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Its Time The GAA Took On The USA Money Bags Before Football Turns Professional

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Replying To Ashrules: "Since when do clubs nurture players. Club officials use players for their own feeling of accomplishment. Then resent the players using their talents to experience The states and make money for themselves. Thankfully young lads are free to do what they want and grab any opportunities that come along." They do. Everyone one if my coaches trained me in football but also taught me about life. They are mentors from a young age so they do nurture from a young age. The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 30/07/2022 11:37:46 2435345 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "I agree. Is it any different to the county player replacing the club player who has played the majority of league games but is then dropped for the club championship? I know in Donegal there are some county players who have barely kicked a ball in the all county league fixtures but you can be damn sure they'll be the first names on the team sheet come championship in a couple of weeks. So what difference does it make if they've been in the US or not? There would be nothing stopping someone going over each and every year (bar US immigration control maybe). But I think in general it's a young player thing. Most of the lads that go over are in college with few major responsibilities at home. They have no kids or mortgages to worry about, and are free to enjoy their youth the lucky b****s!" I certainly don't begrudge anyone making a tens of thousands of pounds from the GAA. I would do it no problem. I would be slightly worried just if this is the long term model-could effect clubs. You don't have to be a county player either The_Fridge (Tyrone)** - Posts: 2093 - 30/07/2022 11:39:53 2435349 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "What a rubbish post. Of course clubs nurture players. Club officials using players? How? No genuine GAA person would come out with such a statement" I feel the same to be honest The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 30/07/2022 11:40:52 2435351 Link
Replying To cityman73: "In limerick two rounds of the football championship has been played and 1st round of the hurling is been played this weekend." Tyrone isn't starting to September. Think that's the same for most Ulster countries. The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 30/07/2022 11:42:11 2435352 Link
Replying To Ashrules: "Since when do clubs nurture players. Club officials use players for their own feeling of accomplishment. Then resent the players using their talents to experience The states and make money for themselves. Thankfully young lads are free to do what they want and grab any opportunities that come along." Ye guys are gas. I've spent my whole life listening to GAA people slag off soccer players for showing a lack of loyalty to their clubs, and following the money, yet when a GAA player does the exact same thing, it's all "fair play to him", "good luck to him". Galway9801 (Galway) - Posts: 1942 - 30/07/2022 12:08:57 2435360 Link
Replying To Ashrules: "Since when do clubs nurture players. Club officials use players for their own feeling of accomplishment. Then resent the players using their talents to experience The states and make money for themselves. Thankfully young lads are free to do what they want and grab any opportunities that come along." Its a slippery slope though is'nt it . Non players and supporters in clubs provide facilities ,coaching,sponsorship,mentoring, employment maybe ,all on a voluntary basis as well.Its how a club works. If players decide to take their talents elsewhere ,as you put it ,a lot of volunteers might think why would I bother, and very soon these talented lads have nowhere to display their talents when they come home (usually without a rex especially now that the cost of living in the states is much higher) UtahBlaine (Galway) - Posts: 151 - 30/07/2022 12:35:12 2435366 Link
Replying To UtahBlaine: "Its a slippery slope though is'nt it . Non players and supporters in clubs provide facilities ,coaching,sponsorship,mentoring, employment maybe ,all on a voluntary basis as well.Its how a club works. If players decide to take their talents elsewhere ,as you put it ,a lot of volunteers might think why would I bother, and very soon these talented lads have nowhere to display their talents when they come home (usually without a rex especially now that the cost of living in the states is much higher)" Exactly. That's my point but you put it better The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 30/07/2022 14:09:09 2435412 Link
What would happen if a club or county were found to be paying lads to play for them? What are the rules on Amateur/Professional. ism? seamusorinn (USA) - Posts: 295 - 30/07/2022 14:50:39 2435420 Link
Replying To UtahBlaine: "Its a slippery slope though is'nt it . Non players and supporters in clubs provide facilities ,coaching,sponsorship,mentoring, employment maybe ,all on a voluntary basis as well.Its how a club works. If players decide to take their talents elsewhere ,as you put it ,a lot of volunteers might think why would I bother, and very soon these talented lads have nowhere to display their talents when they come home (usually without a rex especially now that the cost of living in the states is much higher)" Most of them go out for 3 months and it's a once off, come back for club championship , what is the problem with that? Hardly going to make coaches/volunteers up and down the country just quit now come on! achara (Monaghan) - Posts: 574 - 30/07/2022 15:01:20 2435422 Link
If your 19-23, no wife and kids, no club championship football until September and someone offers you a few quid and a high paying soft job to save some money to go back to college. What would anyone do? Take and good luck to them. What would anyone begrudge it to them to force them stay home and play some league matches. Seriously, if you have a problem with this you clearly have a problem with people having (and using) their personal freedom. tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1205 - 31/07/2022 09:22:40 2435550 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "If your 19-23, no wife and kids, no club championship football until September and someone offers you a few quid and a high paying soft job to save some money to go back to college. What would anyone do? Take and good luck to them. What would anyone begrudge it to them to force them stay home and play some league matches. Seriously, if you have a problem with this you clearly have a problem with people having (and using) their personal freedom." The GAA could sort it out by making all Transfers/sanctions last for 6 or 9 months. Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2017 - 31/07/2022 10:54:29 2435561 Link
I can see both sides of it. My nephew went to the U.S. in 2008 and says it was the greatest experience of his life. It is hard to say that a young fellow should not have the right to benefit from his own skill. However the other side of the coin is a lot of work is put into the young player by his club with no expectation of monitory gain. Then the rest of his team mates are expected to soldier on and get results without the traveller but he shows up for the glory latter in the knockout stage displacing the poor guy who did not get the chance to go. What I do think is the GAA should not be facilitating this procedure. That is exactly what they have done with the new season set up. Done in the name of helping the club game. It never seems to amaze how the GAA have the ability always to do the opposite to what was intended. This year players missing for their clubs is off the charts. Players going overseas is not going to grow the sport in these places. It is just papering over the cracks with a quick fix adrenaline shot. I don't blame the players for going but the consequences and cost (forgive the punt) has to be there. You play for one club in any calendar year and if it is in the U.S. go and have fun but let the guy at home replacing you have his day in the sun. Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2903 - 01/08/2022 15:23:30 2435755 Link
Lot of fellas invoking the dedication of club coaches etc. in developing players, but in my experience clubs will drop fellas like a hot snot if they, say, get injured, or they think that the player in question is past their best. Coaches are often not too bothered either about fellas who they don't think can do a job for them, irrespective of how dedicated they might be. So I wouldn't be too worried about their feelings in this situation, especially given that the inter-county lads in question will be around for the club championships anyway. GAA personnel are all volunteers at the end of the day, the obligation on either side shouldn't be too high IMO. Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 04/08/2022 11:27:35 2436154 Link
I doubt anybody is too bothered about what the club coaches think. Most are money grabbing mercenaries themselves. Where I do feel sympathy is for the club who made Shane Walsh or the lads in the USA great players, only for them to turn their back. And lets be real here, the inter county players are getting handsomely remunerated for their time. Either in expenses (the great GAA unknown), business ventures (e.g. gyms, coffee shops, etc), promotional activities, playing in the US or else the counties wealthy sponsor. This is a fact no matter what peoples perception as to how amateur the game is. ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1267 - 04/08/2022 11:57:00 2436170 Link
Replying To ExiledInWex: "I doubt anybody is too bothered about what the club coaches think. Most are money grabbing mercenaries themselves. Where I do feel sympathy is for the club who made Shane Walsh or the lads in the USA great players, only for them to turn their back. And lets be real here, the inter county players are getting handsomely remunerated for their time. Either in expenses (the great GAA unknown), business ventures (e.g. gyms, coffee shops, etc), promotional activities, playing in the US or else the counties wealthy sponsor. This is a fact no matter what peoples perception as to how amateur the game is." Walsh is 29 and has probably been playing for his club for the past two decades. He is also studying in Dublin so has a legitimate reason to switch to a club there if he feels it benefits his life. It seems to me that the GAA is the only sphere of Irish life in which people's motives can be scrutinised for not wanting to make a 300 mile round trip regularly. All to kick a bag of wind around. The GAA loses hundreds of lads each year to wine, women and song and no one bats an eyelid. Ditto for fellas relocating for work. As for inter-county players reaping handsome benefits, I feel that it's a debatable issue. Sure, some side benefits might be pretty good relative to club players. But I'm inclined to think it's only a select few who are getting endorsements, do media work or get picked up for a business venture (it's certainly the case in my own county, anyway). Certainly, mileage expenses won't last too long either, in most cases, given the spike in inflation recently. What's left after that? The main thing I can think of is sports scholarships, which is a significant thing, but it's not like everyone gets it either. Late developers aren't eligible for one if they don't play county minor. Obviously fellas who skip college don't get one either. The All-Ireland finalists get a holiday, small beer relative to what they make for the Association. And as you suggest, it's starting to get to the point where the players are the only ones not making money for their efforts. So if they can make a few greenbacks in the off season and be back for the start of the championship, good luck to them. Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 04/08/2022 13:55:57 2436205 Link
I think the conspiracy crew are out in force on the Shane Walsh transfer. Reading up on the so called super clubs today it seems they are stacked with local players these days and not like 10 years ago (when it seemed to be an issue). They have such a huge membership and underage section they don't need to go down the route of bringing players in. Is there a bit of lazy commentary going on without facts being checked? Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1894 - 04/08/2022 21:01:32 2436264 Link
Tomsmith here It would be very interesting to see who many transfers the money Bags in the USA achieved this year . When I say transfers I mean the players who transferred (is it the love of the Game in the USA ) to USA Clubs who will provide evidence of getting paid. I understand that afew County players are promised 30,000 dollars . Indeed its not that many years ago when a County still in the Championship lost 4 top County men. What is this doing for the Gaa in the USA is Zero . Currently eating Houses have reduced opening Hours due to lack of staff. I know here in Cavan young fellows and Lassies would get as much as one could eat and some pay for working for a night. The sooner that Clubs take on these money Bags the better for the Game here and in the USA tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3988 - 12/08/2022 17:50:56 2437224 Link
What would happen if a club or county were found to be paying lads to play for them? What are the rules on Amateur/Professional. ism? seamusorinn (USA) - Posts: 250 - 30/07/2022 14:50:39 2435420 Tomsmith here Seamus a cara you ask what would happen if aClub or County were paying lads.. The Gaa is an amatuer Sport where no payment is permitted other than reasonable/vouched expenses. That is the difficulty that the Gaa is faced with in proving that payment other than the above passed hands. Shou;ld sufficient engery exist I feel that it should be possible to nip this commercial aspect of the game. Perhaps if a Club arranged a few plants it may put an end to it. It is alleged that agents do act in Ireland on behalf of these money Bags, Whether E30,000 or close to it is reasonable expenses to entice a player to play in the summer in the US is amtter of opinion. tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3988 - 17/08/2022 18:28:39 2437810 Link
I don't see anything wrong if it did go professional DuhallowRed (Cork) - Posts: 304 - 18/08/2022 16:37:28 2437933 Link
Replying To DuhallowRed: "I don't see anything wrong if it did go professional" You don't? Wow... Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1072 - 18/08/2022 21:02:47 2437963 Link