Comments on: AFL Forces Gaelic Football to Go Pro http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/ It's always football season somewhere. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:51:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: gabila bertrand http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-69963 gabila bertrand Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:34:12 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-69963 i think there are still soccer talents like us that just want a chance to play and have something so if you need players find am ready to play this is my email gabilabanguket@yahoo.com i think there are still soccer talents like us that just want a chance to play and have something so if you need players find am ready to play this is my email gabilabanguket@yahoo.com

]]> By: Simon http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51695 Simon Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:28:59 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51695 Eric , spread betting hasn't been that big or well know of in Ireland but I'd say with it's increase their will be a scandal in the near future . Eric , spread betting hasn’t been that big or well know of in Ireland but I’d say with it’s increase their will be a scandal in the near future .

]]> By: Eric http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51643 Eric Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:33:02 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51643 You make some interesting points about professionalism and professional sporting culture. The thing is, if you are training full-time, there needs to be some kind of compensation for the players. It's about time that they considered paying at least some of the players. They don't even have to pay all of them. They could limit it to senior levels, and have the minor players, who are invariably teenagers, remain completely amateur, since they are probably still in school anyway. Funny that you mention all of the significant issues with intercollegiate athletics in the United States. Considering the money wagered on the GAA every year, and I will admit that I placed a few bets when I was in Dublin, I am shocked--shocked!--that there has not been a major pointshaving scandal associated with the GAA during that period of, what was it, 123 years? It boggles my mind that nobody has even been tempted to throw a match or at least influence its outcome due to betting action for all of that time. You know, if they really wanted to, they could keep it amateur in the sense of the old Soviet CSKA teams, who were officially in the army, but their jobs were to play. ;-) You make some interesting points about professionalism and professional sporting culture. The thing is, if you are training full-time, there needs to be some kind of compensation for the players. It’s about time that they considered paying at least some of the players.

They don’t even have to pay all of them. They could limit it to senior levels, and have the minor players, who are invariably teenagers, remain completely amateur, since they are probably still in school anyway.

Funny that you mention all of the significant issues with intercollegiate athletics in the United States. Considering the money wagered on the GAA every year, and I will admit that I placed a few bets when I was in Dublin, I am shocked–shocked!–that there has not been a major pointshaving scandal associated with the GAA during that period of, what was it, 123 years? It boggles my mind that nobody has even been tempted to throw a match or at least influence its outcome due to betting action for all of that time.

You know, if they really wanted to, they could keep it amateur in the sense of the old Soviet CSKA teams, who were officially in the army, but their jobs were to play. ;-)

]]> By: Will http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51030 Will Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:24:09 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-51030 Nominal amateur status hasn't hurt college football in the US. If anything, I'd say it's seen as a plus by its fans. Of course, college football has the benefit of the scholarships that would otherwise cost up to a couple hundred thousand dollars over the four years. Perhaps the government stipends (perhaps with some sort of lip service to offsetting costs or lost career opportunities or some such) will allow high-level athletes to continue to play, and the outward flow of talent will be a small-enough trickle that the GAA will endure, and can still claim, like the NCAA in the US, that the athletes are playing solely for the love of the game. As a fan of college football and a non-Premiership club in Britain, I can vouch for there being a market for competition with less-than-world-class athletes, IF it means something to the fans. Nominal amateur status hasn’t hurt college football in the US. If anything, I’d say it’s seen as a plus by its fans. Of course, college football has the benefit of the scholarships that would otherwise cost up to a couple hundred thousand dollars over the four years. Perhaps the government stipends (perhaps with some sort of lip service to offsetting costs or lost career opportunities or some such) will allow high-level athletes to continue to play, and the outward flow of talent will be a small-enough trickle that the GAA will endure, and can still claim, like the NCAA in the US, that the athletes are playing solely for the love of the game. As a fan of college football and a non-Premiership club in Britain, I can vouch for there being a market for competition with less-than-world-class athletes, IF it means something to the fans.

]]> By: Fence http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50951 Fence Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:17:02 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50951 Yeah, I'd have to agree with Simon there, it isn't really been seen as professionalism over here. The govt. is giving grants to amateur sportsmen so they aren't being paid by clubs etc. Of course it is a definite move in that direction, but it has been coming for a while, and imo, the right move. I wouldn't like to see a totally professional GAA, but I think it is only right that the players get something back. Yeah, I’d have to agree with Simon there, it isn’t really been seen as professionalism over here. The govt. is giving grants to amateur sportsmen so they aren’t being paid by clubs etc.

Of course it is a definite move in that direction, but it has been coming for a while, and imo, the right move. I wouldn’t like to see a totally professional GAA, but I think it is only right that the players get something back.

]]> By: a different dave http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50929 a different dave Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:17:26 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50929 The EPL casts a much bigger shadow over the GAA than the AFL does or ever will. Losing players to the AFL wasn't a serious issue by itself; it was probably just the final straw. The EPL casts a much bigger shadow over the GAA than the AFL does or ever will.

Losing players to the AFL wasn’t a serious issue by itself; it was probably just the final straw.

]]> By: Simon http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50837 Simon Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:25:47 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50837 Just a note to say this isn't pay for play or professionalism , at least not from the GAA's point of view. These are yearly grants to help cover the demand of the Inter county game . The GAA it's self will not be touching the money it will be the sports council of Ireland but its still a very big change how ever i'd rather the Irish government paid Kerry players just under €5,000 per year than some runner who will come last in a warm up heat and will cost 100,000 per year . Dessie Farrell ceo of the GPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Players_Association ) talks alot about professionalism in his book http://www.amazon.com/Dessie-Tangled-Up-Blue-Farrell/dp/1860591981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198023767&sr=8-1 Just a note to say this isn’t pay for play or professionalism , at least not from the GAA’s point of view. These are yearly grants to help cover the demand of the Inter county game . The GAA it’s self will not be touching the money it will be the sports council of Ireland but its still a very big change how ever i’d rather the Irish government paid Kerry players just under €5,000 per year than some runner who will come last in a warm up heat and will cost 100,000 per year .

Dessie Farrell ceo of the GPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_Players_Association ) talks alot about professionalism in his book http://www.amazon.com/Dessie-Tangled-Up-Blue-Farrell/dp/1860591981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198023767&sr=8-1

]]> By: aussierules http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50799 aussierules Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:59:49 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50799 Dave, you can't blame the AFL on its own here. The number of Irish players that have been offered contacts and have refused outweighs the ones that actually come to Australia and play. There was a total of 4 players drafted this year. Because of the politics involved there are quite a few clubs here that do not persue the Irish players. Including Sydney where Tadhg Kennelly plays. I am pretty sure there are quite a few Gaelic footballers that get recruited to play soccer as well. I my opinion there is now way the sport could survive by not paying it's players in todays sporting society. Why shouldn't the players expect some renumeration for the entertainment the provide the country. Dave, you can’t blame the AFL on its own here. The number of Irish players that have been offered contacts and have refused outweighs the ones that actually come to Australia and play. There was a total of 4 players drafted this year.

Because of the politics involved there are quite a few clubs here that do not persue the Irish players. Including Sydney where Tadhg Kennelly plays. I am pretty sure there are quite a few Gaelic footballers that get recruited to play soccer as well.

I my opinion there is now way the sport could survive by not paying it’s players in todays sporting society. Why shouldn’t the players expect some renumeration for the entertainment the provide the country.

]]> By: Ronald Dale..... http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50790 Ronald Dale..... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:15:53 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50790 While it may have been a factor, I am not so sure you can give the AFL that much credit for all this. Really I think you need the opinions of those involved in Ireland, but it has been repeated over and over this year (out of Ireland) that the number of guys coming to Aussie rules is insignificant compared to the numbers lost to soccer and rugby. To me it is the reality of having so many guys contributing to the large scale financial success of an organisation and getting no financial personal return for it - as well as having to answer to that organisation at every turn. Eventually that will always come to a head where those putting on the product on the field want a share of the massive spoils. While it may have been a factor, I am not so sure you can give the AFL that much credit for all this. Really I think you need the opinions of those involved in Ireland, but it has been repeated over and over this year (out of Ireland) that the number of guys coming to Aussie rules is insignificant compared to the numbers lost to soccer and rugby.

To me it is the reality of having so many guys contributing to the large scale financial success of an organisation and getting no financial personal return for it - as well as having to answer to that organisation at every turn. Eventually that will always come to a head where those putting on the product on the field want a share of the massive spoils.

]]> By: Joe http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50767 Joe Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:29:16 +0000 http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2007/12/18/afl-forces-gaelic-football-to-go-pro/#comment-50767 This is a little shocking, but I should have known this was coming. How long could a sport survive when its best players are being lured to play half way around the world for six figures? I am glad that the Irish government, not the clubs are paying the players. I think this will keep some of the local traditions of gaelic football, just like Athletic Bilbao. Yes, even Athletic Bilbao might have to give up the tradition of fielding all-Baque sides: they have been near the relegation zone the past couple years. One of my greatest attractions to Gaelic football as an American was that it was an amateur sport. I am sad to see this go, but I know it was for the good of the game. I know this sport will survive and prosper, but I don't if it will ever be the same. This is a little shocking, but I should have known this was coming. How long could a sport survive when its best players are being lured to play half way around the world for six figures?

I am glad that the Irish government, not the clubs are paying the players. I think this will keep some of the local traditions of gaelic football, just like Athletic Bilbao. Yes, even Athletic Bilbao might have to give up the tradition of fielding all-Baque sides: they have been near the relegation zone the past couple years.

One of my greatest attractions to Gaelic football as an American was that it was an amateur sport. I am sad to see this go, but I know it was for the good of the game. I know this sport will survive and prosper, but I don’t if it will ever be the same.

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