Colm Bradley argues that it is the grass roots of Fermanagh GAA that must shape the county’s future…
It is that time of year again when the annual general meeting comes around. At both club and county level this is the most vital meeting of the year yet among most GAA members it brings with it a sense of dread and foreboding. We treat it with apathy and indifference and as a result we fail to force a debate to be had on some crucial issues.
At next Monday’s county convention there should be no shortage of talking points. But often times we tend to either ignore elephants in the room or the lift the old carpet in the corner and sweep away our concerns. I hope that doesn’t happen this year. Here are three areas that need to be talked about;
1 – Club Eirne
This is something that simply must be discussed. For the second time in two years there has been issues with the relationship Club Eirne has had with the county board. It doesn’t really matter where you stand on the issue but what is important is that it is talked about.
My opinion is that the people of Club Eirne are far too talented to be no longer involved in Fermanagh football.
I don’t think the county board as it stands at present can raise similar funds to Club Eirne. But I also don’t believe that we can afford to use Club Eirne’s funds in the narrow way that they have been. The perfect solution would be to have Club Eirne, with its present members, raising money for all of Fermanagh GAA.
But what is needed more than anything is clarity and transparency because at the moment the indecision and vacuum that has been created will only cause more problems.
2 – Our financial situation
Fermanagh ran at a loss to the tune of £150,000 in 2012. And that only added to the debt that we are already in. That is not sustainable.
We need to take an honest look at where we stand financially. Look at all our creditors and also our debtors and try and find a way to plot a path to a more sustainable future. A future where we know how much we are going to spend and more importantly know that the money is there to spend.
If we continue to lose money year in year out it is only a matter of time before somebody screams stops for us. We should take control ourselves.
3 – Under 21 team
Understandably the biggest spotlight in Fermanagh GAA is placed on our senior football team. But we have to at least turn some of the glare a little further down the pecking order. No-body could argue that as a county we have no strategic policy surrounding our under 21 team. How it is treated seems different year on year.
We need to realise that producing senior footballers capable of competing and gelling as a team is easier if the teams at underage level have some sort of long term coherence attached to them.
Armagh have already installed Steven McDonnell as its under 21 manager and do we really need to discuss the success that Cavan have enjoyed in the last few years with a clearly thought out plan that has been delivered over a long period of time.
Success, more often than not, does not happen over night.