Kerry legend Mick O’Connell has launched a blistering attack on the current state of Gaelic football.
Now 75, the All-Ireland winner told the Irish Examiner that he is “ashamed” of the modern game.
O’Connell claimed Gaelic football has become a “mongrel” game which is “virtually impossible” to referee.
“I would watch nearly any other sporting code in preference to Gaelic football,” said O’Connell.
“I’m an ex-Gaelic footballer now and I’m ashamed to say, it’s one of the least attractive games that I watch. And this is not an ex-player condemning present-day players, it’s the game itself I’m talking about.
“This is not personalized criticism. The players nowadays train well and put a huge amount of time into the game, and rightly so -- we did too in our day.
“But the game they’re asked to play is very uncertain. I don’t know how any referee can referee this game, I don’t know how they can be criticized when even the players themselves are uncertain about what’s a foul and what’s not.”
O’Connell added, “I grew up with a game where the ball was caught and delivered, no solo-runs -- I never saw a solo-run in those days.
“Gaelic football was about good fielding and good ball delivery and when you think about what it has become, when you really analyze it, solo-running is just a man running with the ball and playing by himself, no team-work involved whatsoever.”
2 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Happyhippo | Nov 23, 2012, 07:08 PM EST
I was brought up on the old style game Gaelic football i agree with Mick,i call this modern game handball now because the ball can be passed by hand from one end to the other which is a crazy way to play a football game,if the GAA don't change the rules and quick i'm afraid this game will become meaningless for a lot of people.
merefalow | Nov 23, 2012, 05:35 PM EST
i know its crazy and will never happen but for such a tiny country ,isnt it a shame that possibly her best athletes are playing a game that most of the world is unaware of,instead of using them on the international stage where they could use their prowress to enhance ireland on the world stage..half of her manhood is wasted on being parochial.