PLAYERS across the board have been left “short-changed” because the GAA “didn’t throw a punch at all for our members” over the lack of elite status, says Oisin McConville.
Inter-county games are set to return in two weeks’ time having not been allowed under the government’s restrictions around Covid-19.
Other sporting organisations were able to continue but the GAA was informed earlier this year that it had lost its elite status, which they didn’t subsequently take the Irish government to task over.
That has contributed to the fact that the inter-county football championship will be a straight knockout competition again in 2021, in order to accommodate as much club activity as possible afterwards.
“I think players at inter-county level have definitely been short-changed and the reason I think that is because of the level of commitment and level of training that they've already done, whether that be individually or collectively,” says McConville, speaking at today's Extern Problem Gambling media day.
“I hope next season is going to bring a lot more normality but I think they've been short changed because you would think at the very, very least that we would have went back to a back-door system.
"I understand what we're saying about our hands being tied but that goes back to another argument altogether in that we gave in very easily when our elite status was taken away.
“I don't think we threw a punch at all for our members and I think that has continued with no club football being back...even training in pods or whatever, just something to give people something and know that you as an organisation are fighting for what's going on at club level.
“Then obviously, as I say, we accepted the loss of our elite status, I think, way too easily. That's why we've ended up in a situation that we've ended up with, with such a condensed season.
“Look at the difference between the hurlers who are starting in 10 days, when you look at their preparation period, three weeks, they didn't have a problem with that.
“I don't think the footballers would have had either if you'd said, 'Listen, we're going to throw in an extra game' or 'we're going to throw in the backdoor system but your preparation for the league just won't be what you expect it to be or want it to be'.
“I think they'd have been very accepting of that but I just think it goes back to the problem, way back in December or January when we were told our elite status was gone and we didn't throw a punch for our members at all.”
