Farrell not in race for GAA welfare officer role

GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell has ruled himself out of the race to succeed Paraic Duffy as the GAA Player Welfare officer.

With Duffy set to replace Liam Mulvihill as the Association’s Director General, Farrell was considered strong favourite to take Duffy’s former position. But the GPA boss last night poured cold water on the speculation.

“I haven’t contemplated that (the Player Welfare role). There has been no contact made. It is simply a case of someone running off and writing a flyer.”

Asked if he would consider the post if approached he replied: “I am not moving anywhere.

“I have enough on my plate at the moment with the process of ratifying the grant aid and then concentrating on gaining official recognition from the GAA of the GPA.”

Meanwhile, Farrell admitted he was ‘disappointed’ at the stance of a number of Ulster counties with regards to the distribution of grant aid to intercounty footballers and hurlers.

Earlier this week GAA chiefs in Derry and Tyrone announced that their counties will not be involved in administering inter-county player grants.

Derry chairman Seamus McCloy said the scheme was “pay for play” while Tyrone chairman Pat Darcy has also made clear his county’s opposition to the deal.

“It is disappointing. Players from the counties in question have been in contact with us and are very disappointed that the county boards would deny them these opportunities,” said Farrell.

But he explained that there is little that the GPA can do.

“It is matter for the GAA to address,” he said before adding that he remains positive that the scheme will be ratified at a Central Council meeting at Croke Park on Saturday. There has been a hugely positive to the grants scheme from our own playing base naturally.

“But we have also had positive feed back from county board officials, from grassroots officials and club players especially in the way in which all of this was handled.”

Farrell who stressed that the scheme will not ‘impinge on existing funding or damage the amateur ethos of the GAA’ admitted to being annoyed with the continued portrayal of the deal as the first steps towards pay for play and professionalism.

“Yes it is annoying.

“We have been down this road so often before. Why didn’t people point the finger at things like scholarships, corporate boxes, television deals, jersey sponsorship as an erosion of amateurism?

“Why in this instance is a grant to county players painted like this?”