Playing managers wouldn’t be a runner unless players could get paid as well - and the GAA can’t afford such a situation, Kerry Manager Jack O’Connor stated at the weekend.
While it is known that there are several payment methods to managers and backroom staff, it has never been regularized despite efforts from every president over the past four decades to come to terms with the GAA’s dirty little issue.
Indeed when Peter Quinn established a committee to look into the matter in the 1980s, it led to the famous quote “that not only could they not find under the table payments, but they couldn’t find the table!”
O'Connor has poured cold water on any suggestion that inter-county GAA managers may be paid for their work with county teams in the not-too-distant future.
Current GAA President Jarlath Burns established something similar in 2024 called the GAA’s Amateur Status Review Committee (ASRC) to see if the murky area could be regularized but good luck with that.
O’Connor, fresh from his fifth All Ireland success with Kerry senior footballers in late July, has agreed to a new three-year term with the Kingdom, having initially intimated that he might step away to enjoy his retirement and his grandchildren.
However with his players and officials urging him to ride the wave of this new team, which in a sense is still only finding its feet, the former schoolteacher has decided to continue on in the job as Kerry seek to make it 40 titles for the county in 2026.
On RTE radio at the weekend, he returned to payment of managers by declaring: “I can’t see how you can openly pay managers because to start paying managers, you have to pay players, you know? Can the GAA really afford to pay their players, pay managers and pay back-room teams and whatever?
"I don't think so. It's still an amateur organization, remember. We are happy enough down here in Kerry to do it for whatever mileage or whatever it is. I can’t see how the GAA could sustain a semi-professional game.
“If you pay the managers, 100%, you have to pay the players. So I can't see how that's sustainable or how that's a runner, to be honest.”
When asked if he would add anything to improve the new look Gaelic football game, he favored the idea of implementing a rule preventing players from returning the ball into their own half once the ball has crossed the half-way line, similar to basketball’s back-court rule.
He explained: “I spoke to Jarlath Burns earlier in the year one evening. He might have rung me in and I actually mentioned the thing that they're talking about now, the back-court one where once you cross the halfway line, you can't go back into your own half.
"That's one that's worth trialling, certainly worth having a look at. It might decrease the amount of hand-passing because that might be the one thing that, at the moment, could be improved – there’s still a bit too much hand-passing,” he stressed.
O’Connor takes over in Cork
The saga over who will replace Pat Ryan as Cork hurling supremo will be resolved this week when former All-Ireland winning player Ben O'Connor is ratified by the county board.
A three time Celtic Cross winner, he has been top-listed by the sub-committee charged with finding a new manager to succeed Ryan, who turned down a three-year deal after losing July’s All-Ireland to Tipperary.
The Newtownshandrum club man has shown a good ability on the sideline of several teams as manager and news of his imminent appointment was widely welcomed within the Rebel County.
Making the announcement, Cork GAA said they had recommended as manager of the Cork senior hurling team on a three-year term for approval at the next Cork County Committee meeting this week when his selection team will also be confirmed.
Said Cork GAA chairperson Pat Horgan: “We’re delighted that someone of Ben’s calibre is available to take up this hugely important position.”
O'Connor’s management CV includes leading the Cork U-20s to All-Ireland glory in ‘23 against Offaly and before that he managed Charleville to the county premier intermediate hurling championship. The former midfielder was also a coach with Midleton when they won the senior title in ‘21.
O'Connor and his twin brother Jerry won county titles in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009. The club added three Munster club titles and an All-Ireland club title in 2004.
Ben O'Connor captained The Rebels to All-Ireland glory in 2004, and collected further winners' medals in 1999 and 2005.
Burke back in Lily fold
Former Wicklow and Roscommon manager Davy Burke (37) has agreed to become part of Brian Flanagan’s backroom team in his native Kildare for next year.
The agreement was confirmed by the county board and is a coup as he is a fine young manager who led his native Lilies to All Ireland victory at U-20 level seven years ago when only 30 years of age.
Thereafter he masterminded his club Sarsfields to the Kildare SFC title in 2019, a win made all the sweeter as it put a halt to local rivals Moorefield who were seeking three-in-a-row.
After two relatively good seasons across the border in Wicklow, Burke spent the past three years with Roscommon, guiding them to an All-Ireland quarter final in 2024 and promotion back to Division 1 in 2025.
Things are on the up in Kildare under Flanagan as they are back playing Division 2 football next year and are also guaranteed Sam Maguire football in 2026 after winning the Tailteann Cup in early July.
Murphy to stay: report
He has been their talisman since his teens and there is genuine hope emanating from Donegal that 36-year-old Michael Murphy will stay around for another year to see if Jim McGuinness can bring Sam home in 2026.
His return from retirement after two years made a big difference in getting his county to the All Ireland final where they had to play second fiddle to a Kerry team inspired by the Clifford brothers on the day.
With a sense of unfinished business in his nostrils, McGuinness and indeed football folk in the county know they have a better chance of success if he is in their ranks.
Legendary 1992 All-Ireland SFC winning manager Brian McEniff claimed to the Irish Independent: “I hear that Michael Murphy is going to give us another year. They can say what they want, but Murphy came back after two years and he was player of the match for Donegal in every match he played.
“And had Donegal won the All-Ireland, he probably would be Footballer of the Year. He’s very good at bringing players into a game. He always takes a look at the opportunity to lay off the ball, more so than take his own score. He’s a great man to have among the players, because he’s a great players’ man.”
Morris starring for Stars
He may be a Royal star on the intercounty front, but at club level Jordan Morris is driving Kingscourt Stars forward in the Cavan senior football championship.
Morris accounted for eight points, six from play, as his side easily accounted for Ballinagh by 2-22 to 1-15 victory at Breffni Park on Friday evening.
In the running for an All-Star following a succession of serious displays for the Royals, Morris not only scored but was the architects of virtually every good attack as the club cruised to the quarter-finals.
