Lar Corbett fears calendar has left club players ‘in limbo’

Lar Corbett shares Brian Cody’s fears over how the GAA calendar was mapped out for clubs this year. The Kilkenny manager spoke last weekend of his concerns regarding the lack of opportunities club players have to put forward their county credentials playing for their clubs.

“How do you become a county player?” Cody asked. “For me, you became a county player because you showed the kind of form with your club that merited you being given the opportunity. You were a real genuine leader with your club, you were consistent, you were always performing. That doesn’t happen anymore because they (players) don’t play (with their clubs).”

Former hurler of the year Corbett acknowledges the same issue exists in Tipperary at the moment.

If you’re ambitious, as a 19-year-old, I’d love to know how an inter-county manager is actually able to see you playing.

“The club scene in Tipperary at the minute, it’s too strong to say it’s a joke but it’s not working. I’d always say, “if you have a problem, solve it then”.

“I don’t have the answer. So it would be a cheapshot for me to say… but it’s not working. There are weeks and weeks go by where there are no games. And it’s very, very hard to keep the club man interested. It’s okay for the likes of me, retired, going back to the club, delighted to be training at 37.

“But for the new guy coming, the fella who is 18, 19 years of age, there is no proper platform for him to express himself at club level.”

It was different when Corbett was trying to make an impression. “When I started playing, you were playing, week-in, week-out with the club.

“I was lucky enough, I went into Tipp then at 19. Then we were training and the league matches were coming.

“When you’re playing with Tipp, you know your six league matches in a row. You know, week-in, week-out when you’re playing. It’s all set up. The club players are in limbo. I’m only seeing this now coming back. There’s lads in limbo, they actually don’t know what to do.”

Corbett reports John O’Neill and Seán Maher left the Clonoulty-Rossmore panel this year because of a lack of matches.

He mentions his Thurles Sarsfields club-mate and Tipperary defender Ronan Maher as an example of a player who went to the US this summer with the decision hardly impacting his club commitments.

I don’t think he missed an important game. So next year, what you’re going to see if they keep this same system going, is a load of lads going to America for the summer where they are getting very well looked after.

“It’s gas — in America, Ronan Maher was playing every week!

“That’s the way it should be for club players in Tipperary — you should be playing every second week.

“We had probably one of the best summers of all time — we had no matches. So you’re training away. It’s not fair on club players.

“It’s a dangerous place. When the tide starts to turn, if people start going playing soccer or rugby, if that tide turns, you won’t get it back.”