Do fathers as managers of underage teams have an negative impact on clubs and does it curtail team development?

snap (Mayo) - Posts: 54 - 04/11/2009 15:20:00    474982

An interesting question. It can certainly have negative effects. However, in my view, it is overwhelmingly positive. Our club couldn't survive without all the people who give their time to training. Some of them will have sons/daughters on the panels they train, but most are still conscious of their duty to provide fair play for all. Our club simply couldn't insist that only non parents train teams. We'd lose some good men if we did so, and we couldn't replace them easily. It's not the kind of job that attracts hundreds of volunteers. We've had a few occasions (thankfully few) where guys seemed to be showing favouritism in selecting their own kin. Thankfully we have a few older men who were formwer county players and consequently their opinion is greatly respected. In one case, I remember one of these guys having a quiet word in the ear of an allegedly biased trainer. It was all very diplomatic. He simply mentioned the name of another player that he recomended should be tried in a certain position. Diplomacy is ALWAYS the name of the game.

Culchie (Cork) - Posts: 799 - 04/11/2009 17:52:56    475197

I think a father is a better trainer to urge a team on

gaamad1996 (Wexford) - Posts: 439 - 04/11/2009 18:48:05    475277

dont get me started on that subject

lowerormond (Tipperary) - Posts: 1267 - 04/11/2009 19:11:22    475297

Most managers are parents, some players are rubbish, if your rubbish...........get over it

Cranky360 (Mayo) - Posts: 834 - 04/11/2009 19:35:16    475324

Depends on the father in question, obviously. One parent might be a former intercounty or respected club player and an excellent coach who would aid a team's development no end, whereas another could be a useless coach without the faintest idea what to do.

It's only a problem when the parent/coach shows nepotism towards his own child, which hinders the team when a better player than the coach's child is forced to play out of position or sit on the sidelines.

nocky (Wexford) - Posts: 2059 - 04/11/2009 19:44:19    475335

dunno on behalf of my own club, this was an issue in the past where the manager had sons on the team,and and they practically ran the whole club. One son was captain the other was freetaker penalty taker and the team was built around him. To say either of them were deserving of there positions would be an under statement. The club has only started to move forward since a change in management occoured. However I believe that it can work if the players are good enough to justify there place and work as hard as the rest of the players.

messi (Mayo) - Posts: 62 - 04/11/2009 19:51:24    475341

Hate seein fathers pickin their one lads that are no good ahead of players that are better than them

mondred (Wexford) - Posts: 872 - 04/11/2009 21:38:26    475444

lowerormond
County: Tipperary
Posts: 692

475297 dont get me started on that subject

I am going to be the same as you boss on this as i think we think the same.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 04/11/2009 22:12:18    475490

That's the whole reason I gave up soccer at the tender age of 12 !

Duffy89 (Wexford) - Posts: 3320 - 04/11/2009 22:16:35    475496

My father was my coach for years and to be honest it didn't make it any easier. I would have been one of the better players all the way up along, but whenever my form dipped... "ah sure that fellas only on it cos blahdy blah". I also got plenty of earfuls from the father if I was slacking.

I remember playing soccer with one lad who was half decent and his father was coach and a really sound guy, the son was dropped half way through the season with no explanation, I wouldn't have been surprised if it was because of what people were saying.

At the end of the day anyone who gets involved with coaching young lads should be applauded, but they should also go and do the relevent coaching courses and shouldn't be doing just to get their kid on the team.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 04/11/2009 22:22:36    475510

It all depends on the attitude of the parent/manager; the whole idea at underage is participation and enjoyment and for the kids and not the parents vested interest. Fortunately at our club we have enough mentors to ensure all the kids get an opportunity come match time, and if subs are to be used, the starters are picked on basis of attendance. If questioned by the kids, we let them know this; everybody, however gets game time. If a parent wants to improve his/her child's skills, then he would have ample oportunity for coaching on 1-1 basis in his/her own time. From my own experience, the more able the parent as a player and my dad was quite an accomplished player in his time, the more expectation on the child, but by the same token, the more likelihood the child will have a skill set equal if not better than his/her peers

KevHill (Antrim) - Posts: 271 - 04/11/2009 23:05:15    475588

Jack O Connor was manager of Colaiste Na Sceilge, Caherciveen and his son Eanna was on the team-they won the Hogans Cup this year. It can work but depends on how objective and fair the father can be.

kerrykerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1779 - 05/11/2009 00:17:21    475653

As the manager of an under age team over the last couple of years,I'v left my son on the line a number of times in an effort to be evenhanded,in hindsight i was prbably biased against him.Fact is he is one of the better players,i'd step aside if there was someone willing to do the job.Ther are plenty parents who have opinions on match day,but they never want to commit to the the club and take a job.

eastgael (Limerick) - Posts: 629 - 05/11/2009 09:12:52    475730

kerrykerry
County: Kerry
Posts: 451


Do you not think he was a little bit selfish in the final.
Thought he was more interested in setting up his own frees near the end
when he needed to move it quickly and search for goal chances.

Only an observation mind.

watching (Tyrone) - Posts: 853 - 05/11/2009 09:40:14    475753

In a strong club fathers can be kept under a tight rein.
However, in smaller clubs it can happen that father comes along with son and before long father is in charge of the sons team ... if more than one son father can even become chairman in very short time....

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 05/11/2009 10:49:55    475813

Most underage teams now should have 2/3 mentors(parents) on board.The " father picking the son " syndrome is I believe a dying trend.I know that there is only one manager but reason does prevail and managers do look to their helpers for advice and agreement. The problem I have is with "rabid" mothers and fathers on the sideline, foaming at the mouth, screaming instructions to their own and abuse at the referee.What does it achieve ?? Some of these parents continue with the verbal trotts match after match year after year. I refuse to watch any game now in the company of some of my friends.I was asked last year at a match why I didn't join the company and the craic anymore. I gave my reasons."Sure we're only supporting the lads" .This is not support. Most of these parents never went to a match of any description before johnny or mary joined a local team whether it was gaa, soccer or rugby.They will admit this and also that they weren't much into playing themselves when they were young.Armchair managers in abundance.My advice to these couldn't kick snow off a rope merchants is to let the kids get on with it.I'm sure they(kids) would tell their parents this if they could get a word in edgeways. Support your kids team as a unit and leave the advice and blue language at home.Ye hardly talk like that at work or in the office.If it's a case that one feels that the son/daughter is letting the team(parent) down then stay at home and watch some reality tv show to comfort oneself. "Hey wannabe sport stars leave the kids alone" You had your day.

danpaddyandy (Kildare) - Posts: 260 - 05/11/2009 10:52:24    475819

fathers in charge of teams is fine as long as they don,t be biased towards there son.i think that the parents who give up there time to train teams should be applauded and i believe that he would have a grater desire if his son is on the team.We had a situation this year in my club where our senior team(junior A hurling and intermidete football) had a man in charge who had 3 first cousins and a brother playing not to mention a brother in law so he was often lamented for playing them all the time.however he was right as 2 of his 1st cousins hurled minor for tipp and one senior(only for a year) and his brother hurled minor and u21 for tipp.however despite their ability he was ate and has since quit.our intermidete footballers had a man in charge and his son was playing full back for us.unfortunately we lost all our games and may be dropping back to junior A but he was forced to resign by the players.there are 2 examples where it didnt work out for a parent to be in charge however i believe it,s fine up to u16 and once players get to minor they should have on fathers involved with teams.

bigman2 (Tipperary) - Posts: 1202 - 05/11/2009 19:51:21    476487

I played county minor hurling for 2 yrs, on both yrs there was a father managing the team with their respective sons both yrs being captain

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2358 - 05/11/2009 20:57:43    476551

They are needed and it's only when they start giving they're own children special treatment that is unfair on the others

Galway11 (Galway) - Posts: 570 - 05/11/2009 22:35:51    476658