No being in the cold is stupid. But kicking oenalties is at least working on kicking, placement, pressure situations etc. Of course there is a millon other things they should be doing.
It sounds like someone was told they needed to inject some fun into the sessions and went over board on this process. All training should be fun with the small lads.
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the way you explained that concept was unreal
Spot on.
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That is incorrect. Argentina have over 100k players and over 400 clubs. They have a vibrant schools scene. Like ourselves they are improving rapidly at underage and have notched up victories over the traditional 20s powers in the last couple of years. Incidentally we both play this Monday in the semi finals of the Junior World Cup.
They beat us in 1999, 2007 and 2015 and we got them in 2003. A disappointing return given over overall head to head but only really 99 is the shocker. They were very good in 2007. In 2015 we lined up against them without 5 of our best 7 players.
Whilst association football is floundering at underage rugby football goes from strength to strength. It’s built on a solid, grassroots pyramid structure. I love an ol laugh at Munster’s finances but the gas thing is they’ve only got into that situation because of building a new asset which the IRFU cover for anyway. The IRFU bring in more money than the GGA and FAI and have built solid infrastructure.
Harsh on Ward I would have thought. Coleman and Clark were worse. O’Shea probably deserves more than a 4 too. I’m not a fan of his but thought he was our best player by a distance yesterday.
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I like the l’Equipe way of doing these ratings where 5 means average and if you have a bad game they don’t just give you a 6 to keep you happy. Although I do think Ward is a bit hard done by there
The 6 nations ffs.
Rugby is fucked pal. Playing numbers falling. Even in NZ playing numbers are collapsing at teenage level. Nobody wants to get killed by their hobby.
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Congratulations to Belgium on their clinical second half display yesterday.
cc @ChocolateMice
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My lad trains three nights a week and match at the weekend in U13’s, he’s played up into U14’s most of the season as well, as have 4-5 other lads in the U13’s. School holidays coming up and in the first week we have four games and training every other day (granted this is a rep team, the normal clubs though have them training at least two nights a week and game at the weekend). We normally go down the local pitch and kick a ball for a few hours on Saturday and Sundays as well, but we’re seeing less and less other kids / parents down there. There’s huge work being done in Australia at underage level and massive participation rates, football is by far the highest participation sport at underage in NSW and not far off AFL in VIC.
I’m depressed after Saturday and have lost all interest in the Euro’s now.
When is a high foot not a high foot?
Lads talking about the Belgium model and the Dutch model
Everyone knows it’s the Icelandic model that is the go to reference point these days for lazy talk about what where we are going wrong.
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Disappointing to see Long ducking out of those challenges there, Bubbles would have ripped Vermaelens leg off and beaten Alderweireld with it.
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Good old fashioned 442 from Iceland. No messing.
That’s the latest fashion. Iceland have reinvented soccerballing like Davy Fitz did with hurling.