GPA in harmony with Páraic Duffy as proposals bid to tackle burnout problem

The GPA have broadly welcomed the 11 proposals set out by GAA director general Páraic Duffy aimed at addressing player burnout, overtraining and the fixtures calendar.

However, they have questioned Duffy’s call to discontinue the U21 All-Ireland football championship without putting forward a viable alternative and their views are shared by new Kerry U21 boss Jack O’Connor.

Both the GPA and O’Connor would prefer to see a platform between minor and senior continued particularly if, as recommended by Duffy, the minor grade is changed from U18 to U17 at inter-county level.

The gap between U17 and senior, they say, would be too large. Duffy has suggested an U19 competition might replace the existing U21 championship but does not endorse the idea as he claims “the potential disadvantages of any U19 competition would outweigh potential advantages it may appear to offer”.

The GPA have already recommended that U21 be changed to U20 as the overlap between that age grade and senior wouldn’t be as obvious as the status quo.

“A lot of the proposals are in line with our recommendations in our student report and some relate to our football championship proposals and the restructuring of the calendar year,” said GPA head of communications Sean Potts.

“We would have some concerns about the removal of the U21 competition without a replacement. The placement of the U21 championship runs into difficulties but then so too does the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups.

“The absence of a step for the developing footballer between minor and senior would be a worry. From our own research, we know there would be less opportunity for talent-spotting if that were the case.

“By making it U20, you would be taking more under-age players out of the senior grade, which is something Páraic refers to in the paper.”

O’Connor agrees there would be too much of a gap between U17 and senior were those two proposals to be made rule. “There has to be something between the two. You don’t want to lose anybody in that gap.”

Though, he accepts the U21 competition in its current slot in the GAA year is a problem.

“At that time of the season, there is ferocious pressure from all sides on U21 players. The calendar in the spring is packed and they are having to make themselves available for too many teams. It’s not too bad for the likes of Cork or Dublin who have most if not all their players based in their areas but we, for example, have guys in four different locations: at home, Cork, Dublin and Limerick.”

The GPA endorse Duffy’s proposal to change U18 to U17 based on the soundings they have received from younger players. By dropping back a year, there will be fewers players sitting their Leaving Certificate and A Level examinations playing that grade.

There is also agreement between the GAA and GPA on issues such as bringing forward the All-Ireland senior finals, the removal of Division 1 semi-finals in football and the facility of extra-time for all inter-county games.