GAA may tease out ‘super coach’ on payments crux

PAURIC DUFFY’S internal discussion paper on the GAA’s hottest potato — under the table payments to inter-county manager — is likely to be thrashed out by the Association’s management committee later this week.

After last month’s cancellations due to bad weather, both management and Central Council have hectic agendas facing them this weekend with management also to hear the cases facing Cavan for breaking the winter inter-county training ban and Wexford club Faythe Harriers for their alleged contravention of rule 5.1 of the Official Code on use of facilities.

Management will be presented with a report into hurling development, which proposes investing almost €300,000 per annum for 10 years as well as fourth-tier counties being pushed out of the National League in order to improve hurling at club and under-age level.

The official recognition document with the GPA should have been put to bed before October 31 but finally it will be put before the management committee and Central Council, who will then put it out to their respective county boards. GAA President Christy Cooney expects the deal to be signed off at Central Council’s February meeting.

Duffy will also receive more feedback on his yet-to-be-published discussion paper at Friday’s Coiste Bainisti (management committee) meeting. It’s understood that the “super-coach” proposals set out by GAA presidential candidate Con Hogan last month are a precursor to what is suggested by Duffy as possible ways of addressing under-the-table payments to inter-county and club managers.

However, it is expected any hint of a recommendation to formalise a method of payments to managers will be rejected by counties who have traditionally not paid inter-county managers.

Central Council are also likely to discuss Cavan’s explanation for breaking the inter-county winter training ban last month.

The GAA recently sent a letter to the Cavan County Board asking them to give their account of what happened at Breffni Park’s 3G all-weather pitch on the evening of Sunday, December 12 when they were discovered to have ignored the close season rule. Central Council are also set to be presented with the Leinster Council and Wexford County Board’s report into the allegations that the Faythe Harriers club rented out their all-weather facilities to non-GAA teams.

Coiste Bainisti will hear a raft of hurling development proposals which have been drafted by the national coaching and games development committee, headed up by the other confirmed GAA presidential candidate Liam O’Neill.

It’s been reported that it recommends six of the fourth tier counties receive €20,000 per annum with the 10 third tier counties picking up €10,000. Second tier counties will share €30,000pa between them with the top Liam MacCarthy Cup-competing teams (tier one) relying on their own revenue streams.