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Ok radio, its not fair us all laughing at you at the same time. we'll give you a chance to reason your fantasy land. answer me this...

how will a scenario develop where counties must find extra revenue streams in order to meet the requirements of player salaries?

Rugby comparisons are not sensible. rugby clubs had to raise revenue to pay player salaries. no such thing is happening in the gaa, nor ever will.

A few questions you should ask yourself.


1. Do you actually think county board members are going to give their time as freely now that others are being recompensed and they aren't? (are you aware of the time commitments county board members have to make?)

2. Do you think the effects of (1) are not going to affect the clubs?

3. Do you actually think that the government are going to pay this money from their own coffers?
a) if yes (which will not be the case IMO)- do you think that money should be better spent on hospitals etc?
b) if no - since that money is being lifted from the grants the govt give to the GAA for infrastructure, or from the tax breaks, its money that won't be spent on coaching/stadia/pitches/offsetting insurance etc.

4. Are you so naive as to think these "grants" are going to remain at €2500 a year?

5. Do you think the top players are not going to face extra temptation to transfer to the better counties where the prospects of getting more money are better? Or conversely, a poor hurler by Kilkenny's standards could transfer to... say Down - he'll get a grant then. A better example would have been Dublin to Meath I suppose. That will affect clubs too.

6. Why should people bother raising money for things like Club Down, we've already seen one high profile resignation from Club Tyrone. As you may or may not know Club Tyrone helps with much more than just the county teams, coaching and games development and pitch improvements receive funding raised through the Club Tyrone initiative. Do you think the tarring of things like Club Tyrone with paid players really won't reduce the support for them, and by proxy reduce the support clubs receive for coaching and infrastructure?

1. Yes. Why would county board officials lay claim to a government grant scheme for athltes?

2. not a chance in hell. most club members don't give a fiddlers and don't begrudge their county lads the grant.

3. Yes. of course it would be better spent on hospitals but if it weren't grant aid it would not be used for that. if you think that's how government works you're deluded.

b is total nonsense by the way. do your research before posting up lazy scare stories.

4. Maybe the government will adjust them? who knows. inflation is always a factor.

5. No chance. you think this paltry amount would be enough to lure a charlie carter figure to travel those distances for training. the only real incentive out there is the possibility of playing at inter county level and that exists irrespective. certainly that amount of money ain't gonna be a deciding factor.

6. That will not happen in the medium term. that is a doomsday prediction. Any gael who raises funds for facilities, welfare and coaching initiatives will recognise that the government paying IC players grants will neither enhance nor diminish the lot of the GAA.

Armagh - Stephen Haughian,

Why, do i look like him?

Jaysus, have you no google?

looking for it now, in the mean time

http://www.dcu.ie/alumni/spring04/p30.html

I'm trying to be kind is there a nicer way to say that the scenario you envisage is total bollocks and noone could believe it?

Yet what circumstantial evidence do you have to back that up?

eh, you are aware that i'm not envisaging any scenario? i'm saying things will not change. what evidence would you like?

you are the only one dreaming up developments

JC - The GAA have elevated Inter county players in an elite status. unofficially we all do this through our expectations of fitness and skill levels, off field behaviour, claims on time and personal life intrusion. officially, is there another grouping within the association subjected to Olympic standard drug testing?

That's not my definition brains... its the GAA's

A very well reasoned and forthright argument.

Well, you've been asked numerous times to explain how a player is financially worse off for playing intercounty football and have thusfar ignored the question.  If you could explain, perhaps more people would come on board.

Actually, that's the first time i've been asked that but don't let that detract from your post. i'd have been very happy to point you in the direction of the independent actuary's report of a few years ago which is readily available online. it estimates that an IC player is out of pocket upwards of E100,000 over the course of a ten year career.

I'm trying to be kind is there a nicer way to say that the scenario you envisage is total bollocks and noone could believe it?

you now claim it'll be more difficult to get club players to commit? are you having a laugh?

listen, you can't really believe this nonsense. At our club agm a short while back, at the height of the grants storm, it wasn't even mentioned. most clubmen don't care. why would they?

you are presenting exact scenarios in other sports which are not the GAA, never had and never will have the same volunteers, support and heritage. they are debunct and not comparable scenarios.

by the way, IC managers already have their own union. i'd have thought a cutting edge grass roots member like yourself would have known that!

I don't disagree with your point. however, as far as i can work out, everyone bar the DG is acountable within the GAA. Given that Corke Park have endevoured to short circuit the decision making process i'd suggest that they are accountable from below. there is nothing within the GAA which can't be changed from the bottom up.

Movig forward, the GAA's immediate task should be to strengthen this

Rule 11:

he Association is an Amateur Association. A player, team,
official or member shall not accept payment in cash or in
kind in conjunction with the playing of Gaelic Games. A
player, team, official or member shall not contract
himself/itself to any agent other than those officially
approved by Central Council. Expenses paid to all
officials, players, and members shall not exceed the
standard rates laid down by the Central Council. Members
of the Association may not participate in full-time training.
This rule shall not prohibit the payment of salaries or
wages to employees of the Association.
Penalty: Twenty four weeks suspension or expulsion

The GAA needs to re-word - or abolish - rule 11.

If rule 11 were to be modernised and more specific then a lot of ills in the association could be some way to being cured. If everyone were to sign up to what could become a recognised amateur code, including the gpa, then a lot of fears could be allayed. for example, any reworking of rule 11 could specifically prohibit the movement towards GAA grants in the eventuality that the government withdrew their funding. the difficulty there would be the third level grants that the GAA fund directly. payment of managers could also be specifically addressed in any reworking.

A very well reasoned and forthright argument.

A very commendable and worthy scheme. mirrors the gpa's scheme of course.