Antrim Football Thread

[Gold]

Well done to Jane Adams...its not often Antrim win an Allstar in any code

[Glensman]

Congrats to Jane Adams. She has been a cut above up here for a while. Thankfully she has received national recognition.

[saffron sam2]

You Antrim folk amuse me. Instead of complaining about Liam Bradley, you should be celebrating the fact that someone with managerial experience has decided to sacrifice his reputation to take you. Remember you are amongst the worst counties in the country, you have no tradition and if Sean Boylan and Alex ferguson took you it would still be an impossible task.
And as for SS2 talking about the "promised land"- where exactly would that be in Antrim  terms- more than 15 turning up for training.

whoooo...TFAL sit back, watch the abuse thats about to come your way. I am going to enjoy this...come on SS2...step up to the challenge

Max, you know as well as I do that TFAL is little more than a poor WUM. You have expressed doubts in the past as to whether he is even a Bellaghy man - I would suggest that I could do as good an impression of a Derry man, simply by listening to the Derry wans in work hi.

However, not being one to shirk a challenge I will do my best to answer TFAL's points, although rather than providing stimulating material for mature debate, TFAL has simply provided a small barrel full of large, juicy fish and a big sawn-off shot gun for me.

You Antrim folk amuse me. Instead of complaining about Liam Bradley, you should be celebrating the fact that someone with managerial experience has decided to sacrifice his reputation to take you.

Managing the Antrim senior football team is a win - win situation for any manager. Make any improvement and it's all down to you, fail to make any improvement and it's all down to the players. One need look no further than Mr Bradley's predecessor, a Mr Jody Gormley. Gormley came into the Antrim job as one of the "best young coaches in Ulster". Two years later, after failing to gain promotion from Div. 4 twice, after failing to win a single championship match, after displaying neither tactical nous nor man management skills at any stage of his reign, Mr Gormley resigns. He is immediately proposed for the position of the Cavan manager, with himself still being described as one of the "best young coaches in Ulster". Regardless of how inept the Baker's reign is (and I fear it will match, if not surpass, Mickey Culbert's and Aidan Thornbury's in terms of gross ineptitude), Baker's reputation (in so far as he has one) will remain intact.

I note too that the short list for the Derry manager's job wasn't exactly bursting with talent, why do think this is?

Remember you are amongst the worst counties in the country, you have no tradition

With all due respect, TFAL (or indeed any other Derry man) is not the best soldier to fire that particular missile. To paraphrase your new manager, Damien Cassidy, a county with seven Ulster senior titles in 124 years is not one to quote tradition. And it is certainly not one to quote tradition to a county that had 11 Ulster titles before Derry had one, or that appeared in an All-Ireland final nearly fifty years before Derry did. But keep living in that wee "we're a big county with a strong tradition" bubble if you like. Go to Kerry or Dublin or Down or Tyrone and talk to them about tradition if you want to see Derry's (or, as you say, Antrim's) place in the greater scheme of things.

I would suggest that Derry and Antrim are much of a muchness, both mired in mediocrity, but capable of a lot more. One need only look at last year's record to see how similar the two teams really are. Both lost two league matches; both lost one more championship match than they won; both won a very soft trophy (Derry's NFL and Antrim's TM Cup) - only eight teams entered each, many of the top teams were barred from entry and many of those who did enter didn't take the competitions seriously. It's not too long either since Antrim finished above Derry in Div 2B of the NFL, an event recorded for posterity in the ballad "The Mountains Of Moran".

It is also worth noting that Derry are quick enough to look across the Bann when their teams need to be strengthened in order to allow them to compete on a national level. One need only look at the '93 squad which included Stephen Mulvenna or the Lavey and Ballerin teams who played in All-Ireland club finals with Antrim men in their midst. Look to at who Cassidy chose as his trainer, Kevin Madden (Antrim) or indeed who Paddy Crozier had as his trainer, John McCloskey (Antrim). I could continue but hopefully TFAL can get the point.

I would also suggest that several of the current Antrim squad would stroll on to the current Derry team. McGreevy, McClean, Kelly, Crozier, McGourty and Cunningham would all start, whilst there could be arguments made for the other McGourtys and the McCanns. Conversely, there are men who played for Derry last year who wouldn't make the Antrim team.

if Sean Boylan and Alex ferguson took you it would still be an impossible task.

Why so, either would bring a level of professional hithertofore unseen in Antrim GAA circles. There is nothing to suggest that Antrim players wouldn't respond to a manager who would easily garner respect from any player serious about inter-county football.

And as for SS2 talking about the "promised land"- where exactly would that be in Antrim  terms- more than 15 turning up for training.

Can't remember ever mentioning the promised land, but if we're are to be taken seriously, the targets have to be promotion from Division 4 and an Ulster final appearance. No team of mine would go to Ballybofey and lose there and we are eminently capable of beating any of the teams we would meet in the saemi-final. The reality is that we will not get promoted, we will lose to Donegal and whoever we get in the first round of the qualifiers. Personally, I won't be blaming Baker, I'll be blaimng those who gave him the job.

Hope this helps Max.

[NAG]

encore encore!

[Maximus Marillius]

You Antrim folk amuse me. Instead of complaining about Liam Bradley, you should be celebrating the fact that someone with managerial experience has decided to sacrifice his reputation to take you. Remember you are amongst the worst counties in the country, you have no tradition and if Sean Boylan and Alex ferguson took you it would still be an impossible task.
And as for SS2 talking about the "promised land"- where exactly would that be in Antrim  terms- more than 15 turning up for training.

whoooo...TFAL sit back, watch the abuse thats about to come your way. I am going to enjoy this...come on SS2...step up to the challenge

Max, you know as well as I do that TFAL is little more than a poor WUM. You have expressed doubts in the past as to whether he is even a Bellaghy man - I would suggest that I could do as good an impression of a Derry man, simply by listening to the Derry wans in work hi.

However, not being one to shirk a challenge I will do my best to answer TFAL's points, although rather than providing stimulating material for mature debate, TFAL has simply provided a small barrel full of large, juicy fish and a big sawn-off shot gun for me.

You Antrim folk amuse me. Instead of complaining about Liam Bradley, you should be celebrating the fact that someone with managerial experience has decided to sacrifice his reputation to take you.

Managing the Antrim senior football team is a win - win situation for any manager. Make any improvement and it's all down to you, fail to make any improvement and it's all down to the players. One need look no further than Mr Bradley's predecessor, a Mr Jody Gormley. Gormley came into the Antrim job as one of the "best young coaches in Ulster". Two years later, after failing to gain promotion from Div. 4 twice, after failing to win a single championship match, after displaying neither tactical nous nor man management skills at any stage of his reign, Mr Gormley resigns. He is immediately proposed for the position of the Cavan manager, with himself still being described as one of the "best young coaches in Ulster". Regardless of how inept the Baker's reign is (and I fear it will match, if not surpass, Mickey Culbert's and Aidan Thornbury's in terms of gross ineptitude), Baker's reputation (in so far as he has one) will remain intact.

I note too that the short list for the Derry manager's job wasn't exactly bursting with talent, why do think this is?

Remember you are amongst the worst counties in the country, you have no tradition

With all due respect, TFAL (or indeed any other Derry man) is not the best soldier to fire that particular missile. To paraphrase your new manager, Damien Cassidy, a county with seven Ulster senior titles in 124 years is not one to quote tradition. And it is certainly not one to quote tradition to a county that had 11 Ulster titles before Derry had one, or that appeared in an All-Ireland final nearly fifty years before Derry did. But keep living in that wee "we're a big county with a strong tradition" bubble if you like. Go to Kerry or Dublin or Down or Tyrone and talk to them about tradition if you want to see Derry's (or, as you say, Antrim's) place in the greater scheme of things.

I would suggest that Derry and Antrim are much of a muchness, both mired in mediocrity, but capable of a lot more. One need only look at last year's record to see how similar the two teams really are. Both lost two league matches; both lost one more championship match than they won; both won a very soft trophy (Derry's NFL and Antrim's TM Cup) - only eight teams entered each, many of the top teams were barred from entry and many of those who did enter didn't take the competitions seriously. It's not too long either since Antrim finished above Derry in Div 2B of the NFL, an event recorded for posterity in the ballad "The Mountains Of Moran".

It is also worth noting that Derry are quick enough to look across the Bann when their teams need to be strengthened in order to allow them to compete on a national level. One need only look at the '93 squad which included Stephen Mulvenna or the Lavey and Ballerin teams who played in All-Ireland club finals with Antrim men in their midst. Look to at who Cassidy chose as his trainer, Kevin Madden (Antrim) or indeed who Paddy Crozier had as his trainer, John McCloskey (Antrim). I could continue but hopefully TFAL can get the point.

I would also suggest that several of the current Antrim squad would stroll on to the current Derry team. McGreevy, McClean, Kelly, Crozier, McGourty and Cunningham would all start, whilst there could be arguments made for the other McGourtys and the McCanns. Conversely, there are men who played for Derry last year who wouldn't make the Antrim team.

if Sean Boylan and Alex ferguson took you it would still be an impossible task.

Why so, either would bring a level of professional hithertofore unseen in Antrim GAA circles. There is nothing to suggest that Antrim players wouldn't respond to a manager who would easily garner respect from any player serious about inter-county football.

And as for SS2 talking about the "promised land"- where exactly would that be in Antrim  terms- more than 15 turning up for training.

Can't remember ever mentioning the promised land, but if we're are to be taken seriously, the targets have to be promotion from Division 4 and an Ulster final appearance. No team of mine would go to Ballybofey and lose there and we are eminently capable of beating any of the teams we would meet in the saemi-final. The reality is that we will not get promoted, we will lose to Donegal and whoever we get in the first round of the qualifiers. Personally, I won't be blaming Baker, I'll be blaimng those who gave him the job.

Hope this helps Max.

SS2 ye are a man of many words...even though most of them are shite. But fair play to you, on this occassion you have stepped well up to the mark...and took on the bold TFAL, whom sadly I am now convinced is a Bellaghy man. On the comparsions of Antrim and Derry thou...I would take Derrys current plight and potential rather than Antrims...would you agree?

[saffron sam2]

SS2 ye are a man of many words...even though most of them are shite. But fair play to you, on this occassion you have stepped well up to the mark...and took on the bold TFAL, whom sadly I am now convinced is a Bellaghy man. On the comparsions of Antrim and Derry thou...I would take Derrys current plight and potential rather than Antrims...would you agree?

That first sentence is straight out of the Lynchbhoy repetoire - he's either beginning to influence you or he is you.

As for your second question, yes, I would certainly take Derry's current plight and potential over Antrim's. I would also take your manager and your county board.

[Maximus Marillius]

SS2 ye are a man of many words...even though most of them are shite. But fair play to you, on this occassion you have stepped well up to the mark...and took on the bold TFAL, whom sadly I am now convinced is a Bellaghy man. On the comparsions of Antrim and Derry thou...I would take Derrys current plight and potential rather than Antrims...would you agree?

That first sentence is straight out of the Lynchbhoy repetoire - he's either beginning to influence you or he is you.

As for your second question, yes, I would certainly take Derry's current plight and potential over Antrim's. I would also take your manager and your county board.

sure we all know what you think of him

[gaagaa]

Regardless of how inept the Baker's reign is (and I fear it will match, if not surpass, Mickey Culbert's and Aidan Thornbury's in terms of gross ineptitude), Baker's reputation (in so far as he has one) will remain intact.

sure can they think any less of him in derry the way he ws treated going in for the derry job - total distain

[NAG]

I wonder which one is costing more?

[saffron sam2]

SS2 ye are a man of many words...even though most of them are shite. But fair play to you, on this occassion you have stepped well up to the mark...and took on the bold TFAL, whom sadly I am now convinced is a Bellaghy man. On the comparsions of Antrim and Derry thou...I would take Derrys current plight and potential rather than Antrims...would you agree?

That first sentence is straight out of the Lynchbhoy repetoire - he's either beginning to influence you or he is you.

As for your second question, yes, I would certainly take Derry's current plight and potential over Antrim's. I would also take your manager and your county board.

sure we all know what you think of him

Everything is relative. Given a choice between Cassidy and Bradley, I would select Cassidy.

You can keep those Slaughneil boys - I wouldn't be interested in them. They sound like lunatics.

[Maximus Marillius]

I wonder which one is costing more?

Well nag Derry dont pay...to many hard liners in there. What about antrim?

[NAG]

Max, you seriously just made me burst out laughing there, cassidy is doing it for the love of the oak leaf and baker is over in casement to ressurect the saffron cause. There was a question asked at the county meeting the other night how much he was getting paid and the good doctor said nothing when the dogs in the street know that he is being paid. Lets be real about this topic!

[Cromagh]

Getting paid or expenses??

travelling from glenuillen to belfast - approx 60 miles?? thats 120 round trip - 40p per mile.....thats £48 per night travelling - round up to £50 times 4 or 5 times aweek for various training, planning etc - so Baker is probably on £200-£250 a week which makes it approx £1000 per month - £12,000 per year.

Just my take on it.........

Sambo & Woody - getting paid or expenses?

[Maximus Marillius]

Getting paid or expenses??

travelling from glenuillen to belfast - approx 60 miles?? thats 120 round trip - 40p per mile.....thats £48 per night travelling - round up to £50 times 4 or 5 times aweek for various training, planning etc - so Baker is probably on £200-£250 a week which makes it approx £1000 per month - £12,000 per year.

Just my take on it.........

Sambo & Woody - getting paid or expenses?

Cromagh it is 52p per mile when on county duty, so you doing the guy.

[Cromagh]

so max - does all county players get that as well as managers