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Fixtures Opportunity - Coronavirus

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With all the recents in the media about playing the championship later in the year (personally I think this is a non-runner) it made me think that there could be a long term solution to the fixtures crisis (club v county). What I am proposing is a bit of radical thinking but maybe thats whats needed to avoid club v county issues.

Here is my yearly fixtures calender;

February and March - Club league

April and May - Club championship - County finals to be played on June Bank holiday weekend.

June and July - Provincial and All- Ireland championship- Matches on Sunday

June and July - Inter county leagues - League Finals to be played on August Bank holiday

2nd sunday in August - Start the championship

All -Ireland final Hurling - October weekend and football first sunday in November.

Intercounty teams could start training when the first of their club teams get knocked out of championship-

I'm not naive to suggest that its all positive but I think its worth a try:


Pros of my proposal

1) Better structure to year - Players know where they stand.
2) Clubs get to play their championship in better weather. This years April was exceptional.
3) No club games in october, november and December
4) All Intercounty teams get to play in June, July and August on a regular basis. Great for supporters and players.
5) Defined close season - No matches after All-Ireland final.
6) Short and sharp -pre season - Great for the mental health of inter county players.

Cons

1) Championship for most clubs would be over by Mid-May for most but I'd argue that clubs playing all league and championship matches with their county players is better than what is happening now. You could have a provincal league minus county players for rest of year if want.
2) Mind-set- Changing over 100 years of club championship being played in august and september would be hard but I think the benefits are worth it.
3) Overlap of intercounty and provincial club games in June and July - In reality it only affects one team per county and as teams are knocked out , players can return to county.

Let me know what ye think?

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 29/04/2020 11:37:47    2276987

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Why do you have to have a structure where clubs only play when counties are not and vice versa.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 29/04/2020 12:52:39    2276997

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Why do you have to have a structure where clubs only play when counties are not and vice versa."
Player burnout would be my main reason. Also managers (Club/County) want access to their players all the time so this would solve that. At the moment very little club action in June to August anyway so no real change there. Why have a 11 month club season when you can have a 6 month season where clubs have their county players all the time.

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 29/04/2020 15:44:18    2277014

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Replying To Ben:  "Player burnout would be my main reason. Also managers (Club/County) want access to their players all the time so this would solve that. At the moment very little club action in June to August anyway so no real change there. Why have a 11 month club season when you can have a 6 month season where clubs have their county players all the time."
Burnout can be easily managed if coaches worked with each other and not expecting players to do some sessions when they're training on so many teams at the same time.
Why not have a 9-10 month season and a proper 2-3 month season when nobody is playing and give proper rest off periods for all players and coaches alike

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 29/04/2020 16:30:39    2277021

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So for club players their season is over after the June bank holiday? Madness

monaghanman99 (Monaghan) - Posts: 33 - 29/04/2020 16:47:11    2277025

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Replying To monaghanman99:  "So for club players their season is over after the June bank holiday? Madness"
Is the present system better? Training from January to October with no meaningful game until championship in August. Play no game with your county players until August. Then a big rush to play games one after another before October.

Example Dublin : Run two championship games in April - Next Championship game September. Yes they have league games but its a very long year Training from January to November for feck all.

My own county Laois -Start in August and run every second week until end of October. (Dual players).

To me the current system is madness.

At least with my system , there is more than lip service paid to clubs. 1) they have county players available for all games and 2) It would also give club players a life to travel/take holidays and not be waiting around for a match they don't know that will take place. 3) Showcase games such as Leinster club final taking place in July rather than second Sunday in December on a poor pitch.

At most clubs only getting four months of decent club football/hurling, All I am doing is highlighting the fact.

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 29/04/2020 18:26:24    2277036

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I think now is a good time to work on the calendar.

I wouldn't take the same approach as you though.

It is a difficult problem though.

I'd think something along the lines of the following could be interest.

August, September, October club championship

February/March Provincial club and All Ireland club championships (intercounty preseason also)

April/May Day provincial championships (bye in the first round for counties with clubs winning their provinces)

May-July intercounty championship, which is a more league style competition.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 3111 - 29/04/2020 19:46:47    2277040

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Intercounty needs to be in the prime spot in the summer for the good of the game as a whole

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 29/04/2020 20:55:54    2277050

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Replying To Ben:  "Is the present system better? Training from January to October with no meaningful game until championship in August. Play no game with your county players until August. Then a big rush to play games one after another before October.

Example Dublin : Run two championship games in April - Next Championship game September. Yes they have league games but its a very long year Training from January to November for feck all.

My own county Laois -Start in August and run every second week until end of October. (Dual players).

To me the current system is madness.

At least with my system , there is more than lip service paid to clubs. 1) they have county players available for all games and 2) It would also give club players a life to travel/take holidays and not be waiting around for a match they don't know that will take place. 3) Showcase games such as Leinster club final taking place in July rather than second Sunday in December on a poor pitch.

At most clubs only getting four months of decent club football/hurling, All I am doing is highlighting the fact."
I'm fairly sure there were championship games played every month from April to October in Dublin last year. There is far more to club action than senior, the vast majority of players are intermediate or junior and don't have any teammates involved with county squads.
Your proposal has all club fixtures in a county, football and hurling, played over 16 weeks. Presumably 8 hurling games and 8 football games, unless some lads are playing 2 games every week? This is your preferred season but others would think it crazy and would rather be down the pitch with their mates training over the summer and playing some league games. No one plan is better than the other, but it also shows there is no way of pleasing everyone.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2484 - 29/04/2020 21:07:25    2277051

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Replying To Breezy:  "Intercounty needs to be in the prime spot in the summer for the good of the game as a whole"
Inter county games will get even more prime slot in the summer . Every county will play league games in June and July and have championship games in August! When was the last time the likes of Wicklow , Carlow , Longford or Leitrim played a championship match in August? Also those counties would have meaningful league games in June July at their own level.

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 29/04/2020 22:47:36    2277067

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Replying To Soma:  "I'm fairly sure there were championship games played every month from April to October in Dublin last year. There is far more to club action than senior, the vast majority of players are intermediate or junior and don't have any teammates involved with county squads.
Your proposal has all club fixtures in a county, football and hurling, played over 16 weeks. Presumably 8 hurling games and 8 football games, unless some lads are playing 2 games every week? This is your preferred season but others would think it crazy and would rather be down the pitch with their mates training over the summer and playing some league games. No one plan is better than the other, but it also shows there is no way of pleasing everyone."
I do agree about no system perfect , but plenty of counties that have players from junior/ intermediate clubs playing inter county . The timeframe is unimportant as you could move latter stages to championship to late November to spread evenly between hurling football. With the good state of pitch in Croker that shouldn't be an issue.

Lots of club teams loose players to j1s/ lack of interest . How many have given up playing as they can't have a social life due to training for a game that's six months down the line.

Clubs could run leagues during summer without county players if they want!!

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 29/04/2020 22:53:46    2277068

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Replying To Ben:  "I do agree about no system perfect , but plenty of counties that have players from junior/ intermediate clubs playing inter county . The timeframe is unimportant as you could move latter stages to championship to late November to spread evenly between hurling football. With the good state of pitch in Croker that shouldn't be an issue.

Lots of club teams loose players to j1s/ lack of interest . How many have given up playing as they can't have a social life due to training for a game that's six months down the line.

Clubs could run leagues during summer without county players if they want!!"
With your system you couldn't have leagues in June and July as some clubs would be playing provincial games or All-Ireland club games. You can play league games without county players but you can't play them without clubs.
The fact is the perfect club calendar in Fermanagh where its a small number of clubs and almost entirely football looks very different to the perfect club calendar in Cork where its a huge number of clubs and dual club players. What has to happen is the intercounty season gets condensed and each county arranges their club fixtures in the best way that suits them, not trying to have the same calendar for every county. Croke Park have already made good progress in shortening the intercounty season, I think the next step should be to get county games played in April too so the intercounty season can finish in July.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2484 - 30/04/2020 12:31:23    2277089

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Replying To Ben:  "Inter county games will get even more prime slot in the summer . Every county will play league games in June and July and have championship games in August! When was the last time the likes of Wicklow , Carlow , Longford or Leitrim played a championship match in August? Also those counties would have meaningful league games in June July at their own level."
Sorry I'll rephrase. The premier competition in GAA the All Ireland needs to be in a prime summer spot.

The GAAs big draws for multi sport fans is that it's pretty much the only sport in the country with easy access to 20/30k+ games and moving it puts it it poor weather and clashes it with soccer and rugby which affects those advantages and without the All Ireland soccer and rugby would eventually surpass GAA

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 30/04/2020 13:08:10    2277093

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Replying To Soma:  "With your system you couldn't have leagues in June and July as some clubs would be playing provincial games or All-Ireland club games. You can play league games without county players but you can't play them without clubs.
The fact is the perfect club calendar in Fermanagh where its a small number of clubs and almost entirely football looks very different to the perfect club calendar in Cork where its a huge number of clubs and dual club players. What has to happen is the intercounty season gets condensed and each county arranges their club fixtures in the best way that suits them, not trying to have the same calendar for every county. Croke Park have already made good progress in shortening the intercounty season, I think the next step should be to get county games played in April too so the intercounty season can finish in July."
Fermanagh will be bound by UK rules on reopening which look like June at the earliest.

fickenfurger (Leitrim) - Posts: 2 - 30/04/2020 13:37:02    2277098

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Replying To Breezy:  "Sorry I'll rephrase. The premier competition in GAA the All Ireland needs to be in a prime summer spot.

The GAAs big draws for multi sport fans is that it's pretty much the only sport in the country with easy access to 20/30k+ games and moving it puts it it poor weather and clashes it with soccer and rugby which affects those advantages and without the All Ireland soccer and rugby would eventually surpass GAA"
August and September not prime summer slots? Probably get better weather in September than July! Fair enough re October but at that stage you are only down to a handful of games played on good pitches.

Last year there were only two weekends in August for hurling - Four teams playing!! Everyone else gone.

July not much better - Only Laois and Cork plus the above hurling.

June 15th - clare , waterford carlowand galway all gone from championhip.

So six counties hurled in July and August last year.

With my proposal every county would hurl/Kick football in July and play championship football/hurling in August which they would never get.

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 30/04/2020 14:53:25    2277110

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Replying To fickenfurger:  "Fermanagh will be bound by UK rules on reopening which look like June at the earliest."
Only one club per county playing club provincal championship games. Not ideal to be missing your county champions for start of league. In fairness it hurts weaker counties more than stronger ones.

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 30/04/2020 14:55:22    2277111

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Replying To Ben:  "August and September not prime summer slots? Probably get better weather in September than July! Fair enough re October but at that stage you are only down to a handful of games played on good pitches.

Last year there were only two weekends in August for hurling - Four teams playing!! Everyone else gone.

July not much better - Only Laois and Cork plus the above hurling.

June 15th - clare , waterford carlowand galway all gone from championhip.

So six counties hurled in July and August last year.

With my proposal every county would hurl/Kick football in July and play championship football/hurling in August which they would never get."
Ya everyone would get games in July but in the league and the league will always be 2nd in the GAA no matter what we try

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 30/04/2020 18:14:30    2277128

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Replying To Ben:  "With all the recents in the media about playing the championship later in the year (personally I think this is a non-runner) it made me think that there could be a long term solution to the fixtures crisis (club v county). What I am proposing is a bit of radical thinking but maybe thats whats needed to avoid club v county issues.

Here is my yearly fixtures calender;

February and March - Club league

April and May - Club championship - County finals to be played on June Bank holiday weekend.

June and July - Provincial and All- Ireland championship- Matches on Sunday

June and July - Inter county leagues - League Finals to be played on August Bank holiday

2nd sunday in August - Start the championship

All -Ireland final Hurling - October weekend and football first sunday in November.

Intercounty teams could start training when the first of their club teams get knocked out of championship-

I'm not naive to suggest that its all positive but I think its worth a try:


Pros of my proposal

1) Better structure to year - Players know where they stand.
2) Clubs get to play their championship in better weather. This years April was exceptional.
3) No club games in october, november and December
4) All Intercounty teams get to play in June, July and August on a regular basis. Great for supporters and players.
5) Defined close season - No matches after All-Ireland final.
6) Short and sharp -pre season - Great for the mental health of inter county players.

Cons

1) Championship for most clubs would be over by Mid-May for most but I'd argue that clubs playing all league and championship matches with their county players is better than what is happening now. You could have a provincal league minus county players for rest of year if want.
2) Mind-set- Changing over 100 years of club championship being played in august and september would be hard but I think the benefits are worth it.
3) Overlap of intercounty and provincial club games in June and July - In reality it only affects one team per county and as teams are knocked out , players can return to county.

Let me know what ye think?"
you must live in a magical county where the weather is fantastic. You reckon club hurling games can be played on club pitches in February...Football games are regularly called off in April cause of bad weather. when are you going to replay all the football and hurling games that you had scheduled for February and most of Marches games also when they are cancelled?

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1481 - 30/04/2020 20:09:15    2277141

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Replying To Ben:  "Only one club per county playing club provincal championship games. Not ideal to be missing your county champions for start of league. In fairness it hurts weaker counties more than stronger ones."
You doing away with the junior and intermediate club All-Irelands? They are probably the best change made to the GAA this century.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2484 - 30/04/2020 20:55:42    2277145

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Replying To wishfulthinkin:  "you must live in a magical county where the weather is fantastic. You reckon club hurling games can be played on club pitches in February...Football games are regularly called off in April cause of bad weather. when are you going to replay all the football and hurling games that you had scheduled for February and most of Marches games also when they are cancelled?"
No , this years April was decent and last years was very good too .last years all Ireland hurling final was played in a downpour in August.

What's the difference playing club league in February and championship in November? Counties can play their club league in summer if they want but it will be without county players.

What my posts have proved that if you try something new in the gaa there's always people to shoot it down .

Maybe go with the status quo where counties are gone in championship by June and we have club games in October and November and very little games played all summer. There will be as much club games played this year in June and July than last year .

Ben (None) - Posts: 93 - 30/04/2020 21:50:57    2277152

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