Frank McGuigan on grants

[ONeill]

Ardboe's Wizard of Oz

Minor star Kyle Coney to head to Australia


By Kevin Hughes

O'Donovan Rossas minor star Kyle Coney is off to Australia to become an Australian Rules star, that the ideal outcome after he heads down under in June for a two-month trial with the famous Sydney Swans.
The Irish Star last week confirmed that the Red Hand county minor is off to the land of Oz for a two-week trial in the summer, Coney the latest in a growing number of skilful youths being lured to the professional game, citing that the player had been encouraged to go for it by teachers at his Holy Trinity school - Anthony Devlin and legendary Peter Canavan.
"I have good opportunities here, so I am going to keep an open mind and not rush into things" Coney told Star reporter Karl O'Kane.
"Peter thought it a good opportunity to get paid for doing something you like. I was over the moon."
In March the recruitment officers are coming to talk to the player and his father Gary, but have already told him by telephone that they were happy enough with what they've seen - and that, if he wanted, he can pursue a career in their sport.


Ardboe elder statesman McGuigan, of course, advises his teenage fellow clubman to grasp the chance.

"He's dead right to go for it. The lad has talent and I have no doubt he has all the attributes needed to make it down there" said an admiring McGuigan, who has no time for the people who knock those with the chance to get a few quid for playing.
"If any man has a bit of skill, why shouldn't he cash in on it? And I note that the most outspoken people against grants and the like are guys who are not short of a bob or two.
"I would ask Mark Conway to tell me if his son who had the chance to play Aussie Rules or soccer to make £100,000 a year for example - or stay and play Gaelic for the same money, wouldn't he be delighted to see him play our sport; so why don't they get to the stage where they can enable lads to have that choice?" wondered the outspok
en Ardboe great.
And, whatever they say about 'The King' they can't say he's a hypocrite.

"He'd be mad not to jump at the chance."

"Listen, I was getting paid by Kevin Colton way back in 1973 and I was getting as much then as any player is receiving today; and I don't deny that I have been paid as a manager.
"I believe players should take as much as they can get; other people are getting money hand over fist and they don't put anything near as much into the game, which is all about players after all.
"Joe Brolly and these boys who are up in arms against payment may not need money from GAA but he's only sitting in TV studios and writing in papers because of the profile he got from playing the game. And I wonder when was the last time he paid into Croke Park?" quipped McGuigan, who says he hopes young Coney and many like him make a fortune from playing sport.

http://www.tyronetimes.co.uk/2618/Ardboe39s-Wizard-of-Oz.3637579.jp

[orangeman]

Nothing like a bit of honesty is there ? 

[ONeill]

The only reason I posted this was to address the small contingent who still believed players never got paid, be it in America or here. Romanticism is fine to an extent.

Rule 11 needs to be addressed in 2008.

[orangeman]

But Mc Guigan would have been an exceptional player and would have commanded top dollar at that time. He'd be on big money today if he were playing today - he certainly could have made it in Aussie rules or whatever else.

[pintsofguinness]

"He's dead right to go for it. The lad has talent and I have no doubt he has all the attributes needed to make it down there" said an admiring McGuigan, who has no time for the people who knock those with the chance to get a few quid for playing.
"If any man has a bit of skill, why shouldn't he cash in on it? And I note that the most outspoken people against grants and the like are guys who are not short of a bob or two.
"I would ask Mark Conway to tell me if his son who had the chance to play Aussie Rules or soccer to make £100,000 a year for example - or stay and play Gaelic for the same money, wouldn't he be delighted to see him play our sport; so why don't they get to the stage where they can enable lads to have that choice?" wondered the outspok
en Ardboe great.

McGuigan makes an idiot out of himself - that hasn't happened in a few months 

[ONeill]

But Mc Guigan would have been an exceptional player and would have commanded top dollar at that time. He'd be on big money today if he were playing today - he certainly could have made it in Aussie rules or whatever else.

Righto.

[zoyler]

So McGuigan was being dropped a few pounds wheen he was playing and managing - big deal.  Their was always a small element of that and lads getting'jobs' which entailed very little work,
The point is that there is not a big enough population to support a (semi)professional game) that could be played by all counties and we are now going down road where we do not know thw destination .  It was also interesting to hear on the Pat Kenny Show today Brent Pope pointing out that their has been a big reduction in the number of teams being fielded by Rugby Clubs compared to ten years ago and this is the level that has lost out from pay to play

[Hardy]

It continues to amaze me that sensible people (and Frank McGuigan) can't seem to understand the difference between, on the one hand illegal, unsanctoned, under-the-table payments which are contrary to the rules of the association, and on the other hand enshrining professionalism in the rules. To use one as a justifying argument for the other is plain perverse.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

It continues to amaze me that sensible people (and Frank McGuigan) can't seem to understand the difference between, on the one hand illegal, unsanctoned, under-the-table payments which are contrary to the rules of the association, and on the other hand enshrining professionalism in the rules. To use one as a justifying argument for the other is plain perverse.

How does getting a Govt grant = enshringing professionalism??

[orangeman]

Oh shit - here we go again !!!!!!!!!!! Why did you start this all over again O'Neill ? 

[Zulu]

And it amazes me that otherwise sane, intelligent, articulate people don't see the contradiction in declaring the death of the association as we know it when the government is paying a grant while members of the association have been paying larger amounts to some players and managers for years.

[Hardy]

How does getting a Govt grant = enshringing professionalism??

Two propositions and a conclusion, in classical logical mode:

Professionalism = pay for play.
Government grants to GAA players = pay for play.
Therefore Government grants to GAA players = professionalism.

QED

[Hardy]

And it amazes me that otherwise sane, intelligent, articulate people don't see the contradiction in declaring the death of the association as we know it when the government is paying a grant while members of the association have been paying larger amounts to some players and managers for years.

And it amazes me that sane, articulate, intelligent people cannot see the diference between "members of the association" and " the association" or "the government, with the association's approval".

[orangeman]

Have to agree with you there Hardy - individuals can't be classed as an organisation and be compared to the government.

[spectator]

Apologies Hardy, i'm not up to speed on this ; can you explain your "enshrining professionalism in the rules" comment?

Do you mean that there will be an actual rule change, or that a de-facto re-interpretation of the rules will take effect if the grants are accepted?