“I think it’s the right thing to do” – Why Michael Murphy backed Proposal B and hopes change is coming

“It doesn’t have to be set in stone forever but let’s give it a trial and have a go.”

Few people in GAA circles command as much respect as Michael Murphy. A leader, All-Ireland winner, and one of Ulster’s finest ever forwards to grace the game.

The legendary figure is part of the furniture when it comes to the inter-county scene, with a career spanning well over a decade, but even though he has reached the very heights of success in this format, he is still looking for change.

As we know, Congress turned down the chance to implement Proposal B, a league-based campaign, for the 2022 season, which means that for this year at least, we will go back to the status quo in terms of a championship structure.

Speaking at the “Bread Made Better, The Secret is Out,” campaign ran by Daniel O’Donnell, the Donegal captain gave his views on the meeting at congress last weekend, and his thoughts on Proposal B.

“I think the outline of Proposal B definitely is something that I’m personally in favour of, you have to be careful because of who you’re speaking on behalf of, but I’m definitely for it.

“I’ve played championship now for  the last 14 or 15 years, and the mood over the last three to four years with the way the National League has gone, and to see the the level playing pitch the National League provides, to see the excitement, the speed of game, the quality pitches, people attending games, Saturday night games – everything that the National League has done, I do believe similar format to that which Proposal B provided is something to really try and look at.

“There’s no doubt that there’s a couple of tweaks to be made, we still value our Ulster championship up here. It’s something that we really love and you know, whether we can try and look at providing the winners of that Ulster championship with an incentive, with an extra couple of points to start the league off.

“Then also the area around some division one teams not getting the chance to play in the latter stages of the championship, that would be the two tweaks that I myself, would want to see changed around for Proposal B.

“I think there’s a sufficient enough kind of backing and that 50% shouldn’t really change in their opinion between now and February or next year, and maybe a few of them tweaks, may change over that other cohort.

“I do think it’s the right thing to do and to go and give it a trial, give it a go, we’ve tried things over the last number of years, different changes and structures. It doesn’t have to be set in stone forever but let’s give it a trial and have a go.

One of Murphy’s solutions to the separation problem between the province and the championship, was the incentive of extra points. He explains why this might appease the Ulster Council and those who say there needs to be a link between the two tournaments.

“You would be fearful of it becoming like a pre-season competition, if there was nothing to lose, and no harm intended, but there are pre-season competitions like the McKenna Cup that, don’t get me wrong, you go to play that game and you’re planning on winning them to get the first couple of games of the year.

“But you have to be fearful if we didn’t put something on the provincial championships, that they wouldn’t be taken by everybody with the same face value as maybe they can, and should be.”

You can learn more about the Bread Made Better, The Secret is Out campaign and check out their delicious product range here.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10