Clubs urged to consider proposals very carefully
LOUTH chairman Des Halpenny has urged clubs to carefully discuss and consider motions relating to League structures ahead of next months adjourned convention.
Touching on a wide-range of issue and topics in his annual address, the chairman identified the County Grounds redevelopment and club league structures as two of the more pressing issues facing Louth GAA in the coming weeks and months.
He noted how important league status had become with more and more championship winners coming from the higher league grades, including 2017 junior champs Glen Emmets, who operated in Division 2.
As a result clubs are understandably reluctant to play games without their county players, but he noted: ‘Clubs want their players for as many games as possible. Inter County players, however, only make up a small proportion of the playing population (less than 2%) and we have to think of the majority of the playing spectrum.
‘A call from the players group at the fixtures forum was for a regular programme of games, this was almost more important to them than the structures. We cannot ignore that. We cannot close down the entire season when the Inter County teams are playing, we have to think of the majority.’
League structures were also heavily debated at the fixture forum and Mr Halpenny urged clubs to analyse the motions emanating from that meeting carefully. ‘Looking specifically at our current League structures, this has been an issue which has been raised in some form or another over the past 12 months at most of our County Board meetings. Generally issues raised have centred on clubs whose first teams are now in Division 4/5 and their future survival and clubs whose second teams are in Division 3 and fixture issues they were having. Walkovers also became an issue as the year went on.
‘Once something like that is coming up at regular intervals, we have a duty to review and discuss it. This is a democratic organisation and I felt we achieved what was intended from the evening. If there is dissatisfaction out there, let’s address it and the only way to do that is in the form of a democratic vote brought to the proper forum in the correct manner.’
Moving on to Coaching and Games, the chairman insisted it’s an area he holds particularly dear and outlined progress made over the course of 2017.
‘Two years ago, when our Inter County Squads had gone through a difficult season, we outlined a number of key initiatives and programmes to improve our situation, he said. ‘These initiatives are now fully embedded in the Coaching & Games Programme and I believe they have been successful. The Club Programme is one which has been a couple of years in the making. The county has been broken up into regions and each club and school have been allocated one of our coaching staff to assist with coaching and education programmes and to monitor standards on the ground.’
He revaled that record numbers attened Cul Camps las summer with an all-time high of 35 camps and 3379 children, a 14% increase on 2016, which was the highest increase in Leinster.
He also hailed the new Club/ School festivals which were expanded to 26 clubs in 2017, engaging with over 4000 children with plans to roll out the initiative to all clubs in 2018.
Mr Halpenny said the whole county is looking forward to the 2018 Feile, which will be hosted by Louth, Down and Meath. It’s the first time Louth has been involved in hosting it and he said it promises to be a great ‘festival of football’.
On a more sombre note the chairman addressed a growing disquiet and antagonism at county board meetings in 2017.
‘It’s no secret that some of the meetings earlier this year have not been pleasant. I highly value and have great respect for the institution that is the County Committee and the delegates. However, as our Treasurer mentioned earlier this year, there is no parliamentary privilege at County Committee meetings. Delegates are there to represent their clubs and in turn clubs are responsible for the delegates they send to represent them.
‘Delegates simply cannot come into meetings with personal opinions, half truths and personal grievances, say whatever they feel and in whatever fashion they choose.
‘I’m glad to say that this has been isolated in its nature and does not reflect the general workings of the County Committee. In the whole, delegates have been very supportive, respectful and participate well in the meetings.’
While the league structure debate looks set to dominate the headlines over the next few weeks, the chairman revealed that underage structures will have to be looked at in 2018 following the national move to re-grade minor as U-17 and reducing the U-21 grade to U-20.
‘We’ve had some good discussions over the year. A National Review Group led by former Uachtaran Liam O Neill recommended to Special Congress that
the major age grades for clubs change to odd numbers ie U17, 15, 13, 11 and that the age limits for schools senior competitions goes from U18.5 to U19. The voting on this was deferred at Special Congress.
‘Going forward, we have to realise that running an U18 competition will mean that there will still be an overlap at Adult level which creates its own problems for our fixture makers. In addition, the U18 competitions will continue to cease at the start of May and not resume until the end of June because of the exams.
‘I have asked the Minor Board to take a look at running an U17 competition during this period, to cater for those not doing exams and not on the U17 Inter County Squad. This would start and end within this period. From our discussions, there does not seem to be an appetite at this time to change to U17 altogether.’
Elsewhere in his speech Mr Halpenny offered a word of caution in relation to the GPA and the latest player deal agreed at the end of 2016 and the newer CPA.
‘I don’t want to be taken out of context here and let me first state that I’m not for one moment criticising the players. The Treasurer and myself have been working with GPA agreements for the past eight years, however the latest deal, finalised 12 months ago, has had and will continue to have significant effects on counties. We noticed it within a couple of weeks of its implementation. The initial concept behind the organisation is good in looking after the needs of the Inter County Player and was borne out of overall frustration at the treatment of Players. However that day has moved on. It currently caters for a very small percentage of our playing population - the elite - and its modus operendi is to look after the sole interests of that group. As I have said before, the majority of the organisation does not fit into this group, over 98% of the players are Club Players.
‘I am uneasy about the concept of any group which constitutes less than 2% of the playing population never mind the total membership, commanding such a position, influence and focus in the GAA and in a voluntary community based organisation any notion of any arm or group of the Association being put up on a pedestal.
‘Is the genie out of the bottle? The next deal between the GAA and GPA in a couple of years I firmly believe will put us just one step below professionalism, the next deal will have to be bigger and better than the current one, that’s the nature of negotiations. And I feel it will contribute to widening the gap even further between club and county.
‘The CPA or Club Players Association continues to grow in influence. Again this was borne out of frustration with club fixtures, there was a vacuum there and I can understand that. There have been efforts at National GAA level to try and address the club fixtures issue for 2018 and we will have to see how this plays out. I feel it deserves a try to see where it takes us, but there is more that has to be done to assist County Committees.’
The chairman noted that the objectives of the CPA appear to go beyond club fixtures, continuing
‘So what is my point? Here we have two organisations whose prime objectives are to look after players.
‘Where does the volunteer fit in or the club officer or the club executive? Where does the County Committee fit in? Stewards, referees or officials? The fact is they don’t.
‘There is a danger here that we, County Committees and inevitably the clubs, will get squeezed on all sides. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility and picture the scene, where club chairpersons and executives may have to sit in front of their players and CPA reps and agree entitlements, terms and charters for the year ahead ...as we now have at Inter County level,’ he added.