If Colm Cooper can’t get away with it, nobody can

There’s not much you could begrudge Colm Cooper. Not much at all. He is a man who transcended the game he mastered. The reasonable fortune he has accrued from the fame has been most deserving. A lot of what he will accrue in the future on the back of his name will be just as merited, writes John Fogarty.

From his early playing years, there were the Lucozade and adidas deals, the former sponsorship putting him at odds with the GPA who had signed a long-term contract with a rival brand. He’s given his time to promote the likes of Eircom and Opel and be remunerated accordingly. On the other hand, because of his club success, he’s also had to forego the trappings of several All-Stars tours.

Seven months after his retirement, he has just completed a championship as an RTÉ pundit and an Irish Examiner columnist. His insightful autobiography, launched the week before last, will sell plenty. As much as anything, the timing of his testimonial gala dinner on Friday week so soon after has put in place a series of agreements that will financially benefit him is an issue.