GAA call to respect the close season

NEWS:THE GAA have appealed to counties to respect the closed season, which is scheduled to begin in just over a fortnight.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Feargal McGill, the GAA's director of games administration and player welfare, said that although Central Council is likely to send a motion to amend the controversial restriction at next year's annual congress, the rules currently state there should be no collective training for intercounty teams in November and December.

The proposed change would see the closed season allowed to float depending on when counties have exited the previous championship. The idea of the break for intercounty players was put forward as one of the proposals of the GAA’s Burnout Committee in order to lessen the burden on players, many of whom also have club and college commitments late into the year.

Whereas those counties whose champions involvement runs into late August and September won’t want to resume training until after Christmas, there is anecdotal evidence of counties continuing to train as a group.

“We have to start getting officials appointed to do the job, to make sure that they do it,” said McGill, who also drew attention to the fact that the rule is widely observed.

“While several counties didn’t adhere to the close season, a considerable number did. They sent players to the gym and provided them with individual training programmes. This allows players to train on their own time and at a time that suits them.

“There probably needs to be a change in emphasis in relation to the close season but that’s for congress and we would nonetheless appeal to counties to adhere to the rules that are there and just to consider the demands on their players’ time – and bodies.”

Asked did he believe there was scope for a new county official to be charged with monitoring compliance in the whole area of burnout policy, McGill disagreed. “I think this is sufficiently important that it should be the responsibility of county chairmen and secretaries.”

Yesterday new Limerick manager John Allen criticised the current situation, which will limit his collective training capacity to a few days before the pre-season starts after Christmas. “To expect a team that’s been out of action for five months to be ready for the league after a few weeks training in January isn’t right.”

Meanwhile, Waterford continue the process of appointing a new senior hurling manager and a recommendation is expected to be made in the next week to go before the county committee next month.

The candidates in contention are Michael Ryan, best known for his achievements with the Waterford and Dublin women’s football teams but who also took De La Salle to last year’s Munster club title, current Carlow manager Kevin Ryan, former Wexford and Kerry manager John Meyler and former county player Peter Queally.

Michael Ryan is the only one to date with a full management team at the ready. It includes Pat Flanagan, who was physical trainer with the Kerry footballers in the All-Ireland winning seasons of 2004 and ’06 and Nicky Cashin, who was assistant manager with Waterford during Justin McCarthy’s time in charge.

TYRONEfootballers Stephen O'Neill, Enda McGinley and John Devine will take part in the Westport Sea2Summit Adventure Race on Saturday, November 12th to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Nursing Appeal. The race involves a 4.5km run, 8km cycle, Climb of Croagh Patrick, a 35km cycle, including the notorious Maum Hill and a 4.5km run at the end. The web link for donations is www.justgiving.com/red-hand-racers.