In welcoming the ESRI report, which was jointly commissioned by the GPA and GAA, the Club Players' Association (CPA) says it reinforces an urgent need for a blank cavas approach to fixtures.

Released earlier this week, the ESRI report found that inter-county players can spend up to 31 hours per week preparing for and playing in games.

CPa chairman Micheál Briody said: "The Club Players' Association wishes to complement the GPA and the GAA for commissioning the excellent ESRI Report 'Playing Senior Inter County Gaelic Games; Experiences, Realities and Consequences'. It is a very detailed and worthwhile report and gives the Association a credible body of data from which to make decisions.

"However we are reaching the point where if the leadership figures of our Association are not prepared to make these changes we have to ask if not, why not?

The consequences of not making decisions decisively so far has meant the GAA Fixtures Rubik's Cube remains unsolved, according to CPA fixtures coordinator Liam Griffin:

"We commend the production of the report and we strongly recommend that the alarming information and facts that are generated in the report are acted upon as a matter of great urgency. Our Club games demand action and intervention," the former Wexford All-Ireland winning hurling manager said.

"Regrettably and honestly we in the GAA have a poor record of embracing and acting on reports speedily or not at all. A previous ESRI report "Keeping them in the Game" from 2013 was not acted upon at all. It highlighted the massive dropout rates in GAA as being as high as 75% between the ages of 21 and 26 in Gaelic Football. The CPA's own surveys have shown that 86.5% of club players are unhappy with the way club fixtures are run in their county.

"There is no surprises in the current ESRI report but when our own CPA survey points to a 96.5% disconnect between the GAA and the grassroots club, we are at a stage now where we don't need any more statistics or data. We need action. We need strong leadership from the GAA to take immediate and decisive action to make improvements for all players." 

Micheál Briody added: "For almost two years now the CPA have called for an immediate 'Blank Canvass' approach to fixing the fixtures. Some progress has been made but the lack of real urgency is not acceptable in our view. Behind the ESRI and CPA findings and submissions are the lives of young sports people. Years and sports careers pass very quickly as this report actually highlights. This in our view places an enormous requirement and responsibility for leadership and immediate decisive action.

"In our discussions with the GAA management we have been told that there can't be a 'blank canvass' approach considered until the current three year trial of the new championship structures has run through its second year. But contradicting that is the President as recently as this week stating that a two tier football championship is "the right thing to do" and confirming it is being researched currently. We also have had adjustments to the Munster hurling championship.

"We support the delivery of a two tier championship in football as evidenced in all three of our discussion documents printed last year. But we cannot support it if it is to be introduced as another incremental change without looking at how it will affect the club structures. The hurling changes and the Super 8 were introduced without proper consideration being given to the club scene and that has led to higher dissatisfaction around the country with no meaningful games played in May June or July in many counties this year. 

"At the recent Fixtures Discussion Group on 29th August, hosted by an Uachtarán we asked for the appointment of a select committee consisting of experienced suitably qualified people from both inside and outside the GAA with a strong independent chair to look at the Fixtures Crisis in totality. Nobody in the room argued that it wasn't needed and indeed it was verbally supported by many esteemed people present at the meeting as being the logical and strategic thing to do."

"This excellent ESRI Report allied to the CPA surveys highlights the need for the leadership of the GAA to act on these findings now in tandem so that we can save our games."

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