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What income is generated from coaching and games development?

What I liked was the energy levels and workrate of everyone on the field. This hasn't always been there but it seems to be back.

Tactically, there are probably lots of things still to do but if everyone's head is in the right place, that will come. The experiment of playing Paddy Purcell at centre back was an interesting one. Happy to see these things being tried out.

Pleasure to be in Mountrath for a game like this.

Lee Cleere and Sean Downey are two very big losses. Excellent players.

Getting rid of Sheehan or keeping Sheehan won't make much of a difference at all in the long term . Our problems go FAR beyond just Billy Sheehan. We are a mess from top to bottom . Our minor footballers last year for example suffered 20 point defeats to both Offaly and Dublin in the championship.
We were a mess before Sheehan arrived and we are still a mess with him . We need a complete rebuild from underage grassroots the whole way up to senior intercounty . You can't solve the problems at senior intercounty without solving the problems at schools , club and underage level too. What went on in Port last night is only the tip of the iceberg, it's the end product of years of taking our eye off the ball . We have sleepwalked into this mess
The next manager that comes in after Sheehan will have the very same problems . The frightening part is I'm not sure whether the expertise nor the appetite is their in Laois to overhaul our structures and change this mess . I honestly think we are going to just limp on the way we are . Truth be told whether we come out of division 4 or not this year it won't make a whole lot of difference in the long run . When we start playing teams in the higher divisions again we are going to be badly shown up again and then back to square one  .
Id like to see all our resources poured into the underage , giving them the best coaching , the best S and C and the professionalism that they would recieve in counties like Dublin for example . We have to put in the hard yards and prepare these young players for senior intercounty football down the line . Simply sitting back and hoping that a " Golden bunch " will come along simply won't work anymore in this age of pace , power and S and C . You won't break even with the likes of Dublin or Kildare for example by sitting Back and hoping we will "magically " improve .  When we get a conveyor belt of good underage teams coming again we will see the knock on affect at senior in maybe 5/6 years .
I have never doubted the ability in Laois but one thing we don't have the is pace and power and size to match any of the semi decent intercounty teams . That thank god can all be worked on put it is going to take a LOT of hard work and patience . I've heard a lot of people say that we are in "transition " . Where exactly are we transitioning to ? As it stands we will be transitioning between division 3 and 4 for the next 10 years unless we roll up the sleeves and put in the hard yards at underage .
Look at Port vs Kilmacud for example . Some very good "footballers"  on that Port team but they simply couldn't deal with the power and pace and size that kilmacud possessed from years of hard work on the S and C side of things . Them Port players have never been exposed to that level of attention to their S and C from a young age like the kilmacud lads . Give them Port lads the same attention to training from a young age as the kilmacud lads and Port would EASILY break even with Kilmacud.
Us people in Laois want the end result of a rebuild without having to go through the actual rebuild process itself . It's going to take a lot of work . I'm not sure we have the expertise and appetite to do it but if we want to become competitive again we will have to do it . LaoisAbu

Good post. These really are all the important points.

Having said that, a decent manager should be able to ensure a better performance than that, no matter the makeup of the team. It's only o Byrne Cup and the result doesn't matter but you really need  to see some evidence of a way doing things that can actually work. This is no good for anyone.

I wasn't at it but I understood we were 15 or 16 points down at half time?

There is no doubt that our demise over the last 15 years has been brutal.

I don't have a lot of time for Billy Sheehan (as a player or a manager) but what can you expect him to do? If he goes with the same old soldiers, he is guaranteed to get the same results (or worse) than before. So he is right to go with a new team. I don't know if this is the best that's available to him or if he's managed to get everyone on board but we should wait and see and give him a chance.

Sugrue was the only one in recent years who made the team greater than the sum of its parts and although it was painful to watch at times, it was effective. I would hope that Billy Sheehan can find a way to make the team more effective.

Nothing particularly new about using average players from outside the county. And we're not the only ones.

I'm glad to see a new look side who might come with fresh energy and interest.

I have to say that the tributes to Ross both on here and in Laois GAA in general have been pathetic. And then you wonder why lads don't commit? Depressing.

Would like to add my thanks to Ross for his incredible service to Laois and for the inspiration that he provided to hundreds of young lads growing up. An excellent role model and I hope he can remain involved in some way.

Pardon my ignorance but what does a coaching officer do?

Wow! You are taking quite a few impressive leaps of logic there! I never said any of these things!

As a matter of fact, my point was precisely the opposite. I already have too many accounts, passwords, and online engagements and I've come to the conclusion that these should be limited to the extent possible.

You are, of course, welcome to remain a centrepiece of "the grid" and I certainly won't pour scorn on you for that. I just have a different way of looking at it and I think I'm entitled to that view.

It's probably not very difficult but I prefer not to have accounts and passwords and usernames if I can avoid it at all.

Of course I will still go to the matches that hold a special interest for me but I won't bother the ones that hold a casual interest. It seems I'm not the only one.

Of course if a card could be taken at the gate, then that would be perfect. Like Burdizzo, I prefer to make a last minute decision to attend a game depending on what else is going on. I don't think people should be expected to plan to the extent that they are asked to do at the moment.

Probably because the Camogie is still a different association?? Not sure. I think these all-ticket matches are a pain in the hole, myself.

I find myself going to far fewer games now than I used to, mainly because of this. And I'm only in my 50s! I think it must be affecting attendances.

Great appointment and I wish Willie Maher all the best as laois manager. Im looking forward to seeing big Dan on the side line with the laois baseball cap turned backwards!! He will bring a bit of blaa buzz to the set up.

Goalkeepers
E Rowland
C Dunne
E Fleming

Backs
D Hartnett
P Delaney
L Cleere
S Downey
P Dunne
R Mullaney
D Conway
J Kelly
C McEvoy

Midfielders
P Purcell
F Fennell
J Keyes
A Corby
C Stapleton

Forwards
P Maher
C Dwyer
R King
A Dunphy
M Keyes
J Duggan
M Kavanagh
E Lyons
B Conroy
PJ Scully
M Dowling
C Collier
J Ryan
B McGinley

I may have left out an obvious one or two by mistake

The panel above would go very close to winning the Joe Mc. I think the incentive is there for these lads to commit. A big day out in a national final in croke park for players and supports alike should be on the cards here with the chance a la 2019 v Dublin also possible.
I do believe the non-committals will regret not doing all they can when they have the opportunity. The summer in America can still be done as the Joe Mc will be over by then so that's not really a valid excuse anymore either.

The only one I think that could consider retiring is Willie Dunphy. Has had plenty of injury issues down the years and certainly owes the county nothing. Very committed player over the past 10-12 years. Of the panel above id say only maybe 1 or 2 are over the 30 mark and all have lots to offer at county level.

Lets hope Willie can convince them this is worth the effort

Good news in the manager and don't forget that having the likes of Podge Delaney, Mark Kavanagh and Lee Cleere at full firness back would be a serious addition to the setup. Hoping that some with travel plans could be convinced to postpone them.

Good luck to the new management team.