Antrim Football Thread

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

The answer still lies in reducing the number of clubs on the city (albeit people won't agree)

Remove the senior argument for one min
 that's a different story

Assume for one second this was to play out:

Two clubs amalgamate (just like the schools)
You have one less pitch
30 kids instead of 15
Two sets of coaches at the one session
More numbers
More fun
More quality across the levels (ie instead of having 3 outstanding players you'd have 6 and likewise instead of having 3 who are not as developed you'd have 6) 

If we think the amalgamation at schools beneficial to city games......

I'd amalgamate clubs at underage all over the place.

Aim for squads of 60+ and stream into A, B and C teams.

Pooling coaches and other resources.

Of course would never get the buy in from the characters at every club who would go to war for their own badge and burn everything of any value in the process.

But that's how you get closer to top end development (players, teams and leagues) while also catering very well for the more recreational types.

Of course they could argue that the amalgamation model and the scrapping of club identity, history and tradition is indeed burning everything of value. In order to win a cup.

We could just do away with the clubs and have one big Antrim development squad. We'd be class then.

[thegladiator]

Paddies have been around for 119 years with many ups and downs. Amalgamation with rossa/ St Paul's? For what? A feint hope that in 20/30/40 years Antrim win an all Ireland.  No thanks. How about growing, developing, nurturing the clubs to grow and prosper, not destroying them? Radical. I think St Paul's and rossa people would feel the same. If these 3 clubs were  struggling  for numbers and in danger of folding, it would make sense, but none of them are. History, tradition & identity are very important to us all and I would think merging clubs would be detrimental to overall participation numbers, which benefits nobody.

[imtommygunn]

That's a great result for moneyglass ladies.

[ck]

Hard luck to Dunloy. Did themselves proud. Will any of them get a county call up or will hurlers take them all?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Hard luck to Dunloy. Did themselves proud. Will any of them get a county call up or will hurlers take them all?

Could be a few on the list. Id imagine Smyth will go. Rest of the standout footballers are county hurlers. Ryan McGarry didn't feature much for Davy could he swap codes/is he at that level. Cunning at corner back has been very impressive throughout

[ck]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

Reece

[paddyjohn]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

Reece

A fine footballer. Really tight marking corner back.

[SaffronOak]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

he's only out of minor, played with u20 hurling last year.  would imagine thats where he'll throw his lot in with this coming season also

[NorthAntrimSaff]

Is Cunning not a county hurler?

Reece

A fine footballer. Really tight marking corner back.

And well able to carry the ball up the field

[Ghost+Tommy]

Did conal cunning play on Saturday evening  or is he injured again?

[SaffronSports]

Did conal cunning play on Saturday evening  or is he injured again?

Played number 12

[ck]

That

I'd be more interested in getting Creggan players back this year.

Any word on if they are involved? As a previous post commented 70 players where in a training panel I'm guessing they are

That sounds like a fresh approach with 70 players being given a shot at it. Anyone know who are among the 70?

[BigGreenField]

If there was that many I'd pay a fiver to go and watch the trials or maybe £2, would be interesting to see it play out.

Jerome will be streaming it before we know it.

[YoungSaff]

Surly folks we can see that the coaching roles are extremely limited in their impact.

Honestly, what's been done that past 10 years? It's always falls to clubs

Gaelfast was a failure.

The fact we have amalgamated teams who should in their own right be wanting to compete at A Grade is nothing to applaud.

Leitrim have a 3rd of the population of west belfast hence why they need to amalgamate.

Schools like Donegal and Sligo are low population schools who've come together to compete! There's no way St Mary's, Rathmore, St Mals need to combine to play A football

I'd understand maybe La Salle who've fell away over the years, All Saints combining but really those teams who are forming that amalgamated team should have their own ambitions to compete.

You can't tell me kids in Knock or the likes are completely off kilter from what we'd get in Rathmore?

Ps it's not the coaching officers fault, it's the role it's self....Paddy Kelly has tried his best

It would be nice to see the job description from for the role. It should have one and a very specific one at that

Outside of one year in A, Knock play B football. I don't remember them ever winning a B.

Though I probably agree with your wider point. Having schools capable of competing in the MacRory is a sign that the feeder clubs are producing players and is an indication of progress. The "exposure to this level" is massively overstated IMO, especially when it has been manufactured. The important bit is still missing. I mean, we've had "exposure to that level" at county minor every year since time began and it has yet to kick us on an inch.

However, I don't see it doing any harm either.

I'd agree

With regards to the coaching posts
If we had a JD for the post we could probably see what the remit is, the responsibilities, the chain of command, the actual influence and the expectation.

I hate for this to sound like it's a dig at Paddy, it genuinely isn't.

I personally haven't seen connection or progress. Minors chinned regularly, u21 did perform well in previous years but this year was a mess (albeit it was a new management team in and their first go at that level)

These posts should be posted online (via Antrim website) and maybe we might get more interest rather than go through committees!

Stick them up and let someone who's not on the email thread go through their club and say "stick my name in for it"

This may sound crazy, but maybe we just ain't good enough and with even the best coaches in place wouldn't make any difference.

We live in a club bubble, due mainly to poor county success, so seeking success is best achieved through the club..

Lads are not prepared (in my view) to do what's necessary.. live breathe eat sleep GAA.. we will develop cracking footballers but not great teams..

The mindset isn't there, is that a two way street? Hard to tell but the effort required to raise the standards is a collective commitment

It's handy though to have an anonymous swipe at people's efforts on the internet...

Was there a timetable/program of development team that was going around a while back that showed sessions S/C and so on

I think you have hit the nail on the head here

Until football is the be all and end all to the young lads like Derry and Tyrone they will never bridge the gap