James Horan: ‘It is the biggest issue we had in the FRC’

A general view of the hooter system in place on the sideline before the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Donegal and Dublin. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

The application of the hooter was one of the biggest challenges for the Football Review Committee, according to James Horan.

Central Council has decided that the hooter will signal an immediate end to games next season following a recommendation by the FRC in their final report. 

Speaking on the Irish Examiner Gaelic football show, former Mayo player and manager Horan said that this was hotly debated over the course of 2025.

“You would not believe. It is the biggest issue we had in the FRC. The biggest debate we had, we went one way with representations and logic applied, we went the other way.

“We obviously went with what we did to let the play finish once the hooter goes. That has changed now. New York was quoted and how well it has worked there, blowing it up immediately on hooter. It is where it is now. Let’s see how it plays out. It definitely is one that split the camp for sure.” 

A player can still take a penalty, free, sideline or 45 if it has been awarded before the hooter sounds. It must be a uncontested shot at goal.

Horan went on to address the criticism that there hasn’t been enough tactical variety in the new rules.

“You need to keep faith,” he said.

“Stay strong. If you think about, we threw an awful lot at players, coaches and teams last year. We tweaked it later on in the season. At intercounty level, time is your biggest enemy. There is only a certain amount of things you can do. 

"There are games coming at you. The championship is so quick. You haven’t time to develop drastic changes to how you want your team to play.” 

He continued: “That is why I think over the off-season, Mayo for example back together and on camps away, the amount of work they will be doing on trying to significantly use the new rules. Reward attacking, you will see teams really going after how they can use them to suit their team.

“I am hoping you will see different things next year. There are only a certain amount of things you can do on a Gaelic football field. But I think you will see guys try different things that we haven’t seen before.”