“I don’t think you need to change rules.”
Derry manager Mickey Harte is against the idea that Gaelic football needs a task force to fix the current state of the sport, but does admit that he would change one thing in particular.
It was announced that former Dublin boss Jim Gavin, will lead a new Football Review Group that includes Eamon Fitzmaurice, Malachi O’Rourke and Colm Collins – who will look into potential rule changes.
The new GAA President Jarlath Burns backs the idea that changes are needed, and that this panel of GAA greats could be the people to bring them into play.
“The sight of endless passing across the half-forward line, without any risks being taken, before the ball is channelled back to a midfielder who repeats the process from the other side of the pitch, is not what Gaelic football should be,” said Burns.
However, Harte is not on board with the idea of more rule changes, and believes that the game will work itself out.
“It’s the name of the game and it makes you wonder why do we need to change the rules?” said Harte after Derry’s victory over Galway last Sunday.
“It makes you wonder why we need to change the rules of the game. People are talking about changing the rules and there seems to be a lot of discontent with what’s going on.
“I don’t think you need to change rules,” he reiterated. “Teams change the game. Teams adapt; teams adjust; teams do whatever is required to make the best of the game and I think the game we have at the minute is very good.”
Mickey Harte doesn’t believe that football needs fixing but admits one change he would make.
Despite the three-time All-Ireland winner’s stance on not changing things, the former Tyrone manager admits that there is one aspect of the game that even he would tinker with.
“The one thing that I don’t like is the forward mark. Other than that, I think everything else is workable.
“Coaches and teams have got to work out this side of the game that isn’t good to look at. And we all know there’s a degree of people doing the same things, just to hold possession, with no particular purpose in mind. And that isn’t good for people to watch – I understand that,” added Harte.
“But there’s so much good about the game as well,” he added, “so I don’t think we should just tear up and write a new set of rules because the game has taken a sort of development, and one element of it isn’t good to look at.
“Like, Dublin and Kerry – same set of rules, brilliant game. Tyrone and Mayo in the first half wasn’t particularly good to look at. Second half was a really good game to look at.
“So I don’t think we need to be getting so concerned about all these rule changes … just let’s play this game and let it evolve, because people have to work out ways of dealing with what they are confronted with.”
Related links:
- The family ties between the Tyrone and Derry teams go much deeper than just Mickey Harte
- “I hope that he is wrong” – Peter Canavan on difficulty ‘accepting’ Mickey Harte as Derry manager
- Mickey Harte gamble with Glen players pays off against Kerry, but just about
