Meath Forum

Meath Senior Management Review

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Replying To seadog54:  "Nonsence, this is not a professional sport and demanding the same standard's will lead to more lad's refuseing to play with county and rightly so."
Yeah that's what the Meath players were probably thinking to themselves when they were watching the Kerry lads walking through them in Navan during the summer… "this is not a professional sport, it's a leisurely pursuit, can't wait to go travelling now and explore some ancient cultural sites…".

I'm competing in a few triathlons next year and am training hard for them. I'll probably resist the temptation "to go travelling for a year" though as you know, despite not being a professional athlete, I'm quite serious about the sport.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 21/09/2024 15:36:23    2571170

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Replying To Crinigan:  "I disagree. It shows the mentality of players in the county. Do you see the Dublin, Kerry players etc going "travelling" for a year? No. And don't give me the broadening horizons nonsense. These kind of lads will be playing Gaelic football in Australia or the US, pretending they are having some extraordinary cultural experience.

David Clifford and his ilk are thinking about getting right to compete next year … the Meath lads are downloading instagram. Cian Ward nailed them 100%."
Davy Byrne, one of the best full backs in the game went travelling this year? Absolutely ridiculous statement no one is under any contract to dedicate their life to an amateur game after all isn't it for enjoyment and the love of it we play it for? Why wouldn't a lad in his 20s want to enjoy himself and take a break, he's not getting paid to do this. Jack O'Connor like others was an exceptional footballer from a young age and always involved with county squads. Think people forget the demands these days to be a county footballer it's full time, dedication on top of a day job, family, holidays etc. to be honest I don't think county players get what they deserve for all that's put in, the demands are higher than ever and there's no real break from it either. David Clifford is well looked after in Kerry along with the rest, he's a PE teacher but does work with Supervalu and ambassador for car company we're comparing our lads to a once every 15/20 year type of player. I've no doubt he's given the break, rest and time he needs in the winter/ pre season months to rest up.

SillySimonsOpinion (Meath) - Posts: 61 - 21/09/2024 15:40:19    2571171

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Replying To seadog54:  "Nonsence, this is not a professional sport and demanding the same standard's will lead to more lad's refuseing to play with county and rightly so."
If the lads who can't commit or do what it takes decide to refuse to play, maybe the jersey wouldn't be as tainted as it currently is…

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 21/09/2024 15:43:14    2571173

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Replying To SillySimonsOpinion:  "Davy Byrne, one of the best full backs in the game went travelling this year? Absolutely ridiculous statement no one is under any contract to dedicate their life to an amateur game after all isn't it for enjoyment and the love of it we play it for? Why wouldn't a lad in his 20s want to enjoy himself and take a break, he's not getting paid to do this. Jack O'Connor like others was an exceptional footballer from a young age and always involved with county squads. Think people forget the demands these days to be a county footballer it's full time, dedication on top of a day job, family, holidays etc. to be honest I don't think county players get what they deserve for all that's put in, the demands are higher than ever and there's no real break from it either. David Clifford is well looked after in Kerry along with the rest, he's a PE teacher but does work with Supervalu and ambassador for car company we're comparing our lads to a once every 15/20 year type of player. I've no doubt he's given the break, rest and time he needs in the winter/ pre season months to rest up."
Of course everyone is free to travel. Off with them. Davy Byrne is off travelling for a year with a few All Ireland's in his back pocket after proving himself in the game and reaching his potential.

Let's not kid ourselves though that Meath players are near as committed as other players in different counties though, yeah? So when we hear the Meath manager say that the fears kicked in when Louth scored a goal (even though Meath hasn't lost to Louth in 40 odd years in the championship) we'll know that we don't have fellas like Giles or Geraghty or McDermott who gave it all for the jersey (where did they travel to? ), we have lads who are afraid of the mighty Louth teams of old.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1352 - 21/09/2024 19:31:51    2571198

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Replying To Crinigan:  "Yeah that's what the Meath players were probably thinking to themselves when they were watching the Kerry lads walking through them in Navan during the summer… "this is not a professional sport, it's a leisurely pursuit, can't wait to go travelling now and explore some ancient cultural sites…".

I'm competing in a few triathlons next year and am training hard for them. I'll probably resist the temptation "to go travelling for a year" though as you know, despite not being a professional athlete, I'm quite serious about the sport."
Well good for you, Kerry and Dublin lad,'s are been well compensated for their time. But you are still talking rubbish. Time to put shovel down. Your views represent all that is wrong with our game.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2195 - 21/09/2024 19:38:08    2571199

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Replying To Crinigan:  "Of course everyone is free to travel. Off with them. Davy Byrne is off travelling for a year with a few All Ireland's in his back pocket after proving himself in the game and reaching his potential.

Let's not kid ourselves though that Meath players are near as committed as other players in different counties though, yeah? So when we hear the Meath manager say that the fears kicked in when Louth scored a goal (even though Meath hasn't lost to Louth in 40 odd years in the championship) we'll know that we don't have fellas like Giles or Geraghty or McDermott who gave it all for the jersey (where did they travel to? ), we have lads who are afraid of the mighty Louth teams of old."
Or we had a team with so little confidence in their management and set up that they played without any belief in what they were meant to be doing. Between this post and your post about players careers off the pitch (which I can't believe the moderator allowed) you have talked some nonsense. Galway in the all Ireland final had players who missed big chunks if not all of the league for College Erasmus and travelling. Armagh's goalkeeper dropped himself off the panel the previous year. You will get some guys going travelling, but this cohort of Meath players of around 23/24 years old like Costello, O'Connor, Hickey, Morris, Walsh to name a few have never taken any break or missed any period of the season voluntarily. Flynn left last year and that is either because he thought management were useless and he was wasting his time, or if you believe COR because of his studies which would fit your criteria or bettering himself off the pitch. And it seems the same is the case with the guys a bit younger like O'Halloran, Gray, Kinlough, Kinsella, Frayne who are only getting in and have all been improving themselves with Sigerson and freshers football. Last point on this, the Louth game you gave is the absolute worst example, Matthew Costello played that game having lost his father the morning of the match. So I hope that gives you some perspective of what playing for Meath means to these lads, although with supporters like you I can see why some of them might say why am I doing this

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1523 - 21/09/2024 22:39:21    2571218

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Replying To SillySimonsOpinion:  "Davy Byrne, one of the best full backs in the game went travelling this year? Absolutely ridiculous statement no one is under any contract to dedicate their life to an amateur game after all isn't it for enjoyment and the love of it we play it for? Why wouldn't a lad in his 20s want to enjoy himself and take a break, he's not getting paid to do this. Jack O'Connor like others was an exceptional footballer from a young age and always involved with county squads. Think people forget the demands these days to be a county footballer it's full time, dedication on top of a day job, family, holidays etc. to be honest I don't think county players get what they deserve for all that's put in, the demands are higher than ever and there's no real break from it either. David Clifford is well looked after in Kerry along with the rest, he's a PE teacher but does work with Supervalu and ambassador for car company we're comparing our lads to a once every 15/20 year type of player. I've no doubt he's given the break, rest and time he needs in the winter/ pre season months to rest up."
They know they need to put their lives on hold, but they don't see it as such a sacrifice for the loveand honour of wearing their county jersey. A county panel mightn't always have what people think are the best squad of footballers within the county but they're the most committed that year. Management owe them them the respect of having clear schedules, venues, nutrition and S&C programmes, targets. Even on the education front someone to talk to before selection on part-time courses for players that are working, blended or online courses for full-time students so they're flexible to get to training or games. Not great for morale to have lads missing Thursday nights to go to Dublin for lectures when they could go training and watch the recorded lecture later. Working from home gives a bit of flexibility too. But I think it'd be bad news for management if they're OK with lads missing training while the rest of the squad are working hard on the Thursday night absentees are picked for Sunday.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 22/09/2024 05:45:03    2571232

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Replying To Crinigan:  "Of course everyone is free to travel. Off with them. Davy Byrne is off travelling for a year with a few All Ireland's in his back pocket after proving himself in the game and reaching his potential.

Let's not kid ourselves though that Meath players are near as committed as other players in different counties though, yeah? So when we hear the Meath manager say that the fears kicked in when Louth scored a goal (even though Meath hasn't lost to Louth in 40 odd years in the championship) we'll know that we don't have fellas like Giles or Geraghty or McDermott who gave it all for the jersey (where did they travel to? ), we have lads who are afraid of the mighty Louth teams of old."
Prob the most stupid comment on here, and thats saying something

Ed2010 (Meath) - Posts: 109 - 22/09/2024 07:47:04    2571235

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Replying To Ed2010:  "Prob the most stupid comment on here, and thats saying something"
World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all.

Meathooooo (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 22/09/2024 21:54:55    2571325

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Replying To Ed2010:  "Prob the most stupid comment on here, and thats saying something"
World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all.

Meathooooo (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 22/09/2024 23:03:19    2571336

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Replying To Meathooooo:  "World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all."
Completely agree and asking dual players to play championship week in week out is only weakening both codes. I strongly believe that both championships should be played at different times.

Rickoshay (Meath) - Posts: 30 - 23/09/2024 08:28:46    2571360

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Conor Gillespie is now part of Robbie Brennan management ticket.

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 934 - 23/09/2024 14:13:09    2571457

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Conor Gillespie going in with Meath under RB. An excellent addition.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 1003 - 23/09/2024 14:20:54    2571459

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Conor Gillespie added to the management ticket. A brilliant mix on that coaching team now. 2 guys with outside experience across Ulster champs, all Ireland champs and all Ireland semi finalists. A manager with all Ireland club winning experience and now a Meath senior winning manager, up and coming manager with good local knowledge and respect to add to Robbie's local knowledge. It's a well put together management team, hopefully can keep Barry Horgan on with S&C and then we have a management team which will allow us to get the most out of our playing pool which is all we can ask for

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1523 - 23/09/2024 14:41:47    2571465

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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "Conor Gillespie added to the management ticket. A brilliant mix on that coaching team now. 2 guys with outside experience across Ulster champs, all Ireland champs and all Ireland semi finalists. A manager with all Ireland club winning experience and now a Meath senior winning manager, up and coming manager with good local knowledge and respect to add to Robbie's local knowledge. It's a well put together management team, hopefully can keep Barry Horgan on with S&C and then we have a management team which will allow us to get the most out of our playing pool which is all we can ask for"
A really great addition for sure.

Is this the first time we have a management team with zero connection to the boylan era?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1807 - 23/09/2024 16:45:56    2571486

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Gillespie a good addition, he was rumoured to be one of the two that Colm O'Rourke had asked in.

royal11 (Meath) - Posts: 102 - 23/09/2024 20:04:14    2571520

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Replying To Meathooooo:  "World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all."
Football development committee have a lot of the policies they are implementing work totally against player retention.
One example, a great competition for the retention of young adult players (the Under 21 Championship )has been downgraded to U19, when neighbouring countries like Dublin have an u23 championship to hold onto young adult players.

madmeath (Meath) - Posts: 83 - 23/09/2024 21:59:44    2571526

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Replying To madmeath:  "Football development committee have a lot of the policies they are implementing work totally against player retention.
One example, a great competition for the retention of young adult players (the Under 21 Championship )has been downgraded to U19, when neighbouring countries like Dublin have an u23 championship to hold onto young adult players."
Yes, on to something there. U19s is definitely an issue. Not least because of the training load on young players in schools college's fb etc

Meathooooo (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 24/09/2024 11:53:14    2571592

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Replying To Meathooooo:  "World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all."
Best post I've seen

Ashrules (Dublin) - Posts: 549 - 24/09/2024 12:02:40    2571594

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Replying To Meathooooo:  "World has changed. World has gotten smaller. Covid has its part in this. Young people want to travel.

Young men (and women) are entitled to travel to where they want when they want. If involved with a team certainly have courtesy to let management and team mates know well in advance. Other then that off ye go.

Some go travelling

Some go to States to play & earn

Few go to AFL Rugby Soccer

The real issue here is as follows, and we can't keep burying our heads in sand.

1. Gaelic Football as a game nationally is under extreme pressure. New rule changes can't come quick enough.

2. Shrinking participation numbers, particularly in country or less densely populated areas in Meath. Plus parents on border sending kids to home Dublin/Kildare teams because they believe it's better standard rightly or wrongly.

3. The pressure on dual clubs and it's knock affect on FB fixtures.

4. The absolutely glaring obvious slow death of Gaelic Football standards in North Meath which is a huge chunk of Meath!

5. Coaching standards are not at level required. Because less and less people are involved in Gaa and less and people attend Gaa courses.

6. Leinster rules dictate only 16 teams can play senior intermediate. So amalgamations are limited. i.e what benefit to two clubs who do join. Can't go to senior intermediate ?

7. Highlighting the occasional exception to the rule to ignore all of the above

All of the above lowers standards, and therefore the elite playing pool for senior selection is reduced.

The only real solution is a real regional competition to help the top players in the bottom clubs. I can't see any other way?

We do have players, but we are not helping them at all."
Number 2 rarely happens, you hear of the odd fella from Ashbourne or whatever and that snowballs into rumours of bus loads going into Dublin to play with their parents clubs, when in truth it's extremely rare and the numbers are that low that it certainly isn't an issue, like single digits low.

southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 937 - 24/09/2024 15:33:56    2571635

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