Former Donegal star Brendan Devenney can understand why Odhran MacNiallais has decided to take a break from inter-county football this year.
Devenney believes an emphasis on work-rate rather than skill is a turnoff for naturally gifted players such as his fellow county man.
"He is one of those players that probably has more ability than anybody else in the team. When he shows it he can kick points from anywhere," the St. Eunan's clubman noted in the Irish News.
"We like to see that sort of skill, but work-rate has overtaken everything and it's a pity. I think if Odhran played in a (different) era he would have been a complete joy to watch. He would have stayed at number 11, spraying passes and scoring points.
"Now the work-rate agenda has overtaken the game and maybe that has led to him thinking: 'This isn't for me.'
Devenney feels there is very little enjoyment attached to playing inter-county football anymore.
"I look at some of the young players coming through now, some of the U21s, and I'm thinking: 'How much enjoyment are they actually going to have?'
"Fair enough, if they win something - an Ulster title - they can say it was worth it. But there should be more to it than that, more of a social life and sense of enjoyment of playing football. All of that is being squeezed out all of the time.
"There should be some level of enjoyment. We used to have that - we maybe enjoyed it too much - but now it's head down and work, you're not allowed to do this or that."
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