Pádraic Joyce, Dick Clerkin, and Liam Kearns joined Nathan Murphy on the Saturday Panel to discuss the personal abuse that players and managers have been subjected to in the GAA.
Former Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice shared his story of receiving hate mail in an exclusive interview with Off The Ball and revealed one of his players had been told to “jump off a cliff and take three or four other players with him.”
Ex-Mayo boss James Horan also discussed his own experience of receiving hate mail and how he had to ask for Gardaí assistance because of the threatening nature of the letters.
But former Monaghan star Dick Clerkin warned that there is no way of putting an end to the abuse given the lack of restrictions on social media.
“It is tough. There have been plenty of instances over the last couple of years of players coming under pressure and being slaughtered on message boards,” Clerkin said.
“You say that shouldn’t matter and that it shouldn’t circulate but that’s what people are reading and that sets the narrative. You’re fighting against the tide on stuff like that.
“We can talk about and say how bad it is but people are just so passionate about the GAA. You wouldn’t get it in rugby because you don’t have that real die-hard passion for your club or your county.
“You get to a level, especially in the successful counties, and when that success goes you just want it back. And it’s tough for them not to get it.”
Current Tipperary football manager Liam Kearns called on the authorities to punish individuals involved but revealed he has never personally been on the receiving end of abuse.
“I’m aware of it from other people’s point of view but I have to say I’ve never got any letters,” Kearns told OTB.
“I got one or two complimentary letters but I haven’t got any abusive letters – touch wood – so far. The nearest I’ve come [to receiving abuse] was when I was in charge of Laois and we were being beaten by Wexford.
“Some character in Croke Park came roaring down saying: ‘You know nothing about Laois football’. Maybe I’ve been lucky but I would say it’s in the counties where they expect to get results.
“But there’s no place for it. Telling a player to jump off a cliff – I think that guy should be prosecuted.”
Two-time All-Ireland winner Pádraic Joyce believes players and managers would benefit from keeping their stories in private unless the case is threatening their safety.
“Does it need to be aired in the public? I personally don’t think it does,” Joyce asked.
“I think they should just put it to bed and move on from it. Eamonn’s one you can identify with because of the jumping off the cliff comment.
“We’ve all got letters but you throw them in the bin and light a fire. In general, you can’t say Kerry football fans are bad people. The youth of today have more social media access.
“Nowadays, I don’t think people are as prepared to deal with that criticism. And they’re not as thick skinned as we were.”
James Hopper
