So he wasnât rarely playing soccer up to that point?
Very poor attendances correct. Similar to the Australian teams. Another quirk of the conference system in Super rugby meant they played none of the NZ teams at home which would have been the biggest draw you would have thought.
Super rugby is a shambles as we have dicussed here a few times.
Barely was the word. And that was my understanfing of it at the time yes.
So you were wrong? No worries mate, happens to the best of us.
According to some sources here
Iâd still go with the lads who knew him back then though.
As for his personal deep motivations, who knows. Get him on here to answer that.
Brah,
The push in the ARU is now towards grassroots and getting more people playing the game
it makes sense
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The lads you made up? Fair enough.
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Which is the reason why his football brain and skill level lets him down so much. The athletics definitely helped him but heâd have been better off if he hadnât played so much hurling as a young lad IMO
offft
Might have been an ooooft except he made an assumption that only the clubs contain registered players. He forgot the schools
Its hard to talk about specific people in that sense but i would say it made little difference until after his last major growth spurt. At that point to be an elite soccer player he probably should be doubling down on that.
Previous to that as much sport/varied movements as possible is the best approach.
Both Hurling and Football help soccer, in different ways.
Not true. Only 1 of the 5 largest countries (by population) has never qualified, India.
My next door neighbour? Who played soccer against and with him? Professionally and at amateur level. My brother best friend growing up?
The lads in college who knew him oersonally.
Nah. Wouldnât have a bar of what they have to say.
they are including PE in the numbers??
FFS
Holding off competition from unihoc and Port and Starboard though.
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They donât do PE anymore fella. So it canât be that
Cringe
im pretty sure my kids do PE mate
sorry to butt in, but you said he rarely played soccer growing up and based this on the word of lads who knew him at his time in Cork?
for what itâs worth, Kevin Doyle would have been similar to Long. He played underage in Wexford up along the way, the Wexford Youths underage set up helping him. Got a break with a signing to Pats and Dolan brought him with him to Cork. Arguably his biggest break was the cancellation of the world youth cup tournament in the UAE in 2003 as he hadnt made the initial squad/first team but made it when the tournament was played and did well in it.
Barely. However i knew people from Tipp who knew him well as well and played with him. Now maybe it was the move to Michaels when it was played properly but what i was told was it was a few lucky bounces and a late decision then to commit completely to soccer.
Basically he could have easily picked hurling had he not got lucky with City. Had he stayed longer at Michaels, at least the way this generally goes, he would likely have taken the GAA route.
There is alot to be said for late developers and the way these lads did it. I would argue the reason they didnât become really top class is that after that final growth (peak velocity span) spurt the development was still shitty enough local soccer drill based development. Essentially they were still relying largy ipon their genetic athletic advantages and were not properly being developed. Im Doyle and Longs caes they were way too late to become elite by the time they went to Reading. So their achievements are very notable.