FORESTER BULLISH ON FUTURE OF THE GAA IN THE CITY

As enthusiastic as ever was how Neil Forester came across when I spoke to him recently. The Steelstown dynamo is thriving in his role as Games Promotion Officer in Derry City spreading the gospel to the next batch of players striving to come through and wear the red and white of Derry. From our brief chat you can just picture him going about his everyday role.

Neil Forester - PIC BBC Website

Nestled in the corner of some school pitch, down on his hunkers with a group of young footballers huddled around eagerly hanging on his every word. A fanatical sportsman and ever since his days in the development squads his preparation to playing the game he loves was thorough. Coaches in the mould of Forester are exactly what the association needs. 

Competition for places in the Damian Barton regime is thickening up and it is exciting times for the Oak Leaf County. There is an injection of youth, energy and freshness coming into the senior squad. Forester is competitive and like anyone else will want to be taking one of the new Oak Leaf jerseys from the dressing room peg and pulling it over his head and getting into the zone for action. It would make everything worthwhile. That’s what he has dedicated his sporting life towards.

Forester also made a bizarre but relevant reference to how coaching is helping him improve his game. Every day is a school day. There is always something you can pick up as the Steelstown man explains. “Coaching is a brilliant tool to have. Take for example my sister. She is learning the piano and to reach her next grade she is going to have to start teaching to reach that next level.”

Forester ties his sister’s situation with his football career. “In terms of playing county football, coaching the likes of U8s and U12s demands communication skills. They are the key and I have improved a lot as player since I started coaching and I’m fortunate that it’s my job.”

This type of comparison will surely bring a bit of slagging in his direction of the dressing room but that is his personality. He is a deep thinker and as the conversation changes direction towards the long term development of GAA in the county, the Steelstown man really kicks into gear. He is a product of the conveyor belt. An energetic wing back attacking with purpose with his locks flying in the wind as he leaves men in his wake. He knows what it takes to come through and is excited about the future.

With the facilities in Owenbeg meeting all the needs of the county teams the next big drive in the county is the development of players and bringing in personnel to take Derry to the next level. When speaking with Tony Scullion at the weekend he had a similar thought process. The Ballinascreen man talked about hoping players would make ‘the choice’ to buy into the new era.

As a county we simply need to tap into the city on a more regular basis. This is the difficult part of the deal. It is perceived as a soccer city and in many instances you can’t argue with this. Changing both perception and stereotypes is difficult but ever so slowly things are beginning to change. Forester takes up the story there.

“It is already working as our participation rates are up so naturally there’s going to be a bigger selection. Look at Steelstown U16s competing in the A grade and winning the U14 A league. We have boys in minor squad, Eoghan Concannon and Eoghan Bradley, both very gifted footballers and likes of Andy Moore last year. The fact you can see so many more players playing minor for the county proves that development is there.”

PIC - Derry Journal Website

Doire Trasna may not be in Forester’s remit but they represent the next club who have made progress. They are no longer a ‘yoyo team’ they are firmly established in the Intermediate ranks and the county needs them to drive on to the next level. It is difficult, as they don’t have their own base to build from. Operating from a council pitch it is difficult as you tend to lose that identity but ‘Trasna’ should be striving to challenge for the Intermediate championship. They have some terrific footballers so why not think big?

As our conversation develops another obvious reference was to the growth of hurling in Dublin. It wasn’t the sport of choice but investment and having the right people channelling their energy helped bring Dublin hurling into the elite bracket – challenging the likes of Galway and Kilkenny.

In the case study of Derry City, Forester is insistent of the strides made in the last ten years. “People were saying the same thing ten years ago and look at the difference from then until now. Far more players in around county squads and development squads.”

In another five years we will see more and hopefully the next ten years we will see a massive boom. Forester is making these predictions. He is on the ground, playing club football in the city and coaching the children. He knows.

“Everything is a ten year project. Even in Slaughtneil I suppose you boys sat down and had your meetings. Glen have done the same from the stories that I have heard. It takes a while to come through and it needs the support. The county board are supporting the city quite well at the minute in terms of having new coaches in each club and going into the primary schools. Investment has been put in and in ten years if we keep going we will reap the rewards.”

So this brings us forward to 2026 and we ask Forester if the demographics will have changed with county managers having increased numbers to chose from. He is hopeful. “You would hope so, it’s the same with any county team. You need total buy in and total commitment, no matter who it is. A city player or lad from Bellaghy or wherever.”

He experienced this at minor level. “That was the beauty of it, selection totally based on football ability, commitment and attitude. It’s the only way to do it and we progressed to and All-Ireland Final. There was a similar approach last year bringing us to an All-Ireland Semi-Final and Ulster title. A serious achievement because of the attitude and total buy in to the county was there.”

Last Saturday local company RiverRidge Recycling announced a new partnership with Derry GAA aimed at football and hurling development squads, another example of the winds beginning to change. Brian McIver has freshened up the development squad structures and revamped the U17 grade in line with the county minors.

Success won’t come over night. Neil Forester says it will take ten years for the entire project to have maximum results but in the short term Derry are committed to taking their development in that direction. From tiny acorns…..