Paddy O'Rourke's comments on intercounty demands

Started by Jinxy, February 15, 2018, 09:02:56 PM

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Jinxy

Paddy O'Rourke Slates 'Head-Melting' Demands Of Inter-County Schedule

Offsetting potential gratification gained against effort exerted is becoming an increasingly important consideration for inter-county GAA players.

Is it feasible or sensible to put so much of one's life on hold for the pursuit of sporting ambition?

Although it is inaccurate to suggest that such effort is ultimately in vain if no provincial or All-Ireland title is forthcoming, with so few of those playing in inter-county football and hurling ever getting even a glimpse of what the Championship can offer, thoughts regarding 'what is this all for?' seem increasingly inevitable as the preparatory steps to even mediocrity continue to rise.

For Meath's Paddy O'Rourke, the decision to reclaim some semblance of normality has won out.

Speaking to AIB, O'Rourke determined that the hopelessness of Meath's chances for success going forward informed his decision to forego the months of training and committment that would nonetheless necessitate his first-hand role in a doomed pursuit:

The idea that I had to walk away from inter-county football was nagging at the back of my head in the months before we lost to Donegal last summer.

If we're honest in Meath, we're not getting any closer to where we want to go.

Winning Leinster again or challenging for an All-Ireland doesn't look realistic any time soon, and in fact it feels like it is farther away than ever.

Undoubtedly, the Meath goalkeeper will be criticised for his willingness to walk-away. Yet, with the demands rising, and progress reducing, O'Rourke struggles to see the point in remaining.

Having played in an All-Ireland semi-final in 2009, and lifting the Leinster title in 2010, the 28-year-old has seen nothing since that would encourage him to continue:

From 2011 to now, the commitment levels have gone through the roof but we've had nothing to show for it.

Our seasons have been over by early to mid-July. Last year we lost to Kildare, which suggests we've been slipping in the province, while Dublin are well out in front, and then this new Super 8 won't help any team outside the elite.

Despite his long run with the Meath team however, the Skryne club-man is incredibly pleased with his premature decision to depart, citing "the huge upside of not being tied down to the Meath schedule for at least five days per week."

No longer waking up "thinking about what I need to get through the next 16 or 17 hours", the conclusion that "this is not worth it" any longer was a brave decision in reality. As the now former Meath 'keeper testifies, "your head would be melted" with the work that goes into it.

Whether or not O'Rourke's decision will become more common among other inter-county players of his status is unclear, but a precedence has certainly been set.

It is not inconceivable that, like O'Rourke, a number of footballers and hurlers may similarly consider that "losing so much of your life" to inter-county teams is scarcely worth a few Championship games a summer and no glory.


https://www.balls.ie/gaa/paddy-orourke-slates-head-melting-demands-inter-county-schedule-383369

Thoughts?
When you look at the increasing demands of intercounty football vs. the decreasing odds of success for most counties, I'm amazed so many of them are sticking it out.
Then again, it's mostly a game for students and teachers now.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

Syferus

I have a lot of respect for his honesty. The pursuit of corperate era Dublin has proven the straw that broke the camel's back in a lot of ways.

When will HQ face reality and realise the playing field needs to be levelled and the demands on IC payers reduced to that of a genuinely amateur sport?

Cunny Funt

Meath are not the Meath of old and probably due to a lack of underage success for years and club football that has only improved recently. Basically Meath have to walk before they can run. Meaths aims should be to reach the super 8s and try to gain promotion to div one this spring. If the rest of the Meath players attitude was like O Rourkes "this is not worth it" then Meath will only stay where they are and make no progress at all.


Syferus

Quote from: Cunny Funt on February 15, 2018, 09:23:35 PM
Meath are not the Meath of old and probably due to a lack of underage success for years and club football that has only improved recently. Basically Meath have to walk before they can run. Meaths aims should be to reach the super 8s and try to gain promotion to div one this spring. If the rest of the Meath players attitude was like O Rourkes "this is not worth it" then Meath will only stay where they are and make no progress at all.

The question remains does the toil match the reward? I think in every county bar Dublin the answer is a resounding no. Even the players involved now probably regularly ask themselves if what the IC game has become is worth it.

Jinxy

Quote from: Cunny Funt on February 15, 2018, 09:23:35 PM
Meath are not the Meath of old and probably due to a lack of underage success for years and club football that has only improved recently. Basically Meath have to walk before they can run. Meaths aims should be to reach the super 8s and try to gain promotion to div one this spring. If the rest of the Meath players attitude was like O Rourkes "this is not worth it" then Meath will only stay where they are and make no progress at all.

That's true, but intercounty football is an arms race now.
Where will it end?
We have players giving up work and taking a year out of college to concentrate on playing football/hurling.
Is it not time somebody shouted stop, or is that even possible?
If you were any use you'd be playing.

Cunny Funt

Given the honour to play for your senior county team is worth it. More often than not you have to build towards a reward and Meath reaching Div one for the first time in over a decade would be a reward and something to build on. 

Syferus

#6
Quote from: Cunny Funt on February 15, 2018, 09:34:23 PM
Given the honour to play for your senior county team is worth it. More often than not you have to build towards a reward and Meath reaching Div one for the first time in over a decade would be a reward and something to build on.

It's easy to talk about honour and county pride from the arm chair. It probably gets a tad old after ten years or more fluting about no really getting anywhere. Back in college even the lads willing to go home of a Wednesday or Thursday evening for club training were a rare breed, nevermind those committing to the insane demands of an IC regime. I'm sure Paddy is realising how much more of life he has time to explore now, friends, nights out, having a fecking hobby. The demands on IC players force them down very one dimensional paths.

The sport is broken.

Avondhu star

Meath came through in the mid to late 80s without having any great underage success. A big county with plenty of money available but still no great improvements in recent years and hard to see any challenge to Dublin
Lee Harvey Oswald , your country needs you

Jinxy

I played football because I enjoyed it.
If you don't enjoy it and you've no chance of winning anything, what's the point.
Meanwhile, the ordinary club players are sitting on their hands for the best part of the summer while they watch their 'elite' players hand-passing the ball around in circles with the county.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

Captain Obvious

#9
No better armchair critic than yourself syferus and i'm sure if any county player playing on Div 2,3 or 4 teams was to read some of the nonsense written on these online forums they will be thinking very strongly that it isn't worth it.

At the end of the day the top 6 sides don't have many commitment issues while the rest are chopping and changing teams year after year because the commitment players are giving on teams outside the top 6 is becoming less and less and for many they simply enjoy club football better than county football.


Cunny Funt

Quote from: Avondhu star on February 15, 2018, 09:51:51 PM
Meath came through in the mid to late 80s without having any great underage success. A big county with plenty of money available but still no great improvements in recent years and hard to see any challenge to Dublin

Meath won at number of U21 Leinster titles from the mid 80s to the mid 90s they haven't won a U21 provincial title since 2001. Winning Leinster U17 last summer shows at least some signs of improvement at underage.  Meath need to aim for their lower targets first than worrying about challenging Dublin any time soon.

Jinxy

I think within weaker counties there will always be some players who would be considered comparable with the top players from the bigger counties in terms of ability.
They will make Railway Cup squads and maybe the odd International Rules squad.
Those lads will always give the commitment.
They've always been the main man on every team from underage upwards, probably play/played Sigerson and football is a huge part of their identity.
It's what defines them in some respects.
However, it's the supporting cast within those weaker counties who will walk away, particularly as they get older and reality (career, wife & kids, mortgage) bites.
They're not that well known and they never will be.
It's a much easier decision for them to make.
If you were any use you'd be playing.

thejuice

I think people are missing the point. We got to a semifinal in 2009 and the lads have been upping the commitment year on year ever since but getting less and less of a return. I think either the game goes professional in a few years or the arse falls out of it completely and you'll be left with gross mismatches all the way to the final. The latter scenario is arguably upon us already.

It's one thing to have lots of talent like Dublin but when your pickings are a little slimmer the amount you have to compensate for with fitness and extra gym work and so forth is killing the middle tier players. Hence the supposed lack of commitment among them.

Shane O'Rourke has been the stand out club player in Meath the last two seasons but won't be making a return to the panel because in Andy McEntees own words he wouldn't be able for the level of training. Paddy has been made Skryne captain already and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a big year with the club.

You have Lee Chin talking about being a full time player putting off studies and work so he can concentrate on his game. This isn't what it's about. I understand these guys are competitive but it's not meant to be your life. It's a pastime.

Sadly i think it's going to be professionalism as super 8's appears to be nothing more than to squeeze more games out of the players, which is more cash to be squeezed out of the supporters and more money to be got from TV rights. The players are going to want a cut soon enough.

My prediction is that Sky will buy the rights for the super8 games and the finals and we'll be left with the scraps of mismatched provincial games and if it doesn't completely die at that point I'll be surprised.
It won't be the next manager but the one after that Meath will become competitive again - MO'D 2016

Syferus

There's a zero per cent chance that the GAA would even be able to put the AI finals behind a pay wall.

Orchard park

Quote from: Syferus on February 15, 2018, 09:25:22 PM
Quote from: Cunny Funt on February 15, 2018, 09:23:35 PM
Meath are not the Meath of old and probably due to a lack of underage success for years and club football that has only improved recently. Basically Meath have to walk before they can run. Meaths aims should be to reach the super 8s and try to gain promotion to div one this spring. If the rest of the Meath players attitude was like O Rourkes "this is not worth it" then Meath will only stay where they are and make no progress at all.

The question remains does the toil match the reward? I think in every county bar Dublin the answer is a resounding no. Even the players involved now probably regularly ask themselves if what the IC game has become is worth it.

Is the toil less for a Dublin  player ??