Back from the brink

LAST summer, a thread on a GAA message board explored the mystery of why a top player was absent from his county panel: “What’s atin’?” so-and-so, it asked.

We won't exacerbate the player's discomfort by naming him here.

Yesterday, we got to hear what's atin' the GPA. Finally. Multitudinously. So many journalists turned up in Jury's Croke Park Hotel, Armagh's Kieran McGeeney almost had to plead "go back, please" for fear one of our number would be trampled in the crush. Come to think of it, maybe he just wouldn't grieve at such a tragedy.

The first comment of note by Dessie Farrell at the GPA press conference was to claim "official recognition" as the top item on their wishlist.

He added: "If that was in place in a formal structured fashion, an awful lot of the other issues would be addressed under that."

Before yesterday, if an organisation was to comprise of those who believe the GPA is really about pay-for-play, this reporter would expect the position of public relations officer.

But it must be acknowledged McGeeney, DJ Carey, Dessie Farrell and Donal O'Neill had a good stab at convincing us pay-for-play is not on their agenda.

Tactical and strategic? Genuine and heartfelt? Read for yourself: "It's important that people understand the significance of what went on Saturday (at the GPA EGM). For a long time there have been accusations of ambiguity from the GPA, and from players across the board," said Farrell. "But you see the list of demands published here. These are the objectives of the GPA.

"No longer hopefully will we have references to 'we don't know what they want, we don't know what they're about' this spells out in no uncertain terms exactly what we are about.

"There's no reference to professionalism, no reference to semi-professionalism. We hope from here on in people can take us at face value that what we say here is what we are actually about."

If so, the famous "nuclear option" will remain unexercised. Pay-for-play has been at the heart of the matter thus far. It has been the elephant in the room, the cause of establishment suspicion about the GPA.

If the GPA walks yesterday's talk, they can look forward to official recognition and many other concessions to boot but if yesterday's demands turn out to be watering holes on the road to professionalism, that open door will be shut firmly in their face again.

It should not be forgotten that 70% of players surveyed by the GPA recently "favour a move to professional or semi-professional status".

The demands published yesterday while short on meat are not excessive. The GAA should really explore the invitation to fund the GPA.

It's not as if the GAA doesn't have an existing coterie of in-house factions with whom regular spats develop - the Ulster Council doesn't exactly come down to Croke Park for a group hug every week.

As DJ Carey pointed out, many counties fight their corner tooth and nail - the GPA would be just one more wing of the organisation standing their ground.

What matters now is how the GPA and GAA engage. The GPA say they should meet Director General Liam Mulvihill more often. They say: "We just want respect."

Farrell is adamant that he used his "persuasive powers" to talk down more "militant" members of the GPA on Saturday. If this is the case and it is a claim repeated by Carey then the GAA really should take heed and engage with the GPA.

Flirt a bit more meaningfully than they have up to now. Dinner, a bottle of wine. Small talk and flowers. They don't have to elope.

Will they - in the language we will soon hear in Croke Park - crouch and engage? The timing of the GAA's own statement yesterday - minutes after the GPA briefing - hinted at a new urgency, and possibly indicates that somewhere in the back-channels, senior GPA and GAA figures are already communicating.

The GPA yesterday came out of a dodgy week with some kudos. By calling off the strike threatened for next Sunday, they showed some restraint - by announcing that next Sunday's protest will be a 15-minute delay, they have nipped what would have been a week-long circus in the bud.

Now all everyone has to do is turn up 15 minutes late. Like most people do every Sunday. Even those players who are not members of the GPA - and some who are deeply opposed to the organisation - will not be put on the spot now.

It suits the GPA too, don't forget, because we will not now be able to measure the extent - or lack of - their actual support among the playing population.

With one hand hovering over the nuclear option button, and the other signalling calm, they may just push and pull their way to the negotiation table.

In the eyes of the public now, the GAA must respond. With pay-for-play apparently knocked on the head, Croke Park can't keep the GPA at arm's length. The onus is there to ease the tension with real talks. It won't be easy. But the alternative isn't very alluring either.