McHale calls for revamp of underage rules

Clare selector and former Mayo midfielder Liam McHale has called on the GAA to ban blanket defences at underage level.

The former All Star believes too many counties are spending time developing players’ physiques and defensive patterns instead of concentrating on the basic skills of the game. By banning these tactics it would force clubs to change their attitude to player development and it is also a natural progression from the non-competitive environment of Go Games.

“The frightening thing for me is the number of teams you see playing sweepers at U14 and U16 level,” he said in the Big Interview, which appears in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner.

“I’ll go up to the [Ballina] Stephenites to see games in those grades and whereas back in our time the score would be 4-13 to 2-14 or something, now more and more you’re seeing scores like eight points to six.

“I don’t think defensive systems like that should be allowed underage the way in basketball at younger grades you’re not allowed to play zone defence or put on a full court press.”

He also has proposes a quick-fix solution.

“I’d also be all for some rule at underage that you’re only allowed one hop and one solo and then you have to move it on.

“You see all the time a big kid in midfield, he wins the kick-out, solos the length of the field and puts it over the bar. Then the ball is kicked out again and the same thing happens all over again. All the while there’s a lovely little corner-forward inside who isn’t getting the ball.

“If you were to even bring in that one rule underage it would make a huge difference: you’d be producing big midfielders who know how to pass the ball and also corner-forwards that are used to getting that little bounce pass in front of them, making a jink and kicking it over the bar.

“I would not allow anything more than adouble-team in the tackle.

“If three guys go in to tackle, it’s a whistle because at the moment there are too many rucks all over the place.”

nRead the Big Interview with Liam in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner.