Dublin's Got Talent!

Following an in-depth review of Dublin’s talent academy last year which involved comprehensive engagement with key stakeholders and a look at similar models in other counties, the Dublin County Board made a number of structural changes to the Dublin model.

A key change was the appointment late last year of 2011 All Ireland winning captain, Bryan Cullen to the full time position of Talent Academy Director.

The restructure also saw the appointment of former intercounty players Stephen O’Shaughnessy and David O’Callaghan as Talent Development Managers for football and hurling respectively. 

In addition, Colm Burtchaell was appointed Operations Manager, a role which will see him provide logistical and other support to the development panels.

This week I asked Bryan Cullen about the new Academy set-up and the work ahead for him and his team.

“Our primary role in the Academy is to provide the absolute best environment we can for players and for coaches. We want to make sure they enjoy their time in the Academy and that they develop as players and also that the coaches enjoy their time and they develop as coaches as well.” 

A key element for future success will be the development of a high quality, robust and coherent coaching structure, work on which has already begun as Bryan explained.

“In fairness the GAA have provided some really helpful frameworks for academies and we’ve been trying to build on that ourselves within our own Academy. 

"We are providing coaches with that broad coaching framework or structure that we like them to follow in terms of developing our players and creating alignment within the pathway in terms of how we deliver the programme. We are also developing things such as common coaching language to ensure there is consistency across the development pathway.”

“We put a big emphasis on developing coaches as well as players.  So it’s about identifying the needs of the coaches and putting on workshops for them and even developing workshops that are a little more nuanced and tailored to individual groups as well.”

Cullen sees our clubs as the real key to the development of young players in the first instance.

“Most of the contact the players have in terms of coaching is through their clubs.  So the initiatives that are run through Coaching and Games Development by Ger O’Connor for coaching education in our clubs are hugely important and the more support we can give them the better.  Ultimately the clubs are developing the players and we are supporting them.”

The involvement of volunteer coaches in the Academy is very beneficial for all as it enhances coaching standards as well as supplementing the coaching knowledge in the clubs. 

Running a successful Academy is quite a logistical operation too, which will no doubt keep Colm Burtchaell busy.  Bryan outlined some of the numbers involved and some of the challenges – including that perennial issue here in the capital – a shortage of facilities.

“Across all squads from u14 to u20 in both codes we could have anything from 350 to 400 players and up to 80 volunteer coaches.  So it’s a big operation and one of the challenges is that we are spread out all over Dublin so that brings its own challenge in terms of creating that togetherness in the Academy.”

“While there are exciting projects in the pipeline at Hollystown and Spawell, we currently also have challenges in terms of securing facilities.  These mainly arise from having a robust games programme and lots of activity in the clubs.  The universities are also buoyant in terms of Gaelic games action so while all this activity is welcome it can also present challenges in terms of sourcing adequate facilities.”

Talent identification too can be a difficult process, especially when players can develop at different stages of their young lives.  Cullen underlines the importance of the clubs in assisting with this.

“We are constantly trying to build a network within the club game where we can identify the players performing well with their clubs. 

"We are constantly reviewing the talent academies and liaising with clubs and watching club games.  The message we would give out is that club is core really and what’s most important is that players are performing really well with their club. 

"Performance is not always linear and just because a player missed out on a squad in his earlier years doesn’t mean they can’t make a squad further down the line. It’s not uncommon – there are lots of stories of late developers and kids developing at different rates. 

"That’s why the club is so important to us and performing well with your club means that shop window is always there.”

The GAA is also operating in a hectic sports sphere where various sports are battling for the hearts and minds of our young people.  Bryan sees this competition as healthy for a player’s development.

“It’s fair to say that even within our own codes talented hurlers are often talented footballers and vice versa so it’s probably fair to say there are decent soccer and rugby players in the Academy.  Most of our Academy players, certainly from u14 to u16, would be involved in other sports as well but I think that is healthy for the overall development of a player.”

In recent times a huge number of ex-Senior players have become involved with various intercounty teams, including David Curtin, Johnny McCaffrey, Peter Kelly and Paul Schutte on the hurling side and Ger Brennan, Stephen Cluxton, Denis Bastick, Dean Rock, Jonny Cooper, Michael Darragh MacAuley, and Tommy Drumm on the football side.

Cullen sees a real value in this in terms of encouraging the young hopefuls at Academy level.

“We welcome with open arms any past players in football or hurling that want to get involved with the Academy.  We’ve had players take leading roles in squads, other players have come out and taken training sessions and that is always received very well.  It always gives the Academy and young players a great boost when they see these familiar faces.”

There’s a lot of hard work ahead but it seems like the sleeves are already well rolled up and the Academy team are relishing the task ahead. As Bryan rightly says the clubs are key in this whole process, but they can be assured of the full support of Bryan and his colleagues in helping to unearth the next generation of stars in Dublin Blue.