'I found it bizarre' - James Horan takes issue with David Gough FRC criticism

Gough claimed that referees were not sufficiently consulted about the new rules. 

Referee David Gough. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Football Review Committee member James Horan believes criticism of the level of consultation they have engaged in is unfair.

The former Mayo manager was speaking after intercounty referee David Gough took issue with parts of the process. Gough reached out to RTÉ Sport with his concerns, which he then aired in a radio segment last weekend.

“We met with the FRC and members of it once on 28 May,” said Gough.

“It wasn't an engagement; it was a briefing on what they were intending to do. We were asked for our opinions; we gave very strong opinions in the room on what we would like to see.

“David Coldrick was the most senior referee in the room that night and he was the first to speak. I spoke after him and both of us were very strong in our opinion that a number of review committees have brought in rules and the game more difficult for us to referee.” 

Gough said there was too many new rules coming in at once. He was unable to attend a briefing last week in Abbotstown but claimed to have spoken to a number of senior referees who were “annoyed and shocked” by how the new enhancements were written.

The 2023 All-Ireland final referee was asked about the consultation involved.

“We weren’t. We met in May and we met last Monday. The line that we were engaged with on numerous occasions or met the senior referee panel throughout the summer is not true.” 

Speaking on the Irish Examiner Gaelic football podcast, Horan challenged this point.

“I heard the interview. I’ll be honest, I found it bizarre. I wasn’t sure from listening to it what the key message David was trying to get across was. What was the aim of the interview? What was he trying to do?

“One of the key things that David said was the lack of engagement with referees. Whatever you say about the new enhancements or the FRC, you can’t say there has been a lack of engagement. We have been all over everything for months.

“Trying to make sure we share all the information, share any proposals. We ended up having the inter-pros so people could see what it is and get some feedback. Just on the referee’s point of view because that is where David was coming from, a lack of engagement, I just took a little exception to that.

“We have had seven sandbox games. We had multiple referees at that and after every one there is a huge debrief. We go through everything and we take all the feedback from referees. I know David couldn’t ref any of the sandbox games which is fair enough.

“We have had a couple meetings with the National Referee Committee, we met with the intercounty refs and last Monday there was another meeting. There is a development training protocol being put in place. There is a huge amount of engagement with refs.

Horan continued: “David said he couldn’t get to some of the meetings because he is sick. That is fine. But we have tried to engage with everyone. I find it bizarre that he went on national, live radio. Why didn’t he pick up the phone and give us a call if he feels so strongly? We have an open door policy.” 

The new rule trials will face a vote at Special Congress on November 30.

“Last week we pretty much went to all county boards,” said Horan.

“I was in Mayo on Monday night. It went very well. A lot of people are very engaged with it. There were refs there and we’d good conversations with them. We are not for one second saying it is not going to be difficult for referees. Change is difficult for everyone.”