Southampton v Sunderland via Live Sport 2 for registered members. Kicked off just now (17-15)
Re: GPA
A few years ago the government introduced tax breaks for professional athletes; the likes of Harrington, O’Sullivan etc were able to benefit as a result yet they seemingly feel people such as Shefflin, young John Halpin and others don’t deserve some kind of parity. An absolute disgrace imo.
Re: GPA
It is an absolute disgrace alright. And they’re afraid to make tough calls on this.
I think the governement want to be able to give tax breaks/grants to elite sportsmen - so an amateur boxer and Henry Shefflin might get something but there’s a limit to each sport. The GPA were obviously against this - they wanted universal payments for all players I presume.
Now the government don’t want to fund this for the GAA because they don’t want to give money to the top players in other sports.
I think they should be brave enough to say that Gaelic Games are different and because they have cultural value above and beyond other sports there is no need to treat them just the same. They’ll never make that distinction but I don’t see why they won’t.
Re: GPA
The Hogan Stand report mentions a payment of 2,500 each but the latest I heard was that the GPA were campaigning for a sliding scale based on when an inter-county team gets knocked out of the championship. Some may say it favours the elite but I think it’s fair enough that a guy who gets to the latter stages of the championship gets more than a guy whose team is knocked out in May. He’s playing and training with his county for an extra 2 - 4 months for starters. Either way I totally disagree with the government’s position on this.
Re: GPA
Yeah I’ve no problems with a sliding scale because it rewards those who are committed to the game for the longest time each year. I think the government just want to rule out blanket payments to each team, they’d rather select elite athletes to receive grants than apply a rule to the whole sport.
Re: GPA
Agreed. And as you say they don’t want to give this grant to GAA players for fear that every amateur sportsperson would be clamouring for equal status with all the usual anti-GAA heads having a pop at the association too. They need to have the balls to stand up, make the distinction you mention and then have the courage to defend their position when the likes of half wits like Dion Fanning have a go.
Re: GPA
McGeeney makes a strong case
Ian O’Riordan
With increasing rumour the Government is about to reject the proposed 5 million for player welfare grants there was some noticeably vocal support yesterday from Armagh footballer Kieran McGeeney. He criticised those finding fault in the proposals and urged the Government to keep up their half of the bargain, which McGeeney argued would ultimately help preserve the GAA’s amateur status.
The Government is still considering the proposal, agreed between the GAA and Gaelic Players Association (GPA) a week ago, and a decision is expected within days. In the meantime the proposals haven’t escaped criticism, even from within the GAA, although McGeeney was adamant the grants should be allowed to work.
“It’s funny how some people look at this and try to find everything that’s wrong with it,” he said. "Of course as players we try to find what’s right with it. But grants have been available to Gaelic games for over 15 years, and big grants, for grounds or whatever.
“This is nothing more than say a university grant. That’s the level we’re on about. It’s not about the players going out to buy a new Porsche. It’s something that would barely take a player on holiday at the end of the year . . . But there’s also the generic causes, things worked out between the GAA and the GPA, like insurance, so if they do miss work they’re still paid, or even issues like babysitters, all different things where money like that can be a big help”.
As one of the driving members of the GPA, McGeeney played an active role in designing the grant proposal, which would see all intercounty players entitled to a maximum of 90 a week during the season, on an expenses-incurred basis.
“Gaelic football is unique,” he added, "and we want to keep it unique. Part of that argument is to keep it amateur, and I agree with that. And this is a step in that direction, to make sure there’s a balance between looking after the players, and keeping the amateur ethos. So in my opinion this is a great answer towards doing that.
"I know the GAA is a popular sport. A lot of people want to play, and at a high level, and anything that can help them do that should be considered. We should make sure the GAA continues to grow and grow, and sitting with the GAA on this has encouraged me they do really care about the players, they want to move on, and do their best for them.
“So I would hope the Government come through. They’ve sort of indicated they will. But you wait for it to come along and then people throw out a few more obstacles in its path . . . I just hope all the work that’s been done over the past number of years now hasn’t gone to waste, and that the Government will keep their half of the bargain.”
McGeeney is well known for his professional approach to training, and that, he added, should be promoted among all intercounty players: "Any Gaelic footballer will tell you they want to play at a professional level, without being professional. Like why can’t Eoin Brosnan or Bryan Cullen not become elite athletes, just because they’re working? They should still have every chance available to them, and won’t turn around at 25 or 26 and decide they just can’t compete at that level anymore, because there just aren’t enough things there to help me do that.
"One of the biggest differences between a true professional is the rest they get, not the money . . . I never want to give the impression playing at the highest level is some kind of weight around my shoulders, because it is what I want, what I enjoy. But that still doesn’t mean I don’t want to compete at as high a level as I possibly can, and get the same opportunities as the Brian O’Driscoll’s . . . "
McGeeney was speaking at yesterday’s launch of the GPA’s Opel Player of the Month awards for 2007, which will run from April to October. Former Kerry manager Jack O’Connor takes over as chairman of the football judging committee, with former Cork manager Donal O’Grady continuing on the hurling side.
Re: GPA
I see there’s a bit of a situation developing here after John O’Donoghue met with the GAA and the GPA yesterday.
He said the government won’t directly fund the grant for players as it could have implications for other sports but that if the GAA pay it initially then the government would reimburse them through the sports capital programme. In other words he’s found a loophole whereby if other sports complain he can say the GAA is funding the grant themselves even though ultimately the government would be.
The GPA are relatively satisfied with this. They just want to receive the grant and don’t really mind whether it’s directly from the government or through the GAA.
The GAA have a problem with it though. If they fork out the 5mEUR to the GPA they will be accused of abandoning their amateur status even if they recoup it from the goverment. I don’t really see the issue myself. The GAA, both centrally and at county board level, offer a lot of grants and scholarships to young players so I don’t see the problem in extending that out to senior players, especially when the cost will be covered by the government.
Re: GPA
What does intransigience mean?
Re: GPA
Not prepared to move.
I can understand the GAA’s position on this. I think they’ll co-operate and pay the players directly but obviously they were trying to setup a different situation first. Don’t think it will be a huge issue and they’ll come to an agreement soon.
Re: GPA
Been meaning to reply here.
Raven you are one bitter individual.
Firstly, this line that gets trotted out by players - the we don’t want to be professional line. What a load of bollox, yes they would. Why wouldn’t they? If I was an intercounty player I’d want to be a pro. Preparation, rest and life would be generally easier if all I had to worry about was training and matches. As it is, fellas are sacrificing career advancement to play for their counties, thats a fact but I don’t think its a big deal for them. Playing and winning in senior championships for your county is priceless, and fellas who think like that won’t generally think of work as their first priority.
Being an inter county player in 2007 requires at least 20 hours a week - including group training, individual sessions, matches, meetings and travelling. Thats on top of a 40 hour working week (except for a few of those boys in the north - some of them not quite hitting the 40 hour mark) And the media scrutiny in the summer is similar to what many of Ireland’s pro sports people get.
Secondly, this grants issue is a joke. I don’t think players give a fuck about it to be honest. 2,500 is a pretty meagre sum of money - and that only applies to finalists so everyone else gets less. I’ve never heard it discussed much by anyone either on or connected to co panels, it seems to be being pushed by the GPA hierarchy, which includes Donal Og and McGeeney - and the players obviously support this. But what fool would turn down money for something that they are going to do for nothing anyway?
As for O’Donohoe, a cowardly move on his part. If he hasn’t the balls to differentiate between male gaelic games and female games in terms of tax take and revenue generated then he is missing something. The ladies were wrong to start shouting before the issue was settled. They should have waited until the GAA/GPA issue was sorted and made their own case, and not piggy backed on some one else’s work.
A far better scenario in my book is a tax exemption on an agreed income level, a grant for students and all sponsorship deals to be exempt from tax. How absurd is it that Paul O’Connell gets x,000 for advertising power rade, Gooch gets the same yet Gooch is required to pay tax while O’Connell can claim it back at the end of his career. Now that is nuts.
Re: GPA
Cracking post Appendage. There’s far too much debate and manoeuvrings over what effectively amounts to an average of probably 1,500 for each intercounty player.
I don’t understand why the government can’t act on the tax breaks issue. It’s absurd that professional sportsment earn a living from their games and get a tax break on those earnings but that amateurs with the same commitment get no revenue and have to pay tax on all their earnings.
The government are afraid to differentiate between male and female sports and between our national games and other sports. Why should an amateur showjumper be treated the same as an intercounty footballer?
Re: GPA
I believe the GAA should move with the times & pay the players .They cant rely on the government to do their dirty work for them
They’re not looking for anything from the GAA beyond what has been extended to other sportsmen.
Re: GPA
Don’t see how it’s dirty work.
The fundamental problem is that the GAA alone cannot afford to pay the players a decent salary and also maintain the investments it is making in infrastucture and games development.
Gaelic games do not have a real international dimension, so it is unlike soccer and rugby whereby vast sums of money can be generated from TV and sponsorship. The AFL is the closest model available in terms of professional sport in that Australia’s population is only in the region of 17-20mil and the sport is not internationally played.
The only way GAA can go pro is if county teams are bank rolled by a combination of private investment and GAA funds. This is where things get messy, how many counties could organise a JP McManus or Ballymore properties to provide the shekels? Very few, and how many millionaires would pump in their money without getting a return? Very few aswell(Even though JP is well on the way to getting no return, and Ballymore too for that matter).
Re: GPA
Two excellent posts by Appendage here. I knew deep down he had it in him too.
Tax breaks seem a logical step indeed.