Players on Strike?/Real Debate (Merged)

Denn Forever · October 09, 2007, 10:33:22 AM

So Dessie Farrell says that player might go on strike if the grant(?) system is not sorted out?

Bad timing as the serious money generating time to the GAA is over. League football doesn't appear to be very popular.

Should the players go mon strike?

corn02 · October 09, 2007, 10:35:58 AM

Dessie Farrell should be trying to negotiate instead of talking of this militant stand. Mr Farrell is looking exposure when quiet talks with Croke Park may benefit him etter.

deiseach · October 09, 2007, 10:42:06 AM

They should go on strike. Then we can gauge the true level of support the GPA enjoys.

AZOffaly · October 09, 2007, 10:44:20 AM

I heard Nicky Brennan on Newstalk yesterday evening. It's definitely not as cut and dried as the GPA are making out. Brennan's stance is that this is a matter between the Government/Sports Council and the GPA, nothing to do with the GAA per se.

If the players go on strike, will counties field teams of ringers? I'd play again

In all seriousness, if the Offaly players went on strike, they would get very little sympathy or support from GAA people within the county. They'd probably get a lot of 'non-GAA' support, by people who just don't get the whole GAA ethos. But apart from principles, the Offaly footballers especially were a disgrace last year, and to see them on strike for money would be a sickener.

tyrone86 · October 09, 2007, 10:47:54 AM

I agree 100% AZ, I'm sure that there'll be 30 scabs in every county without bother.

AZOffaly · October 09, 2007, 10:49:10 AM

I'd prefer the term 'non-for-profit players'

Scabs sounds very 1980's Miners strike.

Star Spangler · October 09, 2007, 10:57:26 AM

I still don't understand how players can go on strike. It's not a professional game were a side has a limited number of players available to them. This is county gaelic football where the average county has around 500 players happy to represent them. How many of those 500 are GPA members? 20? 30?

tyrone86 · October 09, 2007, 11:01:21 AM

That's what I was looking for, sure how did the Miner's strike finish up

Gnevin · October 09, 2007, 11:02:05 AM

Quote from: Denn Forever on October 09, 2007, 10:33:22 AM
So Dessie Farrell says that player might go on strike if the grant(?) system is not sorted out?

Bad timing as the serious money generating time to the GAA is over. League football doesn't appear to be very popular.

Should the players go mon strike?

When was league football ever popular? The GAA is printing money at the moment

Uladh · October 09, 2007, 11:11:38 AM

Kildare will be the first out so.

from the articles on the subject it seems there have been ongoing "quiet talks with Croke Park" for two years with no movement.

from previous experience i know i'll be in a minority in saying this but i think getting those small government grants for intercounty players is a worthwhile scheme which the gaa should be embracing rather than wrecking.

AZOffaly · October 09, 2007, 11:15:38 AM

With all due respect Uladh, it's got very little to do with the GAA other than them saying, which they already have, that they have no objection to the Government giving these grants.

What the GAA will not do is receive this money as part of a seperate grant for infrastructure, and then dole it out to the players, which then makes it the GAA giving the money to the players. They simply can't do that according to the (correct in my view) rules of the Association.

Whether you agree or disagree with the grants in the first place is a moot point at this stage, but the logistics of dishing the money out should be between the GPA and the Sports Council. That's what makes sense.

Uladh · October 09, 2007, 11:25:40 AM

That is not the sticking point az. from what i understand, the gpa need endorsement from the gaa for status purposes and as their governing body need them to regulate the grading of who is and isn't eligible on an ongoing basis. its purely a case of admin but a procedure the government insist on with every governing body.

Drumanee 1 · October 09, 2007, 11:28:26 AM

put up or shut up thats what i say,hopr they go and strike and then we will see what support the gpa have,can you ever see the likes of fergal doherty or conor gormley refusing to play for there county?not a chance,.i have voiced my opinion on dessie farrell many times on this board and i am not going to waste my time repeating them as hes not worth it,i am all for players being "looked after" but when money enters the debate you are losing the very thing the gaa was built on.rant over

full back · October 09, 2007, 11:39:30 AM

Im not bothered either way on the issue, but was wondering..
Who are the GPA trying to help?
Will the money be divided out equally or will it be a case of Animal Farm?
IMHO, very few of the elite players are losing income because of their participation - in fact many have made their living purely because they are GAA players

AZOffaly · October 09, 2007, 11:46:40 AM

Uladh,

That contradicts what Brennan said last night. He said he had no problem, and the GAA had no problem, with the Government giving the grants to the players but that he and the GAA would not get involved in doling it out, or having it added on to existing grants for the GAA to disburse.

As to your point fullback, the issue of whether the grants are the right thing has been debated before, but either way it looks like it's a done deal in terms of the grant themselves, and it's down to logistics now.