Cork hurling war of words rages on

THE row that has engulfed Cork hurling continued apace last night with Fergal McCormack claiming that players were being treated as “second class citizens”.

"There is almost a them and us attitude between players and officials and the perception that we are only players," McCormack said on local radio yesterday, as tensions escalated between the Cork County Board and a number of senior players.

"I have been involved in the panel since 1995 and that problem has always been there. Players of the past have I know from talking to them felt the same way, but did not really come out and said anything about it.

"To give an example, we gathered on the team coach in preparation for the Galway game and there were polo shirts handed out to us and we're asked to put them on for the day more or less in a public place.

"This was on the morning of the match. This does not set a good tone for the day, it does not reflect of good organisation and top preparation.

That is what's being called for here."

He admitted the formation of the Gaelic Players' Association allowed the players to display a more united front, and as a result, voice their concerns in such a public fashion.

"The advent of the GPA made it easier for players to speak out about failure in the system because now at least there is a properly formulated body to back them up. In the past, if a player went out on a limb he was often out there on his own isolated. Things in that respect at least, have changed for the better."

McCormack was at pains, however, to stress that this campaign was not a witch hunt on Cork manager Bertie Óg Murphy, nor was it a means of gaining any form of pay for play or professionalism for players.

"Bertie Óg was a very good player and is a very good coach. He has a proven track record of management with his club Sarsfields and with successive and successful Cork All-Ireland winning U-21 teams, and indeed as a selector with the senior team. But if he is manager of the team he should be allowed to manage the team.

"He is manager in name but is not allowed to exercise the power a manager should have. The system needs to change. I feel sorry for Bertie and I know I am not alone here. To me his hands were tied and he hasn't had enough support, " he said

"While the playing gear is an important issue there are much more important ones. But one of them is not pay for play. That isn't what this is all about it's about a professional approach to the preparation of teams."

On the same programme, the Cork hurlers found an unlikely ally in Frank Foley, the driver of the team bus for their All-Ireland quarter-final with Galway in Thurles.

Foley said on 96FM he was surprised by the lack of organisation which surrounded such a vital trip for an intercounty side.

"The whole approach from when I he collected the players early morning was wrong. I am a Cork hurling supporter and what I witnessed was amateurish.

"Firstly, all the players were handed out T-shirts or polo shirts on the morning of the match and that set a tone of disorganisation. There were also children on the bus which is not right either."

He added that the situation was by no means a reflection on Murphy.

"I have no doubt Bertie Óg is a very good coach but on a day like that there should be somebody to manage the day smoothly and get the organisation right. I am familiar with other sporting codes and to see the difference in the approach is interesting.

"The footballers were also in the same hotel in Thurles after the game and to me they were a lot more organised than the hurlers. The day after the game I went to Jim Cronin the chairman of the county board to pass on my views as regards the day and to say how much better I would have expected it to be."