Inter county transfers- Interesing letter in todays times

[Declan]

LEVELLING THE GAA PLAYING PITCH

      Madam, - Des Broderick (September 21st) makes some worthwhile points about GAA sports coverage, but he also raises the almost annual debate on the fairness of the main competitions. Of course Kerry and Kilkenny won the football and hurling championships and these two will continue to pop up as long as the games are there - in the present set-up.

      Nicky Brennan, the GAA president, in his inaugural speech last year said: "The reality with the senior football championship is that many counties have no chance of success". He didn't even mention the hurling.

      That is indeed the reality, and it has been getting worse for as long as I have been following the game - 50 years or so. In that time, there have been enormous demographic changes on this island, but no account has been taken of their implications for the All-Ireland championships, which are based on an arrangement put in place at the GAA's inauguration in 1887 and largely unchanged since then, with the exception of the clubs ceasing to represent the counties as from 1923. This arrangement is based on the rule which states that a player may play only for his county of birth or present permanent residence.

      However, since the 1880s, the population of many counties has halved, while that of others has hugely increased - in the case of Dublin, it has trebled! The population of Leitrim, for instance, is less than 3 per cent of that of Dublin. Confining counties to their natural stock of player material in the face of disparities of that magnitude is nothing less than absurd.

      There is also another side to it. In the case of counties with a large population, the competition for places on the county panel is severe - only players from high-profile or successful clubs are likely to earn consideration.

      And the solution? Surprisingly simple: introduce a transfer system for players on county teams. This should be done on a handicap basis, related to the county's performance in the previous season, and would have to be strictly controlled, with a maximum number for each level of performance. Or, as they say in the financial world, terms and conditions apply.

      Would it work? Well, there are certainly other factors which have a large bearing on a county's place in these competitions, but I certainly think that this change would introduce a level of fairness that is now missing, would raise the standard of play and would help to reduce the terrible tribalism that symbolises the game at present. Who wouldn't applaud, say, a Leitrim team with a couple of Dubs, a Kerryman and something from the "wee North" sweeping the deck and winning Sam?

      Would the GAA's competitions review body think it worth considering? Or safe?

      - Yours, etc,

      JOHN NEWMAN, Dublin 11.

[Onlooker]

Hard to see this having any great appeal.  Imagine a Munster Football Final with 15 Kerrymen playing for Limerick playing 15 Kerrymen playing for Kerry.   If Limerick won that game, would it really mean anything to a Limerick supporter.  I don't think so.

[screenexile]

Hard to see this having any great appeal.  Imagine a Munster Football Final with 15 Kerrymen playing for Limerick playing 15 Kerrymen playing for Kerry.   If Limerick won that game, would it really mean anything to a Limerick supporter.  I don't think so.

Does it mean anything to an Arsenal supporter when they win an FA Cup/ Premiership?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

This letter doesn't quite hold it together logically -- if Dublin were winning year-in and year-out then such a suggestion might be worthy of consideration at least, since the thrust of this letter equates population with success; but that's far from the case.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Does it mean anything to an Arsenal supporter when they win an FA Cup/ Premiership?

They'll switch allegiance as per the deepest pockets, not what the GAA's about.

[Hardy]

2 out of 2 there Fear. Good scoring.

[Orior]

I'd like to see a Dublin City and Dublin County team. Thev rest should stay as is. Who said change is good?

[Frank Casey]

The GAA has been based on parish first and then county but most of all it has been based on a birth connection to one or the other. Transfers will only open a flood gate with players flocking to the counties offering the best "packages" just like a few of the management tourists. Packing a team with non-natives will sever the connection with the supporters and will discourage the native born players. Exceptions for fellows re-location for genuine reasons is one thing but this would kill the GAA.

[orangeman]

Load of shite - next subject please - sorry if I'm condescending here - I'm in a bad mood - just watched that shite on UTV !

[Aristotle Flynn]

Non runner IMO. What sort of lad is going to travel half way across the country to train hard and play for another county? Slippery slope to semi pro IMO>

[Maguire01]

I'd like to see a Dublin City and Dublin County team. Thev rest should stay as is. Who said change is good?

How much of the county is not part of the city at this stage?

Anyway, in relation to the letter, i think it's crap. Personally i'd rather Monaghan made it to the quarters or semis with a team of Monaghan men that to the final with a load of blow-ins who weren't good enough to get on their own team.

[Louth Exile]

The letter makes reference to the disparity in population levels between Dublin & Leitrim. Strangely the only intercounty transfer I remember between these counties was from the wee county to the one with millions (his name was Declan too!)

While we're at it, Louth will have Anthony Moyles, Aaron Kernan, Paul Finlay....

Never going to happen, as pointed out, it leads to semi-professionalism or "packages". Also pointed out already, there is nothing like cheering on your own men.

[orangeman]

What sort of a job ?


What sort of a wife ?

[Tiger Craig]

Not suggesting this is what should be done, but for interest in some amateur and low level semi-pro (maybe only the playing coach and 1 or 2 players being paid) Aussie Rules leagues a point system is used.

Each player is given a point allowance, and a club can field a certain number of total points. So, a local junior who has only ever played for the club is worth 1 point, a local junior returning to the club is 2 points etc etc, up to a paid player with no junior connection being worth, say, 15 points. Total points the team is allowed may be 50.

The system allows players to move around, but still provides an incentive to produce your own juniors and stops 1 team dominating the league or enticing too many paid players.

[dubinhell]

I'd like to see a Dublin City and Dublin County team. Thev rest should stay as is. Who said change is good?

Why pick on Dublin?? They don't win very much. Might have a large total population but Cork has more GAA clubs, Kerry + Kilkenny are more succesfull but have tiny populations.

And besides, "weaker" counties don't realistically expect to win the All-Ireland. Were Monaghan not overjoyed with thier QF performance against Kerry or Donegal with thier NFL win ??