Amateur/professional debate: Ian O'Riordan assesses the state of play between the GPA and GAA
A week into Nickey Brennan's three-year term as GAA president it's already clear what topic will dominate his agenda in the short term - improving player welfare while reinforcing the resistance to pay-for-play. Brennan will sit down with the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) for the first time next Tuesday, adamant that pay-for-play won't even be discussed, while presenting the GPA with some player welfare ideas of his own.
Brennan's inaugural speech to congress last Saturday made strong reference to the issue, unveiling an eight-point plan that started with the appointment of a player welfare manager, and included a new strategy to use players to market the games, to provide third-level bursaries, and also to promote players making personal appearances for commercial gain. The GAA, in other words, are in many ways taking on the GPA at their own business.
A few days before Brennan made his speech an event took place in Croke Park involving 15 of the highest-profile players in the country. They were there to promote their sponsorship deal with Adidas, which provides them with free boots and training gear for the year.
As amateurs, none of them could be paid, neither was there any contract nor image rights involved. More significantly, neither the GAA nor the GPA had anything to do with it.
Every one of the players looked every bit the professional, in the prime of their fitness, calmly aware of their talents, and comfortable with the media swarm.
With Cork's All-Ireland winning hurling captain Seán Óg Ó hAilpín among them it didn't take long for the issue of professionalism to be raised. "The biggest rude awakening I've got in a while was going training with Setanta before Christmas, with Carlton (in Melbourne)," said Ó hAilpín, referring to his brother's professional contract in Australian Rules football.
"Because we're still way off. Setanta has 10 coaches. A running coach, a fitness coach, a kicking coach, a tackling coach, and so on. We still have one coach.
"Their pre-season is four sessions a day. We do at max probably four sessions a week. This is just my own realisation, but we've done well to work within the limits that are there. To move towards the kind of training Setanta and Tadhg (Kennelly) are doing it just means not working. So if that means anything then I think it's time for the association to look at themselves."
Ó hAilpín has often been talked about as a professional sportsman within an amateur code, such is his dedication to training. While he certainly wasn't promoting pay-for-play as the solution to player welfare issues, he probably saw the line the GAA refuses to cross coming closer into view.
"Cork probably raised the bar in terms of professionalism," he added. "But at the end of the day we're still amateurs. My ultimate dream growing up was to be a professional sports player. Because all my heroes back then were Aussie Rules players, rugby league players, while growing up in Australia.
"I still try to live that dream within my parameters. But that's why I think it was an easy decision for Setanta to go away. Because Setanta would rather spend the next 10 years of his life training rather than being stuck in an office, I can assure you that. I wish it was me, but it's not, and I'm delighted for him."
If the GAA - and the GPA - are to be believed then few if any county players have any interest in a pay-for-play policy. But with the Government-sponsored grant so full of loopholes, despite the best intentions of the GPA, it will be very hard to find a middle ground. What Ó hAilpín was clear about is that demands are increasing with every passing year.
"Things are coming to a crossroads soon, because if I rewind the clock 10 years ago, we weren't asked to do half the things. Something has to give. It has changed. There are more demands now, and if you don't follow suit you'll be left behind. The demands are increasing every year, and you have to give a lot more of your energy to the hurling side of things."
When Ó hAilpín switched his thoughts to Cork's quest to win a third successive All-Ireland title it was equally clear why that level of dedication runs so high:
"If the three-in-a-row is ever mentioned in the dressingroom, John Allen just. . . I don't know. He just told us at the start of the league that if he heard any of us mention the three-in-a-row then he didn't want us back. And he's right. You can get caught up in history in the making and all that.
"It's not easy though. When I walk down Patrick Street I'm not asked how we'll do this year. I'm asked about the three-in-a-row. It's very hard to get away from it. We'll just be going full belt for the Munster championship. The easiest route in the championship is to win every game.
"And I know when I tog out on May 28th (against Clare), and look left and right, I know these fellas won't let me down. And I'll try not let them down either. Okay, we mightn't win, but at least we can walk off the pitch knowing we gave it out best shot."
That delicate balancing act between the pressure, the commitment, the pride and the rewards is the starting point of Tuesday's meeting between the GAA and the GPA. How they manage it is where things really get complicated.
