National Forum

Wexford Club Championships

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To tearintom:  "So Phillip Wallace must be telling fibs so, i mean the overwhelming evidence on here would suggest so.... lol"
Only 26 clubs even bothered to answer Phillip. There in lies the problem. And from reading Pikemans earlier post his club might have told Phillip they didn't balance training 50/50 when in fact they do at least up until u12s. Apparently Martins are putting more effort into hurling at adult, but a Martins clubman told me that isn't the case at underage. I would like to know who, apart from the one code clubs, isn't putting 50/50 into underage, especially at u6, u8, u10 and u12 which are the formative age groups. Can you name any? Who were the clubs that told Phillip they didn't?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 31/03/2023 14:32:04    2467998

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "How would you monitor if there's a 50-50 split? You'd probably have to have an outside observer at every single training session, with a stopwatch and clipboard.

Leave it to clubs to fill out a form or do up an Excel sheet to show that they operate on a 50-50 basis, and there'd be all sorts of scope for getting "creative"....."
We do alternate sessions with the u12s. In a typical week 1 hurling and 1 football, with an alternating match every week. Football 1 week, hurling the next. We are considering changing the training to suit the upcoming match though, so 2 football before the football match and 2 hurling before the hurling one. We are likely to go with this once the matches actually start.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 31/03/2023 14:35:03    2467999

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Only 26 clubs even bothered to answer Phillip. There in lies the problem. And from reading Pikemans earlier post his club might have told Phillip they didn't balance training 50/50 when in fact they do at least up until u12s. Apparently Martins are putting more effort into hurling at adult, but a Martins clubman told me that isn't the case at underage. I would like to know who, apart from the one code clubs, isn't putting 50/50 into underage, especially at u6, u8, u10 and u12 which are the formative age groups. Can you name any? Who were the clubs that told Phillip they didn't?"
You do realise underage goes above u12??

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1337 - 31/03/2023 15:41:51    2468017

Link

Replying To tearintom:  "You do realise underage goes above u12??"
I do. All the clubs I named do 50/50 at u14 and u16 also. Pikemans apparently doesn't. The big clubs like Shels, Barntown, Gorey, and Martins would have enough lads to have seperate football and hurling teams if they wanted. There's certainly a Shels lad who uses the same gym as me who doesn't hurl at all. We had one adult player last year who didn't hurl but is hurling this year. All the lads play football. So this year all are playing both. Who are the supposedly dual clubs who actually are hurling 1st and only paying lip service to football? You still haven't named even one, which is bizarre seeing as you think it's the majority of Wexford clubs!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 31/03/2023 17:19:48    2468039

Link

Tom, you are starting to resemble Abe Simpson "old man yelling at cloud".

You are proposing problem after problem and attacking people who are probably doing something for the game in the county. Viking already said he hasn't experience above u12, maybe his fellas are younger than 12?

I read back through your post and I can't see even 1 proposal from you, other than finger pointing and problem finding. Starting from the very obvious statement that you can't just make force people or clubs to play football, what are you proposing to do about the game, or what did you propose the other night at that meeting you were at? Sort the split season and all is hunky dory?

We give football as good a chance as hurling in our club at underage, but if you ask the children even they prefer playing hurling bar about 5-6 of them yet they do play football because, well, its a game. What do you propose we do about that? Is that our fault? Is it the children's fault who don't get to experience the big days in Wexford football from the noughties? Why did Wexford football people not make hay while the sun shined when Matty Forde and co were at the top?

I just don't get what it is that you think is the problem, bar the split season? I know from my Dublin hurling days, you can't make anybody love anything or anybody.

What I am saying here, is you can write another 100 pages of messages but I doubt there is an answer.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 31/03/2023 17:35:10    2468041

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Tom, you are starting to resemble Abe Simpson "old man yelling at cloud".

You are proposing problem after problem and attacking people who are probably doing something for the game in the county. Viking already said he hasn't experience above u12, maybe his fellas are younger than 12?

I read back through your post and I can't see even 1 proposal from you, other than finger pointing and problem finding. Starting from the very obvious statement that you can't just make force people or clubs to play football, what are you proposing to do about the game, or what did you propose the other night at that meeting you were at? Sort the split season and all is hunky dory?

We give football as good a chance as hurling in our club at underage, but if you ask the children even they prefer playing hurling bar about 5-6 of them yet they do play football because, well, its a game. What do you propose we do about that? Is that our fault? Is it the children's fault who don't get to experience the big days in Wexford football from the noughties? Why did Wexford football people not make hay while the sun shined when Matty Forde and co were at the top?

I just don't get what it is that you think is the problem, bar the split season? I know from my Dublin hurling days, you can't make anybody love anything or anybody.

What I am saying here, is you can write another 100 pages of messages but I doubt there is an answer."
Yes Viking has said plenty, along with basically saying the following.

"Must actually be a very small minority not the huge majority people on this seem to be panicking over!"

Basically saying its must be all rubbish so yeah i called that out. Youre here now basically saying football people need to do more (which is true) so when people like Phillip Wallace does something so you seem ok with it basically being called rubbish on the basis of someones experience up to u12? In his last post hes still questioning the validity of it claiming im the one saying its the majority!!!

Im reading the bloody report not claiming anything, its there in black and white and obviously the report didnt name any clubs, why would they do that but hey heres a list of clubs up to u12 where im fairly sure they do it 50:50 so it must be rubbish!

This is the frustration, even when people do go off and do something its rubbished.

And if youve read my posts and havent seen 1 proposal then you havent read my posts.

And theres plenty to do, ive taken it off my own bat to contact clubs askign why this year they havent put a team in the football league for the 1st time ever, those that answered cited the distance between league and championship hence my talking about the split season being an issue in that respect. Since the meeting i now have another list of clubs that im going through to ask can they put one person forward to attend one further meeting that would be interested in promoting football more.

But hey already on the thread ive been accused more or less of lying about what ive dont so no doubt this will be questioned also along with the report Phillp Wallace done.

So you see the issue, "football people need to go off and do more" and "what are you doing about it?" yet when they do its just rubbished and questioned.

And youre right you cant force people, football will always be second fiddle and as someone who is dual to begin with im actually fine with that but as Micheal Martin said at the football review meeting we are at a critical stage when it comes to football with a real chance of it dying away completely. Its a case at the moment of ensuring it doesnt simply die completely because thats a real possibility, perhaps people are happy with that and the more i see comments on it on here i wonder?

What would you have done in your former days if there was a real chance of Dublin hurling dying away completely?

Its a long road back, the level of coaching particularly underage has to improve, the 1st part in that is as ive said above getting at least 1 person from each club to commit to helping out in that and to ascertain what they need, that then improves standards, that then over years gives youths the same or close opportunity for success with the big ball as the small ball.

Is that long road, god yeah, its even longer when you get rubbished for even bothering in the 1st place

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1337 - 01/04/2023 10:20:06    2468085

Link

Replying To tearintom:  "Yes Viking has said plenty, along with basically saying the following.

"Must actually be a very small minority not the huge majority people on this seem to be panicking over!"

Basically saying its must be all rubbish so yeah i called that out. Youre here now basically saying football people need to do more (which is true) so when people like Phillip Wallace does something so you seem ok with it basically being called rubbish on the basis of someones experience up to u12? In his last post hes still questioning the validity of it claiming im the one saying its the majority!!!

Im reading the bloody report not claiming anything, its there in black and white and obviously the report didnt name any clubs, why would they do that but hey heres a list of clubs up to u12 where im fairly sure they do it 50:50 so it must be rubbish!

This is the frustration, even when people do go off and do something its rubbished.

And if youve read my posts and havent seen 1 proposal then you havent read my posts.

And theres plenty to do, ive taken it off my own bat to contact clubs askign why this year they havent put a team in the football league for the 1st time ever, those that answered cited the distance between league and championship hence my talking about the split season being an issue in that respect. Since the meeting i now have another list of clubs that im going through to ask can they put one person forward to attend one further meeting that would be interested in promoting football more.

But hey already on the thread ive been accused more or less of lying about what ive dont so no doubt this will be questioned also along with the report Phillp Wallace done.

So you see the issue, "football people need to go off and do more" and "what are you doing about it?" yet when they do its just rubbished and questioned.

And youre right you cant force people, football will always be second fiddle and as someone who is dual to begin with im actually fine with that but as Micheal Martin said at the football review meeting we are at a critical stage when it comes to football with a real chance of it dying away completely. Its a case at the moment of ensuring it doesnt simply die completely because thats a real possibility, perhaps people are happy with that and the more i see comments on it on here i wonder?

What would you have done in your former days if there was a real chance of Dublin hurling dying away completely?

Its a long road back, the level of coaching particularly underage has to improve, the 1st part in that is as ive said above getting at least 1 person from each club to commit to helping out in that and to ascertain what they need, that then improves standards, that then over years gives youths the same or close opportunity for success with the big ball as the small ball.

Is that long road, god yeah, its even longer when you get rubbished for even bothering in the 1st place"
Hold on there Tom I've agreed with you that the standard of underage coaching in clubs leaves alot to be desired. For both hurling and football. I proposed a few full time coaches to spend time with every clubs u10s, u12s and u14s. As much to show coaches some stuff as the players.
I'm not calling anyone a liar. But in my, admittedly limited , experience most clubs around here in the New Ross District primarily but other clubs nearby in Wexford District, football and hurling training is split pretty much 50/50. That's with my own 2 eyes and ears on the ground. Not at some meeting in Wexford Park or some survey sent out around clubs whose committee members probably have very limited experience of their own clubs underage coaching, never mind that of other clubs. Most club committee men are administrators by nature, not underage coaches. Secretaries, Treasurers, CPOs, etc etc.
Core issues that need to be tackled is the promoting of the games in National Schools, which I'm active on the grass doing, promoting the 2 games equally in the clubs, which I'm also active in. Funding for the club, which I am also active in selling signage to local businesses so the club has the necessary infrastructure to promote the games. At a county wide level, full-time, well actually part-time, professional coaches, as they will only be doing a couple of hours of an evening Monday to Friday, are desperately needed for both codes to raise the standard of underage coaching generally in the clubs. A dozen lads being paid for 15 hours a week 8 months of the year could achieve so much in this regard. It shouldn't cost that much. Most of us are enthusiastic parents, with very little experience of playing the games at a high level, especially, ironically considering what we are discussing now, hurling.
Personally I prefer watching hurling, although I'm better at coaching football in many ways as I never hurled as a child so I'm learning the basic skills at the same time as my kids. My eldest son used to prefer football but as his hurling has got better he is probably 50/50 in his preferences. The best 8 or 9 lads in his age group at both codes all prefer hurling though they are also the best 8 or 9 footballers also. Short of us stopping hurling training altogether how do you propose we change this?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 01/04/2023 11:57:54    2468103

Link

But maybe you're right Exiled, maybe there isn't an answer, maybe we should just let the game die away altogether, the more I read and listen the more I think the very essence of the report on the state of football in the county couldn't be more apt "what's the point"

People get criticised for not getting up and doing something about it and get criticised when they do.

Maybe we should just shut up and let one of our sporting traditions die altogether, genuinely the more I get into it the more I think this could be the ultimate scenario.

Anyway maybe I should say no more on it.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1337 - 01/04/2023 11:59:56    2468104

Link

Replying To tearintom:  "Yes Viking has said plenty, along with basically saying the following.

"Must actually be a very small minority not the huge majority people on this seem to be panicking over!"

Basically saying its must be all rubbish so yeah i called that out. Youre here now basically saying football people need to do more (which is true) so when people like Phillip Wallace does something so you seem ok with it basically being called rubbish on the basis of someones experience up to u12? In his last post hes still questioning the validity of it claiming im the one saying its the majority!!!

Im reading the bloody report not claiming anything, its there in black and white and obviously the report didnt name any clubs, why would they do that but hey heres a list of clubs up to u12 where im fairly sure they do it 50:50 so it must be rubbish!

This is the frustration, even when people do go off and do something its rubbished.

And if youve read my posts and havent seen 1 proposal then you havent read my posts.

And theres plenty to do, ive taken it off my own bat to contact clubs askign why this year they havent put a team in the football league for the 1st time ever, those that answered cited the distance between league and championship hence my talking about the split season being an issue in that respect. Since the meeting i now have another list of clubs that im going through to ask can they put one person forward to attend one further meeting that would be interested in promoting football more.

But hey already on the thread ive been accused more or less of lying about what ive dont so no doubt this will be questioned also along with the report Phillp Wallace done.

So you see the issue, "football people need to go off and do more" and "what are you doing about it?" yet when they do its just rubbished and questioned.

And youre right you cant force people, football will always be second fiddle and as someone who is dual to begin with im actually fine with that but as Micheal Martin said at the football review meeting we are at a critical stage when it comes to football with a real chance of it dying away completely. Its a case at the moment of ensuring it doesnt simply die completely because thats a real possibility, perhaps people are happy with that and the more i see comments on it on here i wonder?

What would you have done in your former days if there was a real chance of Dublin hurling dying away completely?

Its a long road back, the level of coaching particularly underage has to improve, the 1st part in that is as ive said above getting at least 1 person from each club to commit to helping out in that and to ascertain what they need, that then improves standards, that then over years gives youths the same or close opportunity for success with the big ball as the small ball.

Is that long road, god yeah, its even longer when you get rubbished for even bothering in the 1st place"
Hold on there Tom I've agreed with you that the standard of underage coaching in clubs leaves alot to be desired. For both hurling and football. I proposed a few full time coaches to spend time with every clubs u10s, u12s and u14s. As much to show coaches some stuff as the players.
I'm not calling anyone a liar. But in my, admittedly limited , experience most clubs around here in the New Ross District primarily but other clubs nearby in Wexford District, football and hurling training is split pretty much 50/50. That's with my own 2 eyes and ears on the ground. Not at some meeting in Wexford Park or some survey sent out around clubs whose committee members probably have very limited experience of their own clubs underage coaching, never mind that of other clubs. Most club committee men are administrators by nature, not underage coaches. Secretaries, Treasurers, CPOs, etc etc.
Core issues that need to be tackled is the promoting of the games in National Schools, which I'm active on the grass doing, promoting the 2 games equally in the clubs, which I'm also active in. Funding for the club, which I am also active in selling signage to local businesses so the club has the necessary infrastructure to promote the games. At a county wide level, full-time, well actually part-time, professional coaches, as they will only be doing a couple of hours of an evening Monday to Friday, are desperately needed for both codes to raise the standard of underage coaching generally in the clubs. A dozen lads being paid for 15 hours a week 8 months of the year could achieve so much in this regard. It shouldn't cost that much. Most of us are enthusiastic parents, with very little experience of playing the games at a high level, especially, ironically considering what we are discussing now, hurling.
Personally I prefer watching hurling, although I'm better at coaching football in many ways as I never hurled as a child so I'm learning the basic skills at the same time as my kids. My eldest son used to prefer football but as his hurling has got better he is probably 50/50 in his preferences. The best 8 or 9 lads in his age group at both codes all prefer hurling though they are also the best 8 or 9 footballers also. Short of us stopping hurling training altogether how do you propose we change this?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 01/04/2023 12:00:21    2468105

Link

Tom if you don't think there was never a risk of Dublin hurling dying off then you have absolutely NO idea what it was like on the ground in Dublin hurling in the 80's and 90's. The only think that kept the ship afloat was the goodness and hard work of clubs and the people within them. There was no support whatsoever from the county board and the game was a nuisance for them. The only hope was if a county board chairman might be elected who might show the game a token support, but others viewed hurling as a waste of timber better placed on a fire.

Re Wexford football, I still don't see your concrete measures. I also still maintain that the clubs need to up their game, and in particular those clubs with a tradition in football like the New Ross districts. This is the only way back for football in Wexford, and it isn't impossible.

You talk about teams not entering a league team like that is problem #1, problem #1 is the poor coaching which has happened for 10+ years. Split seasons, league teams, are all excuses and pointing elsewhere.

Finger pointing and blaming has to end, it serves no purpose and when relying on volunteers to drive the games you need to keep them on side and improve them, or else you will still be here in another 10 years blaming something else.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 02/04/2023 19:45:34    2468377

Link

Right, just throwing this out there as well (and hope Tom doesn't take it personally!), but have done some digging to see just how much merit there might be to the claim that the gap between the league and championship is the main reason for some clubs not to enter the football league.

60 teams make up the football championships from Senior down to Junior 'A' (five grades of 12 each), and there are 49 teams competing in this year's League. So obviously, there are 11 missing.

The high-profile ones are Bunclody and Fethard from senior championship/Premier Division of league. Bunclody remains a controversial one. Fethard is largely because they were playing championship football into January of this year anyway, and so are now basically taking the break that others had between October & February.

The other nine missing this year, in alphabetical order:
Blackwater
Buffers Alley
Clongeen - have entered their first team (Intermediate) but not their second (Junior 'A')
Davidstown/Courtnacuddy
Glynn/Barntown - have entered their first and second teams (Senior & Intermediate 'A') but not their third (Junior 'A')
Oulart/The Ballagh
Oylegate/Glenbrien
Shamrocks
St. Martin's - have entered their first team (Intermediate) but not their second (Junior)

Personally, am not convinced that the gap between League and Championship is the main reason why a club like Buffers Alley or Shamrocks haven't entered the Football League.

But either way, here's where it gets interesting. Back in 2019 (last year before the split season, so that couldn't be used as an excuse or a reason), SEVEN of those nine above didn't enter the Football League then either. In fairness to Oulart/The Ballagh, they couldn't have entered then, but that still leaves six out of eight who could have entered then but chose not to.

The only two who entered then but who haven't entered now are Blackwater and the Clongeen second team.
So in fairness, apart from Bunclody's high-profile and controversial decision, they're the only ones able to use the "gap between League and Championship" thing as a genuine reason. I'd suggest anyone else putting it forward is just using it as an excuse.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2246 - 03/04/2023 16:29:36    2468607

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "Right, just throwing this out there as well (and hope Tom doesn't take it personally!), but have done some digging to see just how much merit there might be to the claim that the gap between the league and championship is the main reason for some clubs not to enter the football league.

60 teams make up the football championships from Senior down to Junior 'A' (five grades of 12 each), and there are 49 teams competing in this year's League. So obviously, there are 11 missing.

The high-profile ones are Bunclody and Fethard from senior championship/Premier Division of league. Bunclody remains a controversial one. Fethard is largely because they were playing championship football into January of this year anyway, and so are now basically taking the break that others had between October & February.

The other nine missing this year, in alphabetical order:
Blackwater
Buffers Alley
Clongeen - have entered their first team (Intermediate) but not their second (Junior 'A')
Davidstown/Courtnacuddy
Glynn/Barntown - have entered their first and second teams (Senior & Intermediate 'A') but not their third (Junior 'A')
Oulart/The Ballagh
Oylegate/Glenbrien
Shamrocks
St. Martin's - have entered their first team (Intermediate) but not their second (Junior)

Personally, am not convinced that the gap between League and Championship is the main reason why a club like Buffers Alley or Shamrocks haven't entered the Football League.

But either way, here's where it gets interesting. Back in 2019 (last year before the split season, so that couldn't be used as an excuse or a reason), SEVEN of those nine above didn't enter the Football League then either. In fairness to Oulart/The Ballagh, they couldn't have entered then, but that still leaves six out of eight who could have entered then but chose not to.

The only two who entered then but who haven't entered now are Blackwater and the Clongeen second team.
So in fairness, apart from Bunclody's high-profile and controversial decision, they're the only ones able to use the "gap between League and Championship" thing as a genuine reason. I'd suggest anyone else putting it forward is just using it as an excuse."
Isn't it perfectly reasonable that at this time of year a club that has multiple teams might not enter one due to player numbers being down at this time of year, with school and college exams being revised for, and lads gone travelling for the winter?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 03/04/2023 17:23:17    2468622

Link

@Viking - Exactly. In the case of Glynn/Barntown, for example, is probably difficult to round up between 50 and 60 lads to field three football teams at this time of year. But they've still entered two teams.

Would have thought St. Martin's might enter two as well, but they've only entered one since the days back before Covid or split season, so the split season and the consequent long gap can hardly be held up as the reason for them not to enter both this year.

Overall, and with just those couple of exceptions outlined above, my firm conclusion is that "we didn't enter the Football League because of the long gap between League and Championship" is just a convenient excuse rather than a genuine reason.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2246 - 03/04/2023 18:42:09    2468649

Link

Something new in relation to all this. I see a fairly well-known "football man" from one of the Wexford town football clubs giving out on Twitter about how there are three rounds of the football league played, but he says "not a minute's training done", because (and here are those words again) "what's the point?"

Anthony Masterson has picked him up on it, asking why wouldn't you train, for the sake of fitness/exercise/camaraderie if nothing else. Again, the reply was along the lines of "what's the point?".

Surely this is a woeful reflection on the man's own club, looking to make excuses? Compare it to my own, which as I've said before, is primarily regarded as a hurling club at adult level. We're going fairly well in the football league, and we've had one full football training session a week since the end of February. And despite what the Wexford town man says about "hard to get lads to train while the soccer is still going on", we have lots of lads who play soccer with the local club too. It doesn't stop them from training for football or hurling on a different night.

As I've also said before, our football trajectory has been going upwards since the split season was introduced. On the other hand, the trajectories of that other man's club and the Wexford town clubs in general have been stagnant at best, or else downwards.

So, again - just using the league/championship split as a handy excuse, instead of asking "what are we in the club doing wrong, and what could we be doing better?"

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2246 - 06/04/2023 10:24:24    2469201

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "Something new in relation to all this. I see a fairly well-known "football man" from one of the Wexford town football clubs giving out on Twitter about how there are three rounds of the football league played, but he says "not a minute's training done", because (and here are those words again) "what's the point?"

Anthony Masterson has picked him up on it, asking why wouldn't you train, for the sake of fitness/exercise/camaraderie if nothing else. Again, the reply was along the lines of "what's the point?".

Surely this is a woeful reflection on the man's own club, looking to make excuses? Compare it to my own, which as I've said before, is primarily regarded as a hurling club at adult level. We're going fairly well in the football league, and we've had one full football training session a week since the end of February. And despite what the Wexford town man says about "hard to get lads to train while the soccer is still going on", we have lots of lads who play soccer with the local club too. It doesn't stop them from training for football or hurling on a different night.

As I've also said before, our football trajectory has been going upwards since the split season was introduced. On the other hand, the trajectories of that other man's club and the Wexford town clubs in general have been stagnant at best, or else downwards.

So, again - just using the league/championship split as a handy excuse, instead of asking "what are we in the club doing wrong, and what could we be doing better?""
Agree 100%

It's mad how that the clubs who seem to be non-plussed by the league, to the extent that they don't even appear to be training, are clubs that aren't exactly pulling up trees in terms of success.

And that Wexford town man was a walking disaster in his last high profile gig. I'd pay no heed to what he says.

beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1417 - 06/04/2023 10:53:52    2469214

Link

I get why players don't like training in winter, it is not fun but then again I remember way back when in the 80's/90's going back in Jan but we loved the training to get rid of the Christmas excess, have a bit of craic and to get out to something a couple of nights a week. When the clocks changed, the real hurling training started. We always went down to play a Kilkenny club in April wanted to at least be fit and our touch coming on.
I know I'm wax lyrical and it wasn't as glam as I make it out, but given how much training methods have improved why don't players want to train and play county league? Its a perfect championship warm up at the right time of year, no?

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 06/04/2023 11:17:05    2469220

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "Something new in relation to all this. I see a fairly well-known "football man" from one of the Wexford town football clubs giving out on Twitter about how there are three rounds of the football league played, but he says "not a minute's training done", because (and here are those words again) "what's the point?"

Anthony Masterson has picked him up on it, asking why wouldn't you train, for the sake of fitness/exercise/camaraderie if nothing else. Again, the reply was along the lines of "what's the point?".

Surely this is a woeful reflection on the man's own club, looking to make excuses? Compare it to my own, which as I've said before, is primarily regarded as a hurling club at adult level. We're going fairly well in the football league, and we've had one full football training session a week since the end of February. And despite what the Wexford town man says about "hard to get lads to train while the soccer is still going on", we have lots of lads who play soccer with the local club too. It doesn't stop them from training for football or hurling on a different night.

As I've also said before, our football trajectory has been going upwards since the split season was introduced. On the other hand, the trajectories of that other man's club and the Wexford town clubs in general have been stagnant at best, or else downwards.

So, again - just using the league/championship split as a handy excuse, instead of asking "what are we in the club doing wrong, and what could we be doing better?""
I agree with you on it, 1 difference in dynamic to be fair is the majority of players with that club don't play hurling at all to the best of my knowledge where as most clubs have 10-12 players who start on both their hurling and football 1st teams so training would be full swing regardless of the year's schedule.

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1716 - 06/04/2023 11:25:41    2469229

Link

Replying To beano:  "Agree 100%

It's mad how that the clubs who seem to be non-plussed by the league, to the extent that they don't even appear to be training, are clubs that aren't exactly pulling up trees in terms of success.

And that Wexford town man was a walking disaster in his last high profile gig. I'd pay no heed to what he says."
Hard to be successful if you aren't putting in the time on the training pitch.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11847 - 06/04/2023 11:28:58    2469233

Link

Bunclody and Fethard seem to be the clubs who have disregarded the league completely, guessing the rationale is Fethard are easing their way back as their season extended into early January rather than ending in October like most clubs and Bunclody where they are geographically have decided to stick with challenge games against clubs from Carlow, Wicklow, Kilkenny etc.?

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1716 - 06/04/2023 12:14:04    2469243

Link

Replying To TerribleFootwork:  "I agree with you on it, 1 difference in dynamic to be fair is the majority of players with that club don't play hurling at all to the best of my knowledge where as most clubs have 10-12 players who start on both their hurling and football 1st teams so training would be full swing regardless of the year's schedule."
I'd go so far as suggest that a football club where the majority of players don't hurl could or even should actually be benefitted by the split season.

They can train once a week and put in the groundwork in the league at this time of year, like many other clubs are doing.

Then during June/July/early August, when they don't have the "distraction" of hurling like dual clubs do, they can continue to concentrate 100% on football, and play regular practice matches against football clubs from other counties.

By the time the football championship comes round, they should be the best prepared of all to really make a challenge for whatever title they're aiming for.

But no. Too easy to say "what's the point?", blame others, and not get their own house in order.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2246 - 06/04/2023 12:26:15    2469246

Link