
Originally Posted by
Number9
Rasher's Western League is a great step forward at senior level - the itsy bitsy leagues provide representative teams who then compete against each other. Quite a few of these itsy bitsy league teams would then compete in the senior cup.
To be seen at national level, the best players have to be picked for a representative panel (eg at underage - the Gaynor Cup). If the representative panel manager is not neutral ( has this ever happened??) or indeed is not fair (surely this has never happened!!!) ,then chances are that some of the better players will be allowed to slip through the net. A mechanism needs to be put in place to catch these players. Perhaps an FAI RDO should be put in place to manage each development panel, rather than volunteer coaches/managers. Especially at underage.
I believe that there is TALK of Regional Acadamies or Schools of Excellence. Perhaps an insight into one of these, it's requirements and it's objectives will be revealed on Wednesday in Merrion Square at the launch of the female development plan. These Acadamies may be the vehicles to prevent players from being overlooked. By the way - WHY LAUNCH THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN ON A WEDNESDAY??
Even if these Acadamies are set up and patch up some of the holes in the catchment net, I believe that the national selectors must travel, ie leave Dublin - and not just for a weekend at the start of July to watch the Gaynor Cup. Or perhaps the FAI RDOs be asked to cover selected matches (perhaps these matches could be hand picked by the itsy bitsy leagues to showcase players passed over by selectors of representative panels and/or national panels) with analysis being sent back to Dublin HQ. Better to see a player in competitive action playing with players they know well as opposed to a training session or a practice match or a trial match.
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