Kevin McStay column: Don't kick the new rules to touch
April 22, 2010A few months back I had a detailed look at the penalty kick in Gaelic football, one of the new experimental rules trialed in the NFLs and earlier, the provincial subsidiary competitions.
I attempted to develop all the considerations surrounding a rule amendment or clarification and also to ask what direction a coach might take in attempting to exploit these new rules to his team's advantage.
We now have the benefit of over three two months exposure and my own opinion is that they are, for the most part, a very positive contribution. Hopefully, the delegates will agree with me and vote in sufficient numbers to ensure the majority of them make it to the championship proper. But let's look back first and recall that five rules are suggested for football only and a further six are applicable to both codes.
Some of the suggestions are simple and straight-forward: the penalty spot moves closer to goal, the bounce/hop controversy is removed/improved with a new definition; throw-ins are to be taken away from the confines of boundary lines and the Charge (Fair) is also redefined. Some are far from perfect and not yet 'fit for purpose' but there is little doubt, in my opinion, that they are a considerable improvement.
This month I want to examine the more important rule changes suggested and delve into the thought process, from the legislator and coach's perspective, behind all kick outs being taken from the 13m line.
There must always be a rationale for a rule amendment and no doubt the messy and often controversial aspects of quick kick-outs from the small rectangle posed problems. And from a tactical point of view, the kicker (usually the goalkeeper) was limited to the left hand side or right hand side of the small rectangle even though the rule allows him accesses all areas of the rectangle to take the kick. Why was this so? Simply, the kicker never attempted to use the central position due to the goal nets restricting his run up. This resulted in the kick outs (after wides) going to the left (when taken from left hand side) and the right when taken from the right hand side. So, the middle of the field as a possible landing zone was more or less excluded from the goalkeepers thought process!
But now, in the aftermath of the rule change, it comes smartly into play when the kicks are taken from the 13 metre line-the left, centre and right of the midfield area become options. Added to the increased target area we now have increased distance-an extra 8.5 metres is added to all kick outs thus allowing the ball to drop close to midfield and relieve the pressure often associated with kick outs dropping on your own half back line.
The ability of goalkeepers to have a big punt is long ago accepted (no team can allow a defender to be sacrificed to take the kick outs) but there is now another requirement in this area. He must be accurate and with more demand than ever (the proposed 'mark' might make it through Congress) this new skill is akin to the removal of the back pass in soccer when goalkeepers simply had to get their footwork sorted out.
If I was a member of the Football Rules Committee I would have gone the whole hog and looked for all kick outs from the 20 metre line thus allowing a team under the kosh to have the ball land into the opposition half and ease the pressure. I understand these experimental rules will be voted on one at a time but without amendments, so my 20 metre suggestion is for another day!
No matter. The objective of this rule and how managers and coaches might exploit it are very exciting indeed. It would be best for all concerned if those in charge of the teams looked at the tactical advantage rather than writing off every experiment before it has time to bed in.
Other opponents of this proposed new rule point to the situation in junior and college games whereby the kick out from the small rectangle allows spectators differentiate between a score and a wide. To which I might ask: what are the white and green flags for? In the GAA we appear obsessed with passing only a rule that is applicable at all levels of the game.
We put microphones on match officials, have a fourth official at the major inter-county games and none of these developments has put a stop to a junior C game in Belmullet on a Sunday or a colleges game in Castlehaven on a Wednesday. And yet the difficulty in having a stadium clock in every ground will probably scupper the new proposals on time keeping at the end of half and full time. If that's the way matters pan out, then it will be a real pity.
FIFA, UEFA and the FA legislators for the beautiful game do not have to always nod towards the Vauxhall Conference and the local pub leagues when bringing new and innovative changes into their game. The majority of the GAA's major inter county matches are shown (live, deferred or in highlight form) on TV these days and it is essential they are presented in the best light possible. Any rule or equipment change/addition that helps in this process must be welcomed.
Earlier this year, a report on RTE's 'Sunday Sport' canvassed the opinions of managers and well-known referee Pat McEnaney. Pat liked what he was seeing but alas, there was no consensus from the managers; as usual the approach taken was one of asking, in the interest of the game, what is in these changes for my team! Let's be bigger this time around and start by seeing the bigger picture. Tweet
