Duffy: closed season will work

THE GAA’s top brass have rejected suggestions that the closed season voted for at Saturday’s Special Congress will be impossible to police and rejected claims it will impinge on the ability of county managers to prepare teams.

Under the rule, the months of November and December are now to become ‘no go zones’ for intercounty teams who will not be allowed conduct collective training sessions or play any challenge matches

Half a dozen delegates spoke on the motion and, although the general sentiment was one of support, questions were raised by former president Sean Kelly and others as to how prospective offenders would be dealt with.

“We would deal with that if it happened,” said incoming Director General Paraic Duffy.

“There is legislation there but I would not want to go down that route. With the motion on the charter and everything else we are asking managers to buy into this.

“If a manager insists on going ahead, all sorts of issues arise. Are they insured if the county board doesn’t approve it? They certainly won’t be paid expenses and, don’t be fooled, the players want this. (GPA chief) Dessie Farrell said so. They want the break.”

Duffy pointed out that the AFL already has a rule in place guaranteeing it’s players a two-month break from all activities.

Wexford chairman Ger Doyle told the floor that this was not a cost-cutting exercise but a player welfare issue. Duffy echoed those sentiments but grumblings remain, particularly among those who feel that the third-level sector are not included in this regulation.

Admitted Duffy: “There is an issue around that and I would accept that we didn’t address the third-level issue here.

“It is a tricky one to address because they can only play at certain times of the year.”

There is little doubt but that Saturday’s Congress was a total success for the club game and the club player in particular. All 15 motions from the Club Task Force were accepted by the hall. Numerous weekends have now been freed up for the club game thanks to motions such as those tightening up the inter-county calendar, increasing the use of extra-time and the charter between intercounty managers, clubs and county boards. The closed season motion may prove to be the most controversial however, for intercounty managers.

Some, like Louth’s Eamon McEnaney, have already voiced their displeasure.

“I can’t see why they should have any difficulty with this,” said GAA President Nickey Brennan. “We have explained what is happening to them already and they are aware of what is going on. The charter sets out the rights that everyone has but the fact is the majority of players play for their clubs and not their county.”

Practical concerns remain though. Only the chosen few county teams end their season in late September, but most fall by the wayside in July, leaving managers sitting idle for five months.

Duffy countered that argument by stating that most club championships run through to the end of October, and some into November, leaving most players with only the two-month break as recommended by the medical experts.

Derry chairman Seamus McCloy also raised the point that their county footballers have already played five matches this calendar year with the first outing on January 2nd. How, he argued, can any manager prepare for that workload with a panel he sees for the first time on New Year’s Day?

“They can start (the competitions) on January 9 or whatever instead if need be but let’s put those competitions in perspective,” said Duffy.

“They are pre-season competitions. If they weren’t playing McKenna Cup of FBD League they would be playing challenge matches. Make them knockout or whatever. It isn’t a big deal. Other sports are the same, they do 10 days pre-season training and then they play games.”