keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 05/09/2018 16:24:58    2139552

What a load of bull, dublin are the greatest football team to ever grace a GAA pitch. I think ts very unfair on those players that people are dismissing their achievements when they have put in just as much work as anyother team.

I do think there should be some sort of cap on funding but in saying that it does not take away for one second the achievements of Dublin

Tarismelting22 (Roscommon) - Posts: 760 - 05/09/2018 16:27:08    2139553

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 05/09/2018 16:46:11    2139562

The GAA's messing around with the calendar means that silly season starts earlier than normal.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 05/09/2018 16:48:47    2139563

McKenna's cherry-picking of information, stats and figures only that suit his narrative, and his penchant for going dark or blocking on Twitter when credible counterpoints and expansion of context, is what turns a lot of people, myself included, off. He leaves out figures from provincial councils which reduce the actuality of funding disparity, and when no figures are available to show funding for non-Dublin counties, he treats these figures as non-existent rather than unknown. The per-registered-player comparison in relation to Games Development is also an overused irrelevance, as Games Development money is used in a expansive way in getting non-registered kids into GAA clubs. He writes in an emotive manner, appealing to feeling rather than fact, and lacks an even handed objectivity, especially where Dublin are concerned.

With all that said, I am of the opinion that there are many counties out there where GAA is suffering and deserve better financial and planning support from the GAA and the provincial councils than they have been getting. The human landscape appears to be continuing to change, the GAA need to be wise to this and get ahead of the curve. Dublin have many advantages in population, marketing and proximity which need to be regarded by the GAA when it comes to funding other areas of the country. However, funding alone is not a cure-all panacea: it needs to used in conjunction with sober and longterm planning if it is to be adequately effective.

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 05/09/2018 16:54:46    2139566

For the record I think its also important to say that as much as I don't agree with everything MacKenna is saying here, I still rate him as one of the best writers in the business. If we all agreed on everything it would be a very dull world. He's absolutely right to raise the issue here and to ask questions, we all want a level playing field in the GAA. A lot of counties are suffering today as the game pushes further and further away from the amateur ethos.
MacKenna's writing on other items is quite exceptional. I don't want to come across as a fan boy but his pieces on Mo Farah, Irish Boxing and Cycling are excellent, well researched reads.
On the other side, I don't like the way he's made the Dublin funding issue as a lightening rod to attract all those who want to pick holes in Dublins achievements. I certainly didn't like the way he targeted Mickey Harte, the weekend before an All Ireland and to ask questions of the mans character or to start bringing non sporting issues into the equation to take the moral high ground or virtue signal the way people do on twitter is one of my pet hates. I'm not saying the man isn't open for criticism but he knew exactly what he was doing with the piece he wrote in from a sales / retweet point of view.
But look, that's the journalist game, get people talking, get people asking questions.

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 05/09/2018 16:57:21    2139568

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 05/09/2018 17:01:21    2139570

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 05/09/2018 17:19:50    2139575

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 05/09/2018 17:48:01    2139581

Look I think everyone would agree Dublin in their on merit, fantastic team and they aren't like other Dublin teams from the Pillar years who were hard to like. I like the Dublin players now, no bullshit just a great team.

The thing I can't understand is why the Dubs were given this money for so long. Surely the higher ups in the GAA should of sat around a table and looked at the way Dublin was been run. Fair play to Dublin, they used every cent well, got good men in with expertise in finance, marketing etc. Other counties didn't.
The super clubs in Dublin have had thousands of kids playing, loads of coaches in the schools. Surely someone should of thought that Dublin are on the up. With population and sponsorship it was nearly impossible that they wouldn't be challenging for all Ireland's, especially with their tradition. The funding should have been reduced years ago. Just my thoughts. Now a juggernaut has been created that has no sign of stopping.

I know Dubs like to say they weren't successful from 96-2010 or whatever. However they were knocking on the door in semi finals. It was more of a mental block/poor management that cost them. They had the players. They were favourites against Mayo in 06, against Armagh, against Tyrone etc. It was a matter of time before they broke though. All that was needed was a top class management team and you got that from 2010.

As I said, it's not the Dubs fault they have all the advantagess. Jim Gavin isn't going to turn that down. I know Tyrone wouldn't. I think people are a bit frustrated which is human nature. We know sport in about tiny things going your way, I think people feel Dublin are getting all the advantages.

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2088 - 05/09/2018 17:48:43    2139582

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 05/09/2018 17:50:58    2139583

Dublin are champions and deserve to be on their displays throughout the year. I don't see haw anybody could dispute that.
However the point MacKenna is making is a fair one and needs to be faced up to by the GAA. Horan, on his appointment as President, stated that he saw payment to managers and the need for tiered c'ships as the greatest problems facing the GAA. This is nonesence. The biggest problem by far, and one that will continue to spiral out of control, is what to do about the Dublin situation. This is not simply a team having a great spell at the top of the wheel like Kerry in the past. If you look at the way Gavin has been able to introduce new talent year on year it seems inevitable that continued domination is almost certain. It's naive to say that other counties can train harder and catch up. The problem is much bigger than that. I don't know the answers but I do know that if the GAA don't address the problem in an objective way the inter-county game will die on it's feet.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 05/09/2018 17:56:44    2139585

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 05/09/2018 18:18:49    2139596

The major issue with MacKenna is his conflation of Games Development money with Senior Inter County Football perfomance. He refuses to drill down into where and how this money is actually spent, saying that he is not privy to the information, expecting the reader to fill in the gaps, imagining that games development funding pays for Senior Football and Hurling coaching. GDOs commonly spend 4 days a week in schools in the catchment areas for the clubs. This is where the vast majority of Games Development funding to Dublin goes. But MacKenna leaves figures hanging in the wind without context, leaving the reader to imagine NASA-type installations where bionic men are pieced together. This is not a picture of truth. Its hyperbole, which is his stock in trade. This is not to say that other counties shouldn't get funding for more Games Development officers if they are required. Of course they should. Nor is it to say that Dublin's funding should not be examined, in favour of counties where Gaelic Games require urgent boosting. But MacKenna's incomplete figures and context-free stats are in many ways illusory, and he spins a good sentence.

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 05/09/2018 19:03:49    2139608

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 05/09/2018 19:05:27    2139610

Dublin's success is down to sheer commitment and hard work of each and every one of their players. Plus of course skill, talent and unselfishness.
I am a Mayo supporter who really admires this current Dublin team. Well done to them all on achieving the four in a row. If we are not in the final 2019, I hope they get the five in a row.

GormlaighG (Mayo) - Posts: 77 - 05/09/2018 19:26:31    2139616

Mckenna job is to look for clicks as to boost advertising. In effect he is a car salesman. Not just on this subject but on everything. 1. Dublin weren't simply given money. They put a plan in place asked for the money to IMPLEMENT and executed it perfectly! Huge huge work done. 2. Everyone talks about the coaches in Dublin club's but remember before they get one they must fund 50% of the costs yourselves. They Are not free. 3. The GAA gave out 40M last year Dublin got the most games development money but not the most money in total! Funny no one talks about the other grants, capital and otherwise, given to Counties. 4. Dublin generate more than the 2M they get so to call this 2M 'financial doping is simply away to seek attention because otherwise more in-depth analysis has to be done and this is beyond the likes of attention seekers like McKenna. 5. 5 and 6 year olds are not regiatered players but huge resources (financial and human) are put in them in Dublin so why when you calculate the per head cost of games development money they are not included? 6. Finally people talk about facilities. Do you realise the All-Ireland champions Cuala have no pitch? They have to use council pitches and then rent Bray Emmets ground for Senior training and marches as often the council pitches grass is too long etc. Their main ground.in Shankill has no dressing rooms!! Or the efforts St. Finbarrs in Cabra have done to keep hurling alive on the basis of no facilities years ago but pure pride in the game and hard work. McKenna could and would never talk about this as it's not with this you get clicks. There is no such thing as a level playing field, Leitrim will not win an All-Ireland, sadly, even if you pump in millions. When people throw out population numbers they forget that though Dublin have one third of the population not even one third of that one third is even interested in the GAA. So for me the arguments are all wrong. The issue we should only be worried is getting as many young kids as possible playing and then keeping them playing beyond 18. And how you do that In Dublin, Cork or Belfast Cities is not the same as in the country village. So we cannot can have the same everywhere but plans based on horse for courses? And it is not just money. And those knocking Dublin and what the.GAA local and national did there should be complementing them. Unless you prefer to see the state of our native games in Dublin as it.is in Belfast?

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 05/09/2018 19:28:54    2139618

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 05/09/2018 19:45:30    2139622

I am ignorant on the issue but how does money build a good football team? they get extra protein bars or what? In my eyes it is obviously to do with having a larger population to pick from, Dublin will always be able to pick 20 great players.

PattyONeill (Derry) - Posts: 223 - 05/09/2018 20:08:22    2139630

Aido69 (Dublin) - Posts: 381 - 05/09/2018 20:47:51    2139649