As far as I'm concerned there is no need for speeches in under age football, when one of the teams wins, the winning captain should lift the cup and that should be it.

All a speech does is put unnecessary and extra pressure on the captain of a particular team. Some guys or girls don't mind it but for others it can be an extra stress. Some captains can be quiet by nature but use their actions to lift or influence their team.

G.A.A._fan (Laois) - Posts: 102 - 19/03/2018 19:13:23    2085953

G.A.A._fan (Laois) - Posts: 102 - 19/03/2018 21:54:15    2086038

Again, I just want to reiterate the fact that under age speeches are a disaster and need to be done away with.

G.A.A._fan (Laois) - Posts: 102 - 20/03/2018 11:01:04    2086163

I'd ban all speeches at all levels including senior inter county. The senior inter county can just speak to the media. Let winning team get their medals/lift the cup and that's it.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 20/03/2018 15:54:44    2086297

It's amazing how many adults cannot stand up & speak in front of a few strangers. Having to give the 'cúpla focail' after a final never did anyone any harm. Next you'll be wanting to do away with team talks & best man speeches!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/03/2018 16:39:49    2086317

Or maybe young people can learn a lot about themselves by how the feel, react and perfrom when asked to speak.

As you rightly point out, public speaking is not for everyone, but kids need to try in order to find out.

Plus, the environment of a trophy win is a very supportive one for the speaker with a lot of positivity from the crowd. Moreso than, say, a debate in school.

Nothing wrong with captains speeches in my book.

TearsIn85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 193 - 20/03/2018 17:20:49    2086333

A few interesting points here particularly by tearsin85, I have witnessed quite a few under age speeches in recent years and it is fairly evident that most of them receive probably little or no help from the management team when preparing the speech beforehand, probably because the management team are just totally focused on the game itself which is fair enough, in fairness some of the young lads deliver pretty good speeches, keeping it simple and that's fine, while others are clearly totally unprepared.

A NOTE TO ANY MENTORS OF UNDER AGE TEAMS - As far as I'm concerned if your team get to a final, you are obligated as part of that management team to give that captain some help preparing the speech if he/she wants it, particularly if it is a captain who may be a fantastic player but may not be so keen on the talking part of the role.

Otherwise we will just be looking on at speeches which are probably not prepared at all and are delivered quite poorly, which results in trends like this, to ban them altogether, if mentors can't give ten minutes to gave a hand out to a young lad or girl in this capacity.

G.A.A._fan (Laois) - Posts: 102 - 20/03/2018 19:40:26    2086376

I'd ban all speeches.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 20/03/2018 20:54:13    2086420

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 20/03/2018 21:07:45    2086427

In the event of extra time to the extra time, rather than deciding by freekicks, the best speech should win.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 20/03/2018 21:18:12    2086434

"Speech" is a giving the same words repeated every time too much credit.

You stutter out "Tá an áthas orm...."
Then you thank your manager, sometimes with a "dunno how you put up with us/you really believed in us" maybe thanking a waterboy/ stickman.
Thank the ref, and the groundsmen.
Thank the other team, saying they really put it up to ye if it's within 6 points or so, or say the scoreline doesn't tell the whole story if they were well beaten.
Three cheers for the losers.
Done.

I went to my first all Ireland final at the age of 16 and was shocked to hear the same boring stock phrases I had heard since I was playing under 11 finals being said by the man lifting Liam MacCarthy. I had thought it'd be a bit more meaningful or complex.

I also remember attending a junior league final the day Ireland were playing in the Rugby World cup. The winning captain said "right, I know everyone wants to get home for the match, so..." and flew through the usual 4 or 5 hollow lines in about 10 seconds. It really pushed home how meaningless and unnecessary the speech can be.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 20/03/2018 21:26:07    2086440

I'd like to thank [insert opposition team name] for a good, sporting game. I'd like to thank [Willie] & [Mikey] for training us all year. Three cheers for [insert opposition team name]. Hip, hip...hooray (x3)

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/03/2018 22:00:26    2086456

Another thing while speeches are being mentioned, the 3 cheers for the losers is so patronising, it really needs to be done away with

G.A.A._fan (Laois) - Posts: 102 - 20/03/2018 22:43:30    2086471

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 20/03/2018 23:05:44    2086479

Christ you dont like speeches. Like them or not they are part of the gaa culture. Are you another one trying get rid of our culture and then give out about the changes made to the changing of culture of the gaa i.e. all irelands moved from September to August? super eights,

mrsme (USA) - Posts: 172 - 20/03/2018 23:43:38    2086488

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 21/03/2018 00:13:27    2086491

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/03/2018 04:01:32    2086500

While I fundamentally disagree with the outright 'banning' of speeches for reasons previously outlined, I do agree with G.A.A._fan on a couple of points.

Mentors should of course help the cpatain on the day with their speech in advance. It's part of the overall preparation and you want the captain focused on the game at hand while playing, not the impending speech. (in this regard, captains should be aware well in advance of the game that they have the role so parents can also help them prepare).

I also agree that the hip hip hooray can come across as a box ticking exercise (at all age levels) and is often accompanied by a level of enthusism that would make a death row inmates last meal seem like a veritable party. A prompt for a simple round of applause would be more appropriate.

TearsIn85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 193 - 21/03/2018 09:04:58    2086521

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 21/03/2018 10:33:12    2086551

I think ban all speeches, its the same all the time, first words in irish, then thanking players, manager, sponsors, say 3 cheers for the losers (which by the way is very annoying), i think like all sports present the trophy and thats it, let them celebrate rather then the pressure of giving a speech

PyatPree (Cork) - Posts: 376 - 21/03/2018 12:04:23    2086578