The Future for Laois Football

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

I see the leinster express had an article on this review which was recently done and with the CB since August according to them.
Proposals make sense and well warranted but will this sit next to the last review done on the same shelf with little to no implementation.
Has there been a director of football even appointed since the last departed?

And here are the review groups findings, makes very interesting reading..
https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/gaa/673127/laois-gaelic-football-gripped-by-apathy-finds-review-group-which-sets-out-revival-road-map.html

[BallyroanAbu]

Right and where are the progressive people and Money because that's what they really need.

[High Fielder]

This is why these plans tend to sit on shelves. The motions are either unrealistic or unsubstantive. The Divisional Competition should never be looked at as a vehicle to improve competitiveness. The reality here is that we have too many Senior clubs, particularly in certain areas, and it is completely diluting quality. Some of them joined together wouldn't be competitive, so apart just makes them relegation fodder. Clubs either need to join (which they should) or at the very least have access to Intermediate and Junior players who want to play Senior football. I would prefer the first option, because I'd rather bite the bullet than go on as we are, which is killing us. It's never going to happen though, so we are left looking at a Divisional competition which in no way aids development of a player. It is no more than X Factor for Laois GAA, and like the X factor, it will quickly go down the tubes.

A lot of the other motions seem vague and idealistic. They will cost a small fortune to implement and we don't have many revenue streams. Setting up sub committees to investigate the structures in clubs ties in very closely with as they put it "putting personal agendas aside". These personal agendas have annexed clubs, allowed players to be stolen from smaller clubs and created the apathy they seem eager to eradicate. They seem to dilly dally around the idea of greater leadership (which I agree we definitely need) yet they don't seem to want to go to the well and say what we have is not good enough. Remember a lot of these people are influential enough to say to their delegates I want you to propose or not propose a certain thing. How long have we put up in Laois with inadequate leadership? Is the last weekend not a very good example. Not one man or woman given a suspension in a mass brawl. What does that create if it doesn't create apathy?

There is so much more that needs to be said and hasn't even been touched on in this report or previous ones. As stakeholders in Laois GAA, we are being cheated by those whose task it is to make things better. They either need to change their ways and outlook or else just clear off. We can't improve while we have a mindset in place that is counter productive to fairness and progression.

[Tier2]

This is why these plans tend to sit on shelves. The motions are either unrealistic or unsubstantive. The Divisional Competition should never be looked at as a vehicle to improve competitiveness. The reality here is that we have too many Senior clubs, particularly in certain areas, and it is completely diluting quality. Some of them joined together wouldn't be competitive, so apart just makes them relegation fodder. Clubs either need to join (which they should) or at the very least have access to Intermediate and Junior players who want to play Senior football. I would prefer the first option, because I'd rather bite the bullet than go on as we are, which is killing us. It's never going to happen though, so we are left looking at a Divisional competition which in no way aids development of a player. It is no more than X Factor for Laois GAA, and like the X factor, it will quickly go down the tubes.

A lot of the other motions seem vague and idealistic. They will cost a small fortune to implement and we don't have many revenue streams. Setting up sub committees to investigate the structures in clubs ties in very closely with as they put it "putting personal agendas aside". These personal agendas have annexed clubs, allowed players to be stolen from smaller clubs and created the apathy they seem eager to eradicate. They seem to dilly dally around the idea of greater leadership (which I agree we definitely need) yet they don't seem to want to go to the well and say what we have is not good enough. Remember a lot of these people are influential enough to say to their delegates I want you to propose or not propose a certain thing. How long have we put up in Laois with inadequate leadership? Is the last weekend not a very good example. Not one man or woman given a suspension in a mass brawl. What does that create if it doesn't create apathy?

There is so much more that needs to be said and hasn't even been touched on in this report or previous ones. As stakeholders in Laois GAA, we are being cheated by those whose task it is to make things better. They either need to change their ways and outlook or else just clear off. We can't improve while we have a mindset in place that is counter productive to fairness and progression.

Extremely well conveyed
Apathy is the perfect word if this review has dug up anything its the perfect word to describe current leadership.
Lets hope some see the writing on the wall and step away and not play musical chairs.
I'm my opinion there has to be a cap on the combined time any one holds a position/positions.
4 years would be a fair measure.
If you cant implement change in this time you need to pass it to a another candidate.
New energy and drive

[Spiritof86]

This is probably the most in-depth critical  analysis of where Laois football is in a long time . As the lads have all stated above  the most important thing now is what happens next . How much of this information will actually be taken on board and a coherent plan established !? 

[BallyroanAbu]

I presume all of it is taken on board, it's aspirational and despite everybody knowing it's the right thing to do.  It has very little chance of being implemented to any degree.  Even take the most obvious one the recalibrating of the club championship which does not need money, this would take a minor miracle to get ratified.

[clonadmad]

Laois county board out shopping for a new studier book shelf to put this on.

To go with the 2 recent strategic reports plus the famed but seldom seen Cheddar Hurling Development report.

Pardon the cynicism but when you seen some of the easy wins which were cost neutral in the other reports gathering dust.

I wouldn't be too hopeful of this going anywhere fast either.

[Spiritof86]

https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/10/06/laois-gaa-hope-to-have-new-senior-football-manager-in-place-prior-to-sfc-quarter-finals/?fbclid=IwAR13T8GHseb9H_eLA984-TslhEkZOzQ8305wy-L9uP5qHU8PjkeJC4QEaW0

No offence to either of them but Flanagan and Evans not the names we need to be hearing .

[BallyroanAbu]

We are in dire straits not for the first time but this time looks particularly bad.  Whoever gets the job has little or no chance of success and will struggle to attract players in.  Things are about to get worse,  I take no pleasure in saying this but Laois Football is possibly in one of its worst ever positions.  I like alot of lads on the County Board but they have presided over this and it's probably time to go.    On the field performances is where it's at and we are not at it.

[Laois Rising]

Billy Sheehan is the frontrunner for this job. He won't prove as expensive to bring in as other options either. No harm in trying a young, ambitious and hungry for success manager. I have no interest in seeing a journeyman intercounty manager get the gig-Cribbin, Flanagan etc. are not progressive appointments.

A left  of field appointment if looking for a young and ambitious manager could be Killian FitzPatrick at Ballyfin. Incredible consistently over the last three/four years competing with and beating clubs that they would not be expected to beat in championship football. Are a very well organised side who play a nice brand of football.

[BallyroanAbu]

I don't think Billy Sheehan would be a good appointment,  a review in it's very name is a look at the past.   We have not looked forward once,  It's not always the easiest path.  We have not asked ourselves what do we want, how can it be done and is it realistic ?  My own opinion for long before it became fashionable much like a player pathway we must create a coach pathway.  This is why Mark Bates, Mike Quirke & Billy Sheehan are of little or no interest to us.  I am sure they are perfectly nice people but we keep ending up asking the question why no Laois Coaches simply because we overlook them all the time.   Killian Fitzpatrick applied to be Laois Minor Manager at the same time Mark Bates did,  Killian is still working away in Laois.  Mark Bates was a disaster, (Well Flagged) but was deemed a better appointment, Mark is long gone.   We always seem to bring our personal grudges to the party .  We in Laois have constantly screwed over our own (said this two years ago)  to appoint people from outside with similar or lesser qualities.

It constantly amazes me that ex-players in Tyrone are always involved with the County Set-Ups but in Laois the players are constantly opting out. 

[High Fielder]

Hardly a great comparison is it? Tyrone have history and pedigree. We just don't. And because we're constantly at such a low ebb, we don't believe anybody internally could make a difference. I accept your point about Fitzpatrick though. He at least has shown the ability to improve and sustain performance. Perhaps now is the time for him to be given the Minor role. The Seniors has gamble or journeyman written all over it unfortunately. Burke could have been an option because he has a point to prove

[clonadmad]

The successful counties promote from within and would never even consider bringing in an outsider

Secondly their managers don't get parachuted into the big job

They have a body of coaching work often done from u14 upwards and it's a progression,be successful at 14,get moved up to 15 and so on.

There's a mentors pathway in place in these counties with ex players heavily involved.

I know of a man who was asked to take a u14 divisional team here,in the past month

He went away and came back with a proposal

They were going to train as a club team twice a week,central to the clubs location so they wouldn't be trucking in and out from the CoE

Had a 6 man back room team assembled to include 3 coaches,an athletic development person a physio and a stats video person

He was in the process of getting gear for them as he has access to funds and was looking to feed them afterwards so that they could get home to study etc after training.

Everything he suggested was shot down

One by one

He didn't have a son on this particular team,he was doing it to improve standards as that's his approach in his professional life.

[Spiritof86]

The successful counties promote from within and would never even consider bringing in an outsider

Secondly their managers don't get parachuted into the big job

They have a body of coaching work often done from u14 upwards and it's a progression,be successful at 14,get moved up to 15 and so on.

There's a mentors pathway in place in these counties with ex players heavily involved.

I know of a man who was asked to take a u14 divisional team here,in the past month

He went away and came back with a proposal

They were going to train as a club team twice a week,central to the clubs location so they wouldn't be trucking in and out from the CoE

Had a 6 man back room team assembled to include 3 coaches,an athletic development person a physio and a stats video person

He was in the process of getting gear for them as he has access to funds and was looking to feed them afterwards so that they could get home to study etc after training.

Everything he suggested was shot down

One by one

He didn't have a son on this particular team,he was doing it to improve standards as that's his approach in his professional life.

Jaysus it's demoralising to hear stories like that 😔

[Tier2]

The successful counties promote from within and would never even consider bringing in an outsider

Secondly their managers don't get parachuted into the big job

They have a body of coaching work often done from u14 upwards and it's a progression,be successful at 14,get moved up to 15 and so on.

There's a mentors pathway in place in these counties with ex players heavily involved.

I know of a man who was asked to take a u14 divisional team here,in the past month

He went away and came back with a proposal

They were going to train as a club team twice a week,central to the clubs location so they wouldn't be trucking in and out from the CoE

Had a 6 man back room team assembled to include 3 coaches,an athletic development person a physio and a stats video person

He was in the process of getting gear for them as he has access to funds and was looking to feed them afterwards so that they could get home to study etc after training.

Everything he suggested was shot down

One by one

He didn't have a son on this particular team,he was doing it to improve standards as that's his approach in his professional life.

Thats deeply disturbing if true (not saying it isn't I wouldn't be shocked)
Where was the level he was shot down
CB or GDA?