Mickey Harte joins the Irish News

[muppet]

How did that all originate? A teacher from here working over there or something?

Tax Exiles?

[tyssam5]

How did that all originate? A teacher from here working over there or something?

Asterisk started it.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Good man Mickey, let Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil, and Keep an eye on Tyrone have it! 

Variables mean CCCC is not a level playing field
17/04/09

THIS week I would like to address the major part of this column to the chairman of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

Indeed, I would extend the invitation to the outgoing president Nickey Brennan to feel free to clarify without equivocation exactly what criterion has been used with regard to the review of video footage throughout the recent Allianz National Football and Hurling Leagues. I made an attempt to elicit this information from the chairman of the CCCC at the recent hearing afforded Tommy McGuigan by the Central Hearings Committee (CHC). Unfortunately I was told, despite the fact that the answer was significant to Tommy's defence, that they (the CHC or the CCCC) didn't have to answer such questions.

I would have anticipated that, regardless of whether or not the bodies involved felt they didn't have to give an answer, out of common courtesy, and confidence in their own diligent and indiscriminate method of review, they would have proffered one. Despite the vociferous endorsement given recently by the outgoing President of Cumann Luthchleas Gael, a fair and equitable implementation of this type of intervention is an impossibility. The fact that not every game is televised is the first major variable which casts doubt over the fairness of the system.

Players from higher profile teams attracting more coverage will be more likely to have incidents revisited. The nature and degree of attention given to particular footage is invariably determined by different people from programme producers to studio presenters or guest analysts. Variables, variables, variables. Additionally, even then, not all such material highlighted by these unofficial GAA interpreters is followed up.

Again, that is why I am asking the question: 'what criterion is used to initiate a case based on video evidence?' Nickey Brennan has been quoted as saying "I think the policy that we have adopted on that is fair and reasonable" No it isn't. I have seen several incidents in a number of games, some of which have been highlighted by TV analysts, that have never been addressed by the CCCC. It's ironical that in the current climate where the experimental rules task force have been minutely digesting the video tapes to support their own proposals, all, except two incidents, have been deemed in no need of review.

Fair and reasonable policy?

The president also linked the fact that some players have had cards rescinded by virtue of video evidence and implied that they can't avail of this facility when it's to their advantage and not expect to be taken to task when the opposite is true. It's necessary to make the distinction here that the player must, of his own volition, pursue his case to have a wrong decision overturned. No committee studies the evidence and informs him that he should seek a hearing. So it's not "swings and roundabouts" as suggested by the President, and the individual player's right to pursue an injustice against him must remain sacrosanct.

Ultimately, this is not about defending wrongdoing on the field of play, but rather seeking a level playing field in terms of dealing with indiscretions. While pronouncements of 'being fair' and 'being extremely fair to players in all of this' make for pleasant soundbites, the evidence to date does not support this stance. As I alluded to earlier, the fact that not all games are televised, all instances highlighted are not pursued and, to date, no-one has clearly and unequivocally declared the criterion used in deeming occurrences worthy of review determines that this CCCC process can not be fair and reasonable.

New rules advocates light on evidence

AS Annual Congress looms ever closer, the experimental rules issue is being given the full treatment from the rules task force personnel.

I suggested last week that the real (only) value of these new rules was that it generated a debate and created a greater awareness of the playing rules. For that reason Pat Daly, Liam O'Neill and their task force are to be commended for their efforts. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and, after seven rounds of games in all four divisions of the Allianz Football League (I will leave the hurlers to speak for themselves), the evidence does not support the soundbites emanating from those whose desire it is to see them implemented.

On Sunday Sport last weekend, Liam O'Neill moved to convince us that these new rules generated less fouls, more scores, more excitement and consistency in refereeing. He intimated that League scores were "up hugely". A table of average scores relating to 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 used in a piece by Marty Morrissey was supposed to be an endorsement of this huge increase.

The facts of the matter are, as noted by Anthony Tohill on the programme, that there was a greater increase between 2006 and 2007 (0.61) and 2007 and 2008 (0.43) than between 2008 and 2009 where the increase was just (0.31). Though my mathematics may not be of the highest standard, I have figured that as a 1.12 per cent increase in this year's scoring averages – hardly the stuff of vindicating sweeping rules changes or qualifying for being "up hugely".

Furthermore, since the idea of more excitement is a very subjective matter, I would have difficulty accepting this assertion as being quantifiable in the current season. When questioned by Michael Lyster about the fact that head high tackles were always a bad offence, Liam O'Neill asserted that this was a 'new foul' and didn't exist in the 1970s and '80s. Ask Mickey Ned O'Sullivan if such a foul existed in the '70s.

The final, and perhaps most crucial, aspect of his pro-new rules sentiment was that they would lead to greater consistency in refereeing. This has most definitely not been the case. Despite the attention given to studying video footage with a total focus on this aspect of refereeing, the evidence does not support this claim of greater consistency.

These men are to be commended for their hard work and the rules awareness generated as a result of their efforts. That said, a consistent application of the existing rules will satisfy us all.

Please God, Congress will agree that the rules are sound and the drive for consistency is the real challenge for everyone involved.

Goodbye, good luck

WHILE I wouldn't agree with the outgoing President Nickey Brennan's view on some issues – as evidenced elsewhere in this column – I would like to wish him well as he leaves this ever more demanding office.

Nickey has made numerous visits to our province, and my own county in particular, since his inauguration as President and he was most welcome on every occasion. No doubt, his energy and passion for the GAA will be put to good use in other roles within the Association in the years to come.

[Fuzzman]

Let the vultures begin to circle

[offtheground]

Have to agree with the Beard on this one. Yer man O'Neill really sickened me on Sunday Sport, with his suggestion that the new rules produced more scores and made the games more exciting. He honestly seemed to believe his own guff that these new rules were what the ordinary punter wanted. Fair enough, we need to address the high tackles, body checking etc, but I feel the major point being missed here is that the existing rules can accomplish this, it is in the application of rules where the current system is lacking. Anyway rant over, fair play to Mickey for taking this stance speaking out in his column, but I really fear that we're going to see them rail-roaded through congress ths weekend..

[blewuporstuffed]

surely the point to the new rules, was to reduce  dangerous and negative illegal play in the game, not to increase the amount of scores.
If thats what we want, why don we just make the goals 20 foot wider and be done with it!

[rrhf]

Is Gaelic football a better game than it was 25 years ago, probably, will it be better in 5 no. 

[mountainboii]

I agree with him about the farcical new rules. I've seen the stats done out in a couple of papers in the last few weeks and the facts are that scores are up somewhere between 1 and 2% - roughly 0.3 - 0.6 points per game. Anyone using the line that the new rules have been resulting in higher scoring games is full of shit.

[muppet]

Ultimately, this is not about defending wrongdoing on the field of play,

Comedy and whinging together at last.

Cominging?

Whimedy?

[nrico2006]

Surely players should ultimately have the final say on these rules - was there not a recent vote taken which highlighted that the majority of inter-county players were against the new rules or was this just in relation to hurling? 

[Mike Sheehy]

These constant attempts to influence referees as well as  the disciplinary procedures of the GAA by a current manager are tantamount to cheating in my view. Very distasteful behavior by Harte. That saintly act of his hides a very, very cynical man.

[Oakleafer93]

Anyone notice Harte is very forthcomign about tTrone getting caught behaving badly, he's quick to criticise ahny repercussions of the act, not so keen talking about the actual incident. I have no interest in his column it should be called Mickey's Harte Bleeds' for he is never done gurning.

[longball]

Didnt wanta start a new thread for this but its realated to the irish news.
did anyone elese read the piece i Benny Tierney (i think) in the Irish News yday 'county players should get a life'.

Think it was a great piece. He sums up players attitutes to training and post training meetings brilliantly IMO. 'Players rate training on how much football they played and if they are home in time to see the champions league highlights'.

[full back]

Anyone got a link to Tierney's piece?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Here you go fb:

Time for county players to get a life again
The Last Line
With Benny Tierney
29/04/09

IT was with some interest that I read Martin McElkennon's comments last week about how they have freshened up their approach in the Monaghan squad this year by shortening training sessions and having fewer team meetings. While it did not reap any dividends at the weekend, it is a subject that maybe most managers need to address or at least be aware of.

Many years ago, as a county novice, you would head off to your training from Belfast, train to the best of your ability (some more than others), grab a pint of milk on the way out of the training ground, stop at a filling station for the requisite Mars bar and Lucozade and still have time to go to the Bot for a good old students' night out.

As time progressed, and as I was nearing the end of my career, training sessions had increased dramatically, particularly the length of them. Food was now supplied after training, there were physio appointments and at least once a week, after the food, a meeting would take place with maybe a DVD to show your opponents' strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to better your preparation for the forthcoming match.

These post-training meetings and video presentations have become the bane of most players' lives. If I was to put it quite simply, managers gauge the success of a training session as to the players' effort levels and how much information they have gained during their meetings, while the players' success criteria as to how well a training session went is how much football they got and whether they are home in time for Match Of The Day 2 or the Champions League highlights.

Obviously not all players are like this and I fully recognise that the McGeeneys, McGranes and McNultys of this world would train until sunset the next day if they got the chance. However, the majority of players, after working all day and heading straight to training, are at their most content part of the day when their car is pulling into their drive at home.

When I was part of the backroom team under Joe Kernan, one of my responsibilities was putting together the short video and DVD presentations to be shown after training. As I would pull into Callanbridge on a regular basis, John McEntee (and numerous others) would approach the car and ask "Well Benny, is there a DVD tonight?" Once a week I would reply "Yes John." After a few seconds to digest his utter disappointment, he would ask "how long?"

"It's a short one tonight big man, only six minutes," I would reply.

John would wander off dejected muttering: "still too effing long."

Basically the difference between playing and being a manager is immense. Players live for the game, the match , the chance to show why they are part of a county panel. Training is put up with as a necessity, but they can turn off and revert to their normal lives on a regular basis. DVD presentations are alright as long as they are in them on a regular basis and don't take too long.

Managers, on the other hand, never turn off, they are constantly on the look-out for that little initiative or nuance that could motivate and cajole their troops into wanting to become better and potential champions.

I remember calling in on big Joe one day as he was sitting watching a match with his notebook beside him at home telling me that his notebook was his constant companion as he consistently wrote down ideas and possible motivating pointers for that week. Ultimately the player is responsible for himself, both mentally and physically, his own preparation and his mindset, while the manager is responsible for 30 plus people with gargantuan egos who all think they should be playing, keeping them interested and motivated and, most importantly, happy. Joe made no secret of the fact that, after he retired, he found it difficult in the first four months to revert to the normality of everyday life without the intensity and pressure associated with management. In the last two decades, the demands on both managers and players has increased ten-fold, especially regarding how much time they now spend at training and meetings.

While managing and playing for your county is the greatest honour in our game, people still need time to live their lives outside of football. That is why I, for one, was glad to hear that some county teams are now beginning to recognise this and address the life/football imbalance.

Logie will be missed

MUCH has been made of the rapidly diminishing air-time our games have received on the BBC and UTV over the last few years. I suppose it's ironic that, in the last decade, when Ulster teams have come to the fore in Gaelic Games moreso than ever, we have seen a reduction, apparently due to costing, on our provincial channels. Last week, we heard that UTV's Adrian Logan will no longer be part of their sports team after many years of service. Logie, over the years, has, with his bubbly personality and obvious passion for our games, become synonymous with Gaelic coverage in Ulster and Ireland, making sure that our games receive appropriate coverage equating to its popularity throughout our province.

Now with his absence, I feel that this is an ominous sign that Gaelic football, hurling and camogie will receive even less media coverage. I also have no doubts that Logie's obvious talents (even though he is from Tyrone) will be snapped up by other media sources looking for quality and character.

HAVING watched the four National League finals at the weekend, I have to say I was not-overly excited with much of the pedestrian fare on offer. Ironically, it was the Division Four final which provided the most entertaining and open football.

While the four Ulster teams lost and will feel some disappointment, Damian Cassidy is totally correct in his assertion that these results will quickly be forgotten about as the real assessment begins in three weeks. Down's loss to Tipperary will be totally erased should Ross Carr's men beat Fermanagh in the preliminary round. Darren O'Sullivan (pictured) lifted the National League trophy on Sunday nearly apologetically, knowing that if this is the only trophy he lifts this year, then Kerry football will be practically in a state of crisis.