Ulster chief’s manager warning

Ulster chairman Aogan Farrell insists paying inter-county managers would fundamentally weaken the GAA’s amateur ethos.

In his address to the province’sannual convention on Saturday, the Cavan man said making full-time team bosses would discommode theAssociation’s volunteers who already have employment.

“I do not favour paying teammanagers a wage as associationemployees to look after our teams. I certainly favour paying managers all legitimate expenses allowed for under our rules.

“To start paying full-time managers to our county teams would remove at once all the businessmen, all the teachers, builders, and voluntary coaches we have. For a paid manager cannot be a full-time manager and a full-time teacher or full-time engineer.”

Farrell said making payments legal would do nothing to solve the problem of under-the-counter remuneration to managers.

“Would paying managers remove the problem of illicit payments? Would making legal what is currently illegal remove the problem?

“In Holland they legalised certain drugs in the expectation that the drug problem would disappear, it didn’t happen, the opposite occurred — it escalated.

“How do you remove an employee on a contract? How do you develop sense of place and pride in sport among those who no longer perform their role for the love of it, for Corinthian values? The GAA has and needs full-time employees to deliver on many aspects of our association’s plans and projects. But our managers and players and those of us in administration should be volunteers.

“If we pay team managers at county level, why not pay those at club level, where some clubs are actually bigger than county boards? Paying managers is all about seeking quick fix victories.”

Farrell also criticises the increasing numbers of people on the sidelines at inter-county games.

“Our sidelines are overcrowded with an ever growing number of advisers, experts, statisticians and well-meaning enthusiasts.

“At far too many games there are two teams on the pitch and two more on the sideline. I urge county officers to implement the rules and guidelines on officials at our games.”