Everyone knows the score by this stage.
If you play for your county, you’ll have to accept that you’re going to miss a hell of a lot of club action.
If you’re already training four or five nights a week, on a specific programme to play at the top of the sport, even the most dim-witted would understand that you don’t have to train with your club on top of that.
If you’re preparing for an Ulster championship with your county, the club league can sit on the backburner for the time being.
It’s unfortunate, it’s frustrating, it’s the worst thing about the GAA – the overlapping and extended county and club programmes.
But it is not up to Down GAA to fix it.
And it’s certainly not up to Eamonn Burns to fix it.
The GAA schedule and structures are a complete mess at the minute but the Mourne men are simply trying to work with what they’ve been given. It still doesn’t make for great reading.
On the 26th of January, club delegates will meet with county board officials at the County Committee to discuss a draft calendar that Down GAA sent out which requires a number of stipulations.
- County players will train solely with the county until after April 2.
- County players will not be allowed to partake in club training or challenge games until after April 2.
- However… FROM March 31, county players will not be allowed to train with the club until the first round of the Ulster championship (June 4).
- So, basically, county players will train solely with the county from now until June 4 at least (forget about April 2, training-wise).
- Players can play games with the clubs from March 31 up until nine days before June 4, if management agree.
- The closed July fortnight – usually set aside for holidays – has been removed.
It seems unfair and drastic at first look but there are some other variants.
- County players not selected on the first league panel of 26 are available to clubs.
- The new calendar guarantees a weekly fixture from March 31 right through until October 22 for Division 1 and 2.
Down clubs usually don't rock the boat too often, but I think this meeting could be heated. #GAA pic.twitter.com/Bboe9K23Lr
— Niall McCoy (@McCoyNiall) January 17, 2017
There are a few worrying elements.
Club players want games, yes, but they also want a break. They also want clear dates where they can get away and not have to worry about missing training or big games.
yes. And I know some have already booked holidays expecting it to be free
— Niall McCoy (@McCoyNiall) January 18, 2017
And the complaints from inter-county management that they’re working with skeleton squads around this time of year is a nonsense.
They’re working with the entire county.
42 clubs in @OfficialDownGAA fielded senior mens football teams last year so he has 630+ players
— John Haughey (@SportingSmiles1) January 17, 2017
But, listen, is anything here really out of the ordinary?
Is it genuinely realistic to expect county players to be made available to their clubs so much throughout the year?
The problem is the system, not Down.
Clubs need their big players and the big players want to be there. They miss being with the club. It’s unfortunate but a reality in the modern landscape because counties need them too.
What Down are doing is just trying to work within the ridiculous boundaries that have been set. This wouldn’t shock most clubs. They’d be well used to it by now.
Perhaps that’s the most depressing aspect of it all.
