James Horan: ‘If you think about it, not all the proposals might get through’

PROPOSALS: The suggested enhancements by the Football Review Committee are not set in concrete, according to member James Horan. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The suggested enhancements by the Football Review Committee are not set in concrete, according to member James Horan.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, the former Mayo player and manager said that the list that was published last week was just the latest update in an exhaustive process. They are considering seven core enhancements ahead of an interprovincial tournament in Croke Park next month.

One concern is that widespread change will make it difficult to determine the impact of each individual enhancement.

“This is a very valid question,” said Horan.

“There are quite a few proposed changes. Some of them you can put into different categories, some are rule changes that you won’t see necessarily impact a game, additional black card proposals and that stuff. Then there are five or six that are the main performance-based ones.

“What we tried to do during the sandbox process, we tried to stimulate that. The key ones like the three up, we played a quarter with normal rules and then with the three v three. Then the three v three with another significant rule like the arc. We tried to really see that.

“If you think about it, not all the proposals might get through. So, if one proposal gets through, you have to make sure it works and will make a difference.” 

There will be a Special Congress on November 30 to address the introduction of a trial of rule enhancements for the 2025 season. That would include a mid-season review, with the hope that the new rules will be adopted for January 1, 2026.

Jim Gavin’s FRC includes Horan, Malachy O’Rourke, Colm Collins, Michael Murphy and Éamonn Fitzmaurice.

“I think what we are trying to do is ambitious for sure,” said Horan.

“Now that is not the final proposal from the FRC yet. We have to tease that out ourselves. There might be one or two we take out or don’t. We have to get that final proposal which will go and be voted on. Again, the voting, is it 60% to get through? Some of them might not get through.” 

He went on to suggest a group should continue to monitor Gaelic football in the future.

“Michael Murphy brought this point up in several discussions about an ongoing review of the type of game being played so there is an ongoing check of where the game is at for players and supporters. To see is there any tweaks that need to be done annually.”