McCarthy admits he does not have backing of Cork hurlers

[orangeman]

Statement of Frank Murphy ;

At the first meeting of the appointments committee and I 'm revealing this for the first time - I asked the question of the players. I asked was there any aspect of the outgoing team management that could be improved upon. The answer from Donal Og - and I wrote it down carefully was " in fairness they gave it their best shot ".
When it was brought back to the second meeting that Gerlad would be interested again the reaction from the players' reps was  " This is good news and great ". It was not before the third meeting that the question of opposition arose.
When players' reps were asked " how could they reconcile their opposition now to what had transpired at previous meetings" the answer was that this was a mistake. I'm afraid gentlemen, the members of the Board executive, who were at the appointments committee meetings, can't be paying for the mistakes of others. If it was a mistake, well and good, but don't be blaming us, blaming people who had no responsibility for that."

[dowling]

In all fairness there has been great damage done to Cork because the 2008 panel hadn't considered their strike mightn't be as effective as last year's. God knows how this is going to end but there's going to be lasting damage. To minimise that from here on surely the 2008 panel should have the decency to call off their meeting and back down.

[orangeman]

In all fairness there has been great damage done to Cork because the 2008 panel hadn't considered their strike mightn't be as effective as last year's. God knows how this is going to end but there's going to be lasting damage. To minimise that from here on surely the 2008 panel should have the decency to call off their meeting and back down.

No one is backing down  - simple as that - war has been declared. Long way to go in this yet.

[dowling]

It is looking that way Orangeman. I was really just suggesting this was the easiest way out and the one which would limit further damage in the county. The 2008 panel have their get out clause of 'the public march' although it's maybe splitting hairs because there's no way to measure how representitive it was of the Cork members.
When you consider this part of their communication to other GPA members,

"While we are aware that our situation may seem a million miles away to certain players and squads, particularly those who enjoy excellent relations with their Board, there are wider implications for the treatment of players at local and national level at stake nonetheless. The Cork squad has always supported the GPA philosophy - that the role of the modern-day player must be acknowledged and respected properly. This is an issue at the heart of the current negotiations between the GPA and the GAA on official recognition which you, no doubt, are closely monitoring."

you have to assume the there's consideration of mobilising the troops.

[The GAA]

we'll just leave the pair o ye to your bogey man stories

[AZOffaly]

Those who appear in the ads get something but that might be one cork man out of 30.

you have the time line wrong in terms of undermining agreements in place. the gpa / candc arrangements predates any of the more recent county board deals. coke and lucozade targetted the county boards to try and out manaouvre candc after they saw the success of the gpa deal.

They had already promised their backing to one deal and its not fair for the county board to try to rent them out on a deliberately conflicting commercial deal

Cheers for the correction GAA, but I still would think in that instance that the players, while actually playing for Cork, should have allowed the County Board to maintain a deal that was bringing money into the coffers of Cork GAA rather than into a centralised GPA scheme, even if individual(s) on the Cork team received money for TV or billboard ads for the other product. They could still have promoted Club as their personal choice, without challenging the Powerade deal for matchdays.

In any case, I don't think it's particularly relevant to this discussion, but gives an interesting snapshot of what the county board may really be thinking about this group of players. Whether that's a factor in this row is a moot point, but I'd suspect it's the central issue.

[AZOffaly]

Sorry, just reading that I wasn't very clear. What I mean is that these anecdotes, on the face of it, would seem to have very little to do with Gerald McCarthy's appointment, but I think it betrays the real motives behind the county board's stance on various things, including that.

I must say I can see why they would be aggrieved over an incident and 'threats' like that, but again, the McCarthy issue is a symptom rather than the central issue in my opinion.

[The GAA]

true. i agree with you about the cprk players taking it too far. middle ground could surely have been found as it is on other teams.

usually, the team physios carry branded "county board sponsor" bags, drinks, etc and the players drink from blank bottles. as you probably noticed, players will then use the candc bottles for interviews after, etc

[AZOffaly]

Yeah, I've seen that. It would be a sensible compromise. Then again those last two words seem to be rare commodities on Leeside.

[The GAA]

undoubtedly there is animosity built up there between this county board and this group of players in cork. if they'd been an ordinary group of players there wouldn't have been much conflict as the county board could have ruled with an iron fist. obviously the players used the status they had achieved to challenge bad practices within the county board's remit to address, culminating in the 2002 stand off. that stand off was very necessary for the cork players to schieve the conditions , support structures and set up required to push them forward to challenge for all irelands. obviously frank and co didn't like the grievances and ultimately their poor practices being publicised and when defeated then the die was cast.

murphy probably waited long enough and probably feels these players are sufficiently weakened in terms of status and when he made his play before christmas the players had a choice of swallowing it and playing out the next two years in mediocrity or fighting it and demanding the right to get the conditions of best practice back in place to try and compete to the best possible standard

[Reillers]

Yeah, I've seen that. It would be a sensible compromise. Then again those last two words seem to be rare commodities on Leeside.

I think it reflects in a way how much hate they built up for eachother over the years.

What pisses me off as well is that, the vote was what, 88-13 or something like that, but according to the media
(from the indo, http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/where-can-cork-go-from-here-1636810.html)

Having watched the statement outlining their position be usurped last Thursday night by the release of the footballers' declaration of war three hours later, the board needed a platform and the unusual decision to permit the print media access to the address and discussion on the issue of the hurling management was taken. Some of the key Board officers weren't for it and needed a persuasive hand.

In the end they all went for it.

Support wasn't universal for the management and there were plenty of clubs uncomfortable with the call to 'vote and be done'.

The calls to talk continued at every turn, secretary Frank Murphy among the most adamant that there had to be dialogue. But there won't be.

McCarthy is not even sure if he wants parts of the 2008 squad in his 2009 squad even if agreement is reached. Inside, there would be "no animosity" to anyone in future; outside there was "no wish" to have some in his dressing-room."

The bit in bold, if there was so much hesitation and so much pushing and so many weren't uncomfortable but then it turns out oh look 88-13, somebody obviously pushed them very hard. Why was there such a lopsided vote if they were so hesistant.
There is really only one side then it really just shows the influence FM has.

[orangeman]

Ok we're on different sides of the debate here but for all you lads who support the 2008 panel, on reflection, did it really HAVE to get to this stage ? This is the point of no return - the point where families, clubs are split - where individuals who once were good friends / colleagues, won't even bid each other the time of day.


Is it worth it ? Was it worth it ? Will it be worth it regardless of which side claims victory ?.

Personally I don't think it will have been worth it. I've used the term pyrrhic before and it seems even more fitting as time goes by.

[Zulu]

Is it worth it ? Was it worth it ? Will it be worth it regardless of which side claims victory?

You'll have to ask the CB that question, they haven't been able to let 2002 lie and so here we are.

[Eoghan Mag]

I have not joined in this debate for a while as I was really enjoying what you are all writing and I did not think anything I had to say might be worth bringing up. I'll break that silence now and ask a few questions.

1. Was the GPA statement by the Cork players also released in Irish?

2. Why is there need for a Cork manager when it might work far better if a panel of 3 men were appointed to run the team? In this I would propose Gerald McCathy to 'move upstairs' as a 'director of Hurling management' and have under him a team of 3 former Cork managers all who have won the All-Ireland senior title. This would act as a buffer between Gerald and the players. The players have said they will not play under Gerald McCarthy so it should be made clear that they are playing above Gerald McCathy since players are what win All-Irelands not managers.

3. What is so wrong with playing in the Christy Ring cup? Westmeath are damn happy to win anything and at least have a trophy because of this competition.

4. Do you not think Tipperary will rub salt into Cork's wounds by using their 2nd string players against Cork?

5. If the 2008 panel of Cork hurling players love the GAA so much why don't they use their current county lay off to promote other  aspects of the GAA in their spare time? Last I heard the numbers involved in rounders was very small as well as the amount who play handball and because of their ongoing Media exposure I'm sure they might do well in Scór.

[dowling]

Ok, forget just for a minute why everyone thinks we are where we are, we come back to that and no doubt will.
What's going to happen after the weekend?
Will the weekend meeting resolve the matter?
Will it be irrelevant?
Will the county board turn?
Will the 2008 panel sit it out?
And my favourite,
Will the GPA become more/offically involved?
If the meeting doesn't go as planned what options do the 2008 panel have?
If they get a sympathetic hearing how do the CB react?