Duffy takes up player welfare role
Paraic Duffy has officially started his new job as the GAA's Player Welfare officer.
The vastly-experienced Monaghan man, who is a former county board and GAC chairman, took to the helm yesterday in his office in Croke Park. He was officially appointed by the Association in August.
Welcomed to the post by GAA President Nickey Brennan, Duffy has two big aims for 2007 - reducing the demands placed on the GAA's elite young players and overhauling the club scene.
A reduction of competition structures at inter-county level, with various competitions to come under scrutiny, should ease the load for the game's top players, who in the past season have played for their club, college, county, province and country.
A more structured inter-county programme should allow for county boards to draw up fixture plans that are more sympathetic to players and clubs, with provisions made for postponements.
Duffy said that the GAA have to make "some drastic choices somewhere to address this issue".
"We have got to make these choices - we've got to have a structured inter-county programme at the start of the year where you know these are the Sundays you'll be playing," he added.
Meanwhile, plans for the GAA to formally recognise the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) are afoot - a framework document has been drafted up and the two bodies are set to meet within the next fortnight to discuss their relationship going forward.
