Tyrone to defy strike (from today's Irish Independant)

[GrandMasterFlash]

By Martin Breheny
Friday November 09 2007


TYRONE will defy the strike action if the GPA calls on its players to withdraw their services at the start of the 2008 GAA season.

In a sensational development that will increase tensions on the day the GPA are expected to announce that a large majority of their membership favours strike in pursuit of the €5m Government grant package, Tyrone manager, Mickey Harte has given a commitment that the county will field a senior football team in all competitions next year.

He is also confident that many of the current team will make themselves available, even if strike action is called.

"Have no doubt about it -- Tyrone will have a team in whatever competitions are on. What's more some of the current players will definitely be involved. I also think that the same would apply in many other counties," he said.

Describing the GPA's strike threat as ill-advised, he said that while their frustration over the failure to find a mechanism to release the €5m grant to the players was understandable, it was not a strike issue.

"There has to be a way around this, rather than going on strike. I hope -- and I believe -- that it can be sorted out because, apart from anything else, going on strike would do enormous damage to the players. Whoever devised the strike tactic was badly advised," said Harte.

The GPA has called a press conference for 1.0 today, presumably to announce the result of a ballot of players on possible strike action. A large majority are likely to be in favour of giving the GPA leadership the right to call a strike for next January if the GAA and the Government fail to resolve the grants issue

"There are difficulties there but surely they can be resolved. All I know is that players want to play, not go on strike and when it comes to it, many of them will play next year even if a strike is called," said Harte.

He said that the public would be dismayed by the strike threat at a time when players are catered for better than ever before.

"People are well aware of the standard of provision made for county players nowadays. They stay in top quality hotels, have the best coaches, doctors, physios and medical back-up.

"This has happened over a period of time and it's right that it has because the players deserve it. However, it's there now so strike action should not enter the equation, irrespective of what disputes arise over grants.

"People will find it hard to understand why players would want to withdraw their services given that the much improved conditions do prevail," he said.

Harte believes that the GAA is a partnership between a number of parties and queries what impact it would have if administrators or, even more critically, referees called a strike.

"The referees have as much power as the players. If there are no referees, there are no games so what if they called a strike?"

Harte's comments will be seen as deeply significant, especially his confident assertion that even if a strike were called, Tyrone would still be in a position to field a team, including many top line stars because if that applied in other counties, it would render the strike action worthless.

- Martin Breheny

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This is bad situation for the players.. If they don't strike they're violating the GPA (if they have signed up to it that is) and if they do strike they run the risk of getting dropped as their manager doesn't agree in principal that the strike is a good idea! I think it's unfair also as not every county has the financial backing of the likes of 'Club Tyrone'. I can see this having an adverse effect across the GAA fraternity..

[mannix]

If the strike goes ahead and tyrone are the only one team of the top 6 in the country to field a full strenght team for the championship  and they win it would it mean as much to them?
I doubt it.

[heffo]

I think he's dead right.

It was different five years ago, when players weren't being looked after, now they have access to gym membership, get the best of gear, get good mileage rates, have top class hot food after training, stay in the best hotels, most get very good team holidays with a few grand spending money - if 'elite athletes' still don't want to represent their county, the counties should find the players that do.

Inter county football is merely the window dressing of the GAA.

[Smiler An Dun]

Ross Carr stated 2 - 3 weeks ago that Down will also be fielding a team no matter what, if the strike takes place.  He would have no idea who the starting 15 will be but is confident of getting 15 players in Down to pull on the jersey

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Has Mickey Harte talked to Sean Cavanagh???  Good to see a manager come out and say this...the GPA are on a hiding to nothing with the so called "strike" no matter waht way it goes.

[his holiness nb]

Fair play to Mickey, lets have some more managers do the same.

[the Deel Rover]

any chance of kerry going on strike by themselves

[ONeill]

I think it has to be said that hot meals are vastly overrated. In fact, I find it kind of off-putting.

Poor Wicklow won't have a side this year with Micko in charge.

[orangeman]

Fair play to Harte - this might take the wind out of the GPA sails !

[Balboa]

I wonder how Sean Cavanagh feels about this.......

[BennyHarp]

I wonder how Sean Cavanagh feels about this.......

I would bet that sean cavanagh feels the same as mickey harte, cavanagh is in a well paid professional job and has turned down offers of a professional contract in aussie rules because of his love of playing for tyrone. I cant imagine him jeopardising his position for a few hundred quid grant!

[Balboa]

Well Cavanagh has always seemed like one of the biggest exponents of the GPA

[Leo]

Ross Carr stated 2 - 3 weeks ago that Down will also be fielding a team no matter what, if the strike takes place.  He would have no idea who the starting 15 will be but is confident of getting 15 players in Down to pull on the jersey

Ross is finding it hard enough at the minute to get 15 players to pull on the Down jersey never mind trying to defy a strike.

Also, a few years ago Ross might have been at the head of the GPA strike queue!

Anyway, if the GPA feel they have a point the most effective way of demonstrating this would be to play on but cover up any sponsor logos on their shirts etc. - its all about money at the top as well lads!

[the Deel Rover]

I wonder how Mc Geeney would feel if there was a strike called ? Is he still be a member of the gpa?

[DMarsden]

Factually, the title of thread is totally inaccurate.

Mickey is saying he will field a team whatever happens and speculating that there will be players who break the strike.

there'll be no strike anyway