Proposals to change the All Ireland Football structures

[blewuporstuffed]

why are people so keen to get rid of the early season competions . Its gives an out let for younger players to give a glimspe of their true worth or plaers oming back from injury.
one the league comes the squads are more or less closed .
and it all takes place at a time when feck all else is happening and several months gone since the last match (usually sept in mayos case),
ye   beat a cup of cold soup in Ballinlough and it only costs a euro

getting rid of the preseaosn competitions allows the league to start earlier, compressing the whole season , which is badly needed.

[westbound]

If the leagues takes such importance that it impacts a team's standing/seeding in the championship, then the pre-season competitions will have to be kept. There is no way that teams will go straight into such an important league competition without having played some games. If there is no pre-season comps (fbd, o'byrne cup etc.) then teams will just end up playing challenge matches, so we may as well keep the pre-season comps in that scenario.

[Sidney]

I propose to leave the whole bloody thing alone. It's the least worst system. Sure if you were starting from scratch you wouldn't design it as it is now but we're not starting from scratch and I've no wish to see 130 years of tradition done away with by abolishing the provincial championships.

I like my provincial finals as they are, thank you.

[Real Talk]

Take a few minutes and actually read Jim McGuiness's suggestions !!!!!

He does not want to do away with the Provincial Championship

[thewobbler]

If the leagues takes such importance that it impacts a team's standing/seeding in the championship, then the pre-season competitions will have to be kept. There is no way that teams will go straight into such an important league competition without having played some games. If there is no pre-season comps (fbd, o'byrne cup etc.) then teams will just end up playing challenge matches, so we may as well keep the pre-season comps in that scenario.

let them organise friendlies then. I don't see see teams in the EPL, NFL or Pro12 needing a pre-season competiton to get them going.

[Ball Hopper]

The championship season needs to be condensed to allow clubs to thrive. 

Under the current system, how about starting the provincials and associated qualifiers in mid-May.  No replays allowed.

Qualifiers start first weekend of June, again with no replays allowed. 

Leinster and Ulster would have multiple games each weekend, Munster and Connacht less so.  Saturday games as well as Sunday.  Maybe double up qualifiers with provincial ties and even go cross-code with the hurlers.

Target AI quarter finals no later than mid-July. AI semis first week of August and  All-Ireland  Final on the third Sunday in August.

County championships start in all counties bar the 4 semi-finalists in early August, and those 4 will get going by week 1 in September at the latest. 

With regards to the league, just play the seven games.  No semifinals for sure.  Maybe a final if calendar allows it which gives a bit of revenue to the finalists.

The big loss to the GAA will be the revenue from the replay...should it be done away with at all levels?  If player welfare, and keeping players in the game, are truly top priorities of the top brass, then the replay must go. 

[Rossfan]

  If player welfare, and keeping players in the game, are truly top priorities of the top brass, then the replay must go.

Won't happen - €€€€€€€€€s

[dec]

How do you end replays?

Endless periods of extra time? or Penalties?

[AZOffaly]

Fight, Fight, Fight.

[twohands!!!]

How do you end replays?

Endless periods of extra time? or Penalties?

Number of wides, number of yellow, number of blacks, number of reds, number of frees conceded.

[Dinny Breen]

Fight, Fight, Fight.

Followed by a frank discussion.

[Ball Hopper]

Play till a result.  If level after 70 minutes, plus the usual 2 minutes, then the next score wins.  Very simple.  Referees are well used to playing for the draw, now change that mindset to a result must be realized.

Not too complicated. Just do it. 

[Jinxy]

How do you end replays?

Endless periods of extra time? or Penalties?

Crossbar challenge.

[joemamas]

Play till a result.  If level after 70 minutes, plus the usual 2 minutes, then the next score wins.  Very simple.  Referees are well used to playing for the draw, now change that mindset to a result must be realized.

Not too complicated. Just do it.

Totally agree. Seriously this has been a huge issue for years. You can allow an two extra subs if God forbid game goes to double overtime.
If somehow somebody has the foresight to do this, The schedule can be drawn up in January, Full stop.
Clubs, players, supporters families can plan accordingly.

I know I have spoke about this almost too much, but look at the potential c**k up that can occur over the next two to three weeks.

Potential fixture fiasco.

If any of the below fixtures, and you can now also include the Munster football final replay July 18th end in a draw, then the All Ireland Q/finals which are penciled in for August 2nd and August 8th cannot go ahead, unless replay of drawn game is mid-week. (not going to happen)

It truly seems like the fixture committees thumb their noses at fans. Lets do a hypothetical for a moment. Mayo beat Sligo by a point in Connacht final. They will then be scheduled to play August 8th in the All-Ireland Q/Final.
However, if their potential opponents who play on August 1st in last qualifier round end up playing a draw after extra time, then Mayo are not playing on August 8th. Piss poor if you ask me, considering the fans both from Ireland and outside who will have booked flights and holidays post the Connacht final. The same scenario holds true for all other provincial winners should their potential opponents games scheduled the week before end up in a draw.


Saturday July 25th, 2015

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2015 Round 4A
TBC
Provincial Final Loser (Westmeath /Fermanagh)

Winner scheduled to play following weekend in Q/final.

Kildare v Cork/Kerry.

Winner scheduled to play following weekend in Q/final.


Date TBC - Saturday August 1st/Sunday August 2nd, 2015
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2015 Round 4B
TBC
Provincial Final Loser (Connacht / Ulster)
vs.
Round 3B Winner
Winner scheduled to play following weekend

TBC

More info 
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2015 Round 4B
TBC
Provincial Final Loser (Connacht / Ulster)
vs.
Round 3B Winner
Winner scheduled to play following weekend

TBC

More info 

[Mayo4Sam14]

My alternative championship format; basically it's four groups of eight linking directly to a straight knockout competition.

Stage one is the four groups of eight (using the four divisions currently used in the National Football League). The top four teams go into a semi-final, as is already done in division one (this will be done in all four divisions), the winner of the final goes through to a quarter final (and is promoted where applicable), the lower of the final goes into round one. The two losing semi-finalists go into the qualifiers against the teams that finished fifth and sixth, the draw is highest placed against sixth place and second highest placed against fifth, as an added bonus for their top four finish they get home advantage. The winner of the final goes through to round one. I would like to reiterate that this occurs in each division. The bottom two teams are out of the Championship (and there is a relegation play-off, when relegation is applicable). (I also thinking that maybe the bottom two teams from each division from each division get entered into some sort of shield for extra games and morale)

Stage two is straight knockout. There is a 'Side A' and a 'Side B'. On 'Side A' the losing finalist from Division One faces the qualifier from Division Two and the losing finalist from Division Two faces the qualifier from Division One in round one, then they face they face the champion from Division One/Two in the Quarter Finals.

On 'Side B' the losing finalist from Division Three faces face the qualifier from Division Four and the losing finalist from Division Four face the qualifier from Division Three and the winners face the champions of Division Three/Four in the Quarter Finals.


It sounds confusing/complicated the way I just explained it but in practice it's quite simple