HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

Meath Forum

Meath 2018

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post

You need to Login to Post

Replying To TakeYourPoints6: "Back training tomorrow, anyone know who was called in?" I was told of a player that was called in and I had to ask him was it the junior or senior team they were called up to. Probably have 60+ players in training early on. Barney123 (Meath) - Posts: 676 - 31/10/2017 17:36:13 2059346 Link
Replying To mawmouther: "I think its an honour for lads to be selected to play on Meath teams. Alot of what I hear is that its understandable that lads don't want to commit give the level of commitment required these days. Do we think that the lads in the 80s and 90s under Boylan were less committed than the lads these days and these lads are giving more than the teams before them did? Secondly, for lads picked on the panel, they owe it to the team for everything they get from it.........in my opinion, they should be training 14-20 times week. Lets hope we can be more competitive next year" With no disrespect to the teams of yesteryear, it's undeniable that the modern inter county game takes more commitment than it used to. The levels of fitness and athleticism needed just to tread water in the modern game are light years ahead of 20-30 years ago. In recent years there have been a raft of retirements and players taking breaks from the game, all citing the incredible commitment required for the inter county game. They effectively live for the game from October till June at the earliest. In the last few weeks alone we've seen several Clare hurlers retire in their late 20s citing the increased needs of the modern game. The following is from an article on Colin Ryan who has retired aged 29. It describes the change just in the last 10 years alone: In those days, players turned up to the pitch ten minutes before training started, hurled for an hour and then went home. Fast forward ten years and it couldn't be any more different. With Clare, he arrives at a session 40 minutes early to practise frees, they will train for over an hour and then stay back after for meetings. When they are not on the pitch, they are in the gym. It's all consuming, mentally and physically. Telling lads they're just soft and "Sean Boylan's players didn't take breaks" is a fairly backwards attitude to have. CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 31/10/2017 19:00:17 2059357 Link
If we look at the Meath team now..how many of the lads aren't students ? If a top class Meath footballer is a bricklayer..he is probably up at 6 am...on the road driving to Dublin at 6:15 am....home around 6 or 7 pm..there is no way in hell he could ever commit to being a modern County Footballer ! ( i just picked a bricklayers for this case,insert other occupation who work long hours at work and commute if you wish, Garda...chef...Business..or dodgy used car sale man ) I don't think gaa football is for everyone anymore ...Meath team from years ago probably wouldn't be able to give full commitment to the needs of modern football. And no..the Garda and dodgy used car sale man isn't the same thing ! WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 875 - 31/10/2017 20:32:15 2059384 Link
Replying To Barney123: "I was told of a player that was called in and I had to ask him was it the junior or senior team they were called up to. Probably have 60+ players in training early on." Not sure about that, think they have smaller squad than last year, if you take it that couple of lads are not available and more were dropped,i believe there are only 7 or 8 new faces. This would make sense as they probably looked at most of what is available, last year and it would only be those who were not around last year either because of age, injury travel etc. Just in relation to all the furore about players walking away , maybe im wrong but if you take the 2 young Lads out who are going to America as part of their college courses, the only other one is Harnan, if that is true and surley it is hardly a flood. Tho I do agree that in our position, we can't afford to be missing any quality players Footnote (Meath) - Posts: 66 - 01/11/2017 09:06:59 2059431 Link
Replying To Footnote: "Not sure about that, think they have smaller squad than last year, if you take it that couple of lads are not available and more were dropped,i believe there are only 7 or 8 new faces. This would make sense as they probably looked at most of what is available, last year and it would only be those who were not around last year either because of age, injury travel etc. Just in relation to all the furore about players walking away , maybe im wrong but if you take the 2 young Lads out who are going to America as part of their college courses, the only other one is Harnan, if that is true and surley it is hardly a flood. Tho I do agree that in our position, we can't afford to be missing any quality players" Heard it on the grapevine that there are to be more departures than Harnon, O'Coileann and Jones. Possibly another 3 from last years starting team. Anyone else hear this? begining (UK) - Posts: 300 - 01/11/2017 09:47:50 2059442 Link
Talk in the club is that Donal will not be back in until April/May due to completing his studies. Is Harry Rooney not coming home? I know quite a few have declined the invitation to join the panel due to study/work commitments. Have spoken to a few who have been given the training plan for the year/ it is basically something be it gym or field work 6 out of 7 days at certain times. Is it any wonder why lads cannot or do not wish to give the commitment, think posters on here should remember that. The sacrifices made are huge and apart from the lads playing with the very top teams the rewards are very little (I am not suggesting that they should be paid) but is this sustainable?? Its very easy for us to sit on our arses and type whatever we want... longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 01/11/2017 10:42:23 2059461 Link
Replying To longroadback: "Talk in the club is that Donal will not be back in until April/May due to completing his studies. Is Harry Rooney not coming home? I know quite a few have declined the invitation to join the panel due to study/work commitments. Have spoken to a few who have been given the training plan for the year/ it is basically something be it gym or field work 6 out of 7 days at certain times. Is it any wonder why lads cannot or do not wish to give the commitment, think posters on here should remember that. The sacrifices made are huge and apart from the lads playing with the very top teams the rewards are very little (I am not suggesting that they should be paid) but is this sustainable?? Its very easy for us to sit on our arses and type whatever we want..." Yes but if you want to be the best you can be. One thing is for sure is you need to be physically strong enough to compete.I mean the other option is to give up... ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 01/11/2017 12:23:06 2059486 Link
Replying To Footnote: "Not sure about that, think they have smaller squad than last year, if you take it that couple of lads are not available and more were dropped,i believe there are only 7 or 8 new faces. This would make sense as they probably looked at most of what is available, last year and it would only be those who were not around last year either because of age, injury travel etc. Just in relation to all the furore about players walking away , maybe im wrong but if you take the 2 young Lads out who are going to America as part of their college courses, the only other one is Harnan, if that is true and surley it is hardly a flood. Tho I do agree that in our position, we can't afford to be missing any quality players" We have one quality player and that's keoghan. Them 3 lads are decent at best. Yes they'll be missed but it's not a disaster or anything close to it. southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 885 - 01/11/2017 13:36:47 2059508 Link
I wouldn't criticize any player who leaves the panel because they can't commit the time with work, college etc.. but it will take serious gym and field work over coming months to try and close gap with top counties. We have been left behind in this area in recent past and performance have shown this. leftandwide (Meath) - Posts: 91 - 01/11/2017 14:36:09 2059532 Link
Replying To leftandwide: "I wouldn't criticize any player who leaves the panel because they can't commit the time with work, college etc.. but it will take serious gym and field work over coming months to try and close gap with top counties. We have been left behind in this area in recent past and performance have shown this." It won't take serious time in the gym and on the field to make gains on dublin. It will take an improvement in football skills, a lifestyle that is based around being very healthy and fit and the meath team being at least in each player's top three most important things in life We also need the best players available mawmouther (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 01/11/2017 14:48:44 2059535 Link
Replying To leftandwide: "I wouldn't criticize any player who leaves the panel because they can't commit the time with work, college etc.. but it will take serious gym and field work over coming months to try and close gap with top counties. We have been left behind in this area in recent past and performance have shown this." It won't take serious time in the gym and on the field to make gains on dublin. It will take an improvement in football skills, a lifestyle that is based around being very healthy and fit and the meath team being at least in each player's top three most important things in life We also need the best players available mawmouther (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 01/11/2017 14:48:48 2059536 Link
Replying To ziggy32001: "Yes but if you want to be the best you can be. One thing is for sure is you need to be physically strong enough to compete.I mean the other option is to give up..." I'm not suggesting that we give up, I'm saying I don't blame lads for being straight up and saying that that cannot give the required level of commitment, I feel that the elite game is going in wrong direction, to much is expected from Inter County Players, they are amateurs but are expected to be professional, in my view it is wrong, game needs to get back towards the ethos, the strong get stronger the weak get weaker with the direction we are heading, I'm sure that Meath is not the only place where lads cannot give the commitment as realistically what are they going to get out of it, Getting personal abuse, having family members listening to the clowns on the terraces abuse them when they lose a game, all because they put their lives on hold... why would anyone bother??? longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 01/11/2017 15:41:26 2059556 Link
Any backroom changes? I heard Davy McDonald was at the training last night, I imagine he's helping John Coughlan with the S and C stuff as he worked with Dublin minors and u21s this year Meathgaa5 (Meath) - Posts: 339 - 01/11/2017 17:48:50 2059594 Link
Possible good news.. Harry Rooney will be back in Ireland in a few weeks,one would assume that he will make himself available,huge boost if he does so.. ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 01/11/2017 18:26:50 2059607 Link
Replying To longroadback: "Talk in the club is that Donal will not be back in until April/May due to completing his studies. Is Harry Rooney not coming home? I know quite a few have declined the invitation to join the panel due to study/work commitments. Have spoken to a few who have been given the training plan for the year/ it is basically something be it gym or field work 6 out of 7 days at certain times. Is it any wonder why lads cannot or do not wish to give the commitment, think posters on here should remember that. The sacrifices made are huge and apart from the lads playing with the very top teams the rewards are very little (I am not suggesting that they should be paid) but is this sustainable?? Its very easy for us to sit on our arses and type whatever we want..." exactly grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 01/11/2017 18:42:21 2059611 Link
Replying To ziggy320001: "Possible good news.. Harry Rooney will be back in Ireland in a few weeks,one would assume that he will make himself available,huge boost if he does so.." Believe it when i see it grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 01/11/2017 18:44:20 2059612 Link
Replying To longroadback: "I'm not suggesting that we give up, I'm saying I don't blame lads for being straight up and saying that that cannot give the required level of commitment, I feel that the elite game is going in wrong direction, to much is expected from Inter County Players, they are amateurs but are expected to be professional, in my view it is wrong, game needs to get back towards the ethos, the strong get stronger the weak get weaker with the direction we are heading, I'm sure that Meath is not the only place where lads cannot give the commitment as realistically what are they going to get out of it, Getting personal abuse, having family members listening to the clowns on the terraces abuse them when they lose a game, all because they put their lives on hold... why would anyone bother???" agree with you 100% browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 01/11/2017 19:38:14 2059619 Link
Replying To grahamc9897: "Believe it when i see it" Why is it so hard to believe? TakeYourPoints6 (Meath) - Posts: 229 - 01/11/2017 19:54:09 2059621 Link
Replying To longroadback: "I'm not suggesting that we give up, I'm saying I don't blame lads for being straight up and saying that that cannot give the required level of commitment, I feel that the elite game is going in wrong direction, to much is expected from Inter County Players, they are amateurs but are expected to be professional, in my view it is wrong, game needs to get back towards the ethos, the strong get stronger the weak get weaker with the direction we are heading, I'm sure that Meath is not the only place where lads cannot give the commitment as realistically what are they going to get out of it, Getting personal abuse, having family members listening to the clowns on the terraces abuse them when they lose a game, all because they put their lives on hold... why would anyone bother???" Plenty of these "clowns" around me at games last year..Probably people who never kicked a ball in there life.Really bugs me to listen to them,These lads are giving up there lives to play for meath and get nothing only abuse..Personally with the players walking away its disappointing and we will struggle big time in my opinion but no matter what I will try to get to as many games as possible and cheer them on win lose or draw grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 01/11/2017 20:10:17 2059623 Link
Replying To TakeYourPoints6: "Why is it so hard to believe?" Because no one Really knows what the full story is at the end of the day...If and when I see him in a meath jersey then I will believe it... Simple as!! grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1174 - 01/11/2017 20:59:06 2059634 Link