National Forum

Club Football At A Cross Roads

(Oldest Posts First)

Much has been said about Donegal club football,but it seems to be a Country wide trend that all club football is very defensive with players afraid to make mistakes,all more than likely instilled by managers afraid to make mistakes themselves.

Where is it all going?

ifindoubt (Donegal) - Posts: 133 - 22/11/2021 14:22:14    2390327

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Replying To ifindoubt:  "Much has been said about Donegal club football,but it seems to be a Country wide trend that all club football is very defensive with players afraid to make mistakes,all more than likely instilled by managers afraid to make mistakes themselves.

Where is it all going?"
The matches that were shown on the TV this weekend were not great, the Kerry semi final and the Dublin Final had both exciting finishes, both other then were not the best games. Didn't see the first half of the Dublin final, but usually games in the Dublin championship are of a fairly high quality, both maybe the final shows that the quality in Dublin is dropping a bit, hence why they didn't win Sam this year. I actually watched the Tipperary county final between Clonmel Commercials and Loughmore/Castleiney was a really enjoyable game, both teams went out to play and not as defensive as the other games on the TV. If you watch the winning goal, that Loughmore/Castleiney got from John McGrath it was everything that managers should encourage, put pressure on the man with the ball, hunt in packs, discipline tackling trying to tackle the ball. Then the composure on the ball, no rushed shots, giving it constantly to the man in the best position. Also, no taking the easy option of fisting it over the bar, which I'm sure a lot of these managers would have encouraged, instead going for the kill and going for the goal to win the game.

Also, the Leitrim county final was really enjoyable there was mistakes in both the Tipp final and Leitrim final, but that's because both teams went for it both these games and tried things. Both often club games in a county can be quite negative and defensive as a result of the pressure, often the provincials club football games are a lot better, and they club provincials are definitely way better then the provinces at county level.

CartaDubh (Clare) - Posts: 51 - 24/11/2021 09:37:54    2390535

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Unless you're seeing club football all over the country regularly, then it's a bit of sweeping statement.
I wouldn't agree with the opening post when it comes to Galway club football this year. The brand of football being played by most senior teams is better now than it was a few years ago. Teams have moved away from the slow build-up play.
Our last 3 county champions, Mountbellew, Moycullen and Corofin all play an attacking brand and are renowned for scoring plenty goals.
In this year's county final, Mountbellew pushed up on Corofin for most of the match and pinned them in their own half, rather than dropping deep and letting them come out with the ball.
This meant plenty contests for possession and pressure on the ball at all stages.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2037 - 24/11/2021 10:44:35    2390547

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Club managers trying copy what they see the county boys doing on TV. It's often counterproductive & not particularly enjoyable for the players in the long run.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 24/11/2021 10:49:56    2390551

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