Monaghan forward Conor McManus believes a shorter GAA calendar is the common goal among club and inter-county players, and doesn’t envisage much resistance to the latest proposals.
The newly formed Club Players' Association (CPA) announced yesterday 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 two-time All Star was speaking at the announcement that the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is to study the demands of balancing inter-county hurling or football with the personal and professional lives of players.
The Clontibret clubman is hopeful that change to the calendar is imminent and thinks that most within the game are in favour of the proposals.
The GAA and GPA have commissioned a study into the demand on inter-county players: #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/8tV3JRMoDM
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 10, 2017
“Definitely I think the inter-county season can be condensed, there’s no doubt about that,” he told RTÉ Sport.
“There’s ways around that and it probably wouldn’t be that difficult to do. There can be quite a gap between championship games.
"I think everybody’s on the one page here. If you talk to anybody within the GAA, they would say the same thing.
“I can’t see it being a massive fight really. It’s probably common sense.”
The findings of the ERSI report are expected to be published in December this year after all 1,962 players from the 2016 inter-county championship panels have been contacted and encouraged to participate.
McManus believes the evidence-based research shows "the GAA mean business" and expects that the players will provide the necessary feedback to give their thoughts on player welfare.
“It’s not a massive commitment required from the players to fill out the survey and questionnaire,” he said.
“It will be in their best interests, or if not them directly, then for the future generations. It can only help going forward.”
When asked what results the survey is likely to throw up, the ace corner forward insisted that whatever negatives may crop up, players still enjoy competing at the top level despite the increased pressures involved.
“It will probably highlight at times just how difficult it can be to be an inter-county player in terms of balancing your work life,” he said.
“There’s nobody being forced to do this [inter-county football]. Everybody does it because they enjoy it.
“That key message must remain. That’s one thing we can’t lose sight of.”
