‘Health of nation is priority’
SLIGO Senior football manager Paul Taylor says that GAA and sport in general is not what matters during this Covid-19 pandemic that we are all facing. Instead, the health and safety of everyone in the country is what matters most, the Eastern Harps man firmly points out.
It’s been two weeks since Taoiseach Leo Varadkar indicated the closure of our schools and colleges and shortly after pretty much all sporting fixtures were postponed until March 29th and more than likely for sometime thereafter.
Not only were matches postponed, the GAA also indicated that no trainings were to take place which means players have to continue their fitness regimes individually at home.
With Sligo having 2 games left in their Allianz National League campaign, the postponement does leave managers pondering if and when games will resume but it’s a question nobody knows the answers to amid this Covid-19 crisis.
Taylor is adamant there are more concerning matters for the time being, with the safety of players, their families and management the priority during these unprecedented times we are going through.
“It is a shock for everyone with everything suspended. We’ve never seen anything like this before.
“We are in uncharted territory and first of all the main objective is that everyone stays safe.
“The most important issue is everybody’s health and I cannot stress enough how important it is that we adhere to social distancing and all the guidelines.
“With our players, panel, all the management and staff adhering to these guidelines, it means that they themselves and their families are staying safe across the board.
“From the point of view of football, it’s a long way down the line of importance during a situation like this. In saying that, I do feel for the players who have dedicated 7 or 8 months of their lives to training and getting ready for the National League and Championship and it is difficult then being told to stop.
“It is difficult in their own lives and for their routines that they don’t have it anymore but people have their own work to do at home, There is no such thing as lads meeting up for training, that’s a complete no, no.
“Everyone has to adhere to the rules. It is difficult for everybody, in their job or sport, when a routine is taken out it is hard and it does put a strain on a person themselves.
“There are exercises at home that anyone can do, even people not into sport can do them. There are loads of people qualified in this giving tips on social media, sharing ideas on what people can do and that is very important for us all.”
Taylor also said it was important people keep talking to one another, their families and friends during this difficult time.
He explained that it’s vital that players keep their preparations up and a big element of that is regular contact with all of the panel. “As a management, we are in constant contact with the lads all the time, which is massively important for everyone.
“Some of the lads have college work to do. Again, it’s difficult as they are so used to being active all the time. They have their WhatsApp groups and everyone is available to pick up the phone and be there at the end of the line. That’s what it is all about, working together.
“From our point of view, we hope the National League will finish and I can only believe that it will.
“There is no word until after the 29th of March and I don’t believe it will be all over then unfortunately. There is a larger period of time to look at and everyone knows that.
“I don’t think the GAA will be making decisions yet, there are more important things right now,” the manager said.
“I must say that the players are all being very responsible and that is the message we are trying to get across. Also as a GAA community, that’s the message we want to get across, for everyone to adhere to the protocols, keep social distancing and from the point of view of the lads, they are being very responsible and I am proud of them for that.
“That age group sometimes feel like they are invincible, but no one is invincible to this,” Taylor maintained. “The only way to help and say thanks to our nurses, doctors, civil servants, gardaí and every one of the frontline staff is to maintain social distancing and adhere to all the protocols.
“Our elderly people need to be looked after, our GAA clubs have been doing that in our communities and that will continue in the weeks ahead.” With the GAA saying on Wednesday that the Connacht championship opener between New York and Galway is postponed, it’s uncertain whether that will delay the second round.
“Everything is up in the air for once in our lives, we don’t have a concept of time or how long it will take.
“The most important thing as I was saying is the health and safety of everyone in the country. When all that is clear, the GAA will sit down and look at it But for now, what’s important is that everyone stays safe,” Taylor added.
THAT AGE GROUP SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE INVINCIBLE, BUT NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE TO THIS.