Antrim Football Thread

[whatwillbwillb]

Not a peep from our Director of football, staggering!

[bannside]

Sorry Saffs, I missed your question. Having talked to a few people yesterday I know county officers will be proactive about this, which is not always a given - in many years previously they left it to clubs to nominate and more often than not most clubs didn't get involved.

That's reassuring because it's important to get a few quality options -  there's manys a slip between the cup/lip, and as Down found out last year an eleventh hour withdrawal left them in a hard place.

Most of the names floating about here earlier are experienced operators who know their way around a football team and are capable of doing a good job, so there's no panic right now, Enda doing the right thing has bought us some time.

There are other names too that there are plans to have discussions with, who would be demanding total confidence, or are involved with other teams and wouldn't want their name associated with anyone else for the time being.

There is strong sentiment here that the focus should be on pre senior activity, and that's absolutely fair comment too, one for another conversation.

[EOC1923]

This will most likely be put out to the club's, so feel free to get busy. I've no doubt we will come up with someone who will re invigorate the morale in the county, attract the best players to make themselves available and when there, be able to adopt a style of play that plays to our strengths. There will be plenty interested...the show must go on!

Bit of delusion here BS, you may not have noticed but there is a complete lack of quality senior players in Antrim currently, this will be even more evident when that group of older players who soldiered this year inevitably retire.
Get a manager in who can get the most of of what he has surely, but the focus of these officials you are talking to BS should be on Antrims youth otherwise we will still be here talking about this in 20 years time.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah this is not just a blip and not just an "anomaly" who didn't work out. Yes it didn't work out but when was the last one who did. Deeper rooted problems here that will take years to fix.

[barnish oggie]

This will most likely be put out to the club's, so feel free to get busy. I've no doubt we will come up with someone who will re invigorate the morale in the county, attract the best players to make themselves available and when there, be able to adopt a style of play that plays to our strengths. There will be plenty interested...the show must go on!

Bit of delusion here BS, you may not have noticed but there is a complete lack of quality senior players in Antrim currently, this will be even more evident when that group of older players who soldiered this year inevitably retire.
Get a manager in who can get the most of of what he has surely, but the focus of these officials you are talking to BS should be on Antrims youth otherwise we will still be here talking about this in 20 years time.

I agree. While not to say give up on the seniors if they aren't a top priority, I think we do need to focus all efforts on the youth setups and start to be competitive at u15 up for a few years and set the plan in place that in 5-7 years we are bringing through a good few top quality senior players.

So that means improving coaching practices from say u11 now, which is something that many had expected Gaelfast to be doing.

I just can't see that they are having that impact.

It is always good to see a senior team winning for the young ones coming through, as it builds aspirations, but as you say, if the personnel aren't there now you have to set a longer term plan in place rather than just seeking a sticking plaster to amble on through the next couple of years with them.

[Saffsof82]

Nominations for senior football manager opened to clubs this morning.

[marty34]

How many Antrim lads left the panel after being knocked out by Cavan?

[bannside]

All most valid points and in no way am I disagreeing with any of that. A strong argument could be made for putting the majority of funding available to overseeing fit for purpose juvenile development - that is - let's start getting our underage teams competitive and go from there.

Another strong argument can be made for the provision of one or two full time coaches being designated to post primary schools, sourcing talent, organising competitions, making sure no potentially elite player slips the net.

And a safe pair of hands taking the senior job during a few "development" years, but not breaking the bank. Which incidentally is exactly what Derry did during the Damien Mc Erlain years.

I believe this starts with a new DOF with terms of engagement and KPI's and an energetic committee working in conjunction with Coiste Baniste coming up with a proper plan for football would obtain some third party funding too, businesses etc.

The task would be huge - we have got so far behind - but there definitely is a groundswell of goodwill out there which can be seen by anyone who attends the SBF events etc.

I think this can be done, but it will take time and there are a few hurdles to cross. In the meantime the decision to be made is whether to go flat out for a big name management team that may be costly, or whether to stand back and re evaluate the bigger picture

[imtommygunn]

All most valid points and in no way am I disagreeing with any of that. A strong argument could be made for putting the majority of funding available to overseeing fit for purpose juvenile development - that is - let's start getting our underage teams competitive and go from there.

Another strong argument can be made for the provision of one or two full time coaches being designated to post primary schools, sourcing talent, organising competitions, making sure no potentially elite player slips the net.

And a safe pair of hands taking the senior job during a few "development" years, but not breaking the bank. Which incidentally is exactly what Derry did during the Damien Mc Erlain years.

I believe this starts with a new DOF with terms of engagement and KPI's and an energetic committee working in conjunction with Coiste Baniste coming up with a proper plan for football would obtain some third party funding too, businesses etc.

The task would be huge - we have got so far behind - but there definitely is a groundswell of goodwill out there which can be seen by anyone who attends the SBF events etc.

I think this can be done, but it will take time and there are a few hurdles to cross. In the meantime the decision to be made is whether to go flat out for a big name management team that may be costly, or whether to stand back and re evaluate the bigger picture

I always admire your optimism BS but on point of note - the "safe pair of hands" that took them to division 4! (No offense to the man but he was far from a safe pair of hands).

[bannside]

Lol Tommy I knew it wouldn't take long before someone brought that up. The safe pair of hands we would put in would need to be safer than that lol.

[imtommygunn]

Lol Tommy I knew it wouldn't take long before someone brought that up. The safe pair of hands we would put in would need to be safer than that lol.

[marty34]

All most valid points and in no way am I disagreeing with any of that. A strong argument could be made for putting the majority of funding available to overseeing fit for purpose juvenile development - that is - let's start getting our underage teams competitive and go from there.

Another strong argument can be made for the provision of one or two full time coaches being designated to post primary schools, sourcing talent, organising competitions, making sure no potentially elite player slips the net.

And a safe pair of hands taking the senior job during a few "development" years, but not breaking the bank. Which incidentally is exactly what Derry did during the Damien Mc Erlain years.

I believe this starts with a new DOF with terms of engagement and KPI's and an energetic committee working in conjunction with Coiste Baniste coming up with a proper plan for football would obtain some third party funding too, businesses etc.

The task would be huge - we have got so far behind - but there definitely is a groundswell of goodwill out there which can be seen by anyone who attends the SBF events etc.

I think this can be done, but it will take time and there are a few hurdles to cross. In the meantime the decision to be made is whether to go flat out for a big name management team that may be costly, or whether to stand back and re evaluate the bigger picture

Antrim need to think outside the box - put all their resources into the underage structures.

Do a 5 year plan with this intent.

No point ploughing big money into a senior squad - for what really? No improvement year after year, manager after manager.

Do something different.

[imtommygunn]

We're in trouble for a number of years here tbh. It is very hard to see some of that Cargin contingent come back with age demographic which will be a massive loss. It's a rebuilding exercise, again, really. Maybe it needs done yes but still it'll be a big ask to not go down to division 4 next year. Not fun times 

[Milltown Row2]

We're in trouble for a number of years here tbh. It is very hard to see some of that Cargin contingent come back with age demographic which will be a massive loss. It's a rebuilding exercise, again, really. Maybe it needs done yes but still it'll be a big ask to not go down to division 4 next year. Not fun times 

With the players that did extremely well in the schools cups from Lurgan and Derry, surely they will need to be the ones we have at the spine of the team for the future? Capitalise on those lads who have had the the best training and prep

[Belfast GAA man]

mcginley state why he was leaving? useful to know

Said Gaelfast wasn't working out so packed it in

Yes I heard that and wasn't happy with standard of referees in the county