Does the GAA's amateur status work against working class players?

[Walter Cronc]

https://www.buzz.ie/gaa/long-read-dublin-gaa-danger-leaving-working-class-behind-243759

[T Fearon]

In terms of the income bracket skilled tradesmen are not working class.You don't see factory workers or fork lift truck drivers on County teams anymore

[thewobbler]

In terms of the income bracket skilled tradesmen are not working class.You don't see factory workers or fork lift truck drivers on County teams anymore

Tony, maybe, just maybe this is because so few Irish people do those jobs anymore.

[Over the Bar]

In terms of the income bracket skilled tradesmen are not working class.You don't see factory workers or fork lift truck drivers on County teams anymore

Tony, maybe, just maybe this is because so few Irish people do those jobs anymore.

Or nowadays they are known as technicians!

[From the Bunker]

Players Occupation has not been listed in Match Programmes for years now!

The GAA have realised that many inter-county players don't have real Jobs anymore or are eternal students.

It's another way of sweeping the reality of the situation (especially in Dublin) under the Carpet from the common supporter.

[bennydorano]

In terms of the income bracket skilled tradesmen are not working class.You don't see factory workers or fork lift truck drivers on County teams anymore

Tony, maybe, just maybe this is because so few Irish people do those jobs anymore.

Or nowadays they are known as technicians!

Plenty of Irish people still work those factory jobs.  A forklift licence is a quick training course that gets an unskilled person a quick upgrade in wages.

[thejuice]

I don't see it stack up that amateurism works against working class people exclusively or mostly. It works against anyone with any serious commitments including family. In my own profession which makes huge demands on your time including working overtime often, expects you to travel across the country, I simply couldn't play at county level and I'm probably in a lower middle-class wage bracket. Plus family commitments it's impossible.

[Rossfan]

I simply couldn't play at county level

Neither could I but for a different reason

[thejuice]

Yeah lack of talent wouldn't help my case either but I did end up on the warwickshire bench once for one game as there was a free seat on the bus.

[Rossfan]