GAA in France

Seems only appropriate that as my last post on this blog a few years ago was about the GAA in France, then my next post should address the same subject.

Recently, the France GAA team played Ireland in Paris, with the Irish team made-up of Irish players living in France from clubs such as Paris Gaels, Toulouse and Rennes.

France are hoping to send a team to the inaugural GAA World Games which will take place in Dublin in 2016 to coincide with the 1916 commemorations.

Based on their performance it looks like they'll be sending a strong team to Ireland next year; it took the last kick of the game from Ireland to level the scores at 3-10 to 3-10.

Enjoy some of the highlights.

"Rewards" for Gaelic players

Would have liked to have commented on this earlier, but was prevented from doing so by my participation in a GAA tournament at the weekend. So, the excuse for my tardiness is a good 'un.

Isn't it great being an inter-county GAA star? 

Eh, no. Or so we were told not so long ago, during those heedy Celtic Tiger days. Back then the intercounty players were in a terrible situation. Terrible, terrible altogether. They, unlike everyone else in the country, were unable to surf the economic tsunami that swept over Ireland. You see their commitment and application to GAA prevented them from putting the extra hours in to advance their careers and earn some overtime. And some of them felt bitter about it. They were missing out and they were entitled to compensation for their efforts, something "tangible" for their dedication and sacrifice to GAA. 

But, now. Now that jobs in the construction industry drying-up and with Gar O'Donnell, along with some GAA players, packing their bags for Philadelphia, there's something that can save some of the lads a self-imposed exile on foreign soil, but only if they play GAA.

At least that's what Jason Ryan is hoping! Getting a small cheque for opening the odd Super Valu down the country doesn't seem so bad after all.

GAA International

How often have we heard the Compromise Rules series defended as the only international outlet for our beloved national games? Merde, if you'll pardon my French. 

When one thinks of GAA played abroad it's natural to think of the UK, the USA or Australia and the strong Irish diaspora living there. 

Well, not anymore.  It's time to broaden your mind. Take for example a French woman playing Gaelic football for Paris Gaels who first learned how to play GAA in Shanghai. Yes, Shanghai. China. Globalisation went that deep it also touched the GAA. 

Despite their number across the city ten years ago in Madrid it wasn't possible to find an Irish bar that showed GAA. Now there's even a team in Pamplona. In the last ten years in Europe GAA seeds have taken flight across the continent and numerous clubs from Brest to Budapest have taken sprout:

• Spain - Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Pamplona 
  
• France - Brest, Rennes, Paris, Lyons
  
• The Netherlands - The Hague, Amsterdam, Maastricht
  
• Belgium - Brussels
  
• Austria - Vienna
  
• Denmark - Copehagen
  
• Germany - Munich, Dusseldorf
  
• Sweden - Gotenburg
  
• Luxembourg
  
• Hungary - Budapest
  

While it is true that some of these clubs rely on the Irish community living abroad for their existence the game is also taking root in some parts through the efforts and gra for the game of the locals. In Rennes there's only one Irish person permanently involved in the game and yet Rennes will host 20 teams from across Europe next weekend for the European Gaelic Football Shield and Championship semi-finals. Not only have the local GAA enthusiasts planned and organised the tournament, but they've also succeeded in promoting and developing the GAA in schools in Brittany. And so, for the first time two schools from Rennes and Vannes will participate in the tournament. (There's more details here in the European Irish.)

The GAA is involved and has put some structure in place to promote Gaelic games in Europe. Still, one can't help wondering, instead of spending lots of money to send GAA players long distances to play a bastardised game that's not even GAA, would it not be better to spend a bit more money on those who want to play Gaelic games instead?

GAA troubles: some consolation

With spoongate, as Willie Joe has dubbed it, still fresh in the minds of Mayo GAA followers, the Mayo News decided to have a bit of April Fool's fun with stories of undercover stewards and segregation of fans next Sunday for the local derby between Mayo and Galway.

As GAA fans we're blessed that we can look back-- at what for the GAA was a serious crowd disturbance-- slap our thighs and have a bit of a laugh. Other sports fans are not so fortunate. The headlines following the Merseyside derby on Sunday are all about police inquiries into serious fan abuse of players, while in France the nation has recoiled in disgust, yet again, at the behaviour of Paris St. Germain's so-called supporters.

At Saturday's League Cup Final against a team from northern France, Racing Club de Lens, Paris supporters briefly displayed--because it was pulled down by stewards on the instruction of President Sarkozy who was attending the game--a long banner which said "Pédophiles, chomeurs, consaguins: bienvenue chez les ch'tis". Paedophiles, unemployed and in-bred: welcome to the home of the ch'tis (in reference to a hugely popular movie about people from the north of France).

Happily, we've no such incidents of hate-mongering and spite in the GAA.

Too much GAA on TV? YES, says Delaney

Leinster Council chief executive Michael Delaney has called for a restriction on the number of live games screened on Sunday afternoons according to today's Indo.

"Two live games, followed by the 'Sunday Game' is overkill."

"When you have two games shown live on a Sunday, it takes over the whole day so it's very difficult to get people out to watch club games later on."

"As things stand, the club scene is being seriously damaged by too much TV coverage on Sundays," said Delaney.

Why the GAA must remain amateur

Bonanza!

No, not the American western/cowboy TV series set at the Ponderosa Ranch, but the most popular word used in headlines to describe GAA finances in recent years. Whether announcing rental income from Croke Park, TV rights money or a new sponsorship deal, “Bonanza” is the word of choice for journalists, evoking images of a GAA treasure chest as deep and as rich as Aladdin's Cave.

Just like Aladdin’s Cave, however, it is a myth that the GAA is overflowing with riches. While it is true that the popularity of Gaelic Games ensures that the GAA generates substantial income for an amateur organization each year, reports rarely tell the full story of the GAA's finances. The false impression created leads many to the lazy conclusion that “with all the money floating around why shouldn’t the players get paid for their efforts?”

The untold story leads to a radically different judgement. For a start, the media seldom reports on the enormous costs involved with running an Association of the size and nature of the GAA. The cost of staging the games alone is considerable. In 2002 the GAA spent almost €4.5 million on match related costs (over 27% of total gate receipts). Nearly half of this money went straight back to the various grounds as rent, to be used for ground maintenance, development and to assist with recurring running costs. Another 25% was accounted for by sundry expenses such as Gardai and security, printing and promotional expenses, stewards and catering, medals and trophies.

Then there’s the money directly related to the needs of the panels involved. In 2001 up to €10 million was spent by county boards on preparation of their county teams alone. Croke Park contributes most of this both directly and indirectly subsidisng activities at County level with €8.7m in 2006. This money is spent by county boards on players to cover expenses such as travel and accommodation, meals, equipment, playing gear, and other general expenses incurred by county boards during the preparation of teams during a Championship season. The enormity of the expense involved can be gauged from the fact that the increase in the minimum mileage allowance for players costs county committees an average of €1.25m per annum (that was the cost in 2002). A further 6% of gross gate receipts are used to finance the players Injury Scheme which is available to players at all levels of the Association.

The alarming expenses of training inter-county teams have to be added to the increased expenses associated with county teams administration of internal club competitions and other general running costs. The number of games played at all levels of the GAA gives a clearer indication of just how much money is needed to fund the Association. For instance, the Leinster Council estimate that up to 1,800 games are played throughout the province in second level school competitions alone in any given year. Only a tiny proportion of these games would even collect a gate—even then it would hardly be worth counting—and thus the cost of running such competitions has to be financed from more central funds.

Aside from match related costs, grants to the Association’s club and County board units, and administration expenses, plans for the development of the games have all to be financed from central funds. To date all surplus revenues from previous years have been used to fund the redevelopment of Croke Park or loan schemes for clubs. The GAA’s commitment to coaching and games development is an investment in the future, designed to protect the Association’s longer term ambitions. €5 million was spent on Games development in 2002 to finance a network of coaching officers and administrators, summer camps, schools of excellence, grants to primary, second and third level schools and colleges, subsidies for hurleys and helmets, Feile competitions etc. The Provinces similarly reinvest the revenues they earn. In 2001 Leinster Council alone had a coaching and games development budget of well over €1.25 million.

In total upwards of 75% of the revenues generated by Central Council in 2006 were ploughed back into the Association. (See the 2007 Annual Report) This resourcing is intended to benefit players, clubs and counties alike. Contrast this with professional soccer where the wages to turnover ratio for Italian clubs was 76% in 2002-03, Spain (72%), France (68%) and England (61%) according to Deloitte Football Finance. Or look at it another way, the Premier League redistributes just 7½% a year to the Football Foundation, the body responsible for grass roots and community football development.

The GAA’s income and re-investment is an unbroken virtuous circle (see diagram above) whereby the commitment to investment in the future will guarantee the survival and continued development of Gaelic games. This outstanding contribution—propelled by voluntary input—depends on the money staying in the game.

Show me the money!

"Kevin Keegan has offered me more money. I am definitely leaving Spurs. It's all about the money, I don't care about the [Carling Cup] final".

Apparently Pascal Chimbonda made this remark-brazenly exposing his mercenary motivation-when questioned about rumours in the media that he was looking to leave Tottenham Hotspur. Paul Wilson, a respected football journalist for the Guardian, applauded Chimbonda for his honesty, as he's sadly resigned to the reality of what really inspires professional footballers today. He was also critical of fans for their continued, naive adherence to the sentimental belief that players measure their careers in cups and medals, rather than pounds and pay cheques. "Football may have been like that once", he writes "but no longer".

Unlike GAA. We (GAA members) don't have to worry about accusations of being over-romantic about Gaelic games because that situation doesn't exist in our sport. Right?

Not quite. As Martin Breheny points out today, the player-County Board dispute in Cork, is part of a bigger battle -- a battle for the "GAA's soul and identity". The inter-county players regard themselves as the "wealth generators" of Gaelic games, and their philosophy (essentially that they are the sun around which the rest of us should revolve--my interpretation not Martin's) is putting them on course for a critical pay-for-play showdown.

The idealistic view that Gaelic games should be all about participation, and the medals and the glory too, of course, is being rapidly eroded by the GPA on their blinkered march to reimbursement. As Dessie says, the players no longer "really buy into the traditional GAA line, certainly not the one that highlighted our ethereal rewards - honour, adulation, camaraderie, recognition". They want something "more tangible". They want what Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in the movie Jerry Maguire, called "the Kwan".

"Kwan means love, respect, community... and the dollars too".

But footballers in England didn't always have this Rod Tidwell mentality. Wilson describes the situation when fifty years ago all First Division fooballers were on more or less than same wages as a result of the maximum-wage system. The crucial difference today is the difference in earnings which means that players are no longer loyal to the club that formed them. The only values the players deem important are those in pay packets. Do we want a similar situation to develop in GAA? The categorical response from most GAA members would appear-from the debates that have taken place on the proposed grant in counties like Tyrone and Dublin- to be no.

Under EU law, however, there is no middle road. If accepted, the grants system will establish an economic link between players and Gaelic games, meaning that the players can appeal to the European Commission, and ultimately the European Courts, to move counties freely. The players may be happy to divvy up their prospective grant money now. But it won't always be like that. Self-interest and the free market will eventually win out, just like it did in English football. It will only take one disgruntled player- and there are enough of them already- to tear the county structure down. And then, it really will be all about the money.

The grants, the GAA's amateur status, and EU law

Jean-Marc Bosman was catapulted into the headlines in 1995 by a "landmark" ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The Bosman case transformed the player transfer system and changed the make-up of club sides throughout Europe by effectively ending limits on "foreign" players in clubs in Europe. Nearly every GAA fan knows that the consequences for soccer have been far-reaching and all would agree that a Bosman scenario would be catastrophic for Gaelic games. No one wants to see a transfer system in place because the county is fundamental to Gaelic games. But how professional or amateur do our games have to be for the Bosman ruling to apply? And where does the grant leave us on that question?

The GAA Central Council claims that "nothing in this agreement shall be allowed to undermine the amateur status of Gaelic games". The Bosman ruling would apper to validate this claim: the essential difference between an amateur and a professional or-semi-professional is that the professional earns a salary under contract and is thus regarded as an employee, and that his activity as a player is not to be regarded as purely marginal. Therefore, it would seem the grant would have little or no effect. But, it's not just the Bosman ruling we need to be concerned about.

In a less-celebrated case five years after Bosman, Christelle Deliège*, a Belgian judoka (a practitioner of judo is known as a judoka) who practised judo at an international level, challenged the Belgian Judo League's (BJKL) federation-based system of selection of competitors for international competitions. The importance of this case for the GAA and the grants system is not the decision on the dispute itself, which concerned the authority of the BJKL to determine selection for participation in the Olympic Games, but rather the court's conclusion in relation to Ms Deliège's status.

Although the case concerned the participation of Ms Deliège in an international tournament for which she would not be paid, Ms Deliège claimed that she practiced judo professionally or semi-professionally. The BJKL disagreed, arguing that judo is a sport which, in Europe and in Belgium in particular, is practised by amateurs. It is the court's analysis and determination of this question-where the distinction between amateur and professional lies- that is of interest to the GAA.

The GAA and the GPA that all parties involved "state their absolute commitment to the maintenance of the amateur status" is worthless. 

Notably, the BKJL claimed that judo was an activity that is not pursued for profit, but which aims to satisfy social and cultural aspirations. No doubt, the GAA would too. The amendment added to the agreement with the GPA that all parties "state their absolute commitment to the maintenance of the amateur status" tends to suggest that the GAA thinks a claim, or affirmation, of amateur status by those involved-both the players and the Association itself-offers some sort of legal protection. It doesn't: the court noted that, although relevant, the mere fact that a sports association or federation unilaterally classifies its members as amateur athletes does not in itself mean that those members do not engage in economic activity.

The factors that determine whether members engage in economic activity were then analysed by Cosmas, the Advocate General (the AG advises the court on the legal matters ahead of the final decision) in the case. Cosmas' analysis of Ms Deliège's activities and conclusion that her practice of judo constituted an economic activity should alarm the GAA, as it undermines the assertion that the grants agreement does not harm the GAA's amateur status. 

Firstly, Cosmas pointed out that the Ms Deliège the size of the grants Ms Deliège received from the federation were irrelevant. It was the legal nature of the 'contributions' that she recieved that mattered. Contributions or grants to athletes "were analysed from the point of view of the possibility it gives to the advanced level sportsman, who receives the contributions to devote himself to the sport as would a professional sportsman." Although it is arguable the sums of money which the grant will involve will not permit GAA players to pursue their sporting career in the same way and under the same conditions as a professional, they are a start down that road. According to the agreement between the GAA, the GPA and the government the grant is designed "to meet additional costs associated with elite team performance and to encourage aspiring teams and players to reach the highest levels of sporting endeavour". The grants will be awarded on the basis of "standards and performance-based criteria". 

Secondly, although the Advocate General distinguished amateur athletes from others who "carry out their activity on a continual basis and receive financial support the objective of which exceeds the mere improvement of their performance." Critically for the GAA, the Advocate General concluded that the regular payment of aid by federations to their champions often extends beyond the context of performance enhancement. High-level athletes provide an important service to the sport's governing bodies-their success makes them idols helping attract young people to the federation, they are a magnet for sponsors and provide an argument for sports organisations to rely on when seeking a larger share of publicly-funded subsidies. In certain cases these non-amateur athletes provide to the governing bodies, of a so-called amateur sport, services in return for which it receives various forms of material or financial aid on a regular basis. These athletes pursue an economic activity which falls within the scope of EU law. 

The Advocate General's reasoning would tend to suggest that it does not matter whether the players receive the grant directly from the federation or from elsewhere; what matters is that the grants are paid to them consistently over a period of time and are dependent on their participation in the sport. The hullabaloo over whether it is the GAA or the Sports Council that pays the grant would then be irrelevant. Paying a grant for participating in a sport establishes an economic link under EU law.

Thirdly, the Advocate General also considered it necessary to look at whether the sporting activities themselves have an economic dimension. If the organiser of a sporting competition offers athletes an opportunity to compete with others, and, at the same time, the athletes, by participating in the competition, enable the organiser to put on a sports event which the public pays to attend, which generates television broadcasting rights, and which, may be of interest to advertisers and sponsors, then it constitutes an economic event. That is already the case in GAA today.

Finally, Ms Deliège's individual sponsorship contracts were also taken into condisderation. Cosmas determined that it was wrong to separate completely an athlete's performance and sporting activity from the advertising service provided to the sponsors as sporting performance and advertising services are so closely linked. Advertising through sponsorship requires high-level athletes who are known to the general public precisely because of their participation in major sporting events. Products as diverse as Ivomec 20 (Joe Cooney) and Club Energise (the GPA) have capitalised on the profile of the players and the GAA to capture their markets for many years now.

From the combination of the various factors outlined above the Advocate General concluded that Ms Deliège was in principle protected by EU law and in particular by the rules on freedom to provide services. In other words, she had the same protection under EU law as Bosman did.

Although Gaelic players may not yet qualify under these conditions as non-amateur athletes-like Ms Deliège did-and therefore be protected by EU law, it is clear that the closer the link between sport and economic activity the more relevant the rules of EU law. Paying a grant to players strengthens this link. Paying a grant to players harms the GAA's amateur status.  


*Christelle Deliège V Ligue Francophone de Judo et Disciplines ASBL (Joined cases C-51/96 and C-191/97)

GAA Investment in Grassroots

"A good graphic can tell a story, bring a lump to the throat, even change policies".

 

I'm not sure the simple pie chart below will have such a profound effect, but this one is worth the attention of all those interested in GAA. It's taken from the official match programme of the All-Ireland Final 2007. 

Of the 80,000 or so people that attended that match it's not possible to estimate how many read the article "GAA Announce Significant Investment for Grassroots" on page 97 and saw how their money is reinvested in Gaelic Games. Although it is likely that a large majority of those who bought the match programme read a lot more of the programme than they planned to given the quality of the match, not enough people will have seen the figures. As members of the GAA we should all receive this information and as the PR spokesperson Danny Lynch should wear the figures out distributing them to journalists. 

Why? Because protecting the GAA's amateur status protects this reinvestment in the game. Pay to see games in Croke Park and you get to see your money again in your local GAA clubhouse or new all weather pitch. It's a virtuous circle - a cycle of development and redevelopment. 

HOW GAA REVENUES ARE USED

The figures below are calculated on the basis of a family of two adults and two children attending an All Ireland  Semi-Final in 2007.

       

Outcome of Cavan Grassroots meeting

Although the turnout was significantly lower than last week's meeting, around 100 people took time out from their Christmas shopping to attend the anti-pay-for-play meeting in Cavan last night.

Significantly four counties: Armagh, Fermanagh, Derry and Tyrone, will all work on motions for Congress. It's not yet clear whether these motions will outrightly oppose the scheme, or simply call for a debate on the matter. 

That is the very least all GAA members deserve. It's a critical issue for the future of the GAA, so a sensible debate is required among all the GAA's members, not just the hierarchy. Every member's voice should count. And it's a good time of year to make that happen. A lot of clubs are holding their annual meetings at this time of year, so bring the issue up in your club, have a sensible discussion and establish your club's position, which can then be brought forward to the County Convention. That way, when Congress meets in April, the position of the majority will be heard.

Latest from Oppposition to Grants Campaign

Black Saturday
Despite the clear opportunity to defer and go out for consultation, Central Council went ahead and approved pay-for-play on Saturday. Having just driven a horse and cart through Rule 11, it was a wee bit rich of them to then tell the rest of us to go away and examine our consciences about breaches of amateur status at club and county level. Nonetheless there’s something in what they say. This cancer has been eating away at the insides of the GAA for a while. But just because you’ve a cancer in one place is no reason to start injecting yourself with botulism somewhere else!

Doire Abu!
Derry’s County Convention today unanimously passed a motion opposing grants/pay-for-play. They join Mayo as counties fully opposed to where the GAA is being brought to. Conventions are now coming thick and fast. Try to go to yours and make the case against the implementation of what Central Council passed on Saturday.

“Questions and Answers”There may be a bit of coverage of pay-for-play on RTE’s Q&A tonight (Monday). Watch it and see … and get others to do likewise!

Not Our Style
Some of today’s media coverage was not good for our President, Nickey Brennan. We took no pleasure in it. Nickey’s our President, put there by us. In opposing pay-for-play we’re not about rubbishing anybody. What we are about is upholding a core GAA value.

What’s Next?
Some “malcontents” (by the way as of 10.00pm last night there’s 407 of you registered here) in the midlands and south of the country want to hold meetings along the lines of the Elk/Toome event. It’s not yet clear if the meetings will be held before or after Christmas … but as soon as anything’s organised we’ll let you know.

Latest news on opposing the grant for the GPA

Just to keep you "rumpish malcontents" updated ...a few bits-and-pieces.

God Bless Mayo!
Mayo have now started to lead the way - a 100% County Committee vote against pay-for-play (aka grants/awards/whatever).

They've set a lead.Let's get in behind them!

What Can You Do To Help?

There's a few things you could do to stop pay-for-play:

1. If you know your Central Council delegate, lobby him before Saturday
2. Bring this issue up in your Club
3. Try to get it discussed at your County Convention
4. Talk to people about it: tell them why we think the way we do

Above all, keep your commitment and enthusiasm!

The Future That's Ahead Of Us: An Email From a Limerick Rugby Man
I read Mark Conway's article in the Irish Independent today. He makes some excellent points. I am not what you would consider a GAA man. I go to the Limerick games, but I am a rugby player. What the GAA have done now is what rugby did 10 years ago.

Ten years ago, at twenty years of age, I played in a thriving club scene. Then clubs started paying players. So players migrated to the clubs that paid the better money. To compete, other clubs increased the amount they paid and the circle went on until the clubs went bankrupt and every volunteer a club had stopped working for the club. "Why should I do the club draw/mark the pitches/wash the jerseys/man the bar/coach the team/etc for nothing when so-and-so is getting £50 for playing on a Saturday?"

Club rugby is dead in Ireland. We have an elite of 30 rugby players in Ireland, there are 98 other professionals who fill the gaps. No-one plays club anymore. Clubs who fielded 8 adult teams ten years ago, struggle to field 3 now. There are numerous reasons for this, but one is definitely professionalism. Most clubs are now two clubs within a club - the paid first team and the rest. The rest wonder why they bother.

I played on the first team in three clubs (I moved as I moved cities for work). I was offered pay in all. My parish club in Limerick, whose games I attended since I was old enough to go and watch my dad and for whom my only childhood ambition was to play on the first XV, wanted to pay me for what I loved doing.

I played on a team with my three brothers, for my parish, representing my family and my community. This is the 'place' Mark talks about. This is sport and there is no greater feeling that this - the feeling you belong and that you are wearing a jersey your father wore, that you are only minding it to pass on to the next generation.

My heroes where the guys who played on the first team before me. They coached and supported me now. How could I take pay for play when they didn't? How could I look them in the eye? I couldn't and refused the money.

And whilst we are on sacrifice - I trained six days a week and played two games a week (college and club) - I trained twice a day some days and at least once a day at the time. But it wasn't sacrifice, I loved it. I preferred playing than working in a bar earning pocket money.

If you don't love it, don't do it. Someone else will gladly take your place. If it's money you want, take an extra job. As a first team player (or county player), you are in the most privileged position in your sport. Everyone wants to swap places with you. Everyone wants what you have.

And you are only minding that jersey, hanging onto it as long as you can. Cos a hell of a lot went before you, a hell of a lot more will come after you. It's only the efforts of everyone that has helped put you in that position (starting with your parents and the coaches you had in your club since you started).

I admire the GAA greatly. I'd urge that you don't go down the pay for play route. You have something very special in your organisation.

Keep it.

Why you should oppose the GPA strike - Reason No. 4

Playing for your county is a choice. It requires dedication and commitment above the norm. Nobody is denying that. But, why try to equate this commitment, as the GPA do, in financial terms? Inter-county players, though admittedly not all of them, already "profit" from their talents. As this letter to the Indo points out, "the very ones who are calling for strike action are the ones who are, ironically, reaping the greatest rewards from the sport". There are huge perks for the modern-day GAA player, jobs, endorsements, training camps abroad, holidays in exotic locations (with their wives/girlfriends paid for!), etc.

Comments from Kilkenny hurler Eddie Brennan, are revealing of the GPA's true thinking. He's resentful that his participation in Gaelic games has curbed his earning potential in the Celtic Tiger economy, as he's unable to do 'nixers' in the evening to supplement his income. Eddie's values, and those of the GPA, are clearly socio-economic. Davy Fitz today, confirms this assessment. A former GPA member, he quit because, in his words, "they are all about money". Contrast their attitude with that of Colm McCullagh, who chose to quit paid football with Omagh Town when Mickey Harte selected him for the Tyrone team in 2004. Explaining his decision, he talked about the dreams and emotions of winning and All-Ireland, not money and compensation.

Playing for your county is voluntary in both meanings of the word - optional and unpaid. Let's keep it that way.

Why you should oppose the GPA strike - Reason No. 3

Playing for your county is an honour and a privilege. By striking the players are demonstrating that their loyalty is conditional - conditional on reimbursement. Once they fumble in the greasy till there's no turning back. They're soiled, and from now on, it's just a question of how dirty they can get.

Last year, in a little publicised move, England's footballers pledged to donate all of their match fees - win, lose or draw - to charitable causes. It was suggested that playing for their country should be an honour, rather than a pay packet. Every one of the players agreed. Ok, so they are millionaires, but the point is they wanted to demonstrate their commitment, dedication and their loyalty, by breaking the financial link. They wanted to establish a principle.

Dessie Farrell and the Greedy Players' Association want the opposite to happen. They want that link established once and for all. They want to formalise the connection between representing their county and compensation. They suffer from an inferiority complex and lack respect because they don't get financially rewarded for their commitment. Dessie Farrell claims that the players' assertion of their rights in this manner is just another initiative in the history of the GAA which has moved the organisation closer to professionalism. But, paid administrators, paid coaches, paid support staff for teams, corporate boxes, the advent of sponsorship logos on jerseys, ticket prices, hospitality and broadcasting rights have done what paying the players won't do, advanced the game and the oassociation at all levels. How else could the GAA have competed over the last twenty years with other sports and other leisure activities for the interest of Ireland's youth? What Dessie Farrell and the GPA's supporters are too shortsighted to see, or simply don't want to see, is the Pandora's box of pain that paying compensation to players is going to open up. What was good for the GAA as a whole is now only good for a small minority.

In the 1950s, when the Dublin hurling team enjoyed a period of success, there were many complaints that the Dublin team was full of "culchies", who worked with the Civil Service and lived in Dublin. In years to come, when the born and bred Dubs can't get a place in the Dublin teams because of culchie imports, attracted by the bigger crowds and better wages, we'll look back on this point, and wish we could turn the years again.

Why you should oppose the GAA strike - Reason No. 2

The amateur ethic of the GAA doubles as a community ethic. Compensation to players will create a divide between the elite and the grassroots. The most fundamental unit of GAA competition is the club side. The local roots feed up to the counties, creating a unity of purpose that makes the association great. The people that make the tea and sandwiches, cut the grass, line the pitch and coach the kids on a Saturday morning have a direct connection to the players that play in Croke Park in front of 80,000 in an All-Ireland. They're one and the same. That's where the strength of the Association lies. Why ruin it?

Compensation to players would break the "virtuous circle" upon which the GAA is built. What do I mean by virtuous circle? Well, think about the cycle of development in the GAA. Coaches, volunteers and supporters play and support their teams at club level. The success of the clubs and the development of talent is taken to the next level by the county teams, where the best players from clubs are invited to display their talents on a bigger stage. The people from the clubs who facilitated their development are happy to pay their hard earned money to attend these games because they played a part in making the players, supporting them and putting in place the stadia. There's a direct link, whether or not you come from the same club as the "Gooch" or any other inter-county player, you played a part in their development. Most importantly, you know that the money you pay to see the inter-county games will be re-invested in all levels of the game, thereby allowing the cycle of development to start anew. It's an unbroken circle. Compensation for players will break the cycle. Compensation for players will mean that the money generated at the top will no longer find its way back to the bottom.

Look what has happened with since rugby turned professional in Ireland. Supposedly, it has produced a "golden generation" of players making the best international team ever, not to mention successful provincial sides, Leinster and Munster. Scrape this veneer (as the performance at the Rugby World Cup demonstrated) and what has professionalism done for the game in Ireland? As Tom McGurk (Rugby pays price of professionalism) writes, rugby in Ireland is now in a terrible state. "The paucity of playing members and the incessant cost demands has hit the clubs hard in the last decade. Many of Ireland's once most famous rugby clubs are a mere shadow of their former selves. Still largely surviving on the goodwill of the golden oldies, many that once put our five or six junior 15s out on a Saturday, can now barely scrape two or three teams together."

Look at the gap between the players and the rest of the community in soccer. Take the Premier League for example. The Premier League works very hard through the Football Foundation to ensure that they are seen to be part of the community and that everyone is benefitting from the team. Why do they do this? Because the natural link between the Premier League's and the communities where they are based has been broken. The money and the benefits of the big clubs don't find their way down to the lower level of the game to the people who support the clubs. It has to be artificially created through a form of corporate social responsibility.

Professional sport creates a dynamic whereby most of the money generated goes toward the professional code of the game which caters for less than 1% of the players. We do not want a situation where a significant and ever-increasing proportion of GAA income goes not to grass roots, clubs, underage support and development, but to pay players. The GAA supports the game at all levels.

There's a difference between the GAA and the sports entertainment business. It's not a business. It's not set up as a business. That's what distinguishes it from other sports. Let's fight to keep it that way.

Why you should oppose the GPA strike - Reason No. 1

In the GAA world there are three major groupings, the players, the elected officers and the supporters. We know where the other two stand on this issue. But, what about the supporters-who after all make up 98% of the GAA? Ordinary clubmen and supporters need to stand up and make their voice heard on the GPA and their ultimate agenda. A lot of people are opposed to the strike but their voice is dissipated across the Internet and barely mentioned by the media. We need to change this by coming together to demonstrate our opposition. I'm trying to take this initiative by announcing a call to action. As a first step Declare for your County by signing the petition.

There are also those out there who say, "Why not? Why shouldn't they get a few bob?" They need to be educated on the Pandora's Box of pain and trouble that paying a grant to the players will open up. I'll try to this over over the coming weeks.

The GPA is a Trojan Horse for pay for play. No amount of denial on their behalf can deny this. The payment of the grant to players will establish a principle that cannot be reversed. It will forevermore form a link between playing for the county and financial compensation. There will be no turning back. From this point on it becomes a question of (a) how much pay? and (b) who pays? Nickey Brennan and the Croke Park officials are right not to get involved in the mechanics of distributing the government grant. It is the government's money therefore, it should be up to the Government to find a mechanism to pay the players. There is no guarantee that the money will be granted every year by the government. In that case the GPA will undoubtedly continue to demand their grant directly from the GAA. They won't care about the source, they'll just want their money. If the GPA get €5m this year, what will they want in two years time? They tell us now that the payment of the grant is an "acknowledgement of their status as inter-county players". Undoubtedly, in a few years they will tell us that €2,500 is too small, that it is an "insult to their status as inter-county players" and that the GAA should come up with more.

How do know this? It's an inevitable process that has already been demonstrated by the short history of the GPA. The GPA agenda has changed considerably since the organisation's foundation. For nearly a decade now the GPA has improved conditions for inter-county players, and fair play to them for doing so-it was needed. When they first started out they increased the measly 12p-a-mile expense allowance and ensured that all players received hot meals after training and received free gear. But increasingly, they have sounded like workers in a sweatshop. They talk of exploitation, the absence of compensation and benefits, poor conditions, denial of rights and emotional humiliation (because they look at the rugby and soccer players and can't help feeling that they are being taken for a ride). Before welfare meant player representation and better conditions. Less than ten years later it now means money in their back pockets. If the GPA's current demands are met, then they will look for more. They are already speaking in those terms. Just this week Donal O'Neill spoke of the GPA getting a percentage of any new television deal negotiated by Croke Park. If this isn't moving the GAA to pay for play, what is? It is clear that their longterm aim is a move towards professionalism in some form or other, and no amount of denying it can hide this fact.

The GPA's Status Anxiety

Philosopher and author Alain de Botton believes there's something the vast majority of people desire even more than money. Whatever their background or social class, whatever their age or country of origin, what they desperately crave is status". With regard to the Greedy Players' Association it seems he's right.

The organisation fulfills his hypothesis perfectly. The GPA representatives Dessie Farrell, Chief Executive, and Donal Og Cusack, Chairman, whine and moan relentlessly in the newspapers and on the radio that the GAA, or more specifically, the administrators who they refer to as Croke Park, have a complete lack of respect for the players. In line with de Botton's thesis, the motivation driving the creation of the GPA was the desire to be treated with respect. The aim of the formation of the GPA, we were told at the time, was to improve the players' representation and conditions.

Except now, eight years on, the arguments have evolved, the goalposts have changed. Respect is no longer about conditions and representation. When the GPA complains that Croke Park does not value the players properly, it is no longer talking in terms of gear, facilities and mileage expenses. It's now about the money made "off their backs". Respect now means "Show us the money".

The evolution is such that GPA players now equate the resolution of the grant issue, i.e. money in their pockets, as "an acknowledgement of their status as county players". Now they judge their status in terms of financial achievement. A sense of being cared for and thought valuable culturally is not enough. The honour, the 'goodies', the flattery, and the attention earned from being a county player no longer conform to their ideals of dignity and respect. It seems their sense of self-worth and self-esteem has been diminished, because unlike the rugby and soccer players, who they meet at promotions and awards, they are not being financially compensated for participation in their sport.

And they're behaving like "spoilt children" to get their way. Their attitude demonstrates their lack of appreciation for the position they are in and that they have lost touch with the grassroots. Some within their ranks know this and have spoken out. These dissenters know that fans and supporters are fundamentally opposed to strike action (see An Fear Rua) and resent the way the GPA representatives are behaving.

The grassroots want to be inspired not held to ransom. The GPA it seems don't care. They want what Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in the movie Jerry Maguire, called "the Kwan". "Kwan means love, respect, community... and the dollars too".

Through their fixation on the latter, however, they're fast losing the rest of the package.

GAA and the money game

The GPA, Greedy Players Association, reminded us again this week (Farrell admits strike action is being considered, Hoganstand.com, 4 October) that strike action is being considered and that feelings are running high within the organisation. Donal Og Cusack, Chairman of the GPA, outlined why (Patience wearing Thin) in a self-serving whinge that should rankle with every genuine GAA fan.

In the piece, Cusack bemoans the lack of progress on the issue of compensation for players and whines against the injustices inflicted on our inter-county stars. He believes GAA players are the "laughing stock of the sporting world" and are not respected by the GAA. His attitude and tone reflect the self-interest of the organisation, showing no consideration whatsoever for the repercussions these measures could have for the future of our traditional games.

But, these arguments aren't new. This is old ground which will no doubt be turned over again and again until the Greedy Players get their way. In response I've dug out a more thoughtful perspective from the letters to the Editor of the Irish Times, in August 2005, which responds to Cusack's gripes.

Madam - ...

"Any proposed change of GAA policy should surely pass two basic tests: Will it help or hinder the long-term survival of our indigenous games? Will it help or hinder the survival of the GAA as a community-based organisation?

Arguments for monetary player compensation-an entirely separate issue from player welfare- fail both tests. Firstly, to simply survive in the face of the media-driven and sponsor-driven saturation promotion of international sports, Gaelic games at club and community "seed-bed" level need every euro the GAA can afford for coaching, promotion and development. GAA revenues really do get redistributed the the grass-roots-no fat cats get a cut. [my comments - but not if the Greedy Players get their way!]

Secondly, and more fundamentally, paying inter-county players would subvert the values and motives that make the GAA work so uniquely at community level. Parish, community and club allegiances are the very heartbeat of the GAA. They would be the first casualties of any monetary compensation regime. Why? Because human nature in any quasi-business regime is very predictable.

Over time, more and more players will change allegiance to follow the best-paying options (probably determined by the deepest sponsor pockets)...

As players begin to change their clubs and counties, the irreplaceable community heartbeat of the GAA will weaken progressively, and resuscitation will not be an option...

What about the "excessive demands" on players' time? The number of games for top players is not the problem - it's the new-era of training regimes. If the GPA and Croke Park make common cause, they can find a way to curtail the vicious circles of excessive training regimes for inter-county players and restoring a better balance between the club and county activity. [my comments - the GPA hasn't shown the slightest interest in this. Why? Player welfare is not their objective, player compensation is.] Real player welfare can be ensured by restructuring and regulation but monetary compensation is never a valid alternative, even from a thinking player's perspective.

Former Derry star Joe Brolly has forcefully made the often overlooked point that "it is the county players who get the most out of the games - the status, the excitement, the glory, the spin-offs". They do serve an important "shop-window" purpose for the games but the requirements of its shop-window should always be secondary to the objectives of an organisation.

The compensation lobby should be faced down with the basic question: where lies the greater long-term good - for the games, for the players of the future and for Irish community life?

Yours, etc, Joe Tuohy

I'm with Joe on this one.

The GPA has cried wolf too often

The Gaelic Players' Association (GPA) is threatening anew to hold our national games to ransom. Disgruntled with the lack of progress over how to distribute the €5 million put aside by the previous Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, the GPA Chief Executive, Dessie Farrell, has once again hinted at strike action (see Irish Times, 5th September 2007, GPA suggest strike action on €5 million) if the issue isn't quickly resolved. The Greedy Players' Association is impatient. They want to get their hands on the money and they want it now.

This is crying wolf one time too many (see An Fear Rua, Are the GPA like the boy who cried wolf?). It's time that the vast majority of the GAA-the volunteers, players of all levels, and supporters-stand up  to these ultimatums and let the GPA know that strike action will not be tolerated.

Sure, the GPA has some legitimate grievances, and pressure from the organization has improved the GAA's attitude to players' well being. The appointment of Paraic Duffy, a player welfare officer, by the GAA, is an example of progress, a direct result of the influence the GPA has brought to bear on GAA headquarters. Improvements in other areas on the GPA's campaign list, such as improving the insurance/injury scheme for all club and county players and taking action to solve the fixture crisis, would also be welcome improvements to our games for all players and supporters.

However, the fundamental problem with the GPA, despite their protestations to the contrary, is that they are pushing the GAA toward 'pay-for-play'. Although they say they realize this is not feasible (see for example this interview with Dessie Farrell in DCU's alumni magazine), whether be design or direct consequence, their actions are driving this dangerous momentum. 

It's hard to trust the GPA on 'pay-for-play' when one of their objectives is a collective bargaining agreement with the GAA. Do they really consider their situation is akin to negotiations between a union and employers? Read their website and the statements they make. The speak about themselves as if they were exploited workers in a sweatshop. The fix they want is easy though. Compensation can relieve their "plight". Their newly designed logo also displays their avarice, as it's a blatant rip-off of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and MLB (Major League Baseball) logos, both professional sports organizations. 

It's only very recently that the GPA has created an Associate Membership scheme to "enable all GAA players, club members, supporters/fans and officials to become part of the GPA network". The aim is to strengthen the bond between club and county. Whey has it taken them eight years? At least they can take credit for realizing that such a bond exists. Once again however, the true intention of this scheme is not clear-cut. GPA Associate  members will not have voting rights and will have no influence on the organization. What's the interest so? Well, the associate membership fee of €50 allows access to a wide range of offers and services from the GPA, not to mention, a polo shirt with the GPA logo. While a good deal on car insurance may be welcome the GPA will no doubt, use their new "grassroots" members to further legitimate their organization and in future claim that the GPA represents a broad spectrum of the GAA, top to bottom, and not just inter-county players. Watch to see how they spin this in the future and look to leverage a broader membership base in negotiations with the GAA. Or maybe that's too cynical and Dessie wants a salary to match his lofty title.

The common good of the GAA is threatened by the GPA's self-interest in pursuit of compensation. The GPA is constantly reminding us of how much financially they loose through their commitment and dedication to playing Gaelic games. Their lack of concern with reports that county boards are digging themselves into a financial black hole of debt, brought about by the increased cost of player travel, catering and medical expenses that is stretching their budgets to the limit. According to the Irish Independent, Westmeath's debt has climbed to €641,000 (see Irish Independent, August 10th 2007, Westmeath football on the brink of financial crisis) and the county board is facing a financial crisis. If you think this is an isolated case of mismanaged finances, think again. In an interview with the Sunday Independent on 10 June 2007,  Tipperary Manager, Babs Keating, revealed that the Tipperary County Board had spent €870,000 training the inter-county teams in 2006, with no success to show for it, or indeed, to pay for it. As Babs said, in his time "the players togged out under a galvanised sheet with only a lantern to light them and after training you'd just have a cup of tea and a sandwich. But the present squad aren't left for anything". If the figures are like that now what would they be like of the players are receiving payment directly? 

At a time when the GAA is coming under such financial pressure, and facing serious competition for players and members from rugby and soccer, the focus of all within the organization should be on putting money back into the game: improving competitive structures for players at all levels and working to encourage more volunteers to help out with the running of clubs and the coaching of players. 

So it's time to say enough is enough to the self-interested GPA. As TV3's 6-part documentary series, "Grass Roots of the GAA", rightly points out, the volunteers of the organization who give their time-at no cost-to coach, administer, look after grounds, coordinate fundraising, drive youngsters to games, and wash the dirty jerseys, are the real heroes of the GAA. It's their work and passion behind the scenes that is fundamental to the success of the GAA. The spotlight has been on the inter-county players for too long. They are the tip of the iceberg. It's time to talk about the unsung heroes and time the GPA stopped crying wolf, their credibility is wearing thin.