GPA issues members with a ballot for strike!

[fearglasmor]

crossing a picket is never that simple.

I'd love to see them picket outside a match I was going to.

[Bensars]

I sincerely hope that if this threat to turn down the invitation to represent their county is carried out bt existing players who are GPA members, that the GAA authorities at national, provincial and county board level will all stand firmly behind the ideals of the GAA. If I was invited to come in for training and turned it down, then someone else would be offered the chance. This should be no different. As has been said already, I and lots more will go to support my county whoever is on the panel, individual ego's mean nothing.

crossing a picket is never that simple.

It would be a lot easier than refusing to play for your own county. Especially a strike that doesnt have the support of the rank and file grass roots. Its not like the miners strike whereby livlihoods depended on it !!

[stephenite]

I sincerely hope that if this threat to turn down the invitation to represent their county is carried out bt existing players who are GPA members, that the GAA authorities at national, provincial and county board level will all stand firmly behind the ideals of the GAA. If I was invited to come in for training and turned it down, then someone else would be offered the chance. This should be no different. As has been said already, I and lots more will go to support my county whoever is on the panel, individual ego's mean nothing.

crossing a picket is never that simple.

Do you mean to say that other players who aren't permitted to have access to the Union are going to allow the Union to stop them fulfilling the long held ambition and dream of wearing the county jersey. A baseball bat across the kness is what they'd get if one of them tried to stop me either playing for my county or going to support my county. Although the first option is not (nor ever was) very likely

[DUBSFORSAM1]

With regards to the idea of going to see your county no matter who is playing does that apply to all league games, underage games etc?

With regards to the marketing aspect - that has been approved so there is no more to gain for a marketing man as this is alreafy there....

With regards to the holiday funds etc these primarily are for the All-Ireland finalists and not for every county....

So while people hate Dessie do they hate Enda McNulty, McGeeney etc, Carey..

Do people really care that little about the GAA that they will refuse to train or go to matches or assist in clubs if county players receive sports grants of around 1,000 Euro a year?
Will clubs refuse to allow their county players to play club football because of it??? Will the refuse to allow them to train the younger teams etc???

[Puckoon]

With regards to the idea of going to see your county no matter who is playing does that apply to all league games, underage games etc?

With regards to the marketing aspect - that has been approved so there is no more to gain for a marketing man as this is alreafy there....

With regards to the holiday funds etc these primarily are for the All-Ireland finalists and not for every county....

So while people hate Dessie do they hate Enda McNulty, McGeeney etc, Carey..

Do people really care that little about the GAA that they will refuse to train or go to matches or assist in clubs if county players receive sports grants of around 1,000 Euro a year?
Will clubs refuse to allow their county players to play club football because of it??? Will the refuse to allow them to train the younger teams etc???

Do they players really care so little about the game that has given them so much?

[stephenite]

I don't have an issue with the grant scheme per se - I have a real issue with the GPA holding a gun to the head the GAA. The players are aware of the amateur status issue and how vital it is to the continued development of the associationas we know it.

The GPA lobbied the government for the funds and they got it - I just don't want the GAA to have in any part in paying of these funds. It creates a precedent, the GPA know this. If for example the government pull the funding in 2 years time - the GPA will then expect the association to make up the shortfall.

Let them strike, do not let the GAA dirty it's hands with this money. If the GPA and the government sort it out amongst themselves I won't be too bothered

[stephenite]

Will clubs refuse to allow their county players to play club football because of it??? Will the refuse to allow them to train the younger teams etc???

Who mentioned this - the players are the ones on strike. They can still be selected for either club or county, it's up to them after that surely??? If they don't turn up I can guarantee that someone else will take their place

[rrhf]

Ifther GPA represents the cream which has rose to the top, then in my opinion its time to scrape off this flotsam. The GAA is above and beyond all the wishes of its membership.  I think its time the GAA ballotted the general membership on the GPA.  Send a clear unambiguous message straight to the breakaway faction.  The final stage is expulsion, believe me there is plenty, hundreds, thousands of volunteers to take their place.  I would  not support my beloved tyrone if the players were receiving financial remuneration of any type.  I know of many like me, I think its time for the public vote alright.  Any GPA man who strikes and holds the association to ransom should try their luck at the Aussie rules.  I for one would never want to see them get the chance to lift a county jersey again.  The very symbols of elitism that they are crying about could be removed ver quickly from their grip.  They would have retired in 10 years anyway. 

[rrhf]

Within the GAA. loyalty should be club and county not the prospect of Donal og or enda mc's silver dollar.  Anybody who thinks that this will not ultimately lead to professionalism needs their head examined.

[bud]

With McGeeney being an avid supporter of the GPA it will be good to say what he thinks if the proposed strike goes ahead.  It'll be some craic when you goes to take Kildare in his first game and no one shows up!!

[phpearse]

From this mornings Irish News:

ONE of the founder members of the Gaelic Players Association has accused its leaders of losing touch with the issues which led to its formation in 1999.

Fergal McCusker, an All-Ireland medallist with Derry in 1993, is credited in Dessie Farrell's autobiography as the person who came up with the name for the players' body.

However, McCusker now insists that the union he helped to establish bears little resemblance to the organisation that exists today.

The GPA yesterday decided to ballot its members on whether to strike over a dispute relating to a E5m grants scheme. While the Irish Government has agreed to release the funds, it has failed to devise an agreeable method of distributing the grants to the players. All inter-county footballers and hurlers would receive approximately E2,000 if the scheme gets under way.

McCusker believes that by adopting such an ardent position, and by threatening to strike over this issue, the GPA has alienated itself from the rank and file members of the Association.

"They paint a picture of the GAA player as someone working down a salt mine in Siberia,'' he said.

"It's not like that. The role of a GAA player is enjoyable. Yes, you do have to make all sorts of sacrifices, but there are loads of benefits.

"There is no doubt that playing for the county helped me get my first job. The rewards far outweigh the drawbacks,'' said the 37-year-old bank official.

And the former Derry footballer was particularly keen to point out that the welfare of players has improved dramatically since the GPA was formed.

"As a founder member of the GPA, we were reacting to the conditions which existed back then.

"Nowadays free boots, free training gear, and meals after training are taken as given. None of that really existed when the GPA started.

"Expenses were the main complaint. Players got 12p a mile, if they were lucky. Some players didn't get paid at all.

"The mantra at that time was that players shouldn't be out of pocket for playing for their county.''

To illustrate the plight of the inter-county players in the 90s, McCusker pointed to some of his own experiences with Derry.

"When we reached the All-Ireland final, we asked the county board to buy us boots. They refused.''

On another occasion, when the team reached a National League final, the players were given one complimentary ticket each "in some of the worst seats in Croke Park''.

McCusker added: "That was the time Joe Brolly said to the county chairman: 'Who told you we were all from one-parent families?'''

The former GPA member also claimed that Association spokesmen are continually painting a picture that doesn't reflect reality.

McCusker referred to a recent statement from Enda McNulty in which the Armagh player claimed the grant "would barely cover the purchase of the sufficient hydration necessary for an athlete on a yearly basis''.

McCusker said: "Kieran McGeeney got an allowance from the Armagh County Board for every player to pay for their fruit and water. For Enda McNulty to insinuate that he was out of pocket in one of the most professional set-ups ever known to Gaelic football is a bit disingenuous."

While McCusker was scathing of the direction the GPA has taken in recent years, he stressed that he could understand why young players would be eager to gain access to the grant money.

"When I was in my early twenties, if someone offered me E2,000 to play football, I would have taken it.''

But McCusker said that since retiring from inter-county action and returning to his club, he now realises why it's so important for the GAA to maintain its volunteer ethos.

"It's only when you go back to your club that you appreciate that the Association has become a success because of its amateur status.

"There should be some things in life that can't be bought and aren't for sale."

[dublinfella]

I sincerely hope that if this threat to turn down the invitation to represent their county is carried out bt existing players who are GPA members, that the GAA authorities at national, provincial and county board level will all stand firmly behind the ideals of the GAA. If I was invited to come in for training and turned it down, then someone else would be offered the chance. This should be no different. As has been said already, I and lots more will go to support my county whoever is on the panel, individual ego's mean nothing.

crossing a picket is never that simple.

Do you mean to say that other players who aren't permitted to have access to the Union are going to allow the Union to stop them fulfilling the long held ambition and dream of wearing the county jersey. A baseball bat across the kness is what they'd get if one of them tried to stop me either playing for my county or going to support my county. Although the first option is not (nor ever was) very likely

Save the internet hardman routine for people who care.

All im saying is that fringe players may be reluctant to step in, a lot of these guys play club ball together and are friends etc. I would never cross any picket to 'scab' (not 100% accurate here, but its the best word) out of principal and Im most certaintly not alone.

[behind the wire]

fair play fergal mccusker, most sensible piece i have seen written in a while regarding the whole issue. i think what he says makes dessie, donal og. mcgeeney etc look like serious merceneries!!!

AND SOCCERFELLA, COULD YOU NOT LEAVE US ALONE WITH YOUR ANTI GAA TRIPE. GO AWAY AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET THAT STADIUM BUILT IN TALLAGHT. IF YOU START NOW WITH YOUR PICK AND SHOVEL YOU'LL HAVE IT FINISHED BY THE TIME IRELAND QUALIFY FOR ANOTHER MAJOR TOURNAMENT.

[deiseach]

All im saying is that fringe players may be reluctant to step in, a lot of these guys play club ball together and are friends etc. I would never cross any picket to 'scab' (not 100% accurate here, but its the best word) out of principal and Im most certaintly not alone.

The evidence of the posters on here is that the GPA strike does not enjoy the support or even the tacit sympathy of the fringe of the association ('fringe' in the case being 'the vast majority'). It will not be difficult to get teams together, and when that happens the strike is broken

[stephenite]

Save the internet hardman routine for people who care.

All im saying is that fringe players may be reluctant to step in, a lot of these guys play club ball together and are friends etc. I would never cross any picket to 'scab' (not 100% accurate here, but its the best word) out of principal and Im most certaintly not alone.

Internet Hardman routine

Everyone can accept that it's not like the present day players are slaves to the modern GAA, they can walk away at any time. You're picket analogy is incorrect also - do you seriously think any well known senior Inter county player is going to stand outside the county ground holding a f**king placard? Get real and stop making up ridiculous arguments, there won't be a 'picket'

Scabs indeed