Antrim Hurling

[4father]

NAG, who would your choice be then?  We all know that we're putting a sticking plaster over Antrim hurling by always looking at who could improve the Senior teams.  We're not going to win the All-Ireland for the foreseeable future!!

I think its a good thing that someone native is showing interest in getting stuck into the job and for certain he shouldn't be getting called a joke on here for it.

As someone wrote before, you seem to have made up your mind already.

[theskull1]

If we know it's a sticking plaster then why do we get overly interested fiddling with these names while rome burns?

Its the sustainability of proper structures and then finding an excess of decent coaches round the county who'll look after development squads and then getting as many clubs/parent of talented youngsters to properly commit to the development squad system. Don't expect any massive changes in fortune at county level until that can be delivered. I don't believe it can because the people and the will isn't there in the right numbers to make it so.

[Bog Ash Camam]

If we know it's a sticking plaster then why do we get overly interested fiddling with these names while rome burns?

Its the sustainability of proper structures and then finding an excess of decent coaches round the county who'll look after development squads and then getting as many clubs/parent of talented youngsters to properly commit to the development squad system. Don't expect any massive changes in fortune at county level until that can be delivered. I don't believe it can because the people and the will isn't there in the right numbers to make it so.

You can get all the parents/youngsters you want to committ to the county development squads, but then what happens?  Their respective clubs have an game/an important game and then, it's sod your county development squad, we are going to play for our club!  Club before County me thinks!  All clubs are guilty off it, more particularly the north antrim clubs, but probably just wont admit to it.  Until Clubs see the bigger picture in pursuit of future county success, which we all yearn for, the staus quo will remain!  Do you think this would be the case in Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny or Tipp?  Each parent would crawl over broken glass to ensure their youngster would eventually be playing for their county.

[theskull1]

You can get all the parents/youngsters you want to committ to the county development squads,

No we can't and there arn't enough interested coaches in this county either. Add to that the fact that there is minimal investment in the development squad system.

[Bog Ash Camam]

Is Crossey not a development officer, thus precluding him from the Antrim job?

I wouldnt let him near it in any event.

Yeah as far as I know he works in Down.

Couldnt agree more, why any one would even nominate him is totally confusing to me.

I wouldnt care if he was bringing Brian Cody into coach the team, I wouldnt let him within 50 yards of it.

So whats stopping you from putting your name in the hat then?  I for one would not go for any "home grown" candidate, however, I  will make the exception by nominating you, given you are so damning of everyone else!  I am secretly hoping you're job, will preclude you also though! 

[Bog Ash Camam]

You can get all the parents/youngsters you want to committ to the county development squads,

No we can't and there arn't enough interested coaches in this county either. Add to that the fact that there is minimal investment in the development squad system.

parents/youngsters you want to committ to the county development squads

You're words, not mine!

[theskull1]

Oh.. I get you now. So you basically ignored everything I commented on and are saying that regardless, clubs will always be at fault for the poor development structure...I disagree

[Milltown Row2]

The mindset in Antrim is poor, we are not as committed as the lads down south, now in saying that there are lads on that county team who would gladly give all they have to the team but we need that from the ground up.

All the juvenile teams and all the development teams need to have regular games, tournaments and assessments of their abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Constantly competing with southern teams. They won't have to go as far south now as Dublin have a serious amount of teams that are playing at a higher grade than us and winning their own provincial championships.

Obviously this requires committed and well coached coaches who have hurling in their blood, as said parents also who are willing to get behind it also and of course the clubs. It should not be a burden really on the clubs if managed right. As championships are not till later in the season and if your best players are getting top class training/games then it will only benefit them in the long run.

As for the poor run of form with the minors and under 21's here's a thought. Why do the under 21's and minor managers not arrange challenge games on the days that the Seniors are playing? With the leagues changing next year there are some tasty games ahead. What better way to prepare and gel players for the Championships than playing top teams. This would not be a burden on club team as the club would be not playing games also that day.

Ok I left one thing out that we don't have MONEY. We don't have a cent to pay for it so Fcuk that idea

[ManInBlackandGreen]

Owen Elliott for the County Final! Just hot of the press, you heard it here first.

[Jesusjones]

We'll take Elliott all day long.

[theskull1]

Would an hour not do ye?

[DearyMe]

What has Dinny done???

People need to clear their vision - we have been floating about for too long, the odd quarter appearance! If thats our limit then fine.

Out with all the shite (players and 'hasbeens' included) try something new, risky, theres nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Give it to some young fella who wants to try new things (if he is out there (skull/nag? ) hate that counties keep going back to the same names - but  just shift teams!!!!

[imtommygunn]

Dinny has had us performing in the championship like no other manager is what he has done. Yes we all frown upon his attitude to the league and yes we would love it to change.

There are several championship games over the last two years we would not have nearly won without Dinny. Carlow would have beat us last year(and beat us well) and Dublin would have beat us by 20+ points. Remember Dublin the previous year when it wasn't Dinny - it was an embarassment.

Come the championship he has us playing infinitely better hurling than any ulster manager ever has.

Without Dinny teams like Laois, Carlow, Westmeath would beat us in championship or if not they would compete with us. Let's not forget we do not have the personnel to compete at the very top level - for us to beat Dublin last year was, in my view, almost as good a result as Offaly in 1989. I don't know of one other manager who would have got us that.

U21s I don't know the whole story on but the U21 championship in ulster is a farce and the whole thing needs looked at. We basically have no games all year when Munster and Leinster have several top teams playing off against each other in meaningful hard hitting games and we're expecting to compete with that coming from the cold. Ulster needs to be put in Leinster for it - it's the only way. We expect players to train their a**es off all year when other teams don't even field in it and they are effectively training for one game.

[Bog Ash Camam]

Oh.. I get you now. So you basically ignored everything I commented on and are saying that regardless, clubs will always be at fault for the poor development structure...I disagree

And your entitled to disagree, as am I, or maybe not?

So if not the clubs, who?  This I cant wait for I am all ears?

[theskull1]

Theres a difference between ignoring and disagreeing.