Prenty says paying managers could lead to 'pay-for-play'

GAA NEWS:A SENIOR GAA official has expressed concern that the option of paying intercounty managers, currently under consideration within the association, will "surely" lead to pay-for-play.

In his annual report to the Connacht Convention, provincial secretary John Prenty comments on the discussion document on payments to intercounty managers drawn up by the GAA director general Páraic Duffy, who laid out three options for discussion: preserve the status quo, enforce more stringently the rule on amateur status or allow structured payments.

“I think that it is important to reflect on the reasons that we have the problem in the first place,” says Prenty, “lack of discipline and a laxity at club and county level to implement option two. If we change the rules and introduce option three can we be confident that it will be adhered to or will we again have the situation whereby clubs and counties seek to gain a dubious competitive edge by reverting back to the current situation of ignoring the rules?

“Can we implement option three successfully? I expect counties to want option two solely on the logic that they will say, ‘if the rules are being broken it must be by somebody else. It definitely is not us’.

“If we choose option three how will the players react? At present training regimes are driving players to the limit of their endurance. For how long more can they stand the demands being made of them by team managers? If we introduce regulated payments to managers I am sure that the demands of ‘pay for play’ will follow, if not immediately surely in the near future.”

Identifying failure to enforce rules as one of the GAA’s greatest problems, Prenty prefaced the above remarks by pointing out the number of times the association at large has effectively refused to implement congress decisions.

“Recent examples of Congress motions which have been given a wide berth have been: the November/December training ban at senior; panel sizes of 26; players outside 26 being made available to clubs; decision that underage inter-county tournaments be in blitz format; acceptance of fixture planners.

“All of the above examples, and there are others, outline that there is generally a lack of discipline among those that are charged with upholding our rules and constitution.”

In the report Prenty also urges counties to take control of the mounting costs of maintaining county teams and their often large entourages.

“From an examination of the accounts of our five counties it is clear the major expenditure stream has been in the area of team administration. It is almost impossible to be financially viable and at the same time carry a county panel and a huge management and back-up team. There is an urgent need for all of our counties to examine the viability of continuing to carry huge county team set-ups.”

Kerry’s league and championship plans have been dealt a massive blow with the news that midfielder David Moran has severed his cruciate knee ligament while training with his club Kerins O’Rahillys last Friday night week.

Moran (23) underwent a scan in Dublin on Saturday morning and namesake surgeon Ray Moran broke the bad news to the player.