President wants football qualifier debate
July 17, 2014
GAA President Liam O'Neill
Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland hurling series in Co. Clare yesterday, the GAA president acknowledged that the merits of the backdoor series - which was introduced in 2001 - are being questioned by many of the so-called weaker counties.
"I want people to discuss it, at least," he said.
"If you keep on doing the same thing, over and over and over again, you're going to get the same results. But if we want things to change, then we have to change something in the mix. The debate is probably best carried on amongst those counties who've had least success in the qualifiers and for whom it has been, sometimes, a costly experience just prolonging the inevitable and keeping them from their basic mission of playing club games.
"I think you can certainly start off in the championship; but the difficulty is not starting off, the difficulty is where you end up. And that's where the qualifier system is being questioned. That is then where the debate must be.
"No competition has 32 participants that are all even unless you have to qualify to get into it." Tweet
