Cork AUL 2008/09

**Innishvilla** · 21/07/2008, 11:01 AM

Alright Folks,

Not much to add on the recent discussions but figured we should have an 08/09 thread rather than having last years running forever...

And I liked rebelrover's exclamation mark from last year...

**littleman** · 21/07/2008, 8:54 PM

no doubt ya boy Innish.We can all start with a clean slate .Great idea.

Things in Norrieland are all go at the minute.We remain upbeat about the dressing rooms ,basically because we have to.Its the worst thing to have done all you can to be told that its out of your hands,but we will keep our chin up an all that,,,,,,,,,,

Preseason has been alright,its funny players always moan about being bored during the close season but when pre season training starts there slow to turn up.Numbers wont get anywhere near full stenght till just before the start.First game is against Tramore Thur night in there place an I'd say it will be a mix of A an B and mostly just a run about to see how rusty we are.

**olachico** · 22/07/2008, 9:58 AM

No league formats are out on www.corkaul.com

**rebelrover** · 22/07/2008, 11:33 AM

Nice new thread Innish. Not much to report from down Leeside way. I honestly dont know if preseason training has started yet as I am away at the moment.

Joe Lyons has gone to Singapore for the year with work commitments and Mick Kenneally has retired so we'll need a few additions. There's talk a few of the Ballyphehane lads might join but could be just rumour mill!

Ye'll be pleased to know Jimmy Barr is recovering well. We had our dinner dance there mid-June and he made a surprise appearance after being discharged from hospital the previous day. It was great to see him back on his two feet but he has a tough road ahead all the same.

I'm sure il be back here again once the season kicks off in earnest.. Adieu for now

**minty** · 22/07/2008, 11:37 AM

kinsale for the premier league again...heard they are making a big push to sign new players and they have peter jones back as manager and they have a new pitch next to the old 1 but with a much better surface

**bogwarrior** · 22/07/2008, 12:29 PM

Christ surely its not the minty of togher and cork aul fame??!

U cant just come into this thread without introducing yourself minty!! Declare your allegiance man!!

In Kinsale preparations are going well. Great atmosphere down at training and new faces to keep players on their toes. There'll be a level of competition in this squad this yr that has never been seen before. With the second team starting up the club is going from strength to strength. Very positive times for Kinsale at the moment.

Any truth to the rumours that Pa, Jp and Cans have gone to Mary's littleman? It's like chinese whispers at the moment!!

Great to hear Jimmy Barr is out of hospital. I think Kinsale hav their first pre season game this weekend. Corinthians i hear. Not full sure.

**KrocBoy** · 22/07/2008, 3:59 PM

Pa and JP have signed with St Marys already, also rumours more could be heading that way from what i've been told by a few Marys players, and with Danny Dunne gone to Castleview too looks like Grattan will struggle this year

**Billynose** · 22/07/2008, 4:06 PM

What's gone wrong up Grattan way? I really thought they would have a chance of pushing on in the FAI and MJC this year.

**littleman** · 22/07/2008, 6:53 PM

Look those of you that know me will understand that I'm not one to b/s around things.Jp has said he would like to try senior an who are we to get in his way.Pa Connors didnt play much for us last season an he wants to go as well an again who are we to stop him.Danny is another who supposedly is going to the View but again its only rumor.Remember we only signed Danny for the 2nd half of the season an were well aware it would be a struggle to hold on to such a good player.Cans well all I'v heard is rumors an again those of you who know me would know I think I'd be the first to hear for definate if he's gone an I would have no problem in admiting it if it turned out that way.We have won the Premier A an 2 Premier titles on the trot and enjoyed the Fai an Mjc when it came our way an even with the lads we had on the Irish teams an it would be a bit nieve to think our players were not drawing attention from other quaters,what goes around comes around an all that.

Look lads every one of the top 3 or 4 sides has lost some of there best players from last season,Joe an Mick from Leeside an young Varian from Kinsale to Everton or the lad Falvey from Glenthorn so its not like we can lie about it an say we are all happy about the players who we have lost.But what I will say is that we still have 15 or 16 excellent players plus the new players that have signed who want to play for this club an they will be given all the support this club can give them,on an off the field.If a player or players want to try another level to see if they can cut it then fair dues to them.I from personal experience an (thats 18 seasons of seeing the good /bad an ugly in football in Cork )would not go writing off the Gratts this soon because players will always look elsewhere preseason an sign forms,tis who they play there first game with is what counts an Im quitely confident on our prospects an thats all I'll say on the subject.,,,,,,,,,,,,

As long as we are junior clubs the Msl is always going to be playing the vulture an pick up our better players.We may loose some but its what we have joining the club is what I am interested in an I cant say fairer than that.

**olachico** · 22/07/2008, 8:35 PM

But Littleman do you think the AULs/MSLs joint decision to stop clubs from moving leagues is affecting ye big time? The AUL go on about the Oscar Traynor team all the time but how are they ever expected to win it when all the best players are continuosly lost to the MSL. And lets be honest outside of the Rockmounts/Avondales etc is the standard actually a whole pile better?

**littleman** · 22/07/2008, 9:34 PM

I with all honesty think the Aul had to do it or else the Aul would have caved in under the pressure of poor teams going nowhere an doin nothin for themselves.Problem is that no matter what the club dose to better itself ,players are the ones who denote wether a club dose well or not .The main problem from what they have done is that the clubs will I hope try to do better facility wise for themselves but there players may not want ot wait around for the clubs to catch up to whats already place in the MSL.

Players like myself an I say this quite openly when I was younger were tapped up by bigger clubs but they could never give me what I seemed to get with Grattan,the club just seemed to suit me.In time I think the same clubs who tapped me up gained a certain amount of respect for me because I wanted to stay with Grattan ,ups or downs.What I have won I won with my friends playin for the club I love,an when things went against us we had to deal with that too but we did as a club.But like I have previously said ,there aint many out there like that anymore.

**olachico** · 22/07/2008, 10:45 PM

I understand your point littleman but I honestly believe its the players at a lower level who actually get the most enjoyment out of junior football. To be honest I never really cared about playing against clubs who didn't have showers. Never used the ones in my old club very often anyway. I don't think players move clubs because of facilities. Its the old "the grass is greener" syndrome I think. Some players might leave a junior club that is relatively successful ( not just referring to Grattan here) and move "up" to a higher level and actually stop enjoying their football and rather than admit they were wrong and move back they go from club to club like journeyman trying to find what they had in the first place. There is an awful lot to be said for enjoying your football

**littleman** · 22/07/2008, 11:01 PM

What your saying is near enough bang on.What makes us such a good team is the atmosphere in the club towards each other,coupled to the fact that its a team wins a game an not the individual an we understand that.

Lads over the years go away thinkin they want to improve there game with a so called bigger club.But as you have said more often than not the crack is not there for them an they return as if nothin had changed.If thats the case with the ones who maybe deciding to go if you were to belive the rumors then well an good ,if not I wont loose any sleep about it as there are another 20 lads expectin to retain the title.

**olachico** · 22/07/2008, 11:08 PM

Morale is the key. I hope the fellas ye have to come in develop a siege mentality to prove the other fellas wrong. Wouldn't be surprised if they came back fairly quickly to be honest. The thing to do is to let them go with the clubs blessing and on good terms. If things don't work out they don't forget how they were treated before and normally return . A better option than being bitter. Can't stop a fella trying to better themselves but what I really hate is a fella moving to a club in a lower division. Getting a game in a higher division and then dropping down. These fellas should be treated like leppers

Without the loyal few who go to the meetings and give their time for free to clubs they love and try and push clubs forward there would be no clubs for these people to move to. Its the same few people in every club doing this without any recognition. I often wonder how players would feel if a club turned around to them and said " We are moving to a higher level, we don't need you anymore. Bye" . Would raise a few eyebrows. Players think they are the be all and end all . What they need to realise is they are only passing through and at the end of the day its the club that is most important.

**minty** · 23/07/2008, 11:18 AM

Bogwarrior im actually a cousin of his...glad you recognised him!Are you a Kinsale man ya? who have ye signed for next season?

**littleman** · 24/07/2008, 12:01 AM

Mintys cousin ?????????????????????????Why didnt ya call yourself Frank or Bob.Mintys cousin ,we aint thick.Cought by the balls Mint,own up an we'l welcome you with open arms to our humble abode.By the way I think you tipped Kinsale last season too,keep shoutin for Tizz an Bog an co though because our odds will go way up.

"kinsale for the premier league again...".If I remember correctly ya said that at the start of last season as well.We prefer bein the underdogs,gives us somethin to prove.I dont think we are winning it for the last few seasons to just get on Kinsales nerves.Come on Minty fair is fair we do deserve a little credit.

Tizz/Bog.Whats the story with the B team down seaside direction.Whos goin to run it.Good idea though to have extra bodies.Hows the pitch comin along,lookin forward to seein it on a nice calm Saturday,no wind an rain please cause us Gratts dont like gettin wet,sunshine players all round us.

**olachico** · 24/07/2008, 12:27 AM

Beer, football, women

**littleman** · 24/07/2008, 12:38 AM

you learn quickly young skywalker

**olachico** · 24/07/2008, 12:44 AM

Don't know what you are on about littleman !!!!

**littleman** · 28/07/2008, 8:27 AM

Just to nip this one in the bud before any rubbish starts John Paul O'Sullivan an his brother Mark have signed for Mary's.Thats confirmed.No one else,not Pa Connors or BB or Danny Dunne(hes not getting paid by Castleview either by the way an I have no idea who he's goin to sign with).Other than that every other player from last season is still with us.Lofty an Gally who missed the whole season last year are back on board.Any other questions I will only be delighted to answer.