Cody: lack of foresight caused GPA formation

ALL-Ireland winning manager Brian Cody last night blamed the GAA for a lack of ‘forward thinking’ on the issue of player welfare.

He believes poor past attitudes towards players led to the formation of the GPA which Richie Bennis described as the kick up the backside that Croke Park chiefs required

Said Cody: “Players certainly need to be looked after well. The whole GPA came in as a result of maybe not enough forward thinking at the time. There was a vacuum left there.

“The fault lies with officialdom, that should never have been allowed to happen.’’

Bennis agreed that the GAA had been slow to act on player welfare. “They needed a kick up the backside and the GPA gave it to them. All our players are very well looked after. And I don’t see any player that will play any different or any better if they get a few bob for it.”

Cody also expressed concern at the damage being done to the GAA and hurling by issues like the Cork strike and the row over inter-county player grants.

Kilkenny’s opening game of the National League is likely to suffer by the dispute in Cork but Cody yesterday discussed the broader implications of such rows.

Said Cody: “While we talk about the development of the game and raising standards it’s very important for all of us involved in the game (to recognise) we have a duty to pass on the game in as healthy a state as we picked it up when we came along. There’s an onus on everybody that we are ‘passing through.’ The game stands above any other game in the world. It has to be protected, it has to be developed, and the whole voluntary aspect of the game cannot be diluted. If we damage this game we are doing a shocking disservice to everybody.’’

Waterford manager Justin McCarthy agreed that what was happening in Cork was a concern. “I hope there will be a conclusion, that heads will be knocked together and that there will be some compromise. It would be a pity without Cork.’’

Limerick boss Richie Bennis sounded a similar note. He said: “It’s a pity one side doesn’t give in and swallow their pride for the sake of hurling. The game of hurling needs everybody and especially Cork!’’

Cody admitted he favoured the system allowing a manager pick his own selectors.

“When you are involved with a county you are aware of what system is in place to pick selectors. When I came into the job I was aware there was a system in place where I could appoint my own selectors and that’s the way it has been. If the system had been different – as it had been up to a few years before that – it would have been up to myself to decide if I wanted to go ahead and look for the job or not. I’d prefer to appoint my own selectors.’’

McCarthy, likewise, wouldn’t favour the alternative system – which is at the root of the Cork crisis.

“We have to understand what goes into team, it’s a whole different world from 20 or 30 years ago. Do we want the teams to progress to a higher level, do we want those entertaining games? Managers are playing a big part. There’s nobody in Waterford telling me what to do to develop the team.

“There has to be more understanding from county boards to managers and to players of what they want and what is required to get up to that level.’’

However he added: “You don’t want selectors who are ‘yes men’ either. We want fellows who can make a judgement and make a call and voice their opinion. If you have too many people hand-picked — and I have seen it – they come along for the spin to be seen on the big day!’’