National Forum

Football Format Changes Discussion

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Didn't Jack O'Connor just say that players are pulling hamstrings like guitar strings? there's too much pressure on them in too short a time frame, they are amateur players after all, that's why I say it's no good for players. pick up any fairly serious injury and your intercounty season is gone cause there is no chance to recover because the season is so compact. In the past these lads would have had time to get back.
Like I said I don't know what the answer is, but something major has been lost by the split season format, the big shop window for intercounty football seems to me to be rushed and undervalued,
but I suppose it also frees up Croke Park for late Summer concerts, so that will keep the money men happy."
That's all you have, a quote about hamstrings. Nonsense comment. Players were under more pressure in old format. County players, club players, same for managers in both think the split season works. I still don't like the format but I agree with split season.

I would like a new format with maybe an extra few weeks, final in mid August. The only ones moaning about finals not being in September are journalists and armchair watchers.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 14/03/2024 09:31:29    2531094

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No matter what format we have there's going to be an element of the GAA fraternity that will be complaining.

We have a near perfect format now; Get rid of the pre-season competitions and replace them with the provincials or play the provincials in between league games and we have as close to the perfect system as we can get in my opinion.

drumalee11 (USA) - Posts: 329 - 14/03/2024 09:58:18    2531098

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I think they should look at keeping college players out of county U20 and senior squads until college football finishes too. Jack O'Connor may not agree!

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 14/03/2024 10:17:31    2531102

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "A half baked proposal to "flip" and merge them got a majority of the votes in Congress a few years ago (but not the required 60%).
I suspect there will be movement towards such a system in a few tears."
Yeah in my view they abandoned that plan too quickly.

I thought that vote sort of showed an openness for the provincials to be decoupled from the championship and had the format for the championship been more sensible it might've gotten through.

The Tailteann cup competition that they were coming up with was a mess too.

They got into knots over how to give everyone a shot at the All Ireland and also how to have a 2nd tier championship and I think there was a simpler and more logical solution here that what got brought to congress it just required having 2 tiers of 2 groups of 8 rather than having 4 divisions of 8.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 14/03/2024 13:53:42    2531127

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "That's all you have, a quote about hamstrings. Nonsense comment. Players were under more pressure in old format. County players, club players, same for managers in both think the split season works. I still don't like the format but I agree with split season.

I would like a new format with maybe an extra few weeks, final in mid August. The only ones moaning about finals not being in September are journalists and armchair watchers."
Seems you can't have a contrary opinion on here without getting abuse, that's the way society has gone I suppose,
I don't care what anyone says something has been lost, it seems to me anyway that the intercounty football season is too congested and rushed, I think it definitely needs a few more tweeks.
People suggest getting rid of the pre season tournaments, but managers and players I think would prefer having those games to try out new players etc than to have endless training sessions and A v B games.
They made a big thing of having this second tier tournament that weaker counties could have a chance to win something at a national level but it's talked about as something to avoid at all costs, doesn't give much encouragement or status to the teams that are in it.
If you look at the how the club competitions are tiered, senior, intermediate and junior, would it not make sense to have the All Ireland series run in a similar fashion? no need to reinvent the wheel.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3034 - 14/03/2024 15:18:10    2531136

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Seems you can't have a contrary opinion on here without getting abuse, that's the way society has gone I suppose,
I don't care what anyone says something has been lost, it seems to me anyway that the intercounty football season is too congested and rushed, I think it definitely needs a few more tweeks.
People suggest getting rid of the pre season tournaments, but managers and players I think would prefer having those games to try out new players etc than to have endless training sessions and A v B games.
They made a big thing of having this second tier tournament that weaker counties could have a chance to win something at a national level but it's talked about as something to avoid at all costs, doesn't give much encouragement or status to the teams that are in it.
If you look at the how the club competitions are tiered, senior, intermediate and junior, would it not make sense to have the All Ireland series run in a similar fashion? no need to reinvent the wheel."
Abuse? Look at your posts. You have doubled down again and said you don't care what anyone says. Players and managers want the new format, so tough luck to you and whoever else .

Have a pre season tournament in January. Inter county players are training behind the scenes way before that. And most managers know who is going to be on the panel.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 14/03/2024 15:24:07    2531138

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Abuse? Look at your posts. You have doubled down again and said you don't care what anyone says. Players and managers want the new format, so tough luck to you and whoever else .

Have a pre season tournament in January. Inter county players are training behind the scenes way before that. And most managers know who is going to be on the panel."
Maybe you should calm down a bit, your last paragraph doesn't make a lot of sense? (the pre season tournaments are in January)
Imagine having the temerity to have an opinion of my own!

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3034 - 14/03/2024 15:57:45    2531141

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Maybe you should calm down a bit, your last paragraph doesn't make a lot of sense? (the pre season tournaments are in January)
Imagine having the temerity to have an opinion of my own!"
Perfectly calm here. What pre season tournament do you want then? Teams are having challenge games pre January then can play more games before the serious stuff would start in February.

Your opinion goes against everything that players and coaches at club and county level want. So obviously you are not involved in GAA apart from being a casual supporter.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 14/03/2024 16:46:35    2531150

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "The only reason this hasn't happened already is money. Provincial ties are not needed anymore. Not sure why it keeps being mentioned."
Weĺl fans and players really want them. So that alone means they should be kept. If you have a tiered league baswd all ireland you can keep provinces in rhe main season as it maintains local rivalries, a chance for lower division sides to play higher division sides as well.
Win win

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3674 - 14/03/2024 18:43:44    2531162

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "No good for players? So the fact that the vast majority of players club and county like the new format isn't good enough for you? Other sports isn't the problem. The problem is the GAA season spends Feb- June going through the motions before thing kick off at quarter finals. Time to merge league and championship fully."
Did the majority of all club and county gaelic footballers say that they like the current format of the intercounty football championship? Why are we even discussing it here? Or suggesting what improvements could be made, in our own opinions. On a GAA forum?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 14/03/2024 19:00:59    2531163

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Perfectly calm here. What pre season tournament do you want then? Teams are having challenge games pre January then can play more games before the serious stuff would start in February.

Your opinion goes against everything that players and coaches at club and county level want. So obviously you are not involved in GAA apart from being a casual supporter."
It's none of your business what I'm involved in, I'm entitled to my opinions without being questioned by an ideologue like yourself.
The current format is too rushed in my opinion, the intensity is too much for amateur players and we will see more injuries because of it.
Elsewhere I also hope Jim Gavin and his team can come up with some good ideas to improve the game as a spectacle and not have it looking as much like a rugby league match.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3034 - 14/03/2024 19:40:12    2531165

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "It's none of your business what I'm involved in, I'm entitled to my opinions without being questioned by an ideologue like yourself.
The current format is too rushed in my opinion, the intensity is too much for amateur players and we will see more injuries because of it.
Elsewhere I also hope Jim Gavin and his team can come up with some good ideas to improve the game as a spectacle and not have it looking as much like a rugby league match."
Seems the only one who needs to calm down is yourself lad. You have answered my question anyway. An armchair fan who is annoyed the season is over too early. Here you are talking about injuries again. With no evidence whatsoever. Some chancer.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 14/03/2024 21:20:08    2531179

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Weĺl fans and players really want them. So that alone means they should be kept. If you have a tiered league baswd all ireland you can keep provinces in rhe main season as it maintains local rivalries, a chance for lower division sides to play higher division sides as well.
Win win"
I don't know any fans that want them. In the past few months i have heard the likes of Colm Boyle, Canavan and even Dessie Farrell say they should be scrapped. It will take a lot of imagination to keep them in the schedule and for them to be worthwhile.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 14/03/2024 21:28:32    2531182

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Weĺl fans and players really want them. So that alone means they should be kept. If you have a tiered league baswd all ireland you can keep provinces in rhe main season as it maintains local rivalries, a chance for lower division sides to play higher division sides as well.
Win win"
Keep the provincials but not as a route to All Ireland series. Not a level playing field in letting two teams qualify from a Munster championship, possibly playing only two games, and 2 more Ulster finalists at the same level playing more games against tougher opposition. Maybe play them through the league schedule but let the leagues finish after provincial finals. Let league positions and Tailteann winners dictate who gets to AI series after all counties finish the league on the same weekend.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 14/03/2024 22:14:47    2531187

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Seems you can't have a contrary opinion on here without getting abuse, that's the way society has gone I suppose,
I don't care what anyone says something has been lost, it seems to me anyway that the intercounty football season is too congested and rushed, I think it definitely needs a few more tweeks.
People suggest getting rid of the pre season tournaments, but managers and players I think would prefer having those games to try out new players etc than to have endless training sessions and A v B games.
They made a big thing of having this second tier tournament that weaker counties could have a chance to win something at a national level but it's talked about as something to avoid at all costs, doesn't give much encouragement or status to the teams that are in it.
If you look at the how the club competitions are tiered, senior, intermediate and junior, would it not make sense to have the All Ireland series run in a similar fashion? no need to reinvent the wheel."
Get rid of pre season tournaments as teams are playing loads of friendlies anyway so why the need for a tournament be it league or even worse a knockout xup before the main comps of year start.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3674 - 15/03/2024 09:24:45    2531206

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Weĺl fans and players really want them. So that alone means they should be kept. If you have a tiered league baswd all ireland you can keep provinces in rhe main season as it maintains local rivalries, a chance for lower division sides to play higher division sides as well.
Win win"
I get where you're coming from but in reality I don't know if it's a good thing to keep them.

They are pretty inefficient, they take 4 weeks to run with teams only guaranteed one game.

On the face of it 4 weekends doesn't sound like a lot but Club county championships really only are given about 13 weekends to finish ahead of Provincial club championships starting.

Local rivalries will still exist. A Mayo v Galway game in an All Ireland championship league section is going to be a big fixture

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 15/03/2024 10:33:10    2531217

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Replying To Whammo86:  "I get where you're coming from but in reality I don't know if it's a good thing to keep them.

They are pretty inefficient, they take 4 weeks to run with teams only guaranteed one game.

On the face of it 4 weekends doesn't sound like a lot but Club county championships really only are given about 13 weekends to finish ahead of Provincial club championships starting.

Local rivalries will still exist. A Mayo v Galway game in an All Ireland championship league section is going to be a big fixture"
Exactly. What good are local rivalries when they are not on the same level?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8159 - 15/03/2024 10:48:23    2531219

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Replying To Whammo86:  "I get where you're coming from but in reality I don't know if it's a good thing to keep them.

They are pretty inefficient, they take 4 weeks to run with teams only guaranteed one game.

On the face of it 4 weekends doesn't sound like a lot but Club county championships really only are given about 13 weekends to finish ahead of Provincial club championships starting.

Local rivalries will still exist. A Mayo v Galway game in an All Ireland championship league section is going to be a big fixture"
A combination of tradition, local rivalries and the behind the scenes influence of Provincial Councils suggests they will be around for many a day.

I woukd advocate playing them in the same timeframe as the NFL, with 4 weekends set-aside for them.
It would mean an end to the situation of some teams waiting 6 weeks before the AI series.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1961 - 15/03/2024 11:00:45    2531222

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "A combination of tradition, local rivalries and the behind the scenes influence of Provincial Councils suggests they will be around for many a day.

I woukd advocate playing them in the same timeframe as the NFL, with 4 weekends set-aside for them.
It would mean an end to the situation of some teams waiting 6 weeks before the AI series."
I hear you and I don't really disagree.

I'm just floating my own feelings on them.

I agree playing them in parallel with the league would be a big improvement on the current system.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 15/03/2024 14:59:07    2531263

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "Keep the provincials but not as a route to All Ireland series. Not a level playing field in letting two teams qualify from a Munster championship, possibly playing only two games, and 2 more Ulster finalists at the same level playing more games against tougher opposition. Maybe play them through the league schedule but let the leagues finish after provincial finals. Let league positions and Tailteann winners dictate who gets to AI series after all counties finish the league on the same weekend."
I wonder could the provincials be at the discretion of the provincial councils as to whether they be played.

Is the Leinster championship working for anyone and 4 weekends being taken up by it in a province with both codes being very prominent makes it the most stressed for scheduling.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 15/03/2024 15:03:51    2531264

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