Is there no fun in playing GAA any more?

[manfromdelmonte]

I think a huge issue is that if you don't win silverware then the year is viewed as a failure for most GAA clubs/people.

Surely the GAA club is there to provide games and a social outlet for the community?

[INDIANA]

To be honest anyone cracking a joke immediately after a defeat obviously doesn't give a f**k. Maybe it's just me but after a defeat the changing room is a quiet place and most if not all players stay silent with possibly a bit of light but short conversation. The person to crack a joke is usually the person who is either 1) the village clown or 2) a sub (or both)...

Reserve football - by all means crack a joke. Have your craic then and laugh away after a defeat. Not the end of the world. No one will bite your head off. But if our senior team got bate and someone cracked a joke I and a few others wouldn't be happy. It just gives the impression that the person doesn't care and is almost disrespecting his team mates and the team atmosphere by making light of losing.

That's way over the top. The person to crack a joke is usually the one who has a life. You sound like the worst excesses of Gaelic Football today

Lads who train too much, have no life, no social life and live their entire existence through playing football. Christ what a waste of a life.

Each to their own though Indiana, I don't think there is a correct answer for this. I mean some people want to treat an amateur sport like a professional one and fair play to them. Others want to treat it like a hobby and a bit of craic, that's their choice too- though i understand that clubs are not catering for this in some cases (are they really responsible to do that?).
I know a fella who takes watching/reading Game Of Thrones very seriously. He can't stand the fact that I leisure watch the same show and miss out of some hidden clues etc.

I trained like a professional myself like many others here but I had a balance. Too many now don't. Spend far too much time in the gym improving nothing bar their testosterone to cover up whatever other social inadequacies they have.

I got a better appreciation when I started coaching. You realise then you're completely at the disposal of the talent available. Only one team can win each year and you realise it's only a game. And no amount of preparation can forsee bad refereeing decisions or the ball hitting the post. When you're name is on it - it's on it.

[general_lee]

I think a huge issue is that if you don't win silverware then the year is viewed as a failure for most GAA clubs/people.

Surely the GAA club is there to provide games and a social outlet for the community?

Fulfilling potential is what I want to see. If that's winning a SFC then that's what I want. I'm a realist and I know barring a major upset it isn't likely but then again stranger things have happened. I honestly don't see how you can play football and enjoy it without winning.

[Gold]

To be honest anyone cracking a joke immediately after a defeat obviously doesn't give a f**k. Maybe it's just me but after a defeat the changing room is a quiet place and most if not all players stay silent with possibly a bit of light but short conversation. The person to crack a joke is usually the person who is either 1) the village clown or 2) a sub (or both)...

Reserve football - by all means crack a joke. Have your craic then and laugh away after a defeat. Not the end of the world. No one will bite your head off. But if our senior team got bate and someone cracked a joke I and a few others wouldn't be happy. It just gives the impression that the person doesn't care and is almost disrespecting his team mates and the team atmosphere by making light of losing.

That's way over the top. The person to crack a joke is usually the one who has a life. You sound like the worst excesses of Gaelic Football today

Lads who train too much, have no life, no social life and live their entire existence through playing football. Christ what a waste of a life.

Each to their own though Indiana, I don't think there is a correct answer for this. I mean some people want to treat an amateur sport like a professional one and fair play to them. Others want to treat it like a hobby and a bit of craic, that's their choice too- though i understand that clubs are not catering for this in some cases (are they really responsible to do that?).
I know a fella who takes watching/reading Game Of Thrones very seriously. He can't stand the fact that I leisure watch the same show and miss out of some hidden clues etc.

I trained like a professional myself like many others here but I had a balance. Too many now don't. Spend far too much time in the gym improving nothing bar their testosterone to cover up whatever other social inadequacies they have.

I got a better appreciation when I started coaching. You realise then you're completely at the disposal of the talent available. Only one team can win each year and you realise it's only a game. And no amount of preparation can forsee bad refereeing decisions or the ball hitting the post. When you're name is on it - it's on it.

Totally agree re refereeing decisions, balls hitting the post and things like injuries. Like if Conor McManus was injured Monaghan wouldn't have won Ulster last year. If 5 or 6 of our better players hadnt returned this year we (Antrim)wouldn't have been promoted

So much luck involved and so much out of a manager's hands. Manager can only do so much, rest is up to fate

Mercenaries I do not agree with.

Re the fun it has definitely got less fun. All boys are gym monkeys now and the days of the skill merchants winning games on their own are becoming less and less frequent

It is so serious and WhatsApp messages are non stop. It should be fun but then again if it isn't taken seriously what is the point? There is a balance needed and at present I think we have it wrong

[blewuporstuffed]

I think General lee hit the nail on the head, its about fulfilling potential, or at least it always has been for me anyway.
Some lads aren't bothered about that sort of thing, they just want to play a game of football, and then go home and forget about it.
That's fine, but not everyone is like that. (and from the higher level of club football, up to county football, they are in the minority these days)
Just because there are a section of people that just want no commitment recreational football, doesn't mean everyone should operate on that basis.In most clubs, there is reserve/junior b football for that, or plenty of other sports out there that offers participation on that level.
Most lads want a outlet where they can push and challenge themselves. A chance to achieve something out of the norm of everyday life. That might be a junior club championship for some, or sam maguire for others, with every level in between.

I would also agree with some other posters though, that the level of enjoyment has to be there too, but the stories I am hearing about mangers doing this and that, is just down to plain poor management IMO.
A good coach/ manager should be able to push his players to get the most out of themselves while still retaining the element of enjoyment too. Its about balance. There should always be a bit of craic and banter in the changing room, and on the training field and that element of socialising together, but a different level of enjoyment also comes when as a group you have worked hard together and achieved something.
That doesn't mean a senior championship for everyone,as Indiana said only one club a year will do that. But that shouldn't stop the rest from striving to be as good as they can be and enjoying the journey along the way.

[Kickham csc]

I think General lee hit the nail on the head, its about fulfilling potential, or at least it always has been for me anyway.
Some lads aren't bothered about that sort of thing, they just want to play a game of football, and then go home and forget about it.
That's fine, but not everyone is like that. (and from the higher level of club football, up to county football, they are in the minority these days)
Just because there are a section of people that just want no commitment recreational football, doesn't mean everyone should operate on that basis.In most clubs, there is reserve/junior b football for that, or plenty of other sports out there that offers participation on that level.
Most lads want a outlet where they can push and challenge themselves. A chance to achieve something out of the norm of everyday life. That might be a junior club championship for some, or sam maguire for others, with every level in between.

I would also agree with some other posters though, that the level of enjoyment has to be there too, but the stories I am hearing about mangers doing this and that, is just down to plain poor management IMO.
A good coach/ manager should be able to push his players to get the most out of themselves while still retaining the element of enjoyment too. Its about balance. There should always be a bit of craic and banter in the changing room, and on the training field and that element of socialising together, but a different level of enjoyment also comes when as a group you have worked hard together and achieved something.
That doesn't mean a senior championship for everyone,as Indiana said only one club a year will do that. But that shouldn't stop the rest from striving to be as good as they can be and enjoying the journey along the way.

Brilliant post.

Everything highlighted in bold is spot on.

Its about balance. There should always be a bit of craic and banter in the changing room, and on the training field and that element of socialising together, but a different level of enjoyment also comes when as a group you have worked hard together and achieved something.


The enjoyment for me was always the craic in training, pure banter. But I've always played with lads who were great craic, but were deadly serious about winning, or facing the challenge to win. And there is great fulfillment, even in defeat, when collectively you have trying to achieve the possible and impossible.

[Jinxy]

You will lose more lads by adopting a 'win at all costs' approach vs. a 'lets enjoy it' approach.
The lads who MOST need football are the ones who drifted away when it got too serious and found beer, women, couches and television (in that order) and now they're overweight, unfit and struggle to motivate themselves.
That's why we need things like Junior Z football and over-35s teams etc.
There's a bigger picture here.
And that's before we even get into the mental health side of things.

[INDIANA]

You will lose more lads by adopting a 'win at all costs' approach vs. a 'lets enjoy it' approach.
The lads who MOST need football are the ones who drifted away when it got too serious and found beer, women, couches and television (in that order) and now they're overweight, unfit and struggle to motivate themselves.
That's why we need things like Junior Z football and over-35s teams etc.
There's a bigger picture here.
And that's before we even get into the mental health side of things.

The last line is the most relevant line because too many lads who are socially inept use football as the crutch until they can't play it anymore and then have nothing left when their football career is over. I've seen lads sacrificing everything for club level sometimes even professionally which is just madness. Gaelic Football does not pay the bills in later life.

It's as much about memories as medals in my view. Sometimes a nondescript one point win in a club league game in the pissing rain in the back arse of nowhere can raise your spirits as much as any county final win.

[Gold]

Last line is very true. Tonight, although in sunshine and not rain, was a good night with spirits fully lifted and fun put back in the game

[Fuzzman]

Interesting to read so many people from different backgrounds making good points without county prejudice for a change.

I think the idea that a manager like Jim McGuinness can come in and totally transform the whole GAA setup in Donegal and change them from a bunch of under achievers who don't really believe in themselves to now being AI contenders (ie. top 5 or 6) is quite remarkable. However, it comes at a huge price to the lives of those players within the squad as they get a taste of success. They put in huge efforts and sacrifices those first few years to get to a certain level but now they've set the bar at that level then not winning Ulster is now deemed a big let down.

My point is back 50 years ago usually those with the most skill would win things as less emphasis was put on athleticism. Now it's almost the opposite and so if players don't almost devout their entire week to training and matches then they'll be left behind. As Indiana said there's not much balance in players lives any more. From when they get up in the morning they are thinking about hydration, diet, exercise and rest. The players that are successful probably enjoy this busy lifestyle for a few years but does it take its toll?

[AZOffaly]

At county level, I'd say it is a significant factor in a shorter career. I don't think we'll see as many lads with 10-12 year inter county careers, unless they are winning a load of All Irelands.

[Dinny Breen]

Sport coverage is now all about the outcome.

Win and you are seen as a hero, lose and you are chokers, bottlers etc. There is no longer any balance. Social media really drives this.

At 6 or 7 years you play sport because you want to have fun, why should that change when you are 26/27?

[Kickham csc]

I'm really struggling with this post.

It seems that one argument being presented is that because some players may have mental health issues, or some don't enjoy training or the pressure of playing to win championship, then the current competitive structures are wrong. Football and hurling is a competitive sport, and you shouldn't look negatively on teams who are prepared to (and agree to) training regimes, as a manager can't implement one without players consent.

In all sports there is a a clear development process

Play for fun - up to U12 (titles/ results shouldn't matter)
Play to compete U12 - U16ish (focus on competing in games, titles results shouldn't matter)
Play to win  U 18 upwards

This is a natural path, and as someone said earlier, you get more enjoyment out winning than losing games.

So if teams like Donegal and Dublin put in a serious effort in training, it's on them and fair play to them, and if they fall short, then they will be disappointed, but in a few years, you do look back on the losing campaigns with pride, if you challenged to win

Regarding the players who don't want to make a commitment, or who have mental health issues, that is a completely separate issue.

The GAA has an obligation to provide a service to these players, in the form of recreational games and counseling support. (South Antrim league is a fine example, and years ago Creggan starting hurling in the NA JHL which was a no pressure, - development league)

So playing to win, win at all costs is not an issue for me,

Other services just need to be supplied (i.e should every GAA club have a cycling club, rec basketball league, rec soccer leagues, of non touch GAA leagues??