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Replying To Breffni40:  "https://it.uefa.com/news-media/news/0264-110a215867e9-2855d9aa0d03-1000--georgia-s-innovative-elite-youth-player-development-prog/?s=03"
Yep, a bit of joined up thinking and funding goes a long way. You can see the results already. Georgia hammered Czechia 4-1 at the weekend and got another win last night. Didn't just happen by chance. They were also very good to watch at the Euros.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9480 - 11/09/2024 13:28:06    2569411

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Uruguay and Croatia are other good examples. But I accept the point that none of these countries have the GAA.
But even if we had one national centre of excellence based in the midlands for example. I'm talking about a modern facility which not only includes good sporting infrastructure, but also has quality accommodation for players, coaches and administrators. It would also need to have an educational aspect, so that young players who attend also have their school educational requirements met.

Forge links with various clubs in Ireland, the UK and in Europe where a pathway can be established for the elite players who come through the system. Perhaps most importantly of all, develop a system whereby players who don't make it as professionals receive career guidance. If they still want to remain in the game, have a system where they can obtain their coaching badges and they then become the coaches of future young players coming though.

These are just ideas off the top of my head. It would need lots of money and planning. But surely something that is achievable?"
Agree Lockjaw but I cannot accept that the GAA could ever be used as an excuse. Soccer is the single biggest sport in Ireland. Think about what the GAA has done over the years also - in fairness a lot of it they had to do kicking and screaming but it has had a major impact on players at the elite level in the GAA. Third level grants and scholarships and ensuring that you don't lose out by playing Gaelic Games, S&C, facilities etc, how much ground would the GAA have lost if these were not in place - in fairness a lot was down to the GPA. I look at Rugby in Australia and the current state its in and the fall from its heights - a professional sport that completely mismanaged its base allowing their competitors to advance. Within the GAA family I would say the LGFA is the one with its head stuck in the sand about the dangers other womens sports pose to them. Pick up the paper in Wexford over the summer its all about women's soccer and about girls playing with Leinster and Ireland in rugby. For the GAA itself its Football and how unattractive it has become. No sport can stand still and they cannot blame other sports for their misfortunes

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1881 - 11/09/2024 13:56:50    2569419

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Replying To zinny:  "Agree Lockjaw but I cannot accept that the GAA could ever be used as an excuse. Soccer is the single biggest sport in Ireland. Think about what the GAA has done over the years also - in fairness a lot of it they had to do kicking and screaming but it has had a major impact on players at the elite level in the GAA. Third level grants and scholarships and ensuring that you don't lose out by playing Gaelic Games, S&C, facilities etc, how much ground would the GAA have lost if these were not in place - in fairness a lot was down to the GPA. I look at Rugby in Australia and the current state its in and the fall from its heights - a professional sport that completely mismanaged its base allowing their competitors to advance. Within the GAA family I would say the LGFA is the one with its head stuck in the sand about the dangers other womens sports pose to them. Pick up the paper in Wexford over the summer its all about women's soccer and about girls playing with Leinster and Ireland in rugby. For the GAA itself its Football and how unattractive it has become. No sport can stand still and they cannot blame other sports for their misfortunes"
Gaelic football may not be attractive at the top level but give me a bad football game any day over soccer.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11376 - 11/09/2024 21:10:12    2569461

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "Group B of the nations league for how long more? There's no way we're currently 28th in Europe after run of results recently."
We're 58th in the World and 20 of those above us aren't European.

We'll fight it out with Finland (who have fared worse so far against the same 2 opponents) to avoid dropping out of Group B.

So like I said - we are not good. But we are still, currently, in the top 32 in Europe.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5124 - 11/09/2024 21:43:59    2569465

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Uruguay and Croatia are other good examples. But I accept the point that none of these countries have the GAA.
But even if we had one national centre of excellence based in the midlands for example. I'm talking about a modern facility which not only includes good sporting infrastructure, but also has quality accommodation for players, coaches and administrators. It would also need to have an educational aspect, so that young players who attend also have their school educational requirements met.

Forge links with various clubs in Ireland, the UK and in Europe where a pathway can be established for the elite players who come through the system. Perhaps most importantly of all, develop a system whereby players who don't make it as professionals receive career guidance. If they still want to remain in the game, have a system where they can obtain their coaching badges and they then become the coaches of future young players coming though.

These are just ideas off the top of my head. It would need lots of money and planning. But surely something that is achievable?"
Croatia may not have the GAA but a host of other sports are very popular there. Waterpolo and basketball for example.

Croatia have won 52 Olympic medals since they began competing independently in 1992. Compared to Ireland's 38 with a 70 year head start. The gap would be wider if you included all Croatian athletes who competed for Yugoslavia in that list.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13778 - 11/09/2024 21:59:32    2569467

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People often compare Ireland to other nations in a negative way in soccer, but look at the Olympic Medal Table:

Ireland in 19th
Poland in 42nd
Switzerland in 48th
Portugal in 50th.

We also finished ahead of the likes of Argentina and Brazil.

It's hard to be good at everything.

Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 798 - 11/09/2024 22:41:12    2569472

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Replying To cavanman47:  "We're 58th in the World and 20 of those above us aren't European.

We'll fight it out with Finland (who have fared worse so far against the same 2 opponents) to avoid dropping out of Group B.

So like I said - we are not good. But we are still, currently, in the top 32 in Europe."
Correction: 30 of those. .

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5124 - 12/09/2024 00:24:32    2569478

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Replying To MachaireConnacht:  "Although making up only a small part of the material, the behaviour of a prominet ground sponsor in light of the Grenfell enquiry puts into perspective the Pairc Ui Chaoimh naming rights debate. Should this company be associated with a GAA ground now?"
Shane Lowrey has now taken a stand on the issue. Are tge GAA hoping it will all be forgotten about? There is a price to be paid for ethics in sport, we shall see if that will happen.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1881 - 12/09/2024 07:53:27    2569485

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Croatia may not have the GAA but a host of other sports are very popular there. Waterpolo and basketball for example.

Croatia have won 52 Olympic medals since they began competing independently in 1992. Compared to Ireland's 38 with a 70 year head start. The gap would be wider if you included all Croatian athletes who competed for Yugoslavia in that list."
Very true. For a small country they have a brilliant sporting pedigree. I'm sure there are lots of their diaspora competing well and winning medals under other country's flags too.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9480 - 12/09/2024 09:21:48    2569494

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Donald couldn't keep a lid on the craziness during the debate. I expect his team to avoid another debate before the election .

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8077 - 12/09/2024 10:27:10    2569497

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Donald couldn't keep a lid on the craziness during the debate. I expect his team to avoid another debate before the election ."
Reminded me of the scene in Dumb & Dumber "OUR PETS HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9480 - 12/09/2024 11:09:58    2569506

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Donald couldn't keep a lid on the craziness during the debate. I expect his team to avoid another debate before the election ."
Is he becoming more unhinged ?? When he gets on a roll.he can't seem to control his ramblings. " Going to kill unborn children even after 9 months when they are born"?? No pet safe in Springfield - well I saw that on telly !! Seems as in his world, whatever appears on telly (on his favourite channels, that is ) has to be true.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1198 - 12/09/2024 11:11:53    2569508

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Croatia may not have the GAA but a host of other sports are very popular there. Waterpolo and basketball for example.

Croatia have won 52 Olympic medals since they began competing independently in 1992. Compared to Ireland's 38 with a 70 year head start. The gap would be wider if you included all Croatian athletes who competed for Yugoslavia in that list."
Croatians have been taking the Olympics more seriously though Mes. We're slowly improving at Olympic level with more and more kids with a healthier lifestyle and our facilities have improved. Abbotstown is a serious facility, not just for Olympic level athletes. It seems more acceptable too if good GAA and LGFA prospects leave Gaelic games to pursue their Olympic chances rather than foreign games!

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7585 - 12/09/2024 12:01:49    2569522

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Replying To eslinchickenmaryland:  "All he needs to do is keep quiet and let Harris blab away with her word salad incoherence and people can then decide who they prefer."
Any craic lad?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8077 - 12/09/2024 12:26:33    2569528

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Any craic lad?"
It's still neck and neck in betting it's like 2 drunks fighting over kebab. Kamala saying trump left worst attack on democracy since civil war on the eve of Sept 11th was pretty awful too

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1260 - 12/09/2024 12:47:03    2569531

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Trump is an amadan, no getting away from it.

Harris on the other hand is not but yet still supports what is going on in Gaza, which is worse.

These two being the two presidential candidates just shows what an odious country America has become.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 980 - 12/09/2024 13:00:10    2569535

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Replying To jm25:  "It's still neck and neck in betting it's like 2 drunks fighting over kebab. Kamala saying trump left worst attack on democracy since civil war on the eve of Sept 11th was pretty awful too"
What was awful about it? She's probably right. The 9/11 events were an attack on USA, not democracy specifically. Trump rejected the democratic election result, and his folk attacked parliament.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 3840 - 12/09/2024 13:06:40    2569536

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "Trump is an amadan, no getting away from it.

Harris on the other hand is not but yet still supports what is going on in Gaza, which is worse.

These two being the two presidential candidates just shows what an odious country America has become."
It doesn't. I think it's still a great country and neither of the two reflect the thoughts of the average American. It shows the state of politics in the U.S and the calibre of two people going for the top job and how both of them will use media to try and get to the White House.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7585 - 12/09/2024 13:13:05    2569540

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Any craic lad?"
Not a bit no, you?

eslinchickenmaryland (Leitrim) - Posts: 260 - 12/09/2024 13:20:48    2569544

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Funny how left wing media said Harris was clear winner of the debate isn't it and how Irish media parroted this outlook. Trump was debating not only Harris but the moderators also but he's well used to that and the American people aren't conned by such reporting, whereas some of the Irish ones seem to be.

eslinchickenmaryland (Leitrim) - Posts: 260 - 12/09/2024 13:24:45    2569547

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