Despite its amateur status, there is no doubt that partaking in GAA at an inter-county level is a commitment that matches a full-time job. Between training, gym sessions, team meetings, and games, players are on the road five or six days a week for large portions of the year.
Of course, that commitment also applies to managers. While they will not match the physical exertion put forward by their panel of players, their time commitment is equally demanding. They attend all of the aforementioned activities as well as take part in their planning.
While some managers are compensated for their time, there is no doubting that agreeing to take on such a role is becoming an increasingly bigger decision. Some even feel the GAA could have a problem on their hands a bit further down the line.
Ciaran Whelan concerned by manager time issue in GAA
Despite a number of well-known pundits such as Kevin McStay, Oisin McConville, and Dessie Dolan stepping into management roles in recent times, not all positions have been filled.
A number of counties are still attempting to fill managerial vacancies that have been available for months, including Division 1 sides Roscommon and Donegal. Monaghan also only recently filled their role after a long search.
While it can always take time to find the right person for the job, the length of such searches could point to a larger issue within the GAA.
Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, Ciaran Whelan said that the 'out of control' time demands placed on inter-county managers could result it in becoming increasingly difficult to fill such positions in the future.
When you strip it back, it's the time that's involved. When you look at the guys that have gone into it, they're either retired or teachers.
I think it's actually something that is kind of getting out of control. The time factor that's involved in managing an inter-county team, no matter who it is, is very significant. It is a full-time job.
Jack O'Connor touched on that when he went back to Kerry last year. Kevin [McStay] is retired from the army and he's willing to put four years of his life into getting Mayo back to where he needs to get them. It's a massive job with massive time.
I think it's not going to get any better. It's going to be a challenge for the GAA going forward in that regard.
You can that Donegal and Roscommon are still on the hunt for managers. Monaghan, Vinny Correy has gone in there, they were on the hunt.
It's an interesting dynamic that isn't going to get any easier in terms of time for people going into those situations.
Taking on an inter-county team is something that should not be done without plenty of thought. Not only will it take up a huge amount of your time, but it is also a very high pressure environment in which many have failed to thrive.
Considering all of this, it is completely understandable as to why some are hesitant to commit to such projects. When you think that the demands only seem to be growing, the list of available candidates could certainly shrink in the near future.
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