Theres lots of debate on the GAA.com board but I wonder what is the local view in Offaly.
Does anyone have any idea on how the players feel about it and if it did actually come to pass (which I doubt) would the county board insist on fielding a team from players who are available.
Plus corporate IT have banished GAA.com to the frozen zone, but not this one, I miss the sideshows.
GPA Strike Mandate
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the bare biffo
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GPA Strike Mandate
"The ball may pass, but the man, never."
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Lone Shark
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Re: GPA Strike Mandate
Anything I can say here will only be a duplication of what I've said on that board, but even so....
It amazes me that the GAA have given the GPA such an easy ride - there are so many questions that they just couldn't answer, and yet they get away without having to. This is why I'm slightly concerned with the current situation. If the GAA chose to act aggressively and deliver the GPA a mortal blow, they are in a great position to do so. Insist that counties fulfil their fixtures, drop a few subtle messages to the general public about how the GPA believes that it's the players who draw the crowds and encourage supporters to travel to games to deliver a clear message about how that's not the case. You'd get 5,000 plus at every O'Byrne cup game and the GPA wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
Having said all that, the GPA has done some good work and I can understand that being confrontational at every turn is not the way to go. Nobody wants to return to the day of players being left without medical cover, being left spending fortunes on petrol to training and so on, but this carry on of "lost income" has to be cut out immediately. Every player who plays Gaelic Football or hurling, from intercounty to club junior C could be better off if they were working overtime instead of playing - but they play because playing is fun, and they want to do it. Every so often the job has to come first, and that's as it should be - I've been at three different clubs in the last five years (probably moving to 4 in 6 soon) and in every case I've missed games due to my job, and at times too I've skipped work to play in matches - always my choice. The GAA should make it very clear that everyone is welcome to play, but nobody, no matter how good they are, is obliged to do so.
I do hope if push comes to shove we field a team, but my gut feeling is that it won't come to that at all. The one potential spanner in the works is the upcoming budget, seeing as Bertie and Brian reckon that "restraint" is the order of the day.
I wonder what the GPA's contingency plan is for that particular scenario - let's face it, if it doesn't happen this budget, it won't be far away.
It amazes me that the GAA have given the GPA such an easy ride - there are so many questions that they just couldn't answer, and yet they get away without having to. This is why I'm slightly concerned with the current situation. If the GAA chose to act aggressively and deliver the GPA a mortal blow, they are in a great position to do so. Insist that counties fulfil their fixtures, drop a few subtle messages to the general public about how the GPA believes that it's the players who draw the crowds and encourage supporters to travel to games to deliver a clear message about how that's not the case. You'd get 5,000 plus at every O'Byrne cup game and the GPA wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
Having said all that, the GPA has done some good work and I can understand that being confrontational at every turn is not the way to go. Nobody wants to return to the day of players being left without medical cover, being left spending fortunes on petrol to training and so on, but this carry on of "lost income" has to be cut out immediately. Every player who plays Gaelic Football or hurling, from intercounty to club junior C could be better off if they were working overtime instead of playing - but they play because playing is fun, and they want to do it. Every so often the job has to come first, and that's as it should be - I've been at three different clubs in the last five years (probably moving to 4 in 6 soon) and in every case I've missed games due to my job, and at times too I've skipped work to play in matches - always my choice. The GAA should make it very clear that everyone is welcome to play, but nobody, no matter how good they are, is obliged to do so.
I do hope if push comes to shove we field a team, but my gut feeling is that it won't come to that at all. The one potential spanner in the works is the upcoming budget, seeing as Bertie and Brian reckon that "restraint" is the order of the day.
I wonder what the GPA's contingency plan is for that particular scenario - let's face it, if it doesn't happen this budget, it won't be far away.Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
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Bord na Mona man
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Re: GPA Strike Mandate
Exactly, compensating for "lost income" is a non-starter. Will a county board be expected to compensate the stockbroker who gets 150k per year for every day he might take off work to train with a county team?
Re: GPA Strike Mandate
That Mcmanus guy gave a good account in today's Indo
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Square Cab
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Re: GPA Strike Mandate
Im just wondering how much support is out there for the GPA? I for one do not support their stance. Their whole argument is flawed. Im in total agreement with Lone Shark on this one. Players make all of these commitments for the love of the game, not because there is a gun put to their head. There are junior footballers the lenght of this country who make huge sacrafices to play the game they love. I for one make a 100 mile round trip twice a week during the season without receiving a penny for it. Over-time is just not an option. And why do I do it? Cause Im a feckin eejit and I love the game! The GPA are forgetting that the cornerstones of this wonderful organisation are the hundreds and thousands of un-named volunteers who give up their sunday mornings to go look after fifty screaming kids and a football. As soon as you bring money into the equation it starts to breed contempt (feck this, if he's getting paid then why shouldnt I?). Not one of the Offaly panel should contemplate going on strike (not that it will come to that) in light of the performance they gave against Dublin this year. If anything they should be bursting to get out there and prove that they are not the gutless underperformers that many observers labelled them as this year. Pride in the jersey should always take precidence over money. Dont get me wrong, the players should be looked after but pay for play is wrong. And thats exactly what the GPA are looking for no matter what way they want to dress it up.