Congress

[yellowcard]

It's just a wee touch short sighted  and paranoid from Armagh. Their best chance of winning an AI in the next 5 years is so much about them being in the qualifiers.... but teams in it around their level like Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Cork... not being there to take them out.

I think it's a strategic decision based on where Armagh are at the minute. They are in division one of the league but unlikely to finish in the top 5 to make the quarter finals under the new proposals.

With the existing system they have a decent chance of competing for a provincial title and if that fails then they would have a decent chance of making the quarter finals depending on the draw.

[Cunny Funt]

It's fairly telling when the former, current presidents and director general are speaking publicly about the obvious flaws in proposal B however it does look like proposal B warts and all will be voted in on Saturday and it will be February Congress before such flaws are addressed like giving the 6th place team in Div 1 at least a play off game and some sort of connection of the provincial league to the All-Ireland championship, 4 home games for the provincial winner might be a small compromise.

[Owenmoresider]

All these counties confirmed in favour of Option B
Meath
Tipperary
Kildare
Cork
Longford
Down
Clare
Louth
Westmeath
Offaly

Warwickshire supposedly leaning towards being in favour

Delegates decide on the day (and from looking at what they have said there's a reasonable chance all of these 4 might vote in favour of Option B)
Wexford - the following is from the Wexford GAA websiter "The Senior Football Team preferred option for 2022 is Proposal B. There was clear support from Club delegates for the need for change to the status quo. It was agreed that Wexford GAA's delegates to Special Congress should consider the debate on Saturday and any proposed amendments and vote in the interest of change and Wexford GAA."
Laois
Waterford
Kerry

Individuals who have come out in favour of Option B
President Larry McCarthy and director general Tom Ryan (although he doesn't have a vote)
Ex-President Sean Kelly in favour
Ex-President John Horan called for a two year trial of Option B

The only people who have come out against it are the 4 Provincial Secretaries.

Roscommon and Sligo confirmed in favour of Option B

Still no county have come out in favour of Option A or the status quo.

Where was that confirmed?

[An Watcher]

Has anyone come out in favour of option A at thus stage

[Farrandeelin]

Armagh voted against both proposals.

As have Fermanagh according to their twitter last night.

Has anyone come out in favour of option A at thus stage

Apparantly not, so it's dead in the water it seems.

[sid waddell]

Saturday will be a great day for football.

Association football and rugby football.

[Tubberman]

Armagh voted against both proposals.

As have Fermanagh according to their twitter last night.

Has anyone come out in favour of option A at thus stage

Apparantly not, so it's dead in the water it seems.

Galway going against B as well

[johnnycool]

Surprised they allow Kilkenny to vote on this.

[APM]

Option B is completely and utterly stupid.  Why any county, particularly an Ulster county would vote for it is beyond me. 

1.  The Ulster Championship will be as meaningless as any pre-season competition.  They are not doing away with the McKenna Cup, they are changing the name of the McKenna Cup to the Anglo-Celt Cup and doing away with the Ulster Championship as we know it.

2. How on earth can they justify a format where only the top 5 teams in Division 1 qualify and the 6th team doesn't.  If Kildare beat Dublin in this year's league to stay in Division 1 in 6th place, they will not qualify for the All-Ireland series. 

3. There will be fewer games but there still will be just as many one-sided contests.  If Fermanagh win Division 4, they could end up playing Dublin? So the sixth place team in Division 1 cannot play in the all-Ireland series, but the Division 4 winner could qualify?

I guarantee, people haven't a clue what they are voting for and do not understand it. 

I cannot get over the stupidity of this proposal. Always ask the question, what is the problem you are trying to solve!! Does this solve the problem? - Absolutely not.  Teams will qualify for the all-ireland that haven't a hope in hell.  Teams that have realistic ambitions to push onto the next level will have their seasons cut short, despite staying in Division 1.  This will only benefit the elite and the gap between the top 4 and the rest will only get wider.

Do they seriously expect tens of thousands to attend a meaningless Ulster championship played as a pre-season competition.   

This entire proposal is being promoted on spin. Someone should be made to stand up and explain the logic of every aspect of it at Congress, and they would fail miserably. 

I meant to add obvious things that should have been properly considered and are not:

• Seeding - completely obvious way to deal with one sided contests
• Provincial winners and runners up to get a place in a preliminary play-off - just like the Division 3/4 teams
• All Division 1 teams and promoted Division 2 teams to be included in the All-Ireland Series - teams often get relegated by the skin of their teeth on the last day of the season

[Rossfan]

I guarantee, people haven't a clue what they are voting for and do not understand it. 

The absolute arrogance of that comnent is breathtaking!!!!

[APM]

Genuinely not being arrogant.  You and I might understand it, but there are plenty voting on this that will not understand it and it won't matter to them one iota - some in Ireland and some overseas. 

[thewobbler]

You're right APM.

Let's devise a competition format instead whereby any team that says "we want in" immediately qualifies, regardless of form, regardless of their potential. Because you know, it's really really important to play knockout football, especially when you've no chance of winning.  Then let's make sure that when any team is beaten, they get back in again. Because you know, every team has off days.

That'll be great craic that will.

Honest to f**k. The mind boggles that the people who object to option B, are doing so to protect a provincial competition format that has, for 20 years, produced a most unsatisfactory outcome.

[thewobbler]

Genuinely not being arrogant.  You and I might understand it, but there are plenty voting on this that will not understand it and it won't matter to them one iota - some in Ireland and some overseas.

Lol. Your opinion of career administrators couldn't be any lower.

My guess is you've never been involved in administration.

[APM]

You're right APM.

Let's devise a competition format instead whereby any team that says "we want in" immediately qualifies, regardless of form, regardless of their potential. Because you know, it's really really important to play knockout football, especially when you've no chance of winning.  Then let's make sure that when any team is beaten, they get back in again. Because you know, every team has off days.

That'll be great craic that will.

Honest to f**k. The mind boggles that the people who object to option B, are doing so to protect a provincial competition format that has, for 20 years, produced a most unsatisfactory outcome.

Wobbler,
Where did I say that I agree with the existing system, which is badly broken. 

Christ, we're being given a choice between three different colours of shite. 

[tiempo]

Option B is completely and utterly stupid.  Why any county, particularly an Ulster county would vote for it is beyond me. 

1.  The Ulster Championship will be as meaningless as any pre-season competition.  They are not doing away with the McKenna Cup, they are changing the name of the McKenna Cup to the Anglo-Celt Cup and doing away with the Ulster Championship as we know it.

2. How on earth can they justify a format where only the top 5 teams in Division 1 qualify and the 6th team doesn't.  If Kildare beat Dublin in this year's league to stay in Division 1 in 6th place, they will not qualify for the All-Ireland series. 

3. There will be fewer games but there still will be just as many one-sided contests.  If Fermanagh win Division 4, they could end up playing Dublin? So the sixth place team in Division 1 cannot play in the all-Ireland series, but the Division 4 winner could qualify?

I guarantee, people haven't a clue what they are voting for and do not understand it. 

I cannot get over the stupidity of this proposal. Always ask the question, what is the problem you are trying to solve!! Does this solve the problem? - Absolutely not.  Teams will qualify for the all-ireland that haven't a hope in hell.  Teams that have realistic ambitions to push onto the next level will have their seasons cut short, despite staying in Division 1.  This will only benefit the elite and the gap between the top 4 and the rest will only get wider.

Do they seriously expect tens of thousands to attend a meaningless Ulster championship played as a pre-season competition.   

This entire proposal is being promoted on spin. Someone should be made to stand up and explain the logic of every aspect of it at Congress, and they would fail miserably. 

I meant to add obvious things that should have been properly considered and are not:

• Seeding - completely obvious way to deal with one sided contests
• Provincial winners and runners up to get a place in a preliminary play-off - just like the Division 3/4 teams
• All Division 1 teams and promoted Division 2 teams to be included in the All-Ireland Series - teams often get relegated by the skin of their teeth on the last day of the season

Passionate post though don't agree with much of it

Why reward provincial runners up?

I think Provincial winners should be guaranteed a place in race for Sam, that would be the other way the team finishing 6th in D1 can avoid the grade 2 competition, but failing that they've earned their place in grade 2

Grade 1 open to all teams
Grade 2 open to all teams

Stratified merit based system, no safety net runners up or relegated teams