The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
And we’re back: Our columnist on club life in the new normal
Seán O’Sulluvan What’s it like to be a club footballer in the time of Covid-19? Strange, but strangely hopeful too
IT’S championship week for us here in Cromane. After training on Monday evening last I made my usual trip to an area known locally as the boathouse to soak my legs in the water.
Anyone who has been down here for a swim will know the old structure where fishermen of bygone years would store their vessels. It is now being converted into a beautiful new cafe, which will be a fantastic addition to the area. The main building will be restored and retained as it’s a very important part of Cromane’s story.
During my Kerry days we had built-in ice baths in the dressing rooms, but now I use my own natural one which is only a stone’s throw from my house. Only a more qualified person than me will say if it makes any difference to my recovery or not, but it can’t do these forty year old pins any harm I suppose.
I’ll try anything to stay playing for as long as possible. As I stood there I watched as life attempted to go on as normal around me. A couple of tractors passed with trailers carrying bales of hay home.
I counted three boats of local fishermen bringing in their haul for the night. Families walked their dogs and wondered who’s the fool outside in the water?! From the outside looking in all looked like Covid-19 never existed. Unfortunately though it is never too far from our minds particularly when it comes to returning to play football.
Since clubs got the go ahead to return to group training we have been adhering to all the regulations to ensure it’s a safe as possible to play the game that we love. So what’s the new normal when it comes to training? Let me put you in the shoes (or boots) of a club player in 2020!
So I tog off at home and travel alone to training. On arrival the players have a designated parking area and we stagger our entrance through the gate. Our Covid officer Patrick is on hand with sanitiser and we put on our boots at a location just in front of the stand.
We all bring our own individually marked water bottles for during the session. When we are finished we all stagger our leaving time again making sure to sanitise on the way out. On leaving Patrick is already spraying the footballs with disinfectant ready for whoever might need them next.
When I arrive home I sell a few dummy solos to the my kids before togging off in our utility room and showering. It’s different. It’s strange. It’s the new normal.
I know eventually we will be allowed back in there, but I really miss the dressing room. Ask any player up and down the country and they will tell you there is no place like it. It can be an unforgiving place, but it’s the room where bonds are formed, friendships are made and arguments settled.
You laugh in there and you cry in there. Shower gel is robbed and towels are hidden. Lotto tickets are handed out along with a few bollockings! But most of all it’s where you catch up with guys and become a team.
I find it hard at the moment that you arrive at the field, train and then are more or less ushered out as quickly as possible. Don’t get me wrong I completely understand the need to do this and I am fully invested in it. However, it’s hard to get my head around these strange times.
On the plus side I have to admire players attitudes since the return to play has come into affect. It’s not easy for amateur footballers to throw themselves back into the game with everything going on.
The majority of players have jobs and families that they worry about every day and it can’t have been easy to decide to come back to play. I have to commend the GAA, however, as by putting in the regulations it has made it very safe to do so.
There is no doubt Ireland as a whole has made great strides in battling the pandemic but as recent examples show it’s not going to be plain sailing. A handful of GAA clubs have already had to suspend activity due to the irresponsible actions of a few, but unfortunately that’s all it takes to bring all our progress to a halt.
One word that is commonly used by teams is ‘trust’ and I think that word has never been as apt as it is today. We all have to trust that we as teammates are adhering to regulations not just two or three times a week at training but in our everyday lives.
We have to trust that other club members are doing the same. And we have to trust that all club players around the county are also doing likewise because pretty soon we will be coming into pretty close contact with each other.
We travelled to Renard on Saturday evening last for a challenge game and again I have to say it was very well laid out by them. Players had separate gates to enter through and bar a few heavy shoulders during the game social distance was maintained at all times! There is no doubt it is different, but still it’s great to be back.
On a final note I’d like to address the current debate surrounding the inter county scene and the controversy over their return to training which is pencilled in for September 14.
It really irked me to hear of numerous examples of counties completely disregarding the GAA’s regulations and partaking in training sessions. It irked me, but unfortunately it didn’t surprise me. Why are some people always out there looking to bend or twist the rules? Where’s the honesty in our game gone?
Let players train and play with their clubs until September 14 and then they can train with the county team. At least then everyone gets the same start and nobody can have any complaints.
If senior inter-county coaches want to sit down with club coaches and advise them on training schedules or programmes that will help everyone concerned, then that’s a win for all involved.
There has also been the suggestion that players who are knocked out of their respective club championship can go back into county training then. I don’t agree with this. Remember, we are still in the middle of a health emergency and the less time we spend in close proximity to each other the better.
Can we as an association for once just come together and say if the date for return is set then so be it? Everyone is working together so well to fight this horrible infection. This is an opportunity for the GAA to show solidarity and fairness at at time when it is needed most.
Stay safe.