Dublin legend says GAA manager vacancies show worrying trend as revolutionary change is suggested

Jayo can understand why manager's pay is being looked into

The GAA are reportedly discussing a major change to the amateur nature of the sport.

Currently, coaches and players are not paid in the GAA, and are instead volunteers, but the Irish Independent are reporting that paying inter-county GAA managers a salary is now a discussion point.

Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Sherlock said: “I get why the GAA are looking at that. I always looked at Jim Gavin and then I was involved with Dessie Dolan with Westmeath for a couple of years and it's such a big commitment from a time perspective. 

“You only have to look at the amount of vacancies there are with GAA managers now at the moment.

"At the end of the day, there's very little reward because a lot of these counties, with respect, are never going to be competitive at the highest level with the current structures that are there.

"I can understand why we're looking at it and it probably does need to be bottomed out because I'm not sure how sustainable it is for people to have a working 9-5 role and be a manager of an inter-county football or hurling team."

Survey asked participants about manager pay

In a recent survey, which ran on the GAA website in June and July, participants were asked whether they feel inter-county managers should be paid in “a manner consistent with that of an employee of the Association.” 

They were also asked whether backroom staff should be paid for their professional services, allowing participants to choose between options including doctors, physios, selectors, coaches, masseurs, video analysts, data/stats analysts, performance analysts, strength and condition coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, liaison officers, logistics people and kitmen. 

The recommendations from this survey will go before Special Congress.

In December, Jim Gavin poured cold water on the idea, saying: “I’d find it very difficult to stand in front of any team if they weren’t being paid too.”

GAA chairman Jarlath Burns, who launched the survey, recently said: “I know of no one in the GAA who feels that our amateur status is something to be abolished. 

“Yet within that, we have a situation where the preparation of inter-county teams is costing more than €40m [annually] and placing unsustainable burdens on our volunteer-led county boards, and the time demands on players are also at an all-time high.”