Not surprised that a motion proposed by a Dublin club opposing the players’ grants scheme was roundly beaten.
I think this is a sign of things to come at Congress.
As I have argued before the grants scheme is a way of managing the ever-more professional approach taken to our games without destroying the whole structure.
This is a period of huge change for Gaelic Games, I believe we have to manage it rather than dig in or put our heads in the sand and hope that the changes aren’t going to happen.
The Association has come up with a way of managing the Irish government scheme, which sees our players treated on an equal basis with other Irish sportsmen and women.
Some opponents of the scheme have chosen to oppose the changes on a legal basis but I don’t think this is any strategy at all.
There is already a huge amount of shamateurism in our games and if we can pay ‘expenses’ to bar staff, groundsmen, kit men and women, managers, physios, doctors, trainers and coaches then the grants proposed in the scheme aren’t going to propel us into a professional free for all like rugby or soccer.
I hope the scheme is adopted by Congress, if it isn’t this time around it surely will be in the future as it will be better for the association as a whole if we grasp the nettle.
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6 comments:
Hi Sean,
It's interesting to note that Dublin's position has changed from January when a majority were against the "grants", although no vote was taken. http://www.hoganstand.com/Dublin/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=87808
It seems they--unlike Of One Belief--have changed their position now that the sanitised "eligible expenses" scheme, has been fully explained. Why didn't Croke Park publish the full details earlier?
I think we're now in a better position than we would have been had Of One Belief not spoken out. (A) The GPA have had to back peddle and sign up to "amateurism" for a while longer--the longer the GAA can hold off professionalism the better. (B) The players get an extra contribution--be careful, we can't call it a reward--for their huge commitment.
The GAA can breathe a little until the next battle.
Ronan
Hi Ronan,
I think it's a case once again of people having more information about the debate and I think that Of One Belief and others who galvanised opposition to the scheme have played a role in this.
I think too that people have had a chance to look at this issue for period of months now and that has contributed to Dublin's change of heart.
I felt at the start of the current phase of this debate in the winter that it was being premised on the sky falling in on us if there was change.
I hope people are sitting back and looking at the impact of this in a way where we can retain all that's good about our association while dealing with a big change in society and in sport as a whole.
I think Croke Park looked at what was doable given the build-up of opposition and the wording of the 'scheme' was very carefully chosen
in my opinion as a senior hurler and footballer at club level, there is a strong argument that players deserve a contribution for the commitment given and expected to play at the highest level...
look at the Irish league players... they train twice a week and a game on Saturdays and get paid hundreds sometimes even thousands pre week! its a joke!
We train on Monday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night and Sunday at 830am (if we aren't travelling South of the boarder for challenge games)...That is commitment as i don't receive a penny!
i play GAA for the love of the game and because i am a proud Irish man, but I sacrifice a lot of time and money from my own pocket for the Game... However I won't change it for the world!
I play division 1 hurling for Naomh Eoin... my point regarding 'contributions' is that club players give just as much commitment as county players so contributions should be put back into their clubs...
Hi 303,
There was a piece done the other week where the Derry players said that they would be putting part of their grant money back into their local clubs.
Now some might see this as a publicity stunt but in general I find that most of our top players are putting something back in to their clubs in the shape of coaching, taking teams or just simply playing for the club as often as they can.
I am for the grants scheme as I think our players put it in over and above the call of duty.
a chara
There's arguments for and against the grants that are hard not to agree with...
But like i have said some club teams are giving just as much commitment as county players which annoys we regarding grants being given only to county players... i don't play county through choice...
like your saying some players are putting the money back into there club, because at the end of the day that is the GAA's bread and butter...
303,
I'm not against club players receiving some sort of either expenses or grant aid, my only concern would be that it would be above board and transparent rather than below the counter.
I do think that it is another debate though which like the county players scheme needs a good thrash out as payment of club players could completely distort the balance of power in club football and hurling in favour of clubs with the biggest bank balance and that's not a road I want to go.
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