Tension between GAA and Club Players Association intensifies as CPA accused of being ‘contradictory’

As soon as the Club Players Association was formed you knew a collision with the GAA was inevitable.

Formed to serve the needs of the silent majority who see themselves as ignored by the Association's upper echelons, Declan Brennan and Co were always likely to make some waves in Croke Park. The first ripples were felt this morning when the CPA released statement calling for Director General Paraic Duffy to park his All-Ireland SFC quarter-final round robin proposals, while simultaneously calling for official recognition of CPA by county boards and the formation of a national fixtures think tank. https://twitter.com/ClubPlayerAssoc/status/823819019396517888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Undoubtedly this release was timed with the release of Duffy's annual report on Tuesday morning in mind.

"We are calling on Páraic Duffy to park his proposals pending proper consultation. We have had a very positive response since our official launch. Over 15,000 club players have registered so far. Their expectation is that the GAA will step up to the plate and address the fixtures issue for all players. If the current proposals are passed, there will be no realistic possibility to change until the 2019 season at the earliest. By then it could be too late. This needs sorted now.” He continued: "We have had several informal discussions with the director-general Páraic Duffy at which we have exchanged views. We appreciate greatly Páraic taking time to meet us and recognise the legitimacy of the CPA. We have written to him to formally notify him, on behalf of club players, of three matters that need immediate attention: 1 CPA Recognition We are calling upon and appealing to County Boards to vote to officially recognise the CPA at the forthcoming Congress. We are at the stage as an Association where we need to consider what's right for all our members, not who's right. Given the nature of Congress we believe it is important that the motion proposed by Wexford and Tipperary County Boards is heard at Congress and given due consideration without the possibility of procedural interference or impairment. We are writing to County Boards this week inviting their mandated support to achieve the necessary support. The CPA is committed to working with and supporting County Boards. Agreement on fixtures will make their work easier. 2 Fixtures Proposal The CPA is today announcing that it cannot support the fixtures proposals brought forward by Páraic Duffy. We are therefore calling on Páraic to put his ideas on hold pending further consideration. We respect Páraic’s position over the last 9 years as Director General and his immense experience as a professional GAA official. However we cannot support the proposals on three main grounds: · They do not fully take on board the need for an agreed fixtures programme for club players, or take account of legitimate concerns raised including club player welfare and well being, holidays and closed season. · They are detrimental towards hurling, and in their presented form are creating an unwelcome imbalance in the Association, especially at a time when hurling nationally needs renewed focus. Both games must be given parity of esteem. This is non negotiable. · The proposals pre date the establishment of the Club Players’ Association. The view expressed to us by club players who are the majority playing population, is that club fixtures need to be fully considered in any proposals going forward. 3 Fixtures Think Tank To this end we call for the immediate establishment of a Fixtures Think Tank to meet, take on board and consult fixtures experts in the GAA, and if necessary take evidence from other sports. Their remit will be to report back within a fixed timeframe with a programme and principles that create uniformity and help county boards who are unfairly often in the firing line. Their findings will outline the way forward to make our Association fit for purpose and serve the GAA for the next stage of its evolution and the challenges we all face. We must remember the articles of our Association when first established by Cusack, Davin and the founding fathers: "Davin spoke first about the plan to start a new organisation for sport. He described how many Irish games were losing popularity and dying out in some cases in the countryside and appealed for a revival. ‘The Gaelic Athletic Association for the Preservation and Cultivation of National Pastimes’ was chosen as the official name but it soon became known familiarly by the shortened title of the GAA. It is time again to preserve and cultivate our games for all our members.

Duffy had to respond in Croke Park and he did so, describing the CPA statement as "contradictory", as it goes contrary to the CPA's desire for the fixtures issue to be dealt with immediately. “They asked if the GAA fix the fixtures issue for all players, which I thought is what we’re trying to do in terms of the motions going to Congress. To say that if the proposals are passed it will be 2019 at the earliest and it needs sorting now? If you want to attempt to sort it now then why would you park it? The two things appear contradictory," Duffy told reporters. The CPA may be calling or urgent changes to the fixtures but, as per their statement, they feel the current plan may be detrimental to hurling and the club scene in general. Even if it does push the All-Ireland finals forward to the end of August. In his report Duffy is complimentary of the CPA, admitting that is very establishment is proof that more needs to be done for club players.

"The Club Players Association (CPA) has its origins in the frustration of club players with the failure of our fixtures calendar to provide them with a coherent schedule of games throughout the year. The very fact that club players feel there is a need for such an organisation simply reinforces what we already know – that we must find ways to support club players by creating more space for the playing of club games and by rebalancing our priorities in a way that our attentions are devoted more to our clubs and less to inter-county activities."