Discipline problems down to ‘disrespect’

PROBLEMS encountered in a number of high-profile disciplinary cases last year were directly attributable to a growing disrespect towards their rules, regulations and match officials, believes GAA President Nickey Brennan.

He told Congress in Sligo that the situation won’t improve without what he described as ‘a seismic’ change of culture.

For all the talk of producing a new rule book — which he reckons would be a mammoth task — Brennan said he remained unconvinced that it would adequately address some of the issues they were encountering at the present time. While there been ‘a sizeable reduction’ in the number of disciplinary cases at national level in 2007, it was unfortunate that a number of high-profile issues reflected very poorly on them.