Why wont die hard GAA fans admit football these days is muck?

A shot clock easily negates the control aspect of that.

I'd also bring in a rule that says that you can't bring the ball back over halfway once you cross it.

If there was a Shot Clock, what's to say something was a Shot Dropped Short or was a High Lofted Pass?

In Basketball it's blatantly obvious when something is a shot; is genuinely cannot be denied.

Jim Gavin and his changes is not the problem. Jim Gavin was simply the one who pioneered the solution to massed defences. Problem is that hardly any other team is good enough to do it consistently.

I don't get the generation reference. Surely everyone wants an attractive watchable reasonably exciting game not played at walking pace irrespective of generation?

Indeed, modern sport like modern life generally, is one of control. But the idea that making teams train twice a week only will somehow make them flake the ball fifty yards down the field every time they get possession given the years that the current systems have been practised is fantasy.

Altering the rules of play is the only way this can be aporoached. It is easy to be pessimistic about that but it is the only option. 'Back to the Future' is not really a practical alternative.

The tinkering is continuing. When it comes to the real stuff, there is no way the players are going to accept being made stay in certain areas of the field. Imagine suggesting that nonsense in soccer.

What would improve things is to make 8 or 10 steps the rule instead of 4. 4 is completely unnatural for a player heading for goal at full tilt. That is why it gets ignored. Just as soccer keepers take far longer than 6 seconds, but referees ignore that.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2024/0701/1457592-rule-trials-may-be-extended-as-far-as-october/

A player can be offside a yard from the centre of the pitch. And everybody can be onside with a dozen bodies (including the two keepers) within a yard of the goals. What people want to do with GAA players is make some of them stay in certain areas of the pitch. Which is not a natural thing in a dynamic game like football.

"dynamic'. Long time since that term could be associated with the game of Gaelic football.

All within the rules which were also there when teams had rigid positions. And the keeper always sent kickouts straight to midfield where two from each side were waiting to contest them. And of course nobody dreamt of something so outrageous as a keeper coming out the field. Or outfield players trying to retain possession instead of kicking every ball at the earliest opportunity.

It must be really galling for modern coaches and players to see the reaction to such logical developments. They are not doing it just for the hell of it, it makes perfect sense to play the game in the modern way. And they got no help from anyone else except with the introduction of marks, which are a positive thing.

Now the reactionaries want to put restrictions on the natural flow of the game with artificial rule changes. Using the argument that there was some Golden Age of football in the past which has been lost. There never was a Golden Age, and there were as many dire matches in the past as there are now. I say let the game develop whichever way it will, and enjoy the contests.

The "transition" in modern football to use that new description, is a perfect demonstration of the dynamic nature of play. Very much like in soccer, where teams play on the break.

I think you may be imagining that people are talking about a golden age of football or that people have an aversion to people passing the ball and retaining possession. No idea where that's coming from.

The point being made is that the sport is currently almost unwatchable. And nobody is saying that this absolute is nit within the rules (again you're imagining this); on the contrary some of us are recommending changing the rules to disincentive boring unwatchable football. We're not asking anyone to break rules.

And "artificial rule changes"........what's that about? All rules are artificial. Otherwise we are back to carrying a ball from one end of the parish to the other.

I agree to a point. The biggest issue with football is that it's far easier to hold onto the ball and not get dispossessed when in possession in comparison to other sports.

The easiest way to overcome it is as you suggest but I think a take down tackle would be far too radical to ever get accepted as a rule change.

I was at the 1983 semi final between Donegal and Galway. It as a turgid affair, which would not be out of place when compared to Derry v Kerry this year. I doubt if 1-12 or 1-11 will be enough for either of them to progress this year.

https://www.donegalsporthub.com/the-1983-all-ireland-semi-final-the-day-val-daly-broke-donegal-hearts/

Football is muck alright.

If the Euros is anything to go by!

Oh God. I have tried to fight the corner for GAA football. Saying it was tactical and could be interesting when the matches are close in the final stages. But I was at the Limerick/Cork hurling match yesterday. And watched the Clare Kilkenny game the day before. And I cried into my pillow last night for the future of football. There is currently no comparison between the 2 sports in terms of energy and excitement. I really hope something can be done to bring some excitement back to football. Normally I'd be excited for the All-Ireland semi finals. But haven't really thought about them at all yet. Maybe come Friday, I'll get enthused again. And then await with trepidation the Kerry Armagh game on Saturday - and what will probably be about 200 sideways passes. I really hope I am wrong.

The Dublin v Cork and Wexford v Clare QF games were poor enough. It's not all sunshine and roses.

Down v Laois another awful advert for game

Let's hope Kerry v Armagh will produce something

The Gaelic has been poor alright but the Euros would put you to sleep.

Something that resembled Gaelic Football for a start.

The problem with hurling there is no depth a weaker side more often than not has zero to no chance against a stronger side. It ends up in a walloping. In football at least in football if the weaker sides are set up and play astutely they have a chance against against the stronger sides.

Now that was more like it. Credit to Armagh I totally wrote them off

Maybe that makes you the problem.

I suspect the ‘right’ teams are not winning is the problem here.

Down not once played foot pass over 20 metres today. Laois no better

Kerry v Armagh was by no means classic but was some lovely football, some nice scores and both teams played to their strengths. At least was energy to the game.

Night and day between both games.