Antrim Football Thread

[themac_23]

They definitely like to " cherry pick " the best underage talent from the "smaller" clubs .  Some young players and their parents only interested in getting medals to massage their egos. I wonder will the need to massage egos fall under remit of health and well being committee.in supporting transfers

You understand that there is no real parish clubs in Belfast? People go to a club based on family first, influences at a school, friends ask their friends to join them and yes medal chasing parents send their kids to a 'bigger club' but cherry picking? That's city GAA there is no other way unfortunately... if I lived in the area/parish of club now I'd have no team to play for! Your argument/post is pointless there is no system that works for city GAA... the transfer thing ended up stopping kids playing though I did agree with it in principle

to flip the coin and play devils advocate, there are a lot of smaller clubs who rely on picking players up from the bigger clubs that aren't maybe getting a game etc. works both ways, i think as MR2 says it boils down to there are too many clubs in belfast, unfortunately.

[paddyjohn]

They definitely like to " cherry pick " the best underage talent from the "smaller" clubs .  Some young players and their parents only interested in getting medals to massage their egos. I wonder will the need to massage egos fall under remit of health and well being committee.in supporting transfers

You understand that there is no real parish clubs in Belfast? People go to a club based on family first, influences at a school, friends ask their friends to join them and yes medal chasing parents send their kids to a 'bigger club' but cherry picking? That's city GAA there is no other way unfortunately... if I lived in the area/parish of club now I'd have no team to play for! Your argument/post is pointless there is no system that works for city GAA... the transfer thing ended up stopping kids playing though I did agree with it in principle

to flip the coin and play devils advocate, there are a lot of smaller clubs who rely on picking players up from the bigger clubs that aren't maybe getting a game etc. works both ways, i think as MR2 says it boils down to there are too many clubs in belfast, unfortunately.

So what clubs do they get rid of?

[paddyjohn]

It is getting harder for all clubs, both in the city and the country to field teams. It doesn't help when other sports are now so readily available. When I went to school we played football and hurling, now kids in our club are playing rugby, soccer & basketball outside term time and it's having serious affect on us. They play all winter and then want a summer off etc. I've spoken to other people from different clubs & counties and they find the same. Do we stop our youth playing other sports? We need to sell ourselves more with a sense of pride. Rugby is having a serious effect in Munster with free gear etc outside schools, the same is starting here.

Developing the game in the city is as complex topic as you'll get. The smaller clubs will want to stay in business and rightly so, while some "big" clubs seem to consider these clubs as a hindrance and want shot of them and cherry pick who they want for their own means and will use almalgamation as an excuse.

As far as quality coaching goes, the fact that the GAA is considered as a babysitting service for some doesn't help. How many parents drop the kids off for an hour so they can go to the shops and get some head peace?

Hindrance?? They have no bearing on how 'the big clubs' whatever that means... the smaller clubs aren't fielding ya muppet, has nothing to do with clubs that have higher numbers... Belfast have only one or two one coded clubs, for me that is a factor in getting larger squads.. different in my day when all the lads hurled whether they liked it or not, parents never had a say

I prefer you didn't insult me by calling me a muppet. Rightly or wrongly it's my opinion and I am adding my view into the discussion.

Your arrogance really does you no favours MR2.

Hindrance.... explain how it's a hindrance?

Well if they can't field that means games not played, that means girls & boys without games, therefore causing a hindrance to the big 4/5.

[Milltown Row2]

It is getting harder for all clubs, both in the city and the country to field teams. It doesn't help when other sports are now so readily available. When I went to school we played football and hurling, now kids in our club are playing rugby, soccer & basketball outside term time and it's having serious affect on us. They play all winter and then want a summer off etc. I've spoken to other people from different clubs & counties and they find the same. Do we stop our youth playing other sports? We need to sell ourselves more with a sense of pride. Rugby is having a serious effect in Munster with free gear etc outside schools, the same is starting here.

Developing the game in the city is as complex topic as you'll get. The smaller clubs will want to stay in business and rightly so, while some "big" clubs seem to consider these clubs as a hindrance and want shot of them and cherry pick who they want for their own means and will use almalgamation as an excuse.

As far as quality coaching goes, the fact that the GAA is considered as a babysitting service for some doesn't help. How many parents drop the kids off for an hour so they can go to the shops and get some head peace?

Hindrance?? They have no bearing on how 'the big clubs' whatever that means... the smaller clubs aren't fielding ya muppet, has nothing to do with clubs that have higher numbers... Belfast have only one or two one coded clubs, for me that is a factor in getting larger squads.. different in my day when all the lads hurled whether they liked it or not, parents never had a say

I prefer you didn't insult me by calling me a muppet. Rightly or wrongly it's my opinion and I am adding my view into the discussion.

Your arrogance really does you no favours MR2.

Hindrance.... explain how it's a hindrance?

Well if they can't field that means games not played, that means girls & boys without games, therefore causing a hindrance to the big 4/5.

seeing as it all county from under 16 up then everone loses out

[paddyjohn]

It is getting harder for all clubs, both in the city and the country to field teams. It doesn't help when other sports are now so readily available. When I went to school we played football and hurling, now kids in our club are playing rugby, soccer & basketball outside term time and it's having serious affect on us. They play all winter and then want a summer off etc. I've spoken to other people from different clubs & counties and they find the same. Do we stop our youth playing other sports? We need to sell ourselves more with a sense of pride. Rugby is having a serious effect in Munster with free gear etc outside schools, the same is starting here.

Developing the game in the city is as complex topic as you'll get. The smaller clubs will want to stay in business and rightly so, while some "big" clubs seem to consider these clubs as a hindrance and want shot of them and cherry pick who they want for their own means and will use almalgamation as an excuse.

As far as quality coaching goes, the fact that the GAA is considered as a babysitting service for some doesn't help. How many parents drop the kids off for an hour so they can go to the shops and get some head peace?

Hindrance?? They have no bearing on how 'the big clubs' whatever that means... the smaller clubs aren't fielding ya muppet, has nothing to do with clubs that have higher numbers... Belfast have only one or two one coded clubs, for me that is a factor in getting larger squads.. different in my day when all the lads hurled whether they liked it or not, parents never had a say

I prefer you didn't insult me by calling me a muppet. Rightly or wrongly it's my opinion and I am adding my view into the discussion.

Your arrogance really does you no favours MR2.

Hindrance.... explain how it's a hindrance?

Well if they can't field that means games not played, that means girls & boys without games, therefore causing a hindrance to the big 4/5.

seeing as it all county from under 16 up then everone loses out

Always knew city men would be the death of Antrim GAA.

[Hectic]

Bollocks to amalgamations before everything possible is done to increase the base and that would apply strongest to the city.  Fair enough if everything has been done to maximize participation but I do not believe this is the case.  Our unrealised potential as a county lies largely within the untapped potential in Belfast City.

[paddyjohn]

Bollocks to amalgamations before everything possible is done to increase the base and that would apply strongest to the city.  Fair enough if everything has been done to maximize participation but I do not believe this is the case.  Our unrealised potential as a county lies largely within the untapped potential in Belfast City.

Lets just not mention it again, you'll only upset a few people and clearly us culchies know nothing about City Life and City GAA. Maybe we should have a North & South West county team and a different county team for the City lads.

[Walter Cronc]

Apologies if already considered but could Belfast look to merge smaller sides and enter them into a 'divisional championship', similar to that in Kerry??

[east down gael]

Would it be impossible to have geographical boundaries for clubs in belfast?
Just as an example
Lamh dearg-hannahstown
St endas-glengormley
St brigids-Malone
St malachys-markets
Or is it too ingrained that you play for the club your father/family always played for?

[country bumpkin]

Juvenile leagues are only at minor level MR2 in football  in the S West, and indeed cannot ever envisage any change in the near future fingers crossed.
As to the present discussion on amalgamation and ur rather rude dismissal of content added by PJ which was more than worthy of discussion may wel have touched a nerve. Surely the present County Chairman and indeed influential people like urself would be much better served in looking forward to aiding those 'weaker' units of our proud association on the upward.
And indeed ur club in particular should look at the 'cherry picking' policy which has ensured the 'weak' shall remain well in arrears.

[Galer]

Mr2 how abt gettin more of the parents involved.i know most clubs in the south west and north antrim act as a community group rather than just a gaelic club.also kids now adays want good facilities ,like soccer can provide.maybe if the clibs actually fundraised they could improve there facilities.the galls changing room is hardly state of the art,come to think of it my dogs kennel is more modern tgan half the changing rooms in belfast

[Milltown Row2]

Bollocks to amalgamations before everything possible is done to increase the base and that would apply strongest to the city.  Fair enough if everything has been done to maximize participation but I do not believe this is the case.  Our unrealised potential as a county lies largely within the untapped potential in Belfast City.

Lets just not mention it again, you'll only upset a few people and clearly us culchies know nothing about City Life and City GAA. Maybe we should have a North & South West county team and a different county team for the City lads.

paddy, do SW and north Antrim have teams that amalgamate?

[Milltown Row2]

Juvenile leagues are only at minor level MR2 in football  in the S West, and indeed cannot ever envisage any change in the near future fingers crossed.
As to the present discussion on amalgamation and ur rather rude dismissal of content added by PJ which was more than worthy of discussion may wel have touched a nerve. Surely the present County Chairman and indeed influential people like urself would be much better served in looking forward to aiding those 'weaker' units of our proud association on the upward.
And indeed ur club in particular should look at the 'cherry picking' policy which has ensured the 'weak' shall remain well in arrears.

MMCG

[Milltown Row2]

Mr2 how abt gettin more of the parents involved.i know most clubs in the south west and north antrim act as a community group rather than just a gaelic club.also kids now adays want good facilities ,like soccer can provide.maybe if the clibs actually fundraised they could improve there facilities.the galls changing room is hardly state of the art,come to think of it my dogs kennel is more modern tgan half the changing rooms in belfast

Yes I agree parents should but don't, a lot of them use it as already said as babysitting... yes changing rooms are shit in most clubs in Belfast but I can recall as many clubs up the country that didn't even have running water or changing rooms... but sure good changing rooms win championships... Ahoghill must have a few seeing as theirs are top notch!

I don't know what goes on in other clubs but being a ref I see the same faces looking after their teams juveniles for a lot of years, I can go back 15 years when I took our under 12's and some clubs still have the same guys looking after the teams... plenty people with ideas but no real effort to put the hard miles in...

[paddyjohn]

Bollocks to amalgamations before everything possible is done to increase the base and that would apply strongest to the city.  Fair enough if everything has been done to maximize participation but I do not believe this is the case.  Our unrealised potential as a county lies largely within the untapped potential in Belfast City.

Lets just not mention it again, you'll only upset a few people and clearly us culchies know nothing about City Life and City GAA. Maybe we should have a North & South West county team and a different county team for the City lads.

paddy, do SW and north Antrim have teams that amalgamate?

Nah, we'll cherry pick the good ones and the rest can go do what they want