Its Time to Say no to the GPA Deal

[Red Hand Luke]

This is my first time posting on the Board, however I have viewed the comments made on it for years.

I feel strongly about the existence of the GPA and the announcement made today over player grants.  

The sentiments coming from vast majority of posters on the discussion board is that they are opposed to the GPA and what they stand for.

Today President of the GAA, supported by officials signed up (in principle) to a deal that will ultimately led to semi-professionalism for the association, in simple terms our leaders have caved in and GPA has won.

The indications coming from Croke Park over the last 8 months made it clear that the association would not be distributing any money from the Sports Council to players, however today it was agreed that a National Committee comprising of GAA volunteers and "GPA officials?" would administer the grants and they would be supported committees at County Board level.

This issue needs to be debated and decided by the Grassroots, this decision has far reaching consequences and is of more importance (to the internal association) than the rule 21 or rule 42 debates.  

Central Council will meet on Saturday 8th December and the President has stated that the purpose of this meeting is to "ratify" the GPA deal............

Central Council is a democratically elected body and doesn't have to ratify anything......call your central council delegate and ask him is he going to vote the GAA out of existence next Saturday......Tell your central council delegate that this month will be election time for him and he should vote against semi-professionalism as the grass roots GAA volunteers in the county put him on the Central Council, they can also take him off it.....!

If you are a GAA member, then ask you Club Secretary to write the Director General and CC your county and provincial secretary, tell the top table at Croke Park that we the Grassroots GAA volunteers say no to this deal. County Conventions will be run across the county in December go to your convention ask to speak under AOB and raise the issue.

Now is the time, we need galvanise the grassroots, let our voice be heard, this is a battle for the future of GAA, we need to take back control of our association and stop the Dublin media and a group of self interested retired players setting the agenda of the largest Sporting, Cultural, Voluntary and Community Organisation in the world....





Tell your Central Council Delegate before next Saturday:

•   No to pay for play
•   No to players grants being administrated by the GAA
•   No to recognition of the GPA
•   Yes to Player Welfare
•   Yes to Amateurism
•   Yes to Grassroots recognition and support  


Don't let Dessie Farrell and Co dismantle our Club network, sneak professionalism in through the back door and insult generations of grassroots GAA volunteers who built our association.

[orangeman]

Luke - we've been virtually semi professional for a while now anyway- this just makes it official - we're too late - the GAA are seeking to maximise their revenue and the GPA are going to do likewise - we're swimming against the tide - or pissing in the wind - or something like that !

Tool late too late the maiden cried !

[Red Hand Luke]

Its never to late, If they (the management committee) don't listen, we will shout louder, nothing is impossible, take two minutes of your time and drop an e-mail to your central council delegate, if you are an Armagh man its Gene Duffy....his address will be on the Armagh web-site, tell him that you are opposed to the deal being approved next week and let him know that this is the consensus of the grassroots of the association.

Lets take some action, use this board to push the agenda

[DUBSFORSAM1]

And what about hte players, GAA officials and grass roots who support this.....

[stephenite]

And what about hte players, GAA officials and grass roots who support this.....

There's very few of the grass roots that support this, stop making things up Dessie, ya hungry despicable little tr**p

[Bensars]

It has to be ratified yet !

If every club was given a vote, it would be IMO a resounding no !

[DUBSFORSAM1]

And what about hte players, GAA officials and grass roots who support this.....

There's very few of the grass roots that support this, stop making things up Dessie, ya hungry despicable little tr**p

Stephenite - I respect anyone else here who has their own point of view and believe everyone is entitled to express it.....

Your response is what I would expect from a soccer fan!!!

[stephenite]

Seriously - is that the best you have - what you would expect from a soccer fan? Coming from you Dessie I though you'd be a bit more aggro. If there was (and indeed should be) a GAA 'referendum' with every member voting, you and your ilk would be sitting on your holes outside county grounds with pathetic little placards demanding money - the mandate for the type of change grubby little gits in the GPA want should only from come from the grass roots - we will than see how many of them support ye

[Maximus Marillius]

You can bull shit all ye want...the GPA are here to saty and make no mistake about that. All the posters on this board who have belittled the GPA and were certain that this was Custers last stand have been made to look stupid...i mean really brainless and naieve. I can't say that i'm delighted, but i am not surprised thay won this battle. Looks likes Dessie is alot brighter than many of our posters. a massive slice of humble pie boys and make sure not to choke when swallowing. Although the whole think would make you sick. Who can this be stopped?...lads it can't....history has shown us time and time again...when money is introduced and lets face it the GAA is now a massive money making machine, intregity and value bases go right out the window. I'm wondering at this stage will my next door neighbours young lad get paid for playing by the time he grows up to play footy for Derry, if hes good enough..I wouldn't hold my breath. Only a matter of time before players are paid, unfortunate, sad, but true.

[Armaghtothebone]

It's time to wake up and smell the coffee people.There already is a two tier GAA.There is the GAA that we are all members of,with its clubs,its weekly lotto,it's draws etc. and there is another GAA,the Corporate sponsored,Live televised GAA Senior Inter County Championships.The 2 are now but distant cousins.
The 100 or so players who opperate at the very top of both codes are attracting huge revenues both as paying spectators and Tv viewers.
What i know about hurling could be completely written on a postage stamp, but most summer Sundays i sit down to watch a top game.I would recgnise maybe 30 inter county hurlers if I saw their photo.Why should'nt those guys be rewarded for the time and effort they have put into their game in order to get to a level where I and hundreds of thousands of others want to watch them?    

[orangeman]

I think you're totally wrong there Maximus - I think the GPA have been made to look silly after threatening to throw the toys out of the pram ! The grassroots GAA person is disgusted at the stance the GPA took and they were particularly disappointed with the public utterances of their chief Dessie Farrell - jealous f---kers etc etc - it hasn't served their cause well at all.

[Armaghtothebone]

I think you're totally wrong there Maximus - I think the GPA have been made to look silly after threatening to throw the toys out of the pram ! The grassroots GAA person is disgusted at the stance the GPA took and they were particularly disappointed with the public utterances of their chief Dessie Farrell - jealous f---kers etc etc - it hasn't served their cause well at all.

Orangeman I'm a grassroots fan.Go to maybe 20-25 games a year.Hand over maybe 5/600 yoyo a year to the GAA.Do you really think Mr. Duffy gives a thought to what I think?
The GAA needs revenue(Croke Park opening).
If You think for one second that the powers that be in Croke Park would allow the Championship to be effected by a strike then I think you are mistaken.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Seriously - is that the best you have - what you would expect from a soccer fan? Coming from you Dessie I though you'd be a bit more aggro. If there was (and indeed should be) a GAA 'referendum' with every member voting, you and your ilk would be sitting on your holes outside county grounds with pathetic little placards demanding money - the mandate for the type of change grubby little gits in the GPA want should only from come from the grass roots - we will than see how many of them support ye

Stephenite - I feel sorry that in your sad mind you can't tolerate someone having a different opinion to yours...I have no connection to the GPA , I would get no benefit or anything out of it....Name any other issue that there has been a "referendum" on with every member voting? Do you not trust the GAA officials to do what is right for the GAA???
Why don't you demand that every club/county that pay any players/administrators be kicked out of the GAA??
I have done my share for building up the GAA both in a playing, coaching, team setup and administration role so I have as much right as anyone to have my view...

[ziggysego]

The GPA original reason for setting up was a just reason and no-one could fault them for that. Things today are a lot better for inter-county players.

I say let the GPA stay, but as a watchdog to the GAA to ensure that things don't slip back to what it used to be. However they need to have a clear remit as to what their existance is for. Grants and pay-for-play / professional should not be one of those things.

Dessie and his ilk... well they're not the people for the GPA.

[give her dixie]

The slippery slope has well and truely started.
Dessie and co. thanks for ruining our beautiful game.