Anyone else heard that the FAI have decided to change the underage soccer season to a "summer season" from next year? This would then see soccer go toe-to-toe with Gaelic Games from Feb/March to Sept/Oct. What is the fallout from this likely to be? I can see rugby doing well out of it anyway! I'd say it would be the death of underage hurling in the weaker counties...

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 14/04/2015 18:06:12    1714208

Not so sure. Summer are difficult months for underage sport - between loads going off to Irish camps, other summer holidays, Leaving Cert, Junior cert (I don't think a single training session should be cancelled for these exams but anyway). In Cork anyway, an awful lot of games are cancelled in the summer and most tournaments end up being finished in November/December. Soccer is better organised in Cork. They have that advantage already. I will watch this with interest but I am not sure if it will have a big effect.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 14/04/2015 21:35:59    1714305

I wouldn't be so sure either for underage. In Mayo we've had summer soccer for the past 20 years at all levels, but there's still no doubt which game is still top dog. A lot of young people will mix and match until they head into their latter years in secondary school anyway: the real danger is at adult level, where GAA players get fed up of waiting weeks on end for their matches to be played.

In Mayo they introduced a certain number of starred fixtures a few years ago, wherein clubs have to play league games irrespective of whether they have players missing who are representing the country. Strikes me as a good idea, though maybe Mayo-based posters have different views on how it worked out in practice.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 15/04/2015 10:42:16    1714346

The GAA can only worry about itself here.
Just keep putting the work in.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 18/04/2015 14:33:56    1715251

I think this will affect Soccer in the rural areas and GAA in the urban areas

tinrylandman (Carlow) - Posts: 387 - 18/04/2015 20:27:19    1715335

Well if it does turn out to hurt the numbers attending GAA camps, couldnt the GAA just move their training sessions? (cue weeping and gnashing of teeth).

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 18/04/2015 20:39:56    1715347

The Ulster Senior League in Donegal changed to a summer season a few years back and it was a total failure. Some players would have played soccer in the winter and GAA in the summer. When both were on some teams struggled add players were choosing GAA. Just keep the coaching going and let the kids choose what they enjoy best. I know what most are choosing in my club and we're happy enough. We're competing against soccer, rugby, basketball and athletics and winning hands down!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 19/04/2015 12:30:16    1715406

You only need 11 players to field a soccer team. It takes 15 to field in Gaelic Games....

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 19/04/2015 14:31:16    1715429