An alcohol ban is implemented on January 1. A mid-season drink is permitted when the manager and three or four senior players (two of whom are pioneers) allow it.

There should be no mention of the team, or the GAA, on social media as it is a distraction. (One senior player tweeted a picture of himself recovering from an operation in hospital and was suspended).
is this for real?

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=234318


No interaction with the media allowed.

Football boots must be predominantly black in colour. There is a designated senior player who decides whether your boots are acceptable or not.

No ankle socks can be worn outside your county socks and no tape to be worn on your sleeves or socks.

No highlights in your hair. (One senior player arrived to training with a hairband and that was added to the banned list).

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 25/03/2015 10:33:49    1706314

It's completely insane. They're footballers not cadets!

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 25/03/2015 10:44:11    1706319

If it was a professional sport you could say fair enough they are being employed and must play by the rules. But this is crazy looking at it from the outside.
Is football meant to be fun anymore? I wonder do players really enjoy it anymore bar the final whistle after winning a major game or trophy? If you are playing for a top county this is all well and good but playing for a team for pride knowing you will never win the big prize...sad really.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 25/03/2015 11:06:43    1706337

I wonder what team it is?

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 25/03/2015 11:07:13    1706340

I have to say I think Parkinson is brilliant on the radio and his Wednesday night show, in the GAA world were no one gives anything away or comes out with cliche after cliche Parkinson doesn't care who he offends and will say it as he sees it and I love him for that and nearly all the time I agree with what he's saying. Crazy these codes of conduct surely inter county footballers no when and when not to drink?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 25/03/2015 11:11:29    1706346

Intercounty GAA fast becoming a game for robots. Free will not to be encouraged. Uniformity of behaviour, fashion and social attitudes.
Break from the rules and you will be punished, harshly.
Worse still this nonsense is working its way down to the Club and juvenile level.
Please someone shout STOP.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 25/03/2015 11:29:52    1706355

I actually agree with a certain code of conduct within a group. You see guys trying to stand out from the group with white socks on over their football socks, etc etc, and you can say it is only a pair of socks or whatever, but the mentality behind it is the problem. It says that the guy wants more limelight than his team mates, that he sees himself as special compared to the others. That in turn filters down through other decisions he might make on the field, which in turn effects how his team mates see him. Nobody in a proper functioning team should have this mentality. Look at the best team players in sport, guys like xavi or iniesta, in gaa guys like shefflin or canavan, this mentality doesn't register with them. Setting down some form of guidelines or team way of thinking sets the type of environment that can help eradicate this selfish mentality. It isn't simply about a guy wearing a pair of socks, it is the mentality behind it. If wearing white ankle socks made guys pass the ball to team mates in better scoring positions then Im sure every manager would be handing them out.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 25/03/2015 11:38:59    1706361

I didnt know anyone wore black boots anymore

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 25/03/2015 11:46:06    1706366

this code of conduct was given to armagh a few years ago under joe kernan. didnt think it was still happening

offtheground1 (Down) - Posts: 128 - 25/03/2015 11:51:31    1706369

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12897

1706361
I actually agree with a certain code of conduct within a group. You see guys trying to stand out from the group with white socks on over their football socks, etc etc, and you can say it is only a pair of socks or whatever, but the mentality behind it is the problem. It says that the guy wants more limelight than his team mates, that he sees himself as special compared to the others. That in turn filters down through other decisions he might make on the field, which in turn effects how his team mates see him. Nobody in a proper functioning team should have this mentality. Look at the best team players in sport, guys like xavi or iniesta, in gaa guys like shefflin or canavan, this mentality doesn't register with them. Setting down some form of guidelines or team way of thinking sets the type of environment that can help eradicate this selfish mentality. It isn't simply about a guy wearing a pair of socks, it is the mentality behind it. If wearing white ankle socks made guys pass the ball to team mates in better scoring positions then Im sure every manager would be handing them out.

The 'mentality behind the problem'. The mentality behind your solution is ridiculous. In case you haven't noticed, in the world we live in people a diverse and restricting their right to express themselves is dangerous. I can think of lots of players who had flare, who did things differently and were fantastic sports people. Why do people feel the need to have inter county players look like they have just come out of Templemore?? Thats not the way of the world. Look at Paul Galvin. He wears white socks. Look at your own county man Ciaran McDonald. As good as they come. Trevor Giles, no sleeves. Zach Touhy, massive beard etc etc. I could think of countless examples. This kind of regimented attitude is used to hide the managements shortcomings. Drinking bans are ridiculous. They are probably only implemented by teams that have no control over team moral, or teams that have players who have no sense of self discipline. That discipline example needs to come from leadership from management and players, not from bans.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 25/03/2015 12:02:06    1706374

offtheground1
County: Down
Posts: 105

1706369
this code of conduct was given to armagh a few years ago under joe kernan. didnt think it was still happening


If that's true, and now that Parkinson has leaked it, then it must have been given by McNulty to the Laois panel. Either that or McGeeney to Kildare where a player feels free to leak it now that Geezer is gone.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 25/03/2015 12:04:24    1706376

Football boots must be predominantly black in colour. There is a designated senior player who decides whether your boots are acceptable or not.

No ankle socks can be worn outside your county socks and no tape to be worn on your sleeves or socks.

No highlights in your hair. (One senior player arrived to training with a hairband and that was added to the banned list).

Will always remind me of D'unbelievables Timmy Ryan "Well I'll tell you something Mikey Rail, this is not an effin beauty pagent"!!!

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 25/03/2015 12:21:44    1706382

supermon, the mentality behind my solution is simply 'put the team before yourself for the greater good', I don't believe that is in any ways ridiculous. You have listed out a few guys and that is fine, but if you take a minute to consider the bigger picture, you will realise that those guys are the exception rather than the rule. I never said I agreed with all the rules listed, or even the making of rules, but I am aware that, bigger picture, if a team is going to be successful, and in particular, be able to sustain that level, then guys not putting the team before themselves is something that needs to be eradicated. It isn't so much about a pair of socks or whatever, it is the mentality that represents, the various ways it manifests itself (socks, tape, trying to be controversial in the media - general self-promotion) and the effects it can have over time. You refer to Ciaran McDonald, and he was a great player, but he also walked the plank, twice, from the county team. Now compare that to the man of the hour, henry shefflin - a really selfless, team oriented player. He was in the panel every year, playing for the team every year, never trying to stand out by doing anything other than the right thing for his team - he got 11 all stars and won poty 3 times. Which of those guys had a more positive effect on their team?

Your viewpoint seems to be that of a guy who wants to be entertained, but managers and players aren't there to be entertained, they want to be successful, and they are the people writing these rules.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 25/03/2015 12:48:55    1706395

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12898

1706395 supermon, the mentality behind my solution is simply 'put the team before yourself for the greater good', I don't believe that is in any ways ridiculous. You have listed out a few guys and that is fine, but if you take a minute to consider the bigger picture, you will realise that those guys are the exception rather than the rule. I never said I agreed with all the rules listed, or even the making of rules, but I am aware that, bigger picture, if a team is going to be successful, and in particular, be able to sustain that level, then guys not putting the team before themselves is something that needs to be eradicated. It isn't so much about a pair of socks or whatever, it is the mentality that represents, the various ways it manifests itself (socks, tape, trying to be controversial in the media - general self-promotion) and the effects it can have over time. You refer to Ciaran McDonald, and he was a great player, but he also walked the plank, twice, from the county team. Now compare that to the man of the hour, henry shefflin - a really selfless, team oriented player. He was in the panel every year, playing for the team every year, never trying to stand out by doing anything other than the right thing for his team - he got 11 all stars and won poty 3 times. Which of those guys had a more positive effect on their team?

Your viewpoint seems to be that of a guy who wants to be entertained, but managers and players aren't there to be entertained, they want to be successful, and they are the people writing these rules.

What a pile of bull.

Have a quick google search for a mayo team photo from last year and you'll find about 5 or 6 wearing white boots, another good few wearing white socks etc. The same goes for most county teams. Keegan, Higgins and O'Shea all wear white socks and white boots. Does that make them any less effective or less of a team player?

You mention Shefflin, so going to the football equivalent. The Gooch wears white ankle socks. To quote your description of Shefflin, and apply it to the Gooch "He was in the panel every year, playing for the team every year, never trying to stand out by doing anything other than the right thing for his team ".

If several Down players choose to wear a pink tutu with luminous yellow boots and dyed purple hair but went out and won an all ireland, I couldn't care less!

Absolutely ridiculous to restrict the colour of boots and whether or no someone can wear a pair of plain white socks. Did the old O'Neills socks (about 10+ years ago) not have a white section on the bottom of them anyway? I don't recall every county player not playing for the team and showing off back then?

kinglarsson (Down) - Posts: 88 - 25/03/2015 13:06:52    1706403

henry wore a green helmet.a naughty act really.why didnt he wear a black one like all the rest!?!?!

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 25/03/2015 13:10:09    1706405

kinglarsson - You have a point but I remember when Mayo players like MacDonald and Mortimer were laughed at and ridiculed (even on this forum) for being different, white boots, blond hair etc. People in Ireland don't like individuality or even celebration of goals, scores etc...shut up and sit down mentality, begrudgery etc. whatever you want to call it.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 25/03/2015 13:16:43    1706408

Anyone else think it might be the case that someone is just playing a trick on Parkinson?

Could easily see it that 2 or 3 lads are absolutely dying of laughter somewhere after having fed this to him for the mess.

besidetheditch (Dublin) - Posts: 81 - 25/03/2015 13:19:38    1706409

paul murphy tweeted he chose to wear a green helmet because henry did too as shefflin was unique in the kk team in wearing that colour helmet. should be thrown off the panel for the tweet and wearing a helmet that isn't black. were not robots generally the only black boots available now are puma king or world cups hard to get. we need flair and individuality like nadal Ronaldo messi woods mcilroy arnt all regimented by what they can wear or talk about

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1159 - 25/03/2015 13:24:15    1706412

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12899

1706395
supermon, the mentality behind my solution is simply 'put the team before yourself for the greater good', I don't believe that is in any ways ridiculous. You have listed out a few guys and that is fine, but if you take a minute to consider the bigger picture, you will realise that those guys are the exception rather than the rule. I never said I agreed with all the rules listed, or even the making of rules, but I am aware that, bigger picture, if a team is going to be successful, and in particular, be able to sustain that level, then guys not putting the team before themselves is something that needs to be eradicated. It isn't so much about a pair of socks or whatever, it is the mentality that represents, the various ways it manifests itself (socks, tape, trying to be controversial in the media - general self-promotion) and the effects it can have over time. You refer to Ciaran McDonald, and he was a great player, but he also walked the plank, twice, from the county team. Now compare that to the man of the hour, henry shefflin - a really selfless, team oriented player. He was in the panel every year, playing for the team every year, never trying to stand out by doing anything other than the right thing for his team - he got 11 all stars and won poty 3 times. Which of those guys had a more positive effect on their team?

Your viewpoint seems to be that of a guy who wants to be entertained, but managers and players aren't there to be entertained, they want to be successful, and they are the people writing these rules.


Funny, the most successful teams seem to have players who have 'flare' as you call it, Karl Lacey, Player of the Year, all ireland winner, white boots. Paul Galvin, POTY white socks and everything else. If a lad is controversial and self promoting that is a different issue. Believe me, there isn't a correlation between wearing white socks or having a bit of expression and being controversial and self promotion. Just look at Joe Brolly, or Roy Keane.

This all boils down to one thing lads. Its the group ape like mentality that exists in the school yard or anywhere else. If you are different you are wrong, if you express individuality you are ridiculed. Its small-town, small-minded shallowness.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1073 - 25/03/2015 13:39:58    1706413

professional players earning millions have way more freedom

hurler in the ditch (Louth) - Posts: 439 - 25/03/2015 14:10:14    1706426