just wondering if anyone has any simple ideas to fix football ,nothing too complicated that couldn't be policed .my one is that any more than two opponents 'tackling a player it should be a free to the player with the ball in hand.eg if a forward has the ball and there's three or four players forcing an over carry that should be a free into the forward. I think this would do the following : make defensive teams play with a sweeper at very worst ,it will give forwards the freedom to play ,and encourage man on man marking again ,no teams will want to give handy frees away so it would be again an advantage of kicking the ball into a forward who can catch it, and not be worried about thirteen players hanging around him like an ice cream van in a housing estate. thoughts ??

bisto kid (Cavan) - Posts: 492 - 30/03/2015 20:38:22    1708655

bisto kid, I think that would be impossible to referee that situation. How would you decide when a player is actually a tackler, or just in the vicinity of the ball-carrier? Too open to the variable interpretations of the referee. My solution would be to go 13 a side. That would open up the space for speedy forwards, and make it more difficult to organise an effective "blanket".

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 31/03/2015 08:37:40    1708708

Down with change.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 31/03/2015 09:42:00    1708723

i think current rules around multiple tacklers is sufficient if implemented correctly.
its a 1 man tackle on the ball. the problem is the teams have got so good at this and player hit hard now so you get hit by one and turn straight into another defender. I must say though that it does annoy me when the guy in possession gets called for over carrying. To me if he is making a genuine effort of getting out then it should be play on (again there is a problem as when is it too long?)

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 31/03/2015 09:46:21    1708729

Give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking team - that would cure pretty much everything.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 31/03/2015 09:53:18    1708733

Referees doing their job properly solves everything. Running into 4-5 tacklers....how many of them arengoing for the ball?

Instant free. Slot ball over bar. Repeat 5 or 6 times. Pointless setting up that way when attacking team is awarded for attacking.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 31/03/2015 10:05:45    1708741

The tackle in football has always been an issue, its hard to define as opposed to say rugby or aussie rules. benefit of the doubt to attackers would see players playing for frees where they know that running into a couple of defenders will give their team an easy free. dont want the game stop starting too much either.

other ideas off the top of my head seem to infringe on the rules of aussie rules - the mark, additional posts for 'wides' (not going to go as far as mandatory tank tops or oval balls to increase wackiness)

dont think the game needs a massive over haul, but no more than three handpasses in a row would be a great start. but hey, thats just like my opinion man.

HenryHill16 (Dublin) - Posts: 249 - 31/03/2015 11:20:15    1708773

Bring in the Mark to encourage kickpassing and catching skills

spy_in_the_sky (Antrim) - Posts: 273 - 31/03/2015 11:39:47    1708781

the untried and trusted. . .clock! Absolute no brainer!

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 31/03/2015 11:50:30    1708790

Inconsistent refereeing and general officiating is the great problem.The shocking thing is that there doesn't appear to be any better than the current crop of referees ie the likes of Joe McQuillan and Marty Duffy.

There are many rules but enforcement is the problem. Players don't know what they can and cant do. It can vary from ref to ref, game to game and even within a game. Maybe the GAA would do better if there were less rules and get rid of rules where counting is involved. Multitasking is difficult enough without counting steps, counting passes, counting ticks and God knows what else, having many pairs of eyes in the back of your head at the same time.

There is also the issue of linesmen and umpires who see nothing at particular times and have 'visions' at other times. Sleepy umpires have been very much in the news in recent weeks, not knowing if it s a score, wide or 45/65.
Why not a black card for the pushing and shoving off the ball and this common occurence of subs getting involved physically with their marker as soon as they arrive on the field?


This argument about defensive football and low scores destroying football and driving spectators away holds little water really. Look back at the scores in All Ireland finals for the first 50-60 yeas of the GAA. It didnt stop people going to matches then nor did it stop 9000 people heading to Ballybofey last Sunday.

One easy thing that might improve the present situation would be to ban back passes ie the reverse of rugby. It wouldnt be that hard to enforce if linesmen stayed alert.

Ireland has its share of very vocal prophets of doom, pessimists, naysayers and sensationalists. You will find them in the media, on the street, in the pub and anywhere else you happen to be.
BUT.......
"The dogs bark and the caravan passes."

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 31/03/2015 11:59:58    1708797

Limit the handpass, not enough kick passes in the game nowadays. its called 'foot'ball for a reason

ShortGrass_1 (Kildare) - Posts: 223 - 31/03/2015 12:12:14    1708803

ShortGrass_1 How would that be policed by the ref? if a player kicks the ball far down the field, by the time the ref catches up, there could have been plenty of hand-passes without him(the ref) being able to keep count.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1653 - 31/03/2015 12:17:40    1708806

ShortGrass_1
County: Kildare
Posts: 38

1708803 Limit the handpass, not enough kick passes in the game nowadays. its called 'foot'ball for a reason

I think the above & limiting the numbers to 13 a side are the only way forward. If the emphasise in the game is on kicking it will bring an awful lot of the more skilful players back into the fold. The game is currently being dominated by athletes who can go from box to box and are consistently hand passing the ball.

Dessie13 (Dublin) - Posts: 70 - 31/03/2015 12:23:18    1708811

PK57
County: Louth
Posts: 1299

1708806 ShortGrass_1 How would that be policed by the ref? if a player kicks the ball far down the field, by the time the ref catches up, there could have been plenty of hand-passes without him(the ref) being able to keep count.

Ref in each half........simples!

Dessie13 (Dublin) - Posts: 70 - 31/03/2015 12:25:29    1708815

Limiting the hand-pass is a viable solution . However reducing the number of players to 13 a side is not a option I believe .

Poolbeg (USA) - Posts: 24 - 31/03/2015 12:37:06    1708833

The problems in Gaelic football are largely coaching problems imo. Obviously the tackle needs to be clearly defined once and for all but from U-8 through to senior there's an onus on coaches to put the emphasis on the execution of ball skills at speed. Look at the way hurling has gone- if anything there is more cynical fouling in the game but because there is such a massive emphasis on practicing the skills of the game rather than on defensive systems, kickout strategies and ball retention it's a better game to watch.

You can have success that way as well. Peter Creedon has our lads playing a very high scoring brand of football and by all accounts but for some dubious refereeing in Armagh we'd be on track for back-to-back promotions and we'd a decent run in the championship last year.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 31/03/2015 12:51:01    1708844

well the first thing is the handpass
referees have to be more strict on it
players are doing a lot of illegal passes
some are almost throwing ball
the hand pass should be a closed fist

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 31/03/2015 13:08:05    1708853

minimum of 4 forwards must be in the opponents half at all times aka no more then 2 forwards could go back to swarm the defence.

no more then 1 hand pass can go backwards ie if players are under pressure and using the handpass to keep possesion only 1 handpass in that segment of play can move backwards. If a backwards handpass is followed by a foot pass then the next hand pass could move backwards if so desired

Actually how about a handpass must be followed by a forward moving footpass??

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 31/03/2015 13:13:00    1708858

Limiting the handpass is by far the worst suggestion!!! How can it help the attacking team to limit the handpass? it will only help the defensive team. It will make it easier for defenders to crowd out attackers with no option but to release the ball to the defenders.
A handpass is the way that attacks are breaking down defences, when a runner is able to break\sidestep through the wall or draw defenders onto him and he then releases the ball to a second player. Jarlath Burns mention this as an option on the radio this morning but it will only make our game worse.. I can not see any sense in this suggestion.

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 801 - 31/03/2015 13:13:47    1708861

How about taking the power amd control of media away from old codgers who refuse to stop basking in the old days of catch and hoof aimlessly down field. Things are been blown out of perspective here. Yes some games are very negative. However most are not! We have just seen the rugby snobs win a six nations without a semblance of attacking play apart from when they beat scots and italy. Thats akin to dublin vs carlow and wicklow. Sure lets ban teams defending. How else can the dubs with their 2 million people get a chance to hammer longford or leitrim with their 30000.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 31/03/2015 13:17:10    1708866