McCarthy admits he does not have backing of Cork hurlers

[the Deel Rover]

I didn't realise Diarmuid o' sullivans father was chaiman of the cork county board talk about been caught between a rock    and a hardplace

By Martin Breheny


Thursday January 08 2009

Cork County Board chairman Jerry O'Sullivan has made an impassioned appeal to all sides involved in the bitter dispute over the management of the senior hurling team to come together in one last attempt to solve the crisis.

In an open letter issued last night, O'Sullivan, called on the 30 members of the 2008 panel, the team management and the Board Executive to attend a meeting chaired by mediator Olann Kelleher.

"I am sure that we can come to some agreement to ensure that the red jersey will be worn with pride this summer by the best hurlers in the county," O'Sullivan wrote.

O'Sullivan, whose sons Diarmuid and Paudie were on last year's panel, points out that players, management and County Board were engaged in a series of meetings with Kelleher over the last two weeks but no substantial progress was made.

"I respectfully suggest that these meetings cannot go on forever and there must be a realisation that efforts to resolve the situation must be finalised soon.

The current initiative arises from a decision of the County Convention which represents all clubs and, by extension, all players in the county.

"I would appeal to you to respect the wishes of the Convention and participate fully in the process.

"Please avail of the goodwill and expertise of the independent chairman as he tries to facilitate a solution.

"This crisis has caused enormous hurt and distress to many Cork hurling families and I appreciate this more than most as I have two sons on the Cork panel.

"I note that the players say they are willing to meet with Olann Kelleher again but only if our coach, Gerald McCarthy, is not part of the process," writes O'Sullivan.

His letter will be regarded as a last desperate bid for a compromise in what has become one of the most intractable disputes in Irish sporting history but it remains to be seen if has any impact among the players.

A new-look squad has been named for the opening game of the season against Waterford IT in the Waterford Crystal tournament at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday.

Fears that Cork would be unable to field a team have been dispelled as the new panel is currently in training under McCarthy, who plans to announce the team after training tonight.

County champions Sarsfields head the list with six players, Alan Kennedy, Conor O'Sullivan, Cian McCarthy, Tadhg Og Murphy, Ray Ryan, Rob O'Driscoll while Blackrock (Colin O'Leary, Gary Norberg, Brian Aherne) and Midleton (Alwyn Kearney, Aidan Ryan, Paul Barry) have three each.

A total of 11 clubs are represented on a 24-man squad which will be watched with great interest as most of them will feature on Cork's League and Championship teams unless the impasse with the front-line troops is resolved.

- Martin Breheny

[orangeman]

At last a voice of reason and I hope that the players will listen to this plea and go back. As he says, a lot of families have been split over the issue and a high price is being paid for as long as the strike goes on. No matter what happens here, things will never be the same again in terms of relationships and friendships, some of ehich have lasted for a lifetime. Clubs are split, families are split and so to is the county. I'll  be glad when it's all over.

I would love to see Cork being the team to topple KK. Honestly I would - but realistically they won't do it without Sean Og, Gardiner, Curran, Kenny, Twins etc etc.


From RTE website :

Cork Chairman Jerry O'Sullivan urged the striking Cork senior hurlers to return to action by issuing an open letter to the 2008 squad on Wednesday night.

O'Sullivan's 400-word statement is a direct response to media reports that the Cork hurlers were willing to engage in a mediation process with the Cork County Board and mediator Olann Kelleher, but only if Gerald McCarthy was not part of the process.

The frustration of the Cork senior hurlers towards their manager McCarthy has failed to ease, but O'Sullivan is hopeful for a resolution.

'Like every Cork hurling person, I am focused on how we can overcome the present impasse between the players, the management and the County Board,' he wrote.

'I note that the players say they are willing to meet with Olann Kelleher (the mediator) again, but only if our coach Gerald McCarthy is not part of the process.'

O'Sullivan stressed that while the Cork hurlers have provided their supporters with tremendous joy over the years, Gerald McCarthy has also played vital roles both on and off the pitch.

'This Cork team has given us great joy and success over the last few years. We are all grateful for and proud of that.

'On the other hand our coach Gerald McCarthy has also been one of Cork's greats as a player, and has over ten years' experience in inter-county team management.

'He has also brought the McCarthy Cup back to Leeside when in charge with Canon Michael O'Brien.'

O'Sullivan insisted that with the start of the National Hurling League rapidly approaching, this dispute must come to an end sooner rather than later.

'Over the last two weeks the players, management and the County Board have engaged in a series of meetings over many hours with the mediator, without substantial progress being made.

'I respectfully suggest that these meetings cannot go on forever and there must be a realisation that efforts to resolve the situation must be finalised soon.

'The current initiative arises from a decision of the recent County Convention which represents all clubs and by extension, all players in the county. I would appeal to you to respect the wishes of the Convention and participate fully in the process.'

O'Sullivan appealed: 'Please avail of the goodwill and expertise of the independent chairman as he tries to facilitate a resolution.

'This hurling crisis has caused enormous hurt and distress to many Cork hurling families, and I appreciate this more than most as I have two sons on the Cork panel.

'It is with the hand of friendship and in the spirit of openness and transparency therefore that I invite the 30 members of the 2008 hurling panel, Gerald McCarthy and the team management and the Board Executive to a meeting to be chaired by the mediator Olann Kelleher.

'I am sure we can come to some agreement to ensure that the red jersey of the Cork hurlers will be worn with pride this summer by the best hurlers in the County.

'If we do this then we will have taken the first small step in our march to Croke Park in September 2009.'
It is the second winter in succession for the Rebels to go on strike. Last year the Cork senior hurlers joined their football colleagues on 'the picket line' after the footballers expressed dissatisfaction with the appointment of Teddy Holland as their manager.

A U-turn by the Cork County Board, which led to the appointment of Conor Counihan as Rebel football boss, ensured the striking players returned to action, but only after missing important first round National League ties.

[The GAA]

I can't see these players returning.

My reasoning is:

1 - The CCB are not going to replace McCarthy under any circumstances now.

2 - The players considerd it a waste of a year traiing under him for 2009 as they felt he was substandard.


Where's the middle ground in that?

The only thing i can see is an addition to the management team to improve the standard of things and an undertaking from ger to move on at the end of 2009?

[orangeman]

I can't see these players returning.

My reasoning is:

1 - The CCB are not going to replace McCarthy under any circumstances now.

2 - The players considerd it a waste of a year traiing under him for 2009 as they felt he was substandard.


Where's the middle ground in that?

The only thing i can see is an addition to the management team to improve the standard of things and an undertaking from ger to move on at the end of 2009?

I firmly believe that Mc Carthy is willing to do this. You can say what you like about the Mc Gurn thing - some say it was a PR stunt - I firmly believe that Mc Carthy put himself out to get Mc Gurn in order to improve the situation. I believe that as always, Mc Carthy will NOT bbe found wanting.

[The GAA]

ah now OM we were nearly agreeing there. the very core of the problem is that McCarthy is severly lacking in his capacity to do the job he's appointed to do. nice man though.

[orangeman]

ah now OM we were nearly agreeing there. the very core of the problem is that McCarthy is severly lacking in his capacity to do the job he's appointed to do. nice man though.

We couldn't do that now could we !! 


We'll just have to agree to disagree on the ability of Mc Carthy to do the job - I haven't trained under him or haven't been managed by him.


But the players have not accepted ANY responsibility for the losses the team have had. They should look at themselves for once and not always to the manager.

[The GAA]

Sure thats just bollox. the players have been at pains to say that they accept their culpability in recent defeats but to improve and move forward they feel they need better coaching.

[Reillers]

He's not a good manager, not in this decade anyway.

Even talking to some of the players. Even the young lads knew how bad training was. Even talking to some of the lads like Shane O Neill couldn't get over the massive difference between John Allen's training and Gerald's. And he wasn't with him that long compared to everyone else.

Like what would happen what we've seen happen, Wallis would take the lads for his session and then McCarthy on more then one occasion would take them, tell them to go into twos and start pulling and that would go on for a while, too long

It would be a waste of a year. Back in 80s and 90s ya sure maybe he was a good manager but that was way back then, when standards were lower when training was at a lower standard.
Cork will suffer if Gerald is still in the job.
If the players went back it would be a waste of a year, this is going to be a waste of a year either way.

And OM if you think that the players don't blame themselves for the losses then you don't know players, they are hard on themselves. But McCarthy, his training his poor, his decision making is poor, that's plain to see to the public.

The types of decisions he's made, HE cost us the game against Tipp, I'm not quick to blame managers for losses on the pitch cause at the end of the day it's the players on the pitch but his decision making was shocking, his calls cost us the game, no question about that.
O Grady worked out how to beat KK and Allen continued that and refreshed that, what did McCarthy do..??
He brought them backwards.

Are the players past their peak but I do not believe that they got that much worse in one season. They aren't and haven't slipped that much.

[orangeman]

Sure thats just bollox. the players have been at pains to say that they accept their culpability in recent defeats but to improve and move forward they feel they need better coaching.

The players let me remind you said that they won the galway game for Donal og after his half time speech -

They lost the KK game because of management and poor tactics.

[theskull1]

I can't see these players returning.

My reasoning is:

1 - The CCB are not going to replace McCarthy under any circumstances now.

2 - The players considerd it a waste of a year traiing under him for 2009 as they felt he was substandard.


Where's the middle ground in that?

The only thing i can see is an addition to the management team to improve the standard of things and an undertaking from ger to move on at the end of 2009?

I thought there was another reason why the principled striking players will not be back.

3 - The CCB are not going to replace themselves with people (in the eyes of the players) who are capable of resurrecting Cork hurling at all levels in the County

Or is saving Cork Hurling (well the bits where you can only get associate GPA membership  ) off the list of demands now?

[orangeman]

He's not a good manager, not in this decade anyway.

Even talking to some of the players. Even the young lads knew how bad training was. Even talking to some of the lads like Shane O Neill couldn't get over the massive difference between John Allen's training and Gerald's. And he wasn't with him that long compared to everyone else.

Like what would happen what we've seen happen, Wallis would take the lads for his session and then McCarthy on more then one occasion would take them, tell them to go into twos and start pulling and that would go on for a while, too long.

It would be a waste of a year. Back in 80s and 90s ya sure maybe he was a good manager but that was way back then, when standards were lower when training was at a lower standard.
Cork will suffer if Gerald is still in the job.
If the players went back it would be a waste of a year, this is going to be a waste of a year either way.

I thought we were talking about him being a bad manager Is he a bad trainer or a bad manager ?? Please don't say both.

[Reillers]

Why he is both.

[orangeman]

Why he is both.

What does Wallis do ??

[Reillers]

He was the team trainer, he served under O Grady and Allen. He stepped down when McCarthy was reappointed.

[orangeman]

He was the team trainer, he served under O Grady and Allen. He stepped down when McCarthy was reappointed.

Hasn't stepped down at all - he said he was stepping down due to work commitments but he's training the strikers in Mallow - I'd say there'll be no Christmas cards coming to Wallis' house next year or vice versa !