(i)Get rid of umpires in the current form. They are an anachronism. Younger, fitter and more experienced ex-players needed , especially at highest levels
(ii) More equitable system for distributing All-Ireland tickets. The current set up where certain individuals like County Councillors and builders wind up with 10, 20 tickets is wrong. Tickets should be allocated to those who have regularly attended Championship and League games.
(iii) More equitable distribution of funding. So called weaker counties should get increased funding.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1974 - 21/08/2016 18:32:11    1903993

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 21/08/2016 18:34:14    1903996

(i)Get rid of umpires in the current form. They are an anachronism. Younger, fitter and more experienced ex-players needed , especially at highest levels
(ii) More equitable system for distributing All-Ireland tickets. The current set up where certain individuals like County Councillors and builders wind up with 10, 20 tickets is wrong. Tickets should be allocated to those who have regularly attended Championship and League games.
(iii) More equitable distribution of funding. So called weaker counties should get increased funding.
avonali (Dublin) - Posts:338 - 21/08/2016 18:32:11Why ex players? Why not current referees as umpires?
What exactly would be a "more equitable system" for giving out all Ireland tickets?
Do politicians really get 10/20 tickets? Love to see proof of that....
How would you decide what a more equitable distribution of funding is?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 21/08/2016 19:02:57    1904025

Replying to Joxer's wish to empower umpires. These guys are already empowered to inform referees of foul play, off the ball incidents and the like, but most just don't want the hassle.

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1246 - 21/08/2016 19:16:29    1904042

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4236 - 21/08/2016 19:35:57    1904063

I'd really like more threads on hoganstand about Mayo.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4236 - 21/08/2016 19:48:46    1904081

1. The clock! I've been on this site for about 14 years and any time this subject comes up its the one item that's repeatedly mentioned!

2. The champions league type championship format.

3. Mic up the referees. Nothing else has worked. It works incredibly well in rugby (where decisions are even less clear and have a greater impact on the result) so it can't hurt.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5016 - 21/08/2016 20:22:55    1904102

1. Champions league style competition as others have put forward ensuring regular games throughout the summer
2. Get rid of the black card. It's a flawed rule to begin with, but it's random implementation makes it a total farce. Replace with a rugby style sin bin and implement rigorously.
3. Kick outs must clear the 45 or result in a free to the opposing team from where the ball lands. The high fielding and breaking ball were such an exciting element of the game but this is almost gone now. I think we'd have better games if we brought it back.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 21/08/2016 21:10:58    1904140

Replying To MesAmis: "At the same time?
That seems greedy and a little over ambitious ;)"

If you aim high you fail better
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts:794 - 21/08/2016

3 times the disappointment, how's that for efficiency?

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 21/08/2016 22:30:01    1904207

1 - stop playing crap music over tannoys at end of matches - was at 2014 limk v kilkenny semi final - at end of game limerick players were in tears lying on ground with its cool for cats blaring over the tannoy -Horrible, ditto cork v tipp 2014, kerry v mayo 2014, kilkenny v waterford 2016 and thats just the games i was at - players deserve better

2 respect for our national anthem -A simple announcement asking people not to cheer until the anthem has ended would be a help. At rugby and soccer games the crowd generally dont start cheering until the anthem is over.

3 Reduce ticket prices - lets try fill the stadiums like we did before

janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 22/08/2016 10:19:00    1904320

1. The clock! I've been on this site for about 14 years and any time this subject comes up its the one item that's repeatedly mentioned!
2. The champions league type championship format.
3. Mic up the referees. Nothing else has worked. It works incredibly well in rugby (where decisions are even less clear and have a greater impact on the result) so it can't hurt.
cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts:1695 - 21/08/2016 20:22:55 Possibly clock could be given to a 4th official.
I wouldn't specifically say a champions league format but a format that involves a group stage as the provincial championships have to be kept and kept very relevant by being very important to the winning of all Ireland
Miccing up the refs might work if only if micced up players mightn't abuse referees as they could be caught on screen giving abuse.

1. Champions league style competition as others have put forward ensuring regular games throughout the summer
2. Get rid of the black card. It's a flawed rule to begin with, but it's random implementation makes it a total farce. Replace with a rugby style sin bin and implement rigorously.
3. Kick outs must clear the 45 or result in a free to the opposing team from where the ball lands. The high fielding and breaking ball were such an exciting element of the game but this is almost gone now. I think we'd have better games if we brought it back.
GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts:73 - 21/08/2016 21:10:58Why should kick outs have to clear the 45? High fielding has lowered but teams should be allowed take short kick outs if they want/its a practice. Id would rather a limit on the number of handpasses a team can use consecutively.

2 respect for our national anthem -A simple announcement asking people not to cheer until the anthem has ended would be a help. At rugby and soccer games the crowd generally dont start cheering until the anthem is over.
3 Reduce ticket prices - lets try fill the stadiums like we did before
janesboro (Limerick) - Posts:569 - 22/08/2016 10:19:00I agree on respecting the national anthem but reducing ticket prices isn't going to happen as the funds are so vital for every level of the game and even if you got a small increase at a lower priced ticket the profits will be less.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 22/08/2016 12:20:08    1904383

1. Time keeping - clock is stopped from 60th minute for frees, substitutions or any other stop in play. Hooter then sounds on 70 mins
2. Time limit for free taking/45 - A player has 60 seconds to take a free from the time the whistle is blown. This malarkey of the goalkeeper coming up to take a free/45 wastes at least 2 mins or so
3. 2 referees. One in each half of the pitch - only for intercounty league and championship games

aidan64 (Kerry) - Posts: 665 - 22/08/2016 13:33:25    1904434

No. 1 is similar to what many of you have posted: Eliminate the Black Card, introduce a sin bin. More generally ensure that the playing rules are being adhered to: clearly define the tackle, clamp down on over-carrying, issue cards to players gagging up on the referee.
Create a culture, similar to rugby, where the referee is respected and is not questioned and where those receiving match bans take their medicine and don't go down every legal avenue to try and turn them over. Related to this is the standard of referring which has to be improved. The man in charge yesterday is supposed to be one of the GAA's top officials yet he was a disaster, just like he was in the final last year. Referee's need to be made accountable for poor performances, the training and supervision of them must be improved. I would be in favor of paying a few of the very top referee's some part time income to ensure highest possible quality. Also they should be miked up so we can hear their decisions.

No. 2: A more streamlined inter-county season. Ensure that AT A MAXIMUM there is only 3 weeks between games. Kerry's season has been ridiculous, 2 and half months between the League final and their first match, 4 weeks to the Munster final, another 4 weeks to the Q-final and another 4 weeks until the Semi-final.

No. 3: Revenue generated by the GAA which is earmarked for funding should be split evenly between each county that participates. Counties that fail to promote a code, e.g., Kilkenny, should be heavily penalised. For those counties which have alternative means of substantial funding, through lucrative sponsorship deals etc, central funding should be curtailed and ringfenced instead for counties that do not enjoy those advantages.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 22/08/2016 13:37:27    1904441

1. Change the format of the Championship to an open draw. It's dying on it's feet now. Even a trial run might help.

2. Do something serious about the crap refereeing. They are ruining games and making it more about themselves than the teams playing.

3. Put a roof on Hill 16 and make it a proper stadium.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 22/08/2016 14:10:27    1904461

1. abolish the provincial championship.farce.
2. introduce silent sidelines at underage,and curb abuse of referees at adult level.
3. have more games on the same weekend,completely condense the inter county championships and finish it all by the 1st weekend in august.force counties to have 2 weeks of club matches per month.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 22/08/2016 14:22:49    1904471

1.introduce strict caps on the amount of training done by teams particularly over the winter,November to February I feel is when the most damage is done regards burnout

2.insure funds from croke park are spread more evenly around the country,I fear the all Ireland winners in both codes is going to become exclusive to counties with the biggest budgets

3.complete overhall of the football championship the current format simply isn't working,weather it's a champions league format or a senior/intermediate structure change is badly needed

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 22/08/2016 14:37:56    1904479

Good suggestions Ormond man.
How would you better protect refs?
I think the big problem for referees is the lack of support they'd get of they took a stance against abuse. Say for example if a ref was to send a player off for continuous abuse in a big game I think the ref could end up being lambasted by the media and supporters.
There needs to be a huge cultural shift within the GAA (administration, players, managers, media and support) in terms of referees imo
MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts:9877 - 21/08/2016 18:34:14thanks. Protect referees by penalising clubs for infractions more. Changing rules around players and coaches and supporters and what they say to refs and how that's penalised. There does need to be a huge cultural shift but how that would start is beyond me.
1. The clock! I've been on this site for about 14 years and any time this subject comes up its the one item that's repeatedly mentioned!
2. The champions league type championship format.
3. Mic up the referees. Nothing else has worked. It works incredibly well in rugby (where decisions are even less clear and have a greater impact on the result) so it can't hurt.
cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts:1699 - 21/08/2016 20:22:55I don't agree completely with a champions league format(in there being 6 games in group stage) but something where teams start on a more even footing in terms of comp layout has to happen
Miccing up the refs mightn't work. And would just be bad pr as so many players would still curse/give abuse etc

Time keeping - clock is stopped from 60th minute for frees, substitutions or any other stop in play. Hooter then sounds on 70 mins
2. Time limit for free taking/45 - A player has 60 seconds to take a free from the time the whistle is blown. This malarkey of the goalkeeper coming up to take a free/45 wastes at least 2 mins or so
3. 2 referees. One in each half of the pitch - only for intercounty league and championship games
aidan64 (Kerry) - Posts:379 - 22/08/2016 13:33:252 referees isn't a good idea when there is so many issues with just the one at the moment. Consistency would be a big problem
Time limit for frees is good. Works well in other sports.
1. Change the format of the Championship to an open draw. It's dying on it's feet now. Even a trial run might help.
2. Do something serious about the crap refereeing. They are ruining games and making it more about themselves than the teams playing.
3. Put a roof on Hill 16 and make it a proper stadium.
Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts:9977 - 22/08/2016 14:10:27Provincial championships need to be kept in some form.
If having open draw what format do you have. What do you want done about refereeing? And how do you propose to put a roof on the hill considering all the issues around nearby houses/light etc
1. abolish the provincial championship.farce.
2. introduce silent sidelines at underage,and curb abuse of referees at adult level.
3. have more games on the same weekend,completely condense the inter county championships and finish it all by the 1st weekend in august.force counties to have 2 weeks of club matches per month.
perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts:1474 - 22/08/2016 14:22:49Why abolish the provincial championships? They can still help with giving more chances at trophies especially smaller counties who're unlikely to ever win sam etc
Silent sidelines are not needed. Dont think it actually does anything. I like and think there needs to be some communication but simply clubs need to be better at protecting officials and stopping abuse

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 22/08/2016 22:01:24    1904664

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 22/08/2016 22:07:39    1904666

Seems to be a general theme about scrapping black card, bringing in a stop clock and changing the structure of the championship. Pitty the GAA don't actually listen to the opinion of the fans/players on this stuff. Three very easy things to change, the stop clock is as obvious as day and night, but strange soccer still hasn't adapted it either.Works well in Rugby ,basketball etc, makes time wasting that bit harder.

GameOfTyrones (Tyrone) - Posts: 469 - 22/08/2016 22:29:23    1904675

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 23/08/2016 09:49:05    1904748