O’Neill: We must rid GAA of ‘white line fever’

GAA president Liam O’Neill has served notice of his intention to clean up the association’s image by ridding the sidelines of virtually all non-playing personnel.

Touchline altercations have been an almost permanent stain on the GAA in recent years with images and reports of violent confrontations emanating from all levels, in all codes and from allcorners of the island.

O’Neill was present at the latest example last Sunday when St Eunan’s joint coach Eamon O’Boyle was left dazed after a shove to the ground which prompted a number of other scuffles all along the side of the pitch during the game against Crossmaglen Rangers. The Laois man counted atotal of 45 people standing along the touchline or in the tunnel at another point during the Ulster SFC Club Championship fixture at the Athletic Grounds. He insisted yesterday that enough was enough.

“I have laid out my stall quite clearly on this,” he explained. “I don’t want anybody on the sideline. We have to come to a stage where the sideline is sacrosanct. I see no advantage in people being on the sideline.

“I said that long before that incident happened, long before the incidents in the All-Ireland finals and long before we had the incident in Clare (during a minor match in Sixmilebridge) but what I will say is that most of the people involved in those incidents are, in their normal lives, great people.

“But, whatever happens on the sideline, they don’t show themselves to be the great people they are. I would say we are doing them a favour. Let’s get them off the sideline. Put them in the stand.”

O’Neill revealed that the GAA’s Management Committee and Central Council will take the lead in drafting new regulations and intends to see them introduced next season but any such moves are likely to face resistance.

A similar sweep was all but ambushed by a grouping of inter-county managers half-a-dozen years ago and there will be questions over how such a policy can be policed at club games where facilities are less amenable. The Trumera club man was not to be deflected from his intentions, however, pointing out that the use of ropes at club grounds that do not possess fencing around pitches would be sufficient to police the new rules.

If O’Neill has his way, each team will be entitled to just one representative on the sideline at any one time although provision would be made for players to avail of water and replacement hurleys when required.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen in what form Dublin’s Spring Series of league games in Croke Park will take and whether Kildare will be asked to supplement a supporting cast for one or more double-headers at HQ.

With the Dublin hurlers playing in the less attractive surrounds of Division 1B and questions lingering over whether Kildare can play their four league games at St Conleth’s Park, there would appear to be scope for some understanding.

However, Kildare officials have expressed their intent to stage the high-profile fixtures against Donegal, Tyrone, Dublin and Kerry in Newbridge although O’Neill has warned that all venues will have to meet the strictest of health and safety guidelines.

“We are going to have to be more selective about the grounds. Our responsibility at central level is to ensure safety, that the game goes ahead in the best conditions possible and that we have safe access and safe egress for our patrons. That’s a big responsibility. We’ll be taking all that into account.”

The president added that the focus in terms of stadia in the coming years will be to make them as family and female-friendly as possible but Croke Park remains the jewel in the crown when it comes to attracting fans.

2013 will mark the 100th anniversary of the naming and signing of the deeds for the stadium and a number of initiatives have been planned to capitalise on that, starting with yesterday’s announcement of the Centenary Club with 100 Davin Stand one-year premium level tickets being offered for sale for €500.

“This is just a gesture to our supporters. We just want to promote that this is a magnificent stadium and a group of people were visionary enough to secure this location, that we were strong enough to host matches here. It’s 100 years of Croke Park and we want to celebrate that and we want to fill the place as much as possible. We don’t want spare seats.”