Qualifiers

[AZOffaly]

Ah Luke, I'd say it's bad preparation to face that drive on the day of the game no matter what. Surely an overnight in a travel lodge or something would be better?

[Croí na hÉireann]

Ah Luke, I'd say it's bad preparation to face that drive on the day of the game no matter what. Surely an overnight in a travel lodge or something would be better?

County boards don't have the money for over-nighters anymore, Flanagan was cribbing something similar about our game down in Wexford. A 2 and a half hour drive took 3 and a half hours as they had to factor in a few stops to let the lads loosen their legs.

[AZOffaly]

Ah Luke, I'd say it's bad preparation to face that drive on the day of the game no matter what. Surely an overnight in a travel lodge or something would be better?

County boards don't have the money for over-nighters anymore, Flanagan was cribbing something similar about our game down in Wexford. A 2 and a half hour drive took 3 and a half hours as they had to factor in a few stops to let the lads loosen their legs.

They might if they didn't, ah never mind.

[Dinny Breen]

Carlow and a lot of teams do like their players to spend the pre-match evening in their own environment, eliminates the boredom factor ensures players get a better nights sleep.

[AZOffaly]

Carlow and a lot of teams do like their players to spend the pre-match evening in their own environment, eliminates the boredom factor ensures players get a better nights sleep.

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

[armaghniac]

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

Carlow - Belfast is 3 hours, perhaps this is marginal.

[AZOffaly]

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

Carlow - Belfast is 3 hours, perhaps this is marginal.

3 hours with a straight run, in a car. I'd bet it's longer in a bus, and I assume they're taking the coach. You don't want players driving that distance.

[omagh_gael]

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

Carlow - Belfast is 3 hours, perhaps this is marginal.

3 hours with a straight run, in a car. I'd bet it's longer in a bus, and I assume they're taking the coach. You don't want players driving that distance.

That's why they hire a bus driver

[AZOffaly]

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

Carlow - Belfast is 3 hours, perhaps this is marginal.

3 hours with a straight run, in a car. I'd bet it's longer in a bus, and I assume they're taking the coach. You don't want players driving that distance.

That's why they hire a bus driver

Em. Yeah. That's why I said it takes longer in a bus, and I assume they will take a bus because you don't want players driving for 3 hours in a car.

[Ludraman]

Carlow and a lot of teams do like their players to spend the pre-match evening in their own environment, eliminates the boredom factor ensures players get a better nights sleep.

de carlow bies should wind there watches forward and hour after work on de friday. then they would go to be an hour earlier and wud be well rested on saturdat mornign. den they should wind it on another hour when they get up so dat it wud feel like a 4 0'colck game for them. wudn't be so bad then, no?

[Dinny Breen]

Carlow and a lot of teams do like their players to spend the pre-match evening in their own environment, eliminates the boredom factor ensures players get a better nights sleep.

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

It's probably a 3.5 hrs to Belfast from Carlow. Carlow schedule will probably be

Meet 9:30  for breakfast
Depart 10:15
Arrive Dundalk  12:00 for pre-match meal and brief team meeting
Depart Dundalk 13:00
Arrive Casement 14:00
Throw-in 15:00

The extra hour makes that more manageable so I'd say Luke was right to have a whinge and get it changed. 

The logistics of travelling on a Friday night is a pain in the hole, lads would have to take a half-day from work, travel is longer because of week-end traffic, you get bored in the hotel, only so many meetings you can have, players won't sleep as well. Players will just spend too much time thinking about the game. Plus it would cost you the guts of €2k to stay over night in a hotel.

In and out on the same day is always preferable.

[AZOffaly]

Carlow and a lot of teams do like their players to spend the pre-match evening in their own environment, eliminates the boredom factor ensures players get a better nights sleep.

Absolutely, and in most cases that's fine. But surely a night in a hotel is preferable to a 4 hour drive on the day of a game?

It's probably a 3.5 hrs to Belfast from Carlow. Carlow schedule will probably be

Meet 9:30  for breakfast
Depart 10:15
Arrive Dundalk  12:00 for pre-match meal and brief team meeting
Depart Dundalk 13:00
Arrive Casement 14:00
Throw-in 15:00

The extra hour makes that more manageable so I'd say Luke was right to have a whinge and get it changed. 

The logistics of travelling on a Friday night is a pain in the hole, lads would have to take a half-day from work, travel is longer because of week-end traffic, you get bored in the hotel, only so many meetings you can have, players won't sleep as well. Players will just spend too much time thinking about the game. Plus it would cost you the guts of €2k to stay over night in a hotel.

In and out on the same day is always preferable.

In your opinion. In my opinion it's only preferable if it's a handy trip. Offaly is grand, because we can hit nearly anywhere within 3 hours, but if it was longer than that, I always prefer to go the day before. But maybe I like hotels

[Dinny Breen]

Typical selfish player not worried about the group dynamic or what the coaches or managers have to worry about 

[AZOffaly]

Typical selfish player not worried about the group dynamic or what the coaches or managers have to worry about 

Guilty as charged

However, as a coach now, I would prefer my scenario to yours for the long trips. I would obviously prefer yours for games where we'd be there in good time, having left on the same day, without leaving at the crack of dawn.

So inside a 2-3 hour radius I'd be all for an itinerary like you've outlined.

Any longer than that, and I'm afraid I'd prefer to be up the night before.

I also find that hotel the night before can focus the mind too, like a business trip, but again, that could be just me.

[Dinny Breen]

In fairness that Carlow trip would be the limit for me, anything over that would be an over night trip, they're just a pain in the hole to plan as you'll players trying to kill time in the morning as well don't forget...