Replying To Greengrass:  "Ah the lazy caricaturing of the inter county managers being the big bad wolves in all of this. I was wondering when it was going to tear it's ugly head. Senior inter county managers are not responsible for the huge workload that rests on the shoulders of our elite young players. Administrators are responsible for that. Tom Ryan talks about "bad practise' at senior inter county level. He is completely ignoring the chronic practise at underage level between the ages of 16 to 20. There are far too many competitions for our elite young players. Universities GAA needs to be completely redrawn. Will it happen? Not a chance. Everyone is happy to acquiesce in the lazy caricaturing of inter county managers and blame them for "bad practise". As for Joe Brolly well he took the soup didn't he?"

Replying To carlovia:  "The GAA have offered to cover 4 sessions per week.

How many do you want covered ?"

Replying To GreenandRed:  "Other than get a few more college scholarships for players, which were there pre-GPA, and promote expensive protein cookies, what has the GPA achieved?

Will players be get expenses for buying these fantastic bars?

Will the GPA have scholarships to study to be an agent for players and teams because it looks like someone's making some money here and players are possibly being ripped off. Fair play to any teams and players who can make a few quid doing endorsements, hopefully they can negotiate the best deals possible and not need to give someone from GPA or GAA HQ a few quid as long as all tax is above board.

Are players with sponsored cars paid the same mileage expenses as those driving their own car. I heard they're not. Wondering has anyone heard similar."

Replying To Galway9801:  "It's not a lazy caricature, it's quite appropriate to mention inter County managers when it comes to this issue, unless you're suggest that the managers have no say in the players training routines?
And besides, since this topic was discussed on TSG Sunday last I've barely heard anyone talk about managers, it's all been about players vs the administration.
In any event there was nothing in your post that changed my mind."

Replying To tiobraid:  "I had no idea of the details of this dispute before reading on HS. The GAA are 100% correct on this one. The line has to be drawn somewhere and 4 sessions a week for me is the right amount."

Replying To sligo joe:  "I fail to see how the GAA are 100% correct. The agreement regarding inter-county players expenses was signed up to by the GAA without any reference to a four session cap. The agreement was put in abeyance during covid due to no collective training. Now the agreement is due to be reinstated and the GAA are unilaterally changing the terms without consultation. I see merit in the GAA wanting to limit sessions to four per week (if that is indeed their aim) but to renege on an agreement that they have already signed-up to as the means to achieve their aim is less than honourable. Is there a veiled admission here that the GAA are acknowledging their lack of control over County Boards/Inter-County managers regarding the imposition of a four sessions per week limit."

Replying To moc.dna:  "Lads with sponsored cars don't get the rate of 65 cent per mile like all others. They get 10 cent per mile if they are paying for fuel & 20 cent per mile if paying for fuel & service of car.
The rate of 65 cent per mile includes wear & tear figure (akin to the old civil service mileage rate, not sure if that is still the same). In one county I knew of 12 sponsored cars one year, the best car I saw, was this year for a particular manager, top of the range Merc, photos can be seen of the launch in local newspapers if you look. Many players car pool & make a few quid extra that way.

Inter County players get a Govt grant also which is tax free & averages out around €1,282 per player, it is based on how far your county goes, so All Ireland finalists can get around €2,400. The Govt have committed to the GPA that Inter County female players will now be paid the Govt grant equitably with the male players, probably part of the reason the GPA were so vocal on integration of the Camogie & LGFA Associations. It gave them gender balance & more firepower when dealing with the Govt & GAA.

Many players also on special Third Level grant payments by the various Third Level Colleges which cover college fees, accommodation & expenses in some cases. The GAA Soc's in some colleges also getting sponsorship's from outside interests which are also used to attract players to the college & help them financially.

Players get a vouched footwear allowance for boots/runners to the sum of €375 annually. There is a standard list of gear requirements for every Inter County player nationwide, male or female, which is as much gear as needed, gloves etc. This is all provided free to players by their counties. Access to nutritionists & Gyms must be provided free of charge to each player in every county as well.

Each player is also entitled to a personal vouched nutrition expense of €20 per week during the year. It is also compulsory for all counties to supply a hot meal & drinks to all players after every training session.

Many players have agents now & carry out endorsements of many products/services/companies, it used to be that the players were allowed to keep a certain percentage & that the remainder went into a team fund that was then divided equally, I am not sure if that is still the case. These commercial endorsements are all above board as the companies involved are high profile & must be legit.
Players are now aware that their image rights are been used by the GAA to sell the TV Rights which are multi million deals & that is the next issue coming down the path for the GAA & if players pull the plug, it could see force majeure enacted on the TV contracts, so the GPA & players have a really strong hand there when that issue eventually arises.

Many counties also look after players with a personal expense, this varies from county to county. They also help them greatly in getting employment & many do very well out of that arrangement.

The issue is that we have a semi professionalism set up off the pitch with large backroom teams all being paid, many managers being paid (albeit most under the table & not declared) The media, analysts, TV Companies are all making serious money out of it & the GPA now want their slice. It is heading down the route of Semi Pro/Pro & there is no going back. Giving the GPA a percentage of all commercial GAA revenues was a major mistake & that is only going to be increased every contractual renewal year.
Years of sweeping the issues under the carpet by the GAA hierarchy & turning a blind eye to the the massive sums of undeclared cash been paid to managers is going to come home to roost now. Its disgusting watching club or county volunteers working tirelessly fundraising to pay some mercenary manager who usually leaves within one year & his only legacy is leaving debt behind & bitterness seeping through the ranks at how these individuals hoover up hard earned funds. Some day an expose will be done on the millions in cash lost to the Exchequer by the undeclared sums paid to club & county managers over a large number of decades in the GAA.
The foundation stones of the the GAA, volunteerism & togetherness are long gone, replaced by greed."

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Colm O' Rourke always speaks wisely on GAA matters and his article last Sunday puts the GPA in a true light. Money obsessed and caught out on the player welfare issue, they agreed to four sessions and now Parsons and his well paid minions want unlimited training sessions all covered. Can players not go for a 4-5 km run from where they live? That costs nothing."

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Colm O' Rourke always speaks wisely on GAA matters and his article last Sunday puts the GPA in a true light. Money obsessed and caught out on the player welfare issue, they agreed to four sessions and now Parsons and his well paid minions want unlimited training sessions all covered. Can players not go for a 4-5 km run from where they live? That costs nothing."

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Colm O' Rourke always speaks wisely on GAA matters and his article last Sunday puts the GPA in a true light. Money obsessed and caught out on the player welfare issue, they agreed to four sessions and now Parsons and his well paid minions want unlimited training sessions all covered. Can players not go for a 4-5 km run from where they live? That costs nothing."

Replying To Greengrass:  "I'm not interested in changing your mind Galway. You're more than entitled to hold and express an opinion on the matter. I was interested in what you had to say. In relation to the training routines of players at senior inter county level you are correct to say that they are determined by senior inter county management teams. Tom Ryan referred to "bad practise" and the GAA's determination not to fund "bad practise". My point is that Tom Ryan is ignoring completely the chronic practise at underage level. Player welfare between the ages of 16 and 20 is being abused and it is happening because of administrators not because of senior inter county managers."

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Colm O' Rourke always speaks wisely on GAA matters and his article last Sunday puts the GPA in a true light. Money obsessed and caught out on the player welfare issue, they agreed to four sessions and now Parsons and his well paid minions want unlimited training sessions all covered. Can players not go for a 4-5 km run from where they live? That costs nothing."

Replying To Galway9801:  "But are these players between the ages of 16-20 in line to receive these payments from the gaa?
If not they're totally irrelevant to this discussion, although for sure the inter County managers aren't the only ones to blame. .
Like I said earlier though it's primarily up to the players to tell these managers to get stuffed.
Any young lad whose training 7 nights a week for 7 different managers is allowing himself to be made a fool of."

Replying To Galway9801:  "But are these players between the ages of 16-20 in line to receive these payments from the gaa?
If not they're totally irrelevant to this discussion, although for sure the inter County managers aren't the only ones to blame. .
Like I said earlier though it's primarily up to the players to tell these managers to get stuffed.
Any young lad whose training 7 nights a week for 7 different managers is allowing himself to be made a fool of."

Replying To sligo joe:  "Ryan's comment that the GAA will not fund bad practice is a cop-out. If County Boards and county managers are scheduling too much training or games this should be tackled head-on by the GAA, not by expecting young or indeed older players to confront managers who are appointed by County Boards."

Replying To devrandom:  "its very interesting how this debate is being played out. It seems as though the GAA are being portrayed as this group of club owners whilst the GPA appear to position themselves as union representing under paid workers.

When the reality is that we're all members of the GAA, including the players. Fundamentally we're all part of the one association and its incumbent on all members to play their part in coming up with a solution.

It's interesting that the GPA don't seem to have much interest in tackling the burnout issue, which I would think is the number one problem facing inter county players."

Replying To sligo joe:  "No problem with you believing that Colm is the wise one that always gets it right. However when you state that they (the GPA) agreed to four sessions you are just plain factually incorrect. The 63 cent expense allowance agreed between the GAA and the GPA has no mention of numbers of sessions, minimum or maximum. This agreement was put in abeyance during covid and is now being reinstated. However the GAA has now unilaterally and without any consultation proposed the four session limit (not part of what they and the GPA signed up to). It appears to me that the GAA want to limit the number of sessions that teams are training and I agree with them here but the correct way to do that is through regulation of the county boards and team management, not by dishonouring an agreement that they signed up to."