Representing Ireland

Don't know if this is the correct forum for this topic, but it is one that I think needs an airing somewhere.

I have been lucky enough to have fished the master angler competition last year. It was my dream to get into the Irish team and represent the country. Now, it was a bit of a forlorn dream as in truth, I am not (yet?) among the most accomplished fishermen in the country. But, it was still a dream nonetheless. I am sure that this dream is held by many on the match 'circuit' - certainly my club-mate, Pat McGinty showed what it meant to him when he won the Finlater a week or two ago and he has fished for Ireland before, so it was nothing new to him, but still fills him with pride.

Anyway, the point of this post relates to the costs associated with representing your country. I had always assumed that the IFSA would take care of entry fees, travel and accomodation of those being 'capped'. It came as a great surprise to me that the individuals involved have to pay substantial costs themselves - I have heard that individuals on the team going abroad a year or two ago had to pay €2,000 each. I think that this is disgraceful.

Even when I went to Kerry to fish the Master Aangler, my club subsidised the trip, but apparently you are on your own when it comes to fulfilling the dream of representing Ireland. I understand that our fresh-water cousins are in the same boat ................ or not as it happens because ours is in the sea!

It costs a lot of money in tackle, travel and bait along with back-handers to the moll for putting up with the time away and the washing to take part in our sport. I think it is reprehensible that once you reach the pinnacle of your sport, only the wealthy can take part. It is wrong.

Can anything be done? I know money doesn't grow on trees, but surely the IFSA could increase subscriptions by a fiver and add another fiver to the big competitions. I doubt if it would take long for these fivers to add up. Isn't there any national sports funding? Lottery money? Some bloody thing that would let our champions represent their country without facing financial hardship.

What do you's thnk?

I represented Ireland in Croatia a few years back and I have to say everything was paid for, but that is no longer the case.

I too think its appalling, after all what is the point of the IFSA if they can't support the elites of our sport. We are the laughing stock of Europe at these events as our selection process is firstly a joke and then when we tell the other teams we are funding ourselves they are shocked to say the least. Even at Master Angler level I think each club should fund everything. The master angler is not a cheap thing to do when you take, bait, fuel, accommodation etc into account.

My big problem with the Master Angler and people representing the country is how it is done. Every year you will get a jammy angler getting through and the other four dedicated guys are stuck with this person when travelling. I mean selecting a team on the basis of three matches over a weekend is simply ridiculous. Selection in my opinion should be done over the period of a year, based on Individuals results and nominated venues. There are enough good match anglers in this country that if they were hand picked every year we would actually have more team Gold’s/Silvers than people realise. I travelled with three excellent match anglers and one "dangler" who had no interest in doing well, but plenty of interest in drinking for the duration. You always hear stories of lads blasting out 6/0 hooks with huge fish baits, and that’s when they have travelled to Italy when our counterparts are using size 12 hooks fishing for bream etc!!! It’s funny but embarrassing.

You only have to look at the Daiwa Pairs, The Winter Festival, The SAMF championships to see that Ireland has some of the best match anglers Europe has to offer. Why can't we put a team together that’s well funded and chosen carefully to compete at these events ? :roll:

from being away on the home nations team i know that the home international entry, travel and accomodation is paid by the ifsa, but you still have to pay for your own uniform apart from the tie.

world championships have now became a different matter.only a couple of years back a mate made the boat team to go to portugal but had to give up his place purely because he couldnt afford to go - a situation like that occurring is just plain and simply unfair, baring in mind that just to fish the masters you are out a substancial sum of money every year once you include all your travel accomodation bait and entry costs for your series of club competitions to qualify for the event plus then your master angler comp expenses for the weekend.

but that said, right or wrong you are fishing against the best anglers from their club level you have fished hard for a year to get there and if you come in the top five then you deserve the chance to represent your country.

the problem on the international stage is not the anglers who are on the team each year,its a management/coaching problem.as with the junior ireland teams a team coach should travel. he should be someone who has been most sucessful from a previous team that have fished in the country/venue at which the championships are being held.at least that way he can use his experience to instruct the team on what to be using and what to expect.it does seem to be working at junior level at home international shore over the last couple of years anyway..... so why not apply it to the senior squads? the juniors fish their team qualifier over 2 days and 3 comps, and that system works, so if its good enough for them and they are still bringing home medals then surely its good enough for seniors?
at the end of the day we are all anglers and if we do make a team which travels abroad with help from others we have to capability to learn new tactics etc and put them into practice.
major sponsorship is definately required for these teams though and a sponsorship committee should be formed.

sorry for being long winded but at the end of the day the federation should be for every member in it, not just for those who can afford to put the money in to get the best from it.