SPORT
24 PAGE PULLOUT
I’M an optimist by nature.
I try to view most things with a positive outlook, prefer to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
There is no doubt I fall short on many occasions but in general I endeavour to look for the best or brighter side of situations.
After such a glorious weekend of warmth and sunshine where the magnificent weather put even the most pessimistic souls amongst us in good form, I found it difficult to pen such a bleak and gloomy composition.
Because of a family event I didn’t travel to Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday evening. It was a valid excuse for not making the trip but one that could well have been overcome in previous years.
Many other Louth fans may have been in a similar boat as very few made the long journey to Pairc Mac Diarmada on Saturday.
In fact attendances at all of Louth’s games in 2018 have steadily declined as the season progressed.
Obviously these diminishing numbers are a reaction to the series of unfavourable results.
Results this season under Pete McGrath’s stewardship have been shocking. Excluding pre-season competitions and challenges, Louth played ten competitive games in 2018. We won one and lost nine.
Seven National League games in a row were lost in Division 2, all by wide margins against opposition where we appeared to be out of our depth.
Carlow outclassed us in the Leinster Championship in May and Leitrim trounced us in the Qualifiers last weekend. The average margin of defeat in those nine games is just shy of ten points.
Our only competitive win of the season was against London in Ruislip. Our U17 team have failed to win a game in the Group Stage of the Leinster Minor championship, the U20s lost both games in their Leinster Championship group and the Junior’s succumbed to Kildare two weeks ago after only what could be described as shambolic preparations.
Our county teams are like the shop window of an organisation where we display and parade our wares.
The shop window is a reflection of the entire organisation. If the organisation is poorly staffed, not sufficiently resourced, lacking leadership and has no clear plan or objective on what it wishes to achieve, then this is reflected on what appears in the shop window for public viewing.
There is no hiding place. Yes, the wool can sometimes be pulled over peoples eyes for periods of time by changing the window dresser, or in this case the county team manager. In the end, however the true structure of an organisation (or lack of it) is revealed for everyone to see.
We are now at our lowest point as a county in living memory. The County Grounds debacle was a complete fiasco. Does anyone know or even care about what the next steps are?
Coaching in our primary and secondary schools is almost non-existent. Not a single Louth school competes at A level in any Leinster schools competition.
A recent report showed Louth as the worst county in the country at raising finance and fund raising.
Our club fixtures plan at both adult and juvenile level are a mess. Our development squad programme is light years behind most other counties and we have no player pathway in place to grow and develop our young emerging talent.
And worst of all, children and teenagers are losing their desire to identify with Louth or aspire to play for their county in the future.
A lot of these problems are historic which were years in the making, so not all of the blame can be laid at the door of the current administration.
However the pace of decline in recent years has been alarming. Standards across all areas have plummeted and I’m not just referring to footballing terms.
Under this administration many able and willing Louth Gaels have gradually withdrawn their support from County Board led programmes or projects choosing instead to concentrate their efforts on club activities. Many loyal supporters (and even players) have also followed suit.
Concerns and supports for county teams have been replaced by apathy and indifference. The future is extremely bleak.
There are no quick fix solutions to Louth GAA’s current plight. A line however needs to be drawn in the sand. The result at the weekend will hopefully be the catalyst that prompts those in power to either seek help or step aside.
Each club in the county and every club delegate at County Board level have a part to play in this process. New direction and leadership are urgently required. Enough is enough.