Sunday Times Today - Widespread payments to managers

[Pangurban]

Some Managers are rumoured to be receiving payment. There is a general perception and acceptance of this, within the association. All this we already know. We dont need some smart arsed Journalist, in search of a cheap headline to tell us this. Thats why i say this piece of trivia is best ignored. The fact is that until we can obtain verifiable evidence re. this problem, then there is no problem. No action can be taken to call any individual, club or county to account, without evidence. Tribunals of enquiry can be set up to seek to establish what is happening. Unless someone is prepared to come forward and make an evidenced backed accusation, they will have nothing to look into. I agree that Club Managers should be sourced within their own Clubs, and the same for Counties. While it will not dampen speculation as to whom is on the take, it will reduce opportunity.

[Bud Wiser]

Ex managers and county board officials have already admitted there has been payments to managers.  However, lets just assume for the sake of this discussion that there is no evidence whatsoever and the GAA make a statement to the effect that " As and from the start of championship season 2008 the maximum payments to Managers of County Teams shall be €xx   This money shall be allowed to cover the managers time and travelling and all other expenses and in particular it includes and prohibits any additional mileage payments.  The maximum funding of county teams shall be half a million Euro for both hurling and football.

That would make a more level playing field for all.  No, I am not getting at the Dub's again but how do you think the lads down in Wicklow feel when they get by on 180,000 and the come up against the Dub's with 980,000(€1M) to provide funding for gyms and ice baths etc.  Ok, fair play to them, but funding for every players whim and call is as near to pay for play as the GPA.

Let me give you another example.  There is a country team down in Laois, Ballypickas, out in the sticks.  Every year I give them a hundred euro, it is not much but it is as much as I can afford.  They are one of the oldest clubs in Laois and down through the years they have trained in fields of muck that are as hilly as where they have the Puc Fada.  They are not much better off today except that a few years ago a man donated a field to them.  They try to keep going and keep a spread of townslands around the area interested. I would have no objection to the county board soaking up a half million euro on the county teams, or supporters clubs giviung the teams €50,000 for a holiday.  But that is where it should stop.  If the Red Cow Moran's or the Louis Fitzsunderlands or the J.P.McNicefellows want to start throwing millions at counties fair enough but a ceiling should be put on the amount is allocated to the county teams and the rest divvied out to clubs like Ballypickas because until that is done we will have the Ronaldo's of the GAA on one side and a crowd of poor feckers running around in a field of muck on the other and sooner or later hurleys will become tools for beating cows home in the evening instead of for hurling and all these little clubs will be gone.

[Rossfan]

Some Managers are rumoured to be receiving payment. There is a general perception and acceptance of this, within the association. All this we already know. We dont need some smart arsed Journalist, in search of a cheap headline to tell us this. Thats why i say this piece of trivia is best ignored. The fact is that until we can obtain verifiable evidence re. this problem, then there is no problem.

Whatever you say say nothing when you talk about  you know what
For if you know who could hear you you know what you'd get....

[Pangurban]

Excellent post Budweiser, few would disagree with your sentiments