Colm O'Rourke vs. the GPA

[JoG2]

What is the GAA?

A funding mechanism that exists to keep the GPA in the luxury to which it has become accustomed.

+1

i would not be inclined to agree with Colm o Rourke on everything, but feel his is on the correct side of this one.


Why do the GPA go to NY raise money, how much do they raise and how much go to actual player welfare, if there is such a thing.

Junket first and foremost. Anyone have a breakdown or can it be requested from the GAA of the GPA's finances? Total from HQ, amount raised by GPA, outgoings on player welfare (amounts and to who), salary outgoings, junket outgoings, suits for junkets outgoings, fuel cards etc...?

[AZOffaly]

He had a good article on Sunday which pointed out that there are many organisations catering to people in trouble and that the GPa doesn't have any special expertise in this regard.

No, but the GPA are increasing awareness among the players and helping facilitate faster access for those in need to see the right people. O'Rourke painted that as a negative!

It was just another load of bluster, carrying on his anti-GPA agenda.

Indeed.
Only for that oul GPA ....sure the GAA world would be a great place altogether.

I don't think that's fair Rossfan. I think the GPA has done some real good for Inter County players. I said as much. Also, I don't think Colm was right to poke fun at the various supports the GPA provide.

[Zulu]

O'Rourke's attack on the GPA is all too familiar, give them little credit for what they do and then blame them for not doing something that isn't their job -

"The GPA should be about looking after players' welfare in terms of fixtures, and burnout which would solve most causes of mental anguish and, of course, some individual hardship cases."

Really Colm, because I feel it's the GAA who should be dealing with fixtures (& by extension burnout) and I shudder to think of your faux-outrage if they organised a players strike to force the GAA to actually deal with something they should have dealt with years ago. What else can the GPA do to force the issue and how do you know that the haven't been discussing it with the GAA?

[winghalfun]

I wonder if players ever did get paid would it affect match attendances or indeed the voluntary input at clubs up and down the country.

I'm not even sure how I would react - I just know I wouldn't be happy about it

[Rossfan]

He had a good article on Sunday which pointed out that there are many organisations catering to people in trouble and that the GPa doesn't have any special expertise in this regard.

No, but the GPA are increasing awareness among the players and helping facilitate faster access for those in need to see the right people. O'Rourke painted that as a negative!

It was just another load of bluster, carrying on his anti-GPA agenda.

Indeed.
Only for that oul GPA ....sure the GAA world would be a great place altogether.

I don't think that's fair Rossfan. I think the GPA has done some real good for Inter County players. I said as much. Also, I don't think Colm was right to poke fun at the various supports the GPA provide.

Tongue somewhat in cheek and just a general ob on the anti GPA bias/hysteria of a number of GaaBoarders
See how quickly some lad is off blathering about players getting paid.

[Hound]

I wonder if players ever did get paid would it affect match attendances or indeed the voluntary input at clubs up and down the country.

I'm not even sure how I would react - I just know I wouldn't be happy about it

But it wouldn't impact on you one iota how much Sean Cavanaugh or Colm Cooper or whoever else was getting paid.

Just like how much Jonny Sexton gets paid doesn't impact on the rugby volunteer and how much soccer lads get paid doesn't impact on soccer volunteers

I'm dead against professionalism because we can't afford it.

I do find it interesting that so many people get exercised about the very much hypothetical potential of all players getting paid for playing intercounty, when there's a reality up and down the country of not only county managers getting paid, but club managers getting small fortunes. I know there's one Division 3 team in Dublin looking for a manager and offering a 5 figure sum. The numbers only go up in Divs 1 and 2. And either people don't care or they think it's acceptable

[heffo]

I wonder if players ever did get paid would it affect match attendances or indeed the voluntary input at clubs up and down the country.

I'm not even sure how I would react - I just know I wouldn't be happy about it

I know there's one Division 3 team in Dublin looking for a manager and offering a 5 figure sum.

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

[Beffs]

I don't think that's fair Rossfan. I think the GPA has done some real good for Inter County players. I said as much. Also, I don't think Colm was right to poke fun at the various supports the GPA provide.

No one is saying that the GPA don't do good. The questions seems to be where their main focus seems to be.

Should it really be on mental health issues, gambling addiction, further education grants etc, when there are already programs and systems in place to assist people with those? If I had a mental health or a betting problem, I can ring Pieta House, Gamblers Anonymous, or The Samaritans in the morning. I don't need to be a member of the GPA to avail of their services.

If the GPA can fast track additional treatment for players, that is great, but surely issues relating to gaelic games & pitch related issues themselves should be their main focus? Fixture chaos, player burnout, the plight of club players, excessive demands made by dictatorial managers, the excessive numbers of severe injures, multiple cruciates, hip injuries etc being suffered by very young lads barely out of minor, inter county match scheduling and the crazy gaps between games.

These are all things that the GPA should be focusing in on. If they have time & money left over to address the other issues, fine, address them. But they shouldn't be their sole focus, not when there are so many things related to the games, the GAA season and the players themselves, that need fixing first.

O'Rourke is right about the funding the GPA get from the GAA. It compromises them and limits their willingness & their ability to get their hands dirty and tackle the things that need to be tackled.

[rrhf]

GPa are not needed. I actually suspect that a club player body will form this year and become a very powerful force for change

[Give and Go]

Players are probably the last people to recognise the GPA for what it is. It sounds marvellous that it is concerned with player welfare issues but in reality it hasn't an impact for the majority of players. There isn't enough transparency about it's management structures, it's income and expenditure and Croke Park have bought their silence because it suits the growing commercialisation of Croke park itself.
If they were truly concerned about the players they would open to to club players as well, they would take a much stronger line on fixture planning and playing issues. O Rourke has their measure...

[LeoMc]

I wonder if players ever did get paid would it affect match attendances or indeed the voluntary input at clubs up and down the country.

I'm not even sure how I would react - I just know I wouldn't be happy about it

I know there's one Division 3 team in Dublin looking for a manager and offering a 5 figure sum.

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

In fairness now that is some mileage claim. 150 miles, 3 days a week for 40 weeks at 70c a mile.

[deiseach]

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

Why? The only reason I can come up with for doing something so daft is that 'everyone else is at it', like how managers of middling Premier League teams would take a great thrill in playing Z teams in a cup competition because Alex Ferguson did it.

[heffo]

I wonder if players ever did get paid would it affect match attendances or indeed the voluntary input at clubs up and down the country.

I'm not even sure how I would react - I just know I wouldn't be happy about it

I know there's one Division 3 team in Dublin looking for a manager and offering a 5 figure sum.

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

In fairness now that is some mileage claim. 150 miles, 3 days a week for 40 weeks at 70c a mile.

The guy is based in Dublin

[heffo]

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

Why? The only reason I can come up with for doing something so daft is that 'everyone else is at it', like how managers of middling Premier League teams would take a great thrill in playing Z teams in a cup competition because Alex Ferguson did it.

I'd imagine because they have the money and feel he's the man to get them promoted and everyone else is doing it.

So many clubs now can't/won't appoint internally as they aren't acceptable to the players. I know of one Ladies team in Dublin who won an Intermediate Championship a few years back and nearly won a Leinster - average enough bunch with one or two very good players. They ran the manager out at the end of the season as 'he'd taken them as far as he could go' even impartial observer would've said he was running a good operation. Same team are now playing Junior and two divisions lower.

[deiseach]

There is a division four team from North County Dublin paying a guy from the north who has achieved very little as a player, manager or coach - €12,500

Why? The only reason I can come up with for doing something so daft is that 'everyone else is at it', like how managers of middling Premier League teams would take a great thrill in playing Z teams in a cup competition because Alex Ferguson did it.

I'd imagine because they have the money and feel he's the man to get them promoted and everyone else is doing it.

So many clubs now can't/won't appoint internally as they aren't acceptable to the players. I know of one Ladies team in Dublin who won an Intermediate Championship a few years back and nearly won a Leinster - average enough bunch with one or two very good players. They ran the manager out at the end of the season as 'he'd taken them as far as he could go' even impartial observer would've said he was running a good operation. Same team are now playing Junior and two divisions lower.

That makes sense. Still mad, but makes sense.