Sean Og wants pay for play

[Minder]

O hAílpín says inter-county players should be paid
By Daragh Ó Conchúir
Thursday, April 29, 2010

CORK'S hurling All Star Seán Óg O hAilpín is adamant inter-county GAA players should be paid for performing at the highest level and for "entertaining hundreds of thousands of people".

Speaking in an interview for the Irish language newspaper, Foinse, O hAilpín made no bones about his wish for a structure that would facilitate the payment of players.

He said he would be in favour of establishing a central fund, similar to that proposed by Tadhg Kennelly last year, with a cut of the funding generated by media rights, sponsorship and gate receipts being funnelled into it.

"I would like to see the day that players get paid," said the former All-Ireland winning captain.

"The market in Ireland is very small and there are only five or six games during the year that are sold out. Maybe it would be worthwhile looking at some system relying on gate receipts or maybe even to establish a central fund for players. I'm definitely in favour of paying the players. They have to get something."

The Na Piarsaigh stalwart added that he will never become a media pundit after his retirement, having dabbled in it earlier in his career with TG4, because he claimed criticising sportspeople who are preparing professionally while receiving no money would not be in his nature.

"I think about what I'll do when I finish hurling. I certainly have no interest in becoming a media pundit. I have a problem giving out about players, especially when they're not being paid. They have to go back to their work, their homes, their families after every game. I understand that completely."

O hAilpín admits that he has always wanted to be a professional sportsman and that he is jealous of his younger brothers, Setanta and Aisake, for having that opportunity with Aussie Rules club Carlton Blues, even if he has lived another dream by representing Cork instead.

"I would give my right hand to have that chance (in the AFL). Setanta has carved out a career there and is making his living from it. I wanted to be a professional when I was a young boy but that's life.

"I got something else instead that was brilliant. I got the chance to play for Cork at the highest level."

Interestingly, although Eoin Cadogan is currently juggling the two codes at senior level, O hAilpín, doesn't think it is sustainable in the long term.

He knows what he's talking about, having done it himself, playing in both All-Ireland finals in 1999. He eventually packed up the football and considers it to have been a wise decision.

"We train four or five times a week. If you're training like that for hurling and then if your football manager is asking you to train another four or five times, there aren't enough days in the week.

"You could be marking Henry Shefflin against Kilkenny next Sunday — a player who puts his whole time into hurling training. Then the following week, against Kerry, you could be playing against Colm Cooper who is putting 100% into the football. They might be two Irish sports but the skills involved are completely different. As soon as I gave up football (for Cork), my hurling improved. You can't do it these days."


This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, April 29, 2010


Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.ie/sport/gaa/o-hailpin-says-inter-county-players-should-be-paid-118452.html#ixzz0mTfAiwnh

[longrunsthefox]

No surprise this one. At least he is honest about his agenda

[A Quinn Martin Production]

What he means is "I would like to be paid"

[orangeman]

No surprise this one. At least he is honest about his agenda

+1

[brokencrossbar1]

No surprise this one. At least he is honest about his agenda

What is his agenda, he is at the tail end of his career so won't earn a red cent out of it.  For what it is worth too he is not a GPA head like Donal Og before anyone starts banging that drum.  This is an individual's opinion and he is expressing the feelings of, i would guess, a lot of inter county players who give up so much to entertain us.  It is a live and valid point and will not go away as much as some people would like to try to make it go away.

[spuds]

wont be a media pundit like cos his speech is brutal like

[thejuice]

He's not the only one by a long shot, read a few interviews on some site with some younger lads at the start of their careers and the majority of them want to be paid.

[Hardy]

It's hardly surprising that a lot of players would like to be paid. I'd like to be paid for playing tennis as badly as I do. But that doesn't mean it would be the right decision for Tennis Ireland to start paying people like me (even though I entertain countless dozens of people with the way I play).

[AZOffaly]

In other news, pope is Catholic.

I'd say if you asked any player would you like to be a professional GAA player, the vast majority would say yes please.

However, the GAA as an organisation must not go down that road, in my opinion, for reasons that have been done to death here.

Anyhow, my mantra is that players who represent their county are honoured to do so, but should be looked after and not be directly out of pocket because of their involvement.

Thus by all means pay gym membership, give them gear, help them with diet etc. But that's it.

[INDIANA]

Quite frankly its pretty pathetic at this stage. If thats much of a problem Sean Og- play something else.
I used to know lads at college who were international rowers and trained 6 days a week, twice a day for a grant of 1000 Irish punts per annum. This concept that GAA is only the amateur bastion left in the world really is bullshit when you get down to it.
If you want to be a professional play something else- you won't be missed.

[passedit]

Alternatively he could retire and make a fortune 'coaching' teams, cos that's no problem nudge nudge wink wink.sshh here comes the taxman.

[brokencrossbar1]

It's hardly surprising that a lot of players would like to be paid. I'd like to be paid for playing tennis as badly as I do. But that doesn't mean it would be the right decision for Tennis Ireland to start paying people like me (even though I entertain countless dozens of people with the way I play).

That would be great fun to watch, you and I must meet in Carrigaline for a game before I go!  But seriously, the difference between your ananlogy and Indiana's is that Tennis Ireland and the Irish Rowing Association will not generate millions per annum on the back of the sports, the GAA will generate that amount of money with inter county squads, as will associated companies like O'Neill's and the various different sponsors.  While it is right to ensure that players are looked after, is that really enough to compensate them for what they do.  Of course it is an honour to play for your county but you have to work hard to get there.  It is an honour for Brian O'Driscoll to captain his country to a Grand Slam but did he do it just for the honour?  Bullshit, he is good at what he does and gets handsomly rewarded.

The commitments of the current inter county player, and for that matter a player on a top club side, have changed dramtically in the least 15 years.  When this question comes up on the board I often wonder how many of the nay sayers have played at a decent level to understand the commitment that is required and the abuse on your body that this involves?  I know AZ has played at a decent level but that was before the way things are done now.  I know 1 or 2 others do so at the minute and they are of the opinion that more money should be fed back to the players.  Full pay for play is unsustainable but a structured payment system backed by the sponsors and a central body should be implemented.  This should incorporate things like a basic wage, fringe benefits to include gym membership, health care cover(to continue after they retire) and other individual bonuses like sponsored cars etc.  So long as it is carefully monitored and a proper structure put in place I think it would work.

[Hardy]

Name the date, BC and turn up with your right arm in a sling.

Anyway, this argument has been done to death here, as AZ says and we all know each others' positions. Just to summarise my position, for old time's sake:

1. The player does not provide any kind of service to the GAA; the GAA provides a service to the player and that's the fundamental difference between amateur sport and sports where people have to be paid to participate.

2. The GAA cannot sustain payments to players without radically restructuring (destroying, in my view) the major competitions to the extent that the top level competitions (whatever they would be called by the sponsors who would decide their names) would be confined to the very small number of teams (whatever they would be called by the sponsors who would decide their names) that the market could support, playing to a new set of rules (heavily influenced by the sponsors who would ensure they were sexed up for TV).

It has proven impossible for all other sports to resist the march of pay for play, so you're probably right that it's bound to happen. But I won't be watching it.

[INDIANA]

It's hardly surprising that a lot of players would like to be paid. I'd like to be paid for playing tennis as badly as I do. But that doesn't mean it would be the right decision for Tennis Ireland to start paying people like me (even though I entertain countless dozens of people with the way I play).

That would be great fun to watch, you and I must meet in Carrigaline for a game before I go!  But seriously, the difference between your ananlogy and Indiana's is that Tennis Ireland and the Irish Rowing Association will not generate millions per annum on the back of the sports, the GAA will generate that amount of money with inter county squads, as will associated companies like O'Neill's and the various different sponsors.  While it is right to ensure that players are looked after, is that really enough to compensate them for what they do.  Of course it is an honour to play for your county but you have to work hard to get there.  It is an honour for Brian O'Driscoll to captain his country to a Grand Slam but did he do it just for the honour?  Bullshit, he is good at what he does and gets handsomly rewarded.

The commitments of the current inter county player, and for that matter a player on a top club side, have changed dramtically in the least 15 years.  When this question comes up on the board I often wonder how many of the nay sayers have played at a decent level to understand the commitment that is required and the abuse on your body that this involves?  I know AZ has played at a decent level but that was before the way things are done now.  I know 1 or 2 others do so at the minute and they are of the opinion that more money should be fed back to the players.  Full pay for play is unsustainable but a structured payment system backed by the sponsors and a central body should be implemented.  This should incorporate things like a basic wage, fringe benefits to include gym membership, health care cover(to continue after they retire) and other individual bonuses like sponsored cars etc.  So long as it is carefully monitored and a proper structure put in place I think it would work.

I am well aware of the requirements today- I don't think I need to put the teams I was fortunate to play for and coach as a justification for my opinion. And the point you're missing is you can't get a little bit pregnant.
Same way you can't pay players a little bit. You either do it or you don't. And when you start you can't stop. What you're proposing is a non runner in my opinion because players will want all the cake once they get a some form of payment. The younger generations will simply say I'm generating all the cash and I want it all. Then the club scene becomes like the Irish Rugby club scene.

Then its end game. the association we have is gone forever and it ain't ever coming back.
There is too much training at county level anyway for what is a poor standard. In my view. You only have to look at the lack of the basics last weekend to see the low standard of football at present. But the GAA wasn't smart enough to stop the monster when it started.
So its probably inevitable but when it does start thats my involvement finished. I'd prefer to remember being part of something I consider special rather than partake in something I inherently don't believe in.
I'm sick of the high opinions some county players have of their individual talents despite being unable to kick the ball accurately with one foot never mind two. And they want to be paid for that?

[brokencrossbar1]

It's hardly surprising that a lot of players would like to be paid. I'd like to be paid for playing tennis as badly as I do. But that doesn't mean it would be the right decision for Tennis Ireland to start paying people like me (even though I entertain countless dozens of people with the way I play).

That would be great fun to watch, you and I must meet in Carrigaline for a game before I go!  But seriously, the difference between your ananlogy and Indiana's is that Tennis Ireland and the Irish Rowing Association will not generate millions per annum on the back of the sports, the GAA will generate that amount of money with inter county squads, as will associated companies like O'Neill's and the various different sponsors.  While it is right to ensure that players are looked after, is that really enough to compensate them for what they do.  Of course it is an honour to play for your county but you have to work hard to get there.  It is an honour for Brian O'Driscoll to captain his country to a Grand Slam but did he do it just for the honour?  Bullshit, he is good at what he does and gets handsomly rewarded.

The commitments of the current inter county player, and for that matter a player on a top club side, have changed dramtically in the least 15 years.  When this question comes up on the board I often wonder how many of the nay sayers have played at a decent level to understand the commitment that is required and the abuse on your body that this involves?  I know AZ has played at a decent level but that was before the way things are done now.  I know 1 or 2 others do so at the minute and they are of the opinion that more money should be fed back to the players.  Full pay for play is unsustainable but a structured payment system backed by the sponsors and a central body should be implemented.  This should incorporate things like a basic wage, fringe benefits to include gym membership, health care cover(to continue after they retire) and other individual bonuses like sponsored cars etc.  So long as it is carefully monitored and a proper structure put in place I think it would work.

I am well aware of the requirements today- I don't think I need to put the teams I was fortunate to play for and coach as a justification for my opinion. And the point you're missing is you can't get a little bit pregnant.
Same way you can't pay players a little bit. You either do it or you don't. And when you start you can't stop. What you're proposing is a non runner in my opinion because players will want all the cake once they get a some form of payment. The younger generations will simply say I'm generating all the cash and I want it all. Then the club scene becomes like the Irish Rugby club scene.

Then its end game. the association we have is gone forever and it ain't ever coming back.
There is too much training at county level anyway for what is a poor standard. In my view. You only have to look at the lack of the basics last weekend to see the low standard of football at present. But the GAA wasn't smart enough to stop the monster when it started.
So its probably inevitable but when it does start thats my involvement finished. I'd prefer to remember being part of something I consider special rather than partake in something I inherently don't believe in.
I'm sick of the high opinions some county players have of their individual talents despite being unable to kick the ball accurately with one foot never mind two. And they want to be paid for that?

How am I missing the point?  I say pay them, but do so in a structured semi professional manner which is controlled.  I know that the arguments will be that there will be player transfer etc etc but that has happened over the years anyway, albeit at a lower level. 

You are right though, the GAA has released the "monster" as you describe it so instead of saying well now what do we do to control this you're happy enough to throw the head up and walk away.  You talk about county players with a high opinion of themselves, to be honest, you seem to have a very high opinion of yourself if you think that that is the way to deal with the issue.  I used to think that it shouldn't happen but the more I see of it the more I realise that if it is not addressed properly and the players engaged fully with then there will be a major fcuk up.  There is far too much backward thinking in the administrators who are more concerned with tinkering with the rules of the game than looking at the overall organisation and structures.  Until this attitude is changed the games will rumble on and on not really evolving. 

I believe that there should be a bit of foresight in how the whole system is to develop over the next 20 years, and the issue of payment will be part of that as will the restructuring of the competitions.