GAA nothing compared to Professional Soccer

wadacrack

Interesting article by Stephen Hunt about the commitment needed in the EPL compared to GAA

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/stephen-hunt-gaa-players-would-find-life-tough-in-premier-league-30785091.html

He has received alot of criticism but of course GAA players have 9-5 work commitments. He has a point however IMO.

What are your thoughts??

iDave

What is his point exactly? GAA players dont rest enough? Ok but thats not a failure on their ability to commit moreso economic realities.
If GAA were professional they would put in the necessary commitment it's just not possible when your amature. He even says himself many actual pro footballers overlook the importance of rest.
Poorly written article. Doesn't look to of been proof read. Really unsure of what he's trying to say.
The twitter furore its caused is probably overblown though.

Fr Tod Umptious

He probably has a point.

But what's the use in comparing two levels of two sports that are completely different ?

Realt Dearg Sec

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

He probably has a point.

But what's the use in comparing two levels of two sports that are completely different ?

Insecurity. He feels that as a journeyman footballer with a mediocre international career he should get more attention than people who plied their trade without getting rich. Annoys him to know they do get that attention. Always showed a lot of heart, but apparently is a begrudging gob****e.

nice_guy80

Ha! Imagine putting most premier league footballers into a Junior B game somewhere in, say Wicklow.

Darkest Horse

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

He probably has a point.

But what's the use in comparing two levels of two sports that are completely different ?

He has no point. The article makes no sense. He seems to be preoccupied with the notion of extensive amounts of rest which, while important, is just an element of good preparation. It's like he heard one of the sports science staff at Ipswich mention the importance of resting and he's gone to great lengths to engage in rest at every opportunity. Resting is obviously like a zero sum game, you can only do it if you have the time to do it. If GAA players could, they would. They "wouldn't know what hit them"? What does that even mean? Poor article.

wadacrack

Darkest Horse wrote: »

He has no point. The article makes no sense. He seems to be preoccupied with the notion of extensive amounts of rest which, while important, is just an element of good preparation. It's like he heard one of the sports science staff at Ipswich mention the importance of resting and he's gone to great lengths to engage in rest at every opportunity. Resting is obviously like a zero sum game, you can only do it if you have the time to do it. If GAA players could, they would. They "wouldn't know what hit them"? What does that even mean? Poor article.

I think he is go into the mindset of a professioanl footballer..Rest woul
d be much more important to a Premier League player..Much harder fitness requirements.. 50 game season 90 mins compared to 70..higher tempo etc

Duckworth_Luas

When GAA is compared to soccer, why is it always the Premier League?

homeofhurling

had to laugh at this i think how Hunt made a living in the English game is the biggest mystery as he is pure sh.t at it, and was always league 1 or 2 level

CatFromHue

iDave wrote: »

What is his point exactly? GAA players dont rest enough? Ok but thats not a failure on their ability to commit moreso economic realities.
If GAA were professional they would put in the necessary commitment it's just not possible when your amature. He even says himself many actual pro footballers overlook the importance of rest.
Poorly written article. Doesn't look to of been proof read. Really unsure of what he's trying to say.
The twitter furore its caused is probably overblown though.

I'd say this

as much as I love the games, if GAA players tried to live with the level of commitment shown by a professional footballer, they wouldn't know what hit them.

is his point, though it's not a great structured article.

I'm guessing it's in relation to some people saying that GAA players would be as fit as pro players.

tastyt

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Ha! Imagine putting most premier league footballers into a Junior B game somewhere in, say Wicklow.

Ha yes imagine, they would run the show

Orizio

Amateur players not as professional as professional players shocker.

nice_guy80

tastyt wrote: »

Ha yes imagine, they would run the show

I highly doubt it.
Two decent challenges and they'd be carried off.

Realt Dearg Sec

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I highly doubt it.
Two decent challenges and they'd be carried off.

No such thing in junior b. Only indecent challenges.

Littlehorny

Only comparison i can think of is Graham Geraghty going to Arsenal for a few weeks trial and he said that the training was handy. Paul Merson commented that Geraghty was one of the fittest fellas he ever met.
Modern day soccer is all about running, todays players look like middle distance runners where as gaelic football and hurling has a lot more physicallity involved so where a GAA player may struggle to last 90 mins running, a soccer player would struggle with the toughness of our sport.

bruschi

CatFromHue wrote: »

I'd say this

is his point, though it's not a great structured article.

I'm guessing it's in relation to some people saying that GAA players would be as fit as pro players.

it's a really poor point though, and one that does not stand up at all to any sort of proof or fact. I'd argue that Aussie rules is a far more demanding game physically than soccer, but yet plenty of GAA players move over and make the transition seamlessly with regards to the commitment that being a professional athlete needs.

I'd have no doubts that AFL players are much fitter than GAA players, but its not comparing like with like and you would have to expect they would be fitter. But they can more than stand up to the physical demands once they are themselves a professional, so I cannot see why a GAA player would not be able to meet the commitment of a low level premiership or championship side.

A really poorly thought out article with no knowledge or facts of any sort to back it up, just a really dumb opinion terribly written.

anncoates

People seem to be selectively ignoring the trite generalization about all professional footballers not being role models that prefaced the article and instead losing the plot about the counter generalization.

yop

Hunt the media whore now it seems, didn't he have a go with a minister about the amount premier league players over paid salaries and how they are justified. Think he is just having a cheap shot at GAA players.
If you were to put his picture up along with that of 10/15 of the main GAA players and ask people to name the player, I'd guess most wouldn't have a clue who he was.
His career is nearing an end, a poor one at that, so he wants a media slot. Let him off, he isn't a pundit or commentator many would heed anyway.

elefant

Last paragraph, in particular, is just totally bizarre.

Seems like a strange cat.

Realt Dearg Sec

elefant wrote: »

Last paragraph, in particular, is just totally bizarre.

Seems like a strange cat.

Yeah what the ****? He might as well have finished off by saying: "by the way I'm a gullible clown, look at the **** that I am willing to spend stupid amounts of money on, why on earth would you pay any attention to my opinion?"

Hidalgo

Last paragraph reads like he just needs to get up the word count

bruschi

anncoates wrote: »

People seem to be selectively ignoring the trite generalization about all professional footballers not being role models that prefaced the article and instead losing the plot about the counter generalization.

People are ignoring it because it was Joe Brolly who said it. Let people have a go at Joe Brolly too if they want, just add it to the very long list.

IMO I think the personal digs at Hunt being a journeyman etc have no relevance to the debate. Thats why I tried give my opinion based solely on his writing, which is utter utter gash.

TheMilkyPirate

What a shit article.

Dan_Solo

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Insecurity. He feels that as a journeyman footballer with a mediocre international career he should get more attention than people who plied their trade without getting rich. Annoys him to know they do get that attention. Always showed a lot of heart, but apparently is a begrudging gob****e.

I think the fact we're talking about him here does mean he gets a lot more attention than even the top GAA stars, yes?
Article is terrible of course, might be a point somewhere but buried under geological strata of waffle.

iDave

Dan_Solo wrote: »

I think the fact we're talking about him here does mean he gets a lot more attention than even the top GAA stars, yes?

Such a poorly constructed article really doesn't deserve the attention it has received over the last few days. Silly season. Hunt himself was a decent hurler at underage. Just an excuse for people to get offended and the usual anti-GAA sorts to high 5 each other.

Dan_Solo

iDave wrote: »

Such a poorly constructed article really doesn't deserve the attention it has received over the last few days. Silly season. Hunt himself was a decent hurler at underage. Just an excuse for people to get offended and the usual anti-GAA sorts to high 5 each other.

Awful article aside, there's no comparison can be made unless GAA was pro, and even then it would have to be a worldwide sport. Which would probably still make it pointless actually. Is the best skier better than the best show jumper? How could anybody know?

tastyt

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I highly doubt it.
Two decent challenges and they'd be carried off.

You can't honestly be serious?? Put a lot of professional footballers in croke park and they would have no problems never mind junior b standard.

Imagine Theo Walcott or Luis Suarez getting the ball in their hands in a gaa match do you think anyone would get near them??

tastyt

Littlehorny wrote: »

Only comparison i can think of is Graham Geraghty going to Arsenal for a few weeks trial and he said that the training was handy. Paul Merson commented that Geraghty was one of the fittest fellas he ever met.
Modern day soccer is all about running, todays players look like middle distance runners where as gaelic football and hurling has a lot more physicallity involved so where a GAA player may struggle to last 90 mins running, a soccer player would struggle with the toughness of our sport.

Old wives tale about Geraghty. Ans even if it was true of course there would be a few exceptions that are incredibly fit but in general there's no comparison

zombieHanalei

Cross sport comparison is pointless, but if we were to go down that road there are an endless amount of ways I and plenty others could criticise soccer. And I'm sure a strong soccer fan would have plenty of criticisms of the GAA. Inevitably it would just descend into a futile pissing match.

A lazy attempt at controversial journalism from a man who despite how highly he regards his opinion never really has anything interesting or insightful to say.

aidan24326

Quite aside from the opinions contained in the article, it's just so poorly written and comes across as nothing more than a brainless rant. If Stephen Hunt is looking for a job in the media there's surely a tabloid somewhere that will give him work if he keeps writing trash like this.

Mal-Adjusted

aidan24326 wrote: »

Quite aside from the opinions contained in the article, it's just so poorly written and comes across as nothing more than a brainless rant.

Spot on. There's no structure to the article. it's just a seemingly aimless mess. At first it seems like he has a chip on his shoulder about the GAA, then (in the only bit that seems relevant) talks about role models and how the only ones you actually do hear about in the media are the ones who cheat, dope, get into fights or get sh!tfaced. Then he whinges on about how he's so committed to soccer that he sits on the couch all day. And to top it off, presented as a flamebate article. It's bloody painful to read.

I assume the author is a current or former Ireland soccer International?

Dan_Solo

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

Then he whinges on about how he's so committed to soccer that he sits on the couch all day.

Didn't Robbie Keane crock himself once watching TV?:D

wadacrack

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I highly doubt it.
Two decent challenges and they'd be carried off.

haha if the junior b players managed to get near an elite athlete

poeticmakaveli

i love how people think soccer players are soft!! well the people who think that are soft minded! they are big physical strong specimens and when people see them diving or over reacting then they assume they are soft! they don't make the rules they just play the game and they go down easy getting their teams,frees,penalties,whatever it takes!! if there was an overhaul on rules in soccer you would see a change! they are just playing the game and conning the referees, nothing to do with being soft!
and i wouldnt compare the 2 sports,completely different! a lot more rest time in Gaelic, forwards and defenders can be standing around for lengths of time, as in soccer its just 11 a side and the defenders and forwards are always on the move due to off sides and pushing high up the pitch!!
I'd say there is more injuries in soccer too,as the ball is played on the ground! heading,slide tackles,etc where the Gaelic is more shoulder barges and pushing off ball! (but obviously there is still injuries in both)
2 complete different sports, but i dont like these pro irish people going on about the Gaelic simply because they are Irish!
my dad is a tipp man and he's won club championship in 2 different counties in hurling and Gaelic,he could have easily influenced me to be pro GAA but I'm not! im just stating some facts!!

wadacrack

Good points above. Bit stupid comparing GAA to Professional football but i think what you can take from the article is the importance of rest and the GAA players and coaches may not be fully aware of this. We have heard the stories of the increase in cruciate ligament injuries in the the GAA and the fear of burnout despite the fact that there isint that many games compared to Football. Fromk playing both sports I would say that football requires more running and professional players do probably cover more KM per game due to 90min compared to 70min. Alot of GAA players are in college which makes it a bit easier to have a professional mindset.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

wadacrack wrote: »

haha if the junior b players managed to get near an elite athlete

The elite athlete wouldn't be moving the whole time. They'd get him, with or without the ball.

wadacrack

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

The elite athlete wouldn't be moving the whole time. They'd get him, with or without the ball.

diego costa wouldnt have any problems:P

flasher0030

tastyt wrote: »

You can't honestly be serious?? Put a lot of professional footballers in croke park and they would have no problems never mind junior b standard.

Imagine Theo Walcott or Luis Suarez getting the ball in their hands in a gaa match do you think anyone would get near them??

Tastyt is obviously a big premiership fan.

Give the ball to Theo Walcott or Luis Suarez and tell them to solo 40 yards, and that they have to take 4 steps in between each solo - and see how fast they go!!!!

yop

poeticmakaveli wrote: »

i love how people think soccer players are soft!! well the people who think that are soft minded! they are big physical strong specimens and when people see them diving or over reacting then they assume they are soft! they don't make the rules they just play the game and they go down easy getting their teams,frees,penalties,whatever it takes!! if there was an overhaul on rules in soccer you would see a change! they are just playing the game and conning the referees, nothing to do with being soft!
and i wouldnt compare the 2 sports,completely different! a lot more rest time in Gaelic, forwards and defenders can be standing around for lengths of time, as in soccer its just 11 a side and the defenders and forwards are always on the move due to off sides and pushing high up the pitch!!
I'd say there is more injuries in soccer too,as the ball is played on the ground! heading,slide tackles,etc where the Gaelic is more shoulder barges and pushing off ball! (but obviously there is still injuries in both)
2 complete different sports, but i dont like these pro irish people going on about the Gaelic simply because they are Irish!
my dad is a tipp man and he's won club championship in 2 different counties in hurling and Gaelic,he could have easily influenced me to be pro GAA but I'm not! im just stating some facts!!

You've played both sports I take it at a good level to come up with this?

tastyt

flasher0030 wrote: »

[/B]

Tastyt is obviously a big premiership fan.

Give the ball to Theo Walcott or Luis Suarez and tell them to solo 40 yards, and that they have to take 4 steps in between each solo - and see how fast they go!!!!

Am , pretty fast I'd say

dcrosskid

tastyt wrote: »

Am , pretty fast I'd say

Wouldn't the Meath forward (can't think of his name now) be as fast as Walcott or Suarez considering he was close to Irish Olympic standard in sprinting. He is a fine footballer but does not exactly dominate games either. That is a bit off topic anyway but just thought i'd point it out.

yop

flasher0030 wrote: »

[/B]

Tastyt is obviously a big premiership fan.

Give the ball to Theo Walcott or Luis Suarez and tell them to solo 40 yards, and that they have to take 4 steps in between each solo - and see how fast they go!!!!

Walcott would pull up after 10 yards with another hamstring and the ball would bounce up and get stuck in Suarez teeth.

Pace in one code doesn't translate to another, a good few speed merchant Rugby League players went to union and their strengths didn't translate in that code.

If you can find a current GAA player who will go on a 40 yard solo run you'll be doing well, the game today doesn't give up that space.

yop

dcrosskid wrote: »

Wouldn't the Meath forward (can't think of his name now) be as fast as Walcott or Suarez considering he was close to Irish Olympic standard in sprinting. He is a fine footballer but does not exactly dominate games either. That is a bit off topic anyway but just thought i'd point it out.

Eamonn Wallace I think is that lad.

tastyt

dcrosskid wrote: »

Wouldn't the Meath forward (can't think of his name now) be as fast as Walcott or Suarez considering he was close to Irish Olympic standard in sprinting. He is a fine footballer but does not exactly dominate games either. That is a bit off topic anyway but just thought i'd point it out.

I doubt Wallace has the skill with a football that Suarez or Walcott have

Dan_Solo

yop wrote: »

Pace in one code doesn't translate to another, a good few speed merchant Rugby League players went to union and their strengths didn't translate in that code.

Wasn't there a sprinter who joined the US rugby team and was straight into the first team within weeks of first touching a rugby ball?
Says more about rugby than GAA or soccer though that I guess.:P

Realt Dearg Sec

tastyt wrote: »

I doubt Wallace has the skill with a football that Suarez or Walcott have

Obviously it's a different set of skills so I'm not sure which ones skills you're referring to.

iDave

tastyt wrote: »

I doubt Wallace has the skill with a football that Suarez or Walcott have

Based on?

Duckworth_Luas

tastyt wrote: »

I doubt Wallace has the skill with a football that Suarez or Walcott have

Wallace is a far better Gaelic footballer than either of these soccer players. Just like Rory Best is a better rugby union player. Suarez is a better soccer player than Wallace, Best and I'd imagine Walcott, whoever he is.

tastyt

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Wallace is a far better Gaelic footballer than either of these soccer players. Just like Rory Best is a better rugby union player. Suarez is a better soccer player than Wallace, Best and I'd imagine Walcott, whoever he is.

Haha ok . Or you for real. Wallace to get where he has, had to be one of the best 6 senior forwards in Meath, a small county in a tiny island.

Suarez and Walcott ( that guy you pretend you never heard of ) have to be the top players in the world to get where they got.

But I'm sure Wallace or any other footballer just doesn't fancy the 200,000 a week pay cheque. Sure they only play for the jersey.

It's silly trying to justify comparing a gaa player to a professional elite athlete, sure it's rare to even see an inter county player been able to play beyond 30

yop

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Wallace is a far better Gaelic footballer than either of these soccer players. Just like Rory Best is a better rugby union player. Suarez is a better soccer player than Wallace, Best and I'd imagine Walcott, whoever he is.

http://www.walmark.eu/en/brands a typo I expect.

iDave

tastyt wrote: »

But I'm sure Wallace or any other footballer just doesn't fancy the 200,000 a week pay cheque. Sure they only play for the jersey.

So your suggesting they only reason they play GAA is because they are failed soccer players. :rolleyes: