Antrim Football Thread

[Gael-in-exile]

Too soon for what? Too soon to say that Gaelfast has been a total failure?

What did it fail in doing??

Before you blame Gaelfast consider the ability it had to impact the whole county.
Less that 10 staff for how many schools would be the first thing to look at.
A quick look at Wikipedia would suggest there are 35 secondary schools of which Gaelfast could be involved in. Another check online would suggest 38 in Primary in Belfast alone.


Gaelfast is a starting point but needs further resourced or to be allowed to continue on in attempting to increase numbers. Stop thinking it's a case of Ulster championships and All Ireland semis or Gaelfast failed.

There's two ways to consider going forward in my view. Maintain and try to support Gaelfast and maybe over time it will prove beneficial with numbers.
Or take the funding from elsewhere and plunge it completely into Gaelfast in maybe a 4/5 year block and double or treble the footprint they have and see where that takes it by the start of the new decade.

[Take the Mark]

Too soon for what? Too soon to say that Gaelfast has been a total failure?

To impact the senior team. The underage teams is another matter.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest that there will be any sort of change for the better in the next 5/6 years. Thats just by looking at the development squads and minor/u20 setups alone.

[EOC1923]

I wouldnt know enough about Gaelfast to start running them down but surely some merit in looking at what Louth have done, I read an article where it said Louth had 9 full time coaches who spent their time going around clubs ensuring the coaching was up to standard. This is definitely the starting point to improve, its not paying big money to get a big name manager in.

[Gael-in-exile]

I wouldnt know enough about Gaelfast to start running them down but surely some merit in looking at what Louth have done, I read an article where it said Louth had 9 full time coaches who spent their time going around clubs ensuring the coaching was up to standard. This is definitely the starting point to improve, its not paying big money to get a big name manager in.

You're correct that would be an excellent use of the Gaelfast resource and as far as I know has been done.
However what you will notice is the lack of coaches who take part and in some cases the clubs who continually seem to be absent in the coach education courses.
Previously I remember coaches use the term "once you've been to one you've seen it all".
A completely incorrect attitude to coach education but nothing much you can do with those of that mindset while volunteers are low in numbers.

[Lár na páirce 1]

So basically, the standard of those players in lesser leagues or league positions of div 1 are shite?

Yes that's correct

[Milltown Row2]

So basically, the standard of those players in lesser leagues or league positions of div 1 are shite?

Yes that's correct

Christ, there's some snobbery about lol

[SaffronSports]

I'd no idea football was an individual sport. Like one player should only get on the county if he is good enough to drag his team mates up to division 1.

[Spike]

What we have seen these past few years is that Div 1 will be brought to you rather than you having to be promoted.

In a good Div 2 players of quality can rise.  What we have now is the worst Div 2 in my lifetime which isnt a good breeding ground for development.  The only thing giving it a veneer of credibility is that reserve teams cannot enter it.

Overhaul of our entire system and direction is needed badly. 

[Lár na páirce 1]

So basically, the standard of those players in lesser leagues or league positions of div 1 are shite?

Yes that's correct

Christ, there's some snobbery about lol

You done a game in Toome few weeks back McGarry was St James best player scored first two points of game then cargin put O'Boyle on to him and he didn't sniff it for 55 minutes ,Kobo is a great player but if an ex county man(by 4 years)is doing that to a player in some quarters claim to be county standard then there's something Not right
Btw I think mcgarry would be good with good players round .
Reality is a 16 team senior league is farcical as there aren't 16 Div one standard teams in Antrim

[Milltown Row2]

Would Kobo mark players during in-house training? Would he be whipped by the Cargin forwards every time?

The point is simple, stick a good player in a good team and he'll become a better player..

Jimmy Barry Murphy said on the podcast the other week, I'm just lucky I grew up in a great county and a fantastic team..

Timing and location, pure luck..

He grew into a better player because the players around him were great also..

Your best players wouldn't be great in a team of lower standing, that's what you are saying.

[Caesar]

So by your logic Lár na páirce, a player can only be county standard if he plays for a top club team? There's plenty of examples up and down the country to prove that as nonsense.

[Ciallmhar]

I wouldnt know enough about Gaelfast to start running them down but surely some merit in looking at what Louth have done, I read an article where it said Louth had 9 full time coaches who spent their time going around clubs ensuring the coaching was up to standard. This is definitely the starting point to improve, its not paying big money to get a big name manager in.

What did it fail in doing??

Before you blame Gaelfast consider the ability it had to impact the whole county.
Less that 10 staff for how many schools would be the first thing to look at.
A quick look at Wikipedia would suggest there are 35 secondary schools of which Gaelfast could be involved in. Another check online would suggest 38 in Primary in Belfast alone.


Gaelfast is a starting point but needs further resourced or to be allowed to continue on in attempting to increase numbers. Stop thinking it's a case of Ulster championships and All Ireland semis or Gaelfast failed.

There's two ways to consider going forward in my view. Maintain and try to support Gaelfast and maybe over time it will prove beneficial with numbers.
Or take the funding from elsewhere and plunge it completely into Gaelfast in maybe a 4/5 year block and double or treble the footprint they have and see where that takes it by the start of the new decade.
[/quote]

As far as I am aware, there are 4 FT coaches with a 5th moving on next week. The original monies for Gaelfast is gone and a new funding model from Croker has been implemented which is a lot less than before. Still think we structured it wrong with the original monies, but thats another conversation. I have heard that there has been quite a bit of work done in getting a full time staff member in St Marys, Belfast and St Louis, Ballymena and both are nearing completion. So fair play to the Gaelfast and school personnel involved. Thats a positive step.
I still think we need to help Belfast clubs directly via coach ed and recruiting from schools, but 1) clubs have to want that help and 2) the county board really need to start putting their hands in their pockets to invest better in development via staffing and underage squads. Id much prefer the monies from Saffron business forum are pushed toward that instead of our senior teams! Although we do need that shop window to keep kids keen on playing, and the old chicken/egg debate begins again!
I heard rumours that we're broke due to the Dunsilly S&C facility. Hoping its not true! 

The old "Gaelfast failed" debate needs a better look. What was the purpose of it? To grow the games in Belfast? The only sure-fire way to know if it worked is to look at the figures. A baseline study was done in 2019/20 and Ulster GAA did another recently, so the results from that will tell us whether it worked or failed.

Anyone thinking a 5 year programme (where Year 1 realistically would be to scope the current state of affairs) would get division 1 senior football are either crazy or stupid.
Takes 20-30 years for a generational change to happen-  Croker cut the funding after 4, and our own county board(s) have f*%ked about that much with recruiting/replacing staff that continuity has been a rareity. Blaming the staff wouldnt be my first call...

[Take the Mark]

Gaelfast isnt to blame for division 1 and its pitiful state,and the Gaelfast coaches aren't to blame for the u20/minor debacle year after year.

Look at what went on to get Division 1 to its current 16 team self, and that will be more of a precursor as to the problems in Antrim. Those making the calls at the very top are constantly doing so for the wrong reasons, and I'd include those at the top when Gaelfast was born in that.

[InnocentByStander]

So by your logic Lár na páirce, a player can only be county standard if he plays for a top club team? There's plenty of examples up and down the country to prove that as nonsense.

Yeah "up and down the country" Antrim's Intermediate and Junior divisions are up their with the worst standard in the country.

[AllStar15]

Some amount of Cargin snobs in this board these days