60s football was better

[Lovely Hurling]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2009/06/21/down-legends-roll-back-the-years/ - just watching these interviews with the Down legends from the 60s and the one thing they all have in common is that they hate modern football. they don't say as much but it's clear they don't like the way Tyrone and the like have mastered the art of holding onto the ball 'for five minutes' and playing the percentage game. In other words, they think it's boring. when you think about it, what excitement was there in Casement on Sunday?

[rrhf]

I can understand why Down would feell left out with the the way the game has progressed. I was talking to a family member of one of the 60s innovators and she eventually conceded that they fear Tyrone rendering their proudly held position obsolete.  Thats the nuts and bolts.  My feeling would be they should be watching Jack Kyle and the great standard setters of Irish rugby who were in a similar privelaged position but who were just as obsessed with getting their own record broken in the name of sport and progress.     If Tyrone were as obsessed with tradition as Down they would have zero all irelands.  We must always remember the context of Downs' All Ireland wins - they also were seen as innovators and they upset a whole merry band of tradionalists (mostly Kerrymen ) with the way they helped to bring the game forward.  Their achievements were monumental butlisten  even their era is so long ago now, it must be remembered.  When I think of their fine achievements I like to place it in the era of most relevance - nits the swinging 60s ie. England winning the world cup, man landing on the moon and Down winning all irelands.  As for football being boring well they still have their super 8 technology to console them. 

[T O Hare]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2009/06/21/down-legends-roll-back-the-years/ - just watching these interviews with the Down legends from the 60s and the one thing they all have in common is that they hate modern football. they don't say as much but it's clear they don't like the way Tyrone and the like have mastered the art of holding onto the ball 'for five minutes' and playing the percentage game. In other words, they think it's boring. when you think about it, what excitement was there in Casement on Sunday?

Paddy Mo is a legend!!!! Fair play to the Ulster council for employing Jerome.. He knows his job!!!

[Doogie Browser]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2009/06/21/down-legends-roll-back-the-years/ - just watching these interviews with the Down legends from the 60s and the one thing they all have in common is that they hate modern football. they don't say as much but it's clear they don't like the way Tyrone and the like have mastered the art of holding onto the ball 'for five minutes' and playing the percentage game. In other words, they think it's boring. when you think about it, what excitement was there in Casement on Sunday?

Paddy Mo is a legend!!!! Fair play to the Ulster council for employing Jerome.. He knows his job!!!

Did you see Jerome on Sunday as the BBC were doing some half time interviews on the pitch he was bobbing about in the background doing his job for the website and realised the BBC camera was right on him!  He ducked the hell out of there!

[eireogatron]

having watched 60's football in archive material, I would have to say thats rubbish. The standard of football now is so far superior its not even funny. Pure catch and kick back in those days.

[longrunsthefox]

When Peter Canavan beat Paddy Doherty's scoring record in Ulster football the Down legend went on about how in his day the game was just 60 minutes long. Would have come across better if he had been more magnanimous and give Canavan some credit. This sounds like more of the same... begrudgery.   Down in the sixties is so last century anyway...

[talktothehand]

old football was crap. how many training sessions did county sides put in in those days anyway? tyrone have taken the gaa forward and everyone should realize that. TOTAL FOOTBALL. down are worried that if tyrone win another sam this year they will undoubtedly be the best team ulster has EVER produced!!

[orangeman]

Football of the sixties and current football can't be compared. simple as that.

[Shamrock Shore]

It was certainly better in Longford 

[BallyhaiseMan]

It was certainly better in Longford 

And Cavan 

[ross matt]

Surely TG4 Golden years series put paid to the myth of 60s/70s football being better?

Look at the so called classic '77 AI semi for example.... how many times was the ball booted over the sideline? or up in the air? The only people I hear regularly bleating on about the old days are those who are mainly involved in other sports and/or have a very condescending attitude toward "da gah".

Some of Tyrone's ball retention tactics are'nt that easy on the eye but what about their skill levels in being able to kick and hand pass with ease on either hand and foot?
What about angles/distances in Cavanaugh's or Dooher's points in the Kerry and Dublin matches last year?
Are we honestly meant to believe that the players in the 60s/70s could manage similar feats? Were there any defenders then with the ball carrying pace and ability of Marc O'se.... Mcmenamon.... the tackling/dispossion  technique of Anthony Lynch?
Just a lazy often trotten out cliche in my opinion.....

[blanketattack]

60s football? What are you on about? Sure football wasn't invented until around 2002/2003.

[Tatler Jack]

having watched 60's football in archive material, I would have to say thats rubbish. The standard of football now is so far superior its not even funny. Pure catch and kick back in those days.

The Galway team that won 3 in a row were not a catch and kick team. And there was a lot more to Down than catch and kick. The game has changed and comparing teams and games 40 years apart is not possible.  For example the football was much heavier then and if you saw somebody point a "50" it was rare - now you expect players to point a 45. There is better preparation of teams now but on the otherhald you had a lot more farmers and people doing manual work playing then with more natural toughness.

One other interesting thought - Down were accused of ruining football then (especially by Kerry folk)!!!

[ziggysego]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2009/06/21/down-legends-roll-back-the-years/ - just watching these interviews with the Down legends from the 60s and the one thing they all have in common is that they hate modern football. they don't say as much but it's clear they don't like the way Tyrone and the like have mastered the art of holding onto the ball 'for five minutes' and playing the percentage game. In other words, they think it's boring. when you think about it, what excitement was there in Casement on Sunday?

Ah the irony. Didn't the great Down team of the 60s cop a lot of flack for their style of play and how it wasn't a pure as football in the south....

[fitzroyalty]

I think Down ones are just yaps, regardless of what era they are from