If michael murphy or the gooch put all there effort into soccer instead of gaa growing up, they would be very rich men. This whole amatuer ethos is a cop out for the gaa. We have to get into the 21st century!!

.tribute (Cavan) - Posts: 360 - 17/10/2014 19:41:42    1664805

You can be sure that they will never become very rich men no matter what changes might take lace in the GAA if at all.At the most they would receive some meager compensation to cover their expenses. Anyway most players I think you'll find are not looking for payment for playing.The market that the GAA operates in could not sustain astronomical wage bills like the premiership anyway so unless it has far reaching success outside Ireland things will not change anytime soon.

911 (USA) - Posts: 41 - 17/10/2014 20:14:19    1664811

So basically the thread is the ol' should the GAA pay it players...

Short answer: No

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 17/10/2014 21:02:02    1664824

It's impossible to say if Murphy or the Gooch would've made it in soccer if they'd played.

Soccer is THE most competitive sport in the world in terms of making it to the top of the tree to play in one of the major league.

We don't give our Irish lads that have made it into the top leagues half enough credit considering the competition they've had to get there from all around the world. It really is incredible what the likes of Robbie Keane and John O'Shea, for example, have achieved in getting to the top.

We praise other sportsmen a lot more even if their achievements are not actually half as impressive.

Maybe Murphy and Gooch could have made it, odds are they probably wouldn't have though.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 18/10/2014 11:53:10    1664881

Agree with Mes Amis. Soccer gives individuals from the most underprivileged and most disadvantaged areas in the world the opportunity to rise to the very top and earn vast amounts of money based in their individual talent and ability physically and let's not forget mentally too! All they need is a football to practice. So our guys are competing against the best to be playing in the English premiership. In my opinion gooch may have made it as he has a fantastic brain and great feet but is he quick enough? You need to be an all rounder! As for murphy no chance at the top level. again great brain and feet but too big and heavy, that physique and lack of mobility does not work in soccer full stop. Has anyone ever met a professional soccer player who's been slated in the media for carrying too much weight? In reality most of these guys in the flesh are still very lean.

oso (Antrim) - Posts: 168 - 18/10/2014 12:06:06    1664890

Knowing the dedication Murphy has for Donegal he'd have no bother losing weight for soccer. He'd have a distinct advantage over some of the overpaid lazy players in the Premier League. His lack of pace would count against him but not every player is pacy. And very few of them would have the physical and mental toughness or the footballing skills of Michael Murphy.

It's more than 35 years since Kevin Moran signed for United. He said he didn't think the professional training was any tougher than under Heffi. Mind you Heffo's training wouldn't have been a cakewalk! The way football and hurling conditioning is now inter-county GAA players are closer than ever to the fitness of full-time professional soccer players, though a gap obviously remains.Meyler, Long and Coleman all played GAA, none of them reached the level of Gooch and Murphy. Arguably Gooch and Murphy would play for top teams if they went the soccer route. I for one am glad they didn't.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 18/10/2014 13:13:12    1664915

We have to get into the 21st century?

In other words, we have to get into debt, which would happen if the already broke county boards started paying their players.

Its a non starter.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 18/10/2014 14:59:30    1664950