Former Kildare legend Earley to replace Dessie Farrell as GPA chief
Dermot Earley will take over from Dessie Farrell
Former Kildare footballer Dermot Earley is set to be named as the next CEO of the Gaelic Players' Association (GPA) this afternoon.
Earley is tipped to replace Dessie Farrell, who stepped down shortly before Christmas.
Before departing, Farrell stated that the body would be best served if his successor was a former player, and Earley fits that bill having played for Kildare for 16 seasons across three decades.
And the double All-Star has long been involved with the players' body, most recently acting as the organisation's president, a role he combined with his career in the Defence Forces.
However, it seems Earley is set to put that to one side to lead the organisation at a time when Farrell believes that tackling the fixtures problem is one of the biggest issues facing the body in the future.
"It's very encouraging for us that there seems to be an appetite now to introduce some sort of change," Farrell said before stepping down last month.
Dermot Earley - Picture: Sportsfile
"It's a very complex area and the change that may be introduced may not suit our entire membership. There could be mixed views on that. That's the nature of what you're dealing with there. But I think a change is positive and is a step in the right direction.
"Personally, I would have liked to have made more progress on that."
