Kerry great John O'Keeffe believes Kingdom have fitness problem 

O'Keeffe mostly likes Gaelic football's new rules but has issues with some. 

LEGEND: John O'Keeffe believes the new game should suit Kerry though he is worried about their defence. Pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

John O’Keeffe was known as the prince of full backs and also an accomplished midfielder, abilities which saw him win seven All-Ireland medals, five All-Stars, and the 1975 Texaco Footballer of the Year award during a glittering Kerry career that spanned 15 years from 1969 to 1984. 

When John O’Keeffe talks, people listen and last Saturday afternoon he was one of the guests at a St Brendan's Board Fundraiser to honour Pat McCarthy and Batt O’Shea, winners of All-Ireland medals 50 years ago when the Kingdom shocked Dublin. Bernard Brogan Snr represented the Dubs while recent players David Moran and Paddy Andrews also spoke ahead of the Kerry and Dublin league game in Tralee.

Fitness fanatic O’Keeffe had some interesting views on the current Kerry team and the new rules when asked how he thought the Kingdom would fare against Dublin.

“I was at the Donegal game and I thought we were badly lacking in fitness. I thought Donegal ran us into the ground. It did not look good and saying that, we are not up to the pitch and we are not ready - they are a good bit ahead of us, to me that is not good enough really. 

"But I still feel the way the game is now, it should suit us. The way Diarmuid O’Connor is playing is great to see. I think the game now is a game for goal scoring and we have the players. We have the players up front who can find openings and Kerry will score goals. I would be a bit anxious about our backline overall.” 

As for the new rules, O’Keeffe says, bar three, he likes them.

“I would like to see the goalkeeper being kept back within his 20m line instead of being allowed wander into the opposition half. Secondly I think that the idea of when you smash into an opponent and you foul him and once the referee blows and you have to hand him the ball, I think that is crazy. It should be a case of just drop the ball and trot away, the rule right now is madness because of the quick solo and go.

"I also disagree with the rule on dissent to the referee. I believe the fifty metres is harsh, very harsh. It is too severe. I saw Shane Walsh get a 50m advantage a few weeks back, and he was able to bring it outside the arc and kick a two pointer, that is too severe a punishment in my opinion.

"Apart from those I think the rules have led to the game now to be more about going forward and at pace, more kicking, less of this sideways lateral stuff. I think it is going to be intriguing for good forwards and I think it is going to be a nightmare for backs, if you are caught one on one inside your own arc. The game is now a forwards game and I reckon defenders will struggle to cope."

O’Keeffe said he agrees with Donegal manager Jim McGuinness who said after his side's win in Killarney that the balance between forwards and defenders is skewed 65/35 in favour of the attackers.