Harte: let's keep Croker strictly GAA

TYRONE manager Mickey Harte believes Croke Park should be kept solely for Gaelic games.

Opposing opinion poll support for a relaxation of Rule 42, the man who led his county to their first All-Ireland title last year says the exclusive status of the stadium should remain.

"It is something I have thought about a lot in the past year, and I have changed my mind a lot over the last year, but at the moment, I think Croke Park should be kept for Gaelic games," Harte told the Laois SportsPartnership GAA forum in Portlaoise. "I think it has become a practical thing. These other sports, which we will open it up to, are also competing for our young people."

Harte's was the only dissenting voice among a number of inter-county managers in Portlaoise, all of whom advocated opening the stadium to other sports. Unsurprisingly, Mick O'Dwyer believes the time has come for Croker to open its doors, as does Galway manager John O'Mahony, Limerick manager Liam Kearns and Wexford manager Pat Roe.

However, there was an insistence the GAA maintain a level of control over the events taking place in Croke Park. "As long as it was still controlled by the GAA, I would have no problem in opening it up," Roe said. "For the amount of matches we are talking about, it wouldn't affect GAA games. And it is time for the organisation to start maximising our resources."

The managers also agreed tax incentives should be made available for Gaelic players to curb the possibility of professionalism seeping into Gaelic games over the next decade or so.

"There has been much discussion about tax relief for players and I would certainly like to see us go down that road," Kearns said. "Everything the players get, they deserve. So much commitment goes into the game and I think tax relief would be a major step forward in looking after players."

Kearns' sentiments were echoed by Laois boss O'Dwyer. "If you can have tax incentives for professional sports people in this country, there is no reason why you shouldn't have it for amateur GAA players who give so much enjoyment to the country week after week in the summer. It is only giving them something back in return," he said.

Roe warned of the examples of rugby and soccer when they embraced professionalism while Harte said some of the more affluent supporters of county teams have a duty to look after their star players.

"I hope the sport doesn't go professional in the next ten years and I believe it won't," said Harte. "I think players can also be accommodated in other ways. There are enough big business people supporting Gaelic games now to satisfy players with good careers and good employment that can be worked around to suit their devotion to football."