Give managers fair pay, says Tompkins

FORMER Cork football boss Larry Tompkins says he’s in favour of legitimate payments being made to inter-county managers.

The issue of illegal payments being made to bosses has long been a thorn in the GAA’s side, with director general Páraic Duffy particularly keen to have it resolved.

Duffy has stated in his report to next month’s congress that “there is a need to address the irregular and unsuitable payments to managers”.

Tompkins, who managed Cork from 1997 to 2003, said: “I definitely think inter-county managers should be rewarded financially to some degree, because what they’re getting at the moment in terms of expenses is very small.

“I’m not saying give them a big pay packet at the end of every week, but there should be enough to allow them to maybe ease back on the workload in their own jobs, which would leave more time for training and managing teams.

“If I leave my job in the morning to go and train Mitchelstown — which I’m doing at the moment — I need to employ somebody to come in and do the work I would be doing otherwise.

“There should certainly be enough funds there through Central Council and through the organisation as a whole to look at it very strongly and see what can be put in place for them.

“The association can’t just hide behind the bush on this issue. It’s time now for them to sit down and come to an arrangement on how to move forward on it.”

Meanwhile, having retired from senior inter-county football with Cork at the end of last year, Derek Kavanagh has confirmed he’ll also no longer line out for his club Nemo Rangers.

Kavanagh, who announced in November that last season’s All-Ireland final victory over Down was to be his last appearance in a Cork jersey, has been troubled by a recurring hip injury for the past two years.

“I spoke to the doctor and the surgeon and they’ve completely advised against playing on,” said the 30-year-old.

“Initially when I decided 2010 would be my last year with Cork, I thought it might be possible to play on for another two or three seasons with Nemo.

“But the winter training just gone was a real struggle and it proved to me that it’s all or nothing. Training in October and November was absolute hell. I couldn’t go through another year of that.”