Former Armagh player Aaron Kernan believes that a new GAA calendar would benefit both club and inter-county players, giving the stark example from his own career of where problems lie.
Kernan spoke at the launch of the new Club Players' Association (CPA), who said that changing the fixture calendar is its key priority and has mooted the idea that the All-Ireland finals could be wrapped up by the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The CPA says their priority is to deliver a more meaningful programme with a shorter season, with the aim of giving a voice to club players.
In 2014, the Crossmaglen star announced his retirement from inter-county football after a decade with the Orchard County.
Kernan won the All Stars Young Footballer of the Year in 2005 and helped Armagh to four Ulster SFC titles and a Division One success, but he told RTÉ Sport that club success had a significant impact on his time with Armagh.
"I missed over half my inter-county career to play one or two club games"
“The big thing that always annoyed me was that I played 10 years for Armagh, but in that time I was very fortunate that I won seven club titles with Crossmaglen, but that meant that I missed at least half, or entire National League in seven out of my 10 seasons,” he said.
“I missed over half my inter-county career to play one or two club games.
“It shouldn’t really work like that.”
The focus of the calendar changes has centered on the plight of the club player, but equally, Kernan feels that inter-county players shouldn’t have to miss games because of the current structures.
“We were very fortunate what happened us at club level with Crossmaglen, but should Diarmuid Connolly, if St Vincent’s win the All-Ireland club, miss practically an entire National League to play two games of football during that three month spell?
“I don’t think he should.
“I think if we can condense the inter-county season, which frees up more time for the club, we can finish everything out in the one calendar year.”
At next month's GAA Congress, there is a motion from Wexford to officially recognise the CPA as the representative body for the club player - a motion "that will place the club player at the heart of the decision making process," says CPA secretary and former Monaghan selector Declan Brennan.
“The bottom line is that whatever it takes to get this over the line, we are prepared to do. We are going to look at all options."
The CPA believe it could take up to 100 days before they are in a position to put forward their proposals, but Brennan believes their work is imperative in the current environment.
“I’d love to say in five years' time that there’s no need for the CPA because if all the clubs, and all the counties do their job, there would be no need for us," he said.
“But unfortunately it’s got to a situation that there is a need for us in this moment of time.”
