Entering into my 5th year living away, but training away from home and keeping in shape training with Dublin clubs. Now I've never missed a game in the four previous seasons, and always kept my place, but I don't know whether it's the new management hounding me each weekend as to why I'm not posting proof of my sessions into the WhatsApp, or it's the constant up and down the road every week, this year I just feel like the fire is gone from my belly.
Having been sitting with a text saved in drafts all outlining my plan to step away from the first team panel, I just wanted to see if anyone else has been in the same position as me, and if so, when did you realise it was time to step away from your club?

eastsligo (Sligo) - Posts: 57 - 15/03/2018 23:05:29    2084846

Well haven't been in that situation myself east Sligo but if that's the way things are now and it's so professional and serious that the mgt are hounding you I can understand how the fun has gone out of it for you. I'd have no qualms about giving that mgt the 2 fingers and saying good riddance.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2015 - 16/03/2018 09:02:42    2084872

opt off the whatsapp group

it'll make a big difference to your life

manfromdelmonte (UK) - Posts: 541 - 16/03/2018 09:29:11    2084876

We have had that situation in our club where a few lads over the years have eventually bowed out or transferred to a Dublin club or whenever they live...as you say the traveling and training eventually gets too much. A sad reality for west of Ireland GAA players.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11558 - 16/03/2018 09:46:42    2084878

Id just tell them your struggling to fully commit this year to the first team and that training once a week and playing 2nd team is the best you can do, that way if you change youre mind you still have a foundation.
Dont quit the club completely if youre still young, that is something you probably regret..

cuttothebone (Kildare) - Posts: 167 - 16/03/2018 09:52:33    2084880

theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 16/03/2018 10:27:53    2084886

Hit send and have no regrets, you don't owe anything to anyone, you have to do what's best for you. Now I'm not nor never have been in the exact same situation as you, I injured my back at age 19 and unfortunately I never fully recovered, so while it was very difficult for me to stop playing, my hand was forced.

But for you what I would say is, definitely take a step back for a year and see how you feel then, I'd imagine you love playing and there's a real attachment to your club but you simply can't be a prisoner to it. If it starts to feel more like a chore than an enjoyment then you need to take some time out, ultimately you may realise how much you miss it and be raring to return or you may pick up some new hobbies in your free time and realise that you'd prefer to stay away.

Either way you'll never know if you don't take a break.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 16/03/2018 11:00:47    2084891

Tough one for sure. I left my home club in my early 20's due to work commitments but from that day on I was never the same player again. Played for another club and even though I had a successful few years there it wasn't the same. It is so hard keeping it going week on week but it also depends on your age as well I suppose. On paper it is a no brainer for you to transfer and you can enjoy it a bit more and your coaches can assess you twice a week and not wonder what you are at. But as I said if you are young enough to stick it out the scenario might change in year.

Maybe deep down you don't fancy it with the current manager. Maybe deep down you aren't putting it in but are convincing yourself you are. Not saying that is the case just looking at scenarios I have come across. I retired at 32 due to the same recurring injury but it didn't break my heart doing it, it was almost a relief to be told in Santry that the show was over.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8370 - 16/03/2018 12:17:30    2084902

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 16/03/2018 13:24:00    2084912

The Gaa has lost the run of itself at all levels, reporting back on whatsapp ffs, no thanks for driving up & down to support the club. It's time to broaden your horizons, try & play other sports in Dublin, lads usually find that there is more enjoyment, adherence to their fixtures in other sports & you will also meet & make new friends up there. Out of curiosity is it an outside manger that's been brought in, many of these guys are just out for the cash & making a name for themselves & think their running a pro team. There is a reason that there is a massive dropout rate of young adult players, mainly because of lack of enjoyment & poor adherence of fixtures. Clubs producing minor teams year in year out yet no increase in the number of adult teams, in fact it's the reverse with the number of adult teams in decline, yet no one asks where all these young men disappear to !

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 16/03/2018 15:11:53    2084932

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 16/03/2018 15:39:12    2084937

eastsligo depending on your situation, if you are not being respected fro making the commitment coming hom for games/training, have you ever thought of just joining a local team in Dublin.
If your long term future is in Dublin it may make sense to join a team in your local community there and get to know people in the area through football.
Like you I used to train by myself and with clubs away from home. Looking back now I am sorry i didn't join a team in Cork before I got too old, just to get to know more people in my locality here.

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 16/03/2018 16:12:40    2084943

You've answered the question for yourself. I played adult football for 25 years and first team (intermediate/ Junior A) for 16 or 17. The recent addition of WhatsApp groups to the management of football teams is not an altogether welcome one. It has increased ease of communication, but allows for constant nagging and reminders and coercing which means that its now with you all the time even intruding your family time. Depending depending on the individual can be a drain on mental health. I know for me when I finally signed off it was a huge relief.

clubfan17 (Wicklow) - Posts: 108 - 16/03/2018 16:43:02    2084949

I was in a similar scenario when I was around 20 in college in Dublin doing a long & intensive course of study. Did the travelling for a couple years but just wasn't working out....started loosing my place to lads I knew I was better than but who were able to train at home even though I was training with university (in a way I can understand why management had to pick guys at home able to commit)......long & short of it I walked in frustration had a blast for a few years travelling summers, playing in London & New York, living, working & studying abroad etc.
Truth is though I gradually fell away from the game I loved......knocked around with a couple clubs around Dublin but it was never the same + hard being an outsider......by the time I did go back to my club (several years later) things had moved on and it was far too late + barely made an impression over a couple seasons (+ was well outside the loop by that stage)....

So it's a tricky one. If you have decent connections to a good club in Dublin may be worth go.....but I would say follow your heart as although I had great times and opportunities via leaving the home club I do also regret how little I played afterwards in for most of my 20's (but then that was more my own fault).....

Tis a funny one in the GAA....you can choose your friends but you can't choose your club!

Ádh mór ort.....

Mourne.Identidy (Down) - Posts: 20 - 16/03/2018 18:10:44    2084959

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 16/03/2018 18:48:04    2084962

Agree you have answered your own question, if you can't fully commit or haven't the stomach for it then step away, I worked in Dublin and gravelled home every weekend for training and matches even when we got a builders holiday (it was the Friday before a Bank holiday) I would leave work early to make Thursday night training. Kept it up for a few years but tired after work and the long journey home meant I started resenting the game, I gave them 1 more year but the heart wasn't in it so at the end of the year I walked away aged 27, but before I left a few of us were talking to other lads who walked away years before asking would they play again if we had the numbers to have a B team, they said we would so at an AGM we brought it up, the club agreed and we had our 2nd team, I played on that panel for 10 years, a bit of training but nothing too serious and spent more time laughing, joking and blaggarding during matches with my team mates and opponents, yes we tried to win but no arguments about the way we played or players not giving their all, in fact the more we enjoyed the game the more we wanted to play, didn't matter if we were playing the best team in the county or the worse we wanted to play. It was the most enjoyable time I ever had playing the game. Football especially club football is getting way to serious and professional, yes do your best to win but without the fun factor all you have is an empty feeling, great we won or damn we lost, no real emotion

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 19/03/2018 22:40:20    2086053

Thanks for all for coming back to me! I'm actually just 23, but it's my first year out of college and career has taken off quite quicker than I expected, but that also means there's no more taking a short Friday and early trains to make a Friday evening session!

Also interesting to see how people quickly picked up on it being an outside manager, who I feel is tearing the heart out of our club. Whilst I was in college the trust was there that I was working away myself, and I actually played my best stuff at 20/21.

But, went down this weekend, and said it face to face before a challenge game that I'm stepping back, but as we're a club that struggles for numbers at the start of each league, I'd keep it going until the end of April, and we start getting numbers, because at the end of the day, I do love my club and would never see them stuck. Ironically, still got picked to start the challenge game and went out and played probably my best game in a long time with the monkey off my back!

eastsligo (Sligo) - Posts: 57 - 19/03/2018 22:57:40    2086066

there are a million other things in life than a GAA club,the GAA have abused club players loyalty for years and it is coming back to bite them on the behind.
unfortunately,it is not the cash cow so they do not care.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 21/03/2018 11:43:47    2086572

I had same issue in different code. I stepped away from 1st team.

I still wanted to play some ball so spoke to the manager on the lowest adult team and said I'd commit to playing at the weekend but wouldn't be around for training. Told him I'd keep myself in shape and turn up reasonable sober!

He said sound. We took the actual game seriously but nothing around it seriously. Had great craic and actually won the league (mickey mouse junior z!). Best craic I ever had and made some great friends.

Life is too short........

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1920 - 21/03/2018 15:54:38    2086665

Agree, life is too short. Certainly too short to be dictated to by an outside manager who expects 100% commitment from you for nothing, but is not giving his own commitment for nothing!

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 21/03/2018 16:01:18    2086669