AS championship football at the club level continues to evolve, so does the relentless intensity that accompanies it. With each passing year, the demands on players reach new heights. They run more, at higher speeds, with increased accelerations, decelerations, frequent changes of direction, and endure physicality like never before. For coaches, the later stages of […]
By Patrick Morrison WE are now coming into the mouth of October and with the majority of teams now on their extended rest period, it means that for the majority of players, the season has ended and their so called ’OFF’ Season has begun. This sees players going from training three to five sessions per week […]
THERE is plenty of excitement off the pitch at present with the managerial merry-go-round but what is it that could be done to make things on the pitch more exciting for players and spectators alike? I might enjoy watching one team’s ability in breaking down a packed defence, creating space and more scores, but at […]
By Patrick Morrison DISTRIBUTION in the modern game has become more and more important for teams whenever they are focusing on winning games. In some games a team’s ability on restarts can literally be the winning or losing of a particular game. For the goalkeeper then, it is crucial they can self-appraise their kicking both […]
THE first thing I do whenever I enter a team dressing room is to scan the place for the number one object guaranteed to cause stress to a huge portion of the players in that room. It’s usually under a table or the middle of a floor while someone publicly records what it shows. The weighing scales. […]
All our schools are in full flow now and school training for most age groups has started across the province. I have mentioned the importance of school football before and how schools work in tandem with the clubs. As the club season comes to an end, the school season just starts and it is so […]
THE club championships are beginning to reach the business end in most counties. As with the new county format, a lot of counties have opted for group stage systems and as a result the blood and thunder has been diluted. It will no doubt return when competitions reach the knock-out phases, but the early stages […]
By Patrick Morrison LAST year, I read an article by fellow Gaelic Life columnist Gareth Fox. The content of the article was focused on character and how a person can develop the character they wish to have. Gareth explained that those people who are seen to have a strong character are usually the people that consistently […]
By Patrick Morrison “Presence is a funny thing. If you have to prove that you have it, you probably never really had it in the first place.” Having a presence both on and off the field of play is essential for the goalkeeper. It is the tenth of my eleven goalkeeping principles and one which […]
The state of football is always a topic for debate. Michael McMullan looked at the scoring rates across the provincial and All-Ireland championships in five samples across the last five decades. ELITE inter-county players have never been fitter, stronger or faster. The scale of management teams has rocketed both in terms of size and levels […]
