Replying To Whammo86:  "It wouldn't necessarily.

1 Most people wouldn't leave
2 If transfers did become more common you would see transfers in to smaller clubs as well as out of.

There'd probably just be more clubs because everything would be better run.

The system is there for people not the other way around.

Those of us who support freedom for people to choose their clubs are as much a part of the association as you.

Dublin has no parish rule and it's doing alright."

Replying To Whammo86:  "It wouldn't necessarily.

1 Most people wouldn't leave
2 If transfers did become more common you would see transfers in to smaller clubs as well as out of.

There'd probably just be more clubs because everything would be better run.

The system is there for people not the other way around.

Those of us who support freedom for people to choose their clubs are as much a part of the association as you.

Dublin has no parish rule and it's doing alright."

Replying To alano12:  "yes lets compare dublin with its massive population base and huge numbers and apply the system to the likes of longford/leitrim/westmeath etc...you would have barely any teams..the community is what its all about in most places..the whole point of club football. Have no issue with transfers under certain scenarios but a free for all to the highest bidder/biggest clubs would be a disaster."

Replying To alano12:  "yes lets compare dublin with its massive population base and huge numbers and apply the system to the likes of longford/leitrim/westmeath etc...you would have barely any teams..the community is what its all about in most places..the whole point of club football. Have no issue with transfers under certain scenarios but a free for all to the highest bidder/biggest clubs would be a disaster."

Replying To Whammo86:  "Why would there be a free for all to the best clubs if the whole ethos of the GAA is the club and local community. Surely everyone can just stay at their own club.

There should be no parish rule.

Anyone wishing to play for another club other than where they were born should be allowed to.

The ownership of players really does annoy me.

"What about the small club".

To that I say what about the under 12 playing in a team where he doesn't get along with the other players. The guy whose coach has a pick against him.

What about the guy who wants to play for his father or mother's home club. Maybe play with mates or cousins of his.

What about the guy who wants to play with the lads from school. What about the las who wants to play for the club closest to him but not actually within his parish.

What about the guys who want to play for a club where the coaching is done correctly and not by the only yahoo in the village that has the time to dedicate to it.

What about the guys who want to train in a club with proper facilities like they can at their local rugby club.

If a club is that important to a community it will survive.

I don't believe people should have to suffer or go play other sports for the sake of keeping a club afloat."

Replying To Whammo86:  "Why would there be a free for all to the best clubs if the whole ethos of the GAA is the club and local community. Surely everyone can just stay at their own club.

There should be no parish rule.

Anyone wishing to play for another club other than where they were born should be allowed to.

The ownership of players really does annoy me.

"What about the small club".

To that I say what about the under 12 playing in a team where he doesn't get along with the other players. The guy whose coach has a pick against him.

What about the guy who wants to play for his father or mother's home club. Maybe play with mates or cousins of his.

What about the guy who wants to play with the lads from school. What about the las who wants to play for the club closest to him but not actually within his parish.

What about the guys who want to play for a club where the coaching is done correctly and not by the only yahoo in the village that has the time to dedicate to it.

What about the guys who want to train in a club with proper facilities like they can at their local rugby club.

If a club is that important to a community it will survive.

I don't believe people should have to suffer or go play other sports for the sake of keeping a club afloat."

Replying To Whammo86:  "I care about the GAA and if you can't see a problem with the way things are organised right now I don't understand."

Replying To alano12:  "of course there are problems..you dont seem to care a whole lot about club gaa to be honest or seem to have 0 understanding of it.

im sorry if thats not a 'progressive' enough view for you. What is your experience/knowledge of clubs in the smaller counties with a tiny pool of players?....look at st columbas...a club like that wouldnt exist if they lost a few players.

What is the biggest issue with how things are organised?..in what way would a free for all on transfers be beneficial under any circumstance and to who outside of the big clubs & counties?"

Replying To extranjero:  "...and you appear to have "0 understanding" of rural Ireland alano.
You seem to think anyone playing in a small rural club is just dying to jump ship to our more refined urban cousins. That the small community you grew up in, all your friends and family, sure what of it!? The big club in the town offered me 2bags of tayto, and sure I might win a Division 2 medal out of it, I Am Outta Here!!

Why have you such a bad opinion of your country cousins? Do you really think we're all just a bunch of mercenaries?"

Replying To alano12:  "it wont survive if any half decent player leaves...do you realise how little a pick some clubs have and how many of them are barely surviving?....you are still yet to answer what about the small club..what would happen to the likes of st columbas and others if all their best players had just left for the big team in the town or in another county or whatever....your viewpoint is very simplistic with 0 consideration or thought for smaller clubs...it seems you must be going off a bad experience yourself that it annoys you so much..everyone isnt going to stay at their own club if you have a complete free for all as you know full well it would lead to massive amounts of poaching and money being changed hands....you act as if big clubs wouldnt specifically go out and target players....in a few countys the player is normally allowed play with the club of their parent so i dont know why you are bringing that up...so lads should change clubs all the time because they have a bad manager the odd year?"

Replying To wishfulthinkin:  "you keep mentioning mullinalaghta as an example against players transferring but it is actually a perfect example for allowing players to transfer. The vast majority of these players live and work in different counties and would get transfers to other clubs with no issues due to this but they all stayed despite this - so there will be no mass exodus. Do you think they would be so successful if every single one of them didn't want to be there and there were a few still togging out who resented making the journey to play and train..isn't it better that players like that have the opportunity to move to a different club where they would enjoy themselves and contribute positively. And also, in 10 years, mullinalaghta will be lucky to still exist without amalgamating due to the numbers coming through. How many of the current crop of players' children will play for mullinalaghta? very very few, so would it not be ok for mullinalaghta to use their success to ensure their future survival by gaining a few players through transfers?"

Replying To Whammo86:  "It wouldn't necessarily.

1 Most people wouldn't leave
2 If transfers did become more common you would see transfers in to smaller clubs as well as out of.

There'd probably just be more clubs because everything would be better run.

The system is there for people not the other way around.

Those of us who support freedom for people to choose their clubs are as much a part of the association as you.

Dublin has no parish rule and it's doing alright."

Replying To Uimhir.a.3.:  "1/ "you would see transfers in to smaller clubs as well as out of", well current trends show that not to be the case, it's all one way traffic to bigger clubs so that won't change, regardless of how you try & spin it.
2/ "There'd be more clubs because everything would be better run" , again current trends show the opposite as more clubs are actually amalgamating to stay alive, it's nonsensical to suggest there would be more clubs when rural clubs would be decimated & fold. In this very thread you said that the main issue at present is the poor organisation of games, how is that going to change overnight when you start creating super clubs & lose people who volunteer on the ground. Clubs & County Boards find it impossible to get people to take roles & there is a massive shortage of referees yet your stating there will be more clubs & it will be better run. You are even contradicting what you said earlier about the current organisation of games. I await the miraculous spin on how this is going to magically change.
3/ Nobody here denies that you & your views are as much a part of the Association as others with a contrary view, that's all part of a democratic debate, not sure why this point was raised, everyone is entitled to their view & to air it.
4/ "Dublin has no parish rule & it's doing alright", using Dublin as an analogy to prove your point is disingenuous as it is not indicative of the rest of the country. Dublin has a massive population base, main growth area of employment, great transport infrastructure, not enough GAA clubs, GAA clubs that are overflowing with playing numbers at underage level, GAA clubs that are huge commercial entities, the county that receives the largest sum of money for coaching purposes from the GAA nationally , this is in stark contrast to what is happening along the western seaboard. The dearth of all the above items I mentioned, along the western seaboard has many clubs teetering on the edge, if there was a free for all with transfers, many of these clubs would fold. Some are already on the edge & some are amalgamating, free transfers would inevitably lead to the death of many clubs, is that progressive ?
5/ Lastly there always has been a transfer system but unfortunately as with many things in GAA it was politicised, abused, badly run to the point where it is now a dysfunctional joke. A well run transfer system within the rules allowing a hearing process would solve most issues, unfortunately it became a farce. Having a free for all transfer system will happen as they GAA has become reactive rather than proactive, so you will one day get your wish. But I can guarantee you it will become like a lot of the other sports that went this direction, soulless franchise sports where money is no.1 & is dominated by a few having lost its support base. There are lots of examples there to view."