Made in Ireland

[irunthev]

Which players in recent times have only made in to the top because of the improvements in coaching, fitness and conditioning available to players now and who, if born in a different era, would never have achieved much in football because of a lack of real natural talent.

[under the bar]

I give up. Whats the answer?

[FL/MAYO]

Ciarán McDonald 

[tyssam5]

Which players in recent times have only made in to the top because of the improvements in coaching, fitness and conditioning available to players now and who, if born in a different era, would never have achieved much in football because of a lack of real natural talent.

The obvious answer is all of the recent Tyrone and Armagh players, with their gyms and fancy-dan systems. As opposed to the Kerrymen who come straight out of the pub the morning before a match and cycle to Croker.

[thebandit]

Aaron Kernan is an obvious one, and I mean that as a compliment to him.

[full back]

Aaron Kernan is an obvious one, and I mean that as a compliment to him.

I wouldnt say 'he has a lack of real talent' at all
He had a talent & worked on it

[thebandit]

Aaron Kernan is an obvious one, and I mean that as a compliment to him.

I wouldnt say 'he has a lack of real talent' at all
He had a talent & worked on it

Correct and right - he doesn't lack talent, but he has maximised it as best possible. One Christmas morning, he went up with a couple of balls to a frozen Cross field, only to find it shut - so he did laps of the square. Crazy stuff!

[JohnDenver]

Charlie Vernon.............

[full back]

But AK had talent in the first place

The original question was "who, if born in a different era, would never have achieved much in football because of a lack of real natural talent."

I wouldnt put him in this catagory

[BennyHarp]

Which players in recent times have only made in to the top because of the improvements in coaching, fitness and conditioning available to players now and who, if born in a different era, would never have achieved much in football because of a lack of real natural talent.

This must be one of the most truly ridiculous posts of all time!! Are you saying that in different eras, only the most naturally talented and purest of footballers made it?

[irunthev]

Which players in recent times have only made in to the top because of the improvements in coaching, fitness and conditioning available to players now and who, if born in a different era, would never have achieved much in football because of a lack of real natural talent.

This must be one of the most truly ridiculous posts of all time!! Are you saying that in different eras, only the most naturally talented and purest of footballers made it?

Not at all. In previous times some guys were naturally talented but not dedicated or fit but still made it on to teams and in other eras you only made the team if your old man was a doctor or teacher or your uncle was a priest and so on. Nowadays, with advancements in knowledge about preparing teams and players, there is a far greater opportunity to actually create players, not necessarily highly gifted players but players who are athletic sound and can do a job within the team. It was said to me some time ago that county teams now contain the best athletes in the county, not necessarily the best players... an exaggeration to a degree but true in another sense. Average players can become very effective by improving fitness and conditioning, but still only have average natural talent. I guess that's why coaches are collecting a fortune these days, because they can potentially make silk purses out of cows ears as the saying goes.

[under the bar]

I guess that's why coaches are collecting a fortune these days, because they can potentially make silk purses out of cows ears as the saying goes.

I think the saying refers to sows ears.....

[BallyhaiseMan]

NO player can make it to the top without talent,
Physical fitness and conditioning are massive parts of the game today,But there no players lacking ability playing at the top level.

I always laugh when i hear about Fitness only becoming a real part of the game in the last 10-15 years. With Armagh and Tyrone getting the "blame" for it. 

Kerry under Micko were the ones who brought the whole idea of fitness to a new level, Training 5 and 6 nights a weak over a 2/3 month period on the beaches in Ballybunnion running up and down sand dunes with teammates on their back.

Another thing to hate the kingdom for 

[irunthev]

I guess that's why coaches are collecting a fortune these days, because they can potentially make silk purses out of cows ears as the saying goes.

I think the saying refers to sows ears.....

Typo sorry

[irunthev]

NO player can make it to the top without talent,
Physical fitness and conditioning are massive parts of the game today,But there no players lacking ability playing at the top level.

I always laugh when i hear about Fitness only becoming a real part of the game in the last 10-15 years. With Armagh and Tyrone getting the "blame" for it. 

Kerry under Micko were the ones who brought the whole idea of fitness to a new level, Training 5 and 6 nights a weak over a 2/3 month period on the beaches in Ballybunnion running up and down sand dunes with teammates on their back.

Another thing to hate the kingdom for 

That is why Kerry led the way in the 1970s and 1980s because fitness wasn't as big an issue for other counties. They were doubly blessed in having a manager with a vision and also some ridiculously talented players who they managed to get very fit. Other counties had some talent, but not the fitness. Nowadays modest talent and superior fitness might get you in the race, you mightn't win it, but it will get you in the race at least..