The Future for Laois Football

[portlaoisekid]

Who have you heard PortlaoiseKid?

I'd say the more important jobs will be the minor and u20. We need to stay competitive, bring through competitive teams with players full of pace and power. You look at Mayo and they aren't the best or most skillful players but are incredible athletes. They have a good pathway for underage teams that includes a senior development panel so ensures players get proper S&C

I certainly dont know  who is getting it but seems all the stories around point to a manager close to home...

[Chrimtain]

Who have you heard PortlaoiseKid?

I'd say the more important jobs will be the minor and u20. We need to stay competitive, bring through competitive teams with players full of pace and power. You look at Mayo and they aren't the best or most skillful players but are incredible athletes. They have a good pathway for underage teams that includes a senior development panel so ensures players get proper S&C

I certainly dont know  who is getting it but seems all the stories around point to a manager close to home...

On a different topic PK, do you think that the town of Portlaoise needs a second club or do you think Portlaoise GFC are taking full advantage of the big population in the town?

[portlaoisekid]

Who have you heard PortlaoiseKid?

I'd say the more important jobs will be the minor and u20. We need to stay competitive, bring through competitive teams with players full of pace and power. You look at Mayo and they aren't the best or most skillful players but are incredible athletes. They have a good pathway for underage teams that includes a senior development panel so ensures players get proper S&C

I certainly dont know  who is getting it but seems all the stories around point to a manager close to home...

On a different topic PK, do you think that the town of Portlaoise needs a second club or do you think Portlaoise GFC are taking full advantage of the big population in the town?

It all depends what a second club in town means. I believe there is no appetite in town for a second club if that means splitting our club in two,the notion of splitting our club is horrific to me as a Portlaoise club man.If a second club wants to form (just like Kilminchy a few years back ) then absolutely work away IMO, but to split our club  would be wrong and would solve nothing from a Laois point of view. Portlaoise do quite well with players and if a player is good enough and wants to put in the effort they will 100% get their chance to play senior. I cant name one player who didn't get their chance to prove themselves at senior if they were good enough and willing to put the effort in to be a senior player.

To answer your second question we are doing the best we can and that literally is all we can do ATM with the resources at hand.It is a battle though to get kids to play but we do fairly well in that regard.

[Chrimtain]

When I think of a second club in the town of Portlaoise, I certainly do not think of splitting the current club. That, in my opinion would be counter productive both to the club and to tje GAA in Laois. No, what I mean is support being given to the birth of an entirely new club that might grow in a newish part of the town e.g. Kilminchy. Perhaps this club might start as a juvenile club initially and, eventually, become a club that supports juveniles and adult teams.

[portlaoisekid]

When I think of a second club in the town of Portlaoise, I certainly do not think of splitting the current club. That, in my opinion would be counter productive both to the club and to tje GAA in Laois. No, what I mean is support being given to the birth of an entirely new club that might grow in a newish part of the town e.g. Kilminchy. Perhaps this club might start as a juvenile club initially and, eventually, become a club that supports juveniles and adult teams.

well IMO that's up to the area , and more power to them if they can set up a club and get it going , as we speak
we already see club's on the outskirts of town trying to get kids from the periphery of town to play for them,  be interesting to see how that goes as a test case for the next couple of years .

[High Fielder]

No reason why we can't get the problem fixed within Portlaoise GAA. It just needs a lot of financing, good planning and hard work. We have none of that right now, and we get a very poor return from Portlaoise. They get a poor return from themselves too. The facilities and structures should be in place (in a town of that size) to accommodate whoever wants a jersey, and if that means B and C teams, then fine.

Truth is we're afraid of making Portlaoise a monster, so we ignore the issue and go year to year wondering what might be. Unfortunately, for every year that passes, both Portlaoise and Laois are declining. Numbers alone will mean Portlaoise will have plenty of good days, but nowhere near as many as they should. The facilities are poor for obvious reasons, and you really would want to go there as a kid, rather than allow yourself to be encouraged. If there is a failure in some parts to want to represent what is essentially a wonderful and proud club, then what the hell chance is there of a second club being formed? What would be the motivation?

This is a CB issue. If they want what's best for Laois, they need to make Portlaoise a priority. They need to park their own blub bias and actively collaborate with Portlaoise to improve matters. Portlaoise don't have the financial resources or manpower to fix this, but they have what Laois wants and that's numbers. A Portlaoise GAA regeneration would be very helpful to the Laois cause, and if that forces amalgamations elsewhere, then that's what we must do. There are far too many clubs anyway, some of which are wasting their time as stand alone entities. Another problem for another day.....

[High Fielder]

A more immediate alternative might be to allow and encourage schools based in Portlaoise to compete in our underage championships at appropriate levels. Without knowing for sure, I can only imagine that some schools have more numbers at their disposal than most clubs. These are just some ideas. Hopefully there are many more. The net point is this. We can't afford to ignore what's not happening now in Portlaoise

[Chrimtain]

Interesting to listen to the All Ireland Hurling finals post match analysis. It is bring said that the GAA in the county was once in turmoil. A lot of credit is bring given to Joe McKenna who came in and took the thing by the scruff of the neck and provided organisation and leadership. Does Laois GAA have such a man or men who can do a similar job?

[portlaoisekid]

No reason why we can't get the problem fixed within Portlaoise GAA. It just needs a lot of financing, good planning and hard work. We have none of that right now, and we get a very poor return from Portlaoise. They get a poor return from themselves too. The facilities and structures should be in place (in a town of that size) to accommodate whoever wants a jersey, and if that means B and C teams, then fine.

Truth is we're afraid of making Portlaoise a monster, so we ignore the issue and go year to year wondering what might be. Unfortunately, for every year that passes, both Portlaoise and Laois are declining. Numbers alone will mean Portlaoise will have plenty of good days, but nowhere near as many as they should. The facilities are poor for obvious reasons, and you really would want to go there as a kid, rather than allow yourself to be encouraged. If there is a failure in some parts to want to represent what is essentially a wonderful and proud club, then what the hell chance is there of a second club being formed? What would be the motivation?

This is a CB issue. If they want what's best for Laois, they need to make Portlaoise a priority. They need to park their own blub bias and actively collaborate with Portlaoise to improve matters. Portlaoise don't have the financial resources or manpower to fix this, but they have what Laois wants and that's numbers. A Portlaoise GAA regeneration would be very helpful to the Laois cause, and if that forces amalgamations elsewhere, then that's what we must do. There are far too many clubs anyway, some of which are wasting their time as stand alone entities. Another problem for another day.....

good post but remember one thing , the CB use Portlaoise as an excuse for failure and always have , it's their get out excuse. . E.g. The CB are losing their sh1ite over Port being this example of progress of Laois football , when in reality it's nothing to do with Laois GAA but moreso how good Port are and their hard work ... Any improvement in Laois football is definitely In spite of Laois county board efforts and that's their preferred game of football , just imagine for a second what our hurlers have to go through ...

[town1980]

What is the story on a Laois manager we are some joke seemingly Martin Murphy , eoin Kearns, billy sheehan and john sugru  that’s the 4 being interviewed

[High Fielder]

No reason why we can't get the problem fixed within Portlaoise GAA. It just needs a lot of financing, good planning and hard work. We have none of that right now, and we get a very poor return from Portlaoise. They get a poor return from themselves too. The facilities and structures should be in place (in a town of that size) to accommodate whoever wants a jersey, and if that means B and C teams, then fine.

Truth is we're afraid of making Portlaoise a monster, so we ignore the issue and go year to year wondering what might be. Unfortunately, for every year that passes, both Portlaoise and Laois are declining. Numbers alone will mean Portlaoise will have plenty of good days, but nowhere near as many as they should. The facilities are poor for obvious reasons, and you really would want to go there as a kid, rather than allow yourself to be encouraged. If there is a failure in some parts to want to represent what is essentially a wonderful and proud club, then what the hell chance is there of a second club being formed? What would be the motivation?

This is a CB issue. If they want what's best for Laois, they need to make Portlaoise a priority. They need to park their own blub bias and actively collaborate with Portlaoise to improve matters. Portlaoise don't have the financial resources or manpower to fix this, but they have what Laois wants and that's numbers. A Portlaoise GAA regeneration would be very helpful to the Laois cause, and if that forces amalgamations elsewhere, then that's what we must do. There are far too many clubs anyway, some of which are wasting their time as stand alone entities. Another problem for another day.....

good post but remember one thing , the CB use Portlaoise as an excuse for failure and always have , it's their get out excuse. . E.g. The CB are losing their sh1ite over Port being this example of progress of Laois football , when in reality it's nothing to do with Laois GAA but moreso how good Port are and their hard work ... Any improvement in Laois football is definitely In spite of Laois county board efforts and that's their preferred game of football , just imagine for a second what our hurlers have to go through ...

With all due respect to Port, they won a really poor Championship. They should win the next one too because it's a two horse race at best. If the Leinster Club was up and running, I don't think they'd figure, but I'd love to be proven wrong on that one.

The real state of our football can be measured in the rest of the clubs. There are a lot of grim stories out there, and even some senior clubs whose only ambition is to stay Senior. The two Arles clubs have been warned for years that they are on the road to nowhere, but seem happy enough to keep going. This despite allowing their juvenilles to be part of an amalgamation that their older members would frown upon. You couldn't make that shit up. It's just backward and embarrassing, and sure look, it's going where you'd expect it to go. They're not alone by any means. A number of clubs need to take a long hard look at what they're doing. For the sake of Laois football, the CB need to talk with them.

[High Fielder]

What is the story on a Laois manager we are some joke seemingly Martin Murphy , eoin Kearns, billy sheehan and john sugru  that’s the 4 being interviewed

You've answered your own question. If it's one of those four, they already know the scene, so no rush.

[Countyminor]

The debate around championship restructuring in Laois is an important one, but I wouldn't hold my breath on something being done to address the systemic problems that have been staring us in the face for years now.

The truth is that there is zero appetite for change. People are happy with the championship being s***. Clubs like Killeen and The Heath, who haven't produced anything in years, retain their senior tag every year thanks to a s*** championship. Why would they want to change that?

 

[Helix.]

The debate around championship restructuring in Laois is an important one, but I wouldn't hold my breath on something being done to address the systemic problems that have been staring us in the face for years now.

The truth is that there is zero appetite for change. People are happy with the championship being s***. Clubs like Killeen and The Heath, who haven't produced anything in years, retain their senior tag every year thanks to a s*** championship. Why would they want to change that?

 

It would give clubs like the Heath a good kick up the arse were it reduced to 12. Plenty of clubs senior by name at this stage in the county.
It worked relatively well in the hurling in Laois when it was reduced from 12 to 8 teams. A 12 team senior football championship is the way to go. They reduced number of senior football teams in Kerry in recent times if I’m not mistaken.

[Andy06]

Who have you heard PortlaoiseKid?

I'd say the more important jobs will be the minor and u20. We need to stay competitive, bring through competitive teams with players full of pace and power. You look at Mayo and they aren't the best or most skillful players but are incredible athletes. They have a good pathway for underage teams that includes a senior development panel so ensures players get proper S&C

I certainly dont know  who is getting it but seems all the stories around point to a manager close to home...

On a different topic PK, do you think that the town of Portlaoise needs a second club or do you think Portlaoise GFC are taking full advantage of the big population in the town?

It all depends what a second club in town means. I believe there is no appetite in town for a second club if that means splitting our club in two,the notion of splitting our club is horrific to me as a Portlaoise club man.If a second club wants to form (just like Kilminchy a few years back ) then absolutely work away IMO, but to split our club  would be wrong and would solve nothing from a Laois point of view. Portlaoise do quite well with players and if a player is good enough and wants to put in the effort they will 100% get their chance to play senior. I cant name one player who didn't get their chance to prove themselves at senior if they were good enough and willing to put the effort in to be a senior player.

To answer your second question we are doing the best we can and that literally is all we can do ATM with the resources at hand.It is a battle though to get kids to play but we do fairly well in that regard.

I meant to get back to you on this PK, it seems from what you are saying that there doesnt seem to be huge numbers as regards kids coming to the club? Is that the case?
I've been living away from the county for a good few years but generally what is the uptake of kids from primary schools for clubs around the county?

I live near a rural club and there is a massive connection with the local primary school. They have training sessions (well if you can call them that!) for junior infants, senior infants all the way up to 6th class. And most of these sessions have 90% of those kids in primary school at them, its a fantastic effort that literally sees no potential player go to waste. At the younger ages its nearly just a big run around session with not a whole lot of ball work but it gets that love and enjoyment of being in the club instilled in them at a really young age.

It obviously takes loads of work, and there are a large number of volunteers but the rewards to the club are now bearing fruit as their underage teams are one of the best in the county.