Messages

Just looked at it and thought it a poor effort.
Whats the points in videoing a particular drill and it's over before you can take it in?
Found it repetitive and not very innovative. Many of the drills are old hat at this stage. I was hoping the games would be better but alas no.

Happy to say that the coaches in my own Club would run far superior sessions and maybe they should produce a dvd. It would easily surpass this effort.

I've been to a good few of them over the years and I always felt that justice was not served.
Procedure is that you are charged with an offence, called in and your evidence taken. You have no opportunity to refute what may  have been said in your absence.
It would be much more preferable if both sides to a dispute were brought before a Hearings Committee and could argue their case in front of each other.
I know of people suspended for 'abuse' who never opened their mouths!! Crazy stuff!

Likewise with problems over transfers etc. Where a transfer is being objected to both Clubs and the player (parents if it's an underage player) should be required to meet with the relevant Committee and put the facts on the table. Instead what usually happens is the matter comes before a County Committee, an objection is raised and it's basically voted on by delegates. More often than not the said delegates may have been canvassing for support for or against a transfer themselves and horse trading goes on. Or delegates do not decide the case on it's merits but on the popularity of a club....

Dunno Muppet. Had my tonsils removed in April 1975 in The Richmond Hospital in Dublin.

For some reason they took out my 'adenoids' as well. To this day I don't know what an 'adenoid' is and, by removing same, did the surgeons ensure I would be crap at football?

pharyngeal tonsil!

Their thinking is often coloured by personal preferences, by club and county politics, by media coverage and by possible media coverage of the outcome. Doing the right thing doesn't come into it very often.

Of course those who criticise these procedures are untainted by any of these things.

Referees then, don't get me going!! Many of them are only in it for the money

I also know that there are many outside managers in Clubs who do receive payment but most of them are getting their expenses and maybe a little extra.

So the refs are in it for the money, but the managers are getting their legitimate expenses?

Well I can tell you from personal experience as a team manager that is my belief.
It costs me considerable money to train my club team - phone calls, travel, bits of equipment, a few footballs..... It doesn't bother me but I don't like to be misrepresented or to see it happen to other managers as is happening. Everybody seems to have a voice in the GAA - there are Refs organisations in each county to look after their interests etc but managers are fair game for officials. Look at how militant they are - they refuse to allow outside refs into their county when it would be a logical step to have a swap. Does away with the familiarity problem.
And yes many refs are motivated by the money. Some of them double up at local level doing soccer games as well. Don't tell me it's a vocation to refereeing and that money isn't the reason. And I know of how many of them carry on. But it's not politically correct to question officials, is it?

I posted this in another thread and someone suggested it could a topic on it's own. So here it is.

Croke Park should hang it's head in shame.
This is a typical example of the ridiculous approach to disciplinary matters (Derrytresk ban) by the GAA, in fact to more than discipline, to how it sets up competitions and committees.
The GAA cannot organise a competition on simple and fair lines, everything has to cater for exceptions to the rule rather than be equitable and fair.

Likewise with it's approach to discipline. One law for a club a different standard applied to counties.

In a court of law you at lease hear all the evidence and can contest it. GAA discipline is administered by Committees who 'investigate' matters but a Club or individual cannot hear or see the evidence against them, only the allegation. It's almost impossible to get justice. It's one of the reasons we have such a poor disciplinary record as compared to other sports.
Many of the Committee members sitting in judgement have little in terms of ability, training or expertise in dealing with such matters. Their thinking is often coloured by personal preferences, by club and county politics, by media coverage and by possible media coverage of the outcome. Doing the right thing doesn't come into it very often.
The rules are deliberately vague and if they want to get you they will get you - 'misconduct considered to have discredited the Association', 'behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent', 'contributing to a melee'.... what does that mean???
It's very judgemental and non specific, open to interpretation and abuse.
'Attempting to strike'.....'attempting to kick'....'inflicting injury recklessly by means other than those stated above'......'minor physical interference (e.g. laying a hand on, pushing, pulling or jostling) with an official - laying a hand on could be widely misinterpreted if one wanted to be vindictive....disruptive conduct at games by team officials or supporters - what exactly is that...
Most of these terms are catch all phrases designed to allow Committees absolute power to discipline anyone they have a dislike for..
The hearings themselves are then conducted in a mystical setting where you never hear the evidence against you, the opposition can say what they will and you cannot refute it...

Referees then, don't get me going!! Many of them are only in it for the money. Some refs could be doing 10 games a week between adult and juvenile leagues, schools games, practice games. They are doing well out of it and too many are motivated only by the few bob, many of them display as much if not more contempt for players as some players have for refs! And at club level they don't forget.... Clubs and players know that and it's not fashionable or politically correct to say it, but it's often true. Some refs have been known to abuse players during games, some to vow to 'do a player' in a future game..

The GAA has become unwieldy, Croke Park has far too much sway and too many 'experts' pushing more and more obligations onto over worked volunteers at club level - ASAP Offices etc etc...
Maybe it's time for a new organisation - The Gaelic Clubs Association where players can play with their clubs when they should be instead of at the whim of a county manager who only has one interest - self promotion....

Croke Park and it's officials are leading us up a garden path - and we are letting them away with it.
There is a small army of paid officials running departments to implement 'best practice'! ASAP etc!.
Standards are being imposed that professional sports bodies wouldn't live up to and the demands on volunteers is out of hand.
Our core business is being pushed further down the agenda each week that passes.
These people have to justify their salaries at our expense. There is more reporting and statistics keeping than in the Civil Service. A numbers game is being played with the Dept of Sport on participation levels and all sorts of areas. That is driving GAA policy in Go Games etc.

The top brass are completely out of touch and have become too politicised. The election of GAA presidents epitomises that where candidates have to have a campaign to get elected, they feel they have to have an agenda which they will drive and they end up trading for votes. Into the bargain we have to pay for their secondment regardless of salary level!! So if the head of Smurfit earns €1,000,000 annually and is elected Uachtaran we have to compensate Smurfit! It's barmy.
Time was when it was solely a figurehead position, someone who had given great service to the GAA, to be the public face of the Association. Not any longer. These guys are GAA politicians.
Likewise our Ard Stuiritheoir used go about his job quietly and efficiently ( Liam Mulvihil and Sean o Siochan).
The present incumbents have started a campign against team managers that they have blown out of all proportion resulting in a Prime Time special tonight!! What have we become?
I am training Club teams for 30 years now without any payment and I know the vast majority of managers do likewise. I also know that there are many outside managers in Clubs who do receive payment but most of them are getting their expenses and maybe a little extra. A tiny minority are getting above and beyond legit exps. It is not the problem it has been portrayed as - by our own leaders...... who have managed to put us all under a cloud - no smoke without fire and all that..Shame on them.
It would serve them better to get back to reality, stop paying a nominal position compensation for giving up work (there's no need to do that, unless you want to self promote yourslef in the 32 counties).
I'm afraid the GAA has turned into a monster and cannot be turned back. It may be time for a Gaelic Clubs Association to put the Club back at the forefront of the games.

Croke Park should hang it's head in shame.
This is a typical example of the ridiculous approach to disciplinary matters by the GAA, in fact to more than discipline, to how it sets up competitions and committees.
The GAA cannot organise a competition on simple and fair lines, everything has to cater for exceptions to the rule rather than be equitable and fair.

Likewise with it's approach to discipline.
In a court of law you at lease hear all the evidence and can contest it. GAA discipline is administered by Committees who 'investigate' matters but a Club or individual cannot hear or see the evidence against them, only the allegation. It's almost impossible to get justice. It's one of the reasons we have such a poor disciplinary record as compared to other sports.
Many of the Committee members sitting in judgement have little in terms of ability, training or expertise in dealing with such matters. Their thinking is often coloured by personal preferences, by club and county politics, by media coverage and by possible media coverage of the outcome. Doing the right thing doesn't come into it very often.
The rules are deliberately vague and if they want to get you they will get you - 'misconduct considered to have discredited the Association', 'behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent', 'contributing to a melee'.... what does that mean???
It's very judgemental and non specific, open to interpretation and abuse.
'Attempting to strike'.....'attempting to kick'....'inflicting injury recklessly by means other than those stated above'......'minor physical interference (e.g. laying a hand on, pushing, pulling or jostling) with an official - laying a hand on could be widely misinterpreted if one wanted to be vindictive....disruptive conduct at games by team officials or supporters - what exactly is that...
Most of these terms are catch all phrases designed to allow Committees absolute power to discipline anyone they have a dislike for..
The hearings themselves are then conducted in a mystical setting where you never hear the evidence against you, the opposition can say what they will and you cannot refute it...

Referees then, don't get me going!! Many of them are only in it for the money. Some refs could be doing 10 games a week between adult and juvenile leagues, schools games, practice games. They are doing well out of it and too many are motivated only by the few bob, many of them display as much if not more contempt for players as some players have for refs! And at club level they don't forget.... Clubs and players know that and it's not fashionable or politically correct to say it, but it's often true. Some refs have been known to abuse players during games, some to vow to 'do a player' in a future game..

The GAA has become unwieldy, Croke Park has far too much sway and too many 'experts' pushing more and more obligations onto over worked volunteers at club level - ASAP Offices etc etc...
Maybe it's time for a new organisation - The Gaelic Clubs Association where players can play with their clubs when they should be instead of at the whim of a county manager who only has one interest - self promotion....

I hope Derrytresk take this to the DRA and wipe the floor with Croke Park over this carry on..

Rant over!

Nonsense.
He'd be in there if he had something to offer.
Talent on its own is never enough.
Obviously a bad apple in the barrell and maybe Val didnt want to contaminate the rest of them.
Don't see any outcry from the panel...

You're haranging me now.....
Lets clarify something for you apologists making a case for what Clive Woodward called a 'sapper'.
No manager worth his salt in the inter county game would tolerate that behaviour from pannelists, and I'm fairly sure players would have signed up to an agreed code of conduct.
He's another failed intercounty player who thought he was better than he was, that he was something special.
There's a handful of them out there and guess what? None of them play for the top teams. They wouldn't tolerate them.
Remember Mark Vaughan? Gone.
Colm Parkinson? Gone
Gourty, Gallagher.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Complete bollocks. Managers have tolerated, and will continue to tolerate, a lot more than someone playing golf on the morning of the championship. Just out of interest, what game is that alleged to have happened before (cue you trawling for Johnsons worst game in the last 3 years  ? Jack O Connor lived in perpetual fear of Dara O Ses reaction to everything he did. The Gooch and Galvin dont lack self confidence or controversy, and I'm sure there'd be some stories about their behaviour at times, they've done aright. Mugsy McMenamin has certainly been colourful at times, hes still going strong, all of these under the highest regarded managers of their time. Just to point out too, McGourty would be there if he wanted, he was certainly never told he wouldnt be (I assume you're talking about Kevin). If you're talking about what managers will put up with, consider that CJ McGourty is there this year. Rory Gallagher is about 34, not sure he'd still have the legs. Still playing top level club football though, doing aright, and holds the record for scoring most in a championship match. If you mean they've failed because they havent won all-irelands, then is that you making an argumnet for transfers, given that it seems it was in all likelihood that this is becuase of where they were born rather than any reflection on their talent, gallagher may have transferred, but moving to cavan was never gonna give him a celtic cross.

This is all however, digressing. The point isnt that Johnson misbehaved in your view, or anyones view, so he should take his punishment of being dropped. The point is that players should be allowed to play. Whatever your personal opinion of Johnson, and how he carries himself, he is an excellent player, who has got to where he is through talent and hard work. If some manager chooses not to select him, then why should he not be allowed to ply his trade elsewhere? If Johnsons transfer doesnt go through, who wins, apart from bitter hoors who dont want to see him play anywhere else out of spite?

Thats a load of baloney!
A manager drops you and you want to play elsewhere, sure no team would last with that carry on. In effect then, only the first 15 matter; subs all want to play too so they should pack their bags and all move to Kildare!
Stop will ye...

Simple.
There are clear rules about eligibility. You either are legal to play or not.
Growing up means to accept the rules you play under and not throw a hizzy it.
Any player who plays golf the day of an Ulster Championship game or comes into a dressing room and demands a few new young players get out of HIS place doesn't deserve to represent his county.
Too many of these prima donnas coming into the game with their fan clubs in tow.

So, just to clarify, you'd be in favour of the rules been extended to ban players from playing golf on the morning of championship games, and telliing ones to move from their spot in the dressing room? Any others?

You're haranging me now.....
Lets clarify something for you apologists making a case for what Clive Woodward called a 'sapper'.
No manager worth his salt in the inter county game would tolerate that behaviour from pannelists, and I'm fairly sure players would have signed up to an agreed code of conduct.
He's another failed intercounty player who thought he was better than he was, that he was something special.
There's a handful of them out there and guess what? None of them play for the top teams. They wouldn't tolerate them.
Remember Mark Vaughan? Gone.
Colm Parkinson? Gone.
Gourty, Gallagher.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[If nobody owes any player a game at inter co level, then similarly no player owes anyone anything at inter co level. Its an amateur sport ffs.]

Whats that about johnsons move being solely about glory-hunting? I think the fact that he was told he wouldnt be playing for Cavan this year had a small part in it at least, do you not?

The last time I looked Seanie Johnston wasn't the manager of Cavan. If Val Andrews doesn't want to pick him, that's his decision. Nobody owes any player a game at inter-county level.

See 'solely'. If he had been called up for cavan, would he be now transferrign to Kildare?



If nobody owes any player a game at inter co level, then similarly no player owes anyone anything at inter co level. Its an amateur sport ffs.

[/b]

Taking that to it's logical conclusion, no rules should apply. And so a player can decide to switch allegiances during a competition; 'I was taken off today, feck them, I want to play with the winners in the next round'....
Grow up. He's illegal. End of story.

Explain that one    Also, what has 'growing up' got to do with it?

Simple.
There are clear rules about eligibility. You either are legal to play or not.
Growing up means to accept the rules you play under and not throw a hizzy it.
Any player who plays golf the day of an Ulster Championship game or comes into a dressing room and demands a few new young players get out of HIS place doesn't deserve to represent his county.
Too many of these prima donnas coming into the game with their fan clubs in tow.

The GAA fixtures congestion is key to the issue and this problem was compounded with the arrival of the Qualifiers. This structure is not in the best interests of Clubs or players; it's principal aim is to generate money and provide more high profile games for the public. This was tagged on to an inequitable provincial structure.
The bullet has to be bitten and we either return to the knock out provincial championship of yesteryear or we radicalise and provide an equitable system that ensures all counties the same progression path and certainty around fixtures. We can then build a club and college games programme to fit.
The GAA is unique in its approach to competition structures - it always tries to cater for the exception to the rules rather than keeping it simple. If it's not an uneven provincial system, it's a back door system with so many entry points, to losers groups, B championships, to God knows what....

There is enough time in the calendar for club, college and county provided logic is applied to it. KISS. Keep it simple stupid!

Given the demands being placed on young players at this time of year John Maughan's call for a halt to this carry on should be heeded.
The top brass in the GAA love to talk about their concern for player welfare and on burn out but only add to the problems with their ridiculous closed season and training ban...

These College players are being abused left right and centre.
We have a glut of competitions, competing managers all demanding their pound of flesh...

We have an organisation prisoner to tradition and unwilling to take simple steps that would eliminate so many of the factors placing these demands on young lads....

At a stroke of a pen, the pressure can be released - unhitch the provincial championships from the All Ireland competitions and immediately a proper games programme can be implemented. Imagine knowing for sure when you are due to play games, imagine freeing up weekends so clubs can play too!
Delete rules on training bans and slot the Leagues and College competitions into a defined playing calendar.

If player welfare truly is a priority these things would be done over night, but it's all lip service..

Again going back to what pressure these young lads are under - some of our colleges call players back in for training during the holiday period - regardless of where they live and without consideration for the expense involved for players. It's no joke for players to have to drive or get buses from home merely to attend college to train for a team where maybe some players are on substantial scholarships (different story for them). It's very much a  two tier system. The guys on scholarship wouldn't be worth tuppence if the ord guys were'nt playing ball.
Then you have these county managers looking for these chaps to commute home for county training - regardless of the distance. I know of a few lads who have to travel over 100 miles for county U21 training! In fairness they are compensated financially but can anyone justify the time demand involved and the impact travel has on their lives.
Would they not be better players if they could skip mid week training at home and train with the college?
Young lads being young lads want to do it all and don't realise that their performance levels are affected by such workloads - and in many cases the quality of training doesn't justify the journey!

I give the GAA 5 years max before it runs into a serious drop off in interest levels.
Clubs are sickened by the exclusion of County players from playing with them; club coaches are, contrary to media reports, mostly voluntary and fed up investing so much time developing players only to be prevented from accessing them in the playing season. Players are gonna walk away as they become disllusioned and burnt out, fed up with self serving officials on power trips (best described to me as 'failed politicians').

The GAA has lost touch with grass roots, the primacy of the Club has been ignored despite all the clap trap from Croke Park, Provincial Councils and County Boards. We have a plethora of full time staff in Croker to run the organisation, (that used by run by Paddy O Keeffe and a secretary) jumping up and down to people in the Sports Council and elsewhere; rolling out programmes that Clubs couldn't possibly have the expertise or personnel to delve - ASAP etc......I thought we were about the games....

[If nobody owes any player a game at inter co level, then similarly no player owes anyone anything at inter co level. Its an amateur sport ffs.]

Whats that about johnsons move being solely about glory-hunting? I think the fact that he was told he wouldnt be playing for Cavan this year had a small part in it at least, do you not?

The last time I looked Seanie Johnston wasn't the manager of Cavan. If Val Andrews doesn't want to pick him, that's his decision. Nobody owes any player a game at inter-county level.

See 'solely'. If he had been called up for cavan, would he be now transferrign to Kildare?



If nobody owes any player a game at inter co level, then similarly no player owes anyone anything at inter co level. Its an amateur sport ffs.

[/b]

Taking that to it's logical conclusion, no rules should apply. And so a player can decide to switch allegiances during a competition; 'I was taken off today, feck them, I want to play with the winners in the next round'....
Grow up. He's illegal. End of story.

Thats a Newstalk trait I'm afraid.
Full of pomposity and their own self importance.
They love to be 'one of the lads' and parading their 'inside knowledge' of the dressing room.

Anyone who has Parkinson and Brady as regular contributors can't be taken too seriously.

Yer man on the lunchtime show is another clown.

HOPE YE ARE READING THIS!!!!!!!!!! Put it on air tonight!!

It isn't as clear cut as the nordies think! Most of the teams in the Division would fancy beating Fermanagh, especially playing them at home. As far as I know Canavan isn't playing with them... Give them def wins away over London, Kilkenny. Waterford very hard beat in Dungarvan and Carlow will be tricky if still in contention at the second last game which they should be as their first three games could seem them gather a head of steam.
Clare in Enniskillen should be a win, Wicklow and Limerick will be battles and Should beat Leitrim in final round.

Between Limerick, Fermanagh, Carlow, Waterford, Wicklow to win it...