Top managers throw weight behind pre-season proposition

TWO of the GAA’s most high profile managers have backed preliminary plans to replace the current close season with a pre-season devoted to strength and conditioning work.

Waterford hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald and Meath football boss Seamus McEnaney have given their backing to the proposal, which is currently being discussed by the GAA’s medical and welfare committee and the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA).

As committee member Dr Pat Duggan revealed last week, the idea would be to emulate the IRFU’s treatment of centrally contracted players and give them an extended pre-season to ensure their bodies are ready for the league campaigns.

Unlike the current stipulation, players would be able to train outside the gym.

Waterford boss Fitzgerald believes it’s a far better alternative to the status quo. “I think it’s a good idea,” said the Clare native. “A pre-season is absolutely vital in preparing players but at the minute it’s a case of squeezing it into a period when matches are being played.

“I’d have no problem with a set time in which no games are allowed to be played providing work on improving the strength and conditioning of players is permitted. That makes a lot of sense.

“Right now as it is, giving players two or three months off doesn’t sit easy with me. They can’t just be expected to turn it off and turn it back on like that. They need rest but they also need to keep it going.”

McEnaney is a strong opponent of the current close season of November and December.

Speaking in January, he expressed his astonishment at there being no pre-season in the GAA inter-county calendar.

“I believe we’ve the best sport in the world, but there is no other sport that doesn’t have a pre-season,” he said. “We were back in training on Tuesday night and five days later we play our first game. That, for me, is a recipe for injury.”

He now believes what could be soon put on the table could be a workable solution.

“It’s a sensible approach to address the situation,” he said. “Giving six or eight weeks solely to getting bodies in shape for the games in January gets the thumbs-up from me.

“The fact is you have to get the work done but it makes the opening couple of months helter-skelter. You’re juggling the strength and conditioning with field work and it’s taking five nights a week to get it all done.

“Having boys coming in from the cold in January and expecting them to play the first weekend of the month is too much.”

The majority of Fitzgerald’s panel have also carried out their strength and conditioning work in January and February.

But attempting to do it while preparing for league games has been difficult.

“We adhered to the close season rule and like most other counties have been going through the strength and conditioning work over the last couple of months.

“But it would be a lot more beneficial if there was time completely devoted to getting lads ready for the season ahead with no distractions or rules saying they shouldn’t be doing this or that.”

The pre-season could also improve the quality of the early rounds of the league when teams’ skills have traditionally struggled because of heavy physical training.