Topics

Discuss:
Is the GAA overly influenced by a cohort of journalists who throw out opinions like confetti and spend more time talking about rules and competition structures than actual games?

Case 1; Martin Breheny on the so-called "handpass blight".

https://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/martin-breheny-ignoring-the-handpass-virus-is-a-real-sickener-for-football-frcs-proposals-dont-tackle-root-cause/a685802583.html

https://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/martin-breheny-almost-400-handpasses-in-one-game-shows-new-rules-fail-to-tackle-an-old-problem/a1894938577.html

He has been going on about this for years. Is it his agenda or does anyone else actually care about this? I don't hear too many talking about it but arising from his fuss we have had experimental handpass rules brought in in 2019 and thankfully dropped because they were unworkable. Still Martin bangs the drum on this after a huge raft of rule changes in 2025.

Case 2: Lack of Jeopardy
Pundits, analysts, journalists and the like were queuing up last year to tell us about the lack of jeopardy in the All-Ireland group stages. So much so that they persuaded everyone that it's a disaster and needs to change - wrongly in my view. Now that they are changing, a whole raft of them love the structure and have buyer's remorse.

Any chance these feckers would shut up about the quality of games, rules and structures and just analyse the football. If they don't enjoy it, for whatever reason, get another job. Any chance also that the GAA could have the courage of its convictions and stop listening to these fleeting opinions?

With all the pundits and punters  bemoaning the quality of forward play in the last few years and even more so it seems in the last few weeks, it's got me thinking that in general the accuracy of forwards (and defenders) has never been better.

When you look at the televised games of yesteryear some of the shooting was horrible despite much more room inside the 45'. I remember Eamonn Coleman being quoted that you needed 12 scores to win a game in the 90s. It wouldn't come close now in most games.

Isn't one of the reasons for the development of blanket defences, that the quality of shooting is better and that referees are allowing less fouling than in the old days.

Lots of talk about lads being afraid to shoot from 35 yards out in the modern game. Back in the day, outside of the Kerry's and Dubs, how many teams had six forwards that could score consistently from that distance (never mind backs).

Discuss!

I think there used to be a thread along these lines. Has to be some funny ones out there.

This one made me laugh.

Athletic Grounds, Qualifiers 1st Round 2022, Armagh v Tyrone.

MC makes the following announcement on the tannoy:

An Fogra
Could the owner of car registration ABC 1234 please return to their car.

They have left their doors open............

with the key in the ignition..................

and the engine running

 

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/0620/1305981-inter-county-football-needs-a-third-tier-kevin-mcstay/

Is there any end to the tinkering that pundits would have us do with the rules, competition and structures?

McStay at it now - and we have new interim format this year to be replaced by a further change next year.

Give it a bloody rest and just enjoy the feckin' games.

How often do we see goalkeepers' quick kickouts frustrated by an extra ball on the pitch.
Complete pain in the arse watching umpires stand with their hands in their pockets - (even if it's 4ft from him) while the goalie removes the extra ball and loses the opportunity for a short kickout.

Obviously this happens more on pitches with no ball stops and doesn't happen in Croke Park.

Round the country keepers everywhere are saying "Never seen Stephen Cluxton dealing with this kind of crap"!

The keeper shouldn't have to do ballboy. 

Is it is problem that needs sorted or is it just me?  Do people care? Do we need a Maor liathróid? Do keepers just need to go long and stop the messing?

What is it about the GAA?  The hierarchy is absolutely obsessed with rule changes, most of which are stupid and have made the game worse - like the mark. But worse than that is the media.  If they are not suggesting that we need to ban the handpass, or go to 13 aside, it's that football is too physical and hurling is loosing its physicality.  There was more coverage to rule changes over the weekend than there was to the actual games. It would melt your head. 



 

Maybe it was nostalgia, but despite the surrealness of watching an Ulster championship in front of an empty stadium in early November, it struck me that the do or die nature of championship football is what we have been missing this few years. 

The qualifiers were great for the first few years, until the realisation that what all it has done has made the rich richer by giving them a second bite of the cherry if they get a tough draw or knocked out in a shock result.  When the qualifiers started, it gave the minnows the chance to go on a run and build momentum through the backdoor.  It was great to see Sligo, Wexford, Fermanagh and Longford do this in the early days.  However, the greatest long term beneficiaries have been the stronger counties in my view.

Time to scrap the backdoor and the shite that is the Super 8s.  Go back to knock out football when it is all on the day and teams can dare to dream a bit more; rather than "if we catch Dublin cold, they will still probably win the All Ireland through the backdoor".

If more games are needed, play them in the league where teams are evenly matched, by playing three divisions of 10 or 11 teams or play home and away in the league.

Thoughts!

It used to be that people that believed in conspiracy theories were marginalised crackpots who might feature in a TV documentary or may be characterised in some drama series. Generally you didn't meet them in everyday life.  Now it seems like half of America now believes in some conspiracy theory or another (that may be an exaggeration). It doesn't seem to be as pervasive here, but I bet everyone on here knows someone who believes in some conspiracy theory.

Is the growth of this stuff via social media and the rubbishing of expert opinion going to take us back to the dark ages.

Discuss!

[Armagh v Fermanagh in 1993]

Couple from my own county

Forgive the parochialism.  There are some great ones from other counties and I leave it to others to add them.

Armagh v Fermanagh in 1993 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-eBq6htd6I
1993 was some year to be from Armagh.  8 points and a man down with 68 mins gone and Armagh pull it out of the fire with Denis Holywood making a name for himself.
Armagh - Clare in 2018 - https://www.facebook.com/officialgaa/videos/1804455892957479
4 points down after a 66th minute penalty from Clare, but Armagh finished up with a four point win.  Not near as mad as the game above, but was something to behold all the same on what was a sweltering day in the Athletic Grounds. 

Cahir O'Kane called it right in the Irish News a few months back. Great team for hammering weaker counties out the gate! Will beat teams that similar in standard to them (Donegal, Monaghan etc).  But they haven't beaten Kerry, Dublin or Mayo in the Championship for 10 years. 

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/martin-breheny-football-lost-in-time-warp-as-hurling-formula-thrives-38067260.html

Any merit in this?
Derry wans won't be happy!

Breheny is constantly chipping away at this and I find it a bit annoying. He has a strong point about the fairness of the Munster teams winning 2 games to make the Super 8s.  Even worse is the notion that a Munster losing finalist can play 3 games and lose one to make the Super 8s. 

His main problem is that the solution doesn't address the fact that the spread in quality among teams ranked 1 - 20 is much greater than the spread from 5 - 30.

Nonetheless, it might work, but I can't imagine getting anyone in Armagh too excited about round robin championship matches with Roscommon, Kildare and Laois (ugghh).

Congrats to Mullinalaghta - big day for the little guy!!

Not the first half-parish to win provincial honours.  Can you name the others?

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/restrictions-on-handpasses-sinbin-gaa-standing-committee-on-playing-rules-proposes-five-changes-for-gaelic-football-37377081.html

Doubtless there will be much complaining by people that would prefer to watch paint dry!

Interested in your views on this.  You can choose 2 options.

edit
Should have said - I think going back to the old system - pre 2001 and enhancing the league programme would be very attractive.  Shorter, more condensed championship, purely knock-out, would help restore the appeal and do or die nature that we all loved. 

Meanwhile, the league has been gaining in relevance in recent years and an enhanced programme of fixtures (say 3 divisions of 9 or 10 would ensure more games for the weaker counties) with the top 2 teams in Division 1 playing for the league title. 

Fewer championship games might mean less income for the GAA  - (although it could be offset by more league fixtures ) and it would have to cut its cloth accordingly - fewer employees might not be a bad thing. 

Brolly on the Sunday game last night talking about how Armagh and Roscommon game should have been the final of the second tier competition and that Roscommon don't belong in the race for Sam.

This debate has gained obvious traction and I'd be concerned about where it will end up:

How would we decide who should be in the so-called Super 8s if we moved to this new tiered format. If teams like Roscommon don't belong with the big boys then where do you draw the line.  Kildare were beaten in every game this year in Division 1 this year.  Should they be there. They were beaten by Carlow in their first round of Leinster, but they have went on to be on of the stories of the championship.   What about Cavan, who gave Tyrone a good game this year and like Roscommon have just been promoted to Div 1, having been relegated last year.  What about Meath who nearly knocked out Tyrone this year and have been slumbering in Division 2? 

I am fascinated by the ongoing club versus county debate that has developed into the greatest faultline in the GAA.  We have had the emergence of the CPA to highlight (rightly) how club football is disadvantaged by the county scene, with championship fixtures in successful counties condensed into a short window either in the early autumn and possibly the spring time.  We have pundits regularly ridiculing the "crazy" training regimes of inter-county teams and the seeming relentless drive towards professionalism and elitism.  The comparison is often made with the club, the lifeblood of the GAA, which is seen as a paragon of virtue. 

I would agree with a lot of what is said on this topic, but is it not time we took a more critical look at what is going on at club level?  How many clubs can you name in your own area that don't engage an outside manager / coach or both? Very few I imagine and I'd wager a good number are being paid. 

There is a cost to all of this beyond the invoice at the end of the month!  A paid coach needs to demonstrate success, so will demand more from the players.  Yes, a more structured training environment is certainly desirable; but many of these paid 'coaches' are complete charlatans.  How many are in it for the right reasons and prioritise the welfare of the player instead of their own bank balance (more training sessions means a bigger weekly fee) or reputation? Does paying a coach guarantee success? No, of course not - only one team can win any competition in a given year. This is a zero sum game and a rat race.

Moreover, it is worth looking at the cost of running club teams generally.  How much money is being spent by clubs on outside gyms and winter training facilities.  Consider the cost of physios to GAA clubs.  Do clubs need a physio at every game, when most physio work is either involved in rehab or prevention. 

And then you ask the question, where does this money come from?  It comes out of the community, through fundraising, selling tickets and running events.  It certainly isn't funded and cannot be justified by gate receipts at games for the vast majority of teams.  What's the opportunity cost of this expenditure?  Could it be spent better at underage level? Could it be spent better on facilities?  Is it all needed and could we do with less?

The bottom line is that the GAA needs to look very very carefully at this and stop ignoring it.  The GAA is probably one of, it not the most successful fundraising organisations in Ireland.  There is now a not inconsiderable cottage industry that exists based on the "GAA club market" which helps clubs spend this money. The greatest cost to all of this is the very slow and creeping loss of the volunteer ethos in clubs. During the Celtic Tiger era, there was a view that the answer was to throw money at the club, rather than look for a volunteer solution.  That has been with us ever since.  Instead of this notion of "Club Good County Bad", maybe its time the focus shifted back to looking at this issue which is prevalent throughout the GAA.

Discuss!