I heard that Mayo is not putting out a team in the U21's next season. Does anyone know why or what happened. If it's true it looks like a backward step for football in Mayo.
I have scattered my dreams underneath your feet, tread carefully, cos it's my dreams you walk on.
A big kick in the teeth for the Genesis Report as well if true - certainly not going to find eight new league teams if teams are pulling out of competitions rather than entering them (the Kerry League withdrew from the League Cup last season as well.)
Originally Posted by Redzer
I heard that Mayo is not putting out a team in the U21's next season. Does anyone know why or what happened. If it's true it looks like a backward step for football in Mayo.
I'd have a gawk at the Mayo junior Soccer thread on this forum for the answer to that. It's getting so heated in there I'm off to antartica, and this time it's nothing to do with me!
That would be the Junior League forum, sorry Redzer.
That's terrible news about Mayo and Kerry. Mayo has a number of clubs with great facilities and a great Junior League.
Why did they pull out????
I believe the Kerry League got big crowds in Mounthawk Park too so why did they leave also???
Is it too costly for them or was there difficulty getting players from clubs to train together etc???
Anyone know??
Every county now has at least one good ground. many with good floodlights, stands etc. The FAI should help to subsidise areas such as Mayo, Kerry, Inishowen, Roscommon etc - even if it's only part financed. Maybe the Government can be asked to help with this financial support - it's spreading the game's popularity, isn't it?
Think of the benefits.
Junior players are getting experience of playing against higher quality teams and players (hopefully) - helps to get rid of some of the bad footballing habits in Junior football (and the players can carry these new ideas back to their Junior scene), open up an Eircom League career for some. etc etc Look at the number of Kerry chaps that joined Limerick!
Up and coming players with potential can be spotted......even if it's for the FAI Junior international team.
Leagues have greater incentive to improve at least one good ground for these games - bound to help attract Government funding.
Leagues are helped to promote themselves in local and national media and attract more sponsorship and DEDICATED adult players........less slippage to other sports.
Coaching can be attached to these teams with a connection to the various FAI schools of excellence.
Helps build up closer relationships with Eircom League clubs in loads of ways - managers, coaches, officials etc etc. I mean, if they never meet up, never get to know each other, then, how can they work together???
I think Meath are considering joining, aren't they?? They should be in it. Fantastic facilities in MDL grounds in Navan.
South (and maybe North) Tipperary should also join or St. Michael's or Clonmel Town.
Waterford League? Would that affect Waterford Utd. Ditto Sligo-Leitrim?
What about the Wicklow, Donegal, AUL, Amateur Leagues, Kilkenny????
To really spread the game in so called non-traditional football areas, the FAI/eircom League must bite this bullet and at least begin a process in this area. There are not that many towns around with a big industrial base to finance many more club sides in u-21. Tullamore are in but the town has suffered loss of businesses, two clubs in Mullingar doesn't help either. Portlaoise FC has a good set up in Rossleighan Park - what about them?? Also, Carlow, Cavan and so on.
Kildare County have the right idea, playing their u-21 games in various venues throughout the county - Castledermott, Kildare Town etc
What do you folks think??
Last edited by hamish; 21/12/2005 at 12:02 AM.
Cost was the main reason behind Kerry's withdrawal, as far as I know.
That's awful PS.
This is a topic I'm absolutely passionate about. Apologies if I seem like I'm doing the "experienced" speil but, as a kid, I experienced the post 1966 soccer boom in this country and we all recall the Charlton era boom too.
I recall Beeslow playing in the old Midland League in the late 60s and early
70s and we were disappointed if we didn't get at least 1,200 for our home games. I also recall the excitement of Finn Harps as a Junior club when they won the FAI Junior Cup in Tolka Park with a Jimmy Barr goal. They were not getting huge crowds as a Junior club but look at the tradition they've built up in just over 30 years. Yeah, I know times are tough for them now but they have plans for a new ground and will come again.
So, in my home town and Harps and so many places we're talking unfulfilled potential.
There is so much fcuking potential that it would be a fcuking crime not to expand even the u-21 scene on a county or area basis.
It will take time for this to bed in but if, for example, the Meath League entered and only drew 200 for their home games........it's a start. I mean, they're a few Eircom League clubs getting fewer than 200.
Starting with 200, you can do a big PR job, free invites or cheap entry to schools for games (worked brilliantly in schools international football), competitions with prizes and all that goes with it.
An aggressive - and CONSISTENT - media policy is essential. There is nothing that p!sses the media off more than a club/league with a "now and again" PR strategy. Some days the press gets plenty of information. Then, far too often, the media has to chase officials to get even the most basic data - kick off times, names of players etc.
Every good club should have a website.........not hard to do.......so many kids are computer literate now that, with a little financial backing, there can be a good, updated website which will also help the media without there having to be a barrage of faxes, phone calls (although this should be done anyway by clubs/leagues)
It doesn't require genius to have a good PR policy - just hard work and a couple of brain cells.
You gotta get in the local and national media's face, week in and week out, day in and day out if necessary.
Far, far too much of local footie crucifies itself by having a laissez fa ire attitude towards the media and all the good progress in so many areas just gets lost and ignored and we get so much negative sh!t as a result.
I find the potential and lack of drive in all of this from the FAI and affiliates so fcuking frustrating I often think that there is a subconscious death wish amongst so many officials.
An "aw, sure 'twill do" or "how can yeh do anything about that" attitude. I've actually heard that B.S. said by a number of people involved. It drives me - and drove me - fcuking mad.
The FAI should take their heads out of their holes, treat the Mayo and Kerry cases as top priority, go and meet the officials and clubs and solve this problem pronto. They should also be pushing, cajoling, financially incentivising many other leagues/areas as well (see above post) to get their butts off the ground and start getting involved.
We can't still rely ONLY on the brilliant clubs like Sligo, Cork, Derry and so on to keep the flag flying. New blood, new local derbies ( ie Sligo Rovers v Mayo County???, South Tipperary League v Waterford or Kilkenny City????), new players. It's all there - all waiting to be tapped and yet there appears to be no real vigor to really attack the problem. The FAI attitude towards the u-21 is something like that David Kelly scene in Fawlty Towers - "a lick of paint here, lick of paint there". They dab at the problem rather than analyse the whole scene, shake it up and produce a national plan.
Last edited by hamish; 20/12/2005 at 11:47 PM.
Feck it.....I can't stop now.
Example, not too many years ago Sligo Rovers were linking up with the likes of Tubbercurry and others to work together. Is that still going on??? Have Rovers checked out any of the FAI Junior Cup winner players in Westport United???
Eaxmple: Athlone Town used to link up with the Roscommon League and others. Is that going on?
Example: Does the Waterford League have good relations with Waterford United??
Example: I know that, seven years ago, that Kilkenny City seemed to have little to do with the Kilkenny Junior League and got little support from players in that league. Jim Rhatigan told me that. Question: Why?
Example:What about Longford Town and the Midland and Longford area clubs? What's happening there???
Example: I know that the Meath schools had Drogheda United parading the Cup there. Terrific and great work by Pol O hAolin (Paul Holland). What are the next steps there by both Drogheda, the Meath League and schools??
Example: Monaghan seem to be working hard building up under age and ladies football in the area. How much is the FAI helping if they're doing anything?
Examples:What about Dundalk, the Dublin clubs and others???
Anyone know???
I really will stop now.........the frustration with all this is killing me.
Last edited by hamish; 21/12/2005 at 12:04 AM.
I heard that Mayo is not putting out a team in the U21's next season. Does anyone know why or what happened. If it's true it looks like a backward step for football in Mayo.
The real reason mon ami is that Mayo's season runs parallel to the eircom league season and the Mayo league via its chairman, known as IL Duce tried to put in place a system where Mayo would have a ''designated squad''who were forced to play and train with the League team rather than their club while the eircom u 21 season was in progress,Eventually the clubs decided that they had enough and voted against future participation.
Thought about that too. I can see the club's problems allright but surely a solution could have been found. Could more Mayo League matches, involving the clubs who had selected players, not have been moved to evening, mid-week kick-offs to free up the weekends a bit?
Not an ideal solution but with a bit of goodwill and imagination, I'm sure a solution could have been arrived at.
The Inishowen League manage it, so there is definitely a way around that,
Finn Harps Dot Com
www.finnharps.com
Very true, harpskid
There are great people running the Inishowen League.
If they can do it, so can Mayo.
Regards to the development U-21 team yes I would have to agree with the sentiments that the one person who worked so hard in involving Mayo League was Pat Duffy and from the League Joe Butler who no longer is involved.
The decision to enter a U-21 team had to be supported and passed by the clubs at the time it was clear that no player would lose dual player status so it was accepted.
There no one stopping the Mayo League in putting a U-21 team into Eircom League or any club who feels they can afford to fund it.
You must remember The Mayo League is using funds that has been given by there clubs i.e. Club Affiliations and players Registration to fund the team Manager and the U-21
It’s my view that the league should have only 1 block vote the same as clubs on any issue regards to this one if the clubs don’t support it then you won’t be able to force the issue.
So were did it go wrong?
THE League is the source of the problem two years ago they were having problems with fielding teams because that were clashing with club games the offender at the time was Westport.
It’s my view the league wanted fixtures played on time Westport wanted its players for its games there was no compromise Westport were drag in to meeting got slap across the wrist the league could have applied Rule 35 and aloud Westport players to play for Mayo, and refix the fixtures.
I some time think the power base of players weren’t from a wider range of clubs or the lack of interest by some clubs
Regards to its Leadership the blame waves heavily on his shoulders as a leader he was only concerned in his own interest rather than clubs, as he stated at a recent club delegates meeting the letter that was directed towards the clubs regarding Rule 35 will be adhered to. His comments to that letter at the delegates meeting were null and void. Not the usual way to respond to letter that was not agreed to my clubs or the L.M.C. Or to force clubs that it had the right to take players as designated squad without agreement. Then went as far to tell Leo Tierney the league had been given permission that players were given first choice over there clubs as to which he Leo admitted at a recent club delegates meeting. He also stated that it had to be right from top to bottom; even he was now pointing the finger towards the top table
The negative is FAS is subject to any new Fas course being given to MileBush. I doubt it would apply to excising one. Tell me how many local players are involved in the FAS Program I doubt there are two many I think you have to be involved in a Eircom League Club please correct me if I am wrong but I doubt it.
Regards to The Regional Centre it has no bearing on the matter that is about the facilities at Milebush and its location. Mayo Football will always be a force with or without a U-21 TEAM. Its is an advantage to give up coming players a greater experience to play at higher level but the down side is we need to be winning these games not at the wrong end of the table.
Can we put it right?
We have Choices to make are we happy with the way the Mayo League chairman handle the whole affair? even his own members are not happy in his handling of the vote situation even Tom Kelly ask for a rethink which fell on deaf ears at the last delegate’s meeting J.De has publicly told one club he blames the top table. So before we start blaming our clubs the Mayo League needs to get its house in order. By starting to understand its rules and imply them properly
Can we get back on track the answer is yes
The Mayo League would need to forget about designated squad and have a broader base squad extent its season to December from September to allow players to play with there clubs they need to put a new blue print to working with clubs interest at heart. And forget any hidden agenda’s it may have.
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Renovator - I was afraid it was something like that.
And Mayo has such a great reputation as a progressive soccer county - hope they resolve their problems and leave petty politics out of it.
straight talk
Well I believe all is not lossed. You are right if M.L. can get back to bascis and give the clubs what they agreed to rather than what they think they want then I believe intervention is half way there. Failing that then El Duce should consider's his position as ChairmanRenovator - I was afraid it was something like that.
And Mayo has such a great reputation as a progressive soccer county - hope they resolve their problems and leave petty politics out of it.
INishowen league do no t play in a summer league.
straight talk
ur right if they had an El Duce he would f--ck it up
all hell would brake loose
but then again they don't have "all the
President men like we do"
straight talk
ur right if they had an El Duce he would f--ck it up
all hell would brake loose
but then again they don't have "all the
President men like we do"
straight talk-U-21
I did say this one would run and many people were critical of our clubs and they took a stance which they believed to be in the interests of football in Mayo even if it meant that there would be no U-21 team unless it had there approval, and not even Mr Quigley views good push the clubs into what he considered to be in the best interest of football in Mayo and it has finally come to a conclusion for everyone involved.
After eight Months one dismissal of Mayo league member Mr Fox Who now serves with the Mayo youth’s ‘not lost to football’ Mr Lally losses his position as manager because of his view’s were out spoken to the Mayo News his club may say different its a view that I would have because John Durkan who is secretary of the Mayo League would not hold the same opinion as Mr Lally regarding the U-21.
To night the clubs had its say and this was pass by 23 votes 2 against and 1 abstained
The meeting was represented by Pat Duffy U-21 officer he gave his views extends the season and explained the benefits the U-21s would be to players. He also stated it was a matter for clubs and the league on the availability of players.
The Chairman Mr Quigley failed to press his opinions once again to clubs.
With intervention from a former Chairman Donal Benson who had his own proposal
Passed by the clubs.
It reads Under 21 passed with extension of the League Season and allowing of a postponement for clubs with more than one player involved in Under 21.
The league will now start 12th March run to 31st October instead of 3rd April to 31st September.
Ps it could run to 31st December which is the end of the season that of course is a matter for the Mayo League.
I conclude that if the Mayo League listens to the comments made by Mr Fox and Mr Lally in the Mayo News, they were the same as what was passed to night by the clubs and would more than lightly still be involved respectfully.
Not too sure how great Kildare idea of going 'round the County is. Went to Bray game away (u-21) and went to 3 venues - miles apart-before finding right one. This was true of the Team bus too!
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