Longford football manager Billy O'Loughlin believes that the impasse between the GAA and GPA on expenses is "distasteful" and says he is "very much on the side of the players on this one".
The governing body is in dispute with its inter-county players' representatives over limits on centrally-funded training expenses, which the GPA says is leaving some players out of pocket.
"We have 10 or 11 players in Dublin, four or five in Galway," O’Loughlin told RTÉ Sport. "The length of time it takes them each week to get to training and get home…
"Mark Hughes is working in the Mater as a radiographer, on the front line. To be telling those guys you’re not going to back them…
"It’s very distasteful that they’re not being backed and we’re 100% behind the players.
"We only train twice a week. The effort that they have put in for the last four or five months to get to training in Longford, stacked against all the odds of traffic and funding, you name it. These guys deserve the backing of the supporters and the county board, which they are getting.
"It’s a fight the GPA will continue."
O’Loughlin was speaking after his side secured their Allianz Football League Division 3 status with a win over Laois that condemned his native county to the bottom tier next season.
"That was a fantastic performance from Longford," he said of the 2-17 to 1-13 victory in O’Moore Park.
"We had a job to do this week. A couple of sickness issues last week against Wicklow really took the wind out of our sails and again today Paddy Fox was a big loss, one of the best corner-backs in the country.
"We started really well, then had a couple of wides and let Laois into the game with a goal but I’m delighted for those younger Longford players that really stepped up to the mark.
"We have ten or 12 players who are 20 or younger. Keelan McGann who came on as a sub is 19, Jack Duggan, his father (Derek) of Roscommon fame, also a 19-year-old, Joe Hagan, Oran Kenny, Iarla O’Sullivan, these are all 20/21-year-olds that are going to be the future and they really dug deep.
"Scoring 2-17 is fantastic. Having Dessie Reynolds back was a huge difference.
"I’m delighted. We’ve stayed in Division 3 against all the odds and we’ll move on now to the Leinster championship. We’ll be up against it against a very strong Westmeath team.
"It’s bittersweet to see Laois going down but I’m sure they’ll be back."
