DJ Carey yesterday reacted positively to the news that the GAA had launched their players' sponsorship programme. Having spectacularly returned to the top of the game with his performance in Kilkenny's All-Ireland win, Carey will be more in demand than ever before for endorsement work.

He is presumed to be one of the Marlborough 10 who - under the aegis of the GPA - concluded a promotional deal last month. But he doesn't believe that there is a conflict between the GPA's scheme and the official one launched by the GAA.

"I'm a member of the GPA, but I'm all for player endorsement. We never asked for pay-for-play. Today's move can only be great for GAA players both present and future. Good luck to anyone in that sort of market who can make a few bob away from the game.

"I'm a player and anything that comes into my line, I'll sit down and talk about it. We're All-Ireland champions so it's a good time for Kilkenny. Anything that comes along in the future, if we're contacted we'll certainly be looking at it, no problem at all."

Under the GAA scheme the disbursement sees the individual player involved in the sponsorship receive 50 per cent while the remainder is broken up between players' funds and the county board - although the dropping of that that provision is under active consideration. Carey says he has no objection to sharing out half of any earnings.

"I haven't. It's far more than we'd get if there was nothing there. If I had my choice, I'd like to see it 50-50 (between the player and his team). It's a players' endorsement. Certainly if I was offered 10 or 20,000, I'd have no problem giving 10 back to everyone who played with me or everyone on my panel.

"But the other breakdown is far better than nothing. That's a great move, but anything that benefits any player in the game . . . because you've got to realise that however big it is, certain players - myself or whoever - can only do so much and endorse so much. You have to be fair to the companies who come along, you can't go endorsing everything for everyone."

He doesn't believe that there's a fortune to be made out of the new proposals, but believes that they constitute a fair bonus for the intensity of players' involvement in the current game.

"Whatever is made, it'll be good enough to go on a nice holiday, to put in a kitchen, if a fella's building a house it's good enough for him. It won't be as if anyone's going to be becoming a millionaire or anything.

Every player who gains will pay 42 per cent tax or whatever, so no one's going to make a fortune. But if someone can benefit out of their career either now or in the future I would be all for it."