Farrell: GPA seat on Central Council ‘realistic’

GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell is confident that his organisation will gain representation on the Central Council despite their continued poor relationship with the GAA.

Since ex-Armagh captain Jarlath Burns ended his term on the Council as the representative of the official players' body set up by former GAA President Sean McCague there has been a stalemate.

Sean Kelly's initial wish for county panels to vote on the formation of a players' body was not realised and despite overtures from both sides, the issue has not been resolved.

Kelly, attended the GPA's annual awards function on Friday night last, the most senior GAA official to attend in an official capacity.

"We do appreciate the effort he made to be there. But, from our perspective, the problem lies with Croke Park itself and the mindset of the GAA towards the GPA," said Farrell yesterday.

"I think there is an awful lot of work to be done at this level,'' he added.

Farrell stressed that a seat on the Central Council remains a realistic goal.

"That would be the idea, when there is a place there laid down for player representation,'' he said. "It would be a case of trying to engage with Croke Park as a matter of urgency to fill that vacancy, but that has not happened yet.

"I have met with Sean Kelly informally, but the issue of representation would have to be done on a formal fashion. The other side of the coin is, what one voice in a big hall could hope to achieve. It's all about baby steps.''

Meanwhile, Farrell said that in some counties player welfare was 'atrocious.'

"There is a list there of stipulated entitlements and standards which was approved by the Central Council two years ago and enhanced when Sean Kelly came in as president. As far as we can make out, a lot of counties are just turning a blind eye to it and not adhering to the requirements.

"This is not player agitation,'' he stressed. "This is about what is laid down in black and white by the GAA authorities themselves. And it's still not happening. Obviously, there is a huge issue of accountability there about who ensures that whatever players are entitled to is put in place. Where it's not happening you could have situations developing like in Offaly, and Cork prior to that.''

The GPA chief said it was all the more disappointing when, some counties had been making good strides in this area. "In these counties fellows are well looked after but in other counties they seem to be very much left behind.''