Mayo Association Football League

**short_frank** · 22/05/2007, 4:34 AM

Originally Posted by swift

Congrats to the young lads at the weekend. They really did the county proud. But the unfortunate thing is that we will be lucky if one of them gets picked for an Irish team. Its an absolute disgrace that the powers that be cant see futher than the Dublin leagues when they pick their panels. Only a couple of years ago when Westport Utd were FAI Cup winners they only had one junior international( Joe Lawless). It makes my blood boil when I see for instance the "Irish U-16" team printed in the paper and you have at least 12 out of a possible 16 players from Dublin on it, and more often than not you could have up to six players from the same club on it.

This situation is not just confined to International football in Ireland it also happens in our own county at county level if you don't represent the right team.
I had an issue where the Mayo U18 "trial" squad was picked this season with most spots going to Celtic players and a few others thrown in to fill the spaces. I phoned to get two of my players in who were playing Mayo league junior football and are outstanding players and the conversation on the phone was blunt to say the least. I got the feeling that I was being a nuisance and the squad was picked already. Both players went along and were played out of position (both right footed central midfielders put on the left wing, one for each team) and that was the last they heard from the U18 management. Not good enough for Mayo U18's yet when we played Westport A recently they were the two who were able to slice their way through the Westport midfield and caused Westport the most problems.
This has been happening since I first came into Mayo football 14 or 15 years ago with unfashionable yet successful clubs so don't be suprised when we see it at a national scale.
The only way to combat it is to recruit managers on ability not the clubs they represent or who they know. Then to have proper representative trails eg:- north, south, east and west and bring the best together centrally.

**sinabhuil** · 22/05/2007, 10:09 AM

I agree Short Frank. As you know I managed Ballinrobe U16s and U18s a few years ago. While our squad was not too deep we did have a number of excellent players who did not even get a look in. What is happening is that a few clubs have the good coaches and the county set up tends to favour these clubs. This results in the good players from other clubs never being exposed to good coaching. The county needs to have localised schools of excellence with divisional matches. Even on a trial basis thsi coudl be done over a weekend.
South - Ballinrobe
East - Swinford
West - Westport or Erris
North - Ballina
C'Bar/Ballyheane/Snug - Milebush

**Lassy** · 22/05/2007, 10:11 AM

any fixtures out yet for this weekend??

**swinfordfc** · 22/05/2007, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Lassy

any fixtures out yet for this weekend??

They is games on thursday in division 2a and b

**the dude** · 22/05/2007, 12:43 PM

fixtures for the weekend

sun 27th may. k.o 2.30

ballina town v westport utd
claremorris v snugboro utd
crossmolina v ballyheane
glenhest rovers v castlebar celtic
manulla v erris utd

**Ranger** · 22/05/2007, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by swift

Congrats to the young lads at the weekend. They really did the county proud. But the unfortunate thing is that we will be lucky if one of them gets picked for an Irish team. Its an absolute disgrace that the powers that be cant see futher than the Dublin leagues when they pick their panels. Only a couple of years ago when Westport Utd were FAI Cup winners they only had one junior international( Joe Lawless). It makes my blood boil when I see for instance the "Irish U-16" team printed in the paper and you have at least 12 out of a possible 16 players from Dublin on it, and more often than not you could have up to six players from the same club on it.

It would be interesting if to know any of the Dublin Leagues' players are actually "culchies" playing with the big city clubs???
These "big" schoolboy clubs poach players from rural clubs in the same way as certain Mayo clubs poach talented players from other Mayo clubs.

**threefivetwo** · 22/05/2007, 2:25 PM

the celtic players picked for the mayo team this year are there because they are better than anything else i've seen in mayo. it showed last sunday, maybe one or two players that are near as good as any of the celtic players. everyone of them players is good enough to play for mayo!!!! they are given proper coaching and are commited which is a lot more than can be said for most other clubs in mayo

**robben 11** · 22/05/2007, 2:56 PM

i think mayo u18 team is made up of Celtic players is without doubt justified.. Ill ask anyone representing any other club who feel they have players capable of making the panel to go up to milebush astroturf on a Friday nite and look at the training Declan Kilkelly and Harry Jennings have the Celtic lads doing and i know for a fact it would put a lot of Junior soccer clubs to shame from division 2b up to the Super League, the drills,attitude,speed,commitment of the managment and team really showed on Sunday and it came straight from the training ground without doubt, so no wonder Mayo team is made up of these lads because they are light years ahead of the rest in that age category in Mayo...

**Lassy** · 22/05/2007, 2:58 PM

Originally Posted by the dude

fixtures for the weekend

sun 27th may. k.o 2.30

ballina town v westport utd
claremorris v snugboro utd
crossmolina v ballyheane
glenhest rovers v castlebar celtic
manulla v erris utd

Thanks for that

**mandarin frogs** · 22/05/2007, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by swift

Congrats to the young lads at the weekend. They really did the county proud. But the unfortunate thing is that we will be lucky if one of them gets picked for an Irish team. Its an absolute disgrace that the powers that be cant see futher than the Dublin leagues when they pick their panels. Only a couple of years ago when Westport Utd were FAI Cup winners they only had one junior international( Joe Lawless). It makes my blood boil when I see for instance the "Irish U-16" team printed in the paper and you have at least 12 out of a possible 16 players from Dublin on it, and more often than not you could have up to six players from the same club on it.

Your not wrong Swift, But David Joyce was a member of that team and is now doing well at Birmingham City, as well as captaining Ireland at U-16/17 level. You'll also note that a lot more young players from Mayo League are getting trials from bigger clubs in eircom league and across the water. Mayo league is now a platform for such talent spotting, that it may not have been in the past. I think that the "dublin" bias is not as bad as it was a few years ago. If you list out the players from mayo who have represented ireland, we have been a lot better off than other leagues. (Tom Kelly will normally fill a few colums with this list every time it has a new member).Bottom line is that a player will be "discovered" in the Mayo League If he/she is good enough.

**sinabhuil** · 22/05/2007, 3:10 PM

No doubt the training at C'bar is excellent. The point is that good players exist outside of C'bar but there is no facility to spot them and no facility for managers to recommend. Also league needs to promote better coaching outside of C'Bar otherwise you will have a system of C'bar winning everything - not good for the long term development of the game in the county.

Fair play to C'bar. Well done.

**mandarin frogs** · 22/05/2007, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by robben 11

i think mayo u18 team is made up of Celtic players is without doubt justified.. Ill ask anyone representing any other club who feel they have players capable of making the panel to go up to milebush astroturf on a Friday nite and look at the training Declan Kilkelly and Harry Jennings have the Celtic lads doing and i know for a fact it would put a lot of Junior soccer clubs to shame from division 2b up to the Super League, the drills,attitude,speed,commitment of the managment and team really showed on Sunday and it came straight from the training ground without doubt, so no wonder Mayo team is made up of these lads because they are light years ahead of the rest in that age category in Mayo...

Well said robben. Do we want the best 11 out for mayo U-18, or a "representative" team, made of 1 per club? Dont think it matters how many players from 1 club are on the team, as long as they're the best available to Mayo.

**mandarin frogs** · 22/05/2007, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ranger

It would be interesting if to know any of the Dublin Leagues' players are actually "culchies" playing with the big city clubs???
These "big" schoolboy clubs poach players from rural clubs in the same way as certain Mayo clubs poach talented players from other Mayo clubs.

Did'nt take long! only 2 days after they won a national title, and you cant resist a dig! What do you want? You'll complain if Mayo cant win a national title, and when they do, you put them down. Some people on these threads are'nt happy unless everything is doom and gloom.
As for "Poaching", anyone would think that men of 16/17/18 have no minds of their own. Its their decision to join a club, not anyone elses. Read Gary Prices interview in the CT last wed - clarifies this point.
You should take a leaf out of Thunderblasters book and get behind a mayo team.

**robben 11** · 22/05/2007, 3:26 PM

Originally Posted by sinabhuil

No doubt the training at C'bar is excellent. The point is that good players exist outside of C'bar but there is no facility to spot them and no facility for managers to recommend. Also league needs to promote better coaching outside of C'Bar otherwise you will have a system of C'bar winning everything - not good for the long term development of the game in the county.

Fair play to C'bar. Well done.

well mabye better managment in clubs outside castlebar is required, declan kilkelly former player has all his coaching badges acquired over the years, mabye other clubs with former players should show the same commitment if they feel so pasionately about underage structure in their club and the direction they wish it would take, its not up to the league this is just down to commitment and dedication of the club and the individuals within which form the core to its success..

**robben 11** · 22/05/2007, 3:30 PM

Originally Posted by mandarin frogs

Did'nt take long! only 2 days after they won a national title, and you cant resist a dig! What do you want? You'll complain if Mayo cant win a national title, and when they do, you put them down. Some people on these threads are'nt happy unless everything is doom and gloom.
As for "Poaching", anyone would think that men of 16/17/18 have no minds of their own. Its their decision to join a club, not anyone elses. Read Gary Prices interview in the CT last wed - clarifies this point.
You should take a leaf out of Thunderblasters book and get behind a mayo team.

i found myself in the same boat when i was under 17, i wanted to win things and be part of a successful team, Celtic underage structure is the best and its record speaks for itself, wasnt poaching that made me move just wanted to win things simple as that...every player with ambition is the same

**mandarin frogs** · 22/05/2007, 3:31 PM

Originally Posted by sinabhuil

No doubt the training at C'bar is excellent. The point is that good players exist outside of C'bar but there is no facility to spot them and no facility for managers to recommend. Also league needs to promote better coaching outside of C'Bar otherwise you will have a system of C'bar winning everything - not good for the long term development of the game in the county.

Fair play to C'bar. Well done.

I agree with you sinabhuil, but the mayo league is restricted in its facilities outside of milebush, which just happens to be in castlebar. Dont think you can blame celtic for that! But its a valid point- every coaching programme etc.. is in milebush. Could there be a regionalised "school of excellence"?

**Ranger** · 22/05/2007, 4:38 PM

Originally Posted by mandarin frogs

Did'nt take long! only 2 days after they won a national title, and you cant resist a dig! What do you want? You'll complain if Mayo cant win a national title, and when they do, you put them down. Some people on these threads are'nt happy unless everything is doom and gloom.
As for "Poaching", anyone would think that men of 16/17/18 have no minds of their own. Its their decision to join a club, not anyone elses. Read Gary Prices interview in the CT last wed - clarifies this point.
You should take a leaf out of Thunderblasters book and get behind a mayo team.

mandarin frogs....Don't get me wrong, I was not having a dig I was happy with the result. I as much as anyone else was delighted "Mayo" ( to quote yourself!!) won a national title last Sunday.

**short_frank** · 23/05/2007, 2:48 AM

Originally Posted by robben 11

i think mayo u18 team is made up of Celtic players is without doubt justified.. Ill ask anyone representing any other club who feel they have players capable of making the panel to go up to milebush astroturf on a Friday nite and look at the training Declan Kilkelly and Harry Jennings have the Celtic lads doing and i know for a fact it would put a lot of Junior soccer clubs to shame from division 2b up to the Super League, the drills,attitude,speed,commitment of the managment and team really showed on Sunday and it came straight from the training ground without doubt, so no wonder Mayo team is made up of these lads because they are light years ahead of the rest in that age category in Mayo...

How far did that Mayo U18 team go this year! I don't have a problem with Celtic players being picked but just because they have the best coaching doesn't mean they are the best players. Why can't the most talented players be brought in from around the county and be given this coaching. Remember that not every player wants to leave his home club. Some want to stay and try and help their club develop and they shouldn't be penalised for this loyalty.

Well said robben. Do we want the best 11 out for mayo U-18, or a "representative" team, made of 1 per club? Dont think it matters how many players from 1 club are on the team, as long as they're the best available to Mayo.

This is a very simplistic answer. No one has ever said that. If you read the posts correctly you would see that what we are saying is that we should develop the best players from throughout Mayo no matter what team they represent and in the long run Mayo football will benefit from this.

**swinfordfc** · 23/05/2007, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by robben 11

well mabye better managment in clubs outside castlebar is required, declan kilkelly former player has all his coaching badges acquired over the years, mabye other clubs with former players should show the same commitment if they feel so pasionately about underage structure in their club and the direction they wish it would take, its not up to the league this is just down to commitment and dedication of the club and the individuals within which form the core to its success..

Congrats to Declan Kilkelly and Harry Jennings and the lads on the achievements last Sunday but just a small not on robben 11 comments - Declan is qualified up to Kickstart 2 and hasn't got the youth cert so he is actually qualified to train up to 14 years old! but in saying that - his record speak for itself as the under17/18 manager - last year mayo league and cup winners and connacht champs! this year connacht and all ireland champs and no doubt they win the mayo league and cup as well!

**threefivetwo** · 23/05/2007, 11:35 AM

fair play robben well said all them comments!!!

and who ever is on bout giving other players a chance if their club aren't putting in enough effort that's the clubs fault. celtic ARE putting in plenty of effort and it's a credit to all behind the scenes. celtic moving into the eircom league u-21 is another stepping stone and it's up to others to follow. players come to celtic because they want to succeed. there isn't any succesful team in the eircom league with all home based players or even any other team across the water, if you want todo well you need the best available no matter where they are from!!!!!