McCarthy admits he does not have backing of Cork hurlers

[theskull1]

"Derry county board dont supply food after training unless the footballers are training on the same night and even then the footballers go first and hurlers basically get whats left."

..Ye get food at training, our lads don't.

Reillers, I believe theres fantastic catering facilities up in mallow. Do Cork teams not get well fed up there?

[Reillers]

"Derry county board dont supply food after training unless the footballers are training on the same night and even then the footballers go first and hurlers basically get whats left."

..Ye get food at training, our lads don't.

Reillers, I believe theres fantastic catering facilities up in mallow. Do Cork teams not get well fed up there?

They don't start training in Mallow till December..I think. That is if they're training in December.

[orangeman]

"Derry county board dont supply food after training unless the footballers are training on the same night and even then the footballers go first and hurlers basically get whats left."

..Ye get food at training, our lads don't.

Reillers, I believe theres fantastic catering facilities up in mallow. Do Cork teams not get well fed up there?

They don't start training in Mallow till December..I think. That is if they're training in December.

Cork might be training - last year's team might not be in Mallow.

[theskull1]

"Derry county board dont supply food after training unless the footballers are training on the same night and even then the footballers go first and hurlers basically get whats left."

..Ye get food at training, our lads don't.

Reillers, I believe theres fantastic catering facilities up in mallow. Do Cork teams not get well fed up there?

They don't start training in Mallow till December..I think. That is if they're training in December.

Did they do any training there over the past year?

[Reillers]

Cry wolf!! And I'm the one with no idea

in 2002 we were backed you're right. But things are rapidly going back to how they were, so are we not backed now for standing up against that before it's too late, before there's an entire reversal, before it's too late and the board has got all the power back, because after this McCarthy will be their's (more then now) to dangle on a string.

The last strike was to stop a blatant blast on the agreements of 2002, this year is the same. It's an act to stop the inevidable, the complete collapse of the treatment they are getting now, the empire has turned, the board wants the power back and they will and are getting it by any means neccisary..and that's what they're doing now. They are not going to let the times of 2002 happen again, no matter what, they will do anything to prevent it including sacrificing themselves for the cause, they are willing to walk away.

Like I said, if ye've got it so bad, stop whinging about it and do something about it, like we did, and are doing. We get so much grief about it yet there are teams up and down the country who stay quiet and don't have the guts or want to stand up and leave the Cork players standing on their own.

[Reillers]

"Derry county board dont supply food after training unless the footballers are training on the same night and even then the footballers go first and hurlers basically get whats left."

..Ye get food at training, our lads don't.

Reillers, I believe theres fantastic catering facilities up in mallow. Do Cork teams not get well fed up there?

They don't start training in Mallow till December..I think. That is if they're training in December.

Did they do any training there over the past year?

The new facilities in Mallow haven't been there that long. A few months.

[theskull1]

I thought it was open all of last season rather than just a few months was it not?

[youngfella]

i havent read this thread its too long and there are bound to be no pictures. So just going by the title, i'd say these cork lads are bunch of crying over paid shites. Didnt they do the same thing last year? IF they think they have problems they should look at the derry hurlers, they need a kick up the hole.

[INDIANA]

reillers, allen isn't objective in this debate he was largely controlled by the players, who were happy with him because they could boss him around. I'd be prepared to listen to O Grady because he was his own man but I wouldn't hold Allen's views as an objective analysis of the situation.
The simple solution is for the main protagonists to go away. Cork hurling is bigger than any one individual , whether a manager,player or county board official. The main protagonists in this can't see that unfortuntaely.

[Reillers]

reillers, allen isn't objective in this debate he was largely controlled by the players, who were happy with him because they could boss him around. I'd be prepared to listen to O Grady because he was his own man but I wouldn't hold Allen's views as an objective analysis of the situation.
The simple solution is for the main protagonists to go away. Cork hurling is bigger than any one individual , whether a manager,player or county board official. The main protagonists in this can't see that unfortuntaely.

The people who really know about what's going on are very much linked with Cork..ex managers are a perfect example, of course they're not going to be the most objective people you could find.
Allen wasn't controlled by the players, but he did leave the players have a big imput in things, he was part of Cork's succes in that O Grady-Allen era. What they were doing was working very well.
But they didn't boss him around, clearly you've never met the man. He has witness and been victim to the county board, he has seen that at work, he's better placed then most to tell us about them, to give his veiw. O Grady has pretty much said the same as him. I agree Cork hurling is bigger then one man, in this case it's the CCB-Frank Muphy, who is hell bent on revenge.

[orangeman]

The "players" whoever they are have issued a statement to the "local" press, whoever they are tonight and it willbe made available ot national media later tomorrow.


Can't wait to see it.

Can someone post it whenever they get it please ?


Thanks

[Reillers]

All of them met to prepare this statement, they met twice over the week, and the local press is probably the Echo..maybe the Examiner lol!!

[Tubberman]

This apparently is the Cork player's statement:

THE Cork senior hurlers last night issued a hard hitting statement challenging comments made by manager Gerald McCarthy and the County Board as the dispute between players and officials showed no signs of resolution.


The squad claimed in a statement exclusively released to the Irish Examiner last night, that the campaign against them in the row over McCarthy's re-appointment "can only be interpreted as constituting a vendetta".

They again insisted they do not want the right to pick the manager and, in the course of a lengthy statement, the players also claimed a Board member on the seven-man selection committee stated McCarthy was the "second-best man for the job".



The players statement added: "At no point in the proceedings was the board's first choice as manager confirmed, which shows that, in our view, this was in fact a 'done deal'."

"We recognise the upset and annoyance which these situations have caused Cork GAA people over recent years," said a player representative. "But we're concerned by what we see as attempts to mislead the Cork GAA public, which is why we feel obliged to make the following points by way of clarification.

We feel there has been a concerted campaign against us and we have no choice but to try to set the record straight. For all of us these developments are unwelcome and unnecessary, but for some of us, due to the magnitude of the campaign, they can only be interpreted as constituting a vendetta."

Gerald McCarthy questioned whether players had the right to pick the manager, saying on Newstalk: "If that's the way, it's player power pure and total."

PLAYERS: "The players don't say they have the right to pick the manager, (their wish was to be involved in the selection process) nor do they want the right to pick the manager. The players have the right, according to binding arbitration, to have a two-sevenths representation in the process to appoint a new manager. The players didn't decide this, it was decided by Kieran Mulvey in binding arbitration."

In his statement of October 30, issued to the media, Gerald McCarthy said the "presentation by certain players of my appointment as Cork hurling manager has been quite disingenuous... I'm happy that my appointment was correctly made — it was not a 'done deal', as has been suggested."

PLAYERS: "Gerald wasn't present at any of the five meetings and is not in a position to say whether the players are telling the truth or not. For the record, the players agree there were five meetings but maintain that there was no process, and that they have told no lies."

The county board statement of October 31 reaffirmed its support for its "properly appointed hurling manager".

PLAYERS: "Not for the first time, the Cork County Board deems it necessary to say that what they have done in the past was correctly done. The players don't accept that this was a legitimate process or a legitimate appointment and as a result, don't accept that there are any constraints on them or on any of their actions."

The county board insists the two player representatives never presented any other candidate for consideration . . . at the third meeting there was a discussion of the names of other possible managers."

PLAYERS: "In two sentences, the innate contradiction of the county board statement is clearly set out. It can hardly be said that nobody was presented for consideration if there was a discussion of their names. By way of further clarification, the names were suggested at the second meeting (not the third), which was attended by Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (as proxy for John Gardiner). It was the only meeting he attended and he suggested potential candidates. Regarding the process, the players believe that the board tried to force them into a vote (on one man) where they held the majority, while attempting to maintain that this was 'a process'.

"The reason there were five meetings was because, from meeting number two, the players tried to resist the situation being imposed on them, which clearly was not as envisaged by Mr Mulvey's findings nor in the best interests of Cork hurling. When other candidates were mentioned by players, they were not considered but a board member in the course of the discussions stated that he believed Gerald was the second-best man for the job. At no point in the proceedings was the board's first choice as manager confirmed, which shows that, in our view, this was in fact a 'done deal'."

Gerald has referred to "the ferocity" of the approach of players in his media statement.

PLAYERS: "We're amazed Gerald could have found any approach to him ferocious, intimidating or in any way improper. Even though he was not the Cork hurling manager at the time, given the widely reported 'lack of respect' to other sitting intercounty managers in other counties, and out of respect for Gerald personally, it was felt that a direct approach on a human level was vital. At that time the players — as they do now — felt Gerald was being put in a position by the board and wanted him to avoid that, especially when he did not enjoy the confidence of any panel member from a managerial point of view. This was leaving aside the panel's objections to his appointment.

"The players went to see Gerald on the morning of his appointment in an effort to show the unity of the panel and the respect of the panel to him. All 30 panel members wanted to go but only 10 were available due to work commitments on the day."

Gerald McCarthy's comments to the media.

PLAYERS: "Since his purported appointment, Gerald McCarthy has launched a campaign seeking to justify his position, which the players would have regarded as being misguided until, in their view, the line was crossed on a number of occasions by Gerald. He has accused the players of bullying him — that did not happen at any time. He has been treated at all times with great respect, as befits his position."

On Newstalk Gerald referred to Ben's interview in the Irish Examiner, specifically the matter of phone calls to younger players from management — "some players were contacted, and there were younger players contacted ... he did not put any pressure on any younger players. But he did point out to players that, look, there's a lot at stake here for younger players".

PLAYERS: "No senior players were contacted, and the younger players contacted certainly felt they were being pressurised. To quote from one of the calls, the management representative said: 'It's the younger players will lose out'. This was interpreted as a threat or pressure by the younger players concerned. To seek to label Ben O'Connor as uttering untruths is outrageous and unacceptable to us. In many parts of the GAA world, Ben O'Connor is considered to be a hurling legend."

Gerald said on Newstalk that Ben O'Connor's suggestion the player vote was unanimous was inaccurate.

PLAYERS: "Gerald was not present at any meeting. The panel was absolutely unanimous in its rejection of Gerald as proposed manager, but at the time, in a confidential meeting, a small number of players held a minority view as to how best to proceed in the current climate. This has since been unanimously resolved."

Gerald's statement to the media says "I have tried to understand how the players have painted themselves into a corner."

PLAYERS: "THE players had issued no statement at that time — an interview had been given by one player, Ben O'Connor, in the face of blanket media coverage of Gerald's point of view and the comments of other parties. The players had made no statements and hadn't painted themselves into any corners. It should be remembered who brought these matters into the public domain."

Gerald's media statement added: "I have regrettably come to the conclusion that there is a predisposition to conflict among a very small number of Cork players."

PLAYERS: "This echoes the numerous attempts by the board, over the years, to maintain that somewhere between 25 and 28 Cork senior hurlers are being said and led by two to five others – which the 25 to 28 players, whoever they might be, find deeply insulting. It also shows the opinion of the board and Gerald as to the backbone of the Cork senior hurling team. To say that teachers, engineers, bank managers, farmers, businessmen and parents could be led down roads they did not wish to take by one or two of their team-mates is ridiculous.

"Such moral weakness may prevail in other bodies, particularly those which can vote almost unanimously, in diametrically opposing ways, with just four days between each vote, like the Cork County Board."

Gerald's statement also reads: "For some players to attempt to retrofit an objection ... to treat people in a summary and offensive way reflects poorly on them."

PLAYERS: "Yet again, this is an echo of the board's view, as there is no question of 'some players'. All representations made at any time were made on the unanimous instructions of the entire panel. There was no 'retrofit' – rather, over five meetings, there was an objection by the players, through their representatives, to the efforts to back them into a corner. These objections took place over the course of the meetings and before the vote was taken, not after it."

The publication of Cathal O'Reilly's document.

PLAYERS: "We are at a complete loss as to how a confidential document, to which we all contributed under conditions of strict privacy, could find its way to the pages of a newspaper.

"Cathal O'Reilly has confirmed that only one copy of this document was ever produced by him and was only given to one individual – Gerald McCarthy. For this document to be given to anyone, let alone a newspaper, exemplifies the lack of understanding on Gerald's part, in our view, of the nature of a relationship of trust.

"Cathal O'Reilly was brought in to help the players and Gerald when it was recognised by all and sundry that there was a lack of trust as part of a dysfunctional relationship between management and panel.

"Cathal has confirmed to the panel that on October 29, without any contact from the Cork management, he received a phone call from Gerald thanking him for his help, asking him to return next year and failing to mention anything about the use of, publication of, loss of, misplacement of the confidential document given to him many months before and which miraculously appeared the following day in the newspaper."

The county board statement says it ". . . may have been guilty of misjudgements in the past, but few can deny that we have made adjustments to take account of changed times, new values and circumstances."

PLAYERS: "To say the board 'may have been guilty of misjudgements in the past' is a crass understatement. Gerald McCarthy was 'elected' as the sole candidate put forward by the board, following the county board secretary being, in Gerald's words, 'very persuasive' in 2006.

"The players, despite their misgivings and the stated intent of members of the previous management to apply for the job, did not raise an objection to Gerald's appointment. This followed four years under Donal O'Grady and John Allen, both with different management methods, without a single issue or incident arising between team, management or the county board.

"Twelve months ago the hurlers and footballers begged with the Cork County Board not to make an appointment of a football manager because of a flawed appointment process. The players did not want the issue personalised at that time.

"Twelve months on its own senior hurling team begged the board not to make an appointment because of a flawed appointment process and its obvious outcome, and begged the individual concerned not to put himself in the same position.

"Despite the binding arbitration findings, we think it is clear exactly what type of adjustments the board has made."

Gerald says in his statement this issue is about 'due process, respect and other core values that I and many others hold dear'.

PLAYERS: "We wholeheartedly agree."

Who wrote that!!? Jesus, I could do better myself in 20 minutes! And even despite the deplorable standard of writing, there isn't one hard-hitting point in the damn thing. All it does it make weak responses to Gerald McCarthy's statement.
If that's the best they can do, they're as well to find a way of backing out of this mess with some shred of dignity left.

[orangeman]

The statement is written from a position of absolute weakness - I can't see how this statement is going to help the situation at all -
If Gerald Mc Carthy is prepared to stand his ground and stick to his guns, most of these lads have no future with Gerald Mc Carthy as manager.

Who actually wrote the statement ?

You can't have your cake and eat it ! The panel refer to years of weeded bliss between the management and the county board - is it merely a coincidence that as soon as they start losing, the poor old manager gets the blame.


Some of this Cork hurling panel are coming to the end of the road and it would be best if they retired and let us remember them as the legends that they were and not the bitter old men that they now threaten to be.

[The GAA]

That's not a great staking out the ground statement for public consumption from the players. they needed something more concise and business like. it seems to me that they have gone to great lengths to inform the masses in detail and tried to be as non confrontational as possible.  they have lost sight of the necessary "political" tone of previous statements on the matter from McCarthy, etc.

OM
1 - what have cork won under McCarthy?
2 - which players are retirement age?