GPA (we are not seeking pay for play ??/)

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Dessie and the GPA still don't seem to grasp the fundamental point: the GAA provides THEM with a service, not the other way around...

Exactly Hardy, to listen to him you'd almost swear that these GAA 'stars' magically metamorhposed and materialised in some parallel universe, only to slip out of that one and into ours, and thence to deign to grace Gaelic Games with their heavenly presence as the highly polished finished article. He'd want to get real, Heaney's not far off the mark I'd say.

[johnpower]

Dessie and the GPA still don't seem to grasp the fundamental point: the GAA provides THEM with a service, not the other way around...

Exactly Hardy, to listen to him you'd almost swear that these GAA 'stars' magically metamorhposed and materialised in some parallel universe, only to slip out of that one and into ours, and thence to deign to grace Gaelic Games with their heavenly presence as the highly polished finished article. He'd want to get real, Heaney's not far off the mark I'd say.

How  are these stars getting this mi conception s ? Constant adulation by fans and media . Lets see how the Cork situation plays itself out if there is another strike and we are faced with no Cork teams in the championships who will crack first . I don't agree with most of the GPA agenda but they are not going to go away

[thebandit]

Dessie seems to forget that there ar more than 30 footballers in every county

[rootthemout]

good response hardy,gpa seems to forget without the clubs and volunteers doing their work foc there would be no eletist players for the gpa.

[orangeman]

Dessie seems to forget that there ar more than 30 footballers in every county

Are there really ??



Dessie reckons there's only 30 that counts.

[thirteen03]

What Hardy said

[billy the kid]

Dessie has a full page response in today's Irish News in response to Paddy Heaney's 'Against the Breeze' Cloumn yesterday.  Two good and conflicting articles, maybe someone could post them. 

Players are the GAA's crown jewels says GPA chief Farrell
By Paddy Heaney
12/11/08

The following piece from Gaelic Players' Association chief executive Dessie Farrell is in response to yesterday's Against The Breeze column by Paddy Heaney...

PADDY HEANEY'S personal opinion column yesterday has caused quite a stir among some inter-county players given that it asserted that they have little, if anything, to do with the success of the GAA. Unlike yesterday's callers to the GPA office, however, I will attempt to temper my response.

De-personalising players and their contributions is an age-old GAA negotiating tactic, one which is very prevalent on Leeside and one which was prevalent in many other sports in the past (why aren't the names of our players on the backs of the jerseys? Need I really ask?) However, surprised as I was to see such a view expressed by a writer who has frequent professional interaction with these 'irrelevant' amateur players, what was really most disturbing for me about this piece was the fact that it rather 'conveniently' ignored the central point of my speech to the GPA Gala Night last Friday.

That point was simple: after nearly 10 years in existence, we are now no closer to an agreement with the GAA on formal recognition for the players' body. Despite a decade of campaigning and endless platitudes, the GAA does not formally recognise the GPA and has shown no real desire to engage in meaningful discussions about our future.

During that period, there has indeed been substantial change in the GAA and a lot of that change has been brought about by the emergence of an active players' association. It has also been brought about by the increasing commitment of the playing body in an environment where coverage, particularly live television coverage, has grown exponentially.However, despite these changes, plus the growth in player disputes and the threat of a strike last year, the GAA really isn't concerned about a formal players' association and the benefits that would bring to the playing body and to the GAA itself. This is reflected, starkly, in the fact that their recent draft strategy briefing failed to mention either players or the relationship with the GPA.

1 -The GPA's understanding of formal recognition would see the players' body funded by the GAA so that it can apply an expanded package of player welfare services, services which are relevant to amateur players performing in a professional environment in the 21st century, services such as career development, employment programmes, health and well-being services, insurance and further education initiatives. Do our amateur players not deserve these services at a time when so many players are losing jobs and others encountering great difficulties with career progression?

The GPA is committed to providing the very best for our players and that means as good as any professional sport, and I mean the best professional sports in the world. In fact, we can safeguard our amateur status by ensuring we achieve excellence in the area of welfare. Government funding for players, for example, was a key stepping stone in this process. To date, the GPA has been completely self-funded but has had to compete with the GAA's growing commercial portfolio for funding.

2 - In the absence of a formal agreement, we have no choice but to increase our own commercial activity to fund our welfare initiatives. This has, of course, the potential to set us on another collision course with the GAA regarding sponsorship, TV and image rights. Disputes will increase between both bodies while there are no formal structures to resolve these issues.

3 - Paddy may believe that the success of the GAA at inter-county level, particularly the growth in sponsorship and live television coverage, has nothing to do with individual players, but I believe he is grossly incorrect in this assumption. Will the number of Wexford football fans, for example, not grow next season? I believe fundamentally, that it is the pursuit of excellence by individual players and managers which has underpinned the growth of the inter-county game. I do not, for one minute, take Gaelic games for granted and assume that it will always be strong just because 'people' identify with their county. We must always strive to improve and, once we enter the commercial arena, compete to make our product the best on the market in the face of stiff opposition from other codes.

Paddy suggests that people pay to watch their teams and not the players. Am I alone here in thinking he is splitting hairs? People may indeed attend games for a variety of reasons but you can be sure, the better a side is, the more talented and the more committed its players, the bigger the attendance. And by promoting the profile of the individuals involved, you are strengthening your sport.

It is the individuals, not the jersey, to which children are first drawn. It is Sean Cavanagh and Henry Shefflin who youngsters try to emulate. There are indeed many inconvenient truths in the issue of player-official relations at the moment, but none more so than the fact that the GAA is going to have to fund the GPA. The player should not be seen as a product on a never-ending conveyor belt. And neither should welfare for players be seen as merely a meal after training or proper shower facilities.

In this day and age, it has to be more than that. In an era where players have signed up to the amateur ethos of the association, surely we can accept and respect that appropriate welfare programmes should be established to assist these men in whatever way we can.

I am very definately against pay for play and as we all know this is the long term goal of the GPA.  The GPA would of had my support at the start as they pressed for some much needed improvements regarding the treatment of players. However now county players are treated much better, with welfare committees and free medical support and last year they got increased expenses from the government but the GPA are back again looking more. 

We could sit here all day and pick holes in Dessie Farrells rambling statement but here are 3 of the main problems (highlighted above) I have with his response:

1 - This has to be one of the most incoherent and vague sentences every with little real meaning.  Since when was the GAA supposed to be a career advice centre? If you want to progress your job do a course or retrain like everyone else, if you become unemployed look for another job, like everyone else. Dessie asks "Do our amateur players not deserve these services at a time when so many players are losing jobs and others encountering great difficulties with career progression?"  and the answer is YES, just like everyone else in the country, BUT its not up to the GAA to provide them and it never should be. Do we expect the dotor to teach us how to perfect our free taking, the postman to teach us tackling, do we go to the bank and ask them to advise us on tactics? No because its not their responsibility.

2 - Does anyone else think this is a thinly veiled threat? If the GPA comes out all aggressive this year they need to be put in their box permanently. The GAA missed the chance to absorb the GPA at the start before Dessie and Donal Og got alot of county players into a very "we deserve this, becasuse if it wasnt for us" attitude.  They also missed the chance to call their bluff and blow them out of the water altogether last year.  They cannot and must not shirk a third time.

3 - This third bit doesnt really make sense, and his example of Wexford actually proves Paddy Heaneys point. The crowds for wexford football games will grow next year, but thats because the Wexford team done pretty well next year, not because of any individual players. If their star players, Lyng, Barry and Forde were out all next season injured they would still be pulling in bigger support - Supporters go to see the team first and the players second, and young lads join our great association to start with because of the club not the county. As you hear all the time from true gaels, the club is where it all starts and where it all ends.  Dessies and many other players problem is, they appear to have forgotten where it started (the club) and do not want to return to the club for it to end, and are determined to get as much out of it as they can while they are there, both on and of the pitch.

The GPA are a very self centred group who must be reigned in.  Players welfare, health, and overall treatment should be top  quality and they should never be out any expense playing for their county and obviously meals should be provided after training and games.  Appropriate gear should also be supplied and tickets and passes are also a great idea as they should feel appreciated. If a player can make a few extra quid promoting something or whatever then again fair enough and more power to them. But Pay for Play can never happen as this would destroy us.

[The GAA]

I am very definately against pay for play and as we all know this is the long term goal of the GPA. 

Hell of a way to set out your ground to convince those of a different viewpoint of your argument

[Hound]

Players welfare, health, and overall treatment should be top  quality and they should never be out any expense playing for their county and obviously meals should be provided after training and games.  Appropriate gear should also be supplied and tickets and passes are also a great idea as they should feel appreciated. If a player can make a few extra quid promoting something or whatever then again fair enough and more power to them. But Pay for Play can never happen as this would destroy us.

Exactly.

And if the GAA had remembered all that, there would be no GPA.

The GPA is needed to ensure the GAA continue to provide the above.

All the rubbish about pay for play is just pure nonsense. So what if the GPA has pay-for-play as their ultimate ambition. There can never be pay-for-play until the GAA wants it.

[Hardy]

That's all very nice, until we remember that the GPA pushes the interests of inter-county players only, at the expense of the huge majority of the playing body. It's a zero sum game.

[lynchbhoy]

completely agree with what you say on the prev page Hardy, you did leave out however that the GAA county boards etc actually GET WORK/employment for the majority of county panelists as well.... (when required)