Guckian hits out at scheduling of club games

June 19, 2017

Leitrim manager Brendan Guckian.
©INPHO/Donall Farmer.

Leitrim manager Brendan Guckian and goalkeeper Brendan Flynn have vented their anger at the county board's decision to fix two rounds of club games for this week.

The games have been fixed against the wishes of both the players and management who are turning their attention to the All-Ireland qualifiers after yesterday's 1-9 to 2-23 defeat to Roscommon in the Connacht SFC semi-final.

The county board also scheduled two rounds of league games in the six days after the first round win over London in Ruilip, leading to Fenagh St. Caillin's failing to field against St. Mary's, Kiltoghert due to the unavailability of their county players Donal Wrynn and Ryan O'Rourke.

"The club games, I am not going to get into that debate, but it definitely distracted from our preparations the week after the London game so I don't know if the CCC are going to run with another two games this week," Guckian told the Leitrim Observer.

"I think is very unfair, we do talk about player welfare and Croke Park are very much on about player welfare yet we are expecting lads to play three games in six days. I don't think we are thinking enough about the players."

Goalkeeper Flynn said: "This week, going back to the clubs for Wednesday and Saturday games, a lot of players aren't happy about. I don't think there should be games.

"I think players should be given the respect they deserve, get a week off after a game because it happened after the last game and the County Board didn't learn after that. I really think they should put the players first and think about the players before they think about themselves.

"There are a lot of tired lads out there after that game. There was definitely time to learn after the last game because there was uproar after the London game when these games went ahead and it just shows a lack of respect for the players. That might seem tough but that is just how I feel now."


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