Hard to compete with Donegal’s professionalism and money, bad for the game?

[INDIANA]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

[BluestackBoy]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

I think that's Lacey's business, to me is says that he sees real possibilities for this team & since he is back to full fitness for the first time in two years he wants to give it everything for six months.

To me, what one of the finest footballers in the country is doing is totally admirable & in contrast to the mendacity & greed that characterises most sport today.

The fact that his selflessness is being criticised here says more about the posters involved than it says about Lacey.

[redzone]

I strongly suspect Donegal will not be a top four team come the end of the year. They have only one truly outstanding footballer in Karl Lacey, and I think teams will be better prepared to counteract their dull system this year.

McGuinness leaving ended any genuine All-Ireland hopes for this bunch of players.

Stallion...yer toot. Lacey, the McGees,  Murphy, McBrearty, McNelis  (no idea the irish spelling), Gallagher, Mcgrath. ...all top class players

In saying that, I don't think they'll be as competitive this

I strongly suspect Donegal will not be a top four team come the end of the year. They have only one truly outstanding footballer in Karl Lacey, and I think teams will be better prepared to counteract their dull system this year.

McGuinness leaving ended any genuine All-Ireland hopes for this bunch of players.

Stallion...yer toot. Lacey, the McGees,  Murphy, McBrearty, McNelis  (no idea the irish spelling), Gallagher, Mcgrath. ...all top class players

In saying that, I don't think they'll be as competitive this year.

the mcgees are rubbish,catch ureself on. McGrath worse again. isn't that why mcguiness introduced this system because of the poor quality players in defense. lacey is deadly as is murh and mcneilis.mcbearty and Gallagher are pretty good also. but a bit of honesty at least.id go as far to say that paddy McGrath is the worst c back in county football

[OgraAnDun]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

Although I don't really think it's the best message to be sending out about the game, he hasn't actually given up work. He has finished his masters and is taking this summer off like a lot of students do at the end of their course (admittedly not at 30 years of age however).

[INDIANA]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

I think that's Lacey's business, to me is says that he sees real possibilities for this team & since he is back to full fitness for the first time in two years he wants to give it everything for six months.

To me, what one of the finest footballers in the country is doing is totally admirable & in contrast to the mendacity & greed that characterises most sport today.

The fact that his selflessness is being criticised here says more about the posters involved than it says about Lacey.

Its amateur sport no matter what way it's dressed up. When the crowd stops cheering you're just another ex-county footballer.
If you've no career no number of all ireland medals is going to get you one. It's his business entirely but it's utterly bananas in my view. Its another example of the association out of control.

[yellowcard]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that he finished his masters at the start of the year so it's a lot more than just the summer.

Although I don't really think it's the best message to be sending out about the game, he hasn't actually given up work. He has finished his masters and is taking this summer off like a lot of students do at the end of their course (admittedly not at 30 years of age however).

[rosnarun]

I strongly suspect Donegal will not be a top four team come the end of the year. They have only one truly outstanding footballer in Karl Lacey, and I think teams will be better prepared to counteract their dull system this year.

McGuinness leaving ended any genuine All-Ireland hopes for this bunch of players.

Every now and again someone sits at a keyboard & posts something that truly takes the breath away.

This is one such post.

beside if you were going to pick one Donegal player it would have to be murphy ,  possible the best striker of a ball since Maurice fitz

[The Stallion]

Murphy flatters to deceive. He's never really been a proper marquee forward capable of consistently racking up big scores from play. Plays in fits and starts. Good but not great for me.

The McGees look better than they are because of Donegal's negative defensive tactics, but have been roasted time and time again when asked to man mark quality forwards.

Mcbrearty has promise and Macniallas looked decent, but in terms of individual talent, Donegal wouldn't be in the top five counties. It's the system that has brought them success, not the players

[Syferus]

Come off it. Murphy doesn't score as much as he could because he's tasked with running all over the place in Donegal's system and by the fact he draws so much attention (which by itself opens up space for others) but he is easily the best proper FF in the game, and might well be the best in a long while. Scoring is not the only metric to judge a FF by. No other player is as powerful physically and can combine it with as much football skill at that position. His passing is almost as good as his shooting. He is a very rare talent.

Every manager in Ireland would take Murphy if they were offered their choice of Donegal's players.

[screenexile]

Murphy flatters to deceive. He's never really been a proper marquee forward capable of consistently racking up big scores from play. Plays in fits and starts. Good but not great for me.

The McGees look better than they are because of Donegal's negative defensive tactics, but have been roasted time and time again when asked to man mark quality forwards.

Mcbrearty has promise and Macniallas looked decent, but in terms of individual talent, Donegal wouldn't be in the top five counties. It's the system that has brought them success, not the players

Are you on the wind up about Murphy?!!

[J70]

This thread has descended into idiocy.

[omaghjoe]

The Stallion is either a WUM or a moron and makes stuff up as he goes along. You only have to look at his ranting in the U21 football thread to see that. Something about Derry people that attracts senior county footballers to confide in them

For a start Lacey stuggled last year in my opinion, and was no where his 2012 level. Murphy is easily the best player on the Donegal team and one of the most talented in Ireland. He may have a point about Eamon McGee, but Neil.. no way haven't seen him roasted ever, best full back in the country easily

[J70]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

I think that's Lacey's business, to me is says that he sees real possibilities for this team & since he is back to full fitness for the first time in two years he wants to give it everything for six months.

To me, what one of the finest footballers in the country is doing is totally admirable & in contrast to the mendacity & greed that characterises most sport today.

The fact that his selflessness is being criticised here says more about the posters involved than it says about Lacey.

Its amateur sport no matter what way it's dressed up. When the crowd stops cheering you're just another ex-county footballer.
If you've no career no number of all ireland medals is going to get you one. It's his business entirely but it's utterly bananas in my view. Its another example of the association out of control.

Its the logical conclusion of where the sport is headed though - professional players in every meaningful way except the payment side. If we are to step back, its going to have to be imposed from above the individual counties.

I can see why he has decided to do it though. The traveling some of these players have to do is ludicrous (Anthony Thompson was coming over from London for the league games this spring FFS, while Durcan finally cracked and left Four Masters for Ballyboden recently). Lacey also has a young family. Presumably his circumstances are such that he can afford it. And its only for a few months, assuming he's not going to remain unemployed for the sake of Four Masters later in the year. Not much difference, to me, than someone taking a year out to travel the world. Lacey is a wee bit different because of his age, but he'd been working earlier in his 20s.

[INDIANA]

Karl Lacey at 30 years of age giving up work to concentrate on playing an amateur sport is just plain ridiculous.

Mindboggling. WIth an AI medal already secured Karl should be looking at the realities of life and getting a career for himself

I think that's Lacey's business, to me is says that he sees real possibilities for this team & since he is back to full fitness for the first time in two years he wants to give it everything for six months.

To me, what one of the finest footballers in the country is doing is totally admirable & in contrast to the mendacity & greed that characterises most sport today.

The fact that his selflessness is being criticised here says more about the posters involved than it says about Lacey.

Its amateur sport no matter what way it's dressed up. When the crowd stops cheering you're just another ex-county footballer.
If you've no career no number of all ireland medals is going to get you one. It's his business entirely but it's utterly bananas in my view. Its another example of the association out of control.

Its the logical conclusion of where the sport is headed though - professional players in every meaningful way except the payment side. If we are to step back, its going to have to be imposed from above the individual counties.

I can see why he has decided to do it though. The traveling some of these players have to do is ludicrous (Anthony Thompson was coming over from London for the league games this spring FFS, while Durcan finally cracked and left Four Masters for Ballyboden recently). Lacey also has a young family. Presumably his circumstances are such that he can afford it. And its only for a few months, assuming he's not going to remain unemployed for the sake of Four Masters later in the year. Not much difference, to me, than someone taking a year out to travel the world. Lacey is a wee bit different because of his age, but he'd been working earlier in his 20s.

The GAA needs to step the county scene back and accept it for what it is. High level amateur sport.

There is no economy in a professional game unless people want to have a 5-6 team conference.

There are club teams training twice a day all over the country - which is absolutely barmy.

This monastic existence practiced by GAA Teams isn't even mirrored by full time professional athletes.

I'm tired of listening to the 1% arguments and the inches speeches. Its complete bollocks and always has been.

For 90% of the counties they could 1% everything they do in a season and they'll still end up exiting at exactly the same stage.

[easytiger95]

+1 could not agree more Indy.