Would you play inter-county football in the current climate?

[Dinny Breen]

It's very easy to sit behind a keyboard and judge players performances, life choices etc but if you had a chance to play inter-county football for your own county would you be prepared to sacrifice up to 20 hours a week to training and matches while trying to maintain a job. Completely abandon your social life and probably your family as well. Expose yourself and your decisions to the instinctive reactions given without thought to anyone who possesses a keyboard and the vitriol that often comes with those reactions. Expose yourself to TV pundits who will ridicule the game you love and your footballing imperfections and your human flaws as if they were Teles themselves, expose yourself to journalists who are more interested in the story rather than the game and who fuel the innuendo and the myths. Write down everything you eat, give up the food you love and replace it instead with a banana and a protein shake, make yourself available for random drug testing, make yourself available for your clubs benefit nights, your county's benefits night, your local charity benefit night. Miss your best friends wedding, your brothers stag, a dozen christenings and communions, a confirmation, a 21st, your favourite bands festival gig and countless work functions.

Could you make those sacrifices and dozens more, all just for a poxy grant and the dream, that for more than 90% won't come true, of a Celtic Cross?

20 years ago I would loved the opportunity but in today's age and knowing what I know I couldn't....

[shark]

The reasons you state above are probably why the age profile of inter-county players is lower than in previous decades.

From my own experience as a club player with a senior club, it has changed a lot in the last 10 years too. Personally, playing football costs me a small fortune. I live in Dublin and play my football in the midlands and my club couldn't possibly cover my mileage like a county board would for an inter-county player. I'd be looking at 3-4 round trips per week from late February until October (hopefully).

[orangeman]

And it seems there's plenty more like you in Kildare Dinny. So much so, they're going out looking for boys to play for the Kildare senior team. 

Seriously though, I think yo'll be in the minority here.

Sure wouldn't it be great.

[Bingo]

Its becoming clearer and clearer that the intercounty game is best suited to certain careers or people - unemployed, teachers, students, people involved in the sports industry, etc etc. They will have the time and postion to best place themselves to peak in the game. Plus it is easier if you are single.

I think the biggest issue you highlight is the media and personal abuse that it can attract. This is something that the individual can't control or have by choice. Alot of the other are sacrifices are their own personal choices and the player will miss alot but will also gain from been an intercounty player.

We had a discussion on this in the pub one night and in our club we have 1 county player, say in a good year we could have 4/5, we all know and could name 5 other lads in the town who train harder and sacrfice more for their own sport - mainly running and triathlon - than these county players have done or will ever. The main difference is they get to do their sport under the radar and take no criticism, yet they never get the plaudits or  opportunities that a county player does and it will cost these individuals a hell of alot more in terms of financing themselves.

Clubs players are now going down the same road as intercounty players in terms of sacrifice and some are opting out at that level.

Its reaching a head where players will opt out due to the demands and also in terms of how far county boards can sacrifice.

It wouldn't put me off though, I'd like to try if I was good enough but absolutely no fear of that!! I'd be competitive by nature and actually enjoy training and what comes with it. Wasn't always the case though.

[IolarCoisCuain]

I'd hate to play county football. Every time I'd go into a nightclub I'd have every woman in the place leaping at me, when all I want to do is sit in a quiet corner with a bottle of stag, nodding my head to the music.

I wouldn't be able to do my job at work like every other mug. I'd just be pestered by the boss all day talking about what Colm Cooper is really like, and would I want to leave early today for training, because it's a big day Sunday. I'd hate to have to abandon my social life by going to my club's benefit nights, my county's benefits night, my local charity benefit night. Those 50-shades-maddened women would probably be at those dos as well. Sure I'd be pestered.

I'd hate to be a county footballer in case that meant I'd open up a lucrative sideline in retirement as a TV pundit. That'd be pure rotten. I'd hate that. Going to work every day and watching Coronation Street or Tallaghfornia when I get home is much better than the dream of a Celtic Cross.

But while I think you're busking with the world's smallest violin Dinny, I concede your point about the keyboard warriors. They're an awful pack of bastards alright.

[Declan]

Was only having a discussion like this last week. Talking to a lad whose a member of a well known GAA family who is in a decent job with responsibility for hiring people who said that all things being equal between prospective candidates he wouldn't hire an inter-county player given the commitments needed nowadays. As stated the average age/occupation is heavily weighted to early 20s and college/teacher/sports based jobs.
I know a couple of lads who have declined the offer of joining inter county panels because they couldn't afford to do so.

Personally I don't think the players pay any attention to  media criticism and treat it the same as the ould fella on the bar stool complaining.

[Dinny Breen]

I'd hate to play county football. Every time I'd go into a nightclub I'd have every woman in the place leaping at me, when all I want to do is sit in a quiet corner with a bottle of stag, nodding my head to the music.

I wouldn't be able to do my job at work like every other mug. I'd just be pestered by the boss all day talking about what Colm Cooper is really like, and would I want to leave early today for training, because it's a big day Sunday. I'd hate to have to abandon my social life by going to my club's benefit nights, my county's benefits night, my local charity benefit night. Those 50-shades-maddened women would probably be at those dos as well. Sure I'd be pestered.

I'd hate to be a county footballer in case that meant I'd open up a lucrative sideline in retirement as a TV pundit. That'd be pure rotten. I'd hate that. Going to work every day and watching Coronation Street or Tallaghfornia when I get home is much better than the dream of a Celtic Cross.

But while I think you're busking with the world's smallest violin Dinny, I concede your point about the keyboard warriors. They're an awful pack of b**tards alright.

Who said romantic Ireland was dead, nothing better than been at a social night with a bunch of old biddies yapping to about your Mum as you sip on your tap water (too much salt in fizzy water, too much sugar in fizzy drinks and if you even looked at a beer it would be all over the internet and Mr Horan would be calling you aside at training).

[Dinny Breen]

Was only having a discussion like this last week. Talking to a lad whose a member of a well known GAA family who is in a decent job with responsibility for hiring people who said that all things being equal between prospective candidates he wouldn't hire an inter-county player given the commitments needed nowadays. As stated the average age/occupation is heavily weighted to early 20s and college/teacher/sports based jobs.
I know a couple of lads who have declined the offer of joining inter county panels because they couldn't afford to do so.

Personally I don't think the players pay any attention to  media criticism and treat it the same as the ould fella on the bar stool complaining.

Media criticism is one thing if it's confined to the papers/tv/radio as it would be heavily moderated but social media has brought it to new levels, with Twitter, Internet discussions, Facebook, blogs etc. There is direct and indirect abuse, it's impossible to avoid, it helps people form opinions  through perception, all sudden something goes viral and you are now suddenly gone from talented footballer to a primadonna tosspot all in a few clicks.  I admire the f**k out of any inter-county footballer but I don't envy them.

[TyrionLannister]

It's very easy to sit behind a keyboard and judge players performances, life choices etc but if you had a chance to play inter-county football for your own county would you be prepared to sacrifice up to 20 hours a week to training and matches while trying to maintain a job. Completely abandon your social life and probably your family as well. Expose yourself and your decisions to the instinctive reactions given without thought to anyone who possesses a keyboard and the vitriol that often comes with those reactions. Expose yourself to TV pundits who will ridicule the game you love and your footballing imperfections and your human flaws as if they were Teles themselves, expose yourself to journalists who are more interested in the story rather than the game and who fuel the innuendo and the myths. Write down everything you eat, give up the food you love and replace it instead with a banana and a protein shake, make yourself available for random drug testing, make yourself available for your clubs benefit nights, your county's benefits night, your local charity benefit night. Miss your best friends wedding, your brothers stag, a dozen christenings and communions, a confirmation, a 21st, your favourite bands festival gig and countless work functions.

Could you make those sacrifices and dozens more, all just for a poxy grant and the dream, that for more than 90% won't come true, of a Celtic Cross?

20 years ago I would loved the opportunity but in today's age and knowing what I know I couldn't....

You do 80% of that at club level anyway 

[Hardy]

I'd hate to play county football. Every time I'd go into a nightclub I'd have every woman in the place leaping at me, when all I want to do is sit in a quiet corner with a bottle of stag, nodding my head to the music.

I wouldn't be able to do my job at work like every other mug. I'd just be pestered by the boss all day talking about what Colm Cooper is really like, and would I want to leave early today for training, because it's a big day Sunday. I'd hate to have to abandon my social life by going to my club's benefit nights, my county's benefits night, my local charity benefit night. Those 50-shades-maddened women would probably be at those dos as well. Sure I'd be pestered.

I'd hate to be a county footballer in case that meant I'd open up a lucrative sideline in retirement as a TV pundit. That'd be pure rotten. I'd hate that. Going to work every day and watching Coronation Street or Tallaghfornia when I get home is much better than the dream of a Celtic Cross.

But while I think you're busking with the world's smallest violin Dinny, I concede your point about the keyboard warriors. They're an awful pack of b**tards alright.

I like this post.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Overtraining is a potentially serious problem at intercounty level. I've no doubt that players train as hard and are as fit as professional sportspeople but they do not enjoy the same recovery time as professionals due to their work commitments. We need a higher games to training ratio than we currently enjoy but there doesn't appear to be much motivation among the powers that be to alter the intercounty season.

There are certain perks to being an intercounty player like team holidays, college scholarships and increased employability (especially for teachers, bank officials and company reps). However, the commitment required, the pressure they're put under and the scrutiny they're faced with with outweighs the potential perks in my opinion. I take my hat off to any of the players still going into their thirties these days. I think the days of guys like Anthony Rainbow playing for twenty years are a thing of the past.

[Dinny Breen]

It's very easy to sit behind a keyboard and judge players performances, life choices etc but if you had a chance to play inter-county football for your own county would you be prepared to sacrifice up to 20 hours a week to training and matches while trying to maintain a job. Completely abandon your social life and probably your family as well. Expose yourself and your decisions to the instinctive reactions given without thought to anyone who possesses a keyboard and the vitriol that often comes with those reactions. Expose yourself to TV pundits who will ridicule the game you love and your footballing imperfections and your human flaws as if they were Teles themselves, expose yourself to journalists who are more interested in the story rather than the game and who fuel the innuendo and the myths. Write down everything you eat, give up the food you love and replace it instead with a banana and a protein shake, make yourself available for random drug testing, make yourself available for your clubs benefit nights, your county's benefits night, your local charity benefit night. Miss your best friends wedding, your brothers stag, a dozen christenings and communions, a confirmation, a 21st, your favourite bands festival gig and countless work functions.

Could you make those sacrifices and dozens more, all just for a poxy grant and the dream, that for more than 90% won't come true, of a Celtic Cross?

20 years ago I would loved the opportunity but in today's age and knowing what I know I couldn't....

You do 80% of that at club level anyway 

Really so what have eaten this week? What gym sessions did you and what were the exercises, what reps and load, did you measure your effort, did you put on any more millimeters of fat? You should have it all recorded so it will only take a couple of minutes for us to see.

[Ard-Rí]

Yeah, I'd jump at the chance.

[seafoid]

Paddy Boiler - I didn't catch the surname-   died this week. Played for Kildare in 1956 or something.
And he got a mention on here. How many other recently deceased Kildare people made it onto the gaaboard recently?

It is a hard road especially as only one team wins the all ireland and there is no real money in it but the legends of exploits in the county jersey will never die.   

That is sport. Lifts us out of the mundane.

Have to go now to watch that Canning goal again..

And insulting players online is very poor form.

[Dinny Breen]

Paddy Boiler - I didn't catch the surname-   died this week. Played for Kildare in 1956 or something.
And he got a mention on here. How many other recently deceased Kildare people made it onto the gaaboard recently?

It is a hard road especially as only one team wins the all ireland and there is no real money in it but the legends of exploits in the county jersey will never die.   

That is sport. Lifts us out of the mundane.

Have to go now to watch that Canning goal again..

And insulting players online is very poor form.

Seanie Johnson will be soon enough, if his online stalker on this board has his way