THE treatment of a number of high profile disciplinary cases involving inter-county players over the past year is indicative of the GAA’s attitude to the county playing tier. Tyrone’s Ryan McMenamin was subjected to a barrage of almost unprecedented criticism in a number of newspapers following an incident in a recent league game against Kerry. Ironically, Paul Galvin was subjected to something similar last summer.

While he may have failed at the first attempt, McMenamin is justifiably appealing the severity of the sentence – he is after all entitled to be treated like any other player. What seems to have been lost in the wash, however, is that the Tyrone man has accepted his transgression; he has faced up to what he did. This stance has done nothing to stem the tide of moral outrage awash in papers, outrage which doesn’t take long to filter through to the disciplinary committee room.

There is one reason why the actions of Ryan McMenamin have been seized up with such furious zeal – television. The growth in television coverage of Gaelic games has been constant. From the early days of highlights and finals to saturation coverage of pre-season provincial competitions, many inter-county players now find themselves in the spotlight throughout the season. Form, performance, discipline. . . all are scrutinised forensically.

THE Victorian idea that children should be seen and not heard is one which has often been adapted for players since the inception of the GPA 10 years ago. A belief that players shouldn’t interfere with the status quo is one readily identifiable in the rush to frame current disputes as ‘player power gone mad.’
The term ‘player power’ itself, is essentially a pejorative one. Whenever the phrase is coined it often suggests that there is an unreasonable behaviour inherent in players taking issue with their treatment. It is often accompanied by other well-worn phrases such as pride in the jersey, only passing through, sanctity of the dressing room etc.
The fact that disputes between administrators, managers and players are increasing, however, would suggest that something else entirely is taking place, something evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary.

Players are no longer prepared to accept poor standards. This has come about for many reasons; greater education and experience, contact with top class facilities in college, ambitious club set-ups, the growth of an independent players’ representative body, the advances in sports science and the explosion of media coverage of Gaelic games, particularly television.

IT'S highly likely that if the GAA was celebrating its 125^th anniversary this time last year, there wouldn't be such a hullabaloo about the cost of fireworks for next Saturday's celebrations.

No doubt there would still have been complaints as there is a body of GAA opinion that views any expenditure other than that attributed directly to grass roots development as a waste of money but nothing like the choruses of disapproval  over the past month since it emerged that over €400k will be forked out for the post match pyrotechnics.

While there's no doubt that next Saturday's event in Croke Park will be spectacular, unfortunately it will be seen as being out of sync with the mood of the nation. That is not the GAA's fault. Throughout even the most difficult economic periods of modern Irish history, the organisation has always been prudent, quietly developing its infrastructure and planning for the future.

THE introduction of the experimental rules during the pre-season provincial hurling and football competitions has naturally provoked a lot of comment over the past fortnight - much of it from concerned managers.

The GPA has also received feedback from players this week over the new rules and while those views were mixed, they have to be put in the context of the experiment being given a reasonable trial period before being judged acutely.

Some of the concerns raised by managers - the potential for legitimate physicality to be punished, the slowing down of the game due to referees noting ‘black book' offences and a fear of picking up unwarranted yellow cards - were shared by the majority of players questioned.

However, others were quick to praise referees, in particular, for clamping down on off-the-ball obstruction.

From the GPA's perspective, it is still very much a case of the jury remaining out until players have experienced the application of the new system over a sustained period. We will then assess the views of our members again.