JUST HONEST

GPA chief Tom calls on Croke Park to be clear on desire for Championship plan

GPA chief Tom Parsons has called on the GAA leadership to put their cards on the table over football reform.

Two weeks from tomorrow, Special Congress will vote on proposals that may radically overhaul the Allireland SFC structure.

The players’ body has nailed its colours firmly to the mast on its preference for proposal B, which would see the current League format adapted for the Championship, with the provincial competitions being run on a round robin basis earlier in the year.

But yesterday Parsons was flanked by county stars Podge Collins (Clare), Niall Morgan (Tyrone) and Michael Quinn (Longford) as they presented a strong case in favour of the motion.

The other Special Congress proposals call for excess counties in Leinster and Ulster to be moved to Connacht and Munster to form four conferences of eight teams, while the other option is to retain the status quo.

Former GAA president John Horan backed proposal B publicly but his successor Larry Mccarthy and director-general Tom Ryan have yet to express their views on it and Parsons hopes that they address the matter ahead of the vote.

“Yeah, I’d like to see it,” he said. “We have a number of weeks to Special Congress and it’s an educational journey for all our GAA administration and leadership.

“There is still time to educate and deep-dive and listen to debates and players, host focus groups, and go around the country and listen, to formulate your opinion.

“It is really important, whatever opinion that is, people need to express their opinions. Again, there might be one or two players who have an alternative opinion to us, but that’s ok.

“It is a really important decision and it is warranted to have these conversations to answer these questions.

“I hope that happens. I believe it will happen, we still have a number of weeks to Special Congress.”

The former Mayo footballer also stressed that the structure “allows for adaptation” should there be teething problems in the first year or two and there were noises made about the possibility of Friday night games between neighbouring counties in order to spread the increased volume of matches out more evenly over the course of a weekend.

But he insisted that he was hopeful that those who matter most – the Special Congress delegates – will take their views on board

“If those conversations are had, I firmly believe our county executives will come to the conclusion that we’ve a very strong proposal.”

Both Parsons and Collins were at pains to point out that their favoured structure, if introduced, would not just be a rehash of the current League.

“No, it’s Championship,” said Parsons. “It’s not the League anymore. That’s the narrative we need to get out of our mind – these are seven Championship games. It’s not a League,” he stressed.