Former Roscommon footballer Neil Patrick Collins believes that county GAA stars need to look beyond their sporting careers and have more focus on their professions.
Speaking to Ger Gilroy and Eoin Sheahan during Off The Ball's recent trip to New York, Collins said that there's too much emphasis put on playing an amateur sport when players should take a step back and look at their lives as a bigger picture.
"I just think especially when you step outside of Ireland you see the possibilities, the opportunities career-wise to really build and set up a really good career and life for yourself".
"It's difficult to be very passionate about a number of things. It's the passion as well that'll help you with your work in any area. So if you're working and really passionate about playing football, that's going to take and consume a lot of your time and energy".
Collins, who now lives in New York, left Ireland to pursue a career in the fashion industry in the US and says the demands made in terms of commitment at the top level of the sport is too much for an amateur sport, and hinders the progress of players in other aspects of their lives.
"I definitely think it's over the top when it's not your profession, because it teaches lads the wrong thing".
"In a bigger picture in life, and when you come to a different country, your career is very, very important. While you might have a fine sporting career in Ireland, it just isn't professional. It's not a professional career, and when it's not I don't think it's fully right that the focus isn't on other things".
Collins said that ultimately it's up to the player to decide how much time and effort they're willing to give, and what they're willing to miss out on because of it, but he did criticise the labelling of people as GAA stars, as he feels players should aim to do and be known for things outside of the amateur game.
"That's definitely how they're defined, but I think it's difficult. I don't think that should fully be the emphasis when it isn't your profession and you're not getting paid for it. While that is the label, I really don't feel that it should be, and I think it doesn't lead lads down the right path by that being their label".
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