The New Football Manager Competition Cometh!

 

 

So, shortly we’ll begin another adventure with the latest Football Manager Competition.  We are just awaiting the closure of the January Transfer Window so the players/prices list can be finalised, and this should be made available on Wednesday 1^st February 2012.  We’re in very hard economic times at the moment and people are indeed finding it tough making ends meet, of that there is no doubt.  Therefore, entry into this competition is even more greatly appreciated at this time as it is a main source of much-needed funds for two well established and traditional Galway clubs.  Over the past few years the competition has raised over €21,000 for both Galway Bohemians FC and Fr Griffins/Eire Óg Gaelic Football Club, a fact that you, the participants, should be rightly proud.  Your money has gone towards the development of sport in Galway and hopefully you’ve enjoyed the fun of the competition along the way.  So, even if you won’t be entering this time can I just say Thank You, and if you are selecting a team Good Luck for the season!  The website link is below:

www.newfmc.com

The Condition of Irish Domestic Soccer

I fear for the future of Irish domestic soccer, particularly with how the leagues operated over the past few years. With a lot of League of Ireland clubs in serious financial difficulties it has to be asked of the officials in the FAI running the national game why they have stood back and allowed such a situation happen. Serious questions need to be asked about the safeguards and monitoring that needs to be in place to realistically develop the sport in the long term. It is not acceptable to allow a near neo-liberalist approach be adopted, where clubs are free to do, and pay players, as they please once their initial obligations to the administrators have been met. As is evident from experience across the water some individuals are quiet happy to ride the wave of egotism once the team are reasonably successful, crudely mortgaging their clubs future on instant gratification and big name players spending. But the sport doesn’t belong to any single individual, it belongs to the community and without widespread support it has no future. How can we compare a cold Friday night in Terryland playing on front of a few hundred fans, against the exposure and financial might of, even say, Peterborough (who are 4 points adrift at the bottom of the Championship) who played Ipswich last night on front of 9,428 paying punters? Realistically, we have been setting the bar way too high over the past few seasons, and maybe that was down to the excesses of the Celtic tiger era. Only last season I learnt that the squad of 24 players at Galway United were getting, on average, approximately €700 a week. With crowds of fewer than 1,000 for most home games how can this be justified. Darlington are 5 points adrift at the bottoms of Division Two in England and even they had nearly 2,000 paying customers at their last home game. It’s time for some fresh thinking surrounding the game in Ireland and stop throwing good money after bad. A reassessment of the strategic goals of the league are needed. Do we want to compete directly with a superior product across the water (I would predict that far more people in Galway with go to the pub this Sunday to see football from England or Scotland than would travel to Terryland to see a game on any given night). Concentrate on a league that will maintain an amateur status for the foreseeable future and let players that believe they can earn money from the game try their luck across the water. Forget professionalism until the domestic game can wash it’s face. Any surplus money should be pumped into improving facilities and developing the skill-level at grassroots right across the country. It’s a bottom-up approach that’s required and the development of players and amenities should be prioritised. This is coming from a guy who spent many a Sunday afternoon in Terryland watching Galway United in the old first division, when the pitch was the other way round and the shed offered only cold comfort from the river. Enjoying a few pints beforehand and when we got bored chanting Michael D’s name… Ohhh the good times. The standard wasn’t always great back then but we had dreams of vast improvements in facilites and crowds to come. How silly were we!!!

“Was it worth it Thierry?”

I had a fairly sicking sensation in my stomach at the end of the France/Ireland game last night, first and foremost because we won’t be competing in South Africa against the best footballing nations in the world, but also with the way we were cruelly dumped out. It’s not often I find myself agreeing with Eamon Dunphy but on this occasion I found myself strangely concurring with his sentiments. The future of the beautiful game is at stake, in a way, by a systemic and prevailing tendency towards cheating and getting a result by whatever means possible. When the young players this weekend on the pitches at Mervue, Drom, Annaghdown, etc. see how easy it is to get away with cheating at the highest level, whether it be diving or handling the ball, and how the establishment tacitly condones it by their paralyse, can we really blame them for their lack of respect for the game or the absence of any personal integrity? You see, players like Henry are paid vast sums of money and have a certain duty of care to those who contribute towards their wages, the supporters and followers of the game. This is everybody’s game remember and Henry has done harm, by his dishonesty, and brought the sport into dispute. “Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good” (Bertolt Brecht). He has done football (and himself) an enormous disservice and has ensured his own personal legacy will be one defined by that one infamous moment. He may not care, nor even reflect, on what he’s done, but that is a personal decision and how he reacts even now will be an indictment of his character.

While every fan wants to see their team winning I can’t and won’t subscribe to the bollox people have expressed over the past few hours on how “if Robbie Keane had done it and got away with it we won’t care”. I would care, and call a cheat simply that! I have too much respect for people like Joe Reilly, Billy Carr, Michael Corbett, Jimmy Sullivan, guys who dedicated many years of their lives to developing young talent in Galway to play the game the correct way with respect for opponents, to now say that cheating is somehow acceptable and an integral part of the modern game. Those guys would never dream of asking a player to cheat, nor would they condone it in any shape or form. They are guys with real integrity, not the overpaid mercenaries who are systematically dismantling the foundations of the beautiful game by their actions.

So the World Cup will go on without Ireland (we’ll survive and regroup) but the game itself will continue to stumble forward and suffer from a lack of honour, direction and leadership. I’ll leave the last words to FIFA themselves. This is rule one of their fair play code. ‘nough said!

“Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns …respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly.” [1]

[1] FIFA. (2009) Fair-Play Code. Available at http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/worldwideprograms/footballforhope/fairplay/code.html

It’s Time for Sport to be Taken Seriously

Galway truly needs a person, or organisation, to champion sports in the city and county. For too long now Galway City Council, Galway County Council, politicians and other civic leaders have paid little more than lip service to the provision of adequate sporting facilities, and the required assistance, to sporting clubs and organisations throughout the county. It is my belief that a majority of the main decision-makers in the county have no real understanding of the benefits, both from a health and social perspective, of participation in sports and so treat the issue in an off-hand inconsequential manner, instead prioritising the issues that will be economically beneficial or, will afford them a peaceful working day. The worthy efforts, time and resources spent attracting visitors to the city must be highly commended (the Volvo Stopover being a case-in-point with Deloitte LLP estimating that the stopover was worth 55 million to the local economy [1]). However, the focus of our decision-makers is too far skewed towards attracting visitors to the city at the expense of the local population, and in particular, local sporting organisations and activity.

In 2005 the Economic And Social Research Institute, in conjunction with The Irish Sports Council, released a report on the social significance of sport in Ireland. The key recommendation of the report is that sports policy in Ireland should recognise and support the social aspects of sport, taking account of the social bonding, community involvement and general contribution to the effective functioning of society that they provide [2]. This social dimension of sport has attracted growing attention over the past decade in the context of a new interest in ‘social capital’. The concept of social capital refers to the social networks, norms, values and understandings that facilitate cooperation within or among groups [3]. Some see it simply as a new term for ‘community’.

As a way of emphasising my point on the lack of reasonable facilities I want to bring your attention to the present condition of the majority of playing pitches vested with Galway City Council, particularly soccer. When I visited West Park recently I was transported back nearly 30 years in time. This heavily utilised pitch remains the same as it was when I played schoolboy football, with the massive dip in the centre and a very dangerous and uneven surface. I also, of late, sat and watched West United play at South Park on a surface that would have Roy Keane blowing a gasket. In addition, Crestwood, Millers Lane, Renmore, Cappagh Park, Westside, Oranmore, Jes Pitch (to name just a few that come to mind), all these pitches would fail even the most basic and rudimentary criteria set down for participation in the Mayo Soccer league. A report commissioned for Galway City council some two years ago also focused on the fact that the majority of playing surfaces were far below the required standard for participatory modern sport activity. It’s grossly unfair, therefore, on players and teams who train twice weekly, if not more, to then risk injury every Sunday on sub-standard pitches which are poorly maintained, through no fault of their own (it’s important to note that Galway City Council strictly forbids any work to take place on these leased pitches without their explicit consent).

It’s time for some action, I believe, and its time sport was taken seriously by the powers-that-be. The progressive clubs like Salthill Devon and Mervue Utd are to be applauded for the enormous efforts they have put in to improving their facilities, but the city and county has many other smaller, and just as vital, clubs which allow the various leagues and cups take place each year. They need help also not bureaucratic stonewalling, they need direction and assistance and, more importantly, they need encouragement. Sport is providing a hugely significant social service to the county and it needs tangible and practical support from our local leaders.

[1] Lorna Siggins. (2009) Ocean race stopover in Galway worth €55m to local economy. Irish Times. Dublin. Friday 13th November 2009.

[2] Liam Delaney & Tony Fahy. (2005) Social and Economic Value of Sport in Ireland. Dublin. The Economic And Social Research Institute in conjunction with The Irish Sports Council.

[3] OECD. (2001) The Well-being of Nations. The Role of Human and Social Capital. Paris. OECD.

The End of the GAA Inter-County Season

So, another inter-county football & hurling season comes to a close and, as described by the majority of the national media, the kingpins of both football and hurling have returned to the summit of their respective codes. Another terrific team performance by Kilkenny allowed them see off a strong challenge from Tipperary, while Kerry managed to overcome a Cork team that deflated somewhat in the second-half of their game to secure their 36th All-Ireland football final last Sunday in Croke Park. While not attempting to take away from the victory of either county I wonder if they would be so dominant if a level playing pitch, in sporting terms, existed for all counties in Ireland?

The previous president of the GAA, Nicky Brennan, took office in 2006 and in his inaugural press conference he castigated the footballing counties for not putting enough effort and resources into the promotion of hurling within their respective jurisdictions. When he had finished the first question was from a Dublin-based journalist who asked him if the promotion of the codes went both ways. As his native county, Kilkenny, isn’t exactly a key component of the Leinster football scene Nicky was stomached. Kilkenny footballers don’t even compete in the All-Ireland Football Championship you see (remember New York and London are regulars in this competition, while other elements of the Irish Diaspora are also keen to play on an annual basis) and their performance in the bottom division of the Nation Football League was nothing short of abysmal . They finished last in division four, without so much as drawing a game, conceding a total of 29-167 in just 8 games. In the National Hurling League, on the other hand, Kerry finished bottom of division two, again without securing a single point and conceding a total of 13-131 in just 7 games. It is fairly obvious that both of these counties put all their effort and resources into one code, at the expense of the other.

This season Galway finished third in the National Hurling League division one and third in the highest division of the National Football League also. The footballers lost out in the Championship by a single point to Donegal just before the quarter-final stage, while the hurlers were beaten in their quarter-final by Waterford. The county currently has two clubs competing in the national domestic soccer leagues (even the second city Cork has only one), we have two rugby teams playing in the AIB division one League (Galwegians & Buccaneers) with Corinthians competing a division below (& Connemara another division down) and the province also play their home games in the city, we are home to the fastest white man in the world at the moment at 200 metres, Paul Hession, and Olive Loughnane from Loughrea was the only Irish medallist at the recent World Championships in Berlin. There’s also a thriving rowing, basketball, hockey, swimming, golf, racing, cycling and boxing scene in the county, as well as a host of other sports. In contract both Kilkenny and Kerry have no representative teams in any of the national soccer or rugby competitions.

So, well done to both counties on winning their All-Ireland titles but personally, when our day arrives again soon to lift either the McCarthy or Sam it won’t be at the expense of making opportunities available for our children to enjoy and excel at other sports, so it’ll be a lot sweeter.

A Reflection on Galway Hurling

The Galway senior hurlers last won an All-Ireland in 1988, since then they have been beaten in four finals; 1990, 1993, 2001 and 2005.  On the other hand our under 21 team have secured seven titles since the eighties; 1983, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2005, 2007, and were beaten finalists ten times in that period.  The minors have also been successful seven times; in 1983, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, and were also beaten finalist ten times since the early eighties.  This year sees the trend continue with a very fancied minor team reaching the final in September and the under 21’s taking on Clare last weekend in the All-Ireland semi-final, while our senior team have bowed out in disappointing fashion to a Waterford team that were annihilated in last year’s final.  With all our recent underage success surely we should be seeing a stronger challenge from Galway in the Championship?  Whist we must recognise that not all of these underage players will develop into senior players surely we should expect one or two each year to supplement the squad?  If this is the case then our expectations for success are reasonable, and when the senior team does not live up to these expectations then we must ask; is there something fundamentally wrong with Galway hurling at present?

On the 11th July 2004 Galway took on Kilkenny in Thurles in a Senior Hurling Championship third round qualifier, a day of infamy for many Galway hurling supporters.  What transpired that day is, in my opinion, an elementary failing in the Galway hurling psyche.  Galway went out to play that day, Kilkenny went out to win.  The last time these two teams had met in the Championship was in the All-Ireland semi final of 2001, a game Galway won by 5 points.  This defeat, and the subsequent criticism of the Kilkenny manger Brian Cody, had hurt the Cats as they had been favourites to retain the title they had won the previous year.  So when it came time to square up to Galway again in 2004 they weren’t going to be found wanting.  As Cody prowled the sideline barracking the referee and sideline officials his team set about pulping Galway.  Six Kilkenny players were cautioned in the first half alone and two significant incidents and images reflected the game; Fergal Moore running out of defence and having his helmet violently removed by a high tackle, and the sight of the Galway “hardman” Eugene Cloonan on all fours having received some special attention from his marker.  With very few players standing their ground Galway were softened then disheartened and then walloped.  The game finished on a scoreline of Galway 1:10, Kilkenny 4:20.  In another hugely critical incident in the first half Brian Cody found himself at the back of the Kilkenny goal remonstrating with the two officials.  Galway had won a very scorable free and Eugene Cloonan stood over the sliotar.  On noticing Cody the referee stopped the free taker and instructed Cody to move away from the goalmouth area.  Cody slowly walked one way, then turned and walked back across the goal area in the other direction.  All this time, as the players and supporters of both teams watched and waited for Cody to make up his mind, Eugene Cloonan stood over the sliotar, also waiting.  Psychologically it must have been devastating because when he did take the free he put it wide.  Galway were not able for the battle that day while Kilkenny controlled matters on and off the pitch.

For me Galway has been one of the more skilful teams in the Championship over the past few decades.  But skill alone will not win games.  Desire, heart, mental-toughness, whatever you call it Galway have lacked this part of their game at critical moments in crucial matches.  I’ve heard people say we need to be dirtier but I don’t buy that.  In the past it may have been possible to give a sly dig to put opponents off their game but in the modern era of video replay and after-match analysis these foul strokes will be quickly found out and punished.  What Galway need is consistency, a game-plan built on a foundation of individual skill but a real forging together of these individuals into a single entity with a common purpose.  This common bond, coupled with a strong work ethic on the pitch, is what makes good teams great.  As Ronan O’Gara once said about his Munster team-mates “if we were going skydiving we’d pack each others parachutes!”  This reflects a willingness to do everything humanly possible during the game because the result mirrors the effort put in on the pitch and the thrust and bond between the players.  This is something, I believe, Galway teams have lacked in vital games in the past.  While there were some positive signs of this emerging in the games against Clare and Cork this year I’m afraid the old failing surfaced again in the Waterford game.   We didn’t close out the game in the ruthless fashion that is required at that level and we were mercilessly punished.  So the wait and hurt goes on.

Galway v Waterford

Interpub Charity Game

On bank-holiday Monday, August 3rd, two well known Woodquay Pubs battled it out in Terryland in a game organised to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland.  Both teams featured regular customers from both the Goalpost and Hughes Bar (some more regular then others, indeed you might say resident rather than regular) as well as some well lubricated and vocal support for each establishment.  Sporadic bouts of ill feeling, commonplace between the two pubs, was replaced for the day with laughter and healthy “slagging” as both teams fought to maintain bragging rights for the Woodquay area.  A pedestrian but very enjoyable game finished honours even on a one-all score line, and the penalty shootout is best forgotten.

This post is dedicated to Eoin O’Sullivan (Sully) who passed away recently from symptoms associated with MS.  Sully was a remarkable character who carried his illness without complaint throughout his entire adult life.   He was a great supporter of Galway Bohemians and regularly attended games when his illness allowed.  He also fondly reminisced about his early Gaelic football playing career with Fr Griffins and often delighted in pulling his trump card with St Michaels players and supporter who dared slag his club’s current miss-fortune; “how many senior titles have ye won?” Sharp as a tack Sully loved to socialise, particularly holding court in Annie Lees and later in Monroes.  Sunday evenings were spent discussing everything from football to politics late into the evening and Sully’s observations were always well thought-out and pertinent.  He always remained up-beat and cheerful and was a truly likable and engaging guy.  He passed away gently on the 5th July 2009, not long after celebrating his 40th birthday.

Drinking deep from the cup of life feeling its’ effect on my heart and soul,
Once upon a wrong path now upon the right, feeling the effect is my goal.
And as I look to the rear the only voice I hear, is my own.

And it says “keep looking in front of you don’t look back whatever you do.
Keep going forward and leave your past behind.
Rest your soul, ease your mind, and give yourself just a little more time.
And in the meantime drink deep from the cup of life.”

-   Patrick Allen Rodriquez (2009)

Develop the individual and the player will emerge

Are we allowing our children to be far too competitive in sport at a very young age?  Is a strive to win at all cost mentality eroding both the natural enjoyment of simply playing and, is it having an overall damaging effect on the skill level of these players later in life and thus the games they play?  I believe that we are already seeing some signs of the consequences of an over-reliance on winning to the determent of various sporting codes in the city and county.

The Galway & District League recently ran an under 9 and under 10 tournament for boys and girls and over 750 children participated in the games organised [1].  The tournament was run off over a three week period and apart from some administration and traffic problems at some of the venues was regarded as a huge success by the Galway FA.  The disappointing issue for me, however, was the overemphasis on winning and the prominence given to the successful teams in the tournament above other competitors.  Surely at such a tender age competitions should be more focused on the playing and enjoyment of the sport first-and-foremost.  We should be providing the reason, and ample opportunity, for players to play the game as often as possible and in an atmosphere that is conducive to their development, both as individuals and players.  By placing such importance on the competitive nature of sport at such a tender age are we underhandedly telling children as young as eight years of age who don’t make the team that they are not good enough, often on the say-so of an unqualified coach?  I believe that if we continue down this path we will lose these players altogether to other sporting codes, or indeed to all sporting activity in their teens and young adulthood.  There is some evidence of this at present [2].

Most keen observers of Junior soccer in the city and county will admit that there is a decline in standard, both in terms of player skill and the games in general.  The technical ability of many players in the Galway Premier League today for instance is far below what is necessary to compete, particularly at national level.  Galway clubs are perhaps now even further away from winning the coveted FAI Junior Cup than ever before.  A reliance on fitness rather than technical ability has also allowed players from other codes to easily adapt to the style of play adopted by many clubs in their respective leagues, all of which is leading to an acknowledgement of football becoming a poor end-product in terms of sporting activity in the city and county.

The most successful youth academy in world football today is that of Ajax [3].  The goal for this Dutch club is to form talented young players into top-class football players.   They recognise that player development is not just a matter of physical prowess so therefore developed the TIPS model, which stands for Technique, Insight, Personality and Speed [4].  It is an emphasis not on competition but on developing the player first as a strong individual and then allowing that individual emerge and apply themselves in the form of continuous practice and training under the guidance of expert coaches.

While it may not be possible to affect all the changes necessary to adopt the entire Ajax philosophy local clubs must at least embrace the essential concept that, particularly when dealing with young children, it is all about developing a rounded individual first and after this the real player will emerge.  Believe me, even the weakness eight year old will develop into a good player, but only with the proper encouragement, guidance and training.   This task may seem daunting and outside the ambition of many clubs at present.  However, the majority of dedicated coaches already will have recognised this a long time ago in terms of a player’s mental toughness, discipline and aptitude to coaching and training.  Develop the individual at an early age and the team will build itself around these strong individuals later.

[1] Galway & District League Website. (2009). Galway & District League Under 9 & Under 10 Leagues 2008/2009. Available at http://www.sportsmanager.ie/t6.php?userid=640&countyid=63&club_id=&clubid=&sportid=8& newsstory=10064&contentsportid=8&contentcountyid=63

[2] Nicky Brennan. (2008). Contribution of Sport to the Quality of Life. Speech to the Border Midlands Western Regional Assembly, 1st May 2008. Portlaoise, Co Laoise

[3] Jan. (2008). WorlsCupBlog: Ajax youth system still the best. Available at http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/background-stories/ajax-youth-system-still-the-best.html

[4] Ajax Website. (2009). Youth Academy. Available at http://english.ajax.nl/Youth-Academy.htm

Mick Dolan, an Unsung Hero

Every cloud has a silver lining, or so the saying goes.  And as we plummet even deeper into the most severe economic crisis in the history of the state it can be difficult to imagine, never mind observe, any sign of this silver coat.  However, in our midst are unsung community heroes who have tirelessly given their time, effort and enthusiasm in the promotion of sport and the healthy development of young people long before, during, and now after the last whimper of the Celtic Tiger can be heard.  These are people who understand the concept and deep need of community in the natural growth of a society.  As we chalk down the last painful experience of buying bogus Bulgarian property we should all learn from these people and truly value their work and, perhaps, consider offering our support and a helping hand from time-to-time.

Just last week saw the passing of one of these heroes with the death of Mick Dolan.  Mick lived for Gaelic football and although a proud Roscommon man devoted most of his life to the promotion of football in Galway city.  Mick’s club was Fr Griffins and he drew great pleasure from the initial triumphant years, even writing the definitive early history of the club.  When things became difficult and player numbers began to dwindle a lot of people threw in the towel and walked away, but adversity only served to increase Mick’s zeal and dedication to his club.  He spent countless hours building teams and drove thousands of miles bringing players of all ages to games all over the county.  He did have help but he’s tireless enthusiasm and can-do attitude allowed me, and countless other, develop a love for the sport and build friendships that endure today.

The explanation for the club’s difficulties are straighforward.  As the city developed over the past few decades Fr Griffins have found themselves in a unique but damaging position.  The GAA structure is very much based on the concept of the parish and each player is tied to this recognised boundary setup.  As new houses are built within a parish potential players, officials and supporters manifest themselves.  However in the case of Fr Griffins the natural catchments area consisted of the old Heart of Galway.  The rapid development of the city from the 1980’s meant that many of these districts turned from residential to business areas.  Those estates that remained residential were very much the older parts of the city, and the demographics profile therein also grew a lot older.  Where development is seen as assisting the majority of GAA clubs nationwide for a handful of clubs like Fr Griffins it has proved to be detrimental.  As way of example, when I grew up on Forster Street there was a vibrant community atmostphere and we were even able to field our own team, with all players resident on the street.  The Hynes’s, King’s, Wall’s, Qualter’s, Walsh’s, Feeney’s, Trill’s, Fahy’s, O’Reilly’s to name but a few.  In fact the present Galway manager, Liam Sammon, came from Forster Street and he also played his early football for Fr Griffins.  Today, however, we are the last family left living on that street.  People have moved away from the area and now pledge allegiance to their new parish and new clubs, leaving behind a decimated entity.  Mick fought against this destructive tide that threatened to annihilate his beloved club for years and there are very few people from Bohermore, Woodquay, Eyre Square, College Road, Riverside and the Claddagh who haven’t been approached by Mick to play Gaelic football over the decades.

All his work and dedication for Fr Griffins was done not out of self gain but for the greater good of the sport, the community football serves and the enrichment of society in general.  George F Will, the US editor, news commentator, & political columnist, wrote in 1941 “sports serves society by providing vivid examples of excellence” and in this respect Mick has more than served society and is indeed a perfect example of a real community hero.  He will be sorely missed, ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.