Bad day for the Irish Thomas Chamney (pictured) who just told me he was sorry. I tried to turn it around immediately to give him to understand that when he learns how to race in a championship he will be okay and I have full confidence in him. Eileen O Keefee had a disaster, enough said on that, it's a shame from a girl that has the potential to join the world elite but I will leave it at that.Alastair went out the back door in 5k, hard to figure out where he goes from here having competed poorly in recent championships. I nailed my support for him here in public so I was wandering around the warm up area feeling sorry for him and to an extent for myself when I got a text from Conor Quigley to tell me his son Jason had won his fight in Europeans youths 4-0 and now fights in final Saturday against a lad from Azaberjain. Good news at an important time for me .
I had watched many of the races in the warm up on big screen, better spot to relax, listen to the crowd next door and pick up and deal with your athlete on return from competition. I did head in to stadium to talk to recently arrived Kay Byrne and Teresa McGloin and tomorrow await the arrrival of John Kelly and Niall Wilkinson to catch remaining few days and in particular the mens javelin.
Irish interest ends tomorrow, a 6 am start out to the 50k walk and late in the evening the 400m final with David Gillick. A lot of talk about the gender of the 8oom winner, I actually feel sorry for the girl that the debate is ongoing in such a public manner here.
Patsy mc Gonagle
Team Manager
Berlin 2009
(PLEASE reference www.finnvalleyac.com if you decide to use content from my diary. Thanks for your continued support)
Insane Usain...19.19..
ReplyDeleteThanks for the updates really enjoyed the blog giving those of us who will never have the privlidge to be on the inside track an inside insight.
ReplyDeleteQuit the self praising Patsy - it's obvious you're involved in athletics for what YOU can get out of it rather than helping to improve Irish athletes/athletics. You've been there long enough and look at the state of Irish athletics: 3rd world facilities, coaching, support systems etc. You have had nothing to do with the Irish athletes who have had success recently and in the past so stop trying to take credit at every available opportunity and get off the stage. Were you not loved as a child that you feel this necessity to massage your own ego wherever possible?
ReplyDeleteThe post above at the curent time is a little annoying for a number of reasons
ReplyDelete. The Irish performances at the World c/ships in Berlin were the best in memory --sincere congtats to all the athletes who performed so well -to the various support groups/individuals in the background.Patsy McGonagle led this group in preparation and as Team Manager and deserves our thanks and acknowledgement
. Contrary to all the negativity surrounding the problems within Athletics Ireland its been one of the most successful competitive years in history for athletes of all grades on the International circuit - The European and World Olympics for our Under 17's ;European Juniors, European Under 23's and now the World c/ships all have hasd un precedended success. At grass roots level clubs/coaches must take a bow for this success and the recently introduced professional support structures of carding/sports science/squad systems etc all have an input
. Without labouring the positives - and we have had many in Irish Athletics during the poast few years - we should also recognise that memebrship in our clubs has increased by 20%, regional juvenile squads meet regularly supported by the best coaching/sports science avialable and an unprecedented number of coaches have upskilled their knowledge at a variety of levels as part of the very successful Athletics Ireland coach education programmes
. Yes there is still a lot to do but we should recognise recent successes and go forward and build upon
It would be a good idea to sign a name to postings - Ireland is full of 'Anonymous' hurlers on the ditch
Eamon harvey
Eamon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
Could you explain exactly how Patsy McGonagle lead this group in preparation?
Would the success of the athletes not have been down to themselves, their personal coaches, family, friends and other people who genuinely supported them?
This might come as news to many but an athletics team manager is completely different to a team sport manager so any attempt to take credit for the success of athletes is pathetic and disingenuous.
Also what do the positives you have listed (it sounds like the same spiel Patsy reeled off at the Oirechtas hearing to try to create a rosy image of athletics in Ireland when in fact at organisational level it's a sham which he is largely a cause of) about athletics in Ireland recently do to defend the fact that Patsy has been to the fore of "high performance" for donkeys years yet high performance athletics in Ireland is in a 3rd world state compared to most other countries?
If he was in an organisation which had any type of accountability he'd have been fired a long time ago.
Patsy, your ego is out of control. Have you lost the run of yourself?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteAll I indicated in my posting above was
* to congratulate the outstanding performances of our Irish athletes in Berlin -possibly our best Track and Field team performance on a World stage since the Gothenburg 1995 when Sonia won gold and we had three more finalists
* I included Patsy McGonagle in these comments because he has successfully managed this group of athletes and support personnel over a number of years via training camps -at home and abroad/Olympics etc
* I indicated that Irish athletics has had numerous developmental successes during the past few years eg increased membership, development squads, coach education, new clubs etc.This is not 'spiel' as you indicated but fact.
* That Athletics Ireland has had internal problems during the last 12 months that have been well 'washed' in public is also a fact.However we should not let this ongoing problem [hopefully will be solved very soon] cloud the 'feel good' facts mentioned above
* As you obviously have strong views and a deep knowledge and love of athletics maybe you could give me a ring 087 2797548 or email harveyeamon@hotmail.com and we can discuss the areas we agree/disagree upon.Surely you will agree its very difficult to have a meaningful debate with an unknown
Regards
Eamon Harvey