Is there no fun in playing GAA any more?

[Fuzzman]

Just read this article from the Joe.ie website and thought it was worth putting up here to discuss.
With more and more players leaving GAA for other sports and going travelling and not showing the commitment that their fathers or uncles might have done before them, this article looks at some of the issues.
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I remember making a joke in the changing rooms a few years back after a game we had lost.
The manager - the player/manager at the time - slammed his boots to the floor in pure outrage. He stood up and ordered everyone out of the showers. We were all forced to stop what we were doing and told to sit down like a bunch of school children.

"Boys aren't f**king hurting enough," he roared, before detailing what a week of a loss should actually consist of.

After the game, after the warm-down, after the debrief, he was furious that someone was no longer hanging his head in shame and that people were daring to move on with their lives. He was furious that someone was trying to take any enjoyment from the rest of his day. He wasn't going to accept a player with the absolute affront to have any kind of a life outside of club intermediate league football.

We lost that game, you see. What on earth could anybody be smiling or joking about?

What has happened to GAA clubs?
What has happened to the Gaelic culture?

When did it become this vacuum of fun? When did it get so lifeless? Since when was a game of football on a Sunday allowed to dictate how you would feel and behave for the rest of the week?

There used to be a time when you could play hard, leave it on the field, and carry on with your life afterwards. Win or lose. There used to be a time you could be proud of your effort. You were allowed to be. That genuinely used to happen.

You could give it a rattle, empty the tank, and feel some sort of fulfillment regardless of the result.

Now, if you lose a match, if you nearly lose a match, you're given a week's penance. The next training session - instead of just working on what you should actually work on and getting on with playing football - has become a verbal execution. It's a deliberate tactic of some managers to actively make sure you take next to no pleasure out of those sessions after a loss - otherwise they'd think they're doing something wrong.

'We'll see how much you're f**king enjoying yourself now. Why don't you make a joke now?' That sort of thing.


All the while, morale is decreasing, resentment is rising, and people are running away from the game and from their clubs quicker than players are being dragged from the showers for another dressing down.

And it isn't an attack at the training volumes or the increasing professionalism. It's a common misconception that players are working too hard, that teams are trying too hard to win. That's fine. That's healthy. Why wouldn't they? That's human nature to want to better yourself and you'd often find that people who step away from the game end up pursuing another activity if for nothing else but to fill the competitive void left in the their lives.

Some people run marathons. Plenty of people train harder than an average club player and they do it in their own time, for their own pleasure.

But the fact that the games of football and hurling have stepped up, tactics-wise, conditioning-wise, effort-wise is a good thing. That is not the issue.

Some people want to win. Finding that passion and drive is one of the best things you can do in this life.


There's something pure about bringing yourself to the very limits of what you thought was capable. But there's also something very dangerous about bringing yourself to the very limits of your mental well-being.

And the fact that you're seemingly not allowed to take any enjoyment out of the game anymore is worrying. Fire is good until it starts burning down everything else in your life.

I used to come home from games to a concerned mother tip-toeing around, building up to a simple, "how'd you do?" If we lost, I'd just sharply cut her off and say, "No." And then I'd walk out of the room. It wouldn't be discussed and I wouldn't be spoken to for hours.

This was the best thing in my life. This was where all my best friends were. It's where I grew up and spent every single day of the week and I refused to even speak two words about it at home. Literally.

I got whipped off in the first half of a championship final before and convinced myself that night that I was finished. I had quit. I had enough of it. It had worn me down - the mental effort. But I took the winter off and got over myself. I realised that the sun was still coming up, the world was still turning and I realised that there were more important things going on outside of this depressing world of about 89 people. All of whom started off happy.

Young Roscommon players await to play in the half-time games 20/5/2012

You don't realise that though when you're right in the thick of this new pseudo perfectionist culture.

And it has gotten worse and worse. Now there are young lads just quitting and it's not because they don't want to train twice a week or because they don't like being in good shape and it's certainly not because they don't like playing matches.

It's because it is unforgivably all-consuming.

It's the mentality of it all.

It's because they're told to be thinking about games for every minute of every day. They're being sent text messages by the hour. They're being told not to go out, not to eat shite, no more holidays and no more joking in the changing rooms. Then they're reminded of all that again.

They're being told how to live outside of the club. Get out of work earlier. Eat better. Reminded to drink water, no talking to the media and how every single game every single Sunday is the most important game of their lives.

WhatsApp groups are forming, pep talks are non-stop. Players have to tell 40 other lads that they won't be at training and never is even one of them let away with it.

Managers are demanding more and more commitment, more and more focus - not for the players to do well, but so that the managers can do well. They don't trust the team to just go out and do it without being hounded for a week into doing it.
At the end of it all, three teams in the whole county win a championship. The rest of them fail. Most of them fail. And all that roaring, all that shouting and arguing and 10 months of being told you're doing it wrong wasn't worth it. That total focus and playing the part of the dutiful foot soldier wasn't worth it. You start to wonder is any of it worth it.

Donegal broke the barrier four years ago with sheer work-rate and commitment and, because of that, club teams are now being told to keep pace with them for some unjustified reason. If Donegal can do it, we can do it. Never mind the funding, the pool, the fact that it was inter-county level.

Jim McGuinness set a blueprint that inspired a nation with how he dragged the men from the hills from nowhere but his complete control over every facet of those players' lifestyles has also seeped down to club level where it's now at a stage where implementing those demands and that attitude on a team has become an easy strategy for a manager to show he's putting his stamp on things. Implementing those demands and that attitude on a team has just become the first port of call.

What has happened is that losing a game of football has become the worst possible thing imaginable where a club-wide state of mourning is enforced on a weekly basis. Managers are getting even more involved, players are told to double their sacrifices, the text messages keep coming and the pressure continues to mount.

Then you have club games postponed and rescheduled and postponed and rescheduled and, all the while, a group of young men are being pent up preparing and waiting and shitting themselves with the anticipation but D-Day draws no closer.
What happens then is that players just give up because they're getting no enjoyment out of the game anymore - they're not allowed to. They feel like they've committed a crime because one Sunday didn't go their way and younger fellas see this culture of doom that's headed right in their direction so they start actively looking for ways they can escape before they're even a part of it.
There are players around the world in different destinations who actually plan their trips home so they won't be roped into rejoining the team when they return.
People are genuinely running and hiding from the mental commitment that's now obligatory to be a club player.
And why wouldn't they?
It's been a long time since a young man on a senior team did something because he wanted to do it.
It's been a long time since playing hard was enough.
It's been a long time since someone cracked a joke in the changing rooms after a defeat.
Jesus, it wasn't even that funny.

[muppet]

I read that. Interesting article.

But we all worship a winner, at least we are to told this is what is important. Look at Indiana on another thread who insists that anyone with less medals than Denis Bastick has no right to question his opinion on anything GAA. Kilkenny's treatment of football is another symptom of this thinking. It is justified by their hurler's success. If the hurlers lost every year they would be properly vilified.

[blewuporstuffed]

Some elements of truth in that, but alot of hyperbole as well

[AZOffaly]

Loads of hyperbole. But dressing rooms are still lively places with loads of craic. Either this lad played for a soulless automaton, or else he is exaggerating slightly. Perish the thought.

As for pressure, sure years ago auld lads in the pub would absolutely ream you if you didn't win, so that's hardly new.

[Fuzzman]

But surely the level of control a manager or club have over a young lad playing now is ridiculous.
From telling you what you must eat and drink, to training or doing weights on your own.
If you go on a holiday or away to a wedding for a weekend you're deemed not taking it serious.

I suppose for a lot of lads with no chance of winning anything its a lot of sacrifice for not much pay back whereas years ago it was a lot more craic with not everyone being serious athletes as Sean Cavanagh said in his article in the Irish Times on Fri or Saturday. It is all leading to lads with a much shorter playing career and a lot of resetment.
No wonder so many intercounty players head off to the USA as soon as they're knocked out of their provincial championship.

[AZOffaly]

But surely the level of control a manager or club have over a young lad playing now is ridiculous.
From telling you what you must eat and drink, to training or doing weights on your own.
If you go on a holiday or away to a wedding for a weekend you're deemed not taking it serious.

I suppose for a lot of lads with no chance of winning anything its a lot of sacrifice for not much pay back whereas years ago it was a lot more craic with not everyone being serious athletes as Sean Cavanagh said in his article in the Irish Times on Fri or Saturday. It is all leading to lads with a much shorter playing career and a lot of resetment.
No wonder so many intercounty players head off to the USA as soon as they're knocked out of their provincial championship.

I said on here about 15 years ago that I could see the demands of club football driving lads away. I don't think there's any question that at senior level, or inter county level, the preparation and dedication has increased.

But, there are loads of social levels if you can't commit to top level club or county, and, even in those areas there is such camaraderie and closeness that there is a lot of craic and messing in the dressing room.

I do notice the lad doesn't say what game he lost, but I remember sitting in a dressing room after losing big matches back in the 90s and early 00s, sick to my stomach. I doubt anybody wanted to make a joke then, and they would have been ate if they did. That's not a new thing.

What's the betting this was a county semi final or final or something, and your man thought he was being the smart lad, got ate by the manager? I doubt it was the Junior Bs, put it like that.

[blewuporstuffed]

The thing is, you cant have it both ways.
You cant expect to compete at the top level of your sport (be that inter county or club) and not take it seriously, or not make sacrifices.
That's just the way it is, its that hard work that makes success all the more sweet.
As AZ says there are different levels to play at if all you want is come out and play a bit on a sunday.

[SimonSays]

my own club has 6 or 7 youngs boys about 22/23 who wont play senior football anymore cause if there is a joke or a word out of place at training they get shit over...why work all day to go to another job when u get home, i love going for the craic and laugh,,those days are gone

[blewuporstuffed]

my own club has 6 or 7 youngs boys about 22/23 who wont play senior football anymore cause if there is a joke or a word out of place at training they get shit over...why work all day to go to another job when u get home, i love going for the craic and laugh,,those days are gone

That's an issue with the management then IMO.
Certainly within our club , it was always, come to training, work hard and have the craic.
Players perform better when they are enjoying it.

[AZOffaly]

my own club has 6 or 7 youngs boys about 22/23 who wont play senior football anymore cause if there is a joke or a word out of place at training they get shit over...why work all day to go to another job when u get home, i love going for the craic and laugh,,those days are gone

That sounds like management have fostered a culture of fear. You're serious about your preparation, but you are there to enjoy yourself at the end of the day. Do they play junior? The dressing room, and the few pints after a match with my teammates, are my fondest memories of playing football.

[screenexile]

Looking at what's required nowadays I'm not sure I would have played if I were the age to again.

I loved playing football from I was 9 up until about 27 when the grip of strength and conditioning, crazy drink bans and diet were there but hadn't taken over as yet. Now it's completely mental what lads are expected to do in terms of commitment. Yes there's a bit of craic in the changing room and a big of slagging but it certainly isn't what it was . . .

I would have been very interested in taking teams and having my family go through the Club playing but it just doesn't look like fun anymore and god help any underage manager whose team isn't winning. He's a **** who knows nothing about football!!! Or so many would have you believe!

[Walter Cronc]

With these extra demands placed on players will we start to see the beginnings of 'super clubs' develop in each county much like the big 4/5 in Dublin? With the honours split among them or has this always been the case and I'm imagining it??

[AZOffaly]

Looking at what's required nowadays I'm not sure I would have played if I were the age to again.

I loved playing football from I was 9 up until about 27 when the grip of strength and conditioning, crazy drink bans and diet were there but hadn't taken over as yet. Now it's completely mental what lads are expected to do in terms of commitment. Yes there's a bit of craic in the changing room and a big of slagging but it certainly isn't what it was . . .

I would have been very interested in taking teams and having my family go through the Club playing but it just doesn't look like fun anymore and god help any underage manager whose team isn't winning. He's a **** who knows nothing about football!!! Or so many would have you believe!

I think you'd play until you had a demanding job/family or whatever. Then you'd either want to be really good and dedicated, or else you'd go playing Junior. That's the choice these days I suppose.

I still don't accept that it has to be a soulless, joyless existence in the dressing room, and I haven't seen that to be honest. I see seriousness when it's time to be serious, and fun all the rest.

[DuffleKing]

my own club has 6 or 7 youngs boys about 22/23 who wont play senior football anymore cause if there is a joke or a word out of place at training they get shit over...why work all day to go to another job when u get home, i love going for the craic and laugh,,those days are gone

Jesus don't go back. I've never experienced that playing football. In fact i've never played within a team that wasn't mighty craic at the right time and the highlight of most weeks.

Each to their own

[square_ball]

The thing is, you cant have it both ways.
You cant expect to compete at the top level of your sport (be that inter county or club) and not take it seriously, or not make sacrifices.
That's just the way it is, its that hard work that makes success all the more sweet.
As AZ says there are different levels to play at if all you want is come out and play a bit on a sunday.

I would agree with you there to a certain extent. However say in Tyrone (where I have actually ended up myself so see what is going on), where does the lad who just wants a game of football go if he is from a Dromore, Carrickmore, Clonoe etc? I know he would have very little chance of getting a game of football if he just turned up on a Sunday looking to play a bit of reserves. Even if you go to Division 2 its the same thing.

Don't get me wrong to achieve any success at club level now , sacrifices have to be made whether with home or working life and I'm not disputing that. I think the article does have some valid points but goes over the top in other areas.