GPA chairman Donal Og Cusack has revealed that the players' body will be increasing pressure on the GAA in 2006 to allow inter-county players to become semi-professional. The brilliant Cork hurling goalkeeper has made it clear to Croke Park officials that the patience of players is at breaking point, adding that they have grown increasingly frustrated with the amount of money that's in the game at present. "Money is very much in the game as we speak," he said. "All you have to do is go to Croke Park and look at their budgets for the year. "The idea of volunteerism? I don't accept that. If I was training a young guy and I thought he could go on to become a professional athlete and make a great life for himself, I would be delighted to see him go on and do that. "And if you look at other sports - soccer, rugby, Australian Rules - the volunteer aspect has never been affected by the game being professional." Cusack added that the GAA can't have it both ways, being professional in all but name. "Everybody can see how professional it is on one level - they say they have respect for players but the relationship with the GPA is practically non-existent. "They can't want players to produce this product, then sell it and tell players it's all for the love of the game." However, GAA president Sean Kelly remains strongly opposed to professionalism. He said: "The GAA's amateur status and volunteerism has always been very important to the Association because it revolves around it. "There's a great pride in place, the local club, school and county. People play for the place they belong to and there's a great sense of community and self-sacrifice attached to the GAA. "People give of their time, expertise and finance for the good of others. If we go semi-professional, we would lose all that." Tweet

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