Dublin boss Kettle hints at transfer restrictions

DUBLIN chairman Andy Kettle, speaking after Eamon Fennell’s successful transfer from O’Toole’s to St Vincent’s this week, has raised the possibility of clubs being restricted to fielding as few as one or two ‘outside’ players.

Fennell finally engineered his switch following a protracted three-year struggle, culminating in a personal appeal to club delegates on Tuesday evening.

But the issue has again stoked the embers on the combustible transfer issue. Dublin is probably the most affected of all counties with the size of the population and – until recently, at any case – the greater scope for employment opportunities in the greater area – and it has long divided opinion in the local club scene.

Though Fennell’s has been the most high-profile case of late, the more regular storyline is one of players making the move from outfits ‘down the country’.

Laois, to take one example, have lost seven county players to the Dublin club scene in recent years.

“The problem is that, in rural areas, you have the parish laws but that doesn’t work in urban areas,” said Kettle.

“There are two sides to every story and smaller clubs understandably don’t want to see a player leave when they have done so much to bring him on for so many years.

“Other clubs see it as a way of strengthening and a path to greater success but maybe there would be something if clubs were restricted to bringing in one or two outside players, otherwise it could be detrimental to a the pathway for a club’s younger players.”

Kettle’s understanding is that the GAA’s Central Rules Committee is currently working on altering the wording of the rules concerning transfer by-laws but there are cases for and against restricting the movement of players between clubs.

GAA-folk on the ground in Dublin have regularly taken issue with some clubs’ insistence on drafting in outside help and the point has often been made that such players do nothing to bring potential county players through the system.

The other side to that coin is the effect that any drain of inter-county standard players has on the ‘home’ county’s own club scene and the case of Laois – a county in such close proximity – is a particularly interesting one.

“The fact is that Laois is an hour down the road and there is nothing to stop lads training up here during the week and turning out for their clubs down there at the weekend,” said Kettle, “but that is a matter for them.”

Of more immediate concern to Kettle is whether or not the Fennell case has, once and for all, actually been put to bed. It is understood that all avenues of appeal, on both sides, have been exhausted in Dublin itself although O’Toole’s could potentially take their case to the DRA.

Kettle would be surprised if that were to happen now on the basis of what happened on Tuesday night. “Going on the body language that I saw, I would say that they won’t be taking it any further but we haven’t had confirmation from O’Toole’s as to what they plan as of yet.”

All in all, it has been a memorable week for Fennell who has also secured a modelling contract with John Compton, a top Dublin agency, on the back of his appearance on TV3’s dating programme ‘Take Me Out’ last Friday.

However, he won’t get the opportunity to cap it all off with an appearance for the Dubs in the first of their Spring Series dates against Cork at Croke Park this Saturday as he is currently out of action with a hip injury.

The hurling clash between Dublin and Tipperary is also on a bill that will feature the peculiar talents of Jedward and Kettle is hopeful that the first of four such extravaganzas planned for the coming months will be an unqualified success.

“Up to last weekend , (ticket sales) were disappointing but we’ve had a spurt this week and we would be hoping for 35,000-40,000 which is a fantastic crowd for a league match. It is a fair figure for a league match.”