Jarlath Burns: Time to revive football

New GAA playing rules chairman Jarlath Burns admits he now feels under pressure to come up with solutions after announcing the “death of Gaelic football” at the weekend.

The former Armagh captain made the comment on Twitter in relation to Saturday’s Dublin-Derry Division 1 game in Croke Park, where just 12 points were scored.

Although he was criticised by Monaghan’s Dick Clerkin for using social media to make the statement, Burns says the tweet has succeeded in creating the debate he had hoped to start when he decided to post it.

However, he acknowledges he is now under the cosh to come up with answers.

“I do feel a bit of pressure. I love pressure and I wouldn’t want to be in charge of any other committee in Croke Park at this time than this one because it’s a great challenge. The thing about this, there is no silver bullet solution. “Every solution that you can think of is radical and would require a major change to the game.

“For example, if you were to make it four points for a goal and make it two points for a score outside the 45 metre line, you complicate matters and people will say ‘was he over the line when he kicked it?’

“You also have to remember that these games have to be played at all levels and a referee has to uphold these rules. We can’t just be thinking about All-Ireland finals.

“I knew it was going to get a response (to the tweet). I wanted to find out people’s thoughts about where the game is at at the moment and whether people agreed with me or not.

“This is more about how we change the strategy of how we play the game.

“There are many answers to this but most of which might very well throw up more questions and create more problems in the game.

“I haven’t met my committee yet and they will all have opinions as well. Then any proposals must go in front of Central Council and if they are to sponsor any motions they would have to reasonable, logical and thought-out before going to Congress.”

Burns could understand why Derry set out their stall the way they did against Dublin. “As a county player, I remember when you started your championship training, the biggest positivity or negativity factor was how you did in your last league matches. It sets the tone for the next three, four or five weeks.”

However, he doesn’t like how counties have been compelled to line themselves out in a such a way. Having watched the Dublin-Derry game a second time on Saturday, he found it easy to compare it with last year’s Ulster final when there was “also a form of choking the game to death”.

“People have an emotional attachment to our games and we dearly want them to be good spectacles. We want excitement, aerial duels and tussles but nowadays we never hear of anybody getting the better of their marker because there are so many other people involved.

“It’s like getting your homework copied or having a friend to help you with your homework. It’s not every man for himself anymore and I don’t think it’s been a change for the good.

“We all feel a little diminished when a game doesn’t come up to standards, particularly when it involves our elite teams who are training so, so hard.”

GAA president Aogan Ó Fearghail yesterday played down the significance of Burns’ claim. “I don’t think it’s the death of Gaelic football if there’s one bad game, no.” Although he admitted he would be concerned if people are continually critical of the game, Ó Fearghail qualified it by saying he feels “people are a bit too negative with Gaelic football”.

He continued: “I’m no record as saying that Gaelic football is a fantastic game and that there are far more good things in Gaelic football than negative things. Absolutely no doubt about that. Jarlath heads up the committee on playing rules and that’s their job, that’s their duty to examine and if they, in discussion and watching and coming together, come up with ideas that they feel will improve the game, absolutely, I’ve a very open mind on everything.”

Regarding Mickey Harte’s assertion that Tyrone are not in the business of entertaining, Ó Fearghail said: “When you watch a contest between two teams who want to win, it’s their skill that you are admiring and it is entertaining. I wouldn’t see the two as separate.

“I wouldn’t buy into the notion that one is thinking about winning and the other is thinking about entertainment. They are both one and the same thing.”