In light of the performances we have witnessed in recent weeks from our teams in the Ulster championship, its a bit frightening to hear how quiet the reaction has been. It feels like the winter of 2020 was a oasis in a desert.

Club football is at all time low. The standard is dropping. Players are dropping out. Coaching isnt being provided to schools (apart from St Pats). Creating an U20 competition with little of no teams entered.

A lot of this comes down to coaching. Have we the best GDO (Games Development officer) in the county? Is he recruiting the best coaches available? Are they working closely with ALL schools and clubs?

A lot of stupid initiatives were created over the winter that mean nothing. We are slipping further and further behind and we dont realise. With 3 years, we wont have a couple of the Cavan seniors and the lads coming through are only use to getting hammered by other teams in Ulster?

Is the S and C good enough? Is the S and C doing his job well enough? Is there too much focus at the top level on grounds developments?

And come the winter time, there will be a convention a lot of claps for all the great helpers but that means nothing. We need more. We are in Dv 4. 3 straight relegations. Forget about excuses or tough draws. An urgent 3 year plan needs to be drawn asap. Personally, we need a new GDO who is approachable and is the best in the business. Look at the great work Nicolas Walsh did with Cavan!

gada95 (Cavan) - Posts: 5 - 12/08/2021 16:15:01    2370218

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1921 - 12/08/2021 17:49:07    2370238

Another issue is why have the monthly county board meetings stopped? Feels like we have a county board hiding behind the smoke screen of Covid. Hold them virtually if needs be. All to cosy at the top table and all to unapproachable. Clubs are sick of them talking down to them and throwing their weight about regarding finances/fixtures.

We need a fadical rethink regarding fixtures too. Other counties are moving to Friday night only fixtures, Do we have the guts to adopt or will we do what we have done forever? Lads arent living locally anymore and arent willing to give up all their weekends.

Another issue is the appointment of U20 and Minor managers? Of the recent appointments, who has a track record of winning (let alone at intercounty level)? Weve extended the tenures of managers despite getting hammered year after year. Also picking one of the main media pundits as a manager is defenitely one way to shelter critism.

Before we look out, we need to look in. We need leadership and the end of the cliques at the top levels.

gada95 (Cavan) - Posts: 5 - 12/08/2021 20:20:38    2370262

Allrevvedup (Cavan) - Posts: 36 - 12/08/2021 20:36:19    2370264

Views (Cavan) - Posts: 21 - 13/08/2021 09:32:14    2370362

We really need to consider impleting a better club programme. Shorter leagues of 6 teams based on area ( more derbies and crowds), after that a U20 programme of games, whilst this is on have a County Championship with teams grouped together. Far too many teams are providing nothing to a county team and then club championship.

We need to start thinking outside the box to get the balance right between a club programme that allows young lads breaking through onto squads to have a life whilst also developing into better footballers.

waynerooney11 (Cavan) - Posts: 142 - 13/08/2021 11:02:08    2370389

Hard to disagree with all of the above. We have no 5 year plan. Look at all the counties around us doing great work and getting their rewards, Sligo, Monaghan, Meath all getting to Provincial Finals at U17 and U20 Level. Offaly doing the same. We have nothing, we are doing the same things year in year out and getting nowhere.
Are development squads are a joke. We do not have one coach involved in these squads, all the coaches that do the development squads are our county coaches so we don't have any coaches from outside working with these teams. Basically we aren't upskilling our coaches. All other counties have loads of former great players and coaches helping out, we don't have any such thing. Why these people aren't involved i don't know but i could give a good guess.
Why aren't our county board reviewing all of this??
As far as i know our Development squads meeting about 6 times a year, Meath meet every Wednesday and Sat for 50 weeks a year. Monaghan meet every Saturday for 50 weeks. What do we do? This is hard work it is not easy to set up a winning culture. Look at Corks 5 year plan that they rolled out 3 years ago, it was brilliant and look what they have done this year. Won all underage titles in Munster in football and hurling. If we get the right people into the development squads and all pulling in the one direction we have a great chance for success, if we don't we haven't a chance and we will all be back here next year writing the same stuff.

chancey (Cavan) - Posts: 32 - 13/08/2021 11:17:50    2370394

The Quiet Man (Cavan) - Posts: 4601 - 13/08/2021 13:45:46    2370438

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1921 - 13/08/2021 15:33:49    2370467

County boards are out of touch with football, unfortunately it's more of what business opportunity can be gained. Football is just a front

goonie (Cavan) - Posts: 308 - 13/08/2021 16:20:35    2370479

declankillann (Dublin) - Posts: 83 - 13/08/2021 17:24:39    2370503

Allrevvedup (Cavan) - Posts: 36 - 13/08/2021 17:28:54    2370506

RHF (Cavan) - Posts: 847 - 13/08/2021 19:49:34    2370537

At the start of the year I felt the helicopter view of Cavan football did not look pretty. We have an ageing Senior team with little to nothing coming through. When the likes of G Mac, Martin Reilly and Galligan call it a day we are going to really struggle more than people realise . The question needs to be asked how has it been allowed to get this bad? In 5 years time I honestly feel we will be a poor division 3 team based on the current trajectory.
As other posters have mentioned we have people employed in full time positions to oversea football in the county. These people need to be held to account. If any of us in our every day job continue to deliver poor results we would be subject to scrutiny. Why should it be different for these men? Results are not good enough across the board. Its time for a complete restructure from that side of things. Have the county board the bottle for that is another question.
We need to look at what what was done right from 2011 -2015 and review it in comparison it to the following years. You will find the answers fairly quickly to be honest. Better people and coaches were involved back then, Peter Donnely, Hyland, Peter Reilly etc. . Nicholas Walsh was heavily involved prior to this in the set up and administration of the development squads. Players from these squads went on to win under 21s and subsequently a senior ulster championship. He has been a huge loss to Cavan football You just have to look at where he is now to know he was a serious operator when it came to sports administration and games development. Why was his work never improved and built upon? If anything the standards and coaching at these squads have regressed since.
The county board need to take action and I suspect something will be done due to the backlash in recent weeks. That minor team was the final nail in the coffin for a lot of people. I honestly feel its a personnel issue. Get the right men back involved.

blueskies (Cavan) - Posts: 194 - 13/08/2021 20:16:03    2370546

declankillann (Dublin) - Posts: 83 - 13/08/2021 21:41:52    2370571

RHF (Cavan) - Posts: 847 - 13/08/2021 23:37:30    2370601

There are too many people (some of them are even on this forum) who believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong in Cavan GAA, and winning one title every 25 years is more than enough to keep them happy.

I'd also suggest the culture in Cavan is generally not of a winners mentality. Just look at how the club teams perform in Ulster, they win the county championship and then throw in the towel. Eh, hello fellas, has nobody told you that winning your county championship is just step one?

Cavan_Shambles (Cavan) - Posts: 575 - 14/08/2021 15:51:52    2370795

blueskies (Cavan) - Posts: 194 - 15/08/2021 10:51:01    2371382

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1921 - 15/08/2021 13:08:49    2371473

waynerooney11 (Cavan) - Posts: 142 - 15/08/2021 15:31:10    2371546