Rebel players eager to resolve strike impasse, insists Lynch

STRIKING Cork GAA players want their dispute with the County Board resolved as quickly as possible, according to football All-star, Anthony Lynch.

The senior hurling and football panels have withdrawn their services in a dispute with Rebel GAA chiefs over the selection of management teams.

Though stressing the squads remain resolutely united in their stance, Lynch admitted that the players hope for a speedy resolution to the row at a critical time in pre-season training.

Said Lynch: “We just want this resolved as soon as possible. Looking around at County teams, they are all in the process of preparation for the league and championship and here we are trying to solve this.

“It is not about the County Board officials, it is not about the players — it is about Cork football and hurling. As we said in our statement we were not prepared to work under a system where you could not get a quality management team in place.’’

Lynch re-iterated their reasoning for undertaking such drastic action claiming it may be the difference between winning and losing provincial and national titles. “In October the County Board agreed to take this freedom from the managers,” the Naomh Abán club man said.

“We thought it was a backward step and illogical. We just feel that you have to have a quality management team in place to give yourself the best chance of winning. These days there is a very thin line between winning and losing.”

He admitted: “It was a drastic step. It was something that we thought long and hard about. Both hurling and football panels felt very strongly and are very resolute about this. This issue should just be solved.

“If you were appointed manager of a team you would want to be able to choose what people you want to work with, what people you think would be best for the whole set up.

“It is about putting a quality management team that can work together with each other and having the best chance of competing and winning at the highest level,” he told RTÉ Radio.

He dismissed suggestions that the players have overstepped the mark by going on strike.

“I wouldn’t accept we are trying to dictate any terms. What we want is the system that was in place to remain there. That is all we are asking. We just feel that it is important and we feel very strongly about it.

“To a man we are absolutely resolute about this. It is not just about ourselves, it is about the future of Cork hurling and football. In five or 10 years time I want to know that football or hurling teams are able to compete in the best possible terms and that they are given a chance to be as good as they possibly can.”