I think this deserves a thread to discuss. When you think of September only one thing pops into my head....Football and Hurling finals.
Now they will take place when the Premier League and all the overblown hype with it is in full swing at the start of the season. We will have Olympic games every 4 years....are we putting the GAA finals in a saturated market?

Here is what I don't get, the GAA say's it will shorten the season and give September back to the clubs. Club players ca go on holiday in August....
Only two teams in each code get the the final. Why then for example do we see county finals talking place in late October from counties who have long exited the championship?

Also are club manager's going to let club players off and enjoy themselves in August....will they hell. there will be training and challenge games galore.

We had a secondary league competition start in Mayo this weekend. A pointless competition. There are too many club games. I fear that has been overlooked. The CPC should be looking at why club players are not enjoying the game anymore...it's more to do with fixtures.

I can't see August finals meaning club games get rounded off much faster. That's just my opinion.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 27/02/2017 09:52:04    1961440

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 27/02/2017 10:59:17    1961494

dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 337 - 27/02/2017 11:56:24    1961519

Spillane made a fair point last night when he said it takes 'GAA' sports out of the window for an extra month which allows for other sports to be in your face when AI finals used to be the be all and end all of September.
Other than the possibility of better weather, I'd leave it where it is.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 27/02/2017 12:22:58    1961538

The first thing that should have been done was to condense the provincial championships .. see how early they could have been run off .. Then take qualifiers and super8 and all Ireland's after that.
They have brought the all Ireland's forward without doing anything else.
Talk about putting the cart before they horse???

Awwwwnow (Cavan) - Posts: 1050 - 27/02/2017 12:28:44    1961540

I disagree with Spillane. Shorter but more concentrated can work well in getting momentum and excitement built. Look at the World Cup, short and sharp games get played then bang there's another on straight away. GAA season is very bad at building excitement and there's huge breaks between games.

Games coming think and fast is the best way for sports exposure in my view.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4225 - 27/02/2017 12:50:33    1961560

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 27/02/2017 12:54:28    1961562

Great Idea. Frees up the months of August and September for majority of counties for club games. Giving up September to other sports...?? Its giving up September to our clubs and continuous games for our club players. Spillane, Brolly and Co in the media not going to get paid in September. Understandably they looking after their pockets.

Mid Don (Donegal) - Posts: 70 - 27/02/2017 13:02:51    1961566

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 27/02/2017 13:37:26    1961584

Sorry folks can someone just explain to me what the big problem is why everyone is giving out on twitter and stuff about the club game? I having really been following it , didn't they want august finals so that gave them more time to free up the club game? Why does Jonny McGee want a player strike?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 27/02/2017 13:47:55    1961599

Because the media says it ruined.

Mid Don (Donegal) - Posts: 70 - 27/02/2017 14:51:41    1961634

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 27/02/2017 16:02:07    1961673

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4225 - 27/02/2017 16:05:13    1961679

GAA killing off club game. I think the current format is ok with a few adjustments. GAA need stand up to intercounty managers who dicate players not playinf for clubs. I would like championship and league integrated into one.

MickeyMuller (Tyrone) - Posts: 7 - 01/03/2017 18:36:06    1962589

Moving the finals forward is a good idea, as is playing extra time in provincial games. Not convinced by Super 8 proposal, it will impact on club games in those counties.
Element of keeping the strong strong under this proposal.

Give the revised championship a chance for the 3 years.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 02/03/2017 13:25:07    1962791

In Mayo this won't make a bit of difference in regards to club matches, the August bank holiday weekend is a free weekend where clubs can host their own competitions a local cup involving local teams or visiting clubs outside of the county, the co board agreed to this a few years ago so if that weekend isn't available for club champ or league some players will go on holidays and whether the co board like it or not we will still be at best the quarter final stage by that weekend and still be looking at late September or early October for county finals

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 02/03/2017 13:28:48    1962794

I find it hard to say but, I agree with Spillane. People were, rightly, calling for the c'ship season to be shortened. There could have been two outcomes to this - either the season finished earlier or else it started later. Congress opted for the former but I wonder if any consideration was given to the latter option.
The All-Ireland club competition creates problems that are difficult to overcome. Counties involved in the later stages of Sam will not be able to complete their club c'ships until late in the autumn. If the other counties run off their club c'ships quickly, it means their champions will have to wait maybe months to be able to complete their provencial assignments. This would put them at a distinct disadvantage and no county wants to do that.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 02/03/2017 14:44:44    1962831

so pat doesn't want gaa taken out of the shopping window,well i suspect attendance at club matches would be better in september than in freezing october and november.
people seem to love to complain about the raw deal of the club player,yet when something done to help all they do is complain,what gives?

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 02/03/2017 14:52:38    1962837