Respect is a two-way street. Like loyalty, we tend to expect other people to be respectful and loyal to us, but how respectful and loyal are we in return?
Do we give as much as we take? How high are the values of respect and loyalty in our lives?
This crossed my mind as I read about Kilcoo's objection to the appointment of Down referee Paul Faloon to officiate the Down senior football county final.
The Down County Board dismissed their claim and Kilcoo, not happy with that decision, took their case to the GAA’s Dispute Resolution Authority (DRA) where it was also dismissed.
Paul Faloon stepped down as the referee in charge on the day. In a morning of musical chairs, Meath referee David Gough had been asked to step in, but when he pulled out, referee Brian Higgins came in to officiate. Kilcoo won that game against Burren comfortably by nine point, but it has left a sour taste.
Down County Board issued a statement stating that there “should be no right of an appeal against the appointment of a referee” and they went on to say “ that the appeal against his appointment was then pursued by the Kilcoo club, on the grounds of perceived bias”.
What exactly does that mean?
I think a lot of players and clubs would feel certain officials have a perceived bias against them, but they tend to get on with it.
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From the outside looking in, it looks very petty, particularly as this is a team who have now won their 11th title in 12 years.
Kilcoo didn’t break any law by asking the question and, by the letter of the law in the GAA Official Guide, they are allowed to do so, but it is an interesting take by the club.
Instead of using the appointment of Paul Faloon as a motivating factor, they took another stance, choosing to undermine the referee and the county board by disrespecting his appointment. It’s even more remarkable as the Down county manager is Conor Laverty who plays for Kilcoo. I imagine there has been lots of noteworthy conversations.
IT'S not just Kilcoo who were in the news in the past week. The fact that no club in Waterford put forward any name for the position of the Waterford senior football manager is alarming.
When you cut to the chase, the reason for the lack of football in Kilkenny and in Waterford is a lack of respect for this code in both counties.
It smacks of “we admire what other counties are doing greatly, but it’s not for us”.
Ephie Fitzgerald vacated the post as senior and U20 manager in August after two years and no names have been forthcoming since then. There is a fear that Waterford may look to play football in the junior grade. For the county board, it may be a cost-saving exercise to have the footballers play in this grade but it certainly will not help the promotion of the game. It is a difficult task for the county board to find a football manager.
The fact that no club seems to want to help them in this endeavour does not bode well for the future of Waterford football. It can’t be a good mindset place for any footballer in the county either, considering whether they want to stay involved playing football next year.
Incidents at club games at the weekend involving referees and the lack of respect shown to them by players and supporters does not fit into the GAA awareness campaign of Give Respect Get Respect either.
It is well known that our values, beliefs and assumptions drive our behaviour and when players and mentors sit down at the start of the year to name check what the values of our team are, respect as a value, I imagine would be at the core of their mantra. Respect ourselves, the opposition, the jersey.
To live authentic lives, our values must align to what we believe in or in the words of the esteemed professor and writer Brené Brown, when it comes to values “We walk our talk”.
Respecting the referee, the officials, the decision-making should also be part of every club’s mantra. Why then, does this not sit well for many players and clubs? It’s a two-way street. One can expect respect but you also have to give it.
It’s a question for Kilcoo and Waterford but they are not the only team or county that has a case to answer here.
