Messages

Unless Rice is some genius player, it'd be mad not to go with Ireland. Look at the likes of McAteer, Big Cas, Townsend, Houghton, Kilbane, Etc. Those fellas are all legends in Ireland, and ended up with decent media careers on rte/tv3 etc, released autobiographies etc. They made a decent living from the game after retiring.

What would Rice amount to? A small fish in a huge pond in England. A few caps (if he's lucky) then never to be heard of again.

But from an earnings perspective, one English cap pays mote than 1,000 Irish ones. Depends on his priorities.

But its moot, the bridges are ablaze

first time watching Rice live. He looks the real deal in midfield. Very composed. Would love to see him play for us.

Probably be a Man City player after January and if he is he'll likely declare for England

surely these rules will get canned before the league, no way can they plough on with them

It' too easy for the naysayers to shoot down every proposal then so

The current state of the game has seriously reduced attendances .

Crap teams put 13 men behind the ball . Win  a few games and then call themselves football teams. Of course they don't want to change.

Some of the players on these teams might have to try to kick the ball sometime

These may not be the answer but at least it's a start to moving towards some rules that actually improve the game

there is no point in using the opinion of current intercounty managers to change the game .... that's just hilarious.

I have to say I like Brolly's ideas

- no pass back into your own half
- Goalkeeper cannot be used in open play
- the idea of an exclusion zone ( very difficult to implement at club level)
- kickouts past the 45metre  line

Worth a trial in my view

Is it not apparent to everyone that none of these proposals - least of all the handpass restriction - are going to discourage packing defences? Quite the opposite.

It's crazy, I can confirm I'm not from Ulster, a saddist, manager or whoever else is against it apparently. It's funny to see some of these sweeping statements when it's clear no thought to the concequesnces of these. I've put out there multiple times in detail why I think these won't work so won't again. Like you I feel this will only encourage and reward the mass defence mentality and tactic. One of the worst things though, this is being trialed in the league and we've no idea how it will go, league is too important to try these out in.

If these turn out to be a huge success and we get great games I will be the 1st to hold my hands up and say I was wrong

Well at least they are trying . Unfortunately up North they don;t want to try anything that might improve the game as a spectacle.

This conversation is required as the game has become redundant as a spectator sport.

This may not be the answer but at least we are having the debate.

For me a rule should be brought in that you must have 6 players in the opposition half of the field at all times. People say it's not enforceable . It is as the linesmen are perfectly placed to see it and do largely f*** all anyway except run up the line

Bring it at county level first where the manpower is . Club football largely apes the county game anyway

Trying yes but my fear is they only looked at this in a way that is positive and failed to consider the negative impacts and it's the negative impacts I think will make these rules a massive failure.

On keeping 6 in each half of the pitch, it's not enforcement I would be against, it's the stopping of the attacking wingbacks being allowed come forward and stopping of defenders joining the attack. It would I'm sure make for a more open game but I still feel the likes of carlow, fermanagh etc who have had recent success based on a solid defensive structure I would like to see these teams still be able implement these

I've put forward all of my opinions on why I would love to see 13 a side trialled (And not in a competition as important as the league) so I won't go through it all again

I respect your opinion but 13 a side is insane. Anything that reduces the numbers starting  a game will only reduce the participation numbers which is pointless in my opinion .

Carlow played one forward and got lucky in one game. They in my opinion are not something that should be held up as a reason for teams playing 13 behind the ball .

They were muck to watch. It was like watching a herd of cows rolling in  a field somewhere.

The bottom line is they played a Division 4 team in Croke Park using 13 men behind the ball and were beaten comfortably by a team beaten by 20 points in a Leinster Final by Dublin

If that's progress then I'm all for these new rules

It's time for amalgamations at county level and an emphasis on getting people to watch the game again.

did you read my earlier posts on why i believe 13 a side should be trialed? to call 13 a side insane and then say your all for these new rules i think shows theres not much talking with you.  Carlow got promoted, had some great results by their traditional standards, we cannot compare them to dublin or the other top teams. most teams now league is priority and championship is bonus. and as for amalgamations please god no, i would despise supporting a tipp/waterford/kilkenny/wexford south east team.....i want to support tipperary and tipperary alone for better or worse, the same with all the splitting dublin in half, i would hate to see it

You're only interested in your own opinion. The fact that it's a fundamentally flawed opinion is besides the point.

Carlow are not anything to be copied or applauded for in my opinion. They played a rancid style of football and got lucky in one game against a team that kicked a huge amount of wides

Bar one team they beat teams at their own level. Which is why a tiered championship is required. 

Nobody wants to watch this crap - you do realise that don't you? 13 a side is only a cop out to the defensive gurus who rule the game now

I'm only interested in my opinion? Yes I have an opinion and I voice it in as fair a manner as I can and I think most people on here would see me as a fair and balanced contributor. You are new to the board, one of your 1st posts you make a big sweeping statement that anyone who disagrees with these rules are from Ulster, defensive intercounty manager, gpa or sadist. I have said numerous times I will hold my hands up and admit I am wrong and will be happy if the game improves.

On carlow, I agree with you and said it here myself that until kildare they beat no-one of note and kildare was a freak result where they scored from 100% of their attempts. But still them and fermanagh without being disrespectful have had great relative success, both earned promotion and fermanagh a place in the Ulster final, I despise the style of football but I fully respect it and for me the new rules will most likely only encourage and reward this style of play. I will apologise to everyone now for recycling my old posts but I will put them up again on the rules and 13 a side....and yeah these are only my opinions just like how everyone has an opinion here

............

This was posted a couple of hours after the announcement and something's have changed



My view on each one of these is that you have to look at the most negative aspects of each proposal over the positive. Im not saying these will happen but there is the chance and you can be sure given time to see things in action managers will be coming up for specific ways of playing them. These are my thoughts anyway, may have picked up some wrong things, may have contradicted myself in some of what im saying and most importantly i might be wrong in my thoughts. Every situation needs to be fully thought through before making any radical changes


3 handpasses

Will this turn into a game of rugby league where one team gets so far turns, kicks it back and start over again. Remember we are where we are because teams are overly cautious and dont want to concede possession so i dont think because we limit the handpass teams will all of a sudden start a long range expansive kicking style. Also Dublin who are far and away ahead of everyone, it wouldnt be long before they use this in a way to create turnover, when the ball is in the defending teams half stand off for couple of passes then a huge push on the kickpass.

Sidelines must go forward

Is this really a huge problem? nearly all sideline go back to secure possession and start an attack from there. I can just see this being more of an advantage to the team conceding the sideline than the team who has won it. The defending team will carry on as they do nowdays and attempt to cut out any forward ball and can leave anyone behind the sideline free (reason most sidelines do go back is because this is where the free player is). Also if i was a defender id be trilled to knock a ball out for a sideline around the 21 as a way of defense, gives you time to get organised and you know there is a very small area of the pitch which can be used or youd have a player attempting shots from sidelines which youd take all day long.

Mark inside the 20

Good in theory but will it just lead to inside forwards being double marked and opposition players coming up with a way to combat the threat? This one could work but its one I would like to see in action and see if it is positive or not

Sin Bin

Personal opinion on this, do we really need black cards, sin bins etc? For me leave it at yellow and red cards. A yellow card would suffice for many of the black cards dished out these days, the likes of the infamous sean cavanagh against monaghan rugby tackle, allow a ref to deem that a red card and not be tied down to having to give a yellow due to the rules. If something is gamechanging cynicism then allow a red for it, the likes of checking a run should be a yellow for me.

2 players each only between the 45s for kickouts

Does there need to be two players designated? At what phase of the kickout do these players need to be identified? If you manage to isolate someone who is really quick on your own kickout with a big slower midfielder with all that space it would be as effective as a short kickout, pull your two players to one sideline middle of the field will have to be open, keeper kicks it there and youd back your players to get there 9 times out of 10. Gone would be the days of quick kickouts and the game would be alot more broken up, take fermangh for example, play a very defensive way, each kickout youd have to wait for everyone who was back sweeping to throd up the pitch and back into the opposition half before the ball is kicked, I can see the merit in this because at each restart you are facing into 6 defenders and not a mass defense but dublin against carlow, carlow would get annihilated with how athletic and physical they are, carlow kick out the ball, dublin win it and its 1 v 1 all in the carlow half, most teams would get eaten alive

....................

And my post on 13 a side

I've said it before and I stress I'm not saying I am right but 13 a side. Trialled at sigerson, preseason before thinking about bringing it into league and championship. Positives I think there are are

1. Less players means more space, I fully believe there should be allowance for a defensive set up, carlow and fermanagh for instance I don't think would have had the success of last year without it and with 13 a side you could still implement this but there should be more room to operate and space to find for attacking players.

2. Players are fitter than they have ever been, should be no issue in this regards with less players.

3. It should help counties with a smaller/less talented pick than the bigger counties....I know in tipp and is imagine your own roscommons starting teams would be stronger starting 13 and much better quality of player to be able call off the bench.

4. It would make a huge difference to rural clubs who struggle for numbers.

Honestly I can't think of many negatives but like I said it would need to be trialled and see how games do play out and if anything springs up then.

You're entitled to your view but 13 a side is a cop out to defensive gurus

There is no need to reduce the numbers whatsoever with a proper rules structure that rewards teams that want to go forward with the ball as oppose to backwards.

There is no game more resistant to rule changes then Gaelic Football.

As it's permeated by defensive gurus who have made careers in turning the game into the shite it resembles now

The incorporation of financial doping within the rules means Gavin can milk the cow 'til wherever time it dies.  Expect him and David Brailsford to release a joint book anytime soon.

It'll be closely followed by your memoir from the barstool called " I could have been a Contender"

Is it not apparent to everyone that none of these proposals - least of all the handpass restriction - are going to discourage packing defences? Quite the opposite.

It's crazy, I can confirm I'm not from Ulster, a saddist, manager or whoever else is against it apparently. It's funny to see some of these sweeping statements when it's clear no thought to the concequesnces of these. I've put out there multiple times in detail why I think these won't work so won't again. Like you I feel this will only encourage and reward the mass defence mentality and tactic. One of the worst things though, this is being trialed in the league and we've no idea how it will go, league is too important to try these out in.

If these turn out to be a huge success and we get great games I will be the 1st to hold my hands up and say I was wrong

Well at least they are trying . Unfortunately up North they don;t want to try anything that might improve the game as a spectacle.

This conversation is required as the game has become redundant as a spectator sport.

This may not be the answer but at least we are having the debate.

For me a rule should be brought in that you must have 6 players in the opposition half of the field at all times. People say it's not enforceable . It is as the linesmen are perfectly placed to see it and do largely f*** all anyway except run up the line

Bring it at county level first where the manpower is . Club football largely apes the county game anyway

Trying yes but my fear is they only looked at this in a way that is positive and failed to consider the negative impacts and it's the negative impacts I think will make these rules a massive failure.

On keeping 6 in each half of the pitch, it's not enforcement I would be against, it's the stopping of the attacking wingbacks being allowed come forward and stopping of defenders joining the attack. It would I'm sure make for a more open game but I still feel the likes of carlow, fermanagh etc who have had recent success based on a solid defensive structure I would like to see these teams still be able implement these

I've put forward all of my opinions on why I would love to see 13 a side trialled (And not in a competition as important as the league) so I won't go through it all again

I respect your opinion but 13 a side is insane. Anything that reduces the numbers starting  a game will only reduce the participation numbers which is pointless in my opinion .

Carlow played one forward and got lucky in one game. They in my opinion are not something that should be held up as a reason for teams playing 13 behind the ball .

They were muck to watch. It was like watching a herd of cows rolling in  a field somewhere.

The bottom line is they played a Division 4 team in Croke Park using 13 men behind the ball and were beaten comfortably by a team beaten by 20 points in a Leinster Final by Dublin

If that's progress then I'm all for these new rules

It's time for amalgamations at county level and an emphasis on getting people to watch the game again.

did you read my earlier posts on why i believe 13 a side should be trialed? to call 13 a side insane and then say your all for these new rules i think shows theres not much talking with you.  Carlow got promoted, had some great results by their traditional standards, we cannot compare them to dublin or the other top teams. most teams now league is priority and championship is bonus. and as for amalgamations please god no, i would despise supporting a tipp/waterford/kilkenny/wexford south east team.....i want to support tipperary and tipperary alone for better or worse, the same with all the splitting dublin in half, i would hate to see it

You're only interested in your own opinion. The fact that it's a fundamentally flawed opinion is besides the point.

Carlow are not anything to be copied or applauded for in my opinion. They played a rancid style of football and got lucky in one game against a team that kicked a huge amount of wides

Bar one team they beat teams at their own level. Which is why a tiered championship is required. 

Nobody wants to watch this crap - you do realise that don't you? 13 a side is only a cop out to the defensive gurus who rule the game now

Is it not apparent to everyone that none of these proposals - least of all the handpass restriction - are going to discourage packing defences? Quite the opposite.

It's crazy, I can confirm I'm not from Ulster, a saddist, manager or whoever else is against it apparently. It's funny to see some of these sweeping statements when it's clear no thought to the concequesnces of these. I've put out there multiple times in detail why I think these won't work so won't again. Like you I feel this will only encourage and reward the mass defence mentality and tactic. One of the worst things though, this is being trialed in the league and we've no idea how it will go, league is too important to try these out in.

If these turn out to be a huge success and we get great games I will be the 1st to hold my hands up and say I was wrong

Well at least they are trying . Unfortunately up North they don;t want to try anything that might improve the game as a spectacle.

This conversation is required as the game has become redundant as a spectator sport.

This may not be the answer but at least we are having the debate.

For me a rule should be brought in that you must have 6 players in the opposition half of the field at all times. People say it's not enforceable . It is as the linesmen are perfectly placed to see it and do largely f*** all anyway except run up the line

Bring it at county level first where the manpower is . Club football largely apes the county game anyway

Trying yes but my fear is they only looked at this in a way that is positive and failed to consider the negative impacts and it's the negative impacts I think will make these rules a massive failure.

On keeping 6 in each half of the pitch, it's not enforcement I would be against, it's the stopping of the attacking wingbacks being allowed come forward and stopping of defenders joining the attack. It would I'm sure make for a more open game but I still feel the likes of carlow, fermanagh etc who have had recent success based on a solid defensive structure I would like to see these teams still be able implement these

I've put forward all of my opinions on why I would love to see 13 a side trialled (And not in a competition as important as the league) so I won't go through it all again

I respect your opinion but 13 a side is insane. Anything that reduces the numbers starting  a game will only reduce the participation numbers which is pointless in my opinion .

Carlow played one forward and got lucky in one game. They in my opinion are not something that should be held up as a reason for teams playing 13 behind the ball .

They were muck to watch. It was like watching a herd of cows rolling in  a field somewhere.

The bottom line is they played a Division 4 team in Croke Park using 13 men behind the ball and were beaten comfortably by a team beaten by 20 points in a Leinster Final by Dublin

If that's progress then I'm all for these new rules

It's time for amalgamations at county level and an emphasis on getting people to watch the game again.

Is it not apparent to everyone that none of these proposals - least of all the handpass restriction - are going to discourage packing defences? Quite the opposite.

It's crazy, I can confirm I'm not from Ulster, a saddist, manager or whoever else is against it apparently. It's funny to see some of these sweeping statements when it's clear no thought to the concequesnces of these. I've put out there multiple times in detail why I think these won't work so won't again. Like you I feel this will only encourage and reward the mass defence mentality and tactic. One of the worst things though, this is being trialed in the league and we've no idea how it will go, league is too important to try these out in.

If these turn out to be a huge success and we get great games I will be the 1st to hold my hands up and say I was wrong

Well at least they are trying . Unfortunately up North they don;t want to try anything that might improve the game as a spectacle.

This conversation is required as the game has become redundant as a spectator sport.

This may not be the answer but at least we are having the debate.

For me a rule should be brought in that you must have 6 players in the opposition half of the field at all times. People say it's not enforceable . It is as the linesmen are perfectly placed to see it and do largely f*** all anyway except run up the line

Bring it at county level first where the manpower is . Club football largely apes the county game anyway

Two Kerry clubs get two Munster venues for their semi finals
They must have great pull on the fixtures committee

Out of interest has anyone got a number on the amount of times that Kerry clubs and county teams (junior,minor,U21) have got Munster venues for the All Ireland series games in the last decade?

Makes a change for people not to be complaining about Dublin for once

He'll need all the luck he can get. A lot of hot air been spoken here . There is no good soccer club in the world  going to take a punt on an unproven manager with no track record where the stakes are so high .

I suspect he'd have been far better off taking an Irish Soccer Club.

Fairy-tale stuff today but the gap in club football is always smaller at club then county.

Much the better side won on the day and it was great to see a small club winning it. I don't think they'll care about the AI Semi at this point they'll be written off anyway but it's unlikely Dr Crokes will be as naive as Kilmacud today.

Crokes played like a team that just expected to win unfortunately and unfortunately team managers can only do so much in terms of complacency.

Crokes should have been warned after Rathnew turned over Vincent's last year. That's two years in a row a certain amount of the hype beforehand has ensured a defeat for a Dublin side.

The Dublin championship has been average quality the last two years and there is no reason why any Dublin club should feel that the Leinster championship is a given.

Congrats again to today's victors. Massive achievement. What the GAA is all about.

The etymology of "football" has nothing to do with using your foot to kick a ball. It's descended from games that were played by working people "on foot" as opposed to games that were played by nobles on horseback. There are about seven versions of games called football and only one of them predominantly uses the foot to deliver the ball. There's not a whole lot of kicking in Rugby football or American football.

A commonly-held myth about the origin of a word is a strange criterion to be using for designing the rules of a sport. If we were all speaking Irish and referring to the game as "Peile" I doubt if we'd be having this discussion.

In any case I don't see what people have against the handpass. As long as there's a crisp striking action it looks just fine and keeps the game moving. Why do people compare it to Basketball or Handball as if that's a pejorative? Are those sports inferior? Are they boring to watch?

Because Gaelic Football was founded on the transferring of the ball with the foot.

Handball was founded on the transfer of the ball by hand.

The hand-pass in it's current guise has allowed dreadful county teams and equally poor club sides to somehow call themselves football teams by getting  a fitness level , a system , a tackle count and good hand-passing skills. Thus ignoring the fact that neither there club nor their county coaches were ever able to teach their players the basic skill of kicking the ball accurately

I don't want to watch teams like Carlow for example playing Gaelic Football and masquerading themselves as a semi good team playing one forward up front even against teams of their own level like Laois.

How is that what the game was ever meant to be? 75% hand-passing at inter county level was never what the game was envisaged to be .And at club level watching the sort of "Gaelic Football" the Derry championship produced this year wouldn't pass as entertainment even to the parents of the club sides involved.

The game is in crisis. Not every team wants to play like Crossmaglen or Dublin.

But the rules should favour the sides that want to score

Not the other way around.

Why do GAA players have to announce retirement statements ?

Never understand this . It's not  a professional game.

probably as a mark of respect to all their supporters who otherwise would be wondering where they are or whether or not they were just dropped. and give them an opportunity to thank all the people who have helped them on the way
that or rampant egomania . probably the 1st

I'd have said ego maybe. I think it's a complete load of bollox . Because ultimately unless you're in the top 5 percent no-one gives a bollox really

Hand the jersey on and move on . Again elitism ..

This is an excellent initiative by the GAA.

Anyone who wants to watch the current game permeated by 75% hand-passes should sign up for Olympic Handball.

We have to try something . The only people against the current rules are

1- Ulster GAA ( they are typically against anything anyway)
2- Inter-county managers of crap team who can pack defences and don't have any players capable of kicking the ball accurately
3- GPA- Never happy about anything unless they instigate the change
4- Sadists

If this doesn't work we need to try something else. Because the current game is only shite to watch

Why do GAA players have to announce retirement statements ?

Never understand this . It's not  a professional game.