The State Of Gaelic Football

[Zulu]

Why do people say that? Dublin Derry was only the latest instalment in a trend where teams come not to lose. As I said, even though today's games were quite enjoyable you could still see the elements of the game that are worrying. Benny we've probably gone about this every way possible at this stage so if you're happy with massed defence football that's fine. I'm not and I'm a bit concerned with the direction the game is going. I hope coaches take a more positive attitude to winning games and move away from massed defences but if they don't then administrators must step in.

[Zulu]

They were league games today Benny and the Cork Donegal game in particular had little intensity. In championship with teams fitter and working harder and attackers with more pressure we won't see those types of scores. Teams have figured out the mass defence and will be more successful against it but at the expense of the spectacle. The best part of today was McManus who had the space to run into and gather kicked ball to score. The massed defence is designed to take that away and football will be all the poorer for it. Looking at todays game I was struck by how few scoring attempts full forwards were getting compared to midfielders and half backs. If I was managing an IC team now you'd have to seriously consider playing the likes of McManus or O'Neill in the half back line and defenders in your full forward line who will come out deep. That isn't a good thought or a positive direction for football.

Do we need to put wheels on the goalposts or will you stop moving them now, Zu?

What does that mean?

[BennyHarp]

Why do people say that? Dublin Derry was only the latest instalment in a trend where teams come not to lose. As I said, even though today's games were quite enjoyable you could still see the elements of the game that are worrying. Benny we've probably gone about this every way possible at this stage so if you're happy with massed defence football that's fine. I'm not and I'm a bit concerned with the direction the game is going. I hope coaches take a more positive attitude to winning games and move away from massed defences but if they don't then administrators must step in.

I realise we aren't going to agree on this but I do understand where you are coming from with your argument, I just feel that the managers and players are better positioned to work out tactics to see us through the current tactical issues that are creating a defensive game. If you feel that teams have already worked out the defensive game plan then it won't be long until alternative, possibly more attacking tactics are implemented. I find this a much more interesting solution than trusting a few administrators to come up with another rule change which may have further unintended consequences.

[Zulu]

I agree but I wouldn't give managers too much time either as it's easier to become competitive by being negative and most managers don't have the time or players to anything more than competitive.

[Hardy]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

[macdanger2]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

Stop lying

[Hardy]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

Stop lying

There are a few. Though the word "supporter" may convey a greater amount of commitment than that which prevails among this species.

[BluestackBoy]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

Don't believe it.

[twohands!!!]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

Don't believe it.

Totally unbelievable........no Cork supporter can count that high 

[muppet]

I didn't watch the League semi-finals but somebody (a Cork supporter) told me in the pub last night he counted twenty-three consecutive hand passes by Cork in one move yesterday.

FFS could you imagine sitting behind him?

One boy!
Two boy!!
Three boy!!!
Four boy!!!!

Ah feck...

One boy!
Two boy!!
Three boy!!!
Four boy!!!!
Five boy!!!!!
Six boy!!!!!!
Seven boy!!!!!!!
Eight boy!!!!!!!!

Ah feck...

One boy!
Two boy!!
Three boy!!!
Four boy!!!!
Five boy!!!!!
Six boy!!!!!!
Seven boy!!!!!!!
Eight boy!!!!!!!!
Nine boy!!!!!!!!!
Ten boy!!!!!!!!!!
.......
<life is too short>
.......
Twenty three boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah feck......

One boy!
...

[Main Street]

I recall that Monaghan strung together a string of manly fisted passes, amidst some  lovely (retro) foot passes, in the game against Dublin.

Zulu may recall that his beloved Dubs had McManus double and triple marked in the first half  but strangely left just one man on him in the second half, I'm pretty sure Gavin will sort out that defensive failing in the next weeks.

[macdanger2]

Zulu may recall that his beloved Dubs had McManus double and triple marked in the first half  but strangely left just one man on him in the second half, I'm pretty sure Gavin will sort out that defensive failing in the next weeks.

Those players weren't marking McManus in any sort of a defensive capacity, they were just following him back there as part of their all-out attacking system

[Croí na hÉireann]

May already have been discussed but what are the positives and negatives for limiting the hand pass as can be seen above it is definitely on the rise? (Taking it to the extreme, have it like the solo, a hand pass must be followed by a foot pass, easier to implement for referees).

Positives:
Teams would leave more bodies in a forward or open position to offer outlet to retain possession
The game would/should appeal more due to increased foot passing and a greater margin of error

Negatives:
Too many short instep passes like we see now at free kicks where the defence is set.
Overcarries/infringements of the rule would become more commonplace (initially anyway)

[Syferus]

Forward hand-passing is not a problem. You see can some really inventive short passes in attack, many of which are harder to execute correctly than lumping a ball 40 metres up a field in the general area of a FF and hoping he can win a ball 2-to-1. Charts of numbers of hand-passes and the like don't really convey much useful information.

It's when teams are going backwards and backwards with the ball that problems present themselves.

[Rossfan]

Ban the fcukin thing and put the FOOT back into FOOTball!!!