I’ll have to take a few weeks off in May, says Brennan

THERE’S a major body of work ahead for Eddie Brennan in the new year as her takes on the role of Laois manager, but does he believe inter-county management is a full-time position?

‘It is. There is a massive amount of work for a manager to do. This year would have brought up the stakes for a manager,’ said Brennan (left). ‘You’re essentially a crisis manager during the month of May when the Leinster Championship is kicking off. I’m looking at the timeline of the Joe McDonagh and I’m probably going to need to be full-time on that for a couple of weeks. To make sure that everything is in place.’

He accepts, however, that payment for managers could lead then to players agitating to go semi-professional.

‘That is the domino effect. There are pros and cons. The GAA need to set up a working group or task force to look at it,’ he said.

‘The danger is then, what does it spawn? Where does it finish? At the moment, you’re hearing of players’ bosses being compensated, or players getting the wriggle room at work.

‘I don’t think any player would advocate a full professionalism. As a player, wouldn’t you love that lifestyle, wouldn’t you love to be a professional? But what comes with that is money talks.

‘You’d just see the big continue to get bigger with the rest playing catch up. If you go down a semi-pro route or say, inter-county hurling became pro, you immediately drive a big wedge. Then the green-eyed monster becomes alive and well. You have guys at club level saying, “Why should I put in two or three nights a week?”

‘Look at golf and the pro scholarships – does it become political then who gets into a county set-up? There’s a huge quagmire of issues there.’