there is alot of talent this year and the league and championship could be very close! iexpecta few surprises in the championship this year

God7 (Down) - Posts: 354 - 01/03/2011 12:41:47    878906

The county board had a meeting last night about the sacking of the minor management. A number of club delgates proposed a compromise for the sake of the 30 girls who have been training since November, but the executive refused to reconsider and threatened to resign en masse. They said they would compromise by, wait for it, appointing a new manager.
Whatever about the rights and wrongs, the minor squad have been totally abandoned by this process; the championship due in 10 days, no training or challenge matches for the last 2 weeks, a new management due who won't know the players or how to set out the team. Our young people are the real losers here.

befair (Down) - Posts: 238 - 01/03/2011 14:10:47    878987

Make sure you dont put anything on facebook girls. Big brother dont like it. Maybe the county executive should resign.

monitor (Down) - Posts: 209 - 01/03/2011 16:35:12    879100

Minor management went to papers this morning... An absolute disgrace that the whole of ulster now knows about out problems.. the girls who have trained seince October should stand their ground and not play in the championship. Its a disgrace... SMC

Burrenman (Down) - Posts: 36 - 02/03/2011 10:50:38    879486

What are these "new rules" that have caused the problem?

Does anybody know?

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 02/03/2011 15:33:22    879809

This whole minor issue has got completely out of control. At the end of the day, the minor girls obviously want to play for Down if they have been training since October, it should not matter who is on the sideline because it will be the girls on the pitch who will be playing, and hopefully, winning.
I cannot believe some of these girls are refusing to play if the manager is not re-instated, and refusing to play for the senior team - it is a privilage to be asked to play for your county but some of these girls can't see it.
I am sure there are 15 minors in the county who want to play for their county and I would rather see them put on the Down jersey come championship.

jaffa5 (Down) - Posts: 13 - 02/03/2011 16:12:06    879857

Why were the mangers asked to go? I've read this this forum and Im none the wiser.

Seannie Og (Down) - Posts: 952 - 02/03/2011 19:53:40    880108

Burrenman, you seem pretty sure of your facts to say that the management went to the papers. Would it occur to you that since 22nd February there have been 17 posts on this site about the issue and that one of the eagle-eyed journalists just might have picked it up from here? You need to be sure about your facts and I'm sure that you are wrong. Also, my understanding is that the players are behind the management. Therefore, if you want them to stand their ground, do you want them to stand behind the management ?

dubhdriocht (Down) - Posts: 3 - 02/03/2011 19:59:43    880116

Clearly you don't know the situation/or you're on the committee Jaffa ? The committee made little attempt at a reasoned argument when addressing clubs at the recent meeting. They basically said, we are in charge of this county you must accept our decision or we will all quit and leave you without club football. They don't care that the minors have trained since October and are now left without football and they would not have hesitated to bring football to a halt in this county. Not hard to see why the minor management had difficulties with them, they really don't care about players in general. Shocking to see it all unfold and I'm ashamed of myself I have not done more to support the girls and their management, who have maintained a dignified silence throughout. It's clear they have nothing to answer to. If you think the minor girls should play on under new management, few would agree with you. The real problem is the mind-set you can tell a bunch of schoolgirls what to do -it started with- You have to play senior football if you want to or not and now it's - You'll play for a manager that will ensure you do. Everything else is just a smokescreen - But they have seriously underestimated this particular group of young ladies who are running rings round them.

ladiesman (Down) - Posts: 20 - 02/03/2011 20:21:49    880143

I was at the meeting on Monday night representing my club and i heard there was a discussion going on here about it so thought i'd check it out. Its really amazing how the facts get distorted when you have this much emotion. The co. ex read a fairly detailed statement on the reasons for the sacking and opened it up to co board to have their say. There were a couple of suggestions around a compromise but the co ex weren't in favour of bringing back the minor management. They will have a new management in place for trainig this week and i guess if the girls want to represent their county they will turn out, if they don't they prob won't. Don't forget the ex are reponsible to the county board and if people don't want them there the clubs can always stand them down. It was ironic that at the meeting there was no call for a vote from anyone in support of the minor management and against the ex.....says it all maybe as i don't get how people can say they have support of all the clubs when they werren't prepared to vote against them.....

KeepItClean (Down) - Posts: 18 - 02/03/2011 20:44:17    880187

Your just the man we need keepitclean - What did the statement say? What did they do? Are you saying they deserved to be sacked ? What are you saying ?

soprano (Down) - Posts: 38 - 02/03/2011 21:31:49    880263

A very strange situation. Talk about shooting yourselves in the mouth!

I hear the sponsor is very unhappy with developments and has made his feelings known.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 03/03/2011 08:42:31    880318

This whole debacle regarding the minors should never have been allowed to get to this stage. Anyone reading about it on here will have to realise that there are alot of one sided opinions being posted. I believe that the county board made mistakes and done things in the wrong way and I also believe that the minor management made mistakes in doing things, albeit for what they believed would help the minor team, but which was to the detriment of other teams. In my opinion your senior county team should get first choice over players, if minors are involved then an agreement should be made between the two squads as to when the players train with each squad and the same should happen with minors and U16s. If management dig there heels in then no-one will benefit!!!! The county board should see this is done pretty early in the year and stuck too. I have heard people complaining about the county board but at every AGM there are not too many people putting their name forward to join the board and help out and without the board, there would be NO club football. This situation is unfortunate but I think people should move on from it and lets get the best players in our county back playing and showing that football is what is important.

gaaforall (Down) - Posts: 130 - 03/03/2011 11:26:57    880430

When it comes to County Teams, U16s should play at u16 level and Minors should at minor level.

These young girls are already playing football and in some cases camogie with their clubs and colleges. They haven't got the time to be involved in two county squads with all the travel and training involved.

Have they never heard of player burn out??

Surely to God there are 15 over 18s that can represent the County senior team? If there's not then we shouldn't be entering competitions.

The County Board need to catch themselves on and allow the girls and their parents to decide how much time a girl can committ to County teams.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 03/03/2011 12:05:09    880464

Burnout - sure whats that??? Hundreds of people go to university to study about the effects of it and end up getting paid in jobs when they leave and whats happening at the minute - the sigerson cup.... Where lads have to play 3 games in 3 days with the intensity of the games getting bigger as the competition progresses. they talk about protecting players - thats some protection... Girls dont play football as long as men - its a known fact - so let them play away like hell when they are the age to caus they will walk away in their early 20s anyhow - and some dont even make it that long. SMC

Burrenman (Down) - Posts: 36 - 03/03/2011 16:55:59    880737

oh and dubhdriocht - this is a message board where you express your opinion... Im entitled to my opinion just as much as yo are yours. If i feel it was the minor management - then im going to say so. Plus you seem very certain it wasnt them... Are you hiding behind this name francie/paul??

Burrenman (Down) - Posts: 36 - 03/03/2011 16:58:14    880741

Burrenman i highly doubt that francie or paul need to use the hoganstand to express their views, they are best ladies football managers in the county by a long shot, and they are respected across the country. The support that they have got over this issue just proves this. But the fact of the matter is that Francie and Paul may have done some minor things wrong but nothing that merits their dismissal especially at this time of the year.

down.sup. (Down) - Posts: 19 - 03/03/2011 17:35:10    880785

Is there a minor team in the Ulster Championship? It's not long now.

I was talking to Frank McM last night but he refused point blank to comment. I would know Frank fairly well but he was saying nothing at all.

Frank Mitchell (Down) - Posts: 1082 - 04/03/2011 09:22:07    881036

down.sup. ARE YOU SERIOUS?? They are the best managers in the county - what have they won again - remind me?? Nothing at club level and absolutely zilch at county level. They have a group of girls who respect them which is great and very admirable on their part but to label them as great managers is way off the mark. This minor thing needs to be put to bed - if the current panel arent willing to play then they need to get back to their clubs and train and stop the bull of training on their own. there are another 15 girls somewhere in the county that will play in a minor championship game so gather them up and play the game. the minor panel can then get off their high horses and play club football and stop all the whingin.

singer (Down) - Posts: 330 - 04/03/2011 10:45:08    881092

Frank McM saying nothing - That is a first

soprano (Down) - Posts: 38 - 04/03/2011 11:34:51    881132