Professional GAA players

gbh

I'd be interested to hear if people are in favour of professionalism in GAA or not?

I'm in favour of it. It would mean probably more inter-country games per season and more on TV with all the major channels bidding for games, although hopefully satelite channels wouldnt have a stranglehold like with soccer in England.

Maybe if the players were paid for the league and you had a few of the bigger games in Croke Park it would fund itself, something like that.

Kojak

I would be totally against going full professional as it would totally ruin the club scene which, lets not forget, is the essence of the GAA. If county players went professional then the club scene would be destroyed as the "professionals" wouldn't play for their club as;

1. They wouldn't get paid for it.
2. If they got injured while playing for their club, they wouldn't be able to play for the county and thus not get as much money.

Also I have heard that many volunteers at under-age would stop thier work coaching young lads if the GAA were to go professional - if this were to happen the whole structure of the GAA would collapse and, worst case scenario, it would self-destruct.

I am not saying that GAA players, both club and county, should be out of pocket for travelling long distances to get to training (for example) - I'm just saying that, IMO, full professionalism will destroy the GAA. Well that's my opinion anyway.

kevmy

Kojak wrote:

I would be totally against going full professional as it would totally ruin the club scene which, lets not forget, is the essence of the GAA. If county players went professional then the club scene would be destroyed as the "professionals" wouldn't play for their club as;

1. They wouldn't get paid for it.
2. If they got injured while playing for their club, they wouldn't be able to play for the county and thus not get as much money.

Also I have heard that many volunteers at under-age would stop thier work coaching young lads if the GAA were to go professional - if this were to happen the whole structure of the GAA would collapse and, worst case scenario, it would self-destruct.

I am not saying that GAA players, both club and county, should be out of pocket for travelling long distances to get to training (for example) - I'm just saying that, IMO, full professionalism will destroy the GAA. Well that's my opinion anyway.

I agree. I would say thats the majority of the populations view as well. The structures of the GAA are just not able too handle going fully professional.

Flukey

Pay for play would destroy the game. Anyway, the players are professional. They are professional, doctors, farmers, businessmen, accountants, etc. etc. etc.

looder

players should not be paid. this would ruin the game. clubs would collapse and thus ruture stars wouldn't be produced.

it would destroy yhe gaa

Flukey

Professionalism would destroy the game. At its heart is its amateur status, and that players pay with passion for a jersey, for the club, for their family, for their friends, for their community, for their party and not for money.

How many English Premiership teams could field a team of 11 Englishmen, let alone 11 men from the locality of the club? A player playing passionately for a club now, could find themselves playing for another club after the next transfer window. There isn't that same real sense of belonging or passion for the club, that the local players have. No matter what, a player like Stephen Gerrard, could never give the same passion for another club that he could give for Liverpool. There would always be something, maybe not much, but a special ingredient that no other club could extract.

There are many stories of English soccer players and managers attending GAA matches, and being surprised at the passion that players play with. OK, we are in no place to talk after our Cyprus performance, but for the most part, soccer and rugby players have a different approach when they play for their country, than for their club. Some of that passion was evident again in our performance against the Czech Republic. The vast majority of GAA players, play for their local club and for the county they were born in, so there is a stronger tie to their team, that money and a resulting transfer market could buy.

Outside of that anyway, we could not afford it. Players should get expenses, money for their treatment of injuries, but never pay for play. It would rob the game of its most unique element. Gaelic games are very local sports, unique to this country. Unlike soccer, rugby, golf etc. there is no real international outlet for it for players to move on to make a career of it. Many players have become professional sportsmen, but in other sports. Many high profile professional sports people from Ireland, had their first sporting outings in Gaelic Games. Having other professions also gives them something to make a living from when their sports career ends, something not always available for professional sports people. On retiring, many go into obscurity as they don't all have something to fall back on.

netwhizkid

Professionalism would irrecoverably destroy the GAA, isn't there enough money involved already, anybody find their pockets well and truly mugged by the GAA this year??

The GAA is an amateur sport and it is even getting international recognition, recently on my SkyDSL satellite service I was channel scanning on Telecom 2D @ 8° West, anyways on the "Marhaba" (I think it was) channel there was a 15 minute programme in English with Arabic subtitles showing the GAA and the All-Ireland Club finals on March 17th. It went on to highlight the success of the GAA in Ireland, how in Ireland such a small country that we have facilities surpassing the richest nations in the world. An example to follow was even said.

GAA amateurism is unique and to introduce Professionalism would destroy the game. The system works perfectly and if its not broken don't fix it. Look at how professionalism has ruined English football, it was even on the news last night with some FA official saying that the importation of players needs to be severely curtailed. Professionalism and Foreign Games in Croke Park are the two things I hate to hear mentioned in the same sentence.

Blackjack

gbh wrote:

I'd be interested to hear if people are in favour of professionalism in GAA or not?

I'm in favour of it. It would mean probably more inter-country games per season and more on TV with all the major channels bidding for games, although hopefully satelite channels wouldnt have a stranglehold like with soccer in England.

Maybe if the players were paid for the league and you had a few of the bigger games in Croke Park it would fund itself, something like that.

I would not agree with Pay for Play.

As for Croke park funding itself - it already does, does it not?.

Danno

Tax breaks for the players yes. County board kittys for player and managerial expenses which are also tax free. If Bono and U2 can save €Ms then why not these players who give so much more to our heritage and culture. Look at the tax breaks horse racing has got over the years.

stepbar

There is definatly a need to threat players properly, especially when time off work is need to train etc. But I would not agree with professionalism in any shape or form. The GAA doesnt need professionalism, it would destroy the game. With professionalism you would have to have some sort of transfer system and invariably the county with the largest resources would attract the best players. I know it would be hard for any player to turn his back on his county but the pain might be eased with a bumper contract. Weaker countys would suffer. You also have to think of the likes of New York and London, how would it work abroad??? As well as that by bring in professionism the danger is that the unique community spirit created by the GAA club would be destroyed. There might be questions as to why so and so should bother helping out when yer man is being paid to play etc etc. Minefield stuff.......

In short, players need to be properly compensated, if a player needs 10 pairs of boots get them, if he needs to get time off work compensate him, pay him v.good mileage and a bonus to cover the running of his car through ware and tear..... you get the picture.

Dapos

Why do so many people feel the need for the game to become professional Wat is wrong with the way it is now. Sport shouldn't always be about money. The people behind the Gaa teams (well the majority of them) do it for the love of the game. Sure they put a lot of hard work into it and sure many are unrewarded for it but this is wat gives the games the passion. I think people try and compare Gaa with the likes of soccor or the aussie rules. As said before professional Gaa would ruin the club scene. Also would we also have to introduce player transfer with the professional game? That would be a disaster IMO.

I do think that players who win competions (league, all-ireland provinials etc) should get a bit of a bonus for the achievement with maybe the man of match getting an extra bonus. just an idea.

blackbelt

Professionalism in GAA would defeat the purpose of the game.Sure normal average joe soaps can ask for a transfer from a club to another without the issue of money.If gaelic was to become fully professional you would have players transferring left,right and centre to other counties whilst involving more money.The GAA and the county boards simply don't have the money in the first place and I would not like to see players like Gooch playing for Dublin or Alan Brogan playing for Kerry or Mayo (His father is from Mayo).

I say if you are from Leitrim,you play for Leitrim etc but if you want to declare yourself for another county,it should be done without the issue of money.Vinnie Murphy as far as I know went down to Kerry.

Croke Park could fund itself witht he level of Dublin supporters alone who attend the matches.Professionalism would attract these big business bastards from Sky Sports and the like to try and get coverage...even exclusive coverage to these games.When you involve money,you are always going to get some businessmen greedy for more money.

The issue of players not playing for their club would be another problem.I wouldn't like to hear Donaghy and Owen Mulligan getting paid serious amounts of money a week but I feel players should be looked after with some expenses payed or allowances such as car petrol,compensation from missing work and also a scheme should be setup by the GAA where a player who gets injured badly and is too incapacitated to work should be insured so that that player gets an income for the amount of time they are out of work.The GAA could surely afford that.

walrusgumble

As ye are aware and pretty much said it yerselves, if professionalism came in then the players would be allowed to leave the county them for another (restraint of movement etc). that would definitly destroy samll counties like leitrim, roscommon and louth. whatever hope they have in the future they are always guaranteed to have some footballing genius in their county.

Do you remember the fiasco a couple of seasons ago when one of the maguire brothers from fermanagh wanted to play for dublin due to work reasons?. (i know dublin board were not keen) but imagine someone like sam hungry dublin who would have more finance than others, splashing out robbing counties of their prize possession.

One step the GAA HQ should do is to properly recognise the GPA, allow GAA players generous tax exemptions (i know many have great occupations but county football shelf life is only about 10 years). remember sean og and a few others having paddy power endoresments on their hurleys. does anyone really mind them doing that? its good to see groups like puma are giving boot deals to players also. Let the players make their extra couple of quid. so long as the game are good and their performances dont drop, what harm. even longford hurlers do the same amount of training and give the same amount of sacrifice etc as the likes of cork etc. they should be rewarded.

walrusgumble

blackbelt wrote:

Professionalism in GAA would defeat the purpose of the game.Sure normal average joe soaps can ask for a transfer from a club to another without the issue of money.If gaelic was to become fully professional you would have players transferring left,right and centre to other counties whilst involving more money.The GAA and the county boards simply don't have the money in the first place and I would not like to see players like Gooch playing for Dublin or Alan Brogan playing for Kerry or Mayo (His father is from Mayo).

I say if you are from Leitrim,you play for Leitrim etc but if you want to declare yourself for another county,it should be done without the issue of money.Vinnie Murphy as far as I know went down to Kerry.

Croke Park could fund itself witht he level of Dublin supporters alone who attend the matches.Professionalism would attract these big business bastards from Sky Sports and the like to try and get coverage...even exclusive coverage to these games.When you involve money,you are always going to get some businessmen greedy for more money.

The issue of players not playing for their club would be another problem.I wouldn't like to hear Donaghy and Owen Mulligan getting paid serious amounts of money a week but I feel players should be looked after with some expenses payed or allowances such as car petrol,compensation from missing work and also a scheme should be setup by the GAA where a player who gets injured badly and is too incapacitated to work should be insured so that that player gets an income for the amount of time they are out of work.The GAA could surely afford that.

you are dead right bout sky. look at the rugby's heineken cup. cant even watch a munster/leinster/ulster/connaught game any more without having to put up with them pundits, jesus i miss hook and pope. we could also look at rugby's example. the aib league use to draw thousands on a saturday, now with professionalism (just bout 10 years old) the club scene is on its backsides. wont see o'driscoll or o'gara playin for blackrock and cork con respectively?

Inniscarraman

gbh wrote:

I'd be interested to hear if people are in favour of professionalism in GAA or not?

I'm in favour of it. It would mean probably more inter-country games per season and more on TV with all the major channels bidding for games, although hopefully satelite channels wouldnt have a stranglehold like with soccer in England.

Maybe if the players were paid for the league and you had a few of the bigger games in Croke Park it would fund itself, something like that.

I think it inevitable, given related developments in our 21st Century world, that GAA players, at the highest level, will one day be either part-time or full-time professionals. Look at what has happened in rugby, criket and athletics - sports in which we heard the same argumernts being trotted out by the anti-professionalism lobby.
Despite the doomsdayers, these sports have not only survived but thrived. Nothwithstanding what a minority in the rugby world would have us believe about the impending demise of rugby because of professionalism, the manifest reality is that Irish rugby is experiencing unprecedented growth and popularity. Indeed, most of my GAA friends are hugely interested in the Munster rugby - in particular.
One of the big issues for the ordinary GAA club player at the moment is the extent to which the availability of inter county players impacts on cub fixtures, particularly in the county championships. As I see it, the a greater constraint on club fixtures is the extent to which GAA players are allowed to play with several teams in any one season. For example, I know several players who play with a total of 8 teams in a season. The games schedule would be hugely freed up if players were only allowed to play with one team in each code in any given season. Just as is the case with Munster rugby, county players could also have their club involvement confined to the Championship. A secondary benefit of restricting team membership would be the extent to which players who might spend much of their time on the bench would get much greater playing time.
With a professional set up, sufficient floodlight grounds, well drained playing surfaces, there is no reason why elite hurling and football leagues could not be played off over the winter months.
How dop others feel about this?

MisterCrow1234

Maybe instead of professionalism maybe they should have a prize fund for the winners and runners up and it would heighten the rivalry of teh counties and villages.
in teh all ireland club championship and the all ireland championship.
And why not have midweek games of teh national league on wednesday nights.
i hate gaelic football and its hurling needs to enhanced and i can;t for the life of me understand why this is not the world game and its got more skill than any other sport.
The GAA have plenty of cash and also make them do up all the grounds and do away with the ****ty terraces and grass banks.
The main reason why rugby went professional is because players were putting bets on themselves in the bookies (they could also put bets on themselves to lose) .. rugby is a better game since they went pro. it can only improve the game of hurling.

irishturkey

There was a case a few years ago of the Roscommon hurlers losing a game (no shock there I hear you say...) and doing the whole "swapping shirts" thing. After the game, the County Secretary had to go into the opponents dressing room and ask for the jerseys back. The top counties e.g Kerry, Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork etc. can afford the luxuries of professional teams but there are weaker counties out there with people running them that I wouldn't trust to manage the proceeds a car boot sale. I'll probably be shot down in a ball of flames for this but corruption is rife in the GAA. It goes from the top County chairmen to the guy "volunteering" at the turnstile at a junior b club game in the backend of nowhere. Croke Park is as good as paid for as far as I'm aware, yet the proceeds of nearly every season seem to take an age to trickle their way down to the grassroots. But year after year, the GAA continue too bay in the glow of self adulation.

So long story short, even if the GAA did go professional, I don't think they could manage it properly.

Daysha

4 year bump?! Yeah, best to just start a new thread if you want to discuss it.