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The Kickout Revolution

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Of all the tactical developments in gaelic football over the last 20 years or so the evolution of the kick out has been the most important in the game. Whereas before most teams were willing to cough up 50% of possession of their kick out now teams aim for an 80 to 100% return. You can't mention this revolution without referencing the 'king of the kick out' Stephen Cluxton. No man has done more to revolutionise this aspect of play more than him with his accuracy, speed of delivery and the trajectory he hits the ball. In many ways the kick out has become a set piece like the scrum and lineout in rugby. If you don't secure your linout ball in rugby or win your own scrums your likelihood of victory diminishes. As an opposition team can target your lineout in rugby so can they target your kickout. It's fascinating to watch teams try and cope with opposing teams kick out strategy. Take Kerry in the all-ire semi last year. For various spells like before half time they pushed everyone into the Dublin half and reaped rewards. They felt it was impossible to sustain this pressure for a whole game. When a team pushes up like Kerry did that day they leave themselves open to a long ball over the top which opposition forwards can break onto and have a clear path to goal. In 2013 Cluxton angled kicks towards the sideline away from the O'Shea brothers of Mayo in midfield effectively taking them out of the game moving from side to side casing shadows. The addition of the mark is adding another aspect to kickouts. A really fascinating aspect to our game in my opinion. Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 26/08/2017 11:36:56 2037889 Link
Cluxton is a true sporting revolutionary He will be remembered long after he is retired and the best there is the best there was the best there ever will be Cluxton #1Legend Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 26/08/2017 11:48:04 2037893 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "Cluxton is a true sporting revolutionary He will be remembered long after he is retired and the best there is the best there was the best there ever will be Cluxton #1Legend" I agree with everything Liam bar one statement :) The best there ever will be! Are you telling me some goalkeeper in the 2200s won't be a bit better? Maybe when his team is 5 points down they'll take him outfield and he'll score 1-3 from play in the last 5 min of the game. Then in injury time his team gives away a penalty and he saves it?! There could be some mad freak on the way in the next 300 years or so. Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 26/08/2017 11:59:58 2037897 Link
Replying To Laois76: "I agree with everything Liam bar one statement :) The best there ever will be! Are you telling me some goalkeeper in the 2200s won't be a bit better? Maybe when his team is 5 points down they'll take him outfield and he'll score 1-3 from play in the last 5 min of the game. Then in injury time his team gives away a penalty and he saves it?! There could be some mad freak on the way in the next 300 years or so." U know you could be right on that on, we will settle for Best there is, best there was Laois :) Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 26/08/2017 12:04:57 2037898 Link
If they bring in a rule that all kickouts must go across the 45 and it would be a great developement for the game, you'd get more high fielding and also get the classic Cluxton kickout of picking out someone 50 yards away with an accurate kickout. I hate these 10 yard kickouts to an unmarked man, they do nothing for the game. uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 26/08/2017 12:07:54 2037900 Link
Replying To Liamwalkinstown: "U know you could be right on that on, we will settle for Best there is, best there was Laois :)" I'll settle for that Liam and go one further.. Not just a goalie but one of the all time top players. I'll probably get slated for this but he has to be considered in the same league as the Peter Canavans, Gooch, Matt Connor, Mick O'Connell, Michael Murphys. You judge a great player by the influence they have on their team and team mates. Cluxton is the heartbeat of Dublin. If news came through this eve that he pulled his groin or something tyrone folk and players would probably say he's the one man they'd like to see off the Dublin team. Confidence statrs from your goalkeeper out. Often Cluxton's greatness comes in how he reacts to adversity. A few erors against Kerry and they get 2 goals and go 5 points up last year. Cluxton emerges unfazed in the second half. Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 26/08/2017 12:22:04 2037909 Link
Replying To uibhfhaili1986: "If they bring in a rule that all kickouts must go across the 45 and it would be a great developement for the game, you'd get more high fielding and also get the classic Cluxton kickout of picking out someone 50 yards away with an accurate kickout. I hate these 10 yard kickouts to an unmarked man, they do nothing for the game." Interesting observation Uibh Fhailli. I can't see it happening in the near future though. Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 26/08/2017 12:23:33 2037911 Link
Replying To Laois76: "I'll settle for that Liam and go one further.. Not just a goalie but one of the all time top players. I'll probably get slated for this but he has to be considered in the same league as the Peter Canavans, Gooch, Matt Connor, Mick O'Connell, Michael Murphys. You judge a great player by the influence they have on their team and team mates. Cluxton is the heartbeat of Dublin. If news came through this eve that he pulled his groin or something tyrone folk and players would probably say he's the one man they'd like to see off the Dublin team. Confidence statrs from your goalkeeper out. Often Cluxton's greatness comes in how he reacts to adversity. A few erors against Kerry and they get 2 goals and go 5 points up last year. Cluxton emerges unfazed in the second half." This is just it, people notice his errors because they are so rare. I have always said it, Stevo is Dublin's best EVER footballer and one of the greatest footballers of all time, period. Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 26/08/2017 12:39:44 2037917 Link
Replying To Laois76: "I agree with everything Liam bar one statement :) The best there ever will be! Are you telling me some goalkeeper in the 2200s won't be a bit better? Maybe when his team is 5 points down they'll take him outfield and he'll score 1-3 from play in the last 5 min of the game. Then in injury time his team gives away a penalty and he saves it?! There could be some mad freak on the way in the next 300 years or so." The greatest players are always in the future! MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 26/08/2017 12:41:48 2037919 Link
I like the variety on offer now, that'd be lost if that rule were brought in. The onus is on the opposition to prevent the short kick. I'm pretty shocked that some teams still don't try to force the keeper to play it long by pushing up. There are plenty of contested high balls anyway right now, so I don't think there needs to be a rule forcing the kick outside of the 45 at this time. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 26/08/2017 12:44:02 2037921 Link
Replying To Laois76: "I'll settle for that Liam and go one further.. Not just a goalie but one of the all time top players. I'll probably get slated for this but he has to be considered in the same league as the Peter Canavans, Gooch, Matt Connor, Mick O'Connell, Michael Murphys. You judge a great player by the influence they have on their team and team mates. Cluxton is the heartbeat of Dublin. If news came through this eve that he pulled his groin or something tyrone folk and players would probably say he's the one man they'd like to see off the Dublin team. Confidence statrs from your goalkeeper out. Often Cluxton's greatness comes in how he reacts to adversity. A few erors against Kerry and they get 2 goals and go 5 points up last year. Cluxton emerges unfazed in the second half." Yep he's an all time great without doubt. I'd say also that his influence on the game goes beyond his performances. He's changed the way the game is played more than any other player. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 26/08/2017 12:58:03 2037926 Link
I'd love to know how many short kick out blunders cost teams a game in this years championship. They are absolute suicide tactics. Better losing possession out the field where the risk is not one on one with the keeper. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 26/08/2017 13:26:32 2037933 Link
Kerry keeper just kicked over his own end line, must be a first! arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 26/08/2017 15:33:32 2037969 Link
Kickout revolution is not helped by the cock and bull kickout rules - truly bizarre only a committee could devise these. arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 26/08/2017 15:37:58 2037974 Link
Not just kickouts but what the fascination with taking kickouts and frees as quick as possible even if nothing is on kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 26/08/2017 16:07:53 2037998 Link
Replying To arock: "Kerry keeper just kicked over his own end line, must be a first!" I know the thread is about the kick out revolution but that's taking the biscuit. Dubsfan28 (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 26/08/2017 16:08:29 2037999 Link
Replying To Dubsfan28: "I know the thread is about the kick out revolution but that's taking the biscuit." The ball just had too many revolutions in the wrong direction!! Laois76 (Laois) - Posts: 1270 - 26/08/2017 17:21:10 2038084 Link
Good Christ lads! I'd get into an argument with ye but I'd feel like Galileo when he told everyine the world was round. The best keeper in the country was in action for Mayo today. cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 26/08/2017 20:21:25 2038229 Link
Replying To cavanman47: "Good Christ lads! I'd get into an argument with ye but I'd feel like Galileo when he told everyine the world was round. The best keeper in the country was in action for Mayo today." Na....he wasn't. Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 26/08/2017 20:46:41 2038255 Link
Replying To cavanman47: "Good Christ lads! I'd get into an argument with ye but I'd feel like Galileo when he told everyine the world was round. The best keeper in the country was in action for Mayo today." Na....he wasn't. Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 26/08/2017 21:57:19 2038316 Link