New Recruits

[fatlad]

Heard a rumour at various matches at the weekend that Tomas Connor's son who played div 1 league for Kildare is going to join up with Offaly next season and also that Denis Glennon is contemplating doing likewise.Can anyone add or detract from these rumours.

[Bord na Mona man]

Good rumours all right.
Didn't Tomas Connor's son get a run for Kildare in a few league matches a couple of years ago?

[red exile]

he was on the kildare panel 2 yrs ago in the league, and glennon was having a few problems with westmeath,not sure if they have been resolved yet but he looked out of sorts in their last game, would be a very good adition to offaly panel

[Bord na Mona man]

glennon was having a few problems with westmeath,not sure if they have been resolved yet but he looked out of sorts in their last game, would be a very good adition to offaly panel

He would be an addition to the team, but you can go too far down the road of recruiting players from other counties.

[Lone Shark]

I'd be inclined to agree with the above. There's no harm in GAA transfers as long as they are in the spirit of the games. By that I mean that the GAA is first and foremost a social outlet, and having been a member of clubs in Dublin, Galway and London, I've been a huge beneficiary of that. When a player, be they good bad or indifferent, moves home for work or family reasons or whatever, it stands to reason that if they are a long way from their home club, they would transfer. Some, such as Ciarán McManus, refuse to transfer no matter where on the planet they end up working and that's all very admirable, but nobody expects that of anyone, it's only natural to transfer in certain situations. Therefore if someone transfers club for those reasons, then I'd see no reason why they should not be considered for county selection - however it's a different matter entirely if someone is transferring just out of stubborn-ness or spite. I'd say 50% of the members in most clubs these days are coming from an hour away or more, so lads transferring from twenty minutes down the road always struck me as odd.

If somebody like Michael Cussen or Eddie Brennan got stationed in Tullamore, I could understand entirely why they might want to transfer and either man would be welcome on an Offaly panel. Denis Glennon is a bit different from that.

[noodles]

LS I think you are exaggerating a small bit saying that 50% of club members are travelling from an hour away .No way is this the case in most clubs, fair enough there is always a few travelling but this is only a fraction of what you are saying. Ciaran McManus has to be admired for travelling back from other countries, but to be fair these are usually short term work contracts abroad and he is building a house in Tubber at the minute and getting married soon so he probably won't be travelling near as much in the future

[Lone Shark]

LS I think you are exaggerating a small bit saying that 50% of club members are travelling from an hour away

Maybe so - it wasn't an intentional effort to deceive or anything, it was merely my own limited experience. I'd say it's a good chunk nonetheless. Probably a bit less now that people are losing jobs unfortunately.

[Phoenix]

I'd be delighted to see Tomas Connor's son on the Offaly panel - and that goes for the sons of Kevin Kilmurray, Mick Wright, Mick Ryan etc. It goes against the grain to see them lining out for Kildare or Dublin at underage or senior.

Cribben might be one reason for this rumour as he is well known and respected in Kildare football.

Re Denis Glennon he is certainly a talented footballer and, having seen P.J. Ward star for Offaly in Wexford, I'd certainly be intrigued by a possible transfer.

[TheManFromFerbane]

It does pose the question though. What do these lads see in Offaly that has them so interested in transferring??

I mean we haven't been pulling up trees lately? We don't appear to be on the verge of a Leinster and are just missing one or two ingredients? I'm not suggesting anything or trying to insult the current crop of players (who I think this year restored a bit of pride with their attitude in both games) but I just think it's strange that these two lads would want to come to us...That said rumours are rumours.

[lovelyhurling]

No matter how good glennon is........ do not want him! Feeding his ego

[Lone Shark]

It does pose the question though. What do these lads see in Offaly that has them so interested in transferring??

Connor would be a family connection and I couldn't argue with that, that's a quite legitimate reason. With Glennon, I'd be worried that the attraction is the ability to stick two fingers up at the lads back at home. Of course I may be wrong, there is a long tradition of guards joining the clubs of their adopted towns, but not usually when it's as close as Tyrellspass is to Tullamore.

[red exile]

i believe glennons fall out with westmeath county board centered on unpaid travel expenses, maybe he thinks he can get a better deal from us, i think not