Current Relevance of the GPA

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

OK lads/lassies, can we vitriolic jealous f**kers who frequent this board, give a reflection on how the GPA sits with us, giving all a voice: for, against, and apathetic. Just so that Dessie can get a little less wound up about it all 

[Bud Wiser]

I could not vote on this but my feelings are that its time for the last one (GPA) leaving to switch off the lights.  However, I can not see how anyone can vote because the only ones who know what is going on are the GPA members themselves.  Has anyone from any club ever been given a clear outline of the finances available to the GPA and what it costs to run it? Maybe we are all in for a massive wad of notes, right down to the old man who marks the pitch and takes down the nets so I don't want to shoot anyone in the foot, not least myself.

[Lone Shark]

How do you vote if you believe there is a role for a player's representative body, but one who wishes to work within the democratic stuctures of the GAA rather than fighting at every turn and ignoring the solid committee work where real progress could be made?

[the green man]

Before you vote, hre's a little tit bit for ye. Derry's Fergal McCusker, who was one of the intial members of the GPA and a solid supporter of it, has now left the organisation. I was also told that Fergal was one of the main men behind its formation, although I don't know how reliable this is.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

How do you vote if you believe there is a role for a player's representative body, but one who wishes to work within the democratic stuctures of the GAA rather than fighting at every turn and ignoring the solid committee work where real progress could be made?

Sorted LS 

[Aghdavoyle]

How do you vote if you believe there is a role for a player's representative body, but one who wishes to work within the democratic stuctures of the GAA rather than fighting at every turn and ignoring the solid committee work where real progress could be made?

How do you know this is the case?

[bennydorano]

Before you vote, hre's a little tit bit for ye. Derry's Fergal McCusker, who was one of the intial members of the GPA and a solid supporter of it, has now left the organisation. I was also told that Fergal was one of the main men behind its formation, although I don't know how reliable this is.

Old news, about a month ago in the paper. It's a propaganda war.

[Lone Shark]

How do you vote if you believe there is a role for a player's representative body, but one who wishes to work within the democratic stuctures of the GAA rather than fighting at every turn and ignoring the solid committee work where real progress could be made?

How do you know this is the case?

I know that Dessie is notorious for not attending council meetings etc. where all these issues ae being debated, neither did he attend last year's congress (in entirity anyway)  in order to represent the players' views for several key issues. It seems thei strategy is always to contest these issues in the media, rather than putting together cogent coherent plans and seeking to implement them via the proper channels.

[orangeman]

The GPA are waging a war via the media - launching silly attacks on people like Brolly who could tie them up in knots in an about 5 seconds.

[inisceithleann]

Could somone like Peter Quinn not head up the GPA? I know both organisation constantly seem to be at logger heads with each other, but someone like Quinn would be excellent as acting as a bridge between the two, considering his experience. I really think the GPA with the right leadership is needed. After all the aim of both organisations is player welfare.

[orangeman]

Peter Quinn head up the GPA Are you having a laugh ?

[Tatler Jack]

Guiney: GPA have misplaced priorities

Saturday November 24 2007
A FORMER All-Ireland winner has taken out an extraordinary newspaper advertisement offering his services in the event of an inter-county players strike, says the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) have veered too far from their founding principles and mis-placed their priorities.
"I just sent in a tongue-in-cheek notice to my local paper to make the point," explained former Wexford hurler Dave Guiney of his ad which read: 'Ex-county hurler available to play, 15 years experience, old model, high mileage but good service record.
Willing to train seven nights a-week for the honour of representing Wexford -- No Grant Required.'
"I don't know if I'd pass the fitness test," he joked.
"But if I was asked to play for my county again in the morning I would do so and would never look for a grant to do it.''
Guiney, a twin brother of former All Star Rod, was part of Wexford's All-Ireland winning panel in '96 and was a member of the GPA while on the county panel.
"When they started they were working on welfare issues for players, who wouldn't have been well-looked after at the time.
It is widely accepted by players that the GPA did a great job in that respect.
"But this notion of looking for a grant to play for your county, I just can't accept that," Guiney insisted.
"It seems to me that players are forgetting what a privileged position they are in," he added.
"There's a huge amount of people who give their time to the GAA in lots of different ways for no apparent reward.
"Even as a player there's only a tiny number, probably only one per cent, who ever get to line out for their counties and have the opportunity to play in front of 82,000 people in Croke Park.
Privilege
"To me that's a massive honour and privilege.
"I know training has become a very heavy burden but GAA players are not the only people training hard for their sport.
"I know a triathlete, Sean Collier, who trains three and four hours every day and he doesn't get a grant of any kind.
"To me you play and train because you love the game and you love your county.
"If you don't enjoy what that involves then don't do it, it's still a hobby," Guiney added. "I know the argument about how much training goes into it now, but maybe it's time players started looking at the huge benefits that also come from playing for your county, things that you can't put monetary value on.
"The experiences I had and friends I made through hurling are things I could never replace," said Guiney who lined out for Rathnure in the county intermediate final this year.
"And I couldn't ever see people like George O'Connor and Billy Byrne hanging up their county jerseys and saying they wouldn't play for Wexford over a grant issue.
"The GPA have made their case obviously, but I think there would be others like me who would have a different attitude and I wanted to open up the debate," he added.
- Gaelic Games

[inisceithleann]

Peter Quinn head up the GPA Are you having a laugh ?

Maybe not the GPA as we know it. But if we want the GPA go down the route we all want then he'd be an excellent candidate. The GPA in my eyes should be a branch of the GAA, working as an outlet for player's views. They should work in tantum and that's why having somone with Quinn's GAA background would be excellent as an intermediary between the two. However I accept that this unlikely to ever happen.

[orangeman]

I can't see a GAA man like Peter Quinn ever going near the GPA in its current form - I just think the GPA have lost the plot - if we're going to have  GPA like group, it must be inisde the GAA and not waging war and issuing threats from outside the association. I really enjoed reading Dave Guiney's advert above.

[Baile an tuaigh]

The opening of Croke Park has helped create this problem.