Jamie Clarke,the GAA's answer to Stephen Ireland?

[ONeill]

Or it could be a winter v summer thing and having a life outside of Crossmaglen.

Sure even brokencrossbar moved out, learned the language and table etiquette.

[Estimator]

In fairness Tony you have insulted him, by questioning Clarke's loyalty, suggesting he's not a 'real man' and basically accusing him of being a glory hunter.

[imtommygunn]

Statement by his actions.Stays with Crossmaglen because he sees hope of success,abandons Armagh as he sees no hope of success.No other viable conclusion.

Maybe the fact that county football is in the summer is a factor and club football is in the winter?

There are plenty of viable conclusions.

Maybe he prefers travelling over football. Maybe he doesn't buy into geeze's philosophies. Maybe he doesn't like the way county football has moved and doesn't enjoy it. Maybe he isn't prepared to dedicate the time. All as viable as your conclusion. You are just second guessing and have formed an opinion based on that second guess and now have it as fact.

[haveaharp]

Statement by his actions.Stays with Crossmaglen because he sees hope of success,abandons Armagh as he sees no hope of success.No other viable conclusion.

Maybe the fact that county football is in the summer is a factor and club football is in the winter?

There are plenty of viable conclusions.

Maybe he prefers travelling over football. Maybe he doesn't buy into geeze's philosophies. Maybe he doesn't like the way county football has moved and doesn't enjoy it. Maybe he isn't prepared to dedicate the time. All as viable as your conclusion. You are just second guessing and have formed an opinion based on that second guess and now have it as fact.

Maybe he thinks why should I display put my life on hold and display undying loyalty to the county cause so that I can have the knife twisted in my back by so called fans. Loyalty cuts both ways. Good luck Jamie you owe Armagh nothing and I am sure you will be back in the jersey when the time is right for you.

[T Fearon]

Compare and contrast this with the thirteen years unbroken service given by the likes of Owen Lennon,through thick and thin,to Monaghan.

If Jamie can provide an open honest and credible explanation as to why he's not making himself available for the County team this coming season (so far this hasn't been forthcoming) then I will retract every word.

[Il Bomber Destro]

This is Clarke's first campaign he has missed with Armagh since he made his debut if I'm correct?

He has missed plenty of Armagh Club Championships and quite a few Ulster Club Championship games in that time. The difference is Cross seem to indulge/can afford to indulge him with regard to swanning back in mid season. I don't think it's a case of him putting club before county, Jamie Clarke does what he wants to do and I've no problem with that.

I do think people overrate Clarke though, talentwise he is one of the best in the country but he has refused to work on certain aspects of his game which require improvement and would establish him as one of the best players in the country. He's never really put it together at a high level at county level and I'm not buying for one minute the excuse that it's because he's playing in a poor team. Armagh are not that poor, they had a great run in 2014 to the qf and Clarke was quite peripheral that year - there were probably a good 9/10 Armagh players who had a better year than him. They've pretty much been a solid side in the top 2 divisions in that side in that time and he's had other decent players around him.

He's not done it at the top level of intercounty football and that's because he does not take his game with the same application as the other top forwards in the country. That's not an attack on him, it's just the reality of the situation. Fair play to him for doing as he pleases and enjoying himself but it does not mean he shouldn't be immune for criticism, as a footballer.

[haveaharp]

Compare and contrast this with the thirteen years unbroken service given by the likes of Owen Lennon,through thick and thin,to Monaghan.

If Jamie can provide an open honest and credible explanation as to why he's not making himself available for the County team this coming season (so far this hasn't been forthcoming) then I will retract every word.

Why don't you ask him. I am sure he is on Facebook or Twitter.

[brokencrossbar1]

Or it could be a winter v summer thing and having a life outside of Crossmaglen.

Sure even brokencrossbar moved out, learned the language and table etiquette.

Well, I moved out anyway!!!

Tony, as someone said above this is the first time he has not made himself available for Armagh in the championship since he started. He played 1 championship match for Cross this season and will play a maximum 2 more. He has missed more football for us over the years than Armagh and that will be the case in the future. For what it's worth he won't be playing for us either when he's away or has that escaped your attention. It seems we can adsorb it better than Armagh as we play to a system where the players are very inter-changeable. The lad lives his life. He has no ties or commitments. If he as plain Jimmy Clarke the quick club corner forward there wouldn't be a word of it.

If Jamie can provide an open honest and credible explanation as to why he's not making himself available for the County team this coming season (so far this hasn't been forthcoming) then I will retract every word.

As for this crap how f**king deluded are you to think that your opinion warrants a reply to from the las himself. He owes you nothing. He owes me nothing he owes no one on here anything.

[imtommygunn]

Bc1 maybe you know him. Give him a shout there and tell him Tony Fearon demands an explanation as to why he is unavailable for armagh this year Tell him Tony is a widely known internet phenomenon and it's the least he deserves

[Aaron Boone]

'Jamie Clarke' username is still available here. Hopefully we get a reply from the man himself by this afternoon.

[brokencrossbar1]

Bc1 maybe you know him. Give him a shout there and tell him Tony Fearon demands an explanation as to why he is unavailable for armagh this year Tell him Tony is a widely known internet phenomenon and it's the least he deserves

I'll send him a message in Facebook here. I'll tell him he's not really a footballer till Tony has a photo of the 2 of them together which he will repost on Facebook ad naseum for years to come and he will then form part of his cadre!  Armagh is his first love after all, after Celtic and Spurs of course!

'Jamie Clarke' username is still available here. Hopefully we get a reply from the man himself by this afternoon.

I'll suggest that!

[T Fearon]

I think Jamie owes an explanation to all Armagh GAA supporters,many of whom (myself included) go to great lengths and considerable expense to follow the team,year in year out,and have a reasonable expectation  of seeing the best players available.Is this unreasonable?

[No wides]

I think Jamie owes an explanation to all Armagh GAA supporters,many of whom (myself included) go to great lengths and considerable expense to follow the team,year in year out,and have a reasonable expectation  of seeing the best players available.Is this unreasonable?

Are you forced to go watch Armagh, if you want to go see them that is your choice, no one from Armagh owes you a damn thing especially not an explanation as to why they are not available to play an amateur sport.  You really have serious delusions about yourself.

[ziggysego]

I think Jamie owes an explanation to all Armagh GAA supporters,many of whom (myself included) go to great lengths and considerable expense to follow the team,year in year out,and have a reasonable expectation  of seeing the best players available.Is this unreasonable?

How many matches do you pay for? Seems to be nothing but corporate freebies and competitions.

[longballin]

I think Jamie owes an explanation to all Armagh GAA supporters,many of whom (myself included) go to great lengths and considerable expense to follow the team,year in year out,and have a reasonable expectation  of seeing the best players available.Is this unreasonable?

He owes you nothing. Not that long since you were bad mouthing Kieran McGeeney who also owes you nothing.