Seamus O’Hanlon

ing bodies have already wound down their programmes for the festive season. With Glen Emmets and Albion Rovers Underfinishing

nent arrival of the man in the big red suit.

The buzz of excitement around our house has been at fever pitch these last few weeks

During my playing days I always enjoyed recharge the batteries after a long season From memory I think most managers were reasonably liberal with us back then. They They trusted that the majority of us would

Most lads would more or less adhere to instructions but there was always one or two shape.

Things have moved on quite considerably since those days and I now sympathise with what is currently demanded of county panellists.

From discussions with some who are involved, there is very little downtime to be had over the festive season moreso, this year with the O’Byrne Cup commencing on December 30th.

The early start of this competition is a direct result of Croke Park’s attempt to revamp the 2018 master fixtures list to shorten the inter-county season and accommodate club football, but is it really going to work?

Much has been written in recent weeks about whether county managers are actually going to release players back to their clubs for the month of April. Mayo manager Stephen Rochford (pictured) has already thrown down the gauntlet to authorities by arranging a week-long training camp during April.

More managers are likely to follow suit which will put them on a direct collision course with the newly formed Club Players Association (CPA).

In my opinion the reform of the fixtures programme, while well meaning, is badly thought out and will not work.

Even these modest reforms in favour of the club player are doomed from the outset.

between Croke Park and the CPA thus far but I sense there will be a much more militant response from the club players body should these modest reforms be disrespected.

And what‘s going to happen if the weather interferes with the fixtures programme over the next month or so.

The current cold snap was well heralded by weather forecasters in advance of last weekend but it didn’t prevent the cancellation of Sunday’s fixtures in Portlaoise and Ruislip.

Our options in relation to such occurrences are non existent therefore the likelihood is

gramme should we suffer a harsh January.

The analogy of the spark and a powder keg come to mind.