Replying To BigJoe14: "Has anyone got any concrete proof that God forbid the county footballers are training or are people happy to believe rumour and lies? If anyone was breaking any rules it was in fact club teams that were back training in groups much bigger than fifteen in public parks and GAA pitches two weeks before the GAA were granting them permission to train. Why was there not the same commotion over that like there is now for some county teams 'supposedly' back training? If anything, if the lads are in fact training, they are doing most clubs a favour by giving the players the best possible care (injury prevention work, conditioning) something that some clubs would not know the first thing about. You would sware from the way this narrative is been spun by Michael Duignan and Off the Ball that county players wont be playing championship matches with their clubs. There are to many cowboys coaching clubs in Meath and trust me, they don't have the welfare of the players in mind, they have one thing in mind and that is win at all costs and in fact place nearly all the pressure on one or two individuals coming back from a county team to most if not all the spade work. The same people giving out now that the Meath team are back training are the same people that will be first in line to cut the legs off the management and players for not beating Dublin or whoever and top of there list of complaints will be fitness and being off the mark etc. There is an imbalance between county and club but that is in no way the county managers or players fault. That is the GAA headquarters fault for having a Club and County season that both stretch for ten to twelve months where players are trying to keep two masters happy. The only thing that will solve this is when there is a fair and equal program of games drawn up from scratch for both club and county with little to no overlap and players can concentrate on one team at a time."
Quirke seems to have had a really good approach in Laois with the county manager getting club managers on board and raising their standard to facilitate all players with the county players staying with their club until championship is over and only then going in to county training
Replying To BigJoe14: "Has anyone got any concrete proof that God forbid the county footballers are training or are people happy to believe rumour and lies? If anyone was breaking any rules it was in fact club teams that were back training in groups much bigger than fifteen in public parks and GAA pitches two weeks before the GAA were granting them permission to train. Why was there not the same commotion over that like there is now for some county teams 'supposedly' back training? If anything, if the lads are in fact training, they are doing most clubs a favour by giving the players the best possible care (injury prevention work, conditioning) something that some clubs would not know the first thing about. You would sware from the way this narrative is been spun by Michael Duignan and Off the Ball that county players wont be playing championship matches with their clubs. There are to many cowboys coaching clubs in Meath and trust me, they don't have the welfare of the players in mind, they have one thing in mind and that is win at all costs and in fact place nearly all the pressure on one or two individuals coming back from a county team to most if not all the spade work. The same people giving out now that the Meath team are back training are the same people that will be first in line to cut the legs off the management and players for not beating Dublin or whoever and top of there list of complaints will be fitness and being off the mark etc. There is an imbalance between county and club but that is in no way the county managers or players fault. That is the GAA headquarters fault for having a Club and County season that both stretch for ten to twelve months where players are trying to keep two masters happy. The only thing that will solve this is when there is a fair and equal program of games drawn up from scratch for both club and county with little to no overlap and players can concentrate on one team at a time."
What proof do you want, how many people have posted that they were seen. Never mind GAA rules being broken, the law was broken or has that slipped by you, why are you on about clubs. 1700 people died or are you aware of this. Clearly you haven't been effected by this but lots have. Cop yourself on.
Replying To BigJoe14: "Has anyone got any concrete proof that God forbid the county footballers are training or are people happy to believe rumour and lies? If anyone was breaking any rules it was in fact club teams that were back training in groups much bigger than fifteen in public parks and GAA pitches two weeks before the GAA were granting them permission to train. Why was there not the same commotion over that like there is now for some county teams 'supposedly' back training? If anything, if the lads are in fact training, they are doing most clubs a favour by giving the players the best possible care (injury prevention work, conditioning) something that some clubs would not know the first thing about. You would sware from the way this narrative is been spun by Michael Duignan and Off the Ball that county players wont be playing championship matches with their clubs. There are to many cowboys coaching clubs in Meath and trust me, they don't have the welfare of the players in mind, they have one thing in mind and that is win at all costs and in fact place nearly all the pressure on one or two individuals coming back from a county team to most if not all the spade work. The same people giving out now that the Meath team are back training are the same people that will be first in line to cut the legs off the management and players for not beating Dublin or whoever and top of there list of complaints will be fitness and being off the mark etc. There is an imbalance between county and club but that is in no way the county managers or players fault. That is the GAA headquarters fault for having a Club and County season that both stretch for ten to twelve months where players are trying to keep two masters happy. The only thing that will solve this is when there is a fair and equal program of games drawn up from scratch for both club and county with little to no overlap and players can concentrate on one team at a time."
BigJoe , you must be sleeping under a rock or living in a deep cave. The Meath county lads have been out for the last 3 weeks. I see them with my own eyes and the clubs have not had the lads for training. Every club is the same . Anyhow latest GAA sanctions probably put a stop to it now from this weekend on. Good job to. Next 11 weeks should be the club and nothing else.
The whole thing is a DISGRACE - we in clubs have been assisting our local communities over the last couple of months. Some of us know of people that have suffered from COVID some know people who lost someone to COVID 19. Me myself I struggle to knowing how we have all taken care of ourselves our families our friends by doing what has been asked of us by the Government - HSE. It is a brave move for all getting back but one with all the clubs safety measures and each person been careful we all hope we will not become victims of COVID in our clubs. Causing stress, on clubs and families. When we all are doing what is asked of us and you have this week the talk of County teams training. Clubs, fulfilling all COVID regulations (inputting safety measures) all at a cost. 3 months ago nobody thought there would be any sport.
So move on 3 months -
Back to work with caution no sharing offices, no eating facilities, staggered times to enter and leave buildings, no gathering, meetings to be held by Zoom and no carpooling. Back to play training physical, arrive to GAA grounds dogged out, no toilet facilities, no dressing rooms and no hanging about before or after training. Complete ELearning COVID training - fill in Health Declaration before training - respect what is asked of you by Committees - COVID Supervisor - Mentors and your Team mates. By protecting and keeping yourself safe you keep others safe.
The joys of getting back - good for body and mind - good for all to be out enjoying.
The GAA roadmap - County fixtures - Club Fixtures - when to resume training and fixtures list. All pushed into a very short window. The Club the victim - The Player the victim (THE DUAL PLAYER THING OF THE PAST) . Now we hear the County lads are training YES THEY ARE --- YES THEY HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES -- We all aim to play for our County the dream. But do you know what, at this point in time my respect for COUNTY AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNTY BOARD is lost. I have given my time to County and Club and I am disgusted with the carry on this week at County Board level. Some clubs are lucky that what the County is doing doesn't affect them but for some clubs it is effecting them HUGELY. It is destroying firstly families - friendships and causing serious stress. In the times we are in this is A DISGRACE.
This is MEATH FOOTBALL - they have a road map - they have a plan - they are ADHERING TO NOTHING that is asked of them that was set out by the GAA ROADMAP. Clubs and Players are but not our COUNTY TEAMS. Every County should have a MICHAEL DIGNAN .
I would say to Managers - Teams that are losing players commitment to their clubs to move on. Keep your Clubs - Your Players - Members - safe and park what you know is happening and focus on what you have because if the man above knows HONEST ----THE CLUB WILL SHINE our COUNTY WILL NOT.
To County Board Officials that is each and every one of you look at who is available to clubs for every game they play and note THAT you the COUNTY BOARD have caused lads to make choices and families and friendships to be hurt.
14th Sept is your date and not before - There should maybe no County for 2020 and honour the work and commitment of the CLUBS after all they have given to the County during COVID. All I was doing Saturday afternoon was going to do my family shopping and I meet a former County person and we got talking about all the different conversations and post during the week and about both our clubs resumption to training and fixtures. I was sickened when he shared the depth of the County football training. I left him went on with what I planned to do and put on my mask and looked around me at the severity of what I was among. People with masks and gloves on minding themselves because of this VIRUS and I said isn't it sad some groups or people have learned nothing from the last couple of months.
These guys have been training 4 -5 days a week for the last few years. Its part of their normal life I for 1 have nothing against them meeting up and training in groups, am sure they are following the guidelines. I think the issue is everybody knows that its happening and the clubs aren't getting access to their players until a few weeks before championship. The county board have to step up and actually back the clubs on this one