had the argument been made that the current league structure has initiated and will only continue to exacerbate a gap in standards. The current format sees the best make each other stronger and effectively the weaker make each other weaker. The eight best teams in the country playing each other regularly and been able to expose new players to that level of football. Weaker counties becoming accustomed to lower standards of opposition, younger players from weaker counties who are competitive at college level then subconsciously lowering their standards as they adjust to division 3/4 football?
The previous format 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B gave a better chance for teams to compete against a broader range of abilities? Saw bigger teams visiting Carlow, Waterford etc and generating more interest/crowds than maybe having Antrim, London and Wicklow as the only home games a division 4 side may play in a year (Eg Fermanagh v Dublin 2016 league or Carlow v Kildare). Sure the best 8 don't constantly play each other but there is surely an advantage to the game/GAA as a whole in the short, medium and long term?
Eg. A divisions = 4 teams from division 1 and four from division 2. B divisions = 4 from division 3 and 4 from division 4. Top two from each in quarter finals.
Further possibility - Top team in B promoted, 2nd in B plays off against 7th in A and 3rd in B plays off against 6th for promotion/ relegation - only a possibility. Myriad of options to give every team a further playoff type game to finish of league with a meaningful game and ensure all fixtures up to last league game will be relevant. Possibly play all playoffs in Croker over one "Magic Weekend" type event which could be marketed.
Also to use the most recent example, can anybody say Longford were prepared to the best possible standard heading into last weekends game. Not alone tactically, but throughout the year were they given the same environment to develop and improve skills etc throughout the year?
What about the possibility of some draft type system, broad outline as follows(appreciate the amateur game does not allow this to work perfectly), the winning management/backroom team from all ireland semi finalists 2015 are required by GAA in 2016 to assist/work in some capacity even consultancy with the bottom 4 teams in country from 2014 to create the opportunities for these teams to improve? Problems re info sharing etc but that is a rough stab at idea.
Steps like this may even help to ensure weaker counties can get their best players to make themselves available.
Don't want to get into it at the minute either but there should be some controls in place by Croke Park to vet out the chancers and journeymen currently doing the rounds as county managers and members of back room teams?
Should the GAA also not ensure that media are required to use relatively unknown players from smaller counties in these shoots/conferences that we see the household names regularly in, help create an attractive image of a been a Division 4 footballer, especially for kids in these counties and the 13-18 year olds who may decide to just go off and play soccer/rugby? Also reminds parents that the product exists in these counties.
The previous format 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B gave a better chance for teams to compete against a broader range of abilities? Saw bigger teams visiting Carlow, Waterford etc and generating more interest/crowds than maybe having Antrim, London and Wicklow as the only home games a division 4 side may play in a year (Eg Fermanagh v Dublin 2016 league or Carlow v Kildare). Sure the best 8 don't constantly play each other but there is surely an advantage to the game/GAA as a whole in the short, medium and long term?
Eg. A divisions = 4 teams from division 1 and four from division 2. B divisions = 4 from division 3 and 4 from division 4. Top two from each in quarter finals.
Further possibility - Top team in B promoted, 2nd in B plays off against 7th in A and 3rd in B plays off against 6th for promotion/ relegation - only a possibility. Myriad of options to give every team a further playoff type game to finish of league with a meaningful game and ensure all fixtures up to last league game will be relevant. Possibly play all playoffs in Croker over one "Magic Weekend" type event which could be marketed.
Also to use the most recent example, can anybody say Longford were prepared to the best possible standard heading into last weekends game. Not alone tactically, but throughout the year were they given the same environment to develop and improve skills etc throughout the year?
What about the possibility of some draft type system, broad outline as follows(appreciate the amateur game does not allow this to work perfectly), the winning management/backroom team from all ireland semi finalists 2015 are required by GAA in 2016 to assist/work in some capacity even consultancy with the bottom 4 teams in country from 2014 to create the opportunities for these teams to improve? Problems re info sharing etc but that is a rough stab at idea.
Steps like this may even help to ensure weaker counties can get their best players to make themselves available.
Don't want to get into it at the minute either but there should be some controls in place by Croke Park to vet out the chancers and journeymen currently doing the rounds as county managers and members of back room teams?
Should the GAA also not ensure that media are required to use relatively unknown players from smaller counties in these shoots/conferences that we see the household names regularly in, help create an attractive image of a been a Division 4 footballer, especially for kids in these counties and the 13-18 year olds who may decide to just go off and play soccer/rugby? Also reminds parents that the product exists in these counties.