AFL Recruitment in Ireland

DoctorGonzo08

After the Dublin U-21 Leinster Final win last night over Louth, it seems Carlton have landed an absolute gem in Ciarán Kilkenny, that is if he signs the contract. He scored 1-7 of the 1-16 scored by Dublin in their 11 point win over Louth. Here is a little write about his performance:

Ciarán Kilkenny

What annoys me about the article and the GAA in general is summed up in this little beauty of a quote: "Hopefully, Gilroy can convince him otherwise".

Why? He will be treated and payed as a proffessional athlete in the AFL. Whereas he is expected to play for nothing here so "The Management" are paid. It's time for the GAA to step up over here or pretty soon it will be all one way traffic.

Other players on the watchlist for next year are:

• Patrick McBrearty (Donegal)
• Emmet Ó Conghaile (Dublin)
• Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
• Ian Fahy (Tipperary)
• Michael Quinlivan (Tipperary)
• Seán Hurley (Kildare)
• Emmett Bradley (Derry)
• Eoin Carroll (Offaly)
• Muiris Bartley (Cork)
• Conor Gough (Armagh)

Tigerandahalf

Given how poor the economy is here in Ireland at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if more Irish lads take up the opportunity especially if they can be guaranteed a 3rd level education over there. Fees seem to be increasing here for 3rd level so I think parents wouldn't be too disappointed to see their son head off.

dahayeser

DoctorGonzo08 wrote: »

After the Dublin U-21 Leinster Final win last night over Louth, it seems Carlton have landed an absolute gem in Ciarán Kilkenny, that is if he signs the contract. He scored 1-7 of the 1-16 scored by Dublin in their 11 point win over Louth. Here is a little write about his performance:

Ciarán Kilkenny

What annoys me about the article and the GAA in general is summed up in this little beauty of a quote: "Hopefully, Gilroy can convince him otherwise".

Why? He will be treated and payed as a proffessional athlete in the AFL. Whereas he is expected to play for nothing here so "The Management" are paid. It's time for the GAA to step up over here or pretty soon it will be all one way traffic.

Other players on the watchlist for next year are:

• Patrick McBrearty (Donegal)
• Emmet Ó Conghaile (Dublin)
• Jack McCaffrey (Dublin)
• Ian Fahy (Tipperary)
• Michael Quinlivan (Tipperary)
• Seán Hurley (Kildare)
• Emmett Bradley (Derry)
• Eoin Carroll (Offaly)
• Muiris Bartley (Cork)
• Conor Gough (Armagh)

Being a bit harsh there aren't we. Why would a GAA fan want to see on of their most exciting prospects in years head off to the other side of the world and play a completely different sport.

If Kilkenny reaches his potential as a Dublin player he is not going to be efected by the economic downturn. Have you seen how much product placement and sponsorship work the Brogans do? As a Dublin dual star the sky would be the limit for Kilkenny.

In saying that if he wants to go then the very best of luck to him but I don't see why anyone should be gagged from alerting him to the potential of a carrer in Ireland with his choosen sports.

DoctorGonzo08

dahayeser wrote: »

Being a bit harsh there aren't we. Why would a GAA fan want to see on of their most exciting prospects in years head off to the other side of the world and play a completely different sport.

I think you might have missed my point here. I'm not going against the GAA fan, I'm saying the opposite. The fans are losing out on seeing an exceptional talent playing the national sport. I'm questioning the reson why he is going. He will not be paid, like so many other players who are the core of the sport. Without them, there isn't a sport. Personally, from playing the sport, and my brothers, all I have seen is us paying membership every year, having to sell raffle tickets for the club twice a year, what isn't sold is expected to come out of our pocket. Our parents, who drove is to training and games down through the years had to pay entrance into games, etc. etc. What did we get out of it? Nothing except getting to represent the Parish/County. So where did the money the players raise go to? A "manager" who hadn't a bulls notion or training, and the "board".

The issue I'm raising is if this is the norm, and will not change, why then would anyone complain and moan about young talent going to the AFL? I know you are obviously not one of those, but it will be a shame to see all the young talent leaving shortly if nothing is changed within the game here.

I know this relates to a much bigger issue within the GAA rather than the AFL.

jackbhoy

DoctorGonzo08 wrote: »

dahayeser wrote: »

Being a bit harsh there aren't we. Why would a GAA fan want to see on of their most exciting prospects in years head off to the other side of the world and play a completely different sport.

I think you might have missed my point here. I'm not going against the GAA fan, I'm saying the opposite. The fans are losing out on seeing an exceptional talent playing the national sport. I'm questioning the reson why he is going. He will not be paid, like so many other players who are the core of the sport. Without them, there isn't a sport. Personally, from playing the sport, and my brothers, all I have seen is us paying membership every year, having to sell raffle tickets for the club twice a year, what isn't sold is expected to come out of our pocket. Our parents, who drove is to training and games down through the years had to pay entrance into games, etc. etc. What did we get out of it? Nothing except getting to represent the Parish/County. So where did the money the players raise go to? A "manager" who hadn't a bulls notion or training, and the "board".

The issue I'm raising is if this is the norm, and will not change, why then would anyone complain and moan about young talent going to the AFL? I know you are obviously not one of those, but it will be a shame to see all the young talent leaving shortly if nothing is changed within the game here.

I know this relates to a much bigger issue within the GAA rather than the AFL.

Do you seriously believe players should get paid? Half the county boards in the country are in debt just paying for expenses of putting out teams, and yes a bit of cash to manager but outside of Dublin, Cork and maybe Galway no county would survive.
The GAA puts practically every penny it makes back into grassroots of the game, very few highly paid administrators in the game when you compare it to other sporting bodies in Ireland and abroad.

DoctorGonzo08

Think this is becoming more of a GAA issue than AFL. But yes I do believe there should be some balance in the payment. Did you the Louth Manager was paid 60,000 for the year? The players were paid what? I think this is a gaping shift in balance. In my own Parish board, one of the members used money raised and from lotto donations to pay for the foundations to his house and materials. There is intrinsic corruption within the GAA, granted not everywhere, and I'm not generalising. But to turn a blind eye to this, and to try and persuade Kilkenny to not follow a professional career whilst offering no alternative, I believe is wrong.

At the end of the day, its the players you go to see, the players you looked up to when you were kids, and the players that entertain. Why then are they not supposed to be paid?

jackbhoy

DoctorGonzo08 wrote: »

Think this is becoming more of a GAA issue than AFL. But yes I do believe there should be some balance in the payment. Did you the Louth Manager was paid 60,000 for the year? The players were paid what? I think this is a gaping shift in balance. In my own Parish board, one of the members used money raised and from lotto donations to pay for the foundations to his house and materials. There is intrinsic corruption within the GAA, granted not everywhere, and I'm not generalising. But to turn a blind eye to this, and to try and persuade Kilkenny to not follow a professional career whilst offering no alternative, I believe is wrong.

At the end of the day, its the players you go to see, the players you looked up to when you were kids, and the players that entertain. Why then are they not supposed to be paid?

I don't disagree with you on what players give to the game but you need to look at big picture, the point is pay them with what? Go around the country and look at income for every county board, outside of a few of the big counties most struggle to keep their heads above water in covering costs of putting out teams from U-16 to senior. Where would they generate money to to pay 30+ players even minimum wage?

Smaller counties like my own, generally get a couple of c'ship games a year and as often as not these are played away or in a neutral venue and poorly attended. So although paying players is nice in theory there's no way it could ever be sustained without bankrupting all but a few of the county boards.

Btw, that dude in your club is in no way representative of GAA people in general, I know so many lads that give an incredible amount of time to clubs without any expectation of reward. If he did steal from club then he should be subject to criminal/civil action..

DoctorGonzo08

jackbhoy wrote: »

I don't disagree with you on what players give to the game but you need to look at big picture, the point is pay them with what? Go around the country and look at income for every county board, outside of a few of the big counties most struggle to keep their heads above water in covering costs of putting out teams from U-16 to senior. Where would they generate money to to pay 30+ players even minimum wage?

Smaller counties like my own, generally get a couple of c'ship games a year and as often as not these are played away or in a neutral venue and poorly attended. So although paying players is nice in theory there's no way it could ever be sustained without bankrupting all but a few of the county boards.

Btw, that dude in your club is in no way representative of GAA people in general, I know so many lads that give an incredible amount of time to clubs without any expectation of reward. If he did steal from club then he should be subject to criminal/civil action..

I do get your point, and I agree. I might have ranted a little. I just find it hard to justify paying huge money to managers and nothing to players.

SSK

Have you a link to where it says the Louth manager was paid €60K last year? Because the Louth Co Board are in massive debt so this seems slightly exaggerated to say the least.

My own opinion is that these players should take every opportunity to play professionally if that's what they wish to do. But as has been shown by the likes of Heslin, Shields, Brendan Murphy, its not everyone that is cut out for it.

Also, I have seen the majority of the players listed above and the AFL clubs would be wasting their time with all bar 3/4 of them. It is increasingly obvious that for an Irish player to succeed over there you have to be both a special talent physically and skill wise. All of Clarke, Hanley, Kennelly and Tuohy were underage stars who were freak athletes in terms of pace, endurance and ball-skills.

It is incredibly unlikely for an Irish player to go over and make it as a key position player or ruckman as they are incredibly difficult positions for even young Aussies who've been playing their whole lives to adapt to a AFL level. Tommy Walsh's (one of the best "big man" talents seen in this country in recent years) struggles only serves to highlight this. That's why I think its strange that Kennelly seems to have hand-picked a significant amount of bigger midfield type players for his camps.

Tigerandahalf

It is not easy to make it over there. The guys on the rookie contracts are only getting 30/40 grand a year. Hardly big money over there. They lose out on a lot of the socialising that young guys their age do. If they dont make it then their confidence can be badly hit and it can be hard for them to come home and ajust to life here.

jackbhoy

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It is not easy to make it over there. The guys on the rookie contracts are only getting 30/40 grand a year. Hardly big money over there. They lose out on a lot of the socialising that young guys their age do. If they dont make it then their confidence can be badly hit and it can be hard for them to come home and ajust to life here.

Thats a very good point. Many people in Ireland think these lads are really well paid and live like soccer players, it's far from reality. I was at the Cork-Down All Ireland year before last and the Down supporter beside me kept telling me how Marty Clarke left behind $25k per week to come home and play GA, he wouldn't believe me when I told him Marty would be lucky to get 10% of that.