GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell has called for the controversial winter training ban to be scrapped.

Speaking at the announcement that Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan, Sligo hurler Patrick Quinn and former Louth hurler Michael Martin have been granted scholarship places on the GPA/DCU executive MBA programme, Farrell claimed the current ban on collective training is being "contravened left, right and centre".

Farrell said that some county boards are happy to use the official ban to avoid paying expenses to players, while he also stressed that any moratorium should be based around the individual and not the group.

"It's difficult to bring in one approach that suits everyone's needs," he said.

"Take John Small, who played for the Dublin minor footballers (who were managed by Farrell) this year. He finished with us in September, went straight onto the senior Ballymun team and is now involved with colleges competitions in DCU.

"He's also involved in U21 club championship and has been brought up on to Pat Gilroy's senior squad. So, in effect, he's not going to get any break for 18 months.

"Where does the close season or the training ban sit for the fellas like him who are most vulnerable? And there's plenty more like him around the country."

He continued: "To me, you should avoid introducing rules that are too difficult to police," he added.

"I'd be more inclined to leave it up to counties themselves to deal with the individual players at the centre of this issue, making sure they're getting proper rest and recovery." Tweet

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