Intercounty managers doing 'the very basic' by releasing players to clubs, says McCaffrey

“It’s not the counties who should be releasing players, it’s the clubs,” insists former Dublin footballer Dr Noel McCaffrey.

BACK IN ACTION: Gaeltacht's Brian Ó Beaglaoich made his seasonal bow for the club on Sunday, scoring three points in their Kerry SFL loss to Balymacelligott. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Former Dublin footballer Dr Noel McCaffrey says managers should not be applauded for merely allowing players to line out for their clubs.

This past weekend, the likes of Jack O’Connor and Pádraic Joyce gave permission for some Kerry and Galway footballers to play in their respective county leagues.

Brian Ó Beaglaoich came off the bench for An Ghaeltacht in their Division 2 defeat to fellow All-Ireland champions Ballymacelligott. Micheál Burns was also a used substitute for Dr Crokes in their Division 1 win over senior champions Dingle on Sunday, a day after he filled the same role for Kerry in their Division 1 win over Mayo.

Joyce gave the go-ahead for fit Galway players not in the matchday panel of 26 against Monaghan such as John Daly to play for their clubs.

McCaffrey has been campaigning strongly to recalibrate the balance between club and county. At Congress last month, his club Clontarf withdrew their inter-county eligibility motion on the proviso there is further engagement on the principle of county footballers and hurlers taking to the field more at club level.

Clontarf proposed that a player must play eight times for his club, football and/or hurling, in the previous season to be eligible to line out in championship for their county the following year.

According to McCaffrey, O’Connor and Joyce are simply doing “the very basic” for their players by allowing them play football.

“I'm a bit cynical about that. If somebody needs game-time and that's the only reason they're released to their clubs, to give them game-time to get ready for the county, that is the complete wrong motivation for this. And if it means that if they're not injured or needing game-time they wouldn't be released. I have no time for that. They should be released full stop.

“There should be no question about any player who's not on the matchday squad not being available to their clubs. That's just beggars belief that wouldn’t even be considered reasonable behaviour.

“I'm concerned that what's happening here has been diluted into ‘Aren't they great, they're letting the players who are not on the matchday squads play with their clubs?’ “What about the players who are on the matchday squads and they go from January to August and they never play with their clubs. Like, even on weekends when the county's not playing.

“That's the mindset that needs to change. I'm aware that Jack (O’Connor) isn't bad at releasing players who aren't involved. He's not going to get my thanks for that. That's the very basic he should be doing.” 

Former Dublin footballer Dr Noel McCaffrey celebrates with his son Jack after an All-Ireland victory. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

McCaffrey takes issue with the whole language around such practices. “It’s not the counties who should be releasing players, it’s the clubs.” On another subject but not entirely separate, he laughs when he hears about calls for GAA clubs to receive compensation from the AFL. “I never heard such horseshite. They're going off to take up a professional job.

“But what is relevant is the amount of ladies footballers going Down Under, which they’re quite entitled to. But they shouldn’t be entitled to come back and play county and not play with their club.” 

McCaffrey said Clontarf’s attempt to bring a similar inter-county eligibility motion to the Dublin LGFA convention failed because it was felt it would impinge on the county team.

He continued: “The players coming back to play only for their county might not be able to much longer because there is talk that the season's being lengthened in Australia. But insofar as they have been able to do it, it's a complete scandal.” 

Discussions are currently taking place about what is next following the withdrawal of the Clontarf motion. “One positive out of this is I now have a relationship with Tom Parsons (GPA chief executive), who seems reasonable,” said McCaffrey.