Now realise a mistake was made to field 2 teams. Large panel decided this but next year will pick one stronger team.

onthebench (None) - Posts: 35 - 15/11/2014 17:14:28    1672490

Some excellent points raised here. We have all heard about the attrition rate in relation to the number of young players who give up playing before they reach adulthood. However the grass is not always greener on the other side. There is an attrition rate in Rugby and soccer too. Does anyone have any statistics that show conclusively that both Rugby and Soccer are able to hold on to more of their young players than the GAA does? Personally I know of one young player who played both Rugby and GAA between the ages of 12 to 15. He then decided to concentrate on GAA and now has won a county U16 league and championship and a minor championship. It would be interesting to find out if anybody here knows of someone similiar or indeed someone who went in the other direction and left GAA behind.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 15/11/2014 19:02:28    1672528

Not at all Big Tom is a Monaghan man could not stand for that, While the bolde Matt is a native of the grand town of Athboy in the Royal County also a non runner (maybe ye have him booked up)

Nettle juice ... sure is that not what the Great Sean Boylan drip fed your boys Greg in the 80s and 90s when he was the Boss didnt do ye much harm back then......

noelpconnon (Cavan) - Posts: 209 - 19/11/2014 18:43:20    1673450

Is Meath football finished?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1792 - 19/11/2014 20:29:45    1673495

ANSWER Yes.....if compared to the Boylan era..We were then always a fully fit team then. Had team spirit by the lorry load. Were never beaten till the end whistle
Had outstanding leadership on and off the pitch . Always seems to learn from our mistakes. Highly respected by all teams. Critizised often unfairly,but well able to cope with that as well. Seems presently we are operating in a different league, with little apparent desire to accept that currently we are in about the top 12 to 16 teams in the country. Worse still seems that is where we will stay..

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1227 - 20/11/2014 08:41:00    1673531

Nobull you are the eternal optimist !!!!

kingofclubs (Meath) - Posts: 321 - 20/11/2014 14:23:44    1673679

NoBull , I wouldn't go as far as to say we're finished . But we are in catch up phase . We stood still for too long relying on natural footballers to carry us thru . However while we were doing that , all the other nations had set player development plans in motion to better their players, to raise the standard of the support players in the county so that their natural players had the journey men around them to assist them to shine , now we are back to the drawing board to try to do likewise . You must remember that the Boylan era was an era of exceptional footballers. Natural footballers that stood heads above all our competitors ( When they learned to believe that they were good enough) especially when the Kerry , & the Dublin /Offaly stars started to diminish. There's a natural ebb about football .The unfortunate thing is that, that ebb can produce some mighty big waves , and the time between winning something and not winning something can be quite long ........Boys , there are Counties out there that have never won anything of note ... Don't be despondent . I believe we're on the right track in relation to developing our youth system . The success will be gauged on how well our current stock of U14/U15s perform at minor level. What is important is that the current batch of promising players continue to improve , to develop and that we as a County ensures that this happens . An Mhi Abu

Chaisleain_Abu (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 20/11/2014 16:31:07    1673755

Dont know where you get the optimism from. I cannot realistically see much grounds for optimisn. I to HOPE things will improve..HOPE is one thing not to be confused with REALISM. I agree Boylan had a small number of OUTSTANDING players. Sure that was a great bonus,as was the fact that he himself was an OUTSTANDING man manager.He proved that many times by making team players out of several ordinary footballers. Every player knew what was expected from them. NO player lacked commitment or belief. EVERYTHING was driven by Boylan.Yes he did make mistakes,but seldom the same mistake twice. We have at least 2 Outstanding players in the present crop.Unfortunately one of these Captain Kevin Reilly seems to be very much injury prone,and his fuure in some doubt.
Maybe posters like me should join the HOPERS camp also. Just i cannot see that being much value. HOPE, HOPE WILL DO NO HARM. I think its better to say it as you SEE it,and thats my problem i have not missed a Meath match in 2 years....P.S. I HOPE i am wrong

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1227 - 20/11/2014 19:01:35    1673812

Any Managers picked yet for Devolpment squads, word is Boylan going to rattle things up and get some of his stars of the 80s & 90s involved, time to get a few real football men involved....

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 09/03/2015 20:14:48    1701076

The problem lies at the feet of the country board. Here's one example my son won the Tony Forresters U14 hurling final last year. That final was played in August. The team was supposed to be introduced to the crowd at the senior final and be presented with the medals. On the day of the final they were marched out at half time. For a couple of minutes. They still have not received the medals 6 months after winning them. They trained from February till October got nothing from co board. Had to bring packed lunches lunches with them for every game. Was told they could have jersey at the end of year. That didn't happen either. Just wondering if he will ever see his medal the good is gone out of it now for him. He is now playing rugby and loving it. The county committee is a joke in my opinion.Where is the football or hurling development plans. There's none. No coaches no idea no hope.

latouche25 (Meath) - Posts: 520 - 10/03/2015 14:59:35    1701334

Have to agree there is no sign whatever of things improving over the last few years. For example in football a director was appointed. We were told that person was Sean Boylan who agreed to give it a second try. I have been a supporter of him for many years. I would like to read a report of his findings and plans for the future. Maybe it is my imagination, but is there a deliberate policy not to inform the supporters?? My simple question is " Specifically what progress has been made to date" ?

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1227 - 10/03/2015 17:04:28    1701410

Latouche25
Agree with you re medals. In underage competitions in rugby they give them out on the day. It makes it more of an occasion for kids

showforit (Meath) - Posts: 156 - 10/03/2015 17:30:28    1701421

Agree with many posters,a lot of this stuff seems very hush hush.Is Boylan still director of football?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 10/03/2015 17:45:07    1701428

What do people think of the "Steering Meath Football" on the main page?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 11/03/2015 17:13:10    1701812

Great to see Sean Boylan,Gerry McEntee,Colm O'Rourke and Seamus Kenny involved in Meath underage now,could we ask for better men??

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 11/03/2015 17:21:33    1701818

Just brilliant news. Been saying it for a long time that we need to develop good coaches.great selection to bring about improvements

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1792 - 11/03/2015 19:21:00    1701844

Looks like a step in right direction. All great servants to Meath football. Will not be shy about shaking things up. Wish them the best

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2151 - 11/03/2015 20:24:09    1701860

Excellent set up, wishing them all the best.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/03/2015 11:31:43    1701982

For too long us all here we all have been knocking the County Board, but I think these appointments is a great coup, a long time coming but let's hope it's worth while. Onwards & up wards from here on in, get the result on Saturday night against Laois , and it has been what I believe one of the most important weeks in Meath Gaa in recent times. Take a bow Conor Tormey & co, well done.

cilles man (Meath) - Posts: 142 - 12/03/2015 12:39:53    1702002

Great to see this new steering group (whatever that means) in place, hopefully we'll start to see some underage improvements over the next few years.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 484 - 12/03/2015 12:49:14    1702006