When we were eleven, we were filling out sticker albums and eating far too many Wham bars.
Not Éanna Sheridan.
The future president of the GPA is only 11-years-old, which makes this passionate and reasoned argument for GAA to go professional all the more impressive.
You may not agree with his stance – in fact, he welcomes debate – but there’s no arguing with his ability to perfectly frame an argument.
This kid has got a big future.
He writes…
Chairperson, adjudicators, members of the opposition, fellow students, my name in Éanna Sheridan and I am 100% for the motion that GAA players should be classed as professionals. To kick things off, let’s start by comparing GAA players who are put under the same physical and mental strain as soccer’s finest athletes.
Take Henry Shefflin as example. He was one of the most talented GAA players of his era. His amazing talent inspired many, and now he’s retired, one of the GAA’s most respected players works in a BANK sorting papers until he’s 65.
While in the sunny city of Barcelona, Lionel Messi was signing off a contract that would see him earn 85p a SECOND, around €70 a minute, €42,000 a day, €300,000 a week, €1.2m a month and €14.4m a year.
Get the point? Don’t mention that includes advertising shoes that cost €300 for anybody who wants a pair. Meanwhile the legend of Irish hurling doesn’t even earn 3.5% of that which is just unfair. Disagree if you want, but I think that GAA is as physically demanding as soccer and I think that the players should earn at least 70% of soccer players’ wages.
@ShefflinHenry – my 11 old makes the case for GAA players being classed as professionals and uses you and Messi to make his case pic.twitter.com/tnx95879Ol
— Mícheál Sheridan (@michealsheridan) November 15, 2016
Thanks to Éanna’s father Mícheál for sending this our way.
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