Louth manager Devlin highlights player welfare concerns
Gavin Devlin has raised issues about player welfare following Leinster SFC exit
Louth senior football manager Gavin Devlin has raised serious concerns about player welfare, highlighting the growing injury burden in the modern game following Saturday’s Leinster semi-final defeat.
The Wee County entered the last four clash carrying knocks, with the Tyrone native acknowledging the physical toll on his squad.
He said: “Look, that's a cross you’re always carrying with these new rules. Boys are very quick to sit in panels and look at a screen and think, this would be a great rule to change.”
Devlin stressed that the issue goes beyond inter-county level.
“Everyone associated with our game needs to look at the welfare of players, not even at county level, but club level.
“My own son, at club level, went through an operation, a double hernia this year. He had to go and take money out of the Credit Union to pay for it.”
The manager believes the intensity of today’s game is contributing to rising injury rates.
“So, these boys stand in big meetings, and they want to change rules, but the game now is played that fast and that slick.
“Someone has to look at injury welfare and see how we can get players looked after so that when they break down, there's something in place to pay for these injuries.”
Devlin warned that the current situation is not sustainable.
“At the moment, it's unsustainable for clubs and county boards, the amount of injuries there is. It's good to change rules, but then you have to look around and say, what do we do when we pick up an injury?”