Dialogue needed to help avoid manager conflicts – GPA

DESPITE an increase in heaves against managers in recent years, the GPA does not regard it as a trend with the potential to destabilise relationships between inter-county squads, managements and county boards into the future.

Fermanagh football manager Pete McGrath cited unrest among players as the reason for his departure this week while it’s understood that player issues also played a part in Kevin Ryan’s decision to resign as Offaly hurling manager after one season in charge. While not commenting directly on either county, GPA chief-executive Dermot Earley said that players’ input to end-of-year reviews, in particular, should always be taken into account.

“Keeping lines of communication open is very important. That involves county boards as well as players and managements. These situations are never black and white and should not be treated such.

“Our job (GPA) is to support the players in whatever way we can. Players’ views have to count for something. If they want to review or change something, it’s logical

that they be given the opportunity to make their case. They do it for the right reasons. They want to be the very best they can and if they have concerns, it’s only right that they be heard. County boards have a big responsibility in this area too to ensure that issues are sorted out if and when they arise,” said Earley.

Meanwhile, the GPA have insisted “unfounded comments” should not be made in a public forum after a Laois club delegate accused four of the panel of drinking in the build-up to matches.

Members of the Laois executive are set to meet with player representatives from the senior panel to discuss the future of manager Peter Creedon, amidst claims some of the panel were drinking before games.

At a county board meeting, John Burke from the Crettyard club insisted that “everyone in the street is talking about” the claim that “at least four of our senior football players congregate for drinking sessions”. Burke clarified that the alleged incident took place “days before” an unspecified game.

“You can’t drink pints of Guinness and talk s***e in a pub and then play football,” he said.

In response, the GPA stated that such assertions shouldn’t be made without foundation.

“The GPA wouldn’t support any unfounded comments being made in a public forum,” a spokesperson said.

Creedon’s future remains unclear. He recently addressed the executive on their 2017 campaign where it was outlined that “only two incidents” that were “not befitting of an intercounty panel” took place and that they were handled internally.

Creedon also outlined that a “complete rebuilding process was needed”. A senior player and a county board official could not be contacted for comment.