You make some very good points but as regards standard of the league as a whole but I can assure you that there is talent here and it just needs to be developed . For instance one player on our team had Aston Villa pretty much ready to sign him until O'Leary left and his connections in backroom staff with him , then he was offered a chance to play for Limerick but wasn't impressed with the set up and word is Blackburn are interested at the moment . We had another player who was offered trials at Crystal Palace and never went and another who had a trial at Crewe . This leaves out two more players who were involved in Ireland trials/development things when they were U 15 .
One thing to note is the 5 players I mentioned there are all under 20 .
The problem is what happens to these players , one of those 5 now drinks far too much and smokes and isn't the same player while another two are finished with soccer due to commitments to Tipperary football(minor and U21) .
Unfortunately one of the two players left is now extremely injury prone .
The Youths side we had at Nenagh two years ago beat Clonmel Town and was very unlucky against St.Michaels and Cashel with refereeing decisions costing us both games(we lost both by a single goal in even matches)
That Youth team we had was as good as anyones in the country and might well have one the Premier Division in the Junior League..........however we have lost most of that team to other sports and commitments(work , school)
If there was something to keep these players(like a Tipperary team) their talent could flourish and show off that N.Tipperary does produce talented footballers .
The same year our Youths beat Clonmel Town we beat them in the U17 too , then this year we were beating early in the season by them 2-0 . A good close game which they were edging changed when our centre back(who just happened to be out the night before) let a stupid ball bounce and they scored .The second goal came at the very end when we were chasing the game . This shows that lack of professionalism is a major problem.......a national cup match and a starting centre back was out the night before
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In the end to the season in the Joe Delaney Cup they beat us 5-1 , they might have been a little lucky to get a penalty but in truth they probably deserved to beat us that much . The point of all this is South Tipp players progress and get better due to coaching , facilities and correct attitude , it's not just natural talent that does it because in reality talent wise they are no better to start with(but they certainly are to finish with) .
Players from our Senior team of 10 years ago will tell you of how they used to beat Clonmel Town and St.Michaels as Youths......but god knows what'd happen if we played them today .
Nenagh Celtic reached the Quarter-Finals of the U17 National Cup this year(we reached the last 16 the year before) , although they did have a nice draw on the way up and got hockeyed in that Quarter final they still achieved it . Yet as a senior side they won't achieve anything like that . Btw I believe one of the players on that run was asked to join Wexford Youths .
Killavilla no longer being in North Tipp at Juvenile level is a blow , they usually have quite strong sides and I believe 3 of their young players joined Waterford United at the start of the season .
Again I am just trying to point out that the talent is there in North Tipp but the infrastructure is missing , however a Tipperary FC could avail of talent whic is here and mix that with the infrastructure of South Tipperary aswell as their talent to create something very strong .
Nenagh is a town of about 8,000 nowdays and new business' and infrastructure is coming along by the bucket load despite Proctor and Gamble's departure . With that said A South Tipperary FC would best be put in Clonmel and they would have no problem competing in the A League . I'm merely thinking to the future that an all Tipperary side would be a force to be reckoned with .
DcfcSteve Tipperary has a strong soccer tradition , who here isn't familiar with Clonmel Town or St.Michaels ?...........Thurles Town is something best forgot about , bar remembering the reasons for it failing .
I apologise for bringing this thread off on a bit of a tangent , but I do believe that the A League would benefit from a side in Tipperary . Even if it is only a club such as Clonmel Town .
QuoteOriginally Posted by Big Ears
You make some very good points but as regards standard of the league as a whole but I can assure you that there is talent here and it just needs to be developed . For instance one player on our team had Aston Villa pretty much ready to sign him until O'Leary left and his connections in backroom staff with him , then he was offered a chance to play for Limerick but wasn't impressed with the set up and word is Blackburn are interested at the moment . We had another player who was offered trials at Crystal Palace and never went and another who had a trial at Crewe . This leaves out two more players who were involved in Ireland trials/development things when they were U 15 .
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