Lennon reveals foul distinction concerns

Down’s three-time All-Ireland winner Joe Lennon says the GAA will open itself to a world of difficulties if it votes to differentiate between accidental and deliberate fouls in Gaelic football at Congress tomorrow.

Lennon, one of the game’s leading thinkers, warns such a move would put immense pressure on referees and the GAA’s disciplinary system. Distinguishing between the two fouls is the major tenet of the Football Review Committee’s black card proposal.

Having read their report, Lennon pointed out: “While stating that the task of the referees is extremely difficult and in some cases impossible, it seems that requiring them to distinguish between accidental and deliberate fouls, apply different sanctions for these, and communicate his decision to the spectators as well as players would be a very onerous extra responsibility.

“It would appear to be simpler and more effective to require referees to apply all the rules and their penalties consistently throughout the game. In my view, it would be a serious error to include this proposal to differentiate between accidental and deliberate aggressive fouls in the Rules of Play.

“It could lead to much disagreement and dissent between players, between spectators, and will inevitably lead to more appeals and litigation on a grand scale. It will be a God-send for TV producers and match analysts.

“The last attempt at categorising fouls into A, B, C and D lasted five years, 1985-’89, ended in failure because it was too complicated.”

Lennon is supportive of a number of FRC recommendations such as defining the tackle and declaring it as a skill as well as their decision to leave the hand-pass untouched. He also backs the proposal to insist on managers acquiring coaching qualifications.

However, he takes issue with other motions such as the increased penalty on a dissenting player.

“Some [proposals] are retrograde such as the proposal to increase the penalty for dissent from 13m to 30m.”

He points out there is a contradiction between the FRC’s phrase “play the ball, not the man” with the playing rule 1.6, which allows the opponent in possession of the ball or moving to play the ball the use of a fair charge.

Lennon also claims the FRC’s plans to release a simplified Gaelic football playing rules book is a bad idea.

“Unless such a guide is a verbatim copy of the Official Guide Part Two, it will necessarily change the wording and hence change some rules.

“This proposal assumes that GAA followers are incapable of reading and understanding the current official guide and is an insult to their intelligence.

“This is a weak excuse for an urge to change for the sake of changing. The handbook for mobile phones, microwave ovens and washing machines are more technical than the official guide.”

Lennon also expresses concern at how Gaelic football is moving further towards Australian Rules in style with the FRC calling for a mark to be introduced from kick-outs landing past the team’s 45m line.

“The mark is a skill from Australian Rules and is yet another attack on the integrity of our national game. It is not necessary to reward a player for making a high catch in the middle third of the field or making a long kicked pass from there. The proposal does not specify the height of the catch.”

He added: “One recent change of rule now requires sideline kicks to be taken from outside the field of play as in Aussie Rules. What other game has rules that provide for scores to be made from outside the field of play?”