Sean Og

[AZOffaly]

One question. How come the best hurlers in the country are Trappist Monk like in their silence on these types of issues? Where's Henry Shefflin or Ken McGrath or Eoin Kelly or Tommy Walsh? Why are they not constantly bemoaning their lot.

My fatigue at Sean Óg's bleating is nothing to do with the GPA. We know the dedication that county players put in to play, and we know it's hard to balance a successful career and a successful inter-county career. It's also hard to balance a family life and other things.

But, if it is too hard to do, then just stop. Finish it. Play for your club, and accept that it's too difficult on you to give any more commitment. No one could really have a go at you, except maybe other players who are continuing to do it.

Sean Óg has done damn well out of the GAA, financially and fame-wise. His has understanding employers in the bank, eager to capitalise on his fame, no doubt. But I think Sean Óg's real problem is that his brothers are getting paid to be sportsmen, and he isn't.

I would count myself very much in favour of player welfare, but not financial gain. That's my one and only bugbear with the GPA, because I just don't trust them when they say they are not about money or pay for play. I think the public ideals they were set up with are noble and worthy.

[his holiness nb]

In fairness to Sean óg, and I am opposed to the players stance in all this, I think peoples views on the players strike are clouding their views on his comment.

He mentioned it was tough squeezing work in with training etc. Nothing wrong with that.

If I was interviewed (not likely    ) and I was asked about work and training, and I was being honest, I'd say sometimes it is tough to rush straight from work to training, then get home after 10pm, then straight to bed for work in the morning.

I know thousands of guys around the country do the same, doesnt mean its any easier for him personally. He didnt say it was tougher for him than for anyone else, just thats its tough.

I honestly dont see his comments as a whinge.

[Minder]

One question. How come the best hurlers in the country are Trappist Monk like in their silence on these types of issues? Where's Henry Shefflin or Ken McGrath or Eoin Kelly or Tommy Walsh? Why are they not constantly bemoaning their lot.

My fatigue at Sean Óg's bleating is nothing to do with the GPA. We know the dedication that county players put in to play, and we know it's hard to balance a successful career and a successful inter-county career. It's also hard to balance a family life and other things.

But, if it is too hard to do, then just stop. Finish it. Play for your club, and accept that it's too difficult on you to give any more commitment. No one could really have a go at you, except maybe other players who are continuing to do it.

Sean Óg has done damn well out of the GAA, financially and fame-wise. His has understanding employers in the bank, eager to capitalise on his fame, no doubt. But I think Sean Óg's real problem is that his brothers are getting paid to be sportsmen, and he isn't.
I would count myself very much in favour of player welfare, but not financial gain. That's my one and only bugbear with the GPA, because I just don't trust them when they say they are not about money or pay for play. I think the public ideals they were set up with are noble and worthy.

I think that is it in a nutshell AZ.

[AZOffaly]

In fairness to Sean óg, and I am opposed to the players stance in all this, I think peoples views on the players strike are clouding their views on his comment.

He mentioned it was tough squeezing work in with training etc. Nothing wrong with that.

If I was interviewed (not likely    ) and I was asked about work and training, and I was being honest, I'd say sometimes it is tough to rush straight from work to training, then get home after 10pm, then straight to bed for work in the morning.

I know thousands of guys around the country do the same, doesnt mean its any easier for him personally. He didnt say it was tougher for him than for anyone else, just thats its tough.

I honestly dont see his comments as a whinge.

These comments in isolation are not unusual, nor in themselves constitute much of a whinge. But during the strike he was on about 'dedication' as well, and that wasn't the first time either. This is not the first time he is implying that the public don't know how hard IC players have it. I don't want to get into anything personal about Seán Óg, because I do appreciate the effort the lads put in, but what I would say is that if he cannot do it, then don't do it. I'm not trying to be harsh, or smart arsed about it, I'm genuine.

Re. The GPA again, I meant to add that I don't actually know, or care, if Seán Óg is a member of the GPA. I suspect he is, but if he weren't, I'd be saying the same thing to him about this issue.

[irunthev]

One question. How come the best hurlers in the country are Trappist Monk like in their silence on these types of issues? Where's Henry Shefflin or Ken McGrath or Eoin Kelly or Tommy Walsh? Why are they not constantly bemoaning their lot.

My fatigue at Sean Óg's bleating is nothing to do with the GPA. We know the dedication that county players put in to play, and we know it's hard to balance a successful career and a successful inter-county career. It's also hard to balance a family life and other things.

But, if it is too hard to do, then just stop. Finish it. Play for your club, and accept that it's too difficult on you to give any more commitment. No one could really have a go at you, except maybe other players who are continuing to do it.

Sean Óg has done damn well out of the GAA, financially and fame-wise. His has understanding employers in the bank, eager to capitalise on his fame, no doubt. But I think Sean Óg's real problem is that his brothers are getting paid to be sportsmen, and he isn't.

I would count myself very much in favour of player welfare, but not financial gain. That's my one and only bugbear with the GPA, because I just don't trust them when they say they are not about money or pay for play. I think the public ideals they were set up with are noble and worthy.

I couldn't have put it better if I had spent the next month trying to compose a reply. My initial post wasn't anti Sean or anti GPA, it was merely an observation that on a number of occasions in the past he has taken the opportunity to mention the difficulties that working life presents to his GAA activity and pursuit of excellence and success. It's the same for every other guy in the GAA, even at club level, just get on with it. Nice guy, great hurler, brilliant athlete, kind to his mammy and daddy, does a lot of good work for charity, great bank official, potential TD maybe, nothing bad to say about the guy at all, apart from his issue with mentioning that he has to work.

[irunthev]

In fairness to Sean óg, and I am opposed to the players stance in all this, I think peoples views on the players strike are clouding their views on his comment.

AZ you are fast becoming my new best friend. 

[theskull1]

Yes ....good post AZ

Regarding the difficulty of working and training (never mind the task of digesting the three course meals after training), the question needs to asked why the GPA are not bleating about the commitments being too much and that Croke Park need to limit the ammount of training sessions to allow amatuer sports people to have a life outside of the GAA?

Add to this the specific moaning of IC players about the difficulty in balancing work, family, sporting commitments without balancing their comments in some way (i.e. It's tough, but I wouldn't give it up for anything, or I can be tough, but in life you have to work hard to achieve youre goals so I'm happy to do it) tells me that the GPA want the training to become more and more professional in terms of approach and required commitment until it gets to a stage where they can stand up and say..."we're training like professionals here so pay us like professionals". All part of a very subtle long term startegy IMO

[Zulu]

Iruntev this is what you posted in your opening post

Great player or not, is this guy the greatest whinger and martyr of all time or what.

Now you're trying to say that you weren't having a go at him, I don't know too many lads that wouldn't be a bit insulted if they read that about themselves. Like I've already pointed out Sean Og gets more opportunities than most to speak to the press/TV, so his views on issues are going to be repeated more than most.
             However all the man said was it can be tough training most nights a week and holding down a full time job, which is true. Do any of you ever complain about your jobs, girlfriends/wives, training, the price of drink or the weather here in Ireland? I'll take an educated guess and say you've all have and more than once I'd bet. Well you'd better all follow your own advice then and either change job, dump the better half, quit sport, give up the drink and leave Ireland or shut up complaining.

[quidnunc]

I've met the man a few times and I always thought him to be one of the greatest living Irishmen - no exaggeration - except when it came to appraising the whole amateur/professional argument and now Frank Murphy/Cork administration.

Sean Og is the sort of guy who trains compulsively out of habit, not because he has to. Isn't it well documented that he went to the gym the morning after Cork won their last All-Ireland hurling title? No-one was forcing him to do it. His dedication is admirable, but it is based on choices he makes himself.

TheSkull1 is spot on with regard to the GPA's attitude to training. The leading personalities in the GPA are all "more training is good" disciples. Which is okay if they want to live their lives that way. But then they try to force the whole of the GAA to change to suit their choice of lifestyle.

We don't even begrudge the free cars Cork county players get. We raise our eyebrows about their appearance fees, but we don't shout about it. They should know that we appreciate their commitment, and our acceptance of these freebies they get reflects this fact.

It's not true to say that the comments on this thread are simply anti-GPA, although a few have definitely gone too far with the sarcasm about a man I still think has many attributed of greatness.

What the comments really reflect is the fact that in proportion to the amount of power and money they accrue, players lose ordinary members' goodwill.

Certain players don't seem to realise that their lives will only be worse if they get grants - for the small amount of money that is in them, they will have a lot more work/training stress and less goodwill.

[Uladh]

What the comments really reflect is the fact that in proportion to the amount of power and money they accrue, players lose ordinary members' goodwill.

Certain players don't seem to realise that their lives will only be worse if they get grants - for the small amount of money that is in them, they will have a lot more work/training stress and less goodwill.

Without touchin on the rest of your post, the above is absolute nonsense.

and by the way, i object to your inference that intercounty players are better than the rest of us. although croke park would have you believe different, i believe they are ordinary members too.

[ardmhachaabu]

Jaysus, if he is so hard done by, let him give it up.  Moaning whinger that he is.

[quidnunc]

and by the way, i object to your inference that intercounty players are better than the rest of us.

When was the last time you were offered a free car because of your GAA profile?

(Do you know how much a car costs, and if so, do you think ordinary members get offered the equivalent because of their GAA profile or earn the equivalent amount while county players are training?

And yes, I know not every county player has a car, but we are talking about Sean Og and his comments here.

[Pull Hard Hes No Relation]

Quidnunc, Sean Og actually get's a car from Ulster Bank with whom he is employed and yes there is no doubt that his terms fo employment are "flexible" due to who he is and the type of role that Ulster Bank want him to perform but let's not forget that back in the 70's and 80's when unemployment was rife in Ireland very few intercounty players on the top teams were unemployed as they were all in jobs due to their profile so this isn't a new fad it is just more structured and in the public eye more.

I would raise an eyebrow about your comments regarding appearance fees when you mention the Cork players, do you want to eleborate on this with some specific examples rather than hear say and are you also suggesting that Cork are the only county whose players are in sponsored cars or indeed alledgedly getting paid for appearances.

As someone who has had the priviege of having a number of the Cork hurlers at his club on 4 occasions I can state that they never asked for a penny and when offered money as an appreciation of the time they had taken to travel etc they refused.

Happy to be proved wrong if you can back up your assumptions with facts but it certainly hasn't been my experience.

[quidnunc]

PHHNR, I agree county players have always done relatively done well 70s, 80s, whenever. I never disagreed with that. Though Uladh appears to beg to differ.

It is widely known that certain Cork players charge appearance fees. Figures have been quoted on another website recently, and specific sums keep getting mentioned in various quarters. Players' agents are involved. As I said, ordinary members tolerate this. Maybe we shouldn't, but we don't have chips on our shoulders about county players. Most of us despise the GPA, but that is a different matter.

Your challenge for me to quote specific figures here is futile and I think you know it. Firstly, I don't think it would be appropriate legally to be naming figures for certain players. And even if I could legally, it would seem that I was out to get certain players - which I am not - so I won't be quoting any figures.

I also know that it is regular practice for players in many counties to claim travelling expenses they are not entitled to, but I have no interest in a name and shame game.

[quidnunc]

My opinion is that there are posters who don't have the first notion what the man is like, staining sean og's charachter.

I thought I had made this clear:

I've met the man a few times and I always thought him to be one of the greatest living Irishmen - no exaggeration - except when it came to appraising the whole amateur/professional argument and now Frank Murphy/Cork administration.

Is it a stain on his character to say he is "one of the greatest living Irishmen"?