Dubs v Westmeath 25 June

[The Hill is Blue]

With rumors circulating about discontent in the Dublin management setup, you have to wonder what is going on, and is he facing maybe the first real bit of trouble of his tenure?

You wish 

[Shamrock Shore]

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2017/06/26/dublin-panel-arrested-after-slaughtering-westmeath-by-31-points/

[Zulu]

In fairness to Zulu, he is not a Dub.

Ah but AZ I don't bash the Dubs at every opportunity so despite telling the likes of FtB numerous times I'm not a Dub I must be as I'm not always criticising them. Ironically, Mayo have never played Dublin when I haven't been roaring on Mayo, does that make me a Mayo man I wonder?

FtB, if you think taking money from Dublin and distributing it to the other 31 counties will improve anything then I don't know what to say to you. Money can be diverted from other areas, government funding applied for and Dublin county board can fund a greater portion of it's coaching to generate money for other counties. But you have to pick certain counties as giving it to all will only dilute the impact everywhere. You won't make Meath into Dublin by giving them more money but getting them more competitive will increase the revenue we have to then help Offaly, Louth, Cavan etc.

I don't follow that logic at all! How would giving all counties the same (or at least proportionate) funding dilute it's impact!?
Each county would have the money to provide the resources required to prepare teams to the same standard as the top teams.
Take Longford for example - they may not have the same number of players to pick from, or the same natural ability and that's fine, but they would at least be able to provide those players with the same preparation as a Dublin player.
And I don't follow how having a competitive Meath will provide resources for Offaly - that's bullshit frankly. It will give more competition, better games, and a small amount of extra revenue, certainly not enough.

I think it's time that all sponsorship money was pooled and allocated proportionately (the formula for that would be another debate!) amongst the counties. The comparison between Leitrim being sponsored by the local man who owns a hotel on Main St, and Dublin being sponsored by a multi-billion global insurance corporation is stark.
Leitrim will never have the pick of Dublin and there's nothing that can be done about that - but the Leitrim players should have the same level of support structures and preparation as every other county, Dublin included.

Because if we have one million to spend and it's shared between everyone equally then everyone can do less. That's not to mention that some counties may misspend it (hurling orientated) or may not have a proper structure to utilise and will just piss it away.

I see you're talking about funding senior teams well then you just want to piss GAA money away. I'm talking about funding to get structures right and increase playing numbers and quality with kids, that's where money needs to be spent. While the Longford and Dublin set ups might be a bit different I'd say most division one teams are similar to Dublin and frankly, if you're arguing to pump money into all senior county set ups and not the broad base of young kids then I think you're daft.

Funding Meath, Kildare and Down to get them up to the next level will of course increase revenue significantly. Those three counties if they got to QF stages or beyond with realistic chances of winning would easily add 300,000 supporters to championship attendances at an average of €30 would be an extra 9 million so even half that and that's €4.5 to help fund smaller counties like Offaly.

I've no issue with a central fund or Croke Park assisting county teams with better S&C or dietary support.

[Syferus]

The sad part is the GAA is run by people with similarly myopic outlooks as Zulu. Only the GAA. Only Ireland.

[AZOffaly]

you keep mentioning Offaly. Leave us out of it

In fairness, Offaly have invested in this new Centre of Excellence. Shouldn't their per player coaching and games funding be increased to maximise the benefits of it, and to raise standards throughout the county as they are obviously trying to do?
http://faithfulfields.com/

[Zulu]

you keep mentioning Offaly. Leave us out of it

In fairness, Offaly have invested in this new Centre of Excellence. Shouldn't their per player coaching and games funding be increased to maximise the benefits of it, and to raise standards throughout the county as they are obviously trying to do?
http://faithfulfields.com/

Absolutely AZ. I'm only using Meath as an example. Let's say we have €1 million to spend on games development. I think the GAA should ask for funding applications and fund counties who have good plans to help them come to fruition. However, I also think it makes sense to help big population counties develop as they will help future developments.

It's not a black and white situation but the idea that we give everyone the same is madness. Support progressive counties with the idea of bigger and more successful counties becoming more self-sufficient in time. 

[Hound]

nobody was getting the funding in the 70s that they are now
Kerry were just better footballers than everyone

Exactly as Dublin are now. But we all know there is very little between Dublin, Kerry and Mayo (assuming the latter get their house back in order) - and Tyrone would have no fear of Dublin either.

Dublin's senior footballers get looked after no better than the other top counties.

Absolutely true that only the Leinster final should be in Croke Park - but Dublin only have a 1/12th vote in that. The other Leinster counties could implement keeping Dubs out of Croker for Leinster semis very easily and choose not to.

Population of course plays a part, especially the last 20 years where there has been an ever increasing drive of culchies into the Pale. Young Con's father and grandfather both great Westmeath GAA men apparently.

How many county players get to take a week off work before a big game?
How many county players get a free car to drive around in?

All Dublin players got/get the above two points......other top counties dont. They are well looked after but to say they are treated the same as the Dubs is untrue

All Dublin players get a week off before every match!! Seriously, where do you get this nonsense?

Last week Dublin trained on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. There was no Dublin training sessions during the day, according to a team member I know. That player took no days off last week. He is planning to take the Thursday and Friday prior to the Leinster final as holiday leave.

There's far more than Dublin players driving around in sponsored cars.

[From the Bunker]

I was surprised with Gavin's retort to the media yesterday. (In fact I thought Dublin actually looked a better team without Connolly.) In times gone by Gavin would have ignored the thing completely, I believe. It reminded me of the Liverpool - Luis Saurez debacle, and that was something I didn't expect as he is usually a lot cooler.

With rumors circulating about discontent in the Dublin management setup, you have to wonder what is going on, and is he facing maybe the first real bit of trouble of his tenure?

Discontent? And where did you hear this story? Was it the voices in your head that told you? The same voices that probably told you to set up this fake account. How are Hollymount getting on in the League?

[J70]

Was that a record winning margin for a senior intercounty championship football match? (I'm sure hurling has surpassed it given the sheer range of standards)

[Taylor]

nobody was getting the funding in the 70s that they are now
Kerry were just better footballers than everyone

Exactly as Dublin are now. But we all know there is very little between Dublin, Kerry and Mayo (assuming the latter get their house back in order) - and Tyrone would have no fear of Dublin either.

Dublin's senior footballers get looked after no better than the other top counties.

Absolutely true that only the Leinster final should be in Croke Park - but Dublin only have a 1/12th vote in that. The other Leinster counties could implement keeping Dubs out of Croker for Leinster semis very easily and choose not to.

Population of course plays a part, especially the last 20 years where there has been an ever increasing drive of culchies into the Pale. Young Con's father and grandfather both great Westmeath GAA men apparently.

How many county players get to take a week off work before a big game?
How many county players get a free car to drive around in?

All Dublin players got/get the above two points......other top counties dont. They are well looked after but to say they are treated the same as the Dubs is untrue

All Dublin players get a week off before every match!! Seriously, where do you get this nonsense?

Last week Dublin trained on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. There was no Dublin training sessions during the day, according to a team member I know. That player took no days off last week. He is planning to take the Thursday and Friday prior to the Leinster final as holiday leave.

There's far more than Dublin players driving around in sponsored cars.

FFS this wasnt a big game - they could have worked the night shift on a Saturday and still won.

Any Dublin players off the week before big games last season?

[Owenmoresider]

Was that a record winning margin for a senior intercounty championship football match? (I'm sure hurling has surpassed it given the sheer range of standards)

Kerry v Clare 1979 is probably the record, something like 9-21 to 1-9 I think it was.

[manfromdelmonte]

Dublin have the world class gym in the national GAA centre in Abbotstown for all their teams
Westmeath have a converted shed in the old barracks in Mullingar, with a very basic range of equipment

Dublin have access to UCD, DCU, Trinity pitches as well as other centres around the capital
Westmeath have to beg for pitches - no training pitch, no centre of mediocrity

Dublin have a highest value of sponsorship (sorry partners) for their teams. among them: AIG, O'Neills, Skins, Lifestyle Sports, Ballygowan, Subaru, Jack Jones, Energise Sport, Aer Lingus, Linwoods, Gibson Hotel, ROS Nutrition, Gourmet Food Parlour. Their players get free cars to drive around in from other garages!
Westmeath have Renault, and a few lads in the county board get to drive around in cars

Dublin also get the highest amount of funding for coaching and games development in the country
Westmeath cannot even get money to fund an urban area coach for Mullingar or Athlone!

[Il Bomber Destro]

It's about controlling the media and blackening players that are a threat to your team.

Did you have any criticism at the time for James Horan's comments in relation to Donegal and Michael Murphy and Joe McQuillan. They certainly intended to blacken the names of those people.

I'd also be interested to see what you felt about Kevin McStay going on a crusade to get Philly McMahon banned against Mayo.

Totally agree! Yeah! The Big guns do this all the time! Don't remember the Philly gig but you can be sure it happened! Luckily you come from a county who never partake in any of that sort of mind games. You are so lucky. Blessed I'd say!

I just find the indignation about this incident a bit funny considering your own county partake in similar methods.

So do you agree with your county partaking in mind games yourself or would you rather them to be squeeky clean?

All teams will blur the lines to get the results. I just find it a bit rich at others trying to play the whiter than white role when they're equally or more guilty of those underhand methods.

[Lar Naparka]

nobody was getting the funding in the 70s that they are now
Kerry were just better footballers than everyone

Exactly as Dublin are now. But we all know there is very little between Dublin, Kerry and Mayo (assuming the latter get their house back in order) - and Tyrone would have no fear of Dublin either.

Dublin's senior footballers get looked after no better than the other top counties.

Absolutely true that only the Leinster final should be in Croke Park - but Dublin only have a 1/12th vote in that. The other Leinster counties could implement keeping Dubs out of Croker for Leinster semis very easily and choose not to.

Population of course plays a part, especially the last 20 years where there has been an ever increasing drive of culchies into the Pale. Young Con's father and grandfather both great Westmeath GAA men apparently.

Nah, Hound it's nowhere that simple. The big difference between Dublin now and Kerry in the 1970s is money, pure and simple. This Dub side has a backroom staff at least as big as their entire panel and that's being conservative.
It's easier to come by money to pay the expenses of top flight nutritional experts, doctors, physios and uncle Tom Cobbley and alllw when the money is there to pay them their wages/expenses and to buy, rent or hire top of the range equipment to help hone the players' skills to the greatest possible degree.
Having a huge population is most definitely a major assest.
Look at the list of Dublin's sponsors, ahem partners provided by manfromdelmonte.
Do you think any other county could come up with such a long list?
Money not sentiments dictates the actions of company that seek publicity when they make sponsorship deals and Dublin has by far the greatest target audience in the land.
Living in a densely populated area brings other advantages too. It's pretty certain that all players will live, work/study and train with having to travel more than ten miles at most.
Compare that with Mayo's O' Connors who clock up to 1,000 a week while training. The same hold for Kerry, Galway and Donegal lads and many others as well.
Professionalism and Science is the cornerstone of Dublin's dominance and both cost money.Mayo, Kerry and a few others may challenge from time to time but none of them can possibly have the resources to maintain competitiveness for sustained periods.

Dublin's senior footballers get looked after no better than the other top counties.

You can't be serious!
One of my near neighbours drives a top of the range 171 Subaru and he didn't get it for beating up linesman either.
I believe all members of the county panel got the same. Brand Ambassadors for Subaru, no less.

[Rossfan]

And no doubt the 172s will be replacing them next week.