Limerick to appoint retention officer to keep footballers on board
A root and branch review of Limerick football has recommended the appointment of a full-time development officer and the creation of a retention officer post so as to improve the number of players willing to line out for the county senior team.
The 18 recommendations contained within the 24-page report of the Limerick football review committee, which began its work in September of last year, are currently being debated at club level and will come before the county board this September.
The executive of the Limerick county board has already agreed to appoint a full-time football development officer, and it is planned the position will be filled in the coming months. The retention officer, if the post is greenlighted, will ensure the progression of players from academy level to adult inter-county is monitored and profiled.
No question but this latter proposal is tied to the revelation by Limerick senior manager Billy Lee that 53 players declined an invitation to join the Treaty set-up for the 2018 season. Lee also disclosed that 18 members of the 2017 panel were not willing to commit for the following year’s campaign, further highlighting the apathy which exists towards football on Shannonside.
County board chairman John Cregan, writing in the report, lamented the fact a growing number of footballers have no desire to wear the green jersey. “The most disappointing aspect of our decline, for me, was the fact many of our players whom we had invested in and who had come through the ranks of minor and U21/U20 no longer desired to be involved and we found ourselves fielding weaker teams than should be the case and therefore, shipping many heavy defeats.”
The proposed retention officer will be tasked with creating a database of personnel who were involved at different age levels/grades with Limerick.
Senior manager Billy Lee said the two positions have the potential to be game-changers for Limerick football.
“Both posts are very important. A full-time development officer would be massive for Limerick football as, at the moment, we don’t have a GDA who is exclusively focused on football,” he remarked.
The Limerick football review committee, chaired by Paddy Mulvihill and which also included former footballers Stephen Lucey and Muiris Gavin, is firmly in favour of a second-tier championship being introduced.
“If a tiered championship structure is not introduced, lower-ranked counties will continue to struggle to retain players.
“The introduction of a tier 2 championship will provide a pathway for players from lower-ranked counties to compete and develop at inter-county level, while also facilitating counties in relation to player retention,” the report states.
