http://gaeliclife.com/2014/10/joe-brolly-under-threat-from-footebola/

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 20/10/2014 08:42:12    1665321

I enjoy reading his articles but he is way overboard with everything he says about anything.
I went to see 2 senior county finals this year for other counties and both were shocking matches also.
And it wasn't because of defences it was poor attacking, controlling and defending. No clue how to play with or without the ball.

Yes Donegal football has now turned a bit sour especially a result like that glensilly michaels one but there are some very tight, physical, intriguing games where sure the scoreline wasnt through the roof but they are good viewing. Much better than any game I have seen in Sligo, Leitrim and even the apparently non infected Mayo.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 20/10/2014 09:43:54    1665336

Most things Brolly says include a good bit of hyperbole, but usually he has a good point also. If games finishing 1-4 to 1-2 is the future, then the game is in desperate trouble. Have Glenswilly and St Michaels got incredible defenders, or are people finally realising that even average club players can stop top forwards like Murphy and McFadden if you get enough of them inside your own 45?

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 20/10/2014 10:27:53    1665361

Enjoyable read, but OTT. For one thing, the 2014 final was NOT the worst of the televised era. Kerry Roscommon in 1980 was dire; the 2006 final was over after 10 minutes.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 20/10/2014 11:03:55    1665376

Good read. He is right, and there is nothing he is adding on or leaving out.
But this game is results based. This is unfortunately the reailty of it. I think that many teams have gone out and been heavily criticized by people on the sideline after playing very good open football, and getting regularly beaten. now the same people are complaining that the football is bad despite the results.

There is no happy middle ground. On the balance of things, footbola will be the winner, i cant see to many teams abandoning it.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/10/2014 11:31:03    1665389

The teams who play this way might not abandon it Donegalman, but will players and supporters abandon the game itself, that has to be the worry. Were any posters here at the Glenswilly game I wonder, I'd love to hear what it's like to watch a game where 1 team goes 44 minutes without scoring and still wins. There are alot of good footballers in them 2 teams as well.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 20/10/2014 11:47:29    1665398

Like where has it gotten us ? kerry are still winning all irelands but not in the way we all love to see them win it, it's a massive problem alot of people are being turned off football it's not the way they want to see it played. I'm a massive football fan but lately I find myself more interested in the hurling cause I'm just not enjoying the football im seeing.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 20/10/2014 12:11:45    1665408

Was 1-4 to 1-2 a real scoreline? In a senior club match?

ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1246 - 20/10/2014 12:28:06    1665419

Jesus H. Christ, that lad needs to chill. Its only one fecking game! Look at the great football that was played in the three semi-finals, look at the great attacking display Kerry put on in the Munster final. Bad games happen in any sport its no big deal. When was the last World Cup final that was truly memorable, when was the last Heinekein Cup final that was riveting?? The more that is at stake the less likely a game will live up to expectations.

If the black card was referred properly the games will get better.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 20/10/2014 12:45:24    1665432

Ebola is a serious problem and shouldn't be used for a cheap pun.

There is a problem with Gaelic Football not rewarding skill enough. There are a lot of people saying that and I would agree.

Referees need to get strict on red cards etc. How many times is a punch thrown and not punished.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 20/10/2014 13:03:00    1665440

Evolution is a word that comes to mind. Our game is always changing and evolving. I predict the winner of the All Ireland in 2015 to be Dublin and although they will shore up their defence a bit better next year they will still have that attacking flair that I certainly like to see. The result of them winning the AI in 2013 was clear in the NFL of 2014 and if they win again in 2015 playing the way they can I can see the philosphy changing eventually to that way of playing. The defensive style will always exist but already I've heard coaches in underage in Donegal speaking about how to advance our young players in an attacking sense. Look what Dublin's half forward line did to Donegal in the first 15 minutes this year. That is the best way I've seen of unlocking a packed defence and should be advanced by all counties.
From all the club championship games I've seen in Donegal there seems to be a clear lack of top class forwards in our county and we need to develop that side of our game.
The best system will win most games but two teams playing the same system will be won by the team with the best players. Each county needs to develop good footballers at underage that can adapt to any system.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 20/10/2014 13:27:53    1665456

Has Joe suggested anything to improve the game?

Until he comes up with some sort of suggestion to improve the game articles like this are pointless.

Joe complains about overly defensive football yet scoring was higher in this years championship than last year and I wold suggest overall scring has increase in the last 20 years.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 20/10/2014 18:39:06    1665608

The hermit you are right to a certain extent but Kerry's attacking display in the MUNSTER final was down to brutal bad defending by Cork. Would you like Kerry to go out and defend like that ?? Forwards way out on front of the backs all the time. Cork had no plan , no organisation and to be honest I'd rather watch games like Kerry v Donegal all the time comparing to last summers MUNSTER final.
Talk about Glenswilly v St Micheals 1-4/1-2 what about yesterday's Carlow hurling final 0-9/0-7 //-now that's low scoring for hurling.
As regards people being put off watching GAA matches, it wil never happen Just wait for the start of the Ulster championship and every game will draw a big crowd. Look at all the people I met this year looking for tickets on the Saturday /Sunday morning of the AI. Well especially Donegal people and I was asked rakes of times if I had a spare ticket. Same story in 2012. Plus the fact if you look at the support at the games in the later stages( semi final/ final) a massive percentage of the crowd are under 20 and especially Donegal supporters that's all they are used to ----- Defensive football
What I saw when I started watching GAA matches in the 60's was no better than today , it was even worse Catch and kick and kick it anywhere .... How often was hard won possession given away then ?? Watched the 1977 DUBLIN v Kerry game on t na G ( all ireland gold) back last year and that was supposed to be the best game ever ( God help us ) It was littered with mistakes , plenty of fouling and any ammount of giving away possession Now Kerry v TYRONE in 2005 was in my book a very good game , was in CP that day and I thought the first half was only on about 15 minutes when the ref blew for half time it was so interesting to watch.
It has always been the case in GAA matches to try and keep your man from scoring and that's quite understandable When you see teams nailing on 2-14/1-23 or 3-15 then the opposition is way below the required standard or else , and this applies in a lot of cases:::: bad defending. Now the Donegal poster has a point about the lack of top forwards in the county as tome our panel over the last few years had better defenders and also the best players in the Subs IMO were defenders.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 20/10/2014 21:03:48    1665641

Soma, I was not at the game, but my buddie was, and he said it was dreadful. I think that there is much to be worried about. The supporters were out in droves to watch it, thousands actually, with a lot of neutrals. That is the only plus you can take from the game. The reality is that people will stay at home or go and play golf or something if this type of game is our future.

The alternative is what??

I think the alternative is to school quick and ruthless scoring, from long range if necessary, to force the opposition out to play. The trench warfare of the defensive game is all well and good, and even has a place at a stage of a game, but for 70 minutes it is unwatchable.

I am not a fan of the system if it means that we are not going to see a good game of football. I think that there has got to be some form of departure from it now.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 21/10/2014 11:59:53    1665725

1-4 to 1-2 is pretty bad alright but is just one isolated game. I was at the Glenties v Ardara game at the weekend which ended up a draw 0-12 to 1-9 and I thought it was a great game. Both sides played ultra defensive but there were some great long range scores, Anthony Thompson and Brick Molloy especially got fine scores near the end. Ardara played some fine football in breaking down the Glenties defence. Do these low scoring games also highlight the lack of good forwards in Donegal and the rest of the country? Very few players seem capable of kicking long range scores.

JimTheLegend (Donegal) - Posts: 247 - 21/10/2014 12:34:49    1665736

JimTheLegend
County: Donegal
Posts: 8

1665736
1-4 to 1-2 is pretty bad alright but is just one isolated game. I was at the Glenties v Ardara game at the weekend which ended up a draw 0-12 to 1-9 and I thought it was a great game. Both sides played ultra defensive but there were some great long range scores, Anthony Thompson and Brick Molloy especially got fine scores near the end. Ardara played some fine football in breaking down the Glenties defence. Do these low scoring games also highlight the lack of good forwards in Donegal and the rest of the country? Very few players seem capable of kicking long range scores.


I think that football is now like a horse race, where a jockey watches the other jockey coming down the home straight before pushing on for home at exactly the right time. This is the same with exactly the same score. It is the ultimate sucker punch after a long long defensive low scoring battle, to go a point behind and then suddenly have to play. The standard of forwards in the country is strong. THere is no question about this. The elephant in the room is not servicing them with the ball that they deserve to get. I think that a big influence on the game would be if the umpires and linesmen actually got more involved to flag off the ball fouling, particularly of forwards. A few frees in quick succession would cut a lot of the trickery out and open up the game no end. This is a very big issue that has never really been properly dealt with, blanket defense or not. I think that anything to encourage scores, and to open up the space a bit on the pitch, would be a welcome development in the game next year. We also could see a better use of the yellow and black card. We saw a fair amount of inconsistent use of the card this year, and hopefully it will be black and white next year.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 21/10/2014 13:01:12    1665746

football will evolve and adapt like it always does..have no time for the doomsday types as look at the 2 all ireland semis we had..where were they then?

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 21/10/2014 16:16:55    1665817

unfotunatly club teams are adopting this rubbish style of play.
plunketts who have been worth the admission fee over the last five years for the free flowing attacking football they
played and got so close to a dublin championship have now sold their soul to win a dublin crown.
they have morphed into a donegal and are awful to watch.
its one thing a for a team to play like they that because they feel they dont have the players and cannot win playing
proper football, but when your club forward line consists of alan brogan, bernard brogan and nesty
you have no excuse whatsoever.
id rather lose playing proper football than win resorting to that

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/10/2014 11:31:46    1666050

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 8637

1666050
unfotunatly club teams are adopting this rubbish style of play.
plunketts who have been worth the admission fee over the last five years for the free flowing attacking football they
played and got so close to a dublin championship have now sold their soul to win a dublin crown.
they have morphed into a donegal and are awful to watch.
its one thing a for a team to play like they that because they feel they dont have the players and cannot win playing
proper football, but when your club forward line consists of alan brogan, bernard brogan and nesty
you have no excuse whatsoever.
id rather lose playing proper football than win resorting to that

This is interesting. How many other dublin teams are adapting this style of play or is it exclusively plunketts?

There will be a modification to this system sometime soon, but as it stands, building from defense is the way all sports are built. It was only a mater of time before this came to pass within the GAA. It will take an exceptionally good set of forwards to break this pattern, and I am sure it will happen more than once next year.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 22/10/2014 12:34:59    1666072

donegalman

plunketts are the only real ones I have come across.
the actual funny thing is in the first half had judes taken their chances would have been 4 or 5 points down.
in the second half it was like somebody woke up and said you know what if we kick the ball it might work better
lone behold they kicked the ball after they turned it over, into nesty and bernard and they ran out 10 point winners.
they have been blessed that the two sides they came up against ballymun and judes lacked any serious managerial knowhow.
paul curran amazingly kept ballymun doing the same thing for the entire match
building from the full back line handpassing up the field,
only for plunketts to funnell back to half way and meet them and turn it over,
then if curran was bad the judes manager was 10 times worse,
as he knew what way plunketts were going to play like having surely had the info from the ballymun match
and yet he done the exact same thing brought kev mac out the field and tryed to run through 13 men,was pointless stuff.
first half had about 10 kick passes it was awful stuff to watch.
i dont agree it will take a good set of forwards to break that style of play altogether.
it just takes a senisble team and manager.
dublin demolished monaghan who set up that way this year by simply taking their chances when they got them.
and if they took their chances would have been on their way to a similiar result against donegal the next day.
But even without the missed goal chances if you get a lead of 5 points on a team who play like donegal or plunketts do
then its quite simple in my book what you do next,,
you dont go gung ho for the jugular and let them turn you over ,
you simply keep an orthodox formation of 6 backs and 6 forwards.
this way your forcing the defensive team to have to chase the game while still picking off points yourself.
they will need goals to catch you so they will have to come out and try play football at some stage.
donegal went behind to dublin in 2011 and never tried to come out and catch us that day hence why they lost.
donegal went behind to mayo in 2013 and had to chase the came and the gaps then appeared for mayo to get goals hence why they lost.
vincents play plunketts in the dublin final on monday night and i would be very surprised
if tommy conroy was as naieve as the two managers before him who faced plunketts.
vincents wont hand pass the ball up the pitch, they will let the ball do the work and play to their strengths
plunketts have every bit as good footballers as vincents
from half back line they have declan lally and james brogan two ex dublin players
midfield they have ross mcconnell and craig dunleavy another ex dublin player and a highly rated sigerson cup winner with dcu.
half forward line of the two walshes who are very good on the ball and a full forward line of alan and bernard brogan and nesty
you dont get much better full forward line in club football.
so its a shame to see them resort to this type of football to try get over the line

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/10/2014 13:15:31    1666087