Sean Og wants pay for play

[orangeman]

Today's Irish Daily Mail :

"The GAA last night came under increasing pressure to consider paying players as two more inter -county players called for a controversial rethink. Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy and Aisake O hAilpin have joined Aisake's brother Sean Og in calling for some form of professionalism in Gaelic games."

[INDIANA]

The AIL was never massive in Ireland and unlike rugby we are asking players to play both IC and club on a regular basis, therefore club players are sitting around waiting for players who already have a packed season to come back and play with them. Professionalism isn't going to happen but we should be thinking a bit more throughly about the IC v club situation as the club season is a complete joke in many counties.

People lose all interest in watching club games with no county players so you get a respective drop in income come championship time. The chariman of one of the richest rugby clubs in the country is a neighbour of mine. And they are now financially broke. You are incorrect on the AIL. I went to AIL games at this club- often 8-9000 there. Its now a wasteground. More people go to watch our lowest grade junior football team playing championship then attend AIL games with this team now. 200 is the average attendence at an AIL Div 1 game now.

With respect Indiana, 8-9K attending some games didn't make it massive, you could have driven around a lot of Ireland without coming across a rugby supporter, let alone pitch 15 years ago. The pitch situation may not have improved much but the fan base has. Some AIL games had reasonable gates but the vast majority of the country barely new it was on, that isn't a massive sporting league.

As I pointed out already, there aren't good crowds going to club games as it is and even in Dublin which has 2 recent AI club champions don't get great crowds going so I don't think the club games provide a serious source of revenue to clubs and it is one which we could replace quite easily I would imagine.

The club scene isn't a money generator and it shouldn't be viewed as such, I'm sure there are many intermediate and senior club players who would prefer to play regular games in a well structured season, even if the crowds are smaller than what they have to put up with a present.

Zulu in the current climate club championship games provide a greater source of revenue for the DCB then you think. I'm not joking. As I said the GAA has allowed a monster that it cannoy now control develop.

[illdecide]

Today's Irish Daily Mail :

"The GAA last night came under increasing pressure to consider paying players as two more inter -county players called for a controversial rethink. Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy and Aisake O hAilpin have joined Aisake's brother Sean Og in calling for some form of professionalism in Gaelic games."

Tell them we had a Rethink and the answer is still "NO". If you don't like it then don't play the sport, I'm sick to the teeth of these greedy selfish Intercounty footballers and Hurlers. I'm playing senior Div 1 football and have done for the last 15 years, I'm manager for the reserve team and on our committee, I'm also on two other subcommittee's and the only thing i get out of the GAA is go and sell more tickets but i do it cause i love our game and the club. So when i hear about these IC men crying about money it sickens my bollix

[longrunsthefox]

Today's Irish Daily Mail :

"The GAA last night came under increasing pressure to consider paying players as two more inter -county players called for a controversial rethink. Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy and Aisake O hAilpin have joined Aisake's brother Sean Og in calling for some form of professionalism in Gaelic games."

... and then there were three. Here we go... hell slap it up the GAA bosses who hadn't the balls to stand up to the GPA.   

[passedit]

Today's Irish Daily Mail :

"The GAA last night came under increasing pressure to consider paying players as two more inter -county players called for a controversial rethink. Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy and Aisake O hAilpin have joined Aisake's brother Sean Og in calling for some form of professionalism in Gaelic games."

... and then there were three. Here we go... hell slap it up the GAA who hadn't the balls to stand up to the GPA.   

The hole in the dyke appeared with the payment of managers. There's still no will to tackle the manager situation so it's no surprise others want their slice of the pie.

[INDIANA]

Today's Irish Daily Mail :

"The GAA last night came under increasing pressure to consider paying players as two more inter -county players called for a controversial rethink. Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy and Aisake O hAilpin have joined Aisake's brother Sean Og in calling for some form of professionalism in Gaelic games."

... and then there were three. Here we go... hell slap it up the GAA who hadn't the balls to stand up to the GPA.   

The hole in the dyke appeared with the payment of managers. There's still no will to tackle the manager situation so it's no surprise others want their slice of the pie.

I agree but have you ever managed a team? Playing was so much easier.

What has to be stamped out is managers being paid by the training session and some of the fees some of them earn which are ridiculous- especially one of whom was on TV recently

[longrunsthefox]

I see people in my own club give hours at committee meetings, organising youth football, fund-raising, coaching kids and wouldn't dream of crying for money.  These boys are a disgrace and would be nobodies without the GAA and all the volunteers. They are well looked after and many of their jobs and status is through playing for their county. If they don't like it they should f** off. They won't though because they need their county football and hurling more than the GAA needs them. In Cork there were lads only too glad and proud to pull on the jersey when the hurlers, (Sean and Donal Ogs included  ) threw the dummy out of the pram.       

[passedit]

I agree but have you ever managed a team? Playing was so much easier.

What has to be stamped out is managers being paid by the training session and some of the fees some of them earn which are ridiculous- especially one of whom was on TV recently

I have indeed Indiana, and no I didn't enjoy it as I was trying to play as well but combining both was less onerous than the current intercounty player's lot. When an IC player sees some chancer picking up €80 a session for some junior team it's only human nature to ask where's mine.

[bingobus]

In my eyes the whole Intercounty scheme has exploded in last few years. Its no longer fun for anyone involved, its professional in all but name. I hate it to be honest.
The clubs are completely ignored. In Monaghan, our senior team didn't play a game until after the NFL and now they are playing Sunday-Wednesday-sunday with reserve games in between and county training on the other nights. This will happen for another few weeks until the end of May, when they'll be nothing for weeks.
This week the seniors played sunday, C's on Monday, B's on wednesday and Seniors again tonight with B's tomorrow night. The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

If we introduce pay for play, the club will die. Once pay is introduced you are bound by employment legislation and thats a whole new can of worms. The GAA has already gone mad with court cases on recent years and this would take it to a whole new levels. County squads would have to protect there employees and that would mean that they belong to the county board and not the club. And thats a view on a very simplistic level.

In my eyes the GAA need to tackle the position of county football. Its shouldn't take 5 weeks to play the first round of the Ulster championship, 2 or 3 at the very most.

[bingobus]

I agree but have you ever managed a team? Playing was so much easier.

What has to be stamped out is managers being paid by the training session and some of the fees some of them earn which are ridiculous- especially one of whom was on TV recently

I have indeed Indiana, and no I didn't enjoy it as I was trying to play as well but combining both was less onerous than the current intercounty player's lot. When an IC player sees some chancer picking up €80 a session for some junior team it's only human nature to ask where's mine.

In a few years that IC player will be that chancer 

[Zulu]

In my eyes the whole Intercounty scheme has exploded in last few years. Its no longer fun for anyone involved, its professional in all but name. I hate it to be honest.
The clubs are completely ignored. In Monaghan, our senior team didn't play a game until after the NFL and now they are playing Sunday-Wednesday-sunday with reserve games in between and county training on the other nights. This will happen for another few weeks until the end of May, when they'll be nothing for weeks.
This week the seniors played sunday, C's on Monday, B's on wednesday and Seniors again tonight with B's tomorrow night. The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

If we introduce pay for play, the club will die. Once pay is introduced you are bound by employment legislation and thats a whole new can of worms. The GAA has already gone mad with court cases on recent years and this would take it to a whole new levels. County squads would have to protect there employees and that would mean that they belong to the county board and not the club. And thats a view on a very simplistic level.

In my eyes the GAA need to tackle the position of county football. Its shouldn't take 5 weeks to play the first round of the Ulster championship, 2 or 3 at the very most.

Why do you say professionalism will destroy the club when it appears clear that amateur GAA is destroying the clubs, this is what you said yourself about the current situation..

The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

IMO it can't get much worse than that. We all agree that we can't afford to pay palyers and retain the basic structure of IC GAA, i.e. the county teams. Therefore it isn't an issue worth worrying about, however what is worth considering is how we look after our IC players who do generate massive money for the whole association and provide a proper club ceason to the majority of our players. We must find that balance because tellin IC to f**k off if they're not happy is no solution at all.

[INDIANA]

In my eyes the whole Intercounty scheme has exploded in last few years. Its no longer fun for anyone involved, its professional in all but name. I hate it to be honest.
The clubs are completely ignored. In Monaghan, our senior team didn't play a game until after the NFL and now they are playing Sunday-Wednesday-sunday with reserve games in between and county training on the other nights. This will happen for another few weeks until the end of May, when they'll be nothing for weeks.
This week the seniors played sunday, C's on Monday, B's on wednesday and Seniors again tonight with B's tomorrow night. The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

If we introduce pay for play, the club will die. Once pay is introduced you are bound by employment legislation and thats a whole new can of worms. The GAA has already gone mad with court cases on recent years and this would take it to a whole new levels. County squads would have to protect there employees and that would mean that they belong to the county board and not the club. And thats a view on a very simplistic level.

In my eyes the GAA need to tackle the position of county football. Its shouldn't take 5 weeks to play the first round of the Ulster championship, 2 or 3 at the very most.

Why do you say professionalism will destroy the club when it appears clear that amateur GAA is destroying the clubs, this is what you said yourself about the current situation..

The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

IMO it can't get much worse than that. We all agree that we can't afford to pay palyers and retain the basic structure of IC GAA, i.e. the county teams. Therefore it isn't an issue worth worrying about, however what is worth considering is how we look after our IC players who do generate massive money for the whole association and provide a proper club ceason to the majority of our players. We must find that balance because tellin IC to f**k off if they're not happy is no solution at all.

There is no workable solution Zulu. One has to give and it will be the clubs. And the IC players know this and thats what I object too.
The clubs can't survive without the IC players and the IC players haven't the time to play with them and in some cases don't want to play for them.

So where the money is being created is where the players will go.

[bingobus]

In my eyes the whole Intercounty scheme has exploded in last few years. Its no longer fun for anyone involved, its professional in all but name. I hate it to be honest.
The clubs are completely ignored. In Monaghan, our senior team didn't play a game until after the NFL and now they are playing Sunday-Wednesday-sunday with reserve games in between and county training on the other nights. This will happen for another few weeks until the end of May, when they'll be nothing for weeks.
This week the seniors played sunday, C's on Monday, B's on wednesday and Seniors again tonight with B's tomorrow night. The seniors where due to play again on Monday but it was pulled, not because they club player was been protected but because the county team want to play a challlenge on Sunday.
Players will pick up injuries, get fed up, don't know when championship is etc etc. All to suit a group of 24/30 elite players. And this is all for one or maybe 2/3 games a year 

If we introduce pay for play, the club will die. Once pay is introduced you are bound by employment legislation and thats a whole new can of worms. The GAA has already gone mad with court cases on recent years and this would take it to a whole new levels. County squads would have to protect there employees and that would mean that they belong to the county board and not the club. And thats a view on a very simplistic level.

In my eyes the GAA need to tackle the position of county football. Its shouldn't take 5 weeks to play the first round of the Ulster championship, 2 or 3 at the very most.

Why do you say professionalism will destroy the club when it appears clear that amateur GAA is destroying the clubs, this is what you said yourself about the current situation..

Professionalism will take it to another level. In fact as someone said you'd have two organisations. Alot of clubs rely on there 1/2 real quality Intercounty players. If it goes professional then these clubs will struggle. The gaa club will become feeder clubs to county panels, development panels, etc. I could see the competitiveness going from clubs, they will get no reward from any players leaving and will just be left to struggle on. This may not happen as much in bigger countries where many clubs won't have any county players but in the majority of counties clubs will struggle to remain competitive.

I can already see the conflict between club and county teams growing at a huge rate. If it was the case that the county was elite, in affect, you'd drive a barrier between the two that may never come down. I could even see counties having an ameteur team and professional team competing in separate competitions.

[Hedley Lamarr]

The tail will not wag the dog!! It is simply not sustainable. Some inter county players seem to forget where it all began.....
at their local club with volunteer coaches etc.

[Zulu]

here is no workable solution Zulu. One has to give and it will be the clubs. And the IC players know this and thats what I object too.

There's a workable solution to everything surely?

Professionalism will take it to another level. In fact as someone said you'd have two organisations. Alot of clubs rely on there 1/2 real quality Intercounty players. If it goes professional then these clubs will struggle.

I think that what you're talking about there is not maintaining clubs but maintaining success and I don't see why they have to be connected. Anyway if a small club lost its two best players it would weaken the team but bigger clubs might lose 5 or 6 players and be no less weakened so the competitiveness of the club scene could remain.

If we look at soccer, there are loads of people playing club soccer and there are levels there for everyone, yet the best players go pro why couldn't our club games survive if 30 -50 players left to play at a higher level? 

The point I'm making has less to do with professionalism anyway because that isn't possible but I do think we need to look at solutions to the issues bingobus has highlighted and I can assure you it is a lot worse in other counties.

Our IC season needs to be restructured,
the provincial championships need to be binned,
the Railway cup should never see the light of day again,
restrictions should be put in placed on how many IC teams a player can play for,
dual players should be forced to choose by playing both codes on the same weekend,
the AI's should be finished by August,
and the league should be connected to the championship.

There are some radical enough proposals there but all of tehm should be implemented as quickly as possible IMO as we need to get our heads out of our asses and realize that we can't be all things to all men. Rugby and soccer are getting their acts topgether and will replace us as the main sport if we aren't careful. At the moment our IC season is a series of glorified challenge matches until July or even August and our club scene is put on hold to facilitate that farce, we have manged to make a bollocks of both them which is no small feat.