Antrim Hurling

[btdtgtt]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

[NAG1]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

[Tony Baloney]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

[btdtgtt]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

2 pitch sessions, 2 gym sessions, and a game is average?
This might happen at times - but on average? The whole year? Nonsense. Sure they even have a rule they can't train in the winter!
And five sessions a week us nothing compared to what pro-athletes do all year round anyway!

If they don't want to give the commitment asked by a manager - then they don't have to do it.
The manager can pick someone else, or management can demand less time.
The reality is that this often means the game is suited to students etc - so be it.

In terms of numbers very few people have actually been forced to quit by demands - GAA is no different to any other sport. If it's too much then don't do it.
But the reality is that most consider it something they do want - and there's a reason for that - they get more out of it than they put in. Otherwise the wouldn't do it.
I'm fed up listening to poor county players complain about all the times he trains - if he doesn't want to do it - then don't. The notion that the time compares to professional athletes is laughable - if it did then professional sports would pay less and tell their players to go get a job too!

I've heard two Antrim players complain about too much time in the media this week - from a county playing in the third level of the league and no longer even in the Liam McCarthy.
Makes me wonder what everyone else is doing eh?
Maybe trying making a newspaper article for an achievement rather than a crying match.

[NAG1]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

2 pitch sessions, 2 gym sessions, and a game is average?
This might happen at times - but on average? The whole year? Nonsense. Sure they even have a rule they can't train in the winter!
And five sessions a week us nothing compared to what pro-athletes do all year round anyway!

If they don't want to give the commitment asked by a manager - then they don't have to do it.
The manager can pick someone else, or management can demand less time.
The reality is that this often means the game is suited to students etc - so be it.
Club & county rarely overlap now anyway.
In terms of numbers very few people have actually been forced to quit by demands - GAA is no different to any other sport. If it's too much then don't do it.
But the reality is that most consider it something they do want - and there's a reason for that - they get more out of it than they put in. Otherwise the wouldn't do it.
I'm fed up listening to poor county players complain about all the times he trains - if he doesn't want to do it - then don't. The notion that the time compares to professional athletes is laughable - if it did then professional sports would pay less and tell their players to go get a job too!

I've heard two Antrim players complain about too much time in the media this week - from a county playing in the third level of the league and no longer even in the Liam McCarthy.
Makes me wonder what everyone else is doing eh?
If they don't want to do it then quit.
Maybe trying making a newspaper article for an achievement rather than a crying match.

I think you are being totally disingenuous btdtgtt, you are obviously slightly out of touch with what it takes to play inter county hurling or football.

Top clubs would be expecting this kind of commitment from their players maybe not to that extent for the extended period, but it would not be far away.

The reality is that these boys are playing an amateur sport and want to play for the county but are finding it increasingly difficult to commit the time to do so. Bear in mind that this was a player who is not married and has no kids.

I think we should be looking for solutions rather than castigating those that want to come out and speak the truth about the situation.

[btdtgtt]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

2 pitch sessions, 2 gym sessions, and a game is average?
This might happen at times - but on average? The whole year? Nonsense. Sure they even have a rule they can't train in the winter!
And five sessions a week us nothing compared to what pro-athletes do all year round anyway!

If they don't want to give the commitment asked by a manager - then they don't have to do it.
The manager can pick someone else, or management can demand less time.
The reality is that this often means the game is suited to students etc - so be it.
Club & county rarely overlap now anyway.
In terms of numbers very few people have actually been forced to quit by demands - GAA is no different to any other sport. If it's too much then don't do it.
But the reality is that most consider it something they do want - and there's a reason for that - they get more out of it than they put in. Otherwise the wouldn't do it.
I'm fed up listening to poor county players complain about all the times he trains - if he doesn't want to do it - then don't. The notion that the time compares to professional athletes is laughable - if it did then professional sports would pay less and tell their players to go get a job too!

I've heard two Antrim players complain about too much time in the media this week - from a county playing in the third level of the league and no longer even in the Liam McCarthy.
Makes me wonder what everyone else is doing eh?
If they don't want to do it then quit.
Maybe trying making a newspaper article for an achievement rather than a crying match.

I think you are being totally disingenuous btdtgtt, you are obviously slightly out of touch with what it takes to play inter county hurling or football.
I know precisely the demands - in more counties than Antrim.
Top clubs would be expecting this kind of commitment from their players maybe not to that extent for the extended period, but it would not be far away.
So why aren't all these club players crying in the newspapers around Ireland?
The reality is that these boys are playing an amateur sport and want to play for the county but are finding it increasingly difficult to commit the time to do so. Bear in mind that this was a player who is not married and has no kids.
Yes - but claiming to be training like professionals - which they are not. If it's too difficult to give the time expected by the management - then don't.
I think we should be looking for solutions rather than castigating those that want to come out and speak the truth about the situation.
If the problem is that it takes up too much time - then devote less time.
If every player thinks this way - then management will have to work with what they have (in all counties).
But obviously there are plenty of players happy to give the time (in all counties). 

As an Antrim supporter to have endured the season just passed - then read articles about players saying they've invested too much time is highly ironic.
At the broader national level - players have governance over their own time. Either do it - or don't - but don't decide it's worth doing then cry to newspapers about it.

[imtommygunn]

So if you know what precisely the demands are can you tell us please? You think on average 5 is a bit much?

Counties everywhere are losing players. The only counties that aren't are the top ones. We are far from alone in this.

[MoChara]

Would a lot of the top players for the top counties not be getting a lot of soft jobs on the back of their county careers making it easier to devote the time, jobs such as development coaches within their counties and bank jobs so the bank has a celeb to wheel out when they like.

I remember hearing Sean Og Ó hAilpín talking about how he'd take a few months off work before Championship, I don't think there's many jobs like that for the players in Antrim.

[NAG1]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

2 pitch sessions, 2 gym sessions, and a game is average?
This might happen at times - but on average? The whole year? Nonsense. Sure they even have a rule they can't train in the winter!
And five sessions a week us nothing compared to what pro-athletes do all year round anyway!

If they don't want to give the commitment asked by a manager - then they don't have to do it.
The manager can pick someone else, or management can demand less time.
The reality is that this often means the game is suited to students etc - so be it.
Club & county rarely overlap now anyway.
In terms of numbers very few people have actually been forced to quit by demands - GAA is no different to any other sport. If it's too much then don't do it.
But the reality is that most consider it something they do want - and there's a reason for that - they get more out of it than they put in. Otherwise the wouldn't do it.
I'm fed up listening to poor county players complain about all the times he trains - if he doesn't want to do it - then don't. The notion that the time compares to professional athletes is laughable - if it did then professional sports would pay less and tell their players to go get a job too!

I've heard two Antrim players complain about too much time in the media this week - from a county playing in the third level of the league and no longer even in the Liam McCarthy.
Makes me wonder what everyone else is doing eh?
If they don't want to do it then quit.
Maybe trying making a newspaper article for an achievement rather than a crying match.

I think you are being totally disingenuous btdtgtt, you are obviously slightly out of touch with what it takes to play inter county hurling or football.
I know precisely the demands - in more counties than Antrim.
Top clubs would be expecting this kind of commitment from their players maybe not to that extent for the extended period, but it would not be far away.
So why aren't all these club players crying in the newspapers around Ireland?
The reality is that these boys are playing an amateur sport and want to play for the county but are finding it increasingly difficult to commit the time to do so. Bear in mind that this was a player who is not married and has no kids.
Yes - but claiming to be training like professionals - which they are not. If it's too difficult to give the time expected by the management - then don't.
I think we should be looking for solutions rather than castigating those that want to come out and speak the truth about the situation.
If the problem is that it takes up too much time - then devote less time.
If every player thinks this way - then management will have to work with what they have (in all counties).
But obviously there are plenty of players happy to give the time (in all counties). 

As an Antrim supporter to have endured the season just passed - then read articles about players saying they've invested too much time is highly ironic.
At the broader national level - players have governance over their own time. Either do it - or don't - but don't decide it's worth doing then cry to newspapers about it.

If you actually knew anything about professional sport, they are training harder and are fitter than most professional sports in these isles.
Other counties have a weight of numbers where they can afford to lose a guy and not be affected (as much as antrim) but they also have benefactors lined up to make sure if these guys are struggling that they get a handy job so that they can afford the time to give the county scene their all.
Antrim do not have this.

I think the article was pointing to the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be an inter county player in Antrim with the 'increasing' demands expected. I would agree.

At broader national level they have governance over their own time? this makes no sense as all players have governance over their own time, the thing is in some counties it is more comfortable to be a county player in terms of having less demands on your time outside of playing so therefore there is less of a decision to make for the player.

[btdtgtt]

So if you know what precisely the demands are can you tell us please? You think on average 5 is a bit much?

Counties everywhere are losing players. The only counties that aren't are the top ones. We are far from alone in this.

I know of some players who wouldn't let a day go by without doing something - from a gentle swim to a walk. I know of other who would periodically take a full week with no training to rest. The idea you can quantify a number of sessions and type per week as a blanket or average statement is not the case.

Some counties are losing players - always have been - always will do. Like any team and any sport.

Like I say, you either commit to it or you don t, and that's a free choice.

I'm just fed up with county players that are better looked after than ever - complaining about something which they choose to do of their own free will. And if they choose to do it - it's obviously because they get more out of it to make it worthwhile.

If they don't want to do it - fine!
But without the crying in newspapers please.

[btdtgtt]

I think they all need to dry their eyes.

btdtgtt

I think you need to spend a week in their shoes to fully understand where he is coming from. While he may not be the best example there is a serious point here.

Average week of two gym sessions, two pitch sessions and a game. Add to that time to travel too and from these sessions and maybe into the south for a game, then any time spent doing recovery sessions on their own time.

Try fitting a family life/ job/ social life etc all around this and you start to see a picture that does not fit.

There is only so much further that this can go IMO

Paying doesn't resolve the issue unless they are paid enough to not work and do the training during the day. How much do they get paid? What if the going rate is less than you are earning whilst working? Do county players only play county and not club? What is the answer?

2 pitch sessions, 2 gym sessions, and a game is average?
This might happen at times - but on average? The whole year? Nonsense. Sure they even have a rule they can't train in the winter!
And five sessions a week us nothing compared to what pro-athletes do all year round anyway!

If they don't want to give the commitment asked by a manager - then they don't have to do it.
The manager can pick someone else, or management can demand less time.
The reality is that this often means the game is suited to students etc - so be it.
Club & county rarely overlap now anyway.
In terms of numbers very few people have actually been forced to quit by demands - GAA is no different to any other sport. If it's too much then don't do it.
But the reality is that most consider it something they do want - and there's a reason for that - they get more out of it than they put in. Otherwise the wouldn't do it.
I'm fed up listening to poor county players complain about all the times he trains - if he doesn't want to do it - then don't. The notion that the time compares to professional athletes is laughable - if it did then professional sports would pay less and tell their players to go get a job too!

I've heard two Antrim players complain about too much time in the media this week - from a county playing in the third level of the league and no longer even in the Liam McCarthy.
Makes me wonder what everyone else is doing eh?
If they don't want to do it then quit.
Maybe trying making a newspaper article for an achievement rather than a crying match.

I think you are being totally disingenuous btdtgtt, you are obviously slightly out of touch with what it takes to play inter county hurling or football.
I know precisely the demands - in more counties than Antrim.
Top clubs would be expecting this kind of commitment from their players maybe not to that extent for the extended period, but it would not be far away.
So why aren't all these club players crying in the newspapers around Ireland?
The reality is that these boys are playing an amateur sport and want to play for the county but are finding it increasingly difficult to commit the time to do so. Bear in mind that this was a player who is not married and has no kids.
Yes - but claiming to be training like professionals - which they are not. If it's too difficult to give the time expected by the management - then don't.
I think we should be looking for solutions rather than castigating those that want to come out and speak the truth about the situation.
If the problem is that it takes up too much time - then devote less time.
If every player thinks this way - then management will have to work with what they have (in all counties).
But obviously there are plenty of players happy to give the time (in all counties). 

As an Antrim supporter to have endured the season just passed - then read articles about players saying they've invested too much time is highly ironic.
At the broader national level - players have governance over their own time. Either do it - or don't - but don't decide it's worth doing then cry to newspapers about it.

If you actually knew anything about professional sport, they are training harder and are fitter than most professional sports in these isles.
Really? "Most" professional sports don't train as hard as the GAA?
County players have never been better looked after - and you might not realise what other sports actually do.
Other counties have a weight of numbers where they can afford to lose a guy and not be affected (as much as antrim) but they also have benefactors lined up to make sure if these guys are struggling that they get a handy job so that they can afford the time to give the county scene their all.
Antrim do not have this.
And? What's your point?
Our county players still have their own free will over the time they give (or not).
Mind you, we're not even competing with those counties.

I think the article was pointing to the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be an inter county player in Antrim with the 'increasing' demands expected. I would agree.

At broader national level they have governance over their own time? this makes no sense as all players have governance over their own time, the thing is in some counties it is more comfortable to be a county player in terms of having less demands on your time outside of playing so therefore there is less of a decision to make for the player.
It means time consideration is not confined to Antrim, and your point still different to mine.

[btdtgtt]

I'm starting to wonder - after all the fuss about a certain player committing or not-committing to Antrim - maybe if he'd just said "it's too much time" he would have got an easier ride?

[NAG1]

I'm starting to wonder - after all the fuss about a certain player committing or not-committing to Antrim - maybe if he'd just said "it's too much time" he would have got an easier ride?

I am starting to wonder why you are digging out a player who has committed to the Antrim cause and has paid the price with injuries over the last few years. He is merely pointing out the blatantly obvious which you are choosing to ignore, Antrim has a small enough pool of players to begin with and we can ill afford to be doing with some of those top players for any reason.

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

theres a fine line between saying ' i cant commit to the county this year' and 'i cant be arsed playing for the county this year' esp in Antrim.

Usually most guys cant be bothered to play anymore. Success can make it easier to commit to a heavy schedule for a lot of players. When your getting beat all the time the enthusiasm generally wilts

[btdtgtt]

I'm starting to wonder - after all the fuss about a certain player committing or not-committing to Antrim - maybe if he'd just said "it's too much time" he would have got an easier ride?

I am starting to wonder why you are digging out a player who has committed to the Antrim cause and has paid the price with injuries over the last few years. He is merely pointing out the blatantly obvious which you are choosing to ignore, Antrim has a small enough pool of players to begin with and we can ill afford to be doing with some of those top players for any reason.

Aha!
Now I see your real point!

I'm not "digging out" any player! Honestly!
It's certainly not a point just aimed at Shane - I have the same distain for the whole attitude of a number of county players across Ireland who seem to think they are doing us a favour by committing their time.

Like I say to keep it simple - if they (any and all players) don't want to or can't give the time - then don't. Simple. And no need for newspaper articles trying to compare to professional athletes.

Which brings me to my next point - again not a personal one.
The GPA are one body who have pursued this notion that inter county players are somehow comparable professional athletes by training load.
It's a nonsense.
Firstly - a sport going professional depends on its revenue - nothing to do with training load. For example I know of amateur boxers and swimmers who's training load far surpasses GAA and for 365 days a year - I don't read them in the papers crying about it (not personal to Shane or Neil McAuley I include some in the south also!).

The fact is that if playing and sacrificing time to the county wasn't beneficial in overall terms - people wouldn't do it. But they do. And they do because they are well looked after for it or enjoy it - in truth it's both.