Antrim Football Thread

[imtommygunn]

The seniors this year have done well both codes - though maybe disappointing in the end up in hurling - but our underage hasn't been good.

We can't expect to be anywhere near the top level in either if we don't sort this out. We really should be better than this I would have thought.

[Flanker]

This won't be a surprise to anyone who has been around juvenille football in Antrim for a reasonable number of years

The whole setup is in the dark ages relative to the vast majority of progressive counties.

We have had a few bright spots most noteably last year's U20 and the same group @ Minor.

Unfortunately the leadership is not there to create the culture and environment required to develop the conveyor belt of Good rounded footballers capable of competing at inter County level.

It is the whole process and structure that is broken not just the final years @ U17 & U20

To move forward and be competitive in a Senior context this really needs a total Reset and not a patch up.

We may get the odd bright spot where we get lucky with a group of players, a good coaching setup gets real buy in or a school does really well but that seems to be the way of it .....

Hope to get lucky

[Dunsilly King]

The u20s wasn't good either tbh.

It's the same in the hurling. We can't expect to get well beaten year on year and then suddenly be competitive with the same players

I was told that Conor Stewart, Pat Shivers & Sean O Neill weren't playing in the u20 game. Thats three v good players missing. It does add perspective to the result.

[Sportacus]

Unfortunately we didn't have the Delta variant running riot last year.  On the current trajectory, September onwards will be a big mess of positive cases and people isolating with a lot of clubs potentially disrupted.

at last someone else who is living in 2021 - the format is super its just wrong year for it - championships need run off as quickly as we can and players understanD as they dont want unfinished championships

Wake up people

Send in your proposals and format with a new draw, you could possibly video it just show being fair

Its just a bit of debate and genuine comment.  No need to be patronising.

Most of your posts in fairness are sly digs at people in Gaelfast or county committees. 

If that was aimed at me, you're getting mixed up. The more ideas and suggestions are thrown into the mix the better.  Nobody across our county has anything to lose from that and maybe some good ideas might emerge - imagine.

[Milltown Row2]

Unfortunately we didn't have the Delta variant running riot last year.  On the current trajectory, September onwards will be a big mess of positive cases and people isolating with a lot of clubs potentially disrupted.

at last someone else who is living in 2021 - the format is super its just wrong year for it - championships need run off as quickly as we can and players understanD as they dont want unfinished championships

Wake up people

Send in your proposals and format with a new draw, you could possibly video it just show being fair

Its just a bit of debate and genuine comment.  No need to be patronising.

Most of your posts in fairness are sly digs at people in Gaelfast or county committees. 

If that was aimed at me, you're getting mixed up. The more ideas and suggestions are thrown into the mix the better.  Nobody across our county has anything to lose from that and maybe some good ideas might emerge - imagine.

Not you in the slightest was my post aimed at, you've reasonably put across many a decent debate with no major axe to grind over the years

[Sportacus]

Unfortunately we didn't have the Delta variant running riot last year.  On the current trajectory, September onwards will be a big mess of positive cases and people isolating with a lot of clubs potentially disrupted.

at last someone else who is living in 2021 - the format is super its just wrong year for it - championships need run off as quickly as we can and players understanD as they dont want unfinished championships

Wake up people

Send in your proposals and format with a new draw, you could possibly video it just show being fair

Its just a bit of debate and genuine comment.  No need to be patronising.

Most of your posts in fairness are sly digs at people in Gaelfast or county committees. 

If that was aimed at me, you're getting mixed up. The more ideas and suggestions are thrown into the mix the better.  Nobody across our county has anything to lose from that and maybe some good ideas might emerge - imagine.

Not you in the slightest was my post aimed at, you've reasonably put across many a decent debate with no major axe to grind over the years

Spot on.  Sorry, I picked you up wrong.

[Points a Good Score]

What's the solution to the Minor/Development squad problems? We're all quick to be 'raging' or question structures let's provide practical solutions and speak to the people in charge to see if you can influence change rather than complain. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

Let's not forget our seniors were beaten by 14 points in the championship, but a moral victory hailed all round.

[Milltown Row2]

What's the solution to the Minor/Development squad problems? We're all quick to be 'raging' or question structures let's provide practical solutions and speak to the people in charge to see if you can influence change rather than complain. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

Let's not forget our seniors were beaten by 14 points in the championship, but a moral victory hailed all round.

Schools have been the focus of Gaelfast, but at primary level so far in most parts, the wider problem Antrim has is developing better schools football in all grades, been lucky enough over the years to referee all levels of college football, the kids are properly developed in S&C and the level of football that they play is a far greater standard to what we have been used to seeing at those levels..

I've no problem in saying that we will have better county teams if we could have better development of the college game, these players progressing onto their club senior team and moving then onto the county set will bring another level to the what we have been used too, this needs to be done consistently over 10/20 years, which has been the case in Tyrone/Derry/Armagh/Fermanagh/Down... Cant remember the last entry we had at McRory cup level

[Milltown Row2]

What's the solution to the Minor/Development squad problems? We're all quick to be 'raging' or question structures let's provide practical solutions and speak to the people in charge to see if you can influence change rather than complain. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.

Let's not forget our seniors were beaten by 14 points in the championship, but a moral victory hailed all round.

Schools have been the focus of Gaelfast, but at primary level so far in most parts, the wider problem Antrim has is developing better schools football in all grades, been lucky enough over the years to referee all levels of college football, the kids are properly developed in S&C and the level of football that they play is a far greater standard to what we have been used to seeing at those levels..

I've no problem in saying that we will have better county teams if we could have better development of the college game, these players progressing onto their club senior team and moving then onto the county set will bring another level to the what we have been used too, this needs to be done consistently over 10/20 years, which has been the case in Tyrone/Derry/Armagh/Fermanagh/Down... Cant remember the last entry we had at McRory cup level

4 years ago maybe?

Over a sustained period or a one off after winning the competition below it? My point is we need to be at that level over many years. Be that with an amalgamation of schools or two, schools from city and country

[Ciall]

This won't be a surprise to anyone who has been around juvenille football in Antrim for a reasonable number of years

The whole setup is in the dark ages relative to the vast majority of progressive counties.

We have had a few bright spots most noteably last year's U20 and the same group @ Minor.

Unfortunately the leadership is not there to create the culture and environment required to develop the conveyor belt of Good rounded footballers capable of competing at inter County level.

It is the whole process and structure that is broken not just the final years @ U17 & U20

To move forward and be competitive in a Senior context this really needs a total Reset and not a patch up.

We may get the odd bright spot where we get lucky with a group of players, a good coaching setup gets real buy in or a school does really well but that seems to be the way of it .....

Hope to get lucky

Have to agree with this! As someone who was involved in volunteering for both hurling and football Dev squads at different times over the years, there's always something stopping teams progressing the way they should, and it always seems to be buy-in, or lack of! I'm all for getting the best seniors out to play, and they are our "window" for young lads looking in, but what point is there investing money into the seniors if they haven't the foundations already in place?
I've spoke with a number of people involved in the minor set ups of the past, and the lack of support and resources available to these young lads is beyond shocking.
I'd love to see a proper pathway in place for teenagers to come through where they are educated about the technical, tactical and physical aspects of the game.
Being with the squads before, I'd learned a lot from the county coaches Alfie for football and Dominic for hurling (they are now Gaelfast too I think) but it always seemed like resources were holding us back from being able to do exactly what we needed to do. This has to change!

As club people we need to take a level of responsibility for the county performances too! How many football teams have we at minor-senior that actually compete in Ulster club over the years? How many schools? Same for hurling- we play B all Ireland in that?  it's clubs that build the foundations in players before they get to school level so surely if we get it right with our teams then it makes it easier to work with players at county/school?

Easy to point the finger at Gaelfast but they don't hold the purse strings and judging by how the director left, they don't seem to be given the freedom to call the shots either! Either things change the right way or we'll be no further up the road in a decade. Leadership is key!

[Kickham csc]

This won't be a surprise to anyone who has been around juvenille football in Antrim for a reasonable number of years

The whole setup is in the dark ages relative to the vast majority of progressive counties.

We have had a few bright spots most noteably last year's U20 and the same group @ Minor.

Unfortunately the leadership is not there to create the culture and environment required to develop the conveyor belt of Good rounded footballers capable of competing at inter County level.

It is the whole process and structure that is broken not just the final years @ U17 & U20

To move forward and be competitive in a Senior context this really needs a total Reset and not a patch up.

We may get the odd bright spot where we get lucky with a group of players, a good coaching setup gets real buy in or a school does really well but that seems to be the way of it .....

Hope to get lucky

Have to agree with this! As someone who was involved in volunteering for both hurling and football Dev squads at different times over the years, there's always something stopping teams progressing the way they should, and it always seems to be buy-in, or lack of! I'm all for getting the best seniors out to play, and they are our "window" for young lads looking in, but what point is there investing money into the seniors if they haven't the foundations already in place?
I've spoke with a number of people involved in the minor set ups of the past, and the lack of support and resources available to these young lads is beyond shocking.
I'd love to see a proper pathway in place for teenagers to come through where they are educated about the technical, tactical and physical aspects of the game.
Being with the squads before, I'd learned a lot from the county coaches Alfie for football and Dominic for hurling (they are now Gaelfast too I think) but it always seemed like resources were holding us back from being able to do exactly what we needed to do. This has to change!

As club people we need to take a level of responsibility for the county performances too! How many football teams have we at minor-senior that actually compete in Ulster club over the years? How many schools? Same for hurling- we play B all Ireland in that?  it's clubs that build the foundations in players before they get to school level so surely if we get it right with our teams then it makes it easier to work with players at county/school?

Easy to point the finger at Gaelfast but they don't hold the purse strings and judging by how the director left, they don't seem to be given the freedom to call the shots either! Either things change the right way or we'll be no further up the road in a decade. Leadership is key!

Def should be better, but there is some obvious things that need to be built on, including trying to improve on structures already in place.

For example, schools football,St Mary's Magherafelt, St Patrick's Maghera, St Pius X Magherafelt, St Ronan's Lurgen, provide good college pathways for Aghagallan, Tir na Nog, Creegan, Cargin, Moneyglass, Portglenone, and potentially Rasharkin etc. Gaelfast should be focusing on Randalstown, St Pats Ballymena, etc for country football (I'm sure there are others)

In hurling, Garrontower, St Louis Ballymena, Cross and Passion and St Patricks Maghera are providing a pathway, we should be looking at supporting them even further

Same story in the city.

SO there are fragments on foundations that can be strengthened and improved

[Belfast GAA man]

Unfortunately we didn't have the Delta variant running riot last year.  On the current trajectory, September onwards will be a big mess of positive cases and people isolating with a lot of clubs potentially disrupted.

at last someone else who is living in 2021 - the format is super its just wrong year for it - championships need run off as quickly as we can and players understanD as they dont want unfinished championships

Wake up people

Send in your proposals and format with a new draw, you could possibly video it just show being fair

Its just a bit of debate and genuine comment.  No need to be patronising.

Most of your posts in fairness are sly digs at people in Gaelfast or county committees. 

If that was aimed at me, you're getting mixed up. The more ideas and suggestions are thrown into the mix the better.  Nobody across our county has anything to lose from that and maybe some good ideas might emerge - imagine.

Not you in the slightest was my post aimed at, you've reasonably put across many a decent debate with no major axe to grind over the years

It was aimed at Me because he doesnt like debate  snore snore

[Ciall]

This won't be a surprise to anyone who has been around juvenille football in Antrim for a reasonable number of years

The whole setup is in the dark ages relative to the vast majority of progressive counties.

We have had a few bright spots most noteably last year's U20 and the same group @ Minor.

Unfortunately the leadership is not there to create the culture and environment required to develop the conveyor belt of Good rounded footballers capable of competing at inter County level.

It is the whole process and structure that is broken not just the final years @ U17 & U20

To move forward and be competitive in a Senior context this really needs a total Reset and not a patch up.

We may get the odd bright spot where we get lucky with a group of players, a good coaching setup gets real buy in or a school does really well but that seems to be the way of it .....

Hope to get lucky

Have to agree with this! As someone who was involved in volunteering for both hurling and football Dev squads at different times over the years, there's always something stopping teams progressing the way they should, and it always seems to be buy-in, or lack of! I'm all for getting the best seniors out to play, and they are our "window" for young lads looking in, but what point is there investing money into the seniors if they haven't the foundations already in place?
I've spoke with a number of people involved in the minor set ups of the past, and the lack of support and resources available to these young lads is beyond shocking.
I'd love to see a proper pathway in place for teenagers to come through where they are educated about the technical, tactical and physical aspects of the game.
Being with the squads before, I'd learned a lot from the county coaches Alfie for football and Dominic for hurling (they are now Gaelfast too I think) but it always seemed like resources were holding us back from being able to do exactly what we needed to do. This has to change!

As club people we need to take a level of responsibility for the county performances too! How many football teams have we at minor-senior that actually compete in Ulster club over the years? How many schools? Same for hurling- we play B all Ireland in that?  it's clubs that build the foundations in players before they get to school level so surely if we get it right with our teams then it makes it easier to work with players at county/school?

Easy to point the finger at Gaelfast but they don't hold the purse strings and judging by how the director left, they don't seem to be given the freedom to call the shots either! Either things change the right way or we'll be no further up the road in a decade. Leadership is key!

Def should be better, but there is some obvious things that need to be built on, including trying to improve on structures already in place.

For example, schools football,St Mary's Magherafelt, St Patrick's Maghera, St Pius X Magherafelt, St Ronan's Lurgen, provide good college pathways for Aghagallan, Tir na Nog, Creegan, Cargin, Moneyglass, Portglenone, and potentially Rasharkin etc. Gaelfast should be focusing on Randalstown, St Pats Ballymena, etc for country football (I'm sure there are others)

In hurling, Garrontower, St Louis Ballymena, Cross and Passion and St Patricks Maghera are providing a pathway, we should be looking at supporting them even further

Same story in the city.

SO there are fragments on foundations that can be strengthened and improved

Excuse my ignorance but are they not already supporting them? I don't know enough about Gaelfast to say but I think I'll get the productivity cap on here and do a bit of digging. Better to find out than assume I suppose

[Sportacus]

We do need to squeeze every drop out of McRory football.  A handful of SW clubs benefit.  A Belfast Combined  Schools team - why not?  If we're playing hurling in Leinster why can't we think outside the box on that one.

Resources yes, but they don't grow on trees. Would be interested to hear what other county squads are getting that we don't.

But we really do need to be honest about what's happening at club level.  The standard of minor teams  is poor enough currently bar a few and I've noticed a lot of clubs where the standard just seems to have flat lined or regressed as teams have moved up through U12s, U14, U16 (17).  Is coaching poor, are the lads not that bothered because we aren't a glamour county?  I don't know but we seem to be losing ground every year.  I thought that minor squad were doing ok in previous years in development squad tournaments?  Can't understand how they got hammered although sounds like nothing went right on the night.

[themac_23]

Unfortunately we didn't have the Delta variant running riot last year.  On the current trajectory, September onwards will be a big mess of positive cases and people isolating with a lot of clubs potentially disrupted.

But last year we didn't have the vaccine. Every person over the age of 18 has as of now been offered the vaccine, the rules on isolating after a close contact for those double jabbed will change next month (prob a week or 2 after England) as harsh as it sounds if a player hasn't been vaccinated and has to isolate then that's on them in my opinion. They chose not to be vaccinated so that's on them. In fact a directive from the county stating games will not be refixed for players isolating would see a big uptake in the vaccine amount younger people.