Retirement age of inter-county players?

Started by Eamonnca1, January 03, 2014, 07:51:28 PM

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Eamonnca1

Anyone got historical statistics on the age of inter-county players when they retired? I get the impression the retirement age is getting younger.

sligoman2

Eamon Ohara involuntary retirement at age 38  ;) ;D :)
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not too sure.

macker15

Peter Crowley Kerry retired during the week.

Silver hill

Christy Ring 42, Mickey linden 40.  Think linden himself said recently that inter county players retire way before they should physically.
County careers are way shorter now because of the workload and lifestyle expectations. You're expected to behave like a monk. Basically it's no craic anymore. The fun has been sucked out of it. Social media hasn't helped either. A player chilling out having a few pints in his local soon morphs into airlocked and wheelbarrow races down the main st with hookers, snorting coke off their backside.

GetOverTheBar

Quote from: Silver hill on April 24, 2021, 10:59:52 AM
Christy Ring 42, Mickey linden 40.  Think linden himself said recently that inter county players retire way before they should physically.
County careers are way shorter now because of the workload and lifestyle expectations. You're expected to behave like a monk. Basically it's no craic anymore. The fun has been sucked out of it. Social media hasn't helped either. A player chilling out having a few pints in his local soon morphs into airlocked and wheelbarrow races down the main st with hookers, snorting coke off their backside.

Main Street where? Just for the summer y'know.

From the Bunker

The game has changed. Dublin in Leinster is a huge factor to the interest in staying in the game.

Mayo have had a Plethora of Retirements the last 3 years. Most of those guys would have played way more intercounty games than Mickey Linden and the price is probably a legacy of life changing chronic injuries.

Bernard Flynns recent documentary showed how bad things can get.





themac_23

The inter county game isn't the best players from each county, it's the players who can commit to the schedule of a part to full time athlete while holding down work/ story and family commitments. Go and look at the pen pics on a programme at a county game, how many tradesmen etc do you see compared to years ago? Average age very low also. That's not because players are too old after 26 but other things In life become a priority. I look at Antrim last year, we were able to get some of our best players back out because the management were willing to work with them to make it workable for them. I think it's def the way smaller counties need to go. Better to have your best squad training together twice a week than not having a lot of your best players available but training 4 times a week.

Itchy

Quote from: themac_23 on April 24, 2021, 10:34:23 PM
The inter county game isn't the best players from each county, it's the players who can commit to the schedule of a part to full time athlete while holding down work/ story and family commitments. Go and look at the pen pics on a programme at a county game, how many tradesmen etc do you see compared to years ago? Average age very low also. That's not because players are too old after 26 but other things In life become a priority. I look at Antrim last year, we were able to get some of our best players back out because the management were willing to work with them to make it workable for them. I think it's def the way smaller counties need to go. Better to have your best squad training together twice a week than not having a lot of your best players available but training 4 times a week.

Mickey Graham in Cavan said something similar, it wasnt about dropping standards but it was about allowing lads to do their bit on their own, tryst them to do it. It worked as last yrs Cavan team were physically as strong as any team we've had in decades. We also have a huge proportion of our team living away from home.

Captain Obvious

Quote from: themac_23 on April 24, 2021, 10:34:23 PM
The inter county game isn't the best players from each county, it's the players who can commit to the schedule of a part to full time athlete while holding down work/ story and family commitments. Go and look at the pen pics on a programme at a county game, how many tradesmen etc do you see compared to years ago? Average age very low also. That's not because players are too old after 26 but other things In life become a priority. I look at Antrim last year, we were able to get some of our best players back out because the management were willing to work with them to make it workable for them. I think it's def the way smaller counties need to go. Better to have your best squad training together twice a week than not having a lot of your best players available but training 4 times a week.

True however the majority do give that commitment for Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone, Donegal, Mayo, Monaghan the rest has to deal with a lot more early retirements or players opting out.

Rossfan

Philip Austin of Tipp retires.
Another good one.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

themac_23

Quote from: Captain Obvious on April 25, 2021, 01:48:40 PM
Quote from: themac_23 on April 24, 2021, 10:34:23 PM
The inter county game isn't the best players from each county, it's the players who can commit to the schedule of a part to full time athlete while holding down work/ story and family commitments. Go and look at the pen pics on a programme at a county game, how many tradesmen etc do you see compared to years ago? Average age very low also. That's not because players are too old after 26 but other things In life become a priority. I look at Antrim last year, we were able to get some of our best players back out because the management were willing to work with them to make it workable for them. I think it's def the way smaller counties need to go. Better to have your best squad training together twice a week than not having a lot of your best players available but training 4 times a week.

True however the majority do give that commitment for Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone, Donegal, Mayo, Monaghan the rest has to deal with a lot more early retirements or players opting out.

Yeah it's easy to commit when you're getting well looked after and winning. Hard to justify the sacrifices when you know you're not gonna be challenging at the business end of the season. I actually think for teams in the new 2nd tier championship when it eventually comes in have a chance to change things. They should be capped at 2 group sessions a week. Not as much commitment with a realistic chance of winning something would probably get smaller counties better players to commit.

Rossfan

And managenents/players will adhere to the two sessions.?
There wasn't meant to be any activity from early January....
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

themac_23

Quote from: Rossfan on April 25, 2021, 04:09:54 PM
And managenents/players will adhere to the two sessions.?
There wasn't meant to be any activity from early January....

The main problem tends to be a case of keeping up with the Jones' teams think they have to do more because other counties are doing it. There was an article I read last week about GAA players over training even compared to pro athletes. It's not sustainable. I think if county boards take the lead and do it then there is a chance for change. Co boards are running up crazy bills. If they interview a manager and tell him they are only authorising mileage, meals etc for 2 sessions a week then yeah I'd say they'll go for it or else not take the gig. Co boards need to lead for a change.

Rossfan

Exactly!
But if a sponsor/benefactor/sugar daddy is financing the manager and loads of extra training and the general lack of adhering to instructions in GAA world I think we are expecting miracles.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

twohands!!!

Quote from: themac_23 on April 25, 2021, 04:15:32 PM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 25, 2021, 04:09:54 PM
And managenents/players will adhere to the two sessions.?
There wasn't meant to be any activity from early January....

The main problem tends to be a case of keeping up with the Jones' teams think they have to do more because other counties are doing it. There was an article I read last week about GAA players over training even compared to pro athletes. It's not sustainable. I think if county boards take the lead and do it then there is a chance for change. Co boards are running up crazy bills. If they interview a manager and tell him they are only authorising mileage, meals etc for 2 sessions a week then yeah I'd say they'll go for it or else not take the gig. Co boards need to lead for a change.

There was already talk about restrictions on the number of training sessions per week - I really wouldn't be a bit surprised to see moves being made on that front before long.
It's one measure that would be relatively easy to put in place to try and curb Dublin's advantages.
I think the fact that Croke Park are now administering player expenses makes it a good easier to bring in these kind of restrictions.
The vast majority of counties will be fine with this if they feel that every team is operating on the same level in relation to the number of training sessions allowed.

If they do bring in rules like these they need proper punishments for teams breaching these rules i.e actual suspension of players/teams as opposed to the current barely noticeable pubishments.
There's no point bringing in rules with punishments so feeble, that teams will feel that it's worth the risk of breaching them.
Kick any team found in breach out of the league for a first offence and the championship for a 2nd offence and I'm sure that the number of counties willing to risk being caught would be minimal.