Absolutely outrageous the way Fennell is being treated. This transfer rule was introduced to protect small rural clubs so as to ensure they would be able to field 15 men. I don't think O'Tooles would have a worry in this regard. Let the lad move. Its not as though he is getting paid to play and thereby should be indebted to his old club.

TheFlyingTeacup (Meath) - Posts: 285 - 26/01/2010 16:07:44    543044

dubliner County: Dublin Posts: 1 542835 football in dublin is about more than the county team delboydub yes i know but the way o tools is carrying on is a descrace they will be stopping a great player playin for the county everyone wants dublin to win sam and when we get players who are able to play and help us do it people like o tools stop this from happening it would be diffrent if he was in contract or getting paid by them something should be done about this

delboydub (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 26/01/2010 17:02:28    543121

"A player is considered to always owe allegiance and loyalty to the club he first legally participated with in club competition."

HA! the hypocracy of the Dublin County Board STINKS considering the amount of club games inter county players miss for their club due to mickey mouse intercounty cups and second rate tournaments.

Fennell is a footballer playing for a predominantly hurling club, cant blame him for wanting to play for someone else

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4655 - 26/01/2010 19:46:08    543335

An absolute disgrace. The DCC should hang their heads in shame. This non-sensical argument of the "association's aims at grass roots/local level" blah blah blah. Honest to God what we have here is a group of dictators on our hands who can now tell a decent player what club he must play for. O'Toole's are not a footballing club and a player wants to progress with his game and take it as far as he can. What have O'Tooles got to gain by denying Eamonn a club and inter-county career?? Do they seriously think that in the circumstances he is going to return to that club? They have already forced him out for a year and a year is a long time in a short inter-county career.

The icing on the cake then was Harrington having the casting vote. Talk about cutting off your nose...

One of the best prospects that we have unearthed in years and in true DCC political style we send him to Coventry. I hope he wins his appeal.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 26/01/2010 19:50:27    543340

Fennell could yet be the Bosman of the GAA if he went to court with this. Its a joke.

PC27 (Dublin) - Posts: 78 - 26/01/2010 19:55:39    543345

the players in o'tooles dont have a problem with him going and alot of the club membership dont have a problem either.

if the county board are saying its for the good of the club etc i think they should concern themselves more with the influx off players to clubs like parnells and slyvesters as surely that harms the club by stopping underage players coming through

Dublinlilly (Dublin) - Posts: 166 - 26/01/2010 20:10:23    543369

Its a difficult one for all involved and its a shame it has got this far with out some resolution. I don't know the background as to why he wants the transfer does anyone know? He is already playing with a senior club in Dublin and I believe there has to be some limitations placed on transfers other wise it would just get silly!

He is already reasonably established at inter county level so if he was still playing with o'tooles his inter county place would just depend on his personal performances. I don't agree with players transferring ruckshot about the county chasing medals or the aforementioned perks and there is a history of this in Dublin over the last 15 years but as I said I don't know the individual circumstances in this case.

It is wrong to say the transfer should be passed to allow him to play for Dublin. I do believe that there needs to be loyalty to clubs and I believe the players would be better for it. Its at club level that all the missing ingredients in Dublin teams of late can be developed such as the passion and leadership skills. It seems the attitude is that once a player plays for Dublin the club he originates from becomes irrelevant and this should not be the case. I was shocked to hear a former Dublin footballer on the Matt Cooper show this evening claim that O'Tooles a senior club is not in the lime light enough for a player to be recognised or to win a place on the intercounty panel. If this is th case then its no wonder we can't win an all-ireland if we can't even find the top talent in the top 2 divisions never mind what comes after that!

I certainly don't want to see a guy with this potential not playing the game he loves but I think its a shame if somewhere along the way his head has been turned by bigger clubs making promises or propostions that they couldn't guarantee while at the end of the day he is the only one who is suffering! Again I'm not sure if this is what actually happened in this intance but it wouldn't be the 1st time

pigonastick (Dublin) - Posts: 487 - 26/01/2010 20:34:57    543409

well said pigonastick it would b different if fennells club were only hurlers but there not,if he really wanted to play 4 his county he wud not pursuing this tranfer and play 4 his own club

villamoy (Sligo) - Posts: 206 - 26/01/2010 20:57:52    543459

How is it a disgrace small clubs have to be protected instead of players leaving them to high profile clubs pity it was not the same with inter county transfers.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 26/01/2010 21:20:37    543494

Pigonastick - Eamonn earned his inter-county jersey two years ago when starring in the league and while playing for O'Tooles so the former Dublin player is talking rubbish. The fact is that the DCC are physically restraining him from playing for a club of his choice. If Eamonn moved to Portlaoise and wanted to play for them beause the weekly commute to O'Tooles was too much would the DCC prevent that transfer? I think not!! This is the same crippling Dublin GAA politics that has stifled the game in the capital for the past decade+. Preventing a player from making a rational decision (furthering his football career) and dictating to him what club he must play for is completely unacceptable no matter what the circumstances.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 26/01/2010 21:23:37    543501

One life, one club thats how its meant to work. If ye don't like it there's plenty of soccer on the box

tallaghtdub (Dublin) - Posts: 344 - 26/01/2010 21:24:57    543503

Pigonastick - Eamonn earned his inter-county jersey two years ago when starring in the league and while playing for O'Tooles so the former Dublin player is talking rubbish. The fact is that the DCC are physically restraining him from playing for a club of his choice. If Eamonn moved to Portlaoise and wanted to play for them beause the weekly commute to O'Tooles was too much would the DCC prevent that transfer? I think not!! This is the same crippling Dublin GAA politics that has stifled the game in the capital for the past decade+. Preventing a player from making a rational decision (furthering his football career) and dictating to him what club he must play for is completely unacceptable no matter what the circumstances. I fully agree that the former Dublin player is talking absolute rubbish. Eamonn started playing football with O'tooles for a reason (his local club in his community) and successfully forged out a place in the Dublin set up while playing with them. If Eamonn was moved to another part of the country where it was not possible to make training or commit to his club fine, but when you are talking about internal clubs within Dublin a revolving door attitude where any player can just move anywhere anytime is just daft! Eamonn seems a little confused about his club of choice and I would like to know what is driving that? Gaa in every county is built on club teams and there needs to be some level of regulation to ensure that money and greed do not destroy it! Again as I said earlier I don't know of Eamonn circumstances so I am talking in general about transfers internally within Dublin. However I fail to see how Dublin GAA politics is crippling anything here or how you see this move as furthering Eamonns football career while he is already playing a high standard of foootball. Eamonn is being tipped as a good replacement for Whelo and playing with a club in the depths of division 2 hardly crippled his Dublin career did it? The problem is there are more and more clubs out there making propositions to players and tempting them with so called 'perks' and this cannot be allowed to continue! Instead the couty board need to take measures to stop this outright! Everyone wants to see Eamonn playing football for Dublin but that shouldn't be confused with the dirty 'politics' on the behalf of some of the big clubs that is crippling Dublin football and it looks like the county board is making a stand. It also applies to some of the country players getting transfers to Dublin clubs, if they can't show just cause for leaving there own club the transfers should be denied in order to save Dublin football.

pigonastick (Dublin) - Posts: 487 - 27/01/2010 09:07:37    543603

This situation would be laughable if it didn't have such serious consequences for the player concerned. Loyalty to club is an admirable trait within GAA. It is right that the GAA should seek to protect this important ethos.

However, there is a line and personal freedom must outweigh the rights of the club. It is a free country is it not? If Eamonn Fennell does not wish to play for O'Tooles but does wish to play football then, when it comes down to it, he has a right to play for whoever he wishes. He's not contracted to O'Tooles. Would the club's administrators be happy if he quit the game?

When you see how this has been handled by the County Board, it shows just why we have not been fulfilling our potential on the national stage. Just because GAA is an amateur game, does not mean it need be administered in an amateur fashion. County Chairman's decision was retrogade in the extreme.

Are clubs and the game generally in Dublin not under bigger threat from the grassroots organisation of rugby and soccer, than where one player wants to play. Fennell is being treated with contempt by the organisation he loves and it's shameful.

Unfortunately with the mentality that pervades the County Board it will be a long time before Dublin Football enjoys glory.

JackoDub (Dublin) - Posts: 458 - 27/01/2010 16:23:39    544087

JackoDub
County: Dublin
Posts: 169
be a long time before Dublin Football enjoys glory.


do you really think fennell+dublin =all lreland 2010,

yer all having a laugh

villamoy (Sligo) - Posts: 206 - 27/01/2010 17:35:10    544197

Idiotic remark Vilamoy. That's not what I was saying. I was saying that the County Board attitude to this issue is so idiotic, that it gives me as a Dublin fan no confidence that we are doing anything right re landing Sam. How could you take anything else from my post?

JackoDub (Dublin) - Posts: 458 - 27/01/2010 17:54:42    544240

Fennell should cut his losses and opt for an inter county club transfer to a club in Meath, Kildare ot Louth who I am sure would be delighted to have him for Championship for 2010. An inter county club transfer cannot be stopped. He could then join Vincents in 2011 with impunity and not have O'Tooles annoying him.

PC27 (Dublin) - Posts: 78 - 27/01/2010 18:21:54    544280

Think your missing my point Pigonastick. It is not the fact that Fennell is (or is not as the case may be) playing for O'Tooles that is crippling his inter-county career. It is O'Tooles, and now the DCCs, idiotic stance on the subject that will end up in him being inelligible to play inter-county football because of a stupid DCC bye-law that will ruin his career. Presumably Fennell's motivation was based on the fact that Vincents were AI club champions round about the time he put in his request and he has ambitions about reaching the top at club level, something that's unlikely to happen at O'Tooles.

Like I said, this is typical of DCC politics whether it be the failure to appoint a non-Dublin football manager when we were crying out for one, who would not be influenced by club loyalties, or whether it's the failure of recent managers to remove the old guard (again mostly down to player rule and club loyalty influences) there are too many interfering know-it-alls who are hampering the senior football team's progress. The DCC has voted to prevent one of our best prospects in a long time from futhering his IC career and at the same time put the county's chances of securing future silverware in jeopardy. That's a fact!

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 27/01/2010 21:30:13    544436

Fennell was awesome last night for Dublin. You lads need to get him a club quick. Great midfielder and well able to get tough scores.

TheFlyingTeacup (Meath) - Posts: 285 - 28/01/2010 10:18:06    544539

Is it strange he decided he didn't want to play for his club anymore after reaching two division 2 promotion play-offs and kickstarting an inter county career in two years? That to me sounds like a pretty promising run for his club and for Eamonn as a young player with time on his hands and playing for a club fighting it out at the the top of division 2. Where is his loyalty drive and passion that should want him to lead that club to the top of division 1? They are the real atttributes that would further his inter county teams progress towards silverware! This is no the premiership you don't just buy instant success its there for him and the club if they work for it! He should be looking at 5 years down the line and aiming for AI club champions with O'Tooles...why not? Take a look at Fingal Ravens they have come from Junior football to 4th(I think) in division 1 this year in less than 10 years through graft, loyalty and good leadership! Fingal Ravens don't have the best players in Dublin by any means but they have done it! I don't think they have lost any players in that time and have gone from strength to strength. Then you look at the likes of Fingallians a fantastic club that has always had a fantastic club spirit. They have a good young team but are struggling to hold on to some there better players with the likes of Ballymun and OPER picking some them up over the last few years. This is typical of what is happening all over Dublin in lots of clubs outside the top 10 clubs, the thing is its these clubs who have all the power and don't care about GAA in Dublin and only for there own club! When did young players become so windy that they won't stay and fight for the success of there club and the players they grew up with and build towards the future success?

Your missing the point Joxer this has ZERO to do with inter county football!!!

Joxer you are missing the point this has zero to do with

I agree flying teacup Eamonn had a good game last night, Meath have some good forwards coming through too I was impressed with Lewis very quick and wirey. Queeney is a real handful and Kennedy done pretty well too

pigonastick (Dublin) - Posts: 487 - 28/01/2010 12:43:36    544726

I agree with pigonastick. Sure why not forget all club football outside of div 1. and use all other clubs as feeder clubs to the top teams. When things got bad for Plunkets years ago, their current manager jumped ship, as did the ex Dublin player who keeps giving his opinion on the matter in the papers. I wonder if Plunkets went down to Div 3 now would the Brogans leave? Or would they stay and fight for their club? And would any current Dublin player tell Alan he was better off playing for a "TOP SIDE"...or would Micky Harte tell Sean Cavanagh to leave Moy and join his club, for the sake of his inter county carer? Would they f..k...Would playing for a senior club improve S Cavanagh as a footballer? NO...Would it improve Fennell...NO...If thats the way Dublin managers, players, and the so called big clubs in Dublin think....Then we will never win an All-Ireland again...I mean...did Heffo try to sign, Mick Kennedy?, Kevin Moran?...all from so called small clubs....Did Dave Synott the last O'Tooles man to play for Dublin leave his club..because it was a hurling club as Fennell put it...No...If your good enough to play inter county then it does not matter what Div or club you play for...ask half of the Kerry panel who play for junior teams

techy77 (Dublin) - Posts: 17 - 28/01/2010 13:31:46    544800