McEntee credits McEnaney with making football ‘more manly again’

Former Armagh star John McEntee has praised referees chief Pat McEnaney for making the game “a bit more manly again”.

The 2002 All-Ireland winner, twin brother of Crossmaglen manager Tony, believes the National Referees Association chairman McEnaney has been pivotal in match officials adopting a more common sense approach in this year’s All-Ireland SFC.

“I think there was a stage there where you nearly couldn’t tackle, people were afraid to tackle. The whole definition of what a tackle was being eroded. Nobody really knew what you could or couldn’t do.

“I think he has allowed referees a bit more slack and let boys put good shoulders and good tackles in and allow the game to flow a bit more.”

McEntee, who managed Armagh club Culloville to an intermediate title last year, doesn’t believe the Football Review Committee should recommend a raft of changes to the game. However, he would like to see managers given more freedom to move on the sideline as well as something done about players simulating being fouled.

“From the playing side of things I don’t see an awful lot wrong, I really don’t. You have the kick-outs and the boys catching around the middle of the field.

“The one issue I have with the management thing is there is a box that you are not allowed outside. There is only one manager allowed on the sideline.

“Often, I know certainly with the local club I’m involved with Culloville, we are joint managers and one of us has to sit in the dugout. I think that’s a wee bit unfair.

On the matter of how football games are being analysed on TV, McEntee feels pundits are encouraged by broadcasters to be personally critical of players.

“If you think of some of the commentary, some of it is critical and gives a good critique of the match. Others can be very personal with their critique.

“I think that’s often driven by the broadcasting agency, because they have probably picked out certain incidents and they want you to talk especially about that.

“Rugby doesn’t seem to be as personalised.”

McEntee is against the idea of restructuring the All-Ireland club championship and making it an open draw.

“I think the club championship is fantastic. I think they could probably look at the inter-county championship and see if they could restructure that a wee bit and see if they bring the time-scale back and see if they can finish it a wee bit earlier.

“Tighten it up to allow the club scene to compete because you can imagine what’s happening in Kilkenny and Donegal at the minute.

“They [Donegal] are only at quarter-finals stages whereas we finished the championship in Armagh on Sunday.”