joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 1225

1649682 The footballers are managed by his dad, and he already has an all Ireland hurling medal (prob has a couple of them), so maybe he has decided to see if he can have some big ball success, but I think its a bizarre decision all the same.
He has given up his place on a team with genuine hopes of all Ireland glory for a team who would consider a couple of good results in the qualifier series a good season.

I wouldn't agree with that. He shouldn't be forced to choose in the first place. Are hurling and football (and handball) not GAA sports? - YES. Are the GAA supposed to promote all of its sports? -YES. As an amateur player is Podge Collins not entitled to play football and hurling if he wants to? - YES. Is he good enough to make both panels? - YES. Is he one of the finest hurlers in Clare? - YES. Would he be an addition to the Clare hurling panel even if only playing at half his ability? - YES. Will he give his all to Clare on and off the field? - YES. Should his desire to be a dual player be facilitated for the good of Clare GAA? - YES. Should he be ruled out of playing for Clare hurlers 4 months before their next game? - NO. Should he be ruled out of playing for the hurlers even though he was good enough to play this year? - NO.
Should he be made to choose one or the other? - NO.

It would be different if he wanted to play soccer or rugby and hurl for Clare but he is trying to play two GAA sports and should be facilitated in his attempt. Clare footballers wont be in the championship post June so he will be fully dedicated to the hurlers when the titles are being won.

This is not an attack on Clare. I am fully supportive in Keith Higgins attempts to hurl for Mayo whenever he can. Its a bit trickier for dual players from Dublin and Cork as they are likely to play both into August but for every other county one or both teams will be finished up by July.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1125 - 08/09/2014 18:15:36    1649781

This is becoming a huge problem for duel counties and clubs. I find it ironic for instance that Dublin camogie/ladies football will talk to Hockey clubs before thy'd talk to each other ditto with Hurling and football. The reality is these sports are competing, usually for the very best players. Its unfortunate for everyone, but I don't believe County boards should be in the business of banning players playing GAA sports.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 08/09/2014 18:29:00    1649784

I heard that football is his passion, and while he is a excellent hurler his heart belongs to football. He would have been very happy to continue with both, but when gun put to his head went with the one he loves most, and who could blame him.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 08/09/2014 18:51:04    1649793

A player I love watching with stick in hand , supprise as most would feel hurling is where he stands most chance of reward silverware wise , however its also a brave decision , a loyal decision and you dont see to much of that in modern sport , so respect to the young man , a timely reminder they are all amateurs and entitled to follow their hearts and dreams .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 08/09/2014 19:02:33    1649801

Damothedub
I know what your saying, but it looks to me as if maybe he is living the Dads dream not his own.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 08/09/2014 21:07:11    1649871

some people seem to be have an awful hard time believing the lad may just enjoy playing football that bit more than the hurling if it comes down to one or the other....cant be all about the silverware

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 08/09/2014 21:17:55    1649878

Personally I think this is up to the players to decide. In Wexford, we've let the players decide and Chin chose hurling, Brian Malone and Michael O'Regan chose football, and I think that is fair enough.
I am a hurling man and would love all these lads playing hurling, but there are of course equally strong football people in Wexford who would love them all to play football. Once the decision is the players, and not made by a dictatorial hurling/football manager, then we should leave these players be. Because they sacrifice all they have to play for their county. They should decide themselves which code that should be.
I always thought until this year that a player could do both but given Chin's performance with the hurlers was far better than any other in recent years, I think I might be coming to realise that the dual player is a thing of the past.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 09/09/2014 11:39:59    1649989

fabio8

There are two issues, players should decide......but certain County boards/clubs and individual county managers are not allowing players to do this, they are forcing their hand. For duel players it should not be about having to make a forced choice.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4897 - 09/09/2014 13:48:56    1650080

the football manager was willing to give the hurling manager 75% of the lads time.he wasnt prepared to accept that.are the young men not entitled to play a bit of football?if they want? davy would want to be careful or he will lose the dressing room.

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 10/09/2014 14:08:15    1650587

well it was the hurling manager who forced the lads to make the decision?..he must just prefer the football if he chose it despite it greatly decreasing his chances of success

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 10/09/2014 14:19:45    1650605

2 things
firstly, Podges roots are in west clare despite playing for cratloe. West Clare is football Country.
Ye all just assume this is the auld lads doing.........maybe Podge prefers football!!! I am on the Clare Limerick border and the word around these parts was always that Podge preferred football, so make him choose and hurling was never going to win. This isnt to prove a point to Davy, the lad just prefers football! Mad isnt it..........
Same as Aidan Walsh really.

Secondly, regarding Davy. You would imagine Davy was ok with it cos his train if thought was prob "let him play both in the early rounds, we will get by, then come the business end the footballers are out, we are in an AL Semi Final, Podge is happy....

Turned out the opposite, the footballers lasted longer and irony of ironys, Brendan Bugler joined the football panel when the hurlers got the road!!
Few more footballer on that hurling panel that Davy would want to be placating if this keeps up.

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 10/09/2014 14:25:02    1650609

kavvie
are the young men not entitled to play a bit of football

Davy feels every player need to be giving it 100%. Podge cant do that, regardless of why

Obviously, after the experience of this year, Davy feels he's better off without Podge than having him part time. Davy wants success for Clare more than anyone so its thats what he thinks based on his experience as the boss then who are we to question.

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 10/09/2014 14:52:56    1650627

I always got the impression that podge preferred football. It's a pity if we are to miss seeing skills like his timeless point in last years AIF, but maybe he can produce something similar for the footballers. Was he playing dual last year? He wasn't half the player this year, maybe playing dual is to blame for that, if so, Davey might have a point, he wouldn't be sorely missed on this year's performance. Anyway, best of luck to them, however it ends up.

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 10/09/2014 14:56:43    1650631

I think The Collins realise that in a county like Clare that the oppurtunity to beat Cork or Kerry does not come around too often.
They are an up and coming team and I suppose if they managed to win a Munster title with the footballers managed by their father that would be a bigger success for them than winning an all ireland under Davy.

They will both play hurling again for Clare as they are fairly young.


As for your statement Bennybunny about Cahalane, I have to agree with you..

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 10/09/2014 15:11:27    1650637

If Davy wants 100% commitment to only hurling, then that is his prerogative. Podge is one of the best footballers I've ever seen, he's been making bits of lads for years on the field, it's not unthinkable that he would prefer it to hurling. He's undoubtedly an exceptional talent, very much in the top bracket at both hurling and football. I think Aidan Walsh is the only other dual player I would place in that category, with Eoin Cadogan and Lee Chin outside it. They're decent, but not top drawer at both.

Should an exceptional talent be accommodated? Absolutely.

bob_dolphin (Limerick) - Posts: 694 - 10/09/2014 15:58:47    1650656

It always seems to be the more dominant sport's manager (mostly hurling managers lately) that makes players choose, which is very unfair on the players involved. The day of the dual player is not gone and if they want to play both and are good enough to play both, they can easily be accomondated with a bit of forward planning and common sense.

Clare are without a top class hurler next year over this. Yes he probably would be a better hurler if he committed 100%, he will be a better footballer now, but Clare hurlers would be better off having him as a dual player rather than not having him at all.

Being the more dominant sport does not give you the right to make amateur players choose. The Clare hurling management are shooting themselves in the foot over this.

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1102 - 10/09/2014 21:23:09    1650779

Davy is prob right calling for a 100 % commitment but I think this has backfired on him , Id say he expected the 2 lads to throw their lot in with the hurlers as would the majority of people in clare as well.

Clare football is up an coming but they are no where near Cork and Kerry, Tipp are gaining ground on these two faster than anyone .

That said I hope to see them back on the hurling fields again with clare, the have age on their side .

HurlerOnTheFenc (Mayo) - Posts: 282 - 11/09/2014 09:42:04    1650820

I'd say Davy had a fair idea what the lads were going to do. That's why he wanted it sorted now rather than when the season started..

Focus is very important for any team - they can now go into the next season knowing exactly who they have and when. Its good management.

Colm Collins wont be leaving the Clare post any time soon. I'd give him at least another 2 years, 2 years which Davy will also be over the hurlers. This would indicate that these lads wont be back till the 2017 season at best. That's a long time away from a game that demands so much when you want to be part of a successful team. I think this is a real pity but under the circumstances it seems everyone's decisions are valid

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 11/09/2014 11:52:59    1650888

Podge is a really nice lad and i wish him all the best. Speaking to an ex Clre hurler at the weekend i can understand 100% why he did make that decision.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 11/09/2014 12:58:54    1650922

You really have to wonder what gone wrong when people say an amateur should chose the sport he wants to play because he has a better chance of winning something with it. People go their whole lives without winning anything of importance, you go out and play the game because it what you enjoy doing.
A lot of elitist nonsense spouted by commentators and repeated on these board about the fact that football seems to have brought back the levels of play of some hurlers - a load of nonsense, where are the studies to examine the effects of one game on the other in terms of responsiveness and skills - none, just auld lads sitting in a bar or a studio spouting it.
The biggest danger here is the fact that young kids (and their coaches) will think to be better at one they have to give up the other - the opposite is true. The GAA should be doing more to ensure that everyone has the chance to play both sports and at underage everyone should.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1805 - 11/09/2014 13:41:42    1650944