THE CLUB PLAYERS Association (CPA) has labelled the GAA’s latest attempts to reform the fixtures calendar as “inadequate.”
Croke Park will host a special congress in September to push through changes to the All-Ireland SHC, while there are seven motions in total down for discussion with the view to ease the pressure on club fixtures.
In a statement released by the CPA, Micheál Briody criticised the agenda and said it falls “far short of what is required.”
He wrote: “There are seven motions in total. We had hoped for one motion. A bold, brave and definitive motion that would cut through the short term planning and provide for a national fixtures plan for club and county.”
“The CPA presented Croke Park with a national fixture plan some months back that showed how club and county can co-exist.
“We pointed out that three critical elements are needed to achieve this harmony.
- April designated as a club only month
- Club All Irelands played in a calendar year
- December a month of downtime and rest for all players.
“Why aren’t these being discussed at Central Council or presented in a national strategy? These are issues that benefit the club player in a meaningful way and relate directly to the GAA’s core purpose.
“Is it arrogance, a lack of concern for club players, or fear of real meaningful change that prevents our Association from grasping the seriousness of the issues that we face and addressing these fundamental problems?”
“We are deeply concerned at the direction we are taking as an association with a growing imbalance between the income-generating big business wing of the GAA, directed and managed by paid officials, and the volunteer club ethos at local community level. The CPA is firmly in the latter category.”
