GPA open to tiered championship if members support it

Gaelic Players Association CEO Paul Flynn has said that the GPA would be open to a tiered championship if their members support it.

The issue of a tiered football championship has been a hot topic in recent years, with a gulf below the top teams. Changes have been made to the championship format, with the introduction of the Super 8s. While the Gaelic Players Association were largely against making group stages in place of traditional quarter-finals, the GAA pushed ahead with the move.

The GPA are eager to hold more sway, and are currently conducting surveys to find out what the players want.

GPA CEO Paul Flynn said they would consider a two-tier championship proposal if that's what their members wanted.

"It's easy to say, what's the view on a B championship... But it's all about how it's funded. Everybody wants an opportunity to be in the primary competition so it's how it's structured. We'll have respondents from our survey, and we'll drill into it then.

"You can't just ask the question - because some people might not know if they're going to be in the competition or not. I think initially, the appetite from all our players is that they're in the main competition right from the start and they're in the provincial competition and they're able to go that route."

Flynn made it clear that the decision must be acceptable to everyone, and not leave some out in the cold as he pointed to the restructuring of the Dublin County Championship which left the Thomas Davis club considering their options after they were categorised into the second tier.

"We're representing the views of our members. We survey all our members, we have to take out the answers of the players actually affected by this and discuss it then.

"It's important that everyone has their voice heard - for example, Thomas Davis felt their voice wasn't heard."

Flynn said that any support for change will be conveyed to the GAA.

"John [Horan] (GAA President) is very, very interested to hear the findings of the survey and that's why we want to make sure it's very accurate findings. If there's appetite from our members for change in that respect, we'll have those voices heard."