The Future for Laois Football

[High Fielder]

What are you seeing that I'm not seeing? I just don't know where you're getting these players from. They don't exist at present

[georgedoylesrightleg]

Donald Trump is the man that would make Laois great again. 

Judging by the standard of the senior championship matches last weekend not even God almighty can save us let alone Trump , Mary , Joseph , Jesus , Kinsella , Martin Murphy and whoever else's name gets linked to the managerial vacancy

This kind of negative, hopeless commentary must stop. With a good set up and the best 30/40 players fully committed to Laois football then we could progress to div 3 or maybe 2. People making doomsday statements only serves to make our county football team less attractive to management and players.

We know where we are. It's not good but it's definitely salvageable.

Good post SpeculativeEffort - I couldn't agree more.
I can't understand why posters would come on here to pile on the doom and gloom - it's helps nobody.
We all know Laois GAA is in a bad place at the moment.

sum lads luv misery

[SpeculativeEffort]

There was man on radio last week who was addicted to gambling. He said he got a bigger thrill out of the losses as they produced a greater emotional response than winning. He was addicted to misery.

It rings through on this forum. Its never as busy on here as when Laois are after having an embarrassing loss or a thumping.

We are in the cycle of being addicted to misery as a county.

[The Boy Wonder]

What are you seeing that I'm not seeing? I just don't know where you're getting these players from. They don't exist at present

Laois will compete in NFL Division 4 and the Tailteann Cup next year (I don't believe that anyone is suggesting we pull out as Kilkenny have done).

It can be expected that two thirds of this year's panel will make themselves available with at least half of these having more than one year's intercounty experience. Every year there are new faces, most of them having played minor and under-20 for the county.

It is a huge commitment for young lads to devote a huge amount of their time to play for a county with no prospects of success in the immediate future. The least that we as supporters can do is to encourage them. If there is a mood of negativity in their communities, clubs and social media there will be more than the normal number unwilling to commit.

Our Division 4 status is not a false reflection of our current ranking although we should have gained promotion this year. All of us who have been following Laois for many years know how far back we have fallen. Offaly have been in the doldrums for 20+ years but are now getting their house in order.

[High Fielder]

There was man on radio last week who was addicted to gambling. He said he got a bigger thrill out of the losses as they produced a greater emotional response than winning. He was addicted to misery.

It rings through on this forum. Its never as busy on here as when Laois are after having an embarrassing loss or a thumping.

We are in the cycle of being addicted to misery as a county.

I would say most people want nothing to do with it. Perhaps you'd prefer apathy and reduced attendances. Have you seen how empty the stands are? People are actively walking away from the misery. Would you rather we all sat there and said nothing? Hope for better next time? Load of sh1t quite frankly

[High Fielder]

What are you seeing that I'm not seeing? I just don't know where you're getting these players from. They don't exist at present

Laois will compete in NFL Division 4 and the Tailteann Cup next year (I don't believe that anyone is suggesting we pull out as Kilkenny have done).

It can be expected that two thirds of this year's panel will make themselves available with at least half of these having more than one year's intercounty experience. Every year there are new faces, most of them having played minor and under-20 for the county.

It is a huge commitment for young lads to devote a huge amount of their time to play for a county with no prospects of success in the immediate future. The least that we as supporters can do is to encourage them. If there is a mood of negativity in their communities, clubs and social media there will be more than the normal number unwilling to commit.

Our Division 4 status is not a false reflection of our current ranking although we should have gained promotion this year. All of us who have been following Laois for many years know how far back we have fallen. Offaly have been in the doldrums for 20+ years but are now getting their house in order.

What is your net point here? It sounds like you know we're at an all time low but that we should encourage the players. Which is fair. In fairness, I don't see much criticism of the players on here, at least not individually. The standard is bad. There is no getting away from it

[The Boy Wonder]

My point is simply that, as the old Chinese proverb says, it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

Just out of curiosity - are any posters on here members of Laois Gaels ? 
They have a website https://www.laoisgaels.com/ and fairly active Facebook page.

[High Fielder]

Good luck lighting the candles. In fairness, it's probably a better policy than most of what comes out from our CB

[Laois Rising]

Unfortunately the minor and U20 teams that have come through over the last few years have not contained those 2/3 special players that stand out head and shoulders over the rest of the team. These are the lads who will make a difference in improving a senior county team. Laois are producing plenty of decent underage players but these lads will not step up to improve a senior county team unfortunately.

Take our u20 this year. Very respectable showing in making a Leinster semi-final. However, outside of Shaun Fitzpatrick maybe I'm not too sure how many other players from that side will hugely improve the Laois team over the next few years. A lot of those players on a par with players from u20 sides of the last couple of years. We have an abundance of players who very capable of playing intercounty football (granted not at a high level). We just haven't seen those exceptional talents emerging from our underage teams since probably the days of the late 00s. Players that everyone in the county knew of as special talents from a very young age and excited to see progress to playing intercounty football.

I have definitely seen some green shoots with the standard of the minor championship and some of the performances on show in games. I also despair at the demise of Portlaoise as a force. For Portlaoise to be beaten in an underage game it should be as a result of a herculean effort on the part of the other team. They should not be canon fodder as they have proved in the games played this year.
   

[Butch Cassidy]

I don't believe we need stand out players (although would be welcome) but we need lads who have the pace and power to compete, that's what we've been lacking especially around the middle.. We have scorers but work rate and pace it's what we lack. Hopefully with the right structures and a full S&C coach in place, the young lads might develop over time.

You're right re Portlaoise, I don't see them dominating any underageage group and you'd also expect to see 2 Portlaoise teams in every grade but sadly not the case. Anyone from Portlaoise here shed any light on how it's going?

[Spiritof86]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

[thegreeenandgold]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

So good Offaly got rid of him 

[Blow-in]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

Not true

[The PRO]

Paul Kelly is apparently strongly tipped to get it. Ex Naas and Thomas Davis manager. Don't know much else about him.

[Butch Cassidy]

Wasn't he ousted before the county final? Did a good job though with both clubs.

Good appointments at minor and u20 level too, hopefully they get everyone on board