Oxygen..

[LeppinMick]

With every year that passes the rows over player availability during the weekend of oxygen is getting as annual as the event itself. Do clubs find that you can safely assume to be without a few players each year on the weekend of oxygen?

[longrunsthefox]

A lot of club players are going to it and we are told only county players make the sacrifices.

[Zapatista]

Oxegen.

I read a post on the Tyrone thread from some boyo griping about the county board having fixtures on the weekend of Oxegen. I assume he was joking.

Otherwise, a ridiculous argument.

I think it just highlights a problem. There are arguments as to why fixtures are being changed moreso than what the fixtures might coincide with.

[rionach 4]

We had to bring our club match forward because at least twelve of the players from both sides were going to oxygen.. Like it or not that is the realiity  . It's a holiday weekend, mostly from where we live and difficult to get players. .. I hasten to add that our lads arer dedicated to the club.  It's a time of the year whereby we try and accomodate the lads because I do know that a lot put off holidays to avoid clashing with major leagues gamea and championships 

Oxygen my arse!!!!!??

[LandErIn]

People have to have lives as well.  I suppose it is up to the players to inform their managers well in advance and request a fixture change in the same way we do for weddings etc.

Players train from early January and are entitled to have a break in the summer for Oxygen, holiday etc.

[AbbeySider]

I cant believe there is a thread dedicated to this.
We never had a problem, maybe just a few guys on the perimeter of panels would be interested in Oxygen.

It should really be a problem for any club or player with ambition.

[LandErIn]

if it is one or two players going to oxygen or holidays etc, play away at the games, unless it is championship, where as you say anyone with ambition will put c'ship first.

However, a proper 2 week close season would help clubs, players etc plan holidays.

[J OGorman]

Surely p-Oxegen only affects mostly u-16s and minors?

[AbbeySider]

if it is one or two players going to oxygen or holidays etc, play away at the games, unless it is championship, where as you say anyone with ambition will put c'ship first.

However, a proper 2 week close season would help clubs, players etc plan holidays.

Generally in Mayo there is a break from championship from the first weekend in July until the first or second weekend in August.

Its only the U21 club championship and county minors that play around this time so many club players can go on holiday around this time. Its the unofficial club break, although training will be stepped up for the Championship in August.

But Oxygen wouldnt even be on the radar.

[charlie stubbs]

we had a league fixture against a team 4 miles away last night.  game was scheduled for fri night.  both sides would have been missing 5/6 players for the game so it was mutually agreed to bring the game forward

[Canalman]

Our game at weekend was postponed by mutual consent as a result of Oxygen. Mate said his hurling game postponed also.

No need to harrumph  lads, with holidays etc most panels here in Dublin anyway are pared to the bone anyway.All it takes is 3/4 lads to go away and teams can't field.

[Hardy]

Oxygen is gas.

[boojangles]

Just got word last night that our game scheduled for Sunday is moved to tonight. Now 3 of us are heading away on hols on Saturday but supposedly both clubs would have had alot of bother getting 2 panels together( Senior and Reserve) to fulfill 2 games on Sunday. I'm thinking Oxygen might have had a bearing on it. Its only an auld League game anyway with no relevance so I say let the lads enjoy Oxygen.

[snoopdog]

at the end of the day lads its an amateur sport and the players cant be expected to devout more than half their year for a club and miss out on living.
Cant blame them for wanting to head off and have a bit of craic,
They obviously cant take the p.iss either and not turn up for games whenever they want. I thought all northern counties took these 2 weeks off for the annual builders holidays anyway. They still do in Down i think, even if there are no more builders.
The county board need to be sympathetic and maybe work around a calender that leaves big events like this free, as they know a lot of the younger fellas will head of on it.
They cant devote their life to the GAA and not live it at the same time.

some of you guys expect 100% loyalty to a club at all times yet im sure you have never given 100% loyalty.

[small white mayoman]

ah how times have changed back in the day when men were men christ you would be expeced to play without oxygen, now these young lads are getting games cancelled to go to a auld festival as bob zimmerman once wrote times they are a changing