Will the grants stop you volunteering for your club/county??

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I think people need to be realistic here. The amounts of money involved for teams like Louth and Down will be very insignificant, probably around €1500. Not a life changing amount by anyones standards.

But enough to strike for.

Agreed POG, why the fcuk did the GPA threaten to strike if the amounts are so minuscule?
What annoys me is the fact that the GPA and their supporters think that county players are better or worth more then the average GAA player or fan! 

The reason for the threaten strike was due to the fact that after 5 years of negotiations nothing was sorted out......a threat is made and the issue is sorted no problem at all....the question that should be asked is why couldn't it have been done years ago...

I repeat - What annoys me is the fact that the GPA and their supporters think that county players are better or worth more then the average GAA player or fan! 

Any response to that?

[dublinfella]

Tell you what...if any menber stops volunteering over the grants then we as an organisation will just manage just find without them. Make no mistake about. Say to them, we respect your opinion, but move on so that we can get on with the work at hand.

If everyone in the GAA had an attitude like that - "thanks for your help, sorry your unhappy, just move on now" the organisation would collapse in a decade, we would end up with an organisation akin to maybe Rugby (in size).
Max (and any GPA supporters out there) what you have to realise is that every disillusioned "active" GAA member can influence at least ten other people, not including their children (which is the FUTURE of the GAA).
The Association as we know it has changed forever, but we can still minimise the damage by addressing the "grassroots" worries.

Did people stop volunteering in Rugby when they went pro? No they didn't. That line is scaremongering and offensive to those who volunteer in other sports.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

I think people need to be realistic here. The amounts of money involved for teams like Louth and Down will be very insignificant, probably around €1500. Not a life changing amount by anyones standards.

But enough to strike for.

Agreed POG, why the fcuk did the GPA threaten to strike if the amounts are so minuscule?
What annoys me is the fact that the GPA and their supporters think that county players are better or worth more then the average GAA player or fan! 

The reason for the threaten strike was due to the fact that after 5 years of negotiations nothing was sorted out......a threat is made and the issue is sorted no problem at all....the question that should be asked is why couldn't it have been done years ago...

I repeat - What annoys me is the fact that the GPA and their supporters think that county players are better or worth more then the average GAA player or fan! 

Any response to that?

So are you saying that county players aren't being treated differently from club players by the GAA as it is?
County players have always been treated differently in the GAA so don't start claiming that that isn't true....

[orangeman]

So are you REALLY trying to suggest that club rugby has been unaffected by turning professional ? Of course it has been hugely affected and it is another attempt to conceal the truth by saying that rugby hasn't changed forever.

[dublinfella]

So are you REALLY trying to suggest that club rugby has been unaffected by turning professional ? Of course it has been hugely affected and it is another attempt to conceal the truth by saying that rugby hasn't changed forever.

thats not what he said. he said that people stopped volunteering, coaching kids, marking pitches etc. a totally different claim altogether.

[thejuice]

I really dont see why people would walk away.  What good would it do.

I'll continue to give my unwavering support to the club  and do my bit for the club and county.

[magpie seanie]

I will continue to do all I can for my club for now but my enthusiasm for the semi-professional side will suffer. I won't be going to London this summer. I will study for some exams instead. Time to invest a bit more time in myself. Seems to be the only thing thats respected about the place these days.

[tayto]

Did people stop volunteering in Rugby when they went pro? No they didn't. That line is scaremongering and offensive to those who volunteer in other sports.

Well apparently club rugby is fooked.

I've heard about a club in Ulster that 10 years ago fielded 17 adult teams now struggles to field 10. Another example is a club that used to field 10 teams now fields 5.

The general feeling is that this is because of professionalism and disillusionment in clubs where some players get paid.

Of course the hype machine that is the ERC would lead to you think otherwise but in reality it puts a gloss on the state of the game in Ireland.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I will continue to do all I can for my club for now but my enthusiasm for the semi-professional side will suffer. I won't be going to London this summer. I will study for some exams instead. Time to invest a bit more time in myself. Seems to be the only thing thats respected about the place these days.

Excellent point Seanie, although GPA supporters still cry scaremongering, the fact is that more and more people are becoming disillusioned and this rot will only grow!
The loss of any committed people to the Association, is a bigger loss then any prima-donna county players - who can be easily replaced!

[tyroneman]

An emphatic no is the answer here. 2 wrongs don't make a right and if volunteers stopped thier work over pay for play the association would die out.

Regardless of whether Cavanagh, McConville, Gooch, Whelan or any other county player gets paid - there are still u8, u10, u12, u14s etc that need coached, refereed, taken to games, kits washed, pitches maintined, tickets to be sold, fundraising to be organisaed, committees to be attended - I don't want my (or any other) club dying away because I refuse to help on a matter of prinicple. I'll make my feelings known but how can you tell a bunch of 8yr old kids that thier coaches won't train them or take them to matches because Mike Frank Russell and his mates want  paid.

You can't - simple as that.

Whatever happens the county senior game, I'll remain committed to helping my local club.

[Louth Exile]

http://www.thepost.ie/ezineSBP/story.asp?storyid=29021

[thejuice]

An emphatic no is the answer here. 2 wrongs don't make a right and if volunteers stopped thier work over pay for play the association would die out.

Regardless of whether Cavanagh, McConville, Gooch, Whelan or any other county player gets paid - there are still u8, u10, u12, u14s etc that need coached, refereed, taken to games, kits washed, pitches maintined, tickets to be sold, fundraising to be organisaed, committees to be attended - I don't want my (or any other) club dying away because I refuse to help on a matter of prinicple. I'll make my feelings known but how can you tell a bunch of 8yr old kids that thier coaches won't train them or take them to matches because Mike Frank Russell and his mates want  paid.

You can't - simple as that.

Whatever happens the county senior game, I'll remain committed to helping my local club.

100% agree

[lynchbhoy]

rugby has def suffered because of turning professional.
Had an example retold to me a month or two ago by a friend and club member of Carlow rugby club. the professionalism mix with amateurs caused a hell of a lot of problems in and for the club/team.
A lot of people did take a step back from previously voluntary duties as a result.

I am stopping my own coaching duties now. I am thinking of doing a u-turn and taking money and heading out to coach/train or manage some interested smaller clubs in kildare and meath.
That would be a nice bit of money to be had and somewhere in the region of €1000- 1200 per month just for traning duties rising to more should I train more then twice a week, or attend matches or even higher again if I am to actualy manage the side.
I know there is feck all success expectation out of a couple of these teams....

but if our organisation is not ignoring rule 11, and players are benefiting from pay for play, then I think the precedent means I am as entitled to go make money from my 'talents' also.....

[theskull1]

rugby has def suffered because of turning professional.
Had an example retold to me a month or two ago by a friend and club member of Carlow rugby club. the professionalism mix with amateurs caused a hell of a lot of problems in and for the club/team.
A lot of people did take a step back from previously voluntary duties as a result.

I am stopping my own coaching duties now. I am thinking of doing a u-turn and taking money and heading out to coach/train or manage some interested smaller clubs in kildare and meath.
That would be a nice bit of money to be had and somewhere in the region of €1000- 1200 per month just for traning duties rising to more should I train more then twice a week, or attend matches or even higher again if I am to actualy manage the side.
I know there is feck all success expectation out of a couple of these teams....

but if our organisation is not ignoring rule 11, and players are benefiting from pay for play, then I think the precedent means I am as entitled to go make money from my 'talents' also.....

If you're against what the GPA is doing lynchboy, this is hardly the way to protest about it (i.e by joining the "what's in it for me brigade"). I hope you reconsider, as protesting from the inside with a clear conscience is the best way to turn this around.

[thejuice]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rams/2007/1216gaa.smil