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Fair Play Tomás O'Sé

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Nothing can be done to prevent this .

Donegal have had numerous talented GAA players however chose soccer and theirs choice .

Seamus Coleman being one , Declan Boyle etc .

They were exceptionally talanted GAA players .

I have great respect for Ó Se though - great pundit .

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 20/05/2017 23:06:08    1988680

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Most fellas come back to Ireland you hardly need two hands to count the amount of fellas that have been successful at it from Ireland.

I love the way there is an assumption that any Irish fella that goes to Australia is lost to the game and never comes back.

Most never make it at the level Jim Stynes and Kennelly did.

Ironically Kennelly himself was one who did come back eventually.

It is a hyped up crisis.

Look at all the skills a young fella would learn about another sport that he could transfer to football.
It also enables a fella to see the world and mature.

It is not for everyone for every Jim Stynes they are way outnumbered by the Ciaran Kilkenny's who either did not succeed at it / said it was not for them.

The panic is a bit farcical.

gormdubhgorm (Dublin) - Posts: 990 - 20/05/2017 23:25:57    1988685

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Replying To gormdubhgorm:  "Most fellas come back to Ireland you hardly need two hands to count the amount of fellas that have been successful at it from Ireland.

I love the way there is an assumption that any Irish fella that goes to Australia is lost to the game and never comes back.

Most never make it at the level Jim Stynes and Kennelly did.

Ironically Kennelly himself was one who did come back eventually.

It is a hyped up crisis.

Look at all the skills a young fella would learn about another sport that he could transfer to football.
It also enables a fella to see the world and mature.

It is not for everyone for every Jim Stynes they are way outnumbered by the Ciaran Kilkenny's who either did not succeed at it / said it was not for them.

The panic is a bit farcical."
I'd agree with you to an extent. There have only been a handful of success stories over the years. I do think some of that was down to sporadic recruiting processes and poor terms for rookie players until they make the seniors though.

The AFL are really stepping up and formalising their recruiting here now and offering really attractive terms, so the number of lads going over is definitely going to escalate. That's what people are worried about. They are only interested in the cream of the crop like Nash and O'Connor, the future Michael Murphys and Diarmuid Connollys of our game. I don't blame anybody for going, it's a great opportunity, and I'd be gone like a shot if I had the talent and the chance.

I keep hearing the GAA need to 'do something'. There is nothing they can do as far as I can see. Even if we professionalise the game here we will never be able to match the terms of the AFL.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 21/05/2017 11:31:47    1988748

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "I'd agree with you to an extent. There have only been a handful of success stories over the years. I do think some of that was down to sporadic recruiting processes and poor terms for rookie players until they make the seniors though.

The AFL are really stepping up and formalising their recruiting here now and offering really attractive terms, so the number of lads going over is definitely going to escalate. That's what people are worried about. They are only interested in the cream of the crop like Nash and O'Connor, the future Michael Murphys and Diarmuid Connollys of our game. I don't blame anybody for going, it's a great opportunity, and I'd be gone like a shot if I had the talent and the chance.

I keep hearing the GAA need to 'do something'. There is nothing they can do as far as I can see. Even if we professionalise the game here we will never be able to match the terms of the AFL."
Many more will be lost to soccer and rugby and general lack of opportunity in rural Ireland

AFL is the least of our worries in terms of losing talent

Also well said young man, Mark O'Connor has a few choice words directed at O'Se and the general tone directed at Kennelly

See below

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=270487

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 21/05/2017 12:11:14    1988760

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Replying To Gleebo:  "It's all very fine and well saying that the GAA needs to do something to prevent this tapping up of young players, but how does T Se think the GAA will do it?"
Totally agree. What's the GAA doing about it? Intriguing question. Does he expect Croke Park to sweep in with a contract for him? Other counties would have something to say about that. What are Kerry GAA doing about it more like!

Sindar (Roscommon) - Posts: 348 - 21/05/2017 12:32:51    1988768

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Replying To jimbodub:  "Many more will be lost to soccer and rugby and general lack of opportunity in rural Ireland

AFL is the least of our worries in terms of losing talent

Also well said young man, Mark O'Connor has a few choice words directed at O'Se and the general tone directed at Kennelly

See below

Agreed." target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=270487"
Agreed. But you generally lose them much younger, and it's because they prefer those sports. We don't tend to lose our very best minor GAA players to soccer just as they are about to break through. I can't think of many anyway. The AFL will now be unashamedly targeting these guys, which they are well entitled to do of course. I said above it's a great opportunity and good luck to O'Connor and anybody else heading out there. The terms have improved for rookies, and the money in the AFL is huge compared to even ten years ago so if you make it you'll be set up for life.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 21/05/2017 12:41:02    1988772

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Replying To jimbodub:  "Many more will be lost to soccer and rugby and general lack of opportunity in rural Ireland

AFL is the least of our worries in terms of losing talent

Also well said young man, Mark O'Connor has a few choice words directed at O'Se and the general tone directed at Kennelly

See below

O'Connor's" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=270487"
O'Connor's statement is good except towards the end there where he says O'Se was abusing Kenneally. No verbal abuse at all involved -- just said that he hates what he is doing. It's perfectly OK for him to "hate what he is doing"! It would be a sad state of affairs if he didn't care or as a passionate Kerry football fan, if he was delighted that the cream of their young footballers were opting for AFL

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1904 - 21/05/2017 13:21:55    1988779

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Replying To jimbodub:  "I wonder if he'd be as vocal if it was a number of Mayo/Dublin young lads heading off?

Many counties have lost talent to other sports, soccer, rugby etc. but it's never made much noise and its accepted, if a young man wants to play a professional sport because he has the talent to do so then he should do it!

Why is it different when it comes to the AFL?

Kerry lads just can't look beyond their own nose down there and then use their favourable media positions to go whinging.

Build a bridge lads. We've all lost major prospects to professional sports."
Exactly it would have been nice to have Colin O'Riordan and Shane Long in blue and gold against Cork.

Cork would love to have Sean Ogs brothers too. Sweetnam was brilliant in his only season with Cork.

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 22/05/2017 00:31:52    1989090

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Replying To Killarney.87:  "Exactly it would have been nice to have Colin O'Riordan and Shane Long in blue and gold against Cork.

Cork would love to have Sean Ogs brothers too. Sweetnam was brilliant in his only season with Cork."
Two things lost on some of you
1) Kennelly appears to be targeting Kerry youth players
2)Most of these kids who don't make it come home with their tail between their legs and never become the GAA stars they should have been, Tommy Walsh and Nicolas Walsh prime examples

JamsieMac (Cavan) - Posts: 481 - 22/05/2017 18:45:16    1989526

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TheRightStuff (Donegal) -You could add Packie to that!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 22/05/2017 21:11:11    1989591

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Replying To jimbodub:  "I wonder if he'd be as vocal if it was a number of Mayo/Dublin young lads heading off?

Many counties have lost talent to other sports, soccer, rugby etc. but it's never made much noise and its accepted, if a young man wants to play a professional sport because he has the talent to do so then he should do it!

Why is it different when it comes to the AFL?

Kerry lads just can't look beyond their own nose down there and then use their favourable media positions to go whinging.

Build a bridge lads. We've all lost major prospects to professional sports."
You could add that wrestler/boxer - he would be difficult to compete with in and around the square. Seriously though players are entitled to go wherever the wish if they are good enough.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 22/05/2017 21:17:37    1989592

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Two things lost on some of you
1) Kennelly appears to be targeting Kerry youth players
2)Most of these kids who don't make it come home with their tail between their legs and never become the GAA stars they should have been, Tommy Walsh and Nicolas Walsh prime examples

JamsieMac (Cavan) - Posts:317 - 22/05/2017

How many Kerry players have gone over?

And how exactly are they coming over with their tail between their legs. It's no different to any other youngster emigrating to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or wherever. Plenty of people move abroad for a job and end up coming home a few years later.

Not sure how you can claim they should have been stars either - there's no way of knowing how things would pan out. Plenty of minor stars with potential have failed to do anything at senior level regardless of the AFL.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 22/05/2017 21:30:21    1989595

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Replying To if_in_doubt:  "Two things lost on some of you
1) Kennelly appears to be targeting Kerry youth players
2)Most of these kids who don't make it come home with their tail between their legs and never become the GAA stars they should have been, Tommy Walsh and Nicolas Walsh prime examples

JamsieMac (Cavan) - Posts:317 - 22/05/2017

How many Kerry players have gone over?

And how exactly are they coming over with their tail between their legs. It's no different to any other youngster emigrating to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or wherever. Plenty of people move abroad for a job and end up coming home a few years later.

Not sure how you can claim they should have been stars either - there's no way of knowing how things would pan out. Plenty of minor stars with potential have failed to do anything at senior level regardless of the AFL."
Well said!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 22/05/2017 23:20:34    1989637

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Replying To if_in_doubt:  "Two things lost on some of you
1) Kennelly appears to be targeting Kerry youth players
2)Most of these kids who don't make it come home with their tail between their legs and never become the GAA stars they should have been, Tommy Walsh and Nicolas Walsh prime examples

JamsieMac (Cavan) - Posts:317 - 22/05/2017

How many Kerry players have gone over?

And how exactly are they coming over with their tail between their legs. It's no different to any other youngster emigrating to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or wherever. Plenty of people move abroad for a job and end up coming home a few years later.

Not sure how you can claim they should have been stars either - there's no way of knowing how things would pan out. Plenty of minor stars with potential have failed to do anything at senior level regardless of the AFL."
Ah schtop lad, this is a Gaelic forum and we're talking about Gaelic players being poached to go play in Australia. Leave the plumbers to the plumbing forum. But to answer your question in context, at least a plumber can get a plumbing job back at home, a Gaelic player who gave up on school to try his hand at Aussie Rules is going to come home to work at what exactly??

JamsieMac (Cavan) - Posts: 481 - 23/05/2017 00:55:36    1989653

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Replying To Laois76:  "An individual who has been pestered since he was 16 yrs of age. Too much pressure on a young lad.

If the game was soccer or rugby i wouldn't mind but Aussie Rules is a pretty primitive game in my opinion."
Daft comment. Regardless of how good or not you think Aussie Rules is it is still a chance for our most talented to make a decent living in a great country. Some will not make it but it is worth the risk and is a marvellous opportunity. Nobody was more gutted than me when Hanley left Mayo but he has made it big, more power to the lads who take that chance.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 23/05/2017 08:44:19    1989680

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Daft comment. Regardless of how good or not you think Aussie Rules is it is still a chance for our most talented to make a decent living in a great country. Some will not make it but it is worth the risk and is a marvellous opportunity. Nobody was more gutted than me when Hanley left Mayo but he has made it big, more power to the lads who take that chance."
There's a general consensus now that the individual should make his mind up, making a great living trumps everything, being a 'professional' player in a 'great' country is the be all and end all. If you diverge from this view point you're painted as ignorant and daft like i've been. Yet i'm sure come club county final time and aib club championship some of the same commentators will be banging the local 'community' drum.

I'm 41 years old and when i grew up the main sporting aim i had was to play for my county, Laois in hurling or football. Money didn't enter the equation. I wanted that jersey, i'd bleed for that jersey. And thankfully i got to wear it and they were the proudest days of my life. MONEY WOULDN'T BUY it. I wouldn't have found anywhere near the fulfillment wearing the Hawthorn, Brisbane, Collingwood, Essendon, Brisbane, Sydney Swans or any other Aussie jersey. Whether my viewpoint is a little quaint, so what, i'm sure some others share it.

Posters like the Flaker seem to want to brow beat people to their point of view. I studied hard also and had plenty of good career oppertunities here. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, if you disagree you can just say so without labels of being daft or ignorant as another poster used.

Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 23/05/2017 10:15:36    1989701

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Replying To Laois76:  "An individual who has been pestered since he was 16 yrs of age. Too much pressure on a young lad.

If the game was soccer or rugby i wouldn't mind but Aussie Rules is a pretty primitive game in my opinion."
Yes. Just your opinion. In many other people's opinion, it is not. It is up to everybody to make their own mind up. If Mark O'Connor, Ciaran Sheehan, Ciaran Byrne, Darragh Joyce, Conor Glass et all want to go then fair play to them. If guys like Micheal Shields, Michael Quinn, Ciaran Kilkenny, Tommy Walsh want to go out and try it and come back after spending however long out there, then fair play too. We welcome them back. Why the begrudgery?? oh ya--we're Irish..

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 23/05/2017 10:21:24    1989705

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There is nothing that can be done sadly, how can you stop lads who volunteer for the love of the game at their own sacrifice not being offered tens of thousands to play a game where the skills you can transfer the skills your giving elsewhere for free.

You would be mad not to go.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 23/05/2017 10:23:16    1989706

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Replying To dahayeser:  "Firstly, there is no more talent required to play most professional sports than top level football or hurling. We have a habit of putting pro sports up on a pedestal.

The problem I and others i think have with this AFL recruitment is that it is totally different from losing players to soccer or rugby. If a young fella wants to play soccer or rugby he goes to a soccer or rugby club and trains for that sport. No one is choosing to play aussie rules as a kid, the aussies are just sitting back and letting GAA volunteers train up these talented players and swiping them as they are just about to fulfill their potential. That's the frustration, amateur GAA trainers are giving their time in the hope of creating a star for their club."
That is life though. People work in certain jobs. Learn some skills and then move on to better things. It happens all the time.

I am a GAA coach. If one of my lads had an opportunity to go to Australia to be a professional sports player, then I would wish him well. Frankly anybody that would be begrudge that lad should be let no where near children.

There are lads that I have coached that have went to Australia to go picking fruit. Guys have gone to London, New York etc. One of our best players went to Canada last year. A massive loss to us. But we wished him well. We hope that he has a great time. He is working in a shop!!

The Aussies are not engaging in child abduction. Also, give guys like Mark O'Connor, Darragh Joyce some respect. I assume they are capable adults than can make decisions that are best for themselves.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 23/05/2017 10:31:56    1989709

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Replying To Laois76:  "There's a general consensus now that the individual should make his mind up, making a great living trumps everything, being a 'professional' player in a 'great' country is the be all and end all. If you diverge from this view point you're painted as ignorant and daft like i've been. Yet i'm sure come club county final time and aib club championship some of the same commentators will be banging the local 'community' drum.

I'm 41 years old and when i grew up the main sporting aim i had was to play for my county, Laois in hurling or football. Money didn't enter the equation. I wanted that jersey, i'd bleed for that jersey. And thankfully i got to wear it and they were the proudest days of my life. MONEY WOULDN'T BUY it. I wouldn't have found anywhere near the fulfillment wearing the Hawthorn, Brisbane, Collingwood, Essendon, Brisbane, Sydney Swans or any other Aussie jersey. Whether my viewpoint is a little quaint, so what, i'm sure some others share it.

Posters like the Flaker seem to want to brow beat people to their point of view. I studied hard also and had plenty of good career oppertunities here. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, if you disagree you can just say so without labels of being daft or ignorant as another poster used."
Excellent post , the norm is to be labelled a dinosaur that's what I normally get

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 23/05/2017 10:40:53    1989714

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