Fair play to Aidan O’Shea for perfect response to criticism of how media is treated in GAA

Every team, at some stage or another, has had a chat about media protocol.

They would’ve discussed what questions not to answer, which journalist to avoid, what stage of the year it was okay to do an interview.

They might’ve gone through stock answers, deflection tactics, and whatever else to make sure no team could pin any of their words to the dressing room wall.

They probably even talked about a complete blackout. No media.

The 19-step guide to bluffing your way through a GAA interview https://t.co/CW3YZbw8s9 #GAA

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As this happens, we grow increasingly frustrated – especially in the media. It makes our lives so much harder, it causes more of a disconnect between the press and what is actually happening and it gets more and more difficult to tell the real story of these guys’ lives and careers.

You don’t often hear too many fans complaining about it – they don’t really give a shit as long as they get to watch the action on a Sunday. Sure, they enjoy a nice interview with some of the biggest players but they’ll live without it for a few weeks.

As managers grow paranoid, tactics evolve, and sides don’t want to give anything away or, more importantly, have any distractions, many GAA teams’ attitude to the media has hardened.

It’s in stark contrast to what you might see in America for example where players are obliged to speak with the press, the media is fed so much information they can’t even get their heads around it and journalists are allowed into the bloody dressing rooms for God’s sake.

Speaking at AIB’s ‘Club Fuels County’ launch of the GAA All-Ireland Football Championship, Aidan O’Shea was asked about the difference between the GAA nowadays and the access that the media in America have in his beloved NBA.

His response was perfect.

“They [NBA players] also get paid about 26 million a year and they’re guaranteed contracts and they don’t walk into being a teacher or whatever the next day…” O’Shea said.

“I think we’re slowly getting there [in the GAA]. We don’t follow American sports, I think we kind of follow what’s happening in England in the Premier League and stuff like that. You see now they’re even interviewing players going into games – it’ll slowly filter down into what we do long after I’m gone.

“Maybe I’ll do the interviewing then.”

As much as we love to exclaim that the GAA is already professional now with the work the players are doing and the facilities that they have access to, we tend to forget that they are headed to work on a Monday – or they’re travelling back down the road straight after training.

The media might not have as much access to players now but opinions are still circulated and they’re more fierce than ever.

“I don’t get too bogged down on it,” the Mayo man said.

“I probably did when I was younger.

“I focus on the group, focus on my family and things that are important to me. Once I focus on those kind of things, I know that will motivate me to play well.”

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