the Tyrone game. Could it be that Kerry have focused their training for the business end of the season? They were not fully fired up for the Cork games in the Munster championship and despite what commentators have said, I felt that they were never going to lose in the qualifiers. They had an extra gear if needed and they delivered. The media speculation about "trouble in the camp" only served to take the pressure of them.

Where does Dublin go from here? It is the end for Sherlock (never really delivered over the years in the key games - apart from 1995). Bastick is not a full back and has to go. Likewise McConnell and Magee at midfield - not good enough for the pressure games. Brennan has to come back -if he can curb his temper. Daveron should come in when fit. I would move Cahill to centre back. That leaves us with three or four players to find in key positions i.e. full back, midfield and in the half-back line. The two other Brogans may come into contention (James and Paul - I don't know enough about them). Likewise Eamonn Fennell should be given a long run in the league.

Who will win the All-Ireland? I fancy the winners of the Cork v Tyrone semi-final. I am not convinced that Kerry have suddenly become "great" again. Cork have been the most consistent team - marginally ahead of Tyrone all season.

Here's to Championship 2010!
#8
GAA Discussion / Re: Kerry V Dublin
July 28, 2009, 04:29:30 PM
To what extent do people think that all of the allegations of unrest in the Kerry camp are part of a strategy to lure the Dubs into a flase sense of superiority? After all, the three teams that Kerry beat in the qualifiers were never going to beat them - despite all of the their best efforts.
#9
GAA Discussion / Re: Aussie Training Camp
August 27, 2008, 07:18:00 PM
I wish these guys the bst of luck in terms of getting a contract. The GAA offers nothing by way of any possible career path or income generation. Even if these guys fail in Oz, they will be toughened up and benefit from a year or two abroad. Ostriches and sand come to mind when I read this thread.
#10
CAn anybody list the teams who played all those years ago?
#11
GAA Discussion / Re: AFL Invasion
February 14, 2008, 12:42:57 PM
The AFL has every right to seek out players with the potential talent to make it in Oz. What does the GAA offer any young lad with talent? Zilch.
#12
I find it incredible that virtually all of the posters here are ignoring the fact that this is but one further step in the inexorable move to a form of professionalism at the top end of the GAA. I see nothing wrong with this - if we want to see the level of fitness and professionalism that has been exhibited by the counties over the past ten years or so. I see no reason why we don't go the way that the AFL has gone in Australia. Sport in general and the GAA in particular has adopted effective marketing strategies in recent years. Why should the players not benefit from it? Rugby has gone the same way. Let's get real here. The demands put forward by Dessie Farrell and his organisation are so mild that they barely scratch the surface. I would prefer to witness high quality professional GAA over the summer months rathetr than going back to the days when players were not properly fit.