Antrim Football Thread

[inabsentia]

Full round of fixtures this weekend.



Creggan v Ballymena
Randalstown v Aldergrove
Rossa v Ahoghill
Pg1 v St Pauls
Glenravel v st Galls
Cargin v LD
St Johns v Dunloy
Aghagallon v Brigids

Davitts v Glenavy
Moneyglass v Comgalls
Teresas v Gort
Endas v Lisburn
Sarsfields v Rasharkin

Erie og v Laochra lao
Aggies v Tones
Malachys v Ardoyne
Pearses v O'Ds

[InnocentByStander]

Personally id give the Antrim job to John McKeever.

[Take the Mark]

Personally id give the Antrim job to John McKeever.

Why would you give it to him? What are his credentials for the job?

And on the flip side, why the feck would he take it?

[BigGreenField]

Culture:
Armagh and Antrim to use an example, both had their moments in the 50's.  Armagh came back again in the 70's, reaching the All Ireland in '77, and they more or less stuck around during the 80's and 90's, and took off again in the noughties.  All those teams for Armagh bred the next generation of success. Each team gave their supporters big days out and created an aspiration for young people to play for their county.  Along the way they benefited to an extent from colleges.

By comparison, during the same period Antrim completely lost its way.  The U21 team in the early 70's was the last chance, but we all know what happened sadly, and we lost our way in Antrim more than any other county. The 70's run into the 80's, which run into the 90's, with nothing of note bar the run to the Ulster Final under Baker a while back.  The hurlers had their high point in the late 80's/ early 90's and for plenty in the county not much care could they give about the big ball. The city in particular is very diverse (no bad thing) when it comes to choice of sports or other past times, whereas GAA in South Armagh for instance remained solidly the main if not only show in town, and it was football not hurling. 

The problem now is we've lost the know how, the belief, the willingness.  It would take a monumental collective effort to get Antrim football back in the big time.  We might get lucky with a few generational players and I hoped for a while that might be about to happen - perhaps.  You've seen Duignan come in in Offaly and try to do something like this, although their previous high points weren't as far back.

Our footballing pool has actually become quite small in my opinion.  Most wouldn't know Dermot McAleese if he was standing in front of them (with all due respect).  Casement is just kicking a man when he's down, and is partly self inflicted and reflects the fact that we've had all sorts of administrations running us over the decades and to be honest it's been self-aggrandising or dodgy too often. 

So back to culture, Armagh, Derry and Tyrone have all hung in, had big days, made their own heroes and as they say success breeds success.  Antrim haven't (and Down are in a precarious enough state).  No easy road out of this.  We're scraping around saying maybe it's this, maybe it's that, but I can only think it needs rebuilt from the very bottom up.

Very difficult to magic a county culture out of nothing, has to start at clubs (literally getting cubs to watch their club senior teams) and by extension schools, as player quality goes up the magic moments will start happening at club, school and county. It's a 20 year project.

[BigGreenField]

Full round of fixtures this weekend.



Creggan v Ballymena
Randalstown v Aldergrove
Rossa v Ahoghill
Pg1 v St Pauls
Glenravel v st Galls
Cargin v LD
St Johns v Dunloy
Aghagallon v Brigids

Davitts v Glenavy
Moneyglass v Comgalls
Teresas v Gort
Endas v Lisburn
Sarsfields v Rasharkin

Erie og v Laochra lao
Aggies v Tones
Malachys v Ardoyne
Pearses v O'Ds

Did Glenavy get Owen Gallagher back from Galway?

[Kickham csc]

Culture:
Armagh and Antrim to use an example, both had their moments in the 50's.  Armagh came back again in the 70's, reaching the All Ireland in '77, and they more or less stuck around during the 80's and 90's, and took off again in the noughties.  All those teams for Armagh bred the next generation of success. Each team gave their supporters big days out and created an aspiration for young people to play for their county.  Along the way they benefited to an extent from colleges.

By comparison, during the same period Antrim completely lost its way.  The U21 team in the early 70's was the last chance, but we all know what happened sadly, and we lost our way in Antrim more than any other county. The 70's run into the 80's, which run into the 90's, with nothing of note bar the run to the Ulster Final under Baker a while back.  The hurlers had their high point in the late 80's/ early 90's and for plenty in the county not much care could they give about the big ball. The city in particular is very diverse (no bad thing) when it comes to choice of sports or other past times, whereas GAA in South Armagh for instance remained solidly the main if not only show in town, and it was football not hurling. 

The problem now is we've lost the know how, the belief, the willingness.  It would take a monumental collective effort to get Antrim football back in the big time.  We might get lucky with a few generational players and I hoped for a while that might be about to happen - perhaps.  You've seen Duignan come in in Offaly and try to do something like this, although their previous high points weren't as far back.

Our footballing pool has actually become quite small in my opinion.  Most wouldn't know Dermot McAleese if he was standing in front of them (with all due respect).  Casement is just kicking a man when he's down, and is partly self inflicted and reflects the fact that we've had all sorts of administrations running us over the decades and to be honest it's been self-aggrandising or dodgy too often. 

So back to culture, Armagh, Derry and Tyrone have all hung in, had big days, made their own heroes and as they say success breeds success.  Antrim haven't (and Down are in a precarious enough state).  No easy road out of this.  We're scraping around saying maybe it's this, maybe it's that, but I can only think it needs rebuilt from the very bottom up.

Very difficult to magic a county culture out of nothing, has to start at clubs (literally getting cubs to watch their club senior teams) and by extension schools, as player quality goes up the magic moments will start happening at club, school and county. It's a 20 year project.

Antrim need to start running a program on promoting the idea of a "club" Antrim identity. Went to school in Derry in the 80's early 90's and they looked down on Antrim and would talk of pride of Derrys achievements. You fall into the trap of believing them until you realised that Antrim had twice as many Ulsters etc than they did.

The pride Derry lads have is both at a club level and county, always talking about their sucesses. When I joined Antrim minors, we never talked about tradition, winning tradition, the Derry lads have it literally beat into them.


Antrim need to start with youth, coaching etc, and a clear psychology of winning needs to be bombarded into them, from about needing to win and what it takes to win at the top

[YoungSaff]

Surely there hasnt been any chat of McEntee extending his contract ??

It will be interesting to see who is lined up for the job after this , I think Antrim GAA is in a bad place and slowly still on the decline as the gap widens further between top counties and ourselves.

[Milltown Row2]

Surely there hasnt been any chat of McEntee extending his contract ??

It will be interesting to see who is lined up for the job after this , I think Antrim GAA is in a bad place and slowly still on the decline as the gap widens further between top counties and ourselves.

Lets get through championship? We won't be attracting big names, I'm sure there are candidates willing but its such a high criteria to meet, so many hoops to get through, well one main one, after that it should be a breeze  

[Would ye whist]

Enlighten us all, what is the main hoop?

Surely there hasnt been any chat of McEntee extending his contract ??

It will be interesting to see who is lined up for the job after this , I think Antrim GAA is in a bad place and slowly still on the decline as the gap widens further between top counties and ourselves.

Lets get through championship? We won't be attracting big names, I'm sure there are candidates willing but its such a high criteria to meet, so many hoops to get through, well one main one, after that it should be a breeze  

[YoungSaff]

Surely there hasnt been any chat of McEntee extending his contract ??

It will be interesting to see who is lined up for the job after this , I think Antrim GAA is in a bad place and slowly still on the decline as the gap widens further between top counties and ourselves.

Lets get through championship? We won't be attracting big names, I'm sure there are candidates willing but its such a high criteria to meet, so many hoops to get through, well one main one, after that it should be a breeze  

I can't see the championship lasting very long !! As a player how do you maintain motivation for a man that's on the out too , the tailtean cup surely the only realistic target we can go for and the way results have been going we will be nowhere near it.

Are the u20 lads going to be featuring next week that were witht the seniors conor Johnston and hynds ?

[InnocentByStander]

Personally id give the Antrim job to John McKeever.

Why would you give it to him? What are his credentials for the job?

And on the flip side, why the feck would he take it?

He knows Antrim football and think the players would respect him, even if he wins anything with PG1 this year think it will be his last year so why not?

Interesting to know however, what credentials do you need to be an Antrim manager.

Just don't see harm in having a stab in the dark with someone who knows the football within the county.

Just an opinion but sure wouldn't be this forum without being told your wrong.

[Take the Mark]

Fair enough - he does know Antrim football. Which in itself is as good a reason as any for him to stay well away from it.

I do agree on your point that taking a stab in the dark is as good a way as any, because lets be honest - that current squad are going nowhere. Nobody would get a tune out of them.

Dominic McEnhill injured on Sunday past? 1-1 coming on at half time, and is 1 of Antrims best score taking forwards.

But here, who am I to question Andy and Terry!

[Milltown Row2]

Fair enough - he does know Antrim football. Which in itself is as good a reason as any for him to stay well away from it.

I do agree on your point that taking a stab in the dark is as good a way as any, because lets be honest - that current squad are going nowhere. Nobody would get a tune out of them.

Dominic McEnhill injured on Sunday past? 1-1 coming on at half time, and is 1 of Antrims best score taking forwards.

But here, who am I to question Andy and Terry!

You are, like the rest of us on here, a randomer. I'm nearly sure John did apply for the post? Could be wrong, if he did he must have been interested..

 

[paddyjohn]

[quote  author=Milltown Row2 link=msg=2329532 date=1742471532]

Fair enough - he does know Antrim football. Which in itself is as good a reason as any for him to stay well away from it.

I do agree on your point that taking a stab in the dark is as good a way as any, because lets be honest - that current squad are going nowhere. Nobody would get a tune out of them.

Dominic McEnhill injured on Sunday past? 1-1 coming on at half time, and is 1 of Antrims best score taking forwards.

But here, who am I to question Andy and Terry!

You are, like the rest of us on here, a randomer. I'm nearly sure John did apply for the post? Could be wrong, if he did he must have been interested..

 
[/quote]

I think you're correct or at least that was the rumour.

Is there an outstanding candidate around the county?

Maybe some of the local podcasters could try their hand in management

[Would ye whist]

For me it would be good to see (as much as I want him to stay at Cargin) Ronan and John as a joint ticket

As for them other 2 gobs**tes let sleeping dogs lay they seem to be quiet, keep it that way