O'Mahony: GAA managers not motivated by money

The debate continues this morning following the release of the GAA's discussion documents on the payment of managers.

The contents of the 29-page document, which was originally presented to the GAA Management Committee some 14 months ago, will be discussed by county officials at a meeting in Croke Park on Saturday.

Former Leitrim, Galway and Mayo manager John O'Mahony agrees that managers should receive regulated recompense but has said most managers are not motivated by money.

Mr O'Mahony said: "The myth and the realities are much different. There are probably a few exceptions which have given all managers a bad name, but my experience of the vast majority of managers is that they are motivated by winning their provincial or All-Irleand title rather than making money.

"I don’t think there are too many managers working round the country that are millionaires as a result of their experiences in inter-county management."

In the document, Director General Pauric Duffy put forward three options - two of which are 'to implement fully the Association’s existing policy, rules and guidelines on our amateur status', or 'to introduce a system of regulated payments to senior inter county managers'.

He does not feel that option 1 - continuing with the current 'rule-breaking' policy - is viable as the problem with remain 'unsolved' and the Association's rules 'will continue to be flagrantly breached'.

The second option - to crack down on the payments - would involve the setting up of a Registration and Audit Board by Croke Park which would oversee 'the implementation of all aspects of the payment of fees and expenses to inter county team managers and management teams'.

Duffy splits the third option, introducing a system of regulated payments, into models: a welfare-based model, an expenses model, a provision of services model or a fourth suggestion that the County Board/Provincial Council/Croke Park becomes a formal employer of the team manager.