Will players commit to Cheddar and Billy?
Suggestion on the football thread that only one player from our county champions will play for the senior footballers. Rumours that only one player from the hurling finalists will commit.
Why do some clubs have good numbers and others have high absentees?
What chance do counties our size have if players don't commit?
Is there anything Laois Committee or Gaels could do?
Is something as simple as meal vouchers, more gear, training camps an option? Or if we could work with LOETB to get players onto educational courses?
It's desperate to think lads just don't want to bother.
Surely the split-season should encourage lads to get involved at County level and still have a full unrestricted championship with their club.
The reality is that young lads with social lives , work commitments, college commitments, girlfriends etc just don't want to commit to a winter slog of training 5 nights a week to eventually at the end of it all get battered to Westmeath by 16 points in the championship like last year or worse again 20+ points against a top team .
The reality is the more lads that don't commit the worse we will actually become. If a county like Laois does not have all the best players involved we will struggle to stay afloat . We need everyone but from what I'm hearing we won't have everyone and far from it too .
I really don't know how we can go about stopping the rot and the frightening thing is the worst still has to come . For us to have any Chance of putting it up to teams like Kerry , Tyrone , Dublin , Mayo , Donegal, Galway etc we would nearly have to go full time professional to do it . But that will never happen and players don't want to commit to the 5 night winter slog of amateur football which currently awaits them so I don't know what the solution really is from here .
I just think the stronger will get stronger and the weaker will get weaker . That trend will kill interest in counties like ourselves altogether. Anyways best of luck to Billy he will need it .
Agree with Laoiseabu here. Representing counties like Laois is thankless and mostly pointless.
Quote from: Robbo on November 16, 2021, 03:14:09 PM
Is there anything Laois Committee or Gaels could do?
Is something as simple as meal vouchers, more gear, training camps an option? Or if we could work with LOETB to get players onto educational courses?
It's desperate to think lads just don't want to bother.
I think these are good questions. It's understandable that some posters on here argue that the gap is too big and that therefore there's no point. But I don't think it's that simple. Anyone who plays football at a good level must surely want the challenge of seeing how far they can go. Of course it's a team sport but each person decides to commit on the basis of personal perceptions. One question they might ask themselves in making that decisin is "Will I win an All-Ireland or a Leinster Championship". But surely it's more complicated than that? They might also ask if their personal status in the community will be enhanced by playing for the county. Will I enjoy pitting my wits against the best from other counties? Will I be paid decent expenses? Will my job prospects improve? Will my prospects of finding a woman improve!!
Playing for the county involves a large commitment but it should also bring large rewards, even for those that don't win All-Irelands. The challenge is to make playing as rewarding as possible for the players. I don't have a lot of info on this but I'm sure a lot more could be done.
Is there anywhere we as loyal supporters could see both panels?
Look, its probably naieve of me to ask questions and if lads dont want to play there are countless reason not to. Fair enough.
There are basic issues that affect counties our size. The recent proposals rejected at Congress might have helped and hopefully will in a couple of years.
But maybe we can do something to break the negative assumption that there'll always be a half dozen starters who won't commit.
I think Cheddar brought the hurlers to Spain a couple of years.
So team training camps can be done.
Would players commit if they knew Laois Gaels were going to work to send 30 hurlers and 30 footballers away for a 4 day training camp? Or just contribute towards a team holiday?
Would it convince everyone? No. Might it convince someone? Maybe.
Someone will probably tell me that we should do without these lads who are watery about kicking for Laois but maybe if we break the cycle and 2 or 3 lads commit, it might encourage others.
If word gets out that the Port or Borris lads aren't coming in, it'll surely have a effect on some other lads too.
Gone are the days you give up everything in your life to play football / hurling inter county,, top teams maybe but the lesser teams these young lads will be told by parents friends us here that playing with Laois your wasting your time and after all there nearly right can anyone say here we have a genuine chance of wining Leinster or an all Ireland pre 07 we had a chance yes but now not a hope in hell ,any player has to look at it I play for Laois we're gonna loose I'll be branded shite so players in reality there nearly right ,,,it's shocking to say it but in reality your doing it for nothing as you will win nothing the holidays the beer nights out social media it's more appealing than keeping us happy of a wet and cold Sunday afternoon unfortunately and it's not just Laois the Carlows Leitrims of this world the list goes on,,we will not have our best players playing this year and lads are dropping like flies too it's a sad situation at the minute but it's not for changing unfortunately
Quote from: town1980 on November 16, 2021, 11:54:41 PM
Gone are the days you give up everything in your life to play football / hurling inter county,, top teams maybe but the lesser teams these young lads will be told by parents friends us here that playing with Laois your wasting your time and after all there nearly right can anyone say here we have a genuine chance of wining Leinster or an all Ireland pre 07 we had a chance yes but now not a hope in hell ,any player has to look at it I play for Laois we're gonna loose I'll be branded shite so players in reality there nearly right ,,,it's shocking to say it but in reality your doing it for nothing as you will win nothing the holidays the beer nights out social media it's more appealing than keeping us happy of a wet and cold Sunday afternoon unfortunately and it's not just Laois the Carlows Leitrims of this world the list goes on,,we will not have our best players playing this year and lads are dropping like flies too it's a sad situation at the minute but it's not for changing unfortunately
Any word on what Portlaoise lads are committing town1980 ??
Quote from: Robbo on November 16, 2021, 09:17:01 PM
Look, its probably naieve of me to ask questions and if lads dont want to play there are countless reason not to. Fair enough.
There are basic issues that affect counties our size. The recent proposals rejected at Congress might have helped and hopefully will in a couple of years.
But maybe we can do something to break the negative assumption that there'll always be a half dozen starters who won't commit.
I think Cheddar brought the hurlers to Spain a couple of years.
So team training camps can be done.
Would players commit if they knew Laois Gaels were going to work to send 30 hurlers and 30 footballers away for a 4 day training camp? Or just contribute towards a team holiday?
Would it convince everyone? No. Might it convince someone? Maybe.
Someone will probably tell me that we should do without these lads who are watery about kicking for Laois but maybe if we break the cycle and 2 or 3 lads commit, it might encourage others.
If word gets out that the Port or Borris lads aren't coming in, it'll surely have a effect on some other lads too.
The trip to Spain won't cut it. No chance of winning anything. Rookie coach. No real incentives. Time away from family. Commuting after work to make training sometimes three or four nights a week. The effect this has on your work performance. Our lads don't have cushy jobs like the Dublin lads who seem to be studying up until they finish playing. Yeah right. The general apathy from all stakeholders in Laois GAA towards our county teams including the lack of support from CB and supporters. Just the CB in general. Absolutely useless.
I could go on. All factors. And maybe the biggest of all. Just not really an enjoyable experience. Playing any sport should be fun and rewarding fundamentally. Playing for Laois just isn't. I wouldn't commit if I'm honest
Too add to that high fielder, young lads will want to do some travelling next year and maybe kick ball in the US and earn a few euro. They wouldn't have been able to do it because of covid.
It's hard on Billy as he won't have a full hand to play with but will still be judged regardless. For me, getting successful/competitive minot and u20 teams is more important as these give the county a lift.
Agreed Butch. We're at that crossroads, and where we direct our resources is key. I commend any lad who goes in with Laois, because in truth, it's not easy. I have to say I've sat and watched us getting pummeled a number of times, and it's depressed me for months after. How does that feel for the players?
I've heard of a number of players who were asked to join the squad but turned it down as they intend to travel in 2022.
Next year's club championships could well be decided by which club has the least lads on Bondi Beach!
I disagree that we are at a crossroads, we are gone a fair bit down the wrong road. We have created a culture of apathy where nobody but few headbangers really care. Our standards keep dropping and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Billy is not the cause of this but he is a symptom he should never have been facilitated as a player in Laois or as a Manager. We have lost our identity if we ever had one Micko,Liam K, Justin, TOF, Mike Quirke & Billy they serve their own agenda (as they rightly should) but we have lost everything. Laois is not far off been Wicklow when we should be striving to be Meath. Somewhere I hope somebody shouts stop.
The crossroads I meant was to keep throwing away thousands on Senior or divert it towards underage. To be honest, I'd rather we just pulled the plug altogether rather than go on doing what we're doing every year. There is absolutely no incentive to spend your hard earned money following Laois around the country. And even less I'd imagine to play for us.
Any word on retirements? We've a good few lads over 30s who owe Laois nothing. They are a credit to themselves for making themselves available and doing all the hard slog year in year out
I think if you look at the forum you could cut and paste the same replies from every year for the last three year. Poor player engagement, poor manager, we are going to be relegated.
I get the commitment argument for young and old players as work and college commitments in order to cement future earnings, mortgage commitments, heating expenses, family and lifestyle commitments and general living expenses on the rise. Young lads wishing to spread their wings after 18 months of lockdown and potential to earn cash overseas. This is not unusual in all sports and especially in a county which is in decline on the field. This is the same not just in the county scene but in a lot of clubs with reduction in players training and playing and you can probably see the result in the playing numbers and overall success in Portlaoise. Young lads prefer Gyms and looking the part mostly as opposed to playing on the field and getting battered, that's just the way it is. Billy will have to deal with the bunch he gets and staying in Division 2 is probably not an option. Take it as Division 3 and anything above that will be a success. Have 20-30 commited lads who wish to pull on a jersey not based on a trip to Spain or Portugal but on a genuine wish to pick their wits against more succesful teams. You are on the same lines as the Irish soccer team I am afraid , results will be poor, rankings will drop and players will drop out. You gotta put the finance into juvenile and underage development. Properly costed s&C development and gear and equipment the whole way down in the various panels. I would rather see a young lad kitted out with a laois training top and shorts and socks than some lad on a beach in spain sipping sangria on a training camp at the age of 35 showing his passion for Laois.
There is no gun to anyone's head to play and I dont begrudge any lad not playing but it is extremely tough to stomach that we cant get the majority of our best players on board.
Why we are surprised I dunno as this is going on forever with Laois in both codes and its ingrained into our psyche. I dont think think it'll ever change, in general as a county we do not want to do the hard yards to achieve success as much other counties, and so along with many other reasons we will always be lagging behind. Its always been the case and with the current landscape its a very easy option not to commit.
But that applies to us all PK. If they are doing all that they do
, they deserve our support. They deserve at the very least to see a couple of hundred supporters on the worst away day. They get nothing like it at times
Quote from: High Fielder on November 17, 2021, 11:33:36 AM
But that applies to us all PK. If they are doing all that they do
, they deserve our support. They deserve at the very least to see a couple of hundred supporters on the worst away day. They get nothing like it at times
Yeah for sure, we are all part of this....the ones I feel sorry for are the players who strive to be the best they can be and play for Laois but are always swimming against the tide
Me too. Our CB are spineless. They offer these lads as little support as they can get away with. Then they hide behind some makey uppy panel because they knew nobody would want the job. They should go up to Croke Park and tell them we have a player drain because nobody is interested in playing in this farce of a competition or league. Oh hold on, that might ruin the auld spot on the Leinster Council.
Quote from: The PRO on November 17, 2021, 09:49:09 AM
I've heard of a number of players who were asked to join the squad but turned it down as they intend to travel in 2022.
Next year's club championships could well be decided by which club has the least lads on Bondi Beach!
To add to that I've heard a number of Port lads will be unavailable for the club next year aswell as the county . I've heard Ronan Coffey is heading to Canada and I've heard rumours regarding Adam Ryan too along with others . Will Port even do the 3 in a row at this rate ?
Whatever about the footballers who might have legitimate reasons given the shambles of the last few years and the strangle hold Dublin has on the football championship, for opting off panels
The Hurlers can have none
They are playing at the very top level in both championship and league and if you dont want to commit, its a reflection on you and no one else.
This sort of shite goes on in no other Liam McCarthy playing county, Lads would shot their mother for the smell of a county Jersey, but its always an issue here.
On another note
Are Camross still objecting to the ratification of Cheddar as manager?
Were the hurlers not blessed to be relegated ??? top class hurling
Um? Not been paying attention? Do 100 lines - "the hurlers were NOT relegated in 2021"!
Quote from: town1980 on November 18, 2021, 04:42:10 PM
Were the hurlers not blessed to be relegated ??? top class hurling
What are you on about?
The hurlers weren't relegated from anything
I meant they we're lucky they weren't relegated again they were far from top class
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Re: Laois Senior Panels 2022
« Reply #25 on: November 18, 2021, 11:57:06 PM »
Quote
I meant they we're lucky they weren't relegated again they were far from top class
But they weren't relegated were they ? and are playing div 1 and mccarthy Cup so yes they are hurling at the top. They deserve credit for where they are rather than you putting them down with your snide remarks
Yes beating Westmeath was great 👍