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Post by hurlingman on Oct 27, 2014 13:45:43 GMT
I read Colms article last Sunday on the GPA and the GPA's reply yesterday as well as Colms answers.
I must say I am shocked by the revelations particularly about the GPA text to all the members to tweet or twitter about Colms views. When I saw the replys from fellas like Joe Canning, Colm Cavanagh and particularly from Jason Sherlock it made me very suspicious. They all mentioned the word "lazy article" in their replies. Was this because they were told to say this? Also to finish the text with Meath Fcker. Disgraceful!!
Also the way the GPA mentioned Darren Fay getting a scholarship this was in bad taste. As he mentioned why dident the GPA head people mention Jason Sherlock getting a scholarship for his MBA Degree as well? Is it just a coincidence as Colm says, that the GPA's head of communications Sean Potts is also from Na Fianna like Dessie Farrel and Jayo.
The point that the GPA is not interested in club players was never answered by the GPA leaders. Anyone involved with club football or hurling will know that the GPA is only interested in the elite County players and some more so than others. I think it is time when the real heartbeat of the GAA , the club players stood up and were counted. They have stood silent for long enough.
Congrats Colm on talking the truth. We need more like you.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Oct 27, 2014 14:05:08 GMT
Colm is spot on and Farrel & Co have been bought off by the GAA pen pushers and we clearly have boys (boyos?) trying to do the work of men. I met a few of this GPA fraternity lately and it was so blatantly obvious that 'I'm alright Jack, pull up the ladder' is the mantra code. Then again I doubt they have much between the ears and isn't that why they are there, to take up the space of anyone with genuine concern for the heartbeat of the GAA.
The enemy within is worst but they will get a roasting here as the groundswell of people are sick of one saga after another, the Sky deal, instructing refs to knock games down to certain teams against a background of changing rules, etc.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Oct 27, 2014 14:25:46 GMT
This article further exposes what The GPA and GAA HQ are up to. This an area where I have background experience and my issue is that as a community sporting organisation the GAA needs to understand the underlying causes, some of which are external. Hopefully we will work towards that but remember that the hardest part of change is the first step, unshacking from those who benefit from a dodgy system. E.g. It is increasingly expensive to insure players because self-regulated solicitors syphon so much from the system. One Listowel based firm has trousered the equivalent of €1b down the years and the cost is borne by us all, not least those involved in voluntary work, including the GAA.
Proof of my wider argument is that Munster Rugby owes it's prominence to inclusion, E.g. many of the Kerry players even came from a Junior GAA club, Currow. Rugby in Leinster and Ulster was confined to then better off sections of society and Munster consequently caught up and overtook them all. And I could explain Connaught away as well!
Eugene McGee: Croke Park must take from rich and give to poor
The GAA has a lot of money at its disposal nowadays. The level of commercial sponsorship continues to increase and attendances at those games that are under the control of the Central Council has remained steady and seems sure to increase when the economy improves.
Concerts in Croke Park can add millions in a year also.
Many GAA people do not understand how the GAA receives its money and many think all the gate receipts end up in Croke Park. Not so.
The only gate receipts that are received by the GAA's central authority in Croke Park are those from the All-Ireland quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.
All other Championship money, including the lucrative six provincial finals in football and hurling, is controlled by the various Provincial Councils, not Croke Park.
What this means is that the distribution of income within the different sections of the GAA is haphazard at best and ridiculous at worst.
By the way, the National League revenue is divided in yet another different manner just to confuse people even more.
Roughly speaking, League money is pooled nationally, with participating counties getting about a third of the revenue from each League game and the rest going to a national pool, which is then allocated pro-rata to all 32 counties at the end.
With this rather complicated system of distributing the GAA's income, it is no wonder that discrepancies and unfairness can prevail.
Large counties get bigger crowds and therefore more income.
Often GAA bodies distribute money based on the number of clubs and once again the small counties lose out.
Hidden in there in the vaults of Croke Park nowadays is a body called the National Financial Management Committee (NFMC), which takes an overall view of handling the GAA's money to ensure that the old systems are changing and fairness and equality will apply more in future.
Interesting
Last week in this newspaper Martin Breheny published a lot of interesting information about the work in hand by the NFMC, which indicates that for the first time the GAA will attempt to pay lesser counties according to their financial needs rather than their previous status based on club affiliations.
In recent years a lot of once-off payments have been made to smaller counties but it is intended from now on to create a more level playing field, which will inevitably involve some money being taken from the rich and given to the poor.
That will probably mean that Dublin could lose out because they have been granted huge amounts of money over the past decade. For instance, the Dublin annual grant for coaching and games development of €1.5m is a quarter of that budget for the entire 32 counties.
Now, anybody who knows anything about the GAA in Dublin will realise that this money is being very well spent - indeed it is probably the best investment the GAA ever made.
It is a mistake to simply measure the success of the GAA in Dublin in terms of what the county teams win - far more important is the development of the game throughout the county, especially in areas where there has hardly ever been a GAA presence.
But the biggest problem facing football in particular is that over 20 counties have little or no chance of winning the All-Ireland, and many have no chance of winning a provincial title either.
This is demoralising for those counties, and if the GAA can spend more money wisely and under strict control, it could improve the quality of the game through high-grade coaching and other preparation in those counties.
That is what the GAA should be doing from now on, and forget about building Taj Mahal-type stadiums that will never be filled, of which we have too many already.
These ideas from the NFMC seem to be aimed in the right direction.
The GAA has lots of money - but they need to use it to promote the games above all.
That is the way to keep the counties strong - all the counties.
Ten questions of public interest that the GPA needs to answer
Most GAA people know little or nothing about the GPA but if they consult their website they will get plenty of information.
Here are a few questions of interest to the GAA public that you will not see answered on the website:
1. How many players are registered, paid-up members of the GPA? And how many players attended the recent AGM of the GPA?
2. Are the detailed financial statements of the GPA available for disclosure to all GAA members as with other branches of the GAA? If not why not ?
3. How much money per year is given to the GPA from the GAA?
4. How many Dublin players have been beneficiaries of funding in any capacity from the GPA in the past three years?
5. How many players from Leitrim or Longford have been beneficiaries of funding in any capacity from the GPA in the past three years?
6. Is it the policy of the GPA to insist on players being compensated for loss of wages if a game is fixed for a weekday thereby preventing such games being played, as happened to the scheduled Carlow v Laois fixture?
7. How many paid employees, full-time and part-time, are working for the GPA?
8. How does the GPA intend to make proposals for change in relation to fixtures, Championship structures and similar matters? Will they put forward motions to Congress through county boards?
9. What is the view of the GPA regarding members who travel abroad for the summer months leaving their clubs without their services?
10. Will the GPA always exclude club players only from services supplied by the GPA and presently paid for by the GAA?
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Post by hurlingman on Oct 27, 2014 22:33:26 GMT
The GPA members rants on Twitter from likes of Joe Canning and Jason Sherlock about O'Rourke sums it up really as they have benefited from GPA appearing on television ads eyc. I didn't see any players from Carlow,Wicklow or Antrim or any "ordinary" club player defending GPA on twitter.The GPA priority at the moment should be looking at fixture issues for club players many who are left idle all summer. The elitest players defending the organisation for the elite, their reaction has re enforced the point O'Rourke was making.
The silence from the GPA after yesterday's article is deafening were are they all know with their rehearsed answers dictated by the powers that be in the GPA I.e the "lazy journalism ". Eamonn McGee issued 10 questions that the GPA needs to answer one in particular caught my eye , the one with reference to how many Dublin players have benefited from education grants and I'm sure we can all guess it's a heck of a lot more than weaker gaa counties.I accept they do some great work but they are not exempt from criticism so rather than condemn and personally insult a past player who is still giving back to his own club in a role as manager and coaching school kids on a yearly basis they should look at themselves and what they actually represent as a group because from a club players point of view they are doing nothing.
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Post by homerj on Oct 28, 2014 12:40:45 GMT
the reaction is no surprise really, anything even remotely related to a unionised element normally involves militant replies and attacks like this.
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mossie
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Post by mossie on Oct 30, 2014 0:00:05 GMT
Colm O'Rourke wrote an article and nailed his colours to the mast. He expressed his opinions in an open way whether you agree with them or not
The GPA had the option of reply by way of letter to the editor and\or to issue a general press release. I am sure that they have the ways and means to get onto radio chat shows as well to put forward their case. I think they did these things but I hope players didn't reduce themselves to name calling in the fashion reported just because Colm expressed a different view
I can only imagine Colm is generally a players man? He managed Ireland in the international rules not a millions years ago, 2nd level colleges teams and his club. He did well with these teams so he must be good with players. Generally comes across as a reasonable GAA man and pundit
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Post by Mickmack on Oct 30, 2014 8:44:36 GMT
THIS IS COLM'S ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Back in the 1980s there was a move to start a players' association. Many of us at the time were driven by idealism, a wish to build a better organisation with player representation on all decision-making bodies.
In that era the attitude of officials towards players was completely hierarchical. The players' only role was to play and then keep quiet, very quiet. All decisions, big or small, were controlled tightly by county boards, provincial councils and central council.
In a way the increased access to third-level education let the genie out of the bottle. Players going to various universities and other institutes of education began to question everything from training methods, appointment of team managers and how they as players were treated. The first sign of a players' union was looked on as something akin to treason. After a while the youthful zeal of those involved, myself included, ran out. The GAA authorities ignored all approaches and players went back to being players.
The only course of action which would have shaken things up at the time was a strike to get recognition. There was no stomach for that as some were happy with their lot and without everyone on board the voyage was doomed.
These days we have the Gaelic Players' Association. I welcomed it at the time it was set-up. The strikes in Cork some years ago showed that the modern player has no problem standing up for himself and this brought about considerable improvements as a result in terms of gear, expenses, medical treatment and general esteem.
After an initial frosty relationship with the GAA, the GPA was given official recognition. Perhaps the GAA felt it was better to have this group inside the tent peeing out than outside the tent peeing in. Being outside the GAA they were trouble; inside they were just another committee.
The policy of smothering the GPA with kindness has worked a treat. It does not exist as a radical body acting on behalf of players anymore. The Progressive Democrats had a motto when they existed as a political party that they had to be either radical or redundant, when the radicalism went they soon became redundant.
It is not that the GPA is inactive. If you look at its website there is information on a lot of very useful projects that it is involved in, mental health awareness being one of them. Working in a busy secondary school brings me into contact with this issue on a regular basis. It is one of the things that the GPA has made players very aware of and the whole idea of well-being is something everyone should attempt to embrace.
One of the main problems I have with the GPA, however, is the sense of elitism emanating from it. It represents inter-county players and is unashamed in doing so. In my opinion it would be far better off doing something for club players, who are ignored on all sides. The issues facing club players are far more important than any inter-county group who are now generally looked after properly and have a fairly well-planned schedule of games. Of course inter-county players give a lot back, but the club man who is just as committed in his own way occupies a much lower place in the food chain.
The GPA is also very good at fundraising, and is particularly adept at this in the US. I don't understand, though, why the GPA needs money to deal with the issues facing players; they just need to actively engage in the way a union might.
The GPA had a group of supporters from the US playing a Ryder Cup format with their own chosen bunch in The K Club before the All-Ireland final.
I would have thought they would be better off protesting strongly about playing the All-Ireland semi-final replay in Limerick than organising golf outings. Those players needed a voice, someone to say they would play in Croke Park or not at all. Their silence was deafening.
I know, too, people took great pride seeing hurling being played in the famed Notre Dame University but the truth is that should be a secondary consideration. It would be time better spent ensuring more members get a chance to play hurling in Croke Park.
Or devise a system where every player, whether in football or hurling, gets a chance to play on the most important pitch of all. Would players from Leitrim, Longford, Carlow, Waterford, Sligo, Antrim, Clare and others like a system which gives them a chance to win something in football and play in Croke Park.
A championship which gives everyone a chance to play and compete at their level of ability is not difficult to work out. Which is more important? Spreading the message abroad and looking after number one at home should not be incompatible. They are, though, at the moment for the GPA.
The GPA might do more about player burnout, the overuse of players in spring when third-level colleges, county senior teams, under 21s and clubs are all looking for the same players, some of whom are on GPA scholarships.
This crisis in terms of overuse injuries, lack of sleep, too much training, and mental and physical fatigue is all washing over the GAA. That it is even an issue at all is actually challenged by some officials who do not think it even exists and the players have no voice.
For now, the role of the GPA should be almost exclusively at home, agitating on all the above issues which demand much more than passive engagement. Despite the overwhelming evidence of the need for change in these areas, the success of the GPA has been limited.
Ultimately, players don't just have some of the power, but actually all of the power. If the GPA said none of its members were playing until all the important issues which are causing such problems are sorted out, it would happen pretty quickly.
Instead, other considerations and other interests are allowed to dictate. The GPA has lost its way, it is just another GAA committee which is indulged because it doesn't rock the boat. A healthy tension should always exist between the GPA and the GAA. If it did not do the work on mental health, run a function for ex-players, and give out a few scholarships, the GPA could be just another advisory body to the GAA at central level. That is not what a players' representative body should be about.
Sunday Indo Sport
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Post by buck02 on Oct 30, 2014 10:26:30 GMT
The GPA should change its name really as calling itself the Gaelic Players Association is incorrect. It should be called the Inter County and high profile former inter county Players Association (or the ICHPFICPA).
The GAA announces every year what allocation it is giving to the GPA. I have never seen a breakdown (like an annual account) for the GPA. Its styles itself as a not-for-profit organisation. So is Rehab.
As it is essentially us, the ordinary GAA folk, who fund the GPA, I think its about time that we see a set of annual accounts, which includes salaries, expenses and so on.
Maybe then Dessie, I mean the GPA, can be taken seriously.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Oct 30, 2014 19:24:07 GMT
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Post by Mickmack on Oct 30, 2014 21:52:07 GMT
Colm himself is a fully bought up member of the establishment and The Sunday Game has done plenty of damage to certain amateur GAA players/
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Post by hurlingman on Oct 30, 2014 22:29:35 GMT
A few other questions.
How many of their members are from weaker counties? The likes of Longford hurlers or Waterford footballers? What are they getting if they are?
What is an intercounty player? If im a sub on the Kerry panel but dont actually play any game am i an intercounty player? Do they do anything for me? What if i play in the league but get dropped for the championship? Am i still able to be a member?
If iv played at every grade bar senior, and won All Irelands can i be a member?
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Post by givehimaball on Oct 30, 2014 23:01:57 GMT
The big question is about the money?
How much do they get in and what is it spent on?
I did see somewhere that the GPA has 10 full-time employees which strikes me as a lot.
We've seen so many charities in Ireland that use the "we do good work" line to defend against accusations of mispending money on junkets and stupid expense claims and work/money being directed towards connected parties as opposed to
IF the GPA wants to retain credibility it needs to make all its financial records openly and easily available.
Pretty simple job to stick records of all its spending up on it's website and let everyone look at them.
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Post by hurlingman on Oct 31, 2014 10:35:45 GMT
The big question is about the money? How much do they get in and what is it spent on? I did see somewhere that the GPA has 10 full-time employees which strikes me as a lot. We've seen so many charities in Ireland that use the "we do good work" line to defend against accusations of mispending money on junkets and stupid expense claims and work/money being directed towards connected parties as opposed to IF the GPA wants to retain credibility it needs to make all its financial records openly and easily available. Pretty simple job to stick records of all its spending up on it's website and let everyone look at them. The fact its not easily available should be a huge red flag. How much for example is Dessie Farrell making? Must be a a decent wage as he was afer jacking in his job as a nurse. And a club mate of his is the PR man. Out of a workforce of 9, this "national organisation" has 2 from the same GAA club! |
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Post by ruralgaa on Oct 31, 2014 12:53:33 GMT
A few other questions. How many of their members are from weaker counties? The likes of Longford hurlers or Waterford footballers? What are they getting if they are? What is an intercounty player? If im a sub on the Kerry panel but dont actually play any game am i an intercounty player? Do they do anything for me? What if i play in the league but get dropped for the championship? Am i still able to be a member? If iv played at every grade bar senior, and won All Irelands can i be a member? There's a brilliant piece in "Working On A Dream", a book following the Waterford footballers for a season, where they were contacted by Donal Og. He was emailing all GPA members to lend their support to the Cork hurlers on their strike in 2009. One of them replied to his email "if you don't like playing for your county, retire"  |
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Post by kerrygold on Oct 31, 2014 12:57:38 GMT
Aside from the fixtures issue, what exactly is the main plight/plights of Joe/Josephine Soap, the ordinary club player?
The fixtures issue is unsolvable due to the nature of the lopsided provincial structure.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Oct 31, 2014 14:41:34 GMT
Aside from the fixtures issue, what exactly is the main plight/plights of Joe/Josephine Soap, the ordinary club player? The fixtures issue is unsolvable due to the nature of the lopsided provincial structure. ...and the J1 Visa. |
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Post by givehimaball on Oct 31, 2014 16:14:58 GMT
The fact its not easily available should be a huge red flag. How much for example is Dessie Farrell making? Must be a a decent wage as he was afer jacking in his job as a nurse. And a club mate of his is the PR man. Out of a workforce of 9, this "national organisation" has 2 from the same GAA club! Yeah the "optics" of it really don't look good. Dessie is chief executive of the GPA. Obviously he was a key member in setting up the GPA but does this mean he's now in a job-for-life in his own personal GAA fiefdom type situation now. Very hard to shake the notion that the person who has benefited most from the setting up of the GPA is Dessie. If stuff comes out about an exorbitant salary with insane expenses like we've seen in some of the semi-state and state boards it could get very very ugly. Or even if there's stuff about a disproportionate amount of Dubs benefiting from grants or educational aid, given Farrell's involvement with the minors and U21s. Those questions asking about Dublin players benefiting compared to Leitrim or Longford players in the McGee piece don't seem to be the kind of thing plucked from thin air. |
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Post by lár na páirce on Oct 31, 2014 17:20:41 GMT
Aside from the fixtures issue, what exactly is the main plight/plights of Joe/Josephine Soap, the ordinary club player? The fixtures issue is unsolvable due to the nature of the lopsided provincial structure. No i think the club player has alot of welfare issues 1.Obviously the fixture mess with competitions dragged out and gaps between games 2.Club teams suffering because county players are not being released by inter county managers for big games 3.Younger players being dragged from pillar to post between club,county,college,district,minor,u-21,senior 4.County championships returning to knockout to accommodate the senior inter county team 5.Wexford & Tipp county boards withdrawing their football champions from the club all ireland IMO The GPA serve to few players to be recogonised as a real players association,I would like to see a club players association to serve the needs of the playing membership of the GAA not just the big name county players |
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Post by kerrygold on Nov 1, 2014 12:58:55 GMT
Aside from the fixtures issue, what exactly is the main plight/plights of Joe/Josephine Soap, the ordinary club player? The fixtures issue is unsolvable due to the nature of the lopsided provincial structure. No i think the club player has alot of welfare issues 1.Obviously the fixture mess with competitions dragged out and gaps between games 2.Club teams suffering because county players are not being released by inter county managers for big games 3.Younger players being dragged from pillar to post between club,county,college,district,minor,u-21,senior 4.County championships returning to knockout to accommodate the senior inter county team 5.Wexford & Tipp county boards withdrawing their football champions from the club all ireland IMO The GPA serve to few players to be recogonised as a real players association,I would like to see a club players association to serve the needs of the playing membership of the GAA not just the big name county players All these club issues are symptoms of the national fixtures list at county level which is a symptom of the lopsided nature of the provincial structure. Which is why I question, what can the GPA do for the club player? More so in light of the intransigence to change within the greater GAA family to redefining the provincial boundaries. My question was, what issues do club players face aside from the fixtures issue? Bearing in mind that at club level the game is in it's most pure form of amateurism. I.e. playing for the love of the game and pride of parish. |
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Post by kerrygold on Jan 1, 2015 13:23:35 GMT
GAA must clarify GPA role in future of Gaelic Games
Thursday, January 01, 2015
Younger and hungrier, the GPA has been quick to spot opportunities where money streams can be created or increased
While always keen to highlight the worthiness of their welfare activities, the great irony of the Gaelic Players’ Association is that their real brilliance always lay in the commercial sector.
Truth be told, the GAA owes a huge debt of gratitude to the players’ body. Younger, sharper and hungrier, the GPA has been much quicker to spot opportunities where revenue streams can be created or increased. The GPA has a track record of highlighting areas where the GAA was failing to exploit the full potential of a particular market.
Consider these two examples. In the not too distant past, the GAA’s sponsorship system provided room for only one company per game. Guinness had hurling. Bank of Ireland had football. That was it. Then Dónal O’Neill, the GPA’s very own Gordon Gekko, burst onto the scene. The business-minded O’Neill made no apologies for identifying the obvious. He pointed to all the major sporting events and observed the GAA’s sponsorship model was hopelessly outdated.
O’Neill said the GAA should be following the same route as the Champions League. They should be recruiting one title sponsor for football and hurling and several associate sponsors. A few years later, and hey presto, the GAA was implementing O’Neill’s advice, virtually to the letter of the law.
Dessie Farrell, who replaced O’Neill as the chief executive of the GPA, also showed how the GAA was behind the times.
During the 2012 All Star Tour to New York, Farrell delivered an impressive presentation. During the course of his talk, he observed that Aussies Rules was being shown on a cable channel in America. More than 12 million Americans were tuning in to a highlights programme. At the same time, Irish immigrants were still relying on elaborate satellite contraptions to see certain GAA games, which were only available in pubs.
Farrell’s message was clear. The GAA’s foreign broadcast deal wasn’t fit for purpose. Two years later and we have GAA Go, a digital channel which is already broadcasting Championship games to 157 countries. Beyond this island, Gaelic Games are now accessible to basically anyone whose television, computer, tablet or mobile phone is connected to the internet. When it comes to fundraising, the GPA has also proved to be well ahead of the game.
Under the terms of the five-year deal which was brokered in 2011, the GAA agreed to give the GPA €8.75m, that’s €1.75m per year.
The GPA insisted that €1.75m wasn’t enough. To fulfil all their goals and objectives, they wanted approximately €4m per year. The GAA insisted that they wouldn’t provide that amount of money. However, they gave the GPA the green light to make up the deficit via their own fundraising activities.
True to form, the GPA immediately spotted a lucrative gap in the market — corporate America. Their last three fundraising banquets have all been in New York — Gekko’s town. Last October, the gala dinner was held in the New York Plaza Hotel. Suffice to say, it’s a plush spot. A room at the Plaza this week will cost you £700. The Waldorf Astoria is only £350.
The GPA’s pitch is staggeringly simple. They hand out awards to filthy rich Americans.
In 2012, they honoured Donald R Keough, the former President of Coca-Cola. Keough turned up and was delighted to receive his Ireland/US Heritage Award. Last year’s committee was co-chaired by Adrian Jones, the managing director of Goldman Sachs.
Forget ‘Strictly Irish Dancing’ and sponsored bike rides. The Heritage Awards are the way to go. Corporate America has proved to be fertile ground. Last year’s dinner raised $600,000. It would be extremely churlish to criticise the GPA for their latest demonstration of financial ingenuity.
Faced with a €2m deficit and the challenge of raising revenue from untapped sources, they found a solution. Their enterprise should be applauded. However, the GAA needs to step in and stop the GPA’s fundraising work.
Negotiations are currently underway for the new five-year deal which will run from January 2016. In the initial talks, Páraic Duffy and Fergal McGill have represented the GAA while Dessie Farrell and Dónal Óg Cusack have acted on behalf of the players’ body. Under the new deal, Croke Park should ensure the GPA’s transatlantic fundraising is brought to an end. And if that means increasing the money which is given to the GPA, then they should make that compromise. What is the problem with the GPA raising money in America?
It’s simply a matter of credibility. The GPA is a players’ union. Its primary purpose is player welfare. Just take a look at the GPA’s website and observe the vast range of services they provide for players.
The list includes: Cardiac Screening
Injury insurance and dental protection
Scholarship Programmes
Training and Development
Career Planning and Job Searching
Entrepreneur programmes
Personal Counselling and Addiction Support
Financial and Tax Advice
Hardship Fund
If the GPA is to deliver the best welfare possible, they can’t afford to be dividing their efforts. America is an unnecessary diversion.
No man can serve two masters. If Dessie and Dónal are constantly travelling to and from New York, they will not be channelling their formidable energy into the extensive range of projects set up for the players at home.
Moreover, it’s unfair to expect the GPA to fulfil both of those very demanding challenges. If the GAA really wants the GPA to come inside its tent, then it should be prepared to fund them accordingly. Its players’ union shouldn’t be running to America to scrape up money for its programmes.
A better alternative would see the GAA take ownership the Ireland/US Heritage Awards. The bulk of the funds could be channelled into the GPA. It would also be a good idea to distribute some of the money to the clubs around New York.
Yet again, the GPA has shown the GAA how and where money can be raised. And yet again, the GAA should humbly copy and paste the GPA’s strategic model.
But a new line needs to be drawn in the sand.
As the governing body, it is incumbent upon the GAA to provide the players’ union with money. It’s the GPA’s job to provide players with support.
Those roles shouldn’t be confused.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved
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Post by fitz on Jan 2, 2015 11:58:07 GMT
Clearly entrepreneurial acumen has been a very positive highlight of the progress and impact of the GPA. Exposing outdated business practices by the GAA is a good thing. However this successful money train may well have elevated self importance by being able to showcase these achievements. The consistent message emanating is that the elite county players are reaping most benefits. If so, change the name of the organization to remove ambiguity and also answer the questions put by very credible GAA men like McGee and O'Rourke instead of allowing lazy disrespectful tweets from some of its members go unchecked. I personally believe elite county players deserve more benefit not because they are in any way better than every clubman in their commitment to their clubs, but nationally they do contribute more to the financial stability and success of the GAA. Also I think they train harder and sacrifice more re:diet, strict regime etc. Yes of
course the pride of the jersey is huge honour, but it's to easy to use this to offset all the effort.
The GPA needs to desensitize, take accountability for ALL of its members, outline clearly who those members are, have codes of honour discipline to manage same.
The stakeholders are the entire GAA community and they are answerable to them.
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