Jarlath Burns sensationally reveals what GPA actually did to consult with players about Congress

Any leader is there to be shot at. You don't have to look too far in modern day politics to see that.

Paraic Duffy's proposals to change the quarter-finals of the football championship have been met with no end of hysteria and then, when others at Congress stand up in support of such motions - like Jarlath Burns did - the criticism and frustration is projected ferociously in that direction to anyone in the vicinity. Regardless of the outrage, the Super 8 format will come into play as of 2018 and the All-Ireland final will be brought forward three weeks. It'll be entertaining no doubt but it will cause serious congestion in the fixtures - less doubt. However, the Chairman on the Standing Committee on Playing Rules - that's Jarlath Burns, by the way - stands by the changes and he calls them a "starting point" and "a step in the right direction". He knows they're not perfect, he knows there are more transformations to be made but, in his own words, "we had to be realistic about what we could get through Congress". The Armagh native appeared on one of Monday's two GAA Hour football podcasts to defend his stance and lift the lid on what the Gaelic Players Association actually did to help their players. They're supposed to be representatives of the players, but Burns revealed the extent to which the GPA went to in order to object to the motions at Congress and, honestly, it is very damn grim. In the close build-up to Congress, they released a statement and opposed Duffy's motion. One of their main points was because of the lack of sufficient and meaningful consultation with players regarding all aspects of the proposal. That's quite ironic when you listen to what Jarlath Burns had to say on their action - or lack of - on the latest GAA Hour.

"This proposal came into my inbox on the 5th of August - six months ago. We were told - as all units were told - to consult widely with your membership on it," Burns told SportsJOE's Colm Parkinson during a spirited debate on the matter. "On the 17th of October, the clubs got the document - that was three months later. In between that, the following week, there was a Central Council meeting. The GPA chairman attends that meeting as a representative of the players. "Now, they have all the players' email addresses. At that stage, there was no issue with them setting up focus groups and going around the country. They have 10 full time staff on their secretariat. They could've been meeting with their players, talking to their players, explaining what it was and going through all of that with them.

He didn't stop there. And why should he have? What he was saying was important.