Leinster Senior Football Championship 2020

[Tubberman]

Talk of splitting Dublin is pointless. Never going to happen, or nor in my opinion should it. Dublin are semi professional these days, so that's what it's going to take to compete with them. Even allowing for the same resources and incentives, most counties would never be able to compete. It will take professionalism of sorts, and the dismantling of the inter county system, to make Gaelic football in any way interesting again. You can't keep entering a race you are never going to win

So rather than split dublin, the intercounty game should be dismantled and replaced by a small number of professional teams?

[clonadmad]

Splitting Dublin in two would only mean Dublin 1 plays Dublin 2 in every Leinster final

[imtommygunn]

There is absolutely no chance Dublin will be split in two. I don't know why it is talked about like it is a possibility.

Games with no fans aren't even taken out of their home stadium.

[High Fielder]

Talk of splitting Dublin is pointless. Never going to happen, or nor in my opinion should it. Dublin are semi professional these days, so that's what it's going to take to compete with them. Even allowing for the same resources and incentives, most counties would never be able to compete. It will take professionalism of sorts, and the dismantling of the inter county system, to make Gaelic football in any way interesting again. You can't keep entering a race you are never going to win

So rather than split dublin, the intercounty game should be dismantled and replaced by a small number of professional teams?

In al probability, yes. There has always been a need to ensure the best players in every county have a platform for their talent. That doesn't exist right now, and never will as long as intercounty is in place. The level of a person's progression in any sport should not be prescribed by their birthplace. The whole thing needs a rethink in my opinion. It is quite boring mostly

[Keyser Söze]

I think just dump the provincials? I'd have always been in favour of keeping them. But in reality now what's the point. In industry you'd use times of serious disruption to evaluate your systems and make brave changes that you'd probably never have broached in times of smooth operations.
In both the GAA and society in general this time is now. There is talk of a changing calendar etc. If making serious structural changes like that you'd be mad not to address the problem areas like the uncompetitive provincial championships.
Play the provincials as the O Byrne Cup is played now.
Use the summer months for our 8 team Divisions.
Dublin playing the other top 7 (Tyrone, Mayo, Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Galway, plus another) home or away over 10-12 weeks with the top 4 making the semis may not dominate forever more.
Dublin, being able to sleepwalk through Leinster and peak for a few games in August probably will.

This is not like the 60s/70s/80s or even 90s when you a Dublin/Kerry/Cork/Galway were delighted to get a good team together, picked it, left it as it was unless a fella retired or died, thanked the Lord for their current riches and roundly accepted that it wouldn't last forever.
Things are a hell of a lot more scientific now.
The top teams are constantly evolving in terms of both personnel and approach.
There is huge energy and resource going into ensuring that there is a constant supply line coming behind.
They are there to stay.

To remain an attractive proposition the GAA must change.
Laois be better off trying to win a Division 2 championship. If able to do so, you'd fear for the following year in Division 1, but that's another days work.

[High Fielder]

Great proposals as ever Keyser. Would it be enough to keep players interested though? And guarantee the all important revenue. I personally think intercounty is largely dead. A few hurling games in Munster is not the tide that lifts all boats. We play this thing every year, and for the reasons you outlined, it's getting more uncompetitive. Scrap it and be done. Give every player a chance to be in the big time. Somehow

[Keyser Söze]

Nothing in the least bit new in what I said (others have suggested it a thousand times). Would have always wanted to preserve the provincials, but sure there really is no point.
The biggest stumbling block could be those with ambitions to scale the heights of the provincial councils at admin level. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas.
And like the resistance to merging from the Camogie & LGFA I'd say it's primarily from those not too far away from the top in the succession game.
If you had worked diligently for 20 years scaling the heights and were within touching distance of Leinster chairmanship would you support a major downgrading in the role, importance & profile of the Leinster Council? Ultimately that's the kind of thing that decides what changes happen in the GAA (and other organizations!)

[High Fielder]

You're probably right there. Wouldn't be for me so. I'd be the sort that would always want more for Laois than myself.

[Keyser Söze]

On mature recollection, I probably could have picked a better day to start arguing for the abolition of the Provincials 

[G@@]

In al probability, yes. There has always been a need to ensure the best players in every county have a platform for their talent. That doesn't exist right now, and never will as long as intercounty is in place. The level of a person's progression in any sport should not be prescribed by their birthplace. The whole thing needs a rethink in my opinion. It is quite boring mostly

The Premiershit is about 200 miles east of here if that is what you want. Ask them nicely to allow kicks over the bar to count as points.

[ohara]

Completely disagree...simple solution is split Dublin. Just to big population wise to play counties like Laois and Offaly.

The GAA correctly pumped money into Dublin, to grow participation rates....(Laois offaly and Carlow already had good participation rates so money not needed)

A byproduct of this was Dublin intercounty team becoming too strong ( but still worthwhile exercise to grow playing numbers, (the true goal of gaa)

So it's now time to split Dublin...This idea of young laois players being excluded from top competion is a disgrace...I think your idea  disgrace. Just split the 1.5m population county in 2...simple as

quote author=Keyser Söze link=topic=29763.msg2010850#msg2010850 date=1606042515]
I think just dump the provincials? I'd have always been in favour of keeping them. But in reality now what's the point. In industry you'd use times of serious disruption to evaluate your systems and make brave changes that you'd probably never have broached in times of smooth operations.
In both the GAA and society in general this time is now. There is talk of a changing calendar etc. If making serious structural changes like that you'd be mad not to address the problem areas like the uncompetitive provincial championships.
Play the provincials as the O Byrne Cup is played now.
Use the summer months for our 8 team Divisions.
Dublin playing the other top 7 (Tyrone, Mayo, Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Galway, plus another) home or away over 10-12 weeks with the top 4 making the semis may not dominate forever more.
Dublin, being able to sleepwalk through Leinster and peak for a few games in August probably will.

This is not like the 60s/70s/80s or even 90s when you a Dublin/Kerry/Cork/Galway were delighted to get a good team together, picked it, left it as it was unless a fella retired or died, thanked the Lord for their current riches and roundly accepted that it wouldn't last forever.
Things are a hell of a lot more scientific now.
The top teams are constantly evolving in terms of both personnel and approach.
There is huge energy and resource going into ensuring that there is a constant supply line coming behind.
They are there to stay.

To remain an attractive proposition the GAA must change.
Laois be better off trying to win a Division 2 championship. If able to do so, you'd fear for the following year in Division 1, but that's another days work.
[/quote]

[Keyser Söze]

Entitled to your opinion.
I don't think splitting Dublin would help the Leinster Championship.
I felt the same about the hurling format and felt Laois should have automatic access to the Leinster championship, but in hindsight, having to qualify for it on merit has been a positive development.

Is it comparable to wanting all clubs in the county be allowed enter the Laois SFC? Just a thought!

[recyclebin]

Dublin would probably need to be split into four instead of two and they still would have the biggest pick in the country. They could split it into the four councils.

[High Fielder]

In al probability, yes. There has always been a need to ensure the best players in every county have a platform for their talent. That doesn't exist right now, and never will as long as intercounty is in place. The level of a person's progression in any sport should not be prescribed by their birthplace. The whole thing needs a rethink in my opinion. It is quite boring mostly

The Premiershit is about 200 miles east of here if that is what you want. Ask them nicely to allow kicks over the bar to count as points.

Ever wondered why lads don't commit to Laois panels? I can give you one reason. Not really worth the hassle. Most players who participate in any sport want to win things. We don't win very much and we probably never will. How grim is that forecast? But sure look it's grand. Let's keep putting the hamster on the wheel.

[High Fielder]

Split Dublin as many times as you like. Ballymun would probably give Laois a proper rattle. In fact I wouldn't be one bit confident about beating them. Ballymun and Vincents combined would surely beat Laois, and definitely most Division 3 and 4 clubs. So what are we trying to achieve exactly by splitting Dublin when two clubs only would still be better than most counties? Stop it lads. Just stop it. It's a problem that can't be fixed. Either accept it for what it is, and what we are, or keep dreaming about what could be