LOI integration with Schoolboy / Junior Football

[A face]

Just wanted to post something on this to gauge what the general opinion is on this, and maybe aim it more at people who are involved in schoolboys / junior football to get their take on it.

Also, just to find out what LOI Clubs are doing to try and bridge the gap and work with schoolboy football. What can the individual clubs do to integrate with the football system in their own area?

[GCdfc]

Schoolboy leagues do not want to to lose players to LOI clubs (if they had an academy). This would influence what I have to say.

Having being involved with schoolboy football in the past the way I see things is:
1. If there is a local LOI club then they should run the representative teams. If there are two LOI clubs in then area then the needs to be split equally.
2. The SFAI has to start caring about clubs outside of Dublin. E.G. The national cup is run by the DDSL on behalf of the SFAI. It is extremely biased. The SFAI need to take control of the national competition.
3. There needs to be a proper pyramid structure put in place. Each schoolboy club should be obliged to have one senior team playing in any senior league. Each league should feed into leagues above them. For example in Dundalk there is a summer league and winter league. Teams from these leagues should feed into the lowest division of the MDL...the next level above.
4. Rename all the senior leagues so that there is a clear path to the top for clubs.
5. The FAI need to take control of football in Ireland. They are the guardians. It is time they step up and take responsibility and force the changes necessary in order to save football in Ireland.

[Dodge]

In Dublin... Pats, Bohs, Shels and Rovers all have vast underage structures. Pretty sure they'd nearly all have teams at every age group

The other sides see these as a thread, and are far happier to sign deals with man City (etc) than look to deal with LOI clubs

The DDSL is rotten to the core

[Spudulika]

All of the above is very good, GCDFC it has always amazed me how the 2 leagues never fed up into the MDSL, it would make so much sense. I'm not 100% sure if I agree with the DDSL being rotten to the core, maybe rotten apples in a barrel kind of idea works for me. There is some great work being done at all levels of football in Ireland, and some dross too. But for the FAI to be able to reform it all, they have to take a major risk, it'd be worth it if there were some really decent grassroots people who'd take a punt on change.

[passinginterest]

Targeting secondary schools might be a way to circumvent some of the resistance from schoolboy leagues to LOI clubs. Really push the FAI schools cups and have every school linked to a particular League of Ireland club, with the clubs providing some coaching, match tickets etc. I realise a lot of clubs do this already but with heavy FAI backing it could be more successful. There would be obvious issues with some of the GAA and rugby playing schools resisting, I know we didn't have a soccer team in my secondary school but part of the reason was a lack of anyone to take on the coaching, and that's where the clubs and FAI step in.

[Dodge]

There is some great work being done at all levels of football in Ireland

Of course there is. I've nothign against anyone who violunteers their time to help kids enjoy a game of ball, or indeed any of the good coaches

But from top down the DDSL is disgusting

[Spudulika]

Dodge, I agree, there are some people who should have moved on years ago, though they're the power brokers and make enough money to look after their lackeys. It just kills the game.

[Dyl10]

Excuse my ignorance. I played in the DDSL but don't know anything about the issues with it, can someone please enlighten me?
Many thanks.

[bad mongo]

http://www.thecoachdiary.com/whos-game-is-it-anyway/

the dog-eat-dog world of 'schoolboy' football in a nutshell.

[gufcfan]

http://www.thecoachdiary.com/whos-game-is-it-anyway/

the dog-eat-dog world of 'schoolboy' football in a nutshell.

Good piece there. Same problem all over the country.

Easier to read original post of it on the Killester site here.

He hits the nail on the head in a lot of cases. An alarming number of people in the "big" juvenile clubs have had very little regard for the players themselves for a long time. Hoovering kids up from anywhere they can get them to travel from and shipping off as many as possible for trials with the hope of being able to put a new plaque up on the wall every couple of years and get the money in.

A couple of clubs in Galway operate exactly the same way and cry foul whenever their position is criticised, never mind threatened.

GUST are trying to help fix Galway football, along with the Galway FA and all the clubs that are joining the cause. This craic of poaching players in the fashion described in the piece above has to stop.

One of the ideas I've heard mooted is that you have players staying with their clubs, but then invite elite players to play in a number of regional development squads spread around the county/region. Kids that have more talent than average can play amongst kids of similar talent, thereby aiding their development, while still allowing them to play for their local team, hopefully minimising disruption to clubs and the kids that play for them.

I haven't heard this idea fleshed out properly as such and I'm not involved at all, but it seems like a step in the right direction.

The predatory behaviour of player pimps is disgusting and the hold they have over juvenile football should be fought against.

[Spudulika]

Read those diary entries and immediately began to realise why the GAA (and rugby to a lesser extent) are so great. Clubhopping is just the norm in football, I did it myself. Not out of any malice, but because a) there was no team at the next age group, b) the manager got in new players and told me/us that we weren't going to get game time. What always struck me was the complete lack of loyalty and identity with clubs. No roots. Maybe this mentality has to be bred into football in Ireland to give it a boost.

[A face]

Whatever about senior clubs, when kids have gone through the system and can decide if its for them or not, its unreal that kids at any age can be told they're not good enough and need to move on. Its ridiculous when you think of it and the FAI have alot to answer for in this regard.

[nigel-harps1954]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9685021&type=1

Not a direct link between schoolboy football, but there is a set of photos here of Traps visit to Finn Park today with shots of Harps underage setup, goalkeeping school, link with Donegal Special Olympics, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, amongst others.

Includes a great shot of Trap and LOI and Harps legend Brendan Bradley.