Statement from Gerald McCarthy
The refusal of the players to meet all parties, Olann Kelleher the independent chairman, or any other independent person, simply confirms for me that there never has been any serious intent by the leaders of this dispute to try to resolve the current issues.
I believe their attitude to the independent chairman whose sole interest, as a keen follower of all Cork sport, was to broker a solution, has been offhand and obstructive. I would like to thank Olann for all his efforts to resolve the issues.
Efforts by the County Board and myself to resolve this impasse have been going on since October. We have not, as some commentators have suggested, been sitting on our hands. The player representatives who last year refused to allow Kieran Mulvey and Padraic Duffy meet with all the players, also refused a similar request by me in November.
The best efforts of Jimmy Barry Murphy, Tomas Mulcahy and Dr Con Murphy came to nothing because of the players’ attitude. In the past fortnight, the players refused to meet me although I had turned up to meet them. A few days later, having apparently agreed to meet with me, the players then indicated that they would not meet with selectors Teddy McCarthy and John Keane. Having changed their minds on that, they now refuse to meet under Olann Kelleher. No-one on the management team, whatever our faults, has any such illusions about our own importance.
This has been one of the saddest periods in Cork hurling. The players, having agreed to participate in a unique process outlined by Kieran Mulvey, reneged on it. The players never put forward an alternative name to mine during the five meetings of the selection process.
The players wished to interview managerial candidates. I am not aware of any sport which would allow current players to interview candidates who would become their managers or coaches. The player leaders walked out of the process and, despite giving their word to the contrary in last year’s dispute, went on strike. The players want the right to veto the appointment of the county manager, and effectively appoint their own manager. They don’t accept that different perspectives to their own are worthy of any consideration. And when those who claim representative status for all the players don’t get exactly what they want, they walk away and reach for a placard. Does any real or perceived grievance justify the damage that has been done to Cork hurling?
I find the efforts to pressurise members of the current panel not to turn out for Cork as very hard to take. The image of senior players trying to get young players not to turn out for Cork is one that should make every hurling follower feel very uncomfortable. The players involved seem not only to wish to decide who their manager should be but would also determine who should and shouldn’t play for Cork.
Some of the commentary on the dispute has been very unfair and has made no attempt to examine the issues involved. The treatment of the players as having no responsibility for their actions, on or off the field, has simply made resolution more difficult. Likewise, there is an undercurrent of undeclared conflicts of interest surrounding this dispute which has been far from “fair, decent or transparent” and which, in time, will probably emerge.
There are a few constants in my view of hurling. The overriding one is that it is an absolute honour to play for Cork and to follow the great names that went before. I am not interested anymore in negotiating with last year’s panel. I have done everything possible to facilitate a solution. It’s time to move on. My full attention for the next two years will be on the players who have come forward to play with Cork.
This season’s squad have been deprived of the help and guidance of more experienced players because of this dispute and that is a pity. The Cork public needs to support them and be patient and encouraging. The young players are putting a huge effort into training for the National League and will go abroad in April for intensive training. In time they will be joined by others who want to play for their county. There will always be a welcome from me and my management team for any player who wants to play for Cork.
Statement from the Cork County Board
Cork County Board is extremely disappointed at the decision of the players not to engage in talks under the independent chairmanship of Olann Kelleher or, indeed, with any independent chairman. Sincere appreciation is expressed of Mr Kelleher’s sustained efforts to assist in resolving the impasse.
The idea of independently chaired mediation arose at the recent county convention and followed various unsuccessful efforts by board officers and other interested parties to get the players to sit down and discuss the issues they had.
The players indicated that they would not accept the parameters set down by convention and in an attempt to break the deadlock, the county board chairman, Diarmuid O’ Suilleabhain, asked that talks involving all players, the county board officers and the management team, led by Gerald McCarthy, would take place, under the independent chairman appointed at the wish of the convention. That proposition has now been rejected by the players.
The last few months have been very difficult for everyone involved, players, management and board members and have been very damaging to Cork hurling. No county can afford the loss of talented players and Cork is no exception. That is why so many efforts have been made to resolve the difficulties.
Gerald McCarthy has the board’s full support. He has been an outstanding player for Cork and an outstanding and knowledgeable coach of his club, St. Finbarr’s and both of Cork and Waterford. The board is convinced that he is the right man to lead Cork forward.
We would appeal to the players to reconsider their positions but there has to be a realisation that the entire focus now must be on the preparation of the Cork senior hurling team for the forthcoming League and Championship.