Quote from: square_ball on February 22, 2023, 12:35:19 PMQuote from: trailer on February 22, 2023, 10:58:18 AM
There's loads of examples of footballers who weren't talented or had limited ability at underage going on to play Senior County football. Even Tyrone I think Meyler and Hampsey played very little county underage football. Ricey could be another. I have seen ordinary enough kids at 7, 8 and 9 go on become excellent players in u15 and 17 teams. They develop not just ability wise but physically as well.
I also remember loads of lads from School who you would have thought they will go on and be superstars and it just never happened. Some didn't even play senior club football. They maybe had a physical advantage at 10 or 11 that disappeared over time and their ability didn't develop.
I agree it is hard at that young age, kids want to win and you want them to win so they're happy and they enjoy it, but there is a bigger picture and as coaches we have a responsibility to all the children no matter their ability or behaviour which is probably a bigger problem.
Hampsey was minor captain when they won an Ulster in 2012 and was full back on the All Ireland U21 winning team in 2015. Not sure about Meyler at county minor level but have seen in interviews saying he was playing for Omagh B teams at younger age groups so your broader point is true enough. I'd be pretty confident that you're not going to lose lads because you don't keep the score at u8/10/12 but you will 100% lose lads that are sat on the sidelines watching every week that barely get a kick.
Meyler was an omagh B for the minors when he was about 15, wasn't a superstar when he was young but he wasn't the lowly player he makes out now. I remember him being on macrory teams when he was 17.