Grassroots grievances high on new president John Horan’s agenda

GAA president John Horan’s plans for a new national club committee and a national club forum ‘are not responses to concerns raised by the Club Players Association’ (CPA).

Horan confirmed he has already established the group while he hopes the forum will be an annual event where clubs can share information and expertise as well as gain necessary training.

These developments and the fact Horan refuted the idea of a disconnect between Croke Park and the GAA’s grassroots may also have been interpreted as a blow to the CPA as Horan creates the Association’s own recognised club committee.

The news was delivered after the CPA, via Wexford, had their Congress voting transparency motion shot down by delegates in Croke Park on Saturday when 83% of them said no to the idea of their votes being recorded and revealed.

But Horan maintained his club measures were in no way associated with the grievances aired by the CPA. “That’s something I would have seen myself from going around clubs. I see it in my own club. My own club is so big, it’s nearly like a business.”

Horan mentioned the amount of legislation that is now involved in running a club and other areas that require urgent attention such as child welfare and Garda vetting.

On the subject of the CPA motion, which was passionately presented by Liam Griffin but opposed in a similar vein by Cork chairperson Tracey Kennedy who found it “disturbing” and Europe chairman Tony Bass who dismissed it as “a Trojan horse”, Horan remarked: “The content of the motion was transparency. People voted that they wanted to remain the same. That’s the democratic decision. I don’t think we have an issue in that sense. It got a little bit emotive. In real terms, you got to trust people too. Sending people with an air of suspicion, I think is a bit unhealthy.”

In his speech, Horan also outlined how he hopes to tackle the unhealthy growth of development squads. In the post-Congress press conference, he expanded: “All the way from U13 to U20, all the way up (needs to be looked at). I think we need to create a proper player pathway. I don’t think people are acting out of malice but some people are getting carried away with their own self-importance with some of the training sessions. Young lads should be dipping in and out of county squads. No young lad should be deemed a success or failure. Young lads going to county development squad training should be going in their club colours, keep it in their head that they are actually still a club player.”

He suggested Croke Park could punish counties who start development squads too or ban them from competitions. “There are grants given to these development squads. There are competitions that they partake in. We need to restore the balance there for the sake of young lads. The amount of training that they do with the county squad – they deem that more important than their own personal career. “Sometimes their parents see it as more important than being at a club training session or being with their club.”