Kerry Players Down Under

[kerrygold]

Oct 20, 2009 21:30:27 GMT sullyschoice said:

dont read this so.....its $50 aus dollars. I think thats about €30k

I'd imagine the exspense bill of the average kerry footballer would come to almost half that figure between millage, meals, gym membership, holidays and holiday spending allowances.

[austinstacksabu]

Know I've posted about this elsewhere- not sure where it goes, but looks like we may need to change the topic of this thread too Walsh & Moran & Kennelly off to St. Kilda's.

[patinkerry]

Oct 21, 2009 6:16:08 GMT austinstacksabu said:

Know I've posted about this elsewhere- not sure where it goes, but looks like we may need to change the topic of this thread too Walsh & Moran & Kennelly off to St. Kilda's.

You could be right-see the article below



Kennelly dilemma: Kerry star admits ‘head fried’ over offer of Aussie Rules return
By Colm Keys

Wednesday October 21 2009

Tadhg Kennelly has 10 days to decide if he wants to make a return to the AFL.

Kennelly admitted last night that he is strongly considering a return to the game despite his conviction in the immediate aftermath of the All-Ireland final victory over Cork that he would be staying with Kerry.

Kennelly confirmed that he has an offer from his previous Aussie Rules club, Sydney Swans, on the table and must decide whether or not to accept it by the end of this month. It is understood that St Kilda, the club that Tommy Walsh is bound for, have also made an offer.

Kennelly admitted his head was "fried" over the imminent decision whether or not to return.

"The offer was always there. It hasn't come since the summer or since September, when Paul Roos (Sydney coach) was there," he said.

"It's no secret that Sydney are looking to recruit and they see my experience counting with some of the younger players. I don't know. It's obviously a huge decision but it's one I have to make in the next 10 days."

Kennelly also revealed that a coaching role could be part of his brief if he did return.

"There would be a coaching opportunity there at some stage. I'd say at the most I'd have two years left in me as an AFL player, maybe three. There are a lot of things to consider and obviously financial security is one. My girlfriend Nicole is also living there. But I honestly haven't made up my mind. I'm torn on it."

It comes as Kennelly issued a statement yesterday expressing remorse for the tone of his commentary on the Nicholas Murphy All-Ireland incident which was published in his book 'Unfinished Business', an extract of which appeared over the weekend.

The extract has caused controversy but Kennelly stressed yesterday that he never intended to deliberately hurt any player. He also revealed that he was "stupid and naive" not to read the final extract in the days after the All-Ireland final.

"On my solemn word I did not and would never intentionally go out to hurt another footballer," he said. "The challenge, I admit, was over the top. I was too pumped up.

"The words 'while I hadn't wanted to come in and seriously injure anyone, I was determined to make a statement' were not included in the extract from the book even though this sentence followed on. That one line would have clarified my intentions but it was not included in the piece."

Kennelly stressed he would never do anything deliberately to sully the good name of his father or Kerry football.

Describing it as the worst days of his life since the death of his father, Tim, he accepted "100pc" that he had made a "big mistake".

Kennelly spoke to Kerry manager Jack O'Connor over his comments in the book. He is due to return to Australia in early November on a visit. How long he stays depends on his imminent decision.

- Colm Keys

Irish Independent

[1stsub]

I think we'll see a few st kilda merchandising/gear around tralee within the next few weeks.

[kerry07]

I for one hope Tadhg stays here and stays involved with Kerry. He has a great future either way. Its time that we all realise the asset this man is to Kerry and stop the bullsh*t we had all week.

[Die Hard Kerry Fan]

Could you blame the man for leaving now, after all the sh*te he's been getting all week. It would be a crying shame for this man to be lost to the Kerry setup, but seems others couldn't care less. Like a Paul Gavlin re-run it is. Will the same people be on his back next year if he produces a footballer of the year award?

[glengael]

Just watched the interview with Tommy on RTE. Someone would want to remind him to put on the old seat belt in the car. I did'nt notice him doing it before he drove off !!!!!

[jerryewe]

My opinion of Kennelly would go down immeasureably if he decides to join St Kilda. Sydney have given him the chance to fulfill his dream and have kept in contact with him and his coach travelling across he world to watch him play. It seems now that they have lost a lot of players and are in need of him. To turn them down for St Kilda would be a disgrace of Ashley Cole proportions

[Derek]

Oct 21, 2009 12:19:33 GMT jerryewe said:

My opinion of Kennelly would go down immeasureably if he decides to join St Kilda. Sydney have given him the chance to fulfill his dream and have kept in contact with him and his coach travelling across he world to watch him play. It seems now that they have lost a lot of players and are in need of him. To turn them down for St Kilda would be a disgrace of Ashley Cole proportions

This is hilarious!!!! if i were tadgh id just get of dodge now while he can. with stupid comments like this one!

[jerryewe]

Oct 21, 2009 12:40:27 GMT Derek said:

This is hilarious!!!! if i were tadgh id just get of dodge now while he can. with stupid comments like this one!

So you think it is ok for Tadhg to turn his back on Sydney after them allowing him to take a year off? Not many other professional teams in any code would allow him to do such a thing yet it seems Tadhg is considering turning his back on them for another team. I would have no problem if Tadhg left Kerry as he owes us nothing but he should return to Sydney after all they have done for him

[austinstacksabu]

Oct 21, 2009 12:19:33 GMT jerryewe said:

My opinion of Kennelly would go down immeasureably if he decides to join St Kilda. Sydney have given him the chance to fulfill his dream and have kept in contact with him and his coach travelling across he world to watch him play. It seems now that they have lost a lot of players and are in need of him. To turn them down for St Kilda would be a disgrace of Ashley Cole proportions

If he returns to Australia to play, he will become a professional.

And when you are professional, only one thing talks......money baby, yah!

God bless Marc Bosman.

[kerrygold]

The only reason Tadhg is wanted at St. Kilda is to ensure that Tommy settles in.

Tommy is blue chip and will master the forward element in this game in a very short time, get to used to the idea of not seeing Tommy again in the green and gold.

The people at St. Kilda know exactly what their doing here.

[patinkerry]

Heard Michael Murphy of Donegal is off for a trial too.

[nicoshea]

I would love to see Tadgh play with St Kilda (Hoping to go to Melbourne next year to visit family on holiday so would love to be able to see them play/train)

[fivenarow]

Oct 21, 2009 16:18:57 GMT kerrygold said:

The only reason Tadhg is wanted at St. Kilda is to ensure that Tommy settles in.

Tommy is blue chip and will master the forward element in this game in a very short time, get to used to the idea of not seeing Tommy again in the green and gold.

The people at St. Kilda know exactly what their doing here.

Kerrygold,you must be Tommy Walsh
Whats with the "get used to not seeing Tommy again in the green & gold"???Do you know something that the rest of us dont know,you should have probably added "in the next year or two" - the man is only 21 yrs of age!!

Whos to say Tommy will make it at all over there,the percentages are against him big time,he could be home in 6 months like most of the fellows that have gone before him - injury,homesickness,lack of form are major problems at home not to mind on the other side of the world.

[kerrygold]

The sun must never go down on the Hill next to John 3:7

[fivenarow]

Oct 22, 2009 11:36:14 GMT kerrygold said:

The sun must never go down on the Hill next to John 3:7

Meaning???

[kerrygold]

Thursday, 22 October 2009 17:25
Australian Rules agent Ricky Nixon has claimed that GAA officials are refusing to take part in talks over his controversial recruitment of players.

Nixon told hoganstand.com: They can tell me to go away but that's not going to change my life,' said Nixon.


'They are like "if we talk to you, you are the enemy, we can't be seen to talk to you." I am sick of that.

'Grow up and get over it. All the other sports in the world progressed because they drew a line in the sand, because they said we need to progress.

'Okay, you don't have to do what people tell you to do but you can at least listen.'

[Seoirse Ui Duic]

Nixon sounds a bit like your man from Ryanair O'Leary

[goalswingames]

Heard that Nixons next target is Mayo's Aidan O Shea. Apparently he will go too. This is a big problem for the gaa if we can't keep our outstanding young players.

[Seoirse Ui Duic]

Aidan would be a huge loss to Mayo. I think Aidan would have gotten young player of the year if Mayo had gone further but unfortunately didn't. Just like with Meehan a few years ago he's unlucky not to have a great team around him. Aidan would do well in Oz and if he decides to go I fully understand but it is indeed a big problem. There has to be an extra incentive to young players to stay in a time of crisis. In Oz they'll make good money doing what they love most: playing sports. If the GAA could secure a job for a young player it would make all the difference. Maybe a system with grans where the best young talents get rewarded with training or coaching jobs. It would help the players but also the youth training with a very good player.

[goalswingames]

If he goes that will be Kyle Coney Tommy Walsh Dave Moran and Aidan O Shea gone in the space of 2 years. I know Coney came back but I am not liking this trend one bit.

[kerrygold]

By Eugene McGee


Monday October 26 2009

The GAA traditionally had a very wary approach to any new developments that involved finance, with their great fear always being that they might lose some control over their own workings.

A good example was when live television was broached after the foundation of RTE in 1961. Somewhat reluctantly, GAA leaders of the time agreed that RTE could televise the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals in 1962 but there was to be no mention of binding contracts, something which might threaten the ability of the GAA to run its own affairs. Instead, the first Director of RTE Sport, Micheal O'Hehir no less, agreed with GAA president Hugh Byrne that the games be shown for the princely figure of £10 a year.

When other sports began to adopt commercial sponsorship including advertising on jerseys, the GAA stayed well clear. At Congress after Congress, the great GAA orators of the day warned of the evils of sponsorship and the danger that it would corrupt the pure amateur ideals of the GAA forever. GAA presidents proclaimed that sponsors' ribbons would never besmirch the Sam Maguire or Liam McCarthy Cups. We still have a few GAA zealots out there preaching the same message about county players. Eventually, the GAA moved with the times and will soon be earning a third of its income from television and sponsorship. But how much money was lost to the GAA while they delayed these decisions?

At present, there is a lot of nonsense being talked about young footballers going to Australia to get involved with professional AFL clubs. There is much weeping and gnashing of teeth about this latest Flight of the Earls and one would think that county teams are going to be decimated. It is rubbish, of course, but it allows some people to express their narrow attitude that Gaelic games are the only ones worthy for young Irishmen to play. They give the impression that these talented players who leave are traitors, and the fact that they are getting money is even worse in these people's eyes. The same people want all connection with the Ireland v Australia games abolished and they may well get their wish. Yet many people are disappointed that the International Rules series is not being played this month, as they would have been had the Aussies not come up with a 'buckshee' excuse that fooled nobody.

Only a tiny handful of young players get involved with Australian Rules and of those who do, the majority return after between one and four years for a variety of reasons -- not least because they have not got the personal motivation required in professional sport.

I never met Ricky Nixon, who acts as a recruiting agent for young Irish players for AFL clubs, but he seems well motivated. Nixon and GAA officials have never hit it off because the GAA basically resents everything he stands for. Shades here of the attitude the 'old GAA' used to have to sponsorship, where they refuse to acknowledge the situation and instead try to scuttle it.

Unfortunately for them, that policy is not an option simply because the GAA has absolutely no control over what sport young men get involved in. How some die-hards must yearn for the old days, up to 1971, when GAA members were barred from playing soccer or rugby. No doubt if Rule 27 were still in force, Australian Rules would have been added to the blacklist by now.

But we live in more civilised times nowadays and every sensible person knows, as indeed do the leaders of the GAA, that footballers are free to play any sport. But are the GAA bosses adopting the right course of action? Is there not a case for some system of compensation being available for those GAA clubs who lose players to Australia? In soccer, when young players sign up for British clubs, it is often specified in their contract that the club with which the youngster started with would get financial rewards based on the player's subsequent performance. In some cases this compensation can be very substantial.

Why can't the GAA not negotiate with AFL in Australia along similar lines, thereby ensuring that when one of the major AFL clubs signs an Irish player, there would be a substantial contribution towards that player's home GAA club? The main genuine complaint about young men leaving for Australia is that the input by their local clubs with regards to coaching and general progression is wasted from the club's point of view. Surely instead of turning a blind eye to the departure of players to Australia, the GAA should ensure that when the player signs for, say, St Kilda, as in the case of Tommy Walsh, there should be a payment to his club, Kerins O'Rahillys in Tralee, which would be seen as an investment in the future of the club.

A signing-on fee of at least €20,000, and more on progression through the ranks, would merely reflect the important role the GAA club played in the player's career. That seems simple enough but in the GAA, no decision is simple. No doubt there would be further shouts about professionalism and this would be regarded as 'blood money' by the purists of amateurism.

Yet there seems to be no such outcry when famous county players get free cars, free holidays and numerous other commercial and financial rewards which merely exposes the whole hypocrisy of GAA amateurism. The GAA spent many years losing out to television rights and sponsorship, so hopefully they will not make the same mistake about signing-on money to the relevant GAA clubs.

I imagine the AFL in Australia would approve of such a system but if the GAA merely sticks its head in the sand, they are doing an injustice to both their own players and the relevant clubs. Young men will continue to go to Australia and the GAA should be generous in their response -- but also look for compensation for the clubs.

- Eugene McGee

Irish Independent

[kerrygold]

If your that big a proponent of commercial gain in the gaa Eugene, why not go about promoting in your articles the advent of commercial conditions in our own game that will make it attractive for players to stay at home.

[osama]

A great piece by Tom Humphries in the Irish Times today.


Trickle of talent Down Under is no big deal

LOCKER ROOM: The ‘exodus’ of young GAA players to Aussie Rules is nothing to worry about – most of them will be back, writes TOM HUMPHRIES

THE DUBS of the 1970s (would the congregation all genuflect please, thank you) have a story about a player joining the panel which was then, and in fact still is, quite a tight-knit group. The newcomer wasn’t quite of the blue-chip quality they had come to expect but to their surprise he survived and before each training session he’d pull into Parnell Park and unload his bag.

Subtle inquiries were made as to his continued presence. The word filtered back down. The newcomer was the thoroughbred’s donkey. As a donkey or a pony might be placed in a field to calm a thoroughbred, the player offered lifts and company to a player better than himself. He kept a superstar happy and in lifts. Thus he earned his keep.

I often think of that when I try to get worked up about the seepage of GAA players to Aussie Rules football. The Aussies haven’t yet gone down the road of the thoroughbred’s donkey (David Moran is too fine a prospect and has too distinguished a bloodline to be categorised as such). The Irish lads in the AFL seem to cling together for company and reassurance, the situation is such that almost as many of them will return home within two years as went away in the first place.

It’s a hard one to explain, of course, to the grieving folk in a place where the local prodigy has been lifted and sent off on a convict ship, leaving everybody wondering if he is ever going to be seen again, but the point is that the numbers going are still so small and the success rate so minute that there really is nothing more that should be done apart from organising a party at the dock.

They come back.

I remember being in Down a few years ago and great was the weeping and wailing which surrounded the abduction of Marty Clarke. The brightest and the best had been taken away and the like of him would never be seen again. Clarke looked as if he would be as much of a prodigy down there as he was up here.

When he made his full debut for Collingwood back in June 2007, against the Sydney Swans in front of 64,222 at Telstra Stadium, he looked to have cracked it with ease. He made 20 possessions and the local media, often sceptical about the pale-faced imports from Ireland, declared it one of the greatest debuts in the history of the game.

Within a year of arriving in the AFL he had won a rising star award.

But poor form and a cruel run with injuries held him back the following year. He came home last month, more passionate, he said, about playing for Down than he ever was about playing for Collingwood. Getting a player back never creates as many column inches as losing a player, but, generally, almost invariably they come back.

You go back through our weeping and wailing down the years. Dermot McNicholl came back. Anthony Tohill came back. Brian Stynes came back. Niall Buckley, Colm McManamon, Seán Cavanagh. Kevin Dyas. Brendan Murphy. Michael Shields. Kyle Coney. Ian Ryan. Aisake Ó hAilpín. Even Tadgh Kennelly. They all came back.

They came back as stronger, more rounded athletes. They came back with a professional’s work ethic. They all decorate the intercounty scene. Is this not a triumph for the GAA and the sense of place which is part of a GAA man’s DNA?

They come home. Colm Begley is home. Two years ago he was Rookie of the Year for the Brisbane Lions. Begley seemed to have found the short-cut to success Down Under. The Lions had him playing games almost before he had his luggage off the airport carousel. He went from strength to strength in 2007 but, when 2008 brought injuries, the Lions lost interest. Begley was cut loose. Professional sport is cold and callous that way.

So he trained with Collingwood prior to the draft and got picked by St Kilda’s, the club which has, at the moment, a great and passionate interest in all things Irish.

Despite Begley’s pedigree he got used once by St Kilda’s last year. He decided to come home.

Those who stayed Down Under and thrived are a tiny number, fewer than we will lose to emigration, fewer than we will lose to long- term injury, fewer than we will lose to alcohol and other distractions, fewer than we will lose to other sports closer to home.

Setanta Ó hAilpín is staying. Pearse Hanley looks to be making it. The Kerry boys are starting out. Hopefully they will enjoy it all. The odds are against them making it.

Tommy Walsh, for all his excellence as a Gaelic footballer, lacks that blinding bit of acceleration to take him past opponents. In the context of Gaelic football, however, he compensates with his power. That will be his first challenge. He will no longer be among the most powerful men on the field. And he won’t be among the fastest. The road to success at his age has a distinctly uphill look to it.

His Kerins O’Rahilly’s clubmate, David Moran, is conceivably just as big a loss should he choose to stay, but for Kerry he is far from irreplaceable as Anthony Maher’s form in the county championships suggested.

One suspects though that both players will enjoy their time down there, work hard and come back having had a shot at the long odds. They won’t come back rich, but they will come back no longer having to fret that some day they would regret what might have been.

They may even come back sooner. The novelty of constant sunshine and being a professional sportsperson wears thin in an environment where you are being paid to learn a new and complex game at which you will always be considered an outsider.

That nasty ill-informed attitude which some of us have toward immigrants “coming over here and taking our jobs” doesn’t cease to exist when you walk into an Aussie Rules club as an exotic import drawing media interest which outweighs your ability to actually play the game yet.

Any player who goes is missed but let’s have no more of the weeping and wailing. They go because they want to go. The game they go to play won’t make them rich but will buy a bit of space in the crowded house of youth.

We don’t have any great emerging stars anymore in the Premier League. No Duffs and Keanes starting to spreading their wings. All we have is the odd mention of Setanta in the Aussie Rules’ highlights. Another success Down Under would actually be quite okay. We are a long , long way form having to ask the last person out of the poor little country to throw in a penny.

[Dermot]

Its true that Aussi Rules is still probably the smallest threat to youngsters leaving the GAA ...... Drink, Rugby, Soccer and immigration are much more serious. In Tyrone we lost probably our most talked about up and coming star to Soccer ... Niall McGinn who now plays for Celtic was a bloody unreal Gaelic player ... But such is life I suppose.

I think one of the sickening things about Aussi rules at the minute is that creep Ricky Nixon .... Who could like that .. He's make a dog ate her pups !

[chrism]

Shields came back. Was doing well by all accounts but missing home a lot. Ciaran Sheehan only went for a month and knew when he came back that he wanted to stay in Ireland. Carlton have been watching him since he was 15. You never know Walsh and Moran might come back too sooner rather than later.

[hardman]

Looks as if tadhg is heading to the swans according to the main headline on sydney swans website today.

By Michael Rogers
1:32 PM Mon 26 October, 2009
Tadhg Kennelly may yet return to the Sydney Swans given his Gaelic football achievements

Today's headlines
Swans cool on Kennelly's call
Mon, Oct 26, 09Bradshaw there for the picking
Mon, Oct 26, 09Seaby never thought his career was over
Fri, Oct 23, 09Today's videos
NAB AFL Rising Star: Rd 22
Tue, Sep 01, 09Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions
Sun, Aug 30, 09Rd 22: Syd press conference
Sat, Aug 29, 09SYDNEY Swans coach Paul Roos says the club hasn't set a deadline for premiership defender Tadhg Kennelly to make a decision about resuming his AFL career.

The 28-year-old quit the Swans with a year remaining on his contract to return to Ireland and play Gaelic football.

Kennelly aimed to emulate his late father, Tim, by winning an All-Ireland medal with County Kerry - a feat he achieved in September on his first attempt.

As Kennelly was still contracted to the Swans for the 2009 season, the club can re-sign him without going through the NAB AFL Draft or Pre-Season Draft.

However, his contract must be submitted to the League by December 2 - the cut-off for clubs' third list lodgements and total player payment estimates for 2010.

Roos said he hadn’t spoken with Kennelly since the All-Ireland final but he was in no doubt that the dashing flanker knew what was required to continue his AFL career.

"Obviously he's been really busy with the book launch and the grand final and all that other stuff, so I haven't spoken to him," Roos said on Monday.

"But I think he's smart enough to know. He's got a manager over here who deals with a lot of other players and he'd be aware of that."

In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, published in the Irish Independent last week, Kennelly said he remained unsure about his future.

"[After the final] I described how my heart was with Kerry and how I felt I hadn't yet become all I could be as a Gaelic footballer," he wrote.

"All of this was true but the reality was I didn't know what I was going to do. There were so many factors to consider.

"My family, my life with Nicole, my financial future, my sense of unfinished business in Australia."

[jerryewe]

Reading Tom Humphreys piece it is noticable that Clarke and Begley both got off to flying starts which shows the transition can be made. However in their second year they struggled with injuries which shows the importance of conditioning. By that I mean their bodies were not used to the demands of the sport as it was totally new to them and thay could not take it. Nixon seems to have picked up on this so that is why he is trying to get younger players
(not saying he is right but he seems to know what he is doing that is all)

[kerrygold]

No pressure as Kennelly ponders future, says Swans boss
By Colm O’Connor

Tuesday, October 27, 2009



SYDNEY SWANS coach Paul Roos last night insisted the AFL club will not be ‘putting any pressure’ on Tadhg Kennelly as he weighs up his sporting future.



Former Swans star, Kennelly, realised his lifetime dream of winning an All-Ireland SFC medal in September, however he has admitted to having "unfinished business in Australia."

Because he left in January, after they had lodged their playing list for 2009, Kennelly remains a part of the Swans’ squad and as a result, they could wait until just before the AFL’s final list lodgement on December 2, before either including him, or delisting him.

Roos stressed that he has not spoken to Kennelly about a possible return to Oz. "I haven’t heard from Tadhg but the ball is pretty much in his court," he said.

"I think he knows there is a deadline, Tadhg and his manager would be aware of that, but we’re not putting any pressure on him.

"It’s really up to Tadhg. He may want to stay in Ireland, he’s had a fantastic year, and he’s got family there, but we haven’t heard at this stage.

"Really, only Tadhg knows what he’s going to do and whatever he does I hope he does the best for him.

"If he stays in Ireland we’ll wish him all the best and if he makes a phone call and says: ‘Roosy I want a chat’, I’ll be happy to talk to him about what we need to do to get him back.

"The main thing is for Tadhg to make the decision for him. At the end of the day you’ve go to be happy with your own decision.

"He’s made two smart decisions so far in his life, one to come over here for the first time and the other one was to go back, and I’m sure what he decides to do will be right for him."



This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, October 27, 2009




Read more: www.examiner.ie/sport/gaa/no-pressure-as-kennelly-ponders-future-says-swans-boss-104251.html#ixzz0V7hp7wRJ