BarneysTie quote: 'The blame for this debacle lies squarely with the clubs & club delegates' - I want to remind you that democracy within the county lies with the clubs and delegates so I do not see where the word 'blame' should reside. The blame may lie with the folk who are not members of any club or indeed do not contribute to decisions within their own club but have strong opinions on what may or may not be best. I think that the changes proposed may have succeeded if taken in steps, however I do think that the discussed changes will do little to improve adult football.

If you want to sell an idea to clubs you would certainly require to revise the process of which you refer to, as it is obvious more than one meeting in Dunganny would be required.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 24/03/2016 11:06:05    1837259

Turkeys wouldn't vote for Christmas and as has already been stated here by a lot of posters a significant amount of clubs are only interested in their own status and are quite happy to call themselves a "senior" or "Intermediate" club, they fear competition and will not vote for any changes which they believe will put pressure on their status. I believe that the better teams you play against the better you become, Meath Hill wiil benefit hugely from Div 2 football come championship as will St Colmcilles in Div 1. Both those sides are embracing the challenges, not running away from them. What your grade is called is not important, competitive championships are what the spectators want and players need. The proposed relegations were drastic with 5 Intermediate and 7 Junior A in particular being tough. But overall the Senior needs to be cut ideally to 12 teams, and the intermediate grade is mediocre also with a very very poor Nobber side in final last year. Change is needed in some form quickly because we are about to embark on a championship with a lot of meaningless non event group matches that do nothing for anyone interested in GAA in Meath

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 24/03/2016 12:22:20    1837288

Browncows - ok maybe 'blame' should be replaced with 'responsibility'.

I would advise you to read the CRC document if you haven't already done so. Having read it and being aware of the work that went into the whole process, I - and this is just my view of course - don't accept that the clubs were ill-informed, or that if they were that that was the fault of the CRC in not trying to 'sell' the proposals. The meeting was just one aspect, there was a lot of engagement with clubs from start to finish.

I know from speaking to a few club reps, that some clubs had lengthy meetings to consider the proposals, while others barely gave it a thought. That's what I was referring to. The CRC did everything they could to make clubs aware of what was happening, so I don't accept that they didn't do their job properly.

BarneysTie (Meath) - Posts: 236 - 24/03/2016 12:36:33    1837295

What a mess! The Competitions Committee did all within its power to solicit opinion and feedback from the clubs and to communicate the proposal to the clubs. No fault there. They delivered what they asked to deliver.
The Delegates approved the proposal and that should have been that for this year at least. No new information or changed circumstances revealed to the Delegates after that 1st vote so they obviously sleep-walked their way through the initial meeting not understanding or comprehending the impact of their decision.
Now we're back to square 1 with a dead-rubber championship where mediocracy will be the order of the day. Personally, I believe the proposal was too aggressive from the outset and that it should have been either staggered or implemented over a 2yr timeframe to allow clubs adjust. It should also have been seeded based on 2015 performances.

AnFearBan1234 (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 24/03/2016 13:27:49    1837330

AnFearBan1234- I would agree with that. Barney123 maybe the idea would have carried if was carried out over say 3 years and I have no vested interest either and I suppose it is easy for someone like myself sitting on the side line to express an opinion.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 24/03/2016 14:43:14    1837364

I've read through most of the comments here and some posters seem very far removed from the actual goings on at club level, particularly in the smaller rural clubs. Comments such as clubs being happy to win one game and preserve their status is just crazy. Saying teams should train harder is equally ludicrous. All teams from Senior to Junior train from Dec/Jan to August at least. Lads don't give up all this time just to win one game. Everyone dreams and hopes of winning something. Its why people play GAA!
However, the small rural clubs which people are blaming have an awful lot to lose. Mass relegation in one year could wipe out some clubs and many people dont understand this. Some teams are building and trying to bring underage through. A couple of injuries in a team or college commitments and losing, say, 2 games, could mean a club is relegated. Relegation is very tough on the moral of a club, believe me, and some players invariably call it a day.
These proposals could actually make Meath football worse. Bring them in sensibly over a 2/3 year period.

What benefit is it to bring in mass relegation in one year? Can anybody tell me that?

LetuceBFrank (Meath) - Posts: 67 - 27/03/2016 09:13:21    1837938

I never would have said clubs don't hope or dream of winning something. From January to August/September clubs will train as best they can but lots of them have no realistic chance of winning. Too many clubs will look back on their season at the end of the year and say 'sure look, at least we stayed up!' Too many clubs just settle for being part of the senior/intermediate grade even if they blatantly can't compete.

As for clubs being wiped out because of relegation, that may be true but it goes to show how badly off some rural clubs are. It proves that the only way forward for many rural clubs is to amalgamate to form a senior club (the Kerry way again...) so that the best players can play at their own level while still playing for their local club also. If that system came into place many clubs would still be relegated for it to work.
The best way to improve Meath football is to implement the Kerry amalgamation system from u-15 to minor. Too many good young players are left playing stagnant football in Division 5 or 6 at underage for their club and it severely stunts their development and transition to adult football and ultimately fewer talented lads come through.

nmsmithy96 (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 27/03/2016 18:39:26    1838200

Also as far as I know the current Meath championship format isn't at all common throughout the country. Meath and Offaly are the only counties that have a group stage of 5+ games before the knock outs. The two front runner formats are 3 group games (Mayo, Donegal, Sligo, Tipperary etc) and a back-door system where if you lose two games you're out (Monaghan, Cork, Kerry, Galway, Armagh, Laois etc). The straight knock-out system is only used in Dublin and Tyrone as far as I know.

With clubs complaining about the prospect of being relegated to lower grades, it's important to note that Meath has 5th highest number of football clubs in Ireland after Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kerry (as far as I know) and in those counties it's not unusual a lot of clubs in the Junior B or C grades.

nmsmithy96 (Meath) - Posts: 108 - 27/03/2016 19:02:19    1838216

Which is why we have to look at the Dublin or Kerry models for example.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/03/2016 15:17:24    1838855

Ziggy, the reason we look to the likes of Kerry and Dublin is because of their success over the years. They produce the best players, fair enough Dublin can with the population but Kerry are of similar population as us. I cant believe you need someone to explain that to you.

aces (Meath) - Posts: 159 - 29/03/2016 19:51:03    1839042

aces

What are you on about? Thats is the point I am making..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/03/2016 20:08:39    1839057

Any know details if IFC.ment to be confirmed today.can't seem to find them

no1meathfan (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 29/03/2016 21:14:34    1839079

Our club got the championship fixture this morning so I assume the fixtures have been sent out.

Royal_Gunner (Meath) - Posts: 534 - 30/03/2016 10:52:43    1839167

4.30 on a saturday afternoon is some time for a senior (or any grade for that matter) chamionship match,

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 30/03/2016 12:10:41    1839197

what's wrong with that Analyst?

begining (UK) - Posts: 277 - 30/03/2016 12:19:06    1839200

Ah just that some normal people might just be working at that time, not everyone is 9 to 5 Mon to Friday, just another consequence of no lights in our county grounds

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 30/03/2016 13:19:52    1839225

Wouldn't agree with you there. If lads work Saturday they could be working on a Sunday too. It's 2 weeks notice so plenty of time to get the shift changed or give notice to an employer.
From a players point of view I think Saturday is an ideal time for a championship Match, nothing worse than sitting around all weekend restless waiting on a game that's Sunday evening.

Kick around and name the team Friday evening, game Saturday, pints Saturday night. Relax with the family Sunday. Best way to have it.

begining (UK) - Posts: 277 - 30/03/2016 14:03:06    1839246

Begining I see where your coming from but I have to agree with Analyst on this one. 4.30 on a saturday is far from ideal. 6 at the earliest on a saturday in my opinion. you also said two weeks is plenty of time to change a shift or give notice.. it is simply not always as easy as that. And seeing as the fixtures were only released today, this would only give players playing on the friday night next week basically a weeks notice if they work anywhere outside meath till say for example 5/6 on a friday or those who work on a friday even in meath to notify their employer. Disrespectful to players in my opinion. Should have been released a week agao

royalTicker (Meath) - Posts: 38 - 30/03/2016 14:50:50    1839284

4.30 on a saturday afternoon is some time for a senior (or any grade for that matter) chamionship match,

Analyst (Meath) - Posts:532 - 30/03/2016 12:10:41

Your right. even 5 o clock wouldnt be as bad. 12 o clock on a sunday is bad tho! I dont get why they dont have all the games on the one weekend. spreading them over two weekends I dont agree with.

db9 (Meath) - Posts: 279 - 31/03/2016 17:08:17    1839772

Trying to maximise income, a lot of dedicated meath gaels will attend matches as neutrals and so the games are spread and the likes of Meath hill V Drumconrath is brought to navan rather than a club ground where the atmosphere would be far better than in the hoillow stand in navan

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 01/04/2016 11:49:51    1840057