Can anyone explain to me why our Minor club footballers are being treated as an inconvenience by our County board?
Some clubs are being expected to play 3 games in 5 days on pitches that are hardly fit to play in.
There are MFL games tomorrow night (Friday), Sun Morning and next Wed night. It's an absoloute disgrace.
I understand the gap that is required to allow lads complete exams but as it stands the calendar for a club minor footballer looks like this.
- League starts end of February and finishes 1st week in April.
- Championship provisionally fixed for 3rd week in August.
That's no football for a group of 16,17 and 18 year olds for 18 weeks during the best time in the year for playing football.
We then wonder why the drop out rates at this age group are high?
The whole discussion over Senior club Footballers is overshadowing a much bigger issue.
Don't be fooled into thinking this is exam related, this is due to a dictatorship being allowed evolve within the County Minor and U17 management groups over the last few years. Whilst I obviously want them to be successful It's an absolute joke that a small group of 30 odd players are setting the football calendar for a whole county.
The Laois/Offaly Minor Leagues have not even started yet?