A bit of a debate

Firstly lads, I notice that alot of my recent posting have a very angry tone (sorry baout that - I'll have to lighten up).

Anyway just a few things we can talk about.

1. Derry situ - everyone outside the club is calling me parnoid but did anyone read Gerry Kellys article in the programme, he had a special message for Derry representives on the el board of management - simple "people in glass houses". Now to me this proves that their representives are interferring with our club.

2. What did ye all think of Ciaran Quinn, personally for his first start up, I think he played excellenlty , added skill and high as well as speed upfront, he just has to stop[ pulling out of tackles.

3. Heres what I believe is a good debate raised in gerry Kellys article again. He asked the question if we are wasting our time with the Drogheda Boys link as it has been there for a number of years with no players coming through. Should the team cut the cost of the coaches etc and concentrat on the first team. This question includes the youth acadamy which was founded two years ago.

Drogheda Boys link up.
When Harry spoke at the members club meting he talked about his frustrations at the link up and how he believed it wasn't as strong as it should be.
The question is not do Drogheda United get the players coming through but why do other clubs get Drogheda Boys players coming through - if indeed they do ?

What exactly is the problem with Derry , apart from the fact that they are only 1 point ahead of us. Is it the we signed players that we couldn't afford - i.e. the old Financial Irregularites that we hear so much about in Football across the sea !

with the amount of youth tema s around why do we not see more young lads coming through? There are a number in the u21 and u18's but we should be like derry with most of the 1st team coming from the youths but its not, so are the club wasting their time and money (which could be spent elsewhere), lets face it, if we puull out of these youth schemes and just scout these teams instead, it would be a lot cheaper, as it stands we are not getting value for time and money.

Back to Derry.
They seem to be questioning the integrity of the new people and asking if they will lwead the club to more finanical trouble, as you know Derry are the watchdog for the league, its their job to ensure that other clubs are run correctly and we should be grateful of their help and guideance.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is a youth and underage set-up not part of these new UEFA Licensing laws which are due to be implemented soon?
Also, I believe it is an essential part of any club to promote the under age set-up. Remember, Man Utd got f*** all from there youths for a number of years, then a whole clatter came through in quick succession. It depends on the talent available (which we have in Drogheda), the coaching standards (which we do not), and patience (time will tell!!), to make an underage/youth set-up reap dividends for the senior side.

The issue of players not coming through to our first team, or going to play elsewhere, is our own fault. What have DUFC ever done to encourage the up-and-coming players that they should stay with Drogheda.

The article refers to cutting costs. How about cutting costs by not paying small fortunes for and to players who are not worth it. How about not signing players just for the sake of signing players.

Of course I am only expressing my opinion, based on a less than complete knowledge of the way the under age link-up works, but if anyone wants to correct me or furnish me with more info, then feel free!!

I haven't a great knowledge of the set up either and I'm sure that the club (over the years) is greatly at fault for not bringing more players through but surley the junior clubs are at fault also. There semems to be little co-ordination in the town and everyone working against each other, perserving their own patch.
I thought Gerrys comments raised some interesting ideas, are we getting value for money from the youth systems. Now we all know that youth set ups are vital and very important for a community but my question is really more along the lines of "is DU's youth system functioning to the best of its abilities? could we be getting more?

But there are plenty of more identifiable cases where we are not getting value for money. I hate to harp on about it, but at least 5 of the present playing staff should be turfed out on their ear, saving money in the long run.

I agree also that the youth structure is not achieving its potential, and in my opinion its because of one of the points I raised in an earlier post, coaching standards. Also, we have around 10 full-time pros, i.e. they are full-time employees of Drogheda United FC. Are they involved in anything other than training and playing for the 1st team. If not, then why not? In the early stages of rugby professionalism in this country, before the present set up of full-time provincial squads, etc, those fortunate enough to become full-time rugby players were also employed as development officers for their respective clubs/provinces. Coaching of under age/youth players and teams was a requirement, and one that worked.

Our players, even our 1st team coaching staff, should be more involved, as they are employed by Drogheda United FC, not the Drogheda United 1st XI.

Again, my opinion, based on what I see, not based on fact!!

there is a lot of areas were the club can save a bit of cash, namely the players. We have a number on massive money yet they are performing like players who are on half their wage.

But we would want to be careful and not leave our squad bear and ready for relegation next season, we have to build on the experiences of this season, we don't want to sell the family jewels.

In my opinion, you can pinpoint the players who have contributed most to our slight upturn in form over the last few weeks. Most of these players are the players who actually WANT to play for Drogheda United. So if it came to pass, and a number of the high-earners were released, some of the fringe players would have plenty to fight for, including their own careers. Now don't get me wrong, I want a squad that can handle the demands of a full season (which we don't have at present), but that can just as easily be assembled from Drogheda/Dublin and environs, as it can be from across the water. I'd love to keep one or two (maybe 3) of our recent signings, but not if it throws us into another financial mess.

Lets face it, we won't be challenging for major honours in the short-term, so why base our economic approach in the short-term? Every €1000 spent on a viable youth policy is worth €10000 spent on a has-been who never was.

go aboard for players when there was talent at home, we were told that there were no players available in Ireland but did we do nay better in the UK?? this is the managements fault, it was their decision to bring these players in. I do not believe that there simply were no lads in ireland who could have played in these positions for less money but the same skill.

I hope the new lads running the club cut back but do not slash back expenditure, we need to be looking at a mid table position next season (if we saty up), we cannot be in the relegation battle again or else this season was a waste of time, we need to keep building.

Progression not regression.

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Originally posted by Sean Drog
Progression not regression.

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That could be used as the motto for the members club!

Speaking of which, what is the story with that?

Boyne Rovers at U-15/16 level have been quite sucessful. Whether they'd cut mustard in the eL is another story though.