CPA survey casts major doubt on return to club action this year – Declan Bogue

HOPES that there could be some club activity in 2020 are set to be blown apart by the expected result of a survey carried out by the Club Players’ Association (CPA) later today.

The CPA has balloted its members asking a series of pertinent questions about their appetite to play this year, in light of the ongoing pandemic, and under the assumption that there is no available vaccine.

Chairman of the CPA Micheál Briody shared his fears by stating: “My own personal view is that there will be no games this year at all. Club or county.

“We wouldn’t be pushing or gunning for this, from a CPA point of view. But when we take the views of the players into consideration, that’s where it is going to come from.”

There had been a suggestion from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that club action could make a return on July 20, but early indications from the survey indicate that club players are reluctant to return to action.

The results will be announced in full today, but by their very nature if there is anything less than full buy-in from club players, then the idea of a club season will have to be shelved for the year. Briody spelled out the reality as it pertains to most clubs.

“If you go to our club, if only half of the players turn up, then we don’t have a squad and we can’t field,” he said.

“And we are talking about the small, rural junior clubs. It wouldn’t be a problem with the Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden of course.”

In assessing a return to action, various scenarios have been teased out: how to manage numbers in dressing-rooms, how turnstiles will be operated and crowds policed with social distancing in mind. But the biggest obstacle is when players take to the field.

Briody revealed that the CPA were inundated with over 100 emails from members expressing grave concerns.

“Basically on the point that, ‘Has anybody thought about us? Are we going to be guinea pigs?’” he said.

“There are others that live with their parents who are in the vulnerable category, others are saying their wife or girlfriend work in health care, how can they be safe to go out and play with players, that they wouldn’t feel right doing it.

“In fairness, when I thought about this I was thinking in terms of the crowds, and now people are starting to think of it as a contact sport and people at risk here of spreading by community transmission are the players.

“I know it was said we could start back with club. It was meant in good faith with the point of view that it was smaller gatherings but I don’t think we are going to see that in 2020.”

If club players are apprehensive about returning to play, then that will be replicated across the intercounty scene. The same concerns apply. The CPA survey also asks if people would be comfortable to go along and spectate at county games, and this field is expected to receive a very lukewarm response.