Gaelic football 'not fit for purpose' says Wicklow skipper Healy

EASTERN PROMISE: Wicklow footballer Dean Healy with the Delaney Cup at St Conleth's GAA Park in Newbridge. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Wicklow captain Dean Healy says Gaelic football as a product is “not fit for purpose”.

While the county may be abuzz with anticipation ahead of Dublin coming to Aughrim for Sunday’s Leinster SFC quarter-final, veteran Healy sees difficulties for the game at club level.

He accepts the experimental rules have made a change for the better but believes it is losing out to rugby and soccer. “I would think that the current product we're trying to sell, I see the nooks and crooks of this, it all comes back to grassroots,” says Healy. “I see it back in my own club and a lot of clubs around.

“Unfortunately, the product that we're currently selling to players and parents is not fit for purpose in a sense. I know in Wicklow town myself, we compete massively with rugby and soccer and at this present moment in time they just have a better product.

“We have a lot of work to do in terms of actually trying to incentivise players and parents to stick the course in terms of development squads, having a natural transition into minor and U20s and then that being a natural progress of going into play senior football.

“When I speak about product, I talk about club football as a whole, just the standard itself, what supports are given to clubs, etc.” 

Healy believes the changes to the game will make a change at club level even though they bring logistical issues. “I think new rules have been a massive bonus in terms of even giving inside footballers the freedom to express themselves.

“At club level, the majority of teams will park 14 men behind the ball and three or four top men will be targeted. That was the case even in Division 4 previously. Whereas I think the new rules have been a breath of fresh air.” He continues: “I do question whether bringing it back to grassroots, how is it feasible for one referee to show up on a Sunday morning with no linesmen, no umpires, and try and ref a game.” 

Healy stresses how difficult it is for a county like Wicklow to retain players. “I read an article where I think Kerry used close to 40 players throughout the National League and most top tier teams are probably in the same boat, especially with the load on players with the new rules that were brought in.

“Unfortunately with Wicklow, we don't have that level of depth so you're heavily reliant on a core group of lads and with lads coming out of the U20s at this stage, the majority of the time they probably need a year or two's work in order to be prepared to have their bodies in a position to play senior football. And unfortunately, a lot of lads just won't give it the year or two that is required. Lads want to come in and play football straight away. Sometimes, it's not that feasible.” On manager Oisín McConville, 33-year-old Healy says: “To be fair to Oisín, he came into a team in transition. We were very fortunate in terms of getting promoted that year (2023) and that brought a bit of a lift about the county.

“He was one of the first managers that I've come across that actually seeks feedback and puts in actions on it as well. In terms of a lot of managers, their approach would be that the model they have is fit for purpose and works, whereas Oisín was very much of the ‘let me know what's working and let me know what's not working’ and he'll try his best to address it.’”