GPA CEO Tom Parsons calls on GAA hierarchy to alleviate Ulster fears

GPA CEO Tom Parsons. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

GPA CEO Tom Parsons has said it is the responsibility of GAA president Larry McCarthy and director general Tom Ryan to convince Ulster counties that the provincial competitions won’t be left behind in a league-based championship.

Despite Proposal B failing to receive the required 60% backing at Special Congress today, Parsons is adamant that a league-based championship must remain at the core of football championship reform.

Opposition to Proposal B is strongest in Ulster, with eight of the nine counties in the province speaking against the motion from the floor of Special Congress.

Addressing the concerns of these Ulster counties is imperative ahead of any fresh vote on the structure of the football championship, with Parsons calling on the GAA hierarchy to alleviate Ulster fears in the weeks and months ahead.

“We definitely need to alleviate fears that our provincial competitions, which are important, that they are going to be left behind because they come before a competition that is just more competitive, that just develops all teams. That is going to be the responsibility of our leadership in the GAA, Tom Ryan and Larry McCarthy in particular, to alleviate those fears held by Ulster, in particular, but some other provinces as well,” said Parsons.

“But there is no doubt about it, a league-based competition as your core competition, with everyone playing in May and June, has to be the way to go. If we consult back with players I very much expect players will want the centre-piece of the summer to be the league as championship. It's captured the hearts and minds of way too many people for it not to be.

“It is now about alleviating concerns and is there a link we can make between the provinces and a league-based championship. Is it to put points on the board? We can be creative and innovative, we have enough bright minds in the room. We have an incredible fixtures taskforce, the likes of Kevin O'Donovan, Conor O'Donoghue, Ronan Sheehan, and John Horan. I hope we don't lose all that talent. I'd ask leadership to retain that talent because they have digested over 28 proposals and thought deeply about this.” 

While Larry McCarthy and Tom Ryan have both said it will be a challenge to have a reworked Proposal B ready for Congress next February, Parsons said he “won’t accept” there not being a fresh vote on football championship reform in four months’ time.

“We have enough time between now and February. We can’t be slow. Don’t tell me February is not possible. Every year that is missed is potentially another year gone for the development of footballers and potentially another year where maybe players in lower counties decide to opt out because they don’t see a pathway to success.

“If it takes burning the midnight oil and getting in a room all day on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, out of respect for the amount of effort the players put in in having these conversations with county executives and managers, and the amount of debate, don't tell me we can't come to next February with stronger proposals.

“We've got a proposal that got the majority today that sparked huge interest and conversation. It's the foundation to something. Not all the work is undone because it didn't pass today. Personally, I wouldn't accept it's not on the table for February. I expect when we consult with our players they won't accept that something is not on the table in February and ready to be implemented in 2023.

“Whatever mechanism is needed to ensure we get something in place for 2023; if we had something in place for February that’s tweaked, there is no guarantee the vote goes from 51% to 60%. Maybe it goes to 58%, and then we get another Special Congress. But it has to be a priority of the association and our leadership to make this happen now.” With the format of the 2022 championship reverting to pre-2018 qualifiers, along with the new Tailteann Cup, Parsons and GPA co-chair Maria Kinsella expressed concerns about the new second-tier competition.

“Why the Tailteann Cup worked in Proposal B is because it was linked to promotion, so even without national broadcasting or it being the curtain-raiser to big games, there was a real tangible, progressive reward for winning the Tailteann Cup. A Tailteann Cup that sits on its own or is not linked to promotion or demotion could be very similar to the Tommy Murphy Cup that we saw a few years ago. History could repeat itself there,” said Parsons.

“The promotion of the Tailteann Cup next year is going to be key for players who are going to be playing in it, they don’t want to feel like second class citizens in their own organisation,” added Kinsella.

“You talk about development and one of the main pros of the league-based championship was development and your minimum number of games. The Tailteann Cup, if it’s not given the credibility that it deserves and not promoted within, why will players continue to dedicate 31 hours a week to it. The sacrifices are huge and player retention is definitely going to be harder in that competition if it is not given the credibility it deserves.”