Wexford Hurling

[coj22ie]

It is with great sadness in my heart that I sit down to write this post. Through the past 20 years I have grown up, gone to college, traveled to various parts of the world and got what some might call a good job in the big smoke. Despite all these normal everyday commendable things my life has been marked by one consuming passion. That is a passion for hurling, I have tried many times to shake this passion off. At the end of the 1995 season I vowed never to follow a Wexford team again. I stuck to that vow for a year and I was thought a very valuable lesson, you should never turn your back on something you're passionate about because someday, if you stick with it it will be your day. All Ireland final day 1996 could have been that day for me but it wasn't.
So last year when the Models suffered an unmerciful beating at the hands of the Banner men I withstood the temptation to say, 'fuck them I'm not coming back', and with the lesson's of 96 close to my heart I went to Croker for the Clare game thinking just maybe this will be my day and the turning point in what would become my year. If Wexford had been beaten by a point or two I could have come out and held my head high.If Wexford had given the impression that they were trying I could have taken something from the game and had some hope for next year but alas none of those things happened. I came away from the game and I said to some of the lads in the Big Tree, '12 points? How do you lose by that much in championship hurling? I mean that just doesn't happen at club level!'.
Last Saturday I played a club championship match and lost by 25 points, karma some might say, deep and meaningful insight I say. We had trained hard all year won the majority of our league and cup games and won our first two championship games against what were considered the top two teams in our side of the draw. That made us favourites for last Saturday, but we were blown away. The reason we were blown away is because we were ignorant of our problems, we had three men in positions they had never played in, we had four men who had never experienced the intensity of senior championship or a game that came close to replicating that, but we still thought we would be ok. We didn't see the bigger picture we weren't aware of how slow we were or how many mistakes we were making. These are the same reasons why Wexford were blown away by Clare with one important exception, They Knew. Early in the year the players were calling on management to up the intensity levels in training, to do new things to push harder because they knew they were behind Kilkenny and the Munster teams and they knew with each session that went on that they were getting further and further behind.
At times like this we often blame the players and bring out the old cliches, 'we haven't got any forwards', ' we may wait another ten years till the young lads come up before we'll have a chance'. But one thing they all forget is that no matter how much under age talent is in the county they need the right encouragement, coaching and management. A valuable point was put to me the other day by someone closely involved with the senior setup. Where are the future managers and coaches going to come from? What if passionate hurling people like ourselves went to the local field for an hour to coach some youngsters instead of coming on here and going on a rant giving out about the existing players, would that make a difference? I think the answer is yes it would. Not only would it make a difference to the young hurlers in the county but more importantly it will increase the pool of coaching talent and will prevent a repeat of 06. Are there Liam Griffins and Ger Loughnanes amongst our ranks? I think it's a certainty. In the mean time I look forward to Cork and Waterford tomorrow and hope that a great spectacle will restore my fate in the great game.

[bandage]

Welcome co22ie, welcome indeed. Good post. I'll start by saying my faith in the great game was restored by the Waterford's display that immediately followed our own malaise. It says a lot about how poor we were that I was shouting encouragement for a team I have no connection with but barely let out a murmur during our own game.

Re the Wexford team. It was apparent to everyone in the county that the camp was not happy. We had players leaving the panel all the time, others rejoining at their whim and others again not even turning up for training and, in some cases, even games! The manager didn't command the respect of the players and did not have the force of personality to run a tight ship. You're not going to win anything without proper leadership and a structured and focused training programme.

I know the senior players were unhappy going back to last year and as you say brought their concerns to the management who didn't act on them. That is an indictment of the management team. That said there are a section of players whose attitude and commitment just isn't good enough especially when compared to some of our rivals who have adopted a very professional outlook. They might say 'it's an amateur game, I need to enjoy the social side too' etc etc but nobody is forcing them to pay inter-county hurling. You either want to represent your county properly or you do not. If you can't give a full commitment then please do fook off.

The coaching point is an interesting one. As a chat forum sceptic said to me (maybe the same source as yourself) 'it's alright for you lot to be giving out about things on the internet but what are you doing to put them right? Instead of moaning about everything, think about how we can improve, present something to your club and bring a motion before the county board'. I'll do a GAA coaching course with you - we'll research it. Steamboatsam might do it too but I think he's not allowed within 500 yards of kids or his electronic tag goes off. I always wanted to teach the Liam Dunne sidestep to someone! And also how I used to feign shooting with my (very weak) right hand side, wait for the defender to commit himself to the block down, then instead of following through with the stroke, simply balance the ball on the hurley, step inside and slot over with the trustee left (think I first did this to current Wexford senior Eoin Quigley in a county U-14 semi final!).

There's a load of other things that can be done. The county championship is the first thing that needs surgery. Surely they will have to amend the structure of that now so that club games are ongoing all summer (like in Cork and Kilkenny) rather than suspending it while the county team remains in the championship and wrapping our players up in cotton wool. This has two implications, 1) Our players are not as match fit and sharp as their opponents and 2) It's more difficult to ascertain who the form players are if there's no recent competitive games to gauge them by. I have posted before about the minor championship too. That has to be rectified.

We need a manager who can inspire the pool of players now, someone with a bit of personality and flair and a track record would be a bonus. There's only man in Wexford with all these traits and that's the great Liam Griffin. Other than that I'd go for Liam Dunne as a Wexford team sent out by him would not lack in pride and motivation.

[briantinnion]

Was chatting to a guy I know over the weekend who is on the fringes of the senior panel. He was telling me that he has been with the Wexford panel since December 2005 and from that time to this weekend he has played one match. One match in 8 months, fcuking ridiculous.

New manager should really be in place as soon as possible too so they can have a look at this years championship and have adequate time to plan. Co. Board will probably set up a fcuking committee first though.

[steamboatsam]

a few points:-

it's amazing how this shit happens every year and yet come the following year people like myself & Bandage still think we're in with a genuine chance of beating kilkenny and whoever else even though nothing in the entire Wexford Hurling setup has changed. We must be as misguided as some of our county board members.

i don't even know how you would class the wexford county board as a unit - they're certainly not proactive and it's obvious from the last few years that they're not even reactive. i think a new word may have to be invented to describe them - must email dictionary.com

In hindsight we can't complain too much about Seamus Murphy, he did a lot of good work with the U21's to the stage where a large part of the hurling population in Wexford thought him the best man for the job and a lot of people were disappointed he didn't get it ahead of John Conran a few years ago. While it was obvious both inside and outside the camp that things didn't work out last year, it would have been difficult to oust him after 1 yr without a major revolt by the players. I'm sure the co board were dreaming back to Griffin in '95 and how he didn't exactly set the world alight.

It's all well and good saying that we need to start coaching the kids but that's not where our biggest problem is. Our biggest problem is putting the structures in place to make sure these kids are brought through to adult level. It's incredible the amount of promising youngsters who lose interest in the game at 15/16+. The coaching at U10 & U12 level is almost futile if a bunch of these lads are quitting a few years later. Compare hurling to soccer, there is a clearly defined season at all levels and these games are played with minimal disruption, Hurling matches are played when it suits. This year there wasn't a ball pucked in the minor c'ship until a couple of months after the county team were eliminated. It's simple admin issues that are making a mockery of our game. Think also of the U21 c'ship, both county and intercounty level - the players are treated as second class citizens. Over the weekend papa steamboatsam was telling me of a row he had with Mick Kinsella, county secretary & member of wexford coaching staff, a few years ago regarding the u21 grade. Kinsella wanted the u21 grade scrapped at club level because in his view "anyone who is good enough will have made it to the county u21 team or the club senior team". As for the rest of the guys who want to play hurling? he didn't say but you can see where his priorities are. That's the attitude of someone who's still one of, if not the, most influential people in Wexford GAA. What hope do we have with people like that around.

I'm personally a bit disappointed there wasn't more of a backlash from the players; we heard murmurings of discontent all year and a trickle of players leaving the panel but surely if things got so bad and the management weren't taking the players views on board the panel, led by the senior players, should have banded together and stood up to managment, forced a resignation if necessary. Think back to the Cork hurlers strike a few years ago - they realised if they wanted change they had to make it happen themselves and more power to them, look at the benefits since then. Those boys had a bit of spine, on and off the pitch. Think also to Offaly and Babs Keating in '98.

I don't want to come down too hard on the players as being a lazy fook myself i can't even imagine the amount of work they put in over the last few years to be in a position to wear the jersey and i don't believe any of them went out against Clare and didn't try their best but they can't be totally absolved from blame. It was laughable with 5mins to go, and being 15 points down, we saw Rory Jacob and Des Mythen not even consider looking for a goal to put some respectability on the scoreline and instead content to tap over points from 30 yards and trot back to their position as though playing an exhibition match.

Regarding bandage's post about a chat forum sceptic saying we would be better off doing someting proactive like coaching or putting a proposal the co board instead off ranting on a forum, it's a fair point but i myself am not affiliated with any GAA club nor a member off any organisation associated with Wexford hurling. i'm merely a paying customer to croke park and i believe i am perfectly entitled to air my views however i see fit after spending my "hard earned" cash only to witness the utter drivel on show a few sundays ago.

In saying that i'm still proud to be a wexford man and will be supporting the lads as voiciferously as ever next june even if they're managed by bandage and he also lines out at centre forward.

we're a strange breed us sports fans......

[briantinnion]

steamboatsam said:

a few points:-

it's amazing how this shit happens every year and yet come the following year people like myself & Bandage still think we're in with a genuine chance of beating kilkenny and whoever else even though nothing in the entire Wexford Hurling setup has changed. We must be as misguided as some of our county board members.

so true Sam, no matter how sh!te we are I always go to matches thinking we have a chance, even going to the Clare match I was saying to people that I thought we didn't have a prayer but on the inside I really thought we'd give it a go!

steamboatsam said:

In hindsight we can't complain too much about Seamus Murphy, he did a lot of good work with the U21's to the stage where a large part of the hurling population in Wexford thought him the best man for the job and a lot of people were disappointed he didn't get it ahead of John Conran a few years ago. While it was obvious both inside and outside the camp that things didn't work out last year, it would have been difficult to oust him after 1 yr without a major revolt by the players. I'm sure the co board were dreaming back to Griffin in '95 and how he didn't exactly set the world alight.

I heard that there was an effort by the more senior players in the panel to get rid of Murphy early the season but the idea was abandoned because of the attention it would draw from the media. The player need to get some balls, if they weren't happy with it they should taken a stand. I wonder what Darragh Ryan makes of it all, a man who came back from two cruciate ligament injuries and gave his all to the cause has seen his career end in a complete shambles.

steamboatsam said:

It's all well and good saying that we need to start coaching the kids but that's not where our biggest problem is. Our biggest problem is putting the structures in place to make sure these kids are brought through to adult level. It's incredible the amount of promising youngsters who lose interest in the game at 15/16+. The coaching at U10 & U12 level is almost futile if a bunch of these lads are quitting a few years later. Compare hurling to soccer, there is a clearly defined season at all levels and these games are played with minimal disruption, Hurling matches are played when it suits.

Hit the nail on the head there Sam regarding the contrast between soccer and GAA in the county. The manner in which soccer is run and the numbers playing in the county (someone told me it's the biggest league in the country outside dublin) is a credit to the Wexford and District League. Just look at the way in which Mick Wallace prepares his Wexford Youth Team with the way the Co. Minor teams are prepared, I'm not a Wallace lover either but he deserves credit for the way he looks after those teams. I am one of the people you mention who has fallen away from playing GAA regulary, I still line out for Junior matches whenever I can but the way the whole thing is run makes it impossible for me to put in any serious effort. The biggest problem is you just don't know when you are gonna be playing a match and when you do have them you end up having three in a week. Compare this to the soccer structure, I already know our league is starting on the 10th of September and I know I will have a match every weekend (weather permitting) until mid-April. The results from the weekend and the fixtures for the following weekend are put up on the league's web site every Monday (www.wexfordfootballleague.com), compare this the Wexford GAA web site which is pure sh!te and has fcuk all relevant information. I know that there will never be as many championship matches as there are league matches in soccer but I still see no reason why there can't be regular matches from May to September. The statistics say it all, this season I played 4 football matches and 31 soccer matches (aided by our run in Europe a.k.a the Leinster Junior Shield).

[bandage]

Good posts gents. I think that both proper coaching and a properly defined season are imperative. The lack of games for a regular club player is a disgrace and it's no wonder players are becoming disillusioned with the facts as you have outlined.

Had a gander at the synopsis of the 'Wexford Hurling Development Plan' over the weekend. I don't know if you recall but Wexford County Board were refusing to hand out copies of the document to clubs at the meeting where the plan was adopted for fear they would fall into rivals' hands. Anyway, they produced this summary for clubs to be used as a discussion tool in their clubs and to help clubs decide whether they want to weigh in behind the plan or not.

It's just a really generic document to be honest. They're going to employ a 'Hurling Development Administrator' who will oversee the plan. Then there'll be 6 or 7 coaches to assist this person. These teams will go into the clubs, coach the coaches, coach the players and visit each club 5 or 6 times a month. It's probably a start but is full of broad objectives like, 'to promote the game of hurling in Wexford so that children can learn the game in an organised, structured and competitive manner' etc etc. Would like to see the full document I suppose.

Can't say I have confidence that those in the GAA corridors of power in Wexford have the capabilities to get this right.

[briantinnion]

bandage said:

It's probably a start but is full of broad objectives like, 'to promote the game of hurling in Wexford so that children can learn the game in an organised, structured and competitive manner' etc etc.

Pure crap there from the Co. Board. The goals should be SMART, we all know what I mean by that. You wouldn't get away with a wishy-washy goal like that in a professional environment.

[bandage]

I think Wexford hurling needs to satisfy its physical needs to start. Only then can we climb up the ladder. Self-actualisation seems a long way off. A long, long way off.

[iamthelaw]

bandage said:

physical needs ... Self-actualisation

Ironic reference to Maslow in light of the previous SMART mention?

[bandage]

No, just thought I'd throw in a little bit of Maslow after the reference to SMART. Trying to be smart I suppose.

[bondage]

Sam don't mention kids again. And since when did you cut your ties with the homeland?

And as for Wexford hurling, hmmmmm, cricket would be a good alternative. Bandage to manage the team and Sam can be the twelfth man. Coj22ie could, well, do whatever he wants really. Cricket would suit us coz its soft and handy and can have a few pints etc. Grand no bother.

The hurling situation is pretty dire to be fair, but no worse than Clare in 93 when the lohans, Dalo, the sparrow, Davy etc were hammered by 20 odd points by tipp who didnt even win the all ireland.

Alot of the stuff posted has its merits but realistically there is no blanket solution, all of the players are not heartless.........but some do need to scratch their scrotum and locate their balls.

Management did not steer the ship in the right the direction this year, and in hindsight its easy enough to see this. To Sam again, Cork didn't rebel against Bertie Og mid season 02, it was done in December. Hardly high stakes stuff.

Babs was shafted, but if one ever listens to Messr Duignan on RTE, he will say that Johnny Murray(Babs' trainer) had Offaly in great shape that year, before the unfortunate sheep in a heap comment. Remember they beat Wexford when by all accounts the yellow bellies were flying. And the Offaly squad were probably the best team of the modern generation. Cork 04-06 included.

Other random stuff, co board waaaaaaaaay too reactive. Has the Wex manager officially stepped down yet? Nope. Been sacked. Nope. Does this point to a search having formally begun for a new gaffer? Rhetorical question bandage.

Some of the players are hypocrites. But a Griffinesque character would soon put a stop to that nonsense.

Finally structures, co board whateva you're having yourself. Wexford are not 12 points inferior to any inter county side. As Keano, the great, great Keano once said to some idiot "Fail to prepare and prepare to fail". If Wexford train and prepare with the intensity required anything is possible. As Griffin said on TG4 recently, what it took in 96 is way less than what it would require in 06, and in 16 it will take even more again. So how do Wexford expect to win doing less?

Now get back to work bandage, internet for work use only!!!!!!!!!

[bandage]

Good post bondage, welcome to Ireland's premier and newest sporting website.

Of course the county board is way too reactive. They should resign en masse. I was under the impression a motion was passed a couple of years ago stating that each officer was to have a 7 year maximum term of office so that fresh blood and impetus could be introduced to the administration and organisation of GAA in the county. This obviously hasn't been enforced as some of the present incumbents are likely to be there forever.

I know the underage structures are not ideal but the likes of Clare have shown that having successful underage teams winning provincial and All Ireland titles is not a prerequisite for a strong senior team. But it has become more and more apparent looking in from the outside that a really professional set up is required at senior level. If only we had an inter-county player who posted on the site then maybe he could inform us of the amount of preparation and training that goes into a championship campaign.

For the set up to bring out the best in the players the manager must be spot on. He must be a leader, motivator, tactically astute, good under pressure and he must command the respect of the players. When a manager shows weakness players will exploit it. That's not just applicable to hurling - you see it any job, in any walk of life. As you say a Griffin type character would sort out any perceived attitude or commitment issues that the players have and ensure only properly focused players were involved. If I was a Wexford player I would be organising for the senior players to make a representation to Griffin and Dunne to try get them to take over. I would beg these legends.

As of now Wexford county board need to adopt a dual approach - a root and branch overhaul of the game at a grassroots and underage level to set about improving standards as well as applying all their efforts and energy at ensuring the senior team regains its competiveness. This means going for the best manager available and making him an offer he can't refuse. We're fooking Wexford. We can't let the game go to shit in our county.

[bandage]

Maybe a sign of some progress, from the Indo:

O'Connor heads Wexford hurling
Friday August 11th 2006
WEXFORD legend George O'Connor is about to be appointed the county's director of hurling.

After a terrible season at all grades the appointment of O'Connor will represent the first step on the road to recovery for the county's hurling fortunes.

Wexford have slipped a long way behind Kilkenny and are even in Dublin's slipstream now for producing decent underage teams.

The search for a new senior team manager will also start in the coming weeks once Seamus Murphy confirms that he isn't interested in extending his two year term.

[steamboatsam]

heard a rumour today that a certain Wexford defender has signed up for some nivea face cream advertisements. sounds incredibly gay but imagine the slagging if it were true......

[bandage]

Georgie O'Connor has officially been appointed now on a 3 year term. Get it sorted Georgie boy.