Clubs attempting to 'flog young players' - chairman

In a lively discussion at last week’s Westmeath County Committee meeting, Chairman Frank Mescall accused clubs of attempting to "flog young players" by asking for minors to be allowed play at adult level.

The county had agreed last year that U18 players would not be permitted to play at adult level and voted in favour of decoupling minor and adult grades. However, Multyfarnham’s Mark Bardon proposed a change and was supported by Christy Keenan, Loughnavalley.

The chairman was unimpressed that the issue was back on the agenda, but following some strong exchanges, clubs voted (50-16) in favour of decoupling.

“You seemed to question at convention that you may not get the right to talk about it here; you certainly will get that right, but I’m disappointed that we are discussing it again,” said the chairman in response to Mr Bardon’s proposal.

“We said to you that convention wasn’t the place to discuss it: it had to be done here. But we still went ahead and had a full-scale discussion on it for the umpteenth time. Certainly we will discuss it, but could we not go on all night. Because I have lived through this for the last four years.”

Christy Keenan, Loughnavalley, said that while he appreciates the view that some U18 players will face a greater workload, it’s a very small number that are impacted. The weaker clubs, he felt, need U18 players to play with their adult teams.

Frank Mescall responded, saying: “So it's a difference between not being fair to the club and not being fair to the player?” Mr Keenan stressed it’s a small number of players that are impacted. “Yes, but they’re a small amount of players that we intend to flog,” responded the chairman.

“Not last year, I had a good year - the previous year I was accused by umpteen clubs of having no regard for player welfare. Having to play too many games. And I sympathised with them, the dual clubs in particular.

“But now the shoe is on the other foot: here you are coming, proposing to flog players. And I’ll throw back player welfare at you. It’s amazing how things change.”

He said Coiste na nÓg Chairman Barry Kelly highlighted brilliantly at convention the kind of hectic schedule U18 players would face if they were asked to play adult football and hurling. They could face four championship games in a seven-day period, including U20, U18, junior B and intermediate or senior. The dual player would face the same schedule the following week.

“And you will tell me, ‘oh we will mind our U18 player’. You will in your hat. The manager will dictate and the manager will want to field his best team,” the chairman claimed.

“I like to think I half live in the real world: I don’t think you are going to spare him. So we are setting out to flog a small minority of players, and they are our good young players, who will do brilliant for you this year, maybe next year. But almost guaranteed, they will break down. And they will suffer recurring injuries.”

He spoke of Croke Park conferences where counties were informed of the devastating injuries young players face as a result of being overloaded with games and training. “They are horrific: maybe we should have brought that presentation here. But you will have to take my word for it; it’s not pleasant to see the damage that is done to ligaments, groin area, hips. Not to talk of your calves or hamstrings. Please take player welfare, and your younger players, into consideration,” he said.

Killucan’s Johnny Duignan supported the chairman, pointing out that minor footballers and hurlers are being asked to play at least three games every week for 12 weeks while the championship is at its peak. Training had to be considered also, he felt, pointing out that clubs will overload young players. He felt clubs should have been planning ahead for this year without their U18 players as they had received advance warning. The chairman said commitments to county squads and college football or hurling also had to be factored into a young player’s schedule.

Progress

Barry Kelly again addressed player welfare and the hectic schedule players would face if U18s are asked to play at adult level. He said underage fixtures ran very smoothly last year as minors were not permitted to play at adult level.

“These are the future county players who, we are hoping, will take over from John Heslin in football and Tommy Doyle in hurling in the next four-five years. To have any kind of hope that we are going to progress as a county, as well as clubs, I’d urge clubs to support what we have in place,” he said.

Mark Bardon said, following a child protection course he completed, the biggest issue with young players is excessive gym training. “When you build your upper body mass so much that your legs can’t actually carry it, that’s where the injuries really come from,” he said.

Irene Connell, child welfare officer, explained child safeguarding would have to be considered if an U18 player is permitted to play at adult level. All adults accessing dressing rooms would require child safeguarding certification and full garda vetting, she said.

Ian Seery, Ballinagore, argued there are a small number of players who will face overload. “Only two or three youngsters,” he claimed, out of 47 clubs. He said his club, a small club struggling for numbers, have five players who could play U18 and adult this year, and the “two or three” who would be playing inter county football and hurling were the exception.

“What about the other 200 players?” he asked. The chairman responded saying: “It’s certainly not two or three; possibly two or three per club on average.” He said definitive numbers are not available on this.

Following a vote, it was decided that U18s cannot play at adult level. Mr Mescall urged smaller clubs to look at other ways of trying to advance their lot: “We are not anti small clubs; I come from a small club myself. Small clubs are battling, I understand, but this is not the way to tackle it.”