Dublin football chief Gilroy sure strike will be averted

DUBLIN manager Pat Gilroy is confident the standoff between the GAA and GPA will be resolved before the prospect of a players’ strike arises.

However he understands the players’ annoyance, noting that: “The GAA is a very big organisation and can be slow to do things. It is obviously very frustrating for the GPA.”

Frustration over the continued failure to secure official recognition from the GAA has prompted the players’ body to instruct players not to talk to RTÉ or TV3 before or after this weekend’s Leinster football and Munster hurling finals.

Dublin captain Barry Cahill and Alan Brogan confirmed yesterday that they will be adhering to that policy.

However Gilroy doesn’t envisage a situation where players would down tools to further their argument.

Gilroy said: “Obviously, you just don’t want to see that situation arising anywhere for the GAA. There are no winners in that. I don’t think it will come to that. I think both sides have a willingness to do something here.

“It is like any negotiation. There are things they don’t agree on but there is a stated desire on both sides to get together.

“The GAA is a very big organisation and can be slow to do things. It is obviously very frustrating for the GPA.”

The GPA have confirmed that strike action is not on the agenda but a number of players have hinted that they would go to any lengths to see their wishes granted. Brogan was no different.

“It is going on 10 years now and players are sick of it. This is the start of it. It is being escalated with the media thing on Sunday. That’s as far as I hope it goes, I hope there is a deal done shortly.

“But the players won’t be afraid to do whatever needs to be done to make sure there is a deal done.”

Though the GPA has claimed it is not looking for a shift towards semi or full professionalism, such fears are still widespread among the GAA administration at central and local levels.

That was put to Brogan in a roundabout way yesterday when he was asked how it felt as a player to be attracting crowds of 80,000-plus to Croke Park without receiving a cent of the profits that brings in.

“It is not about playing for nothing,” said the former All Star. “It has been written about up and down for five or six years. It is about player welfare. Player welfare is not about two tickets for a match or a meal after training.

“It is, especially in this climate, education programmes for players and looking after guys that are injured.

“They need to pass it on to the GPA. The GPA are the experts on it and have the time and they want to do this type of thing. The GAA obviously have a lot of other bigger things to be looking after in their eyes.”

Gilroy may not be a player but his take on it is interesting given his business background and the fact that he impressed when interviewing for the role of Director General of the GAA, one now filled by Páraic Duffy.

“It is something that should just get sorted. Both sides would benefit from each other just to get together.

“It is a situation where I don’t think they are that far apart. They should just get on with it and agree it.

“There would be huge benefits on both sides. I think the GPA would bring a lot of younger people into the administration side and I think that is badly needed for the future of the GAA.”