Ciaran Deely PhD

Looking back at the Wexford Footballers @OfficialWexGAA defeat to Dublin yesterday 🟣🟡 In this short thread I will set out how to set up a Development & Performance Plan You can use this for any team, county, code or sport ⚽️ A thread 🧵 1/8

7 Things We Learned from the Hurling & Camogie Championships with @brendand_8 🏑🔥 🏟️ Croke Park finals are massive for Christy Ring, Rackard & Meagher teams ⚔️ Cork v Limerick & Galway v Dublin = blockbuster provincial finals 📈 New Camogie format already producing tighter, better games 🌟 Clare & Galway shine to reach the U20 All-Ireland Final 📍 Leinster brought more drama than Munster this year 😮 Munster lacked its usual chaos & intensity 🧠 Tipp’s struggles prove mentality matters as much as talent Big championship weeks ahead 👀 Read the full blog here 👇 dsscoaching.ie/blog/7-things-…

🎙️ NEW EPISODE — The Locker Room Podcast 🎧 Talent ID in the Youth Development Phase (YDP) Ciaran Deely @CiDeely is joined by Ross Bennett @Ross201189 (Head of Integrated Performance at QPR FC) to discuss what really goes into identifying and developing young players within academy football. ⚽ Topics include: 🔍 Recruitment & academy trials 🧠 FA 4-Corner Model 📈 Potential vs current performance 📏 Relative age effect & late developers 💎 The “rough diamond” player ⚽ Boys’ vs girls’ pathways 🎧 *Listen here:* Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/00XRjE5Pt… Apple: buff.ly/3mgU6IU YouTube: buff.ly/36sGDJ2

🎧 *Listen here:* Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/00XRjE5Pt… Apple: buff.ly/3mgU6IU YouTube: buff.ly/36sGDJ2 2/2

🎙️ The Locker Room Podcast – Coaching Series 🎧 Episode Title: *’Talent ID in the Youth Development Phase (YDP)’* Host: Ciaran Deely (DSS Coaching) Guest: Ross Bennett (Head of Integrated Performance at QPR FC) In this episode, Ciaran is joined by Ross Bennett for a practical discussion around Talent Identification in the Youth Development Phase (YDP) and what really goes into identifying, assessing, and developing young players within academy environments. Drawing on experiences from both the boys’ and girls’ pathways, the conversation explores how coaches assess not just performance now — but long-term potential. 📌 *Topics include:* • 🔍 Recruitment, scouting, and academy trial processes • 🧠 Using the FA 4-corner model to assess players • 📈 Current performance vs future potential • 📏 Relative age effect, maturation, and late developers • 💎 The “rough diamond”, maverick, and project player • ⚽ Differences between boys’ and girls’ academy pathways See links below ⬇️ in thread 🧵 1/2

Gaelic football coaches: are your defensive structures creating pressure — or leaving players isolated in 1v1s? 🏐 Ciaran Deely @CiDeely explores the pros and cons of zonal, man-to-man, and hybrid defending, and why the modern game demands balance, communication, and collective control without the ball. A brilliant discussion for coaches looking to improve defensive organisation and decision-making across the pitch. Full session available exclusively for DSS Members 💭

Midfielders dropping deep into the Full Forward line is becoming one of the biggest tactical trends in the game 👀 But do you send your own midfielders back to track them? Or trust your defensive structure? As Ciaran Deely @CiDeely explains, the answer depends on the athleticism, work rate, and mobility of your midfield unit. Smart tactical insight from a recent DSS Coaching Tactics Board session for coaches looking to stay ahead of the game. 🔍🏐 Full session available exclusively for DSS members

🚀 Elevate your coaching with DSS 📚 Plans & resources ⚽ Tactical sessions 🎥 Expert masterclasses 💪 S&C programmes 🤝 Coaching community €15/month | €150/year (2 months FREE) Join: dsscoaching.ie #GAA #Coaching #PlayerDevelopment

Speed doesn’t always create separation…movement does. 👀 In this Coaching Insights clip @CiDeely breaks down the simple but highly effective concept of attacking 3-to-1 runs to receive the ball in space. ✅ Timing over pace ✅ Angles over straight lines ✅ Creating hesitation in defenders ✅ Helping every player get free — not just the fastest A great reminder for coaches that intelligent movement can transform attacking play at every level.

Delighted to have completed my UEFA B Licence & Youth Award for football coaching through The Football Association ⚽️ To add to the recent Level 1 & 2 Talent Identification & Scouting in football courses Thanks to tutor Paul Holder and others at The FA for a really great course & follow up support and assessment And all at QPR FC who supported me- especially Alex Carroll , Chris Ramsey , Manisha Tailor, Ben Adams, Arun Brar , William Lambert , Steve Quashie , and John Cadden 🙏✊ So, what next…? 🤔😉

@ConnStevenson91 Have always said that exact same thing Conn

@CiDeely Messi and Ronaldo's availability for 20 years playing ~60+ games a season at the highest level is as impressive as their ability with the ball itself

This is such an important point 👇 And one that’s forgotten often Availability of your players (especially your best players!) is a huge indicator of team success 🏆 So thread that needle between pushing their physical capacity & keeping them healthy 🪡 As Kevin says below- ‘coach the person standing in front of you!’ ✊

@ncahill1 @ConanDoherty Correct me if I’m wrong but I think they’re on the following week Need 2 weeks between provincial finals and next round definitely There is certainly a question of where in the calendar the provincials are held, but straight knockout provinces work

@CiDeely @ConanDoherty If Westmeath and Armagh lose this weekend there will b'é calls though to give provincial winners 2 week break

People are having arguments about provincials that no-one was really challenging. The problem with them was they were so connected to the All-Ireland path which was unfair and unbalanced and weird. Most people said they could stand on their own and that's basically what they're doing now

“Availability Is Your Best Tactic” Hägglund and colleagues followed professional football teams across a full 30-week season. Their finding was blunt: the single strongest predictor of team success wasn’t tactics, wasn’t budget, wasn’t squad depth. It was availability. The team with the most players available for selection — consistently, across the whole season — won the most games. Profile-matched training is how you get there. Coach the person standing in front of you, not the normative data or “averages” pulled from who knows where? The right load on the right player at the right time. No accumulation for athletes who can’t tolerate it. No under-stimulus for athletes who need more. Every player arriving to training ready to go hard. Keep them on the field. That’s the tactic. #InjuryPrevention #LoadManagement #Anaerobicspeedreserve #IndividualisedTraining

🏑 Hurling Championship Round-Up 🔥 Kerry, Tyrone & Leitrim are Croke Park bound after impressive unbeaten runs in the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard & Lory Meagher Cups 🏟️ Big scores, dramatic battles & all to play for heading into the closing rounds 👀

Defending the long ball/Puck out For audio and animation of the 2nd match scenario go to @DeelySport match scenario in the hurling section Ebooks available on the website •Combining fun games & hurling skill development •Games based/match scenarios

Ah no, come on, complete nonsense If you’re still in an era of questioning the validity of using extensive and comprehensive data to help aid (and it’s obviously only to aid) you identifying the right fit of player for your professional football team…then you’re already behind That’s common sense

Common sense goes a long way👏

@MichelleDewbs Your poor child

My 5 year old boy does football training. At the end of the session they do a ‘man of the match’ type thing. My boy is always desperate to win it. He often doesn’t. I explained to him the other day that he didn’t win simply because he wasn’t good enough. That he deffo could win, but he just needs to be better, try harder, be more focused etc. One of the other mums heard me & was aghast at what I said. She told me she is going to get ‘runner-up stickers’ for all the kids who don’t make it. I said no thanks, not for my son. Kids need to learn that they can be the best, but they must apply themselves & dust themselves off when it doesn’t go their way. No consolation prizes, no ‘everyone’s a winner’ etc. There are winners & losers. Wanna win - do your best. Can’t make it? Don’t worry, go & smash something else. Play to your strengths & never, ever play the victim. If more parents & institutions had this attitude, the country would be in a better place - if I say so myself 😉 Cc @KonstantinKisin x.com/KonstantinKisi…

🔴 Cork are 3 from 3 in Munster… but are they true All-Ireland contenders yet? 🤔 Winning games, showing resilience, but still lacking the fluency and spark we expect from champions. #GAA #Hurling 🔥 The Joe McDonagh Cup is delivering serious drama. Carlow, Laois, Down, Antrim & Westmeath all still fighting for Croke Park with massive games ahead 🏟️ #GAA #JoeMcDonagh

Read the full blog post here dsscoaching.ie/blog/7-things-…