As we move into the later stages of the c'ship and see more of the top teams and read more about their top players, I can't help wondering if it is in any way accurate to refer to some of them as amateurs. If media reports and headlines are to be believed, many seem to be getting nicely rewarded because of the profiles they have built up as GAA players. I have no problem with that but in an association that continually harps on abut amateurism it seems more than a little hypocritical to refer to those players as amateur sportsmen. To my mind they they are semi-professionals. Have posters any thoughts on this?

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 19/07/2016 12:26:05    1886179

Amateurs or semi-professionals
As we move into the later stages of the c'ship and see more of the top teams and read more about their top players, I can't help wondering if it is in any way accurate to refer to some of them as amateurs. If media reports and headlines are to be believed, many seem to be getting nicely rewarded because of the profiles they have built up as GAA players. I have no problem with that but in an association that continually harps on abut amateurism it seems more than a little hypocritical to refer to those players as amateur sportsmen. To my mind they they are semi-professionals. Have posters any thoughts on this?
neverright (Roscommon) - Posts:386 - 19/07/2016 12:26:05It isn't at all hypocritical to call GAA players semi professional. Some may get rewarded through help with their career but they are not semi professional.
When you say nicely rewarded? What are you referring to.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 20/07/2016 12:25:07    1886920