Fixtures uncertainty making players quit

Connacht Council secretary John Prenty believes the association is largely to blame for the strong drop off at adult level.

In his annual report, Prenty said players were abandoning the GAA over poor fixture planning, adding that it is the club player who always receives the raw end of the deal.

He believes recommendations offered by fixture planners, appointed by county boards in recent years to monitor and review fixture scheduling, were being consistently ignored by the main fixture makers.

Moreover, Prenty claimed county boards are unable and unwilling to take on inter-county managers, “some of whom are deciding the format and the scheduling of our club competitions”.

“As we sit here at Convention tonight many of our pitches are populated by ordinary players who are anxious to play for the coming season. They ask the same questions,” he said.

“When are the fixtures out? When is the season going to start? When will the season finish? Will the games be played on the scheduled dates? Will we have any meaningful games in the summer time? If I look at the fixtures calendar and fix a date for my wedding can I be sure that there will not be any games?”

Prenty bemoaned that no such answers can be provided.

“All we can guarantee them is that they will start their season up to their ankles in muck and finish it up to their ankles in muck. The middle is a lottery. And we wonder why players drop out.”

In attempting to remedy the issue, he called on counties to end the culture of allowing several different committees impact on fixture making.

“It is time to bite the bullet. There should be one, and only one fixture making body (CCC) in each county. Too many counties have a plethora of independent committees making fixtures with no proper coordination between them.”

Prenty welcomed the Football Review Committee’s proposed restructuring of the provincial championships, but took umbrage with league placings determining which teams competed in the Ulster and Leinster preliminary rounds.

“I agree with the broad thrust of the recommendation but see a flaw in trying to tie league and championship together for the preliminary rounds. Why not let Ulster and Leinster organise their own draw with the losers, whoever they may be, getting their chance in Munster and Connacht. This would give an added vibrancy to our championship and possible games involving Tyrone or Meath would be relished.

“With regard to the black card I have no doubt that our referees will be up to speed, but I am not sure that our teams, players or managers have spent sufficient time in educating themselves on the four fouls which constitute a black bard or on the differences between black cards and yellow cards.”

Connacht reported a significant increase of €256,142 in the operating surplus last year from 2012. This rise was largely attributable to gate receipts which jumped from €718,062 in 2012 to €1,023,165 last year.