By Patrick Morrison WHENEVER I am coaching, one of the most common questions I am asked is ‘what is the most important aspect of being a goalkeeper?’ My answer is always the same. There is no one aspect that is more significant than any other as mastery of the position needs a competent level of […]
WHILE it’s great to have a fellow Armagh man as the new president of the GAA, I have to say I don’t envy his task in addressing the state of the game. A lot of games are turning into basketball and the entertainment value has dropped. This, in conjunction with the complete lack of jeopardy […]
By Patrick Morrison THIS week, I was invited onto the Gaelic Life podcast ‘Gaelic Lives.’ The show was hosted by Michael McMullan and also involved ex-Derry player Gerard O’Kane, both of this stable. We mainly discussed the NFL finals that involved Ulster teams while also discussing the phenomenon of warm weather training camps and their […]
WE are currently slap-bang in the middle of the GAA jargon evolution. Terms like ‘move the ball quickly,’ ‘keep your width’ and ‘get men behind the ball’ have been replaced by ‘transitions,’ ‘tips’ and ‘low block.’ I have even found myself using such terminology and I die a little inside each time I do. The […]
IN a display that left spectators awestruck, Jim McGuinness showcased his aggressive coaching style as Donegal went head to head with Cork last weekend. The match, described by many as “men against boys,” unfolded as a tactical masterclass, with Donegal proving both physically and technically superior to their opponents. One of the key takeaways from […]
By Steven Poacher THIS Saturday morning at 10am, we have our annual Coach Education Day at St Joseph’s in Newry. The four guest coaches presenting on the day provide arguably one of the finest line-ups we have had to date. Colm Collins, former Clare senior football manager, will kick-start the day with an indoor talk […]
By Steven Poacher In just over two weeks, hundreds of coaches from all over Ireland will descend upon our school, St Joseph’s Boys High School, Newry, to attend our now annual Coach Education event. The event that has been in existence for over 14 years now is unique and different to most days, first and […]
By Patrick Morrison WHAT is Effective Communication? Communication is any form of information that is relayed between two interfacing entities. Whether it be audible, visual, hand signals or even just body language if it sends a message to be received it is deemed as communication. Goalkeepers are in that precarious position of play developing in […]
COACH Education is a subject very close to my heart, it’s a huge passion of mine, as a coach I never want to stop learning, in fact I have a small black note book I carry everywhere with me, quite a bit of my week seems to be spent in a car, so therefore the […]
GAELIC football is gradually moving towards a reset in the fundamental make up of teams. We have two points to consider in this regard. Firstly, the standard programme lays out the 15 players in the traditional structure. They consist of a ‘keeper, six defenders, two midfielders and six forwards. I can’t for the life of […]
