Football

GAA must stop reaching for panic button - Peter Canavan

Peter Canavan says Gaelic football has changed since his day, but he is not in favour of rule changes
Peter Canavan says Gaelic football has changed since his day, but he is not in favour of rule changes Peter Canavan says Gaelic football has changed since his day, but he is not in favour of rule changes

FORMER Tyrone star Peter Canavan has urged the GAA to stop reaching for the “panic button” after the latest raft of rule changes were aired.

The GAA’s playing rules committee, chaired by Armagh’s Ulster-winning captain Jarlath Burns, will table new proposals at next month’s congress in a bid to improve elements of Gaelic football. Among them are the introduction of the ‘mark’ and the ‘tap and go’ rule for restarting the game from free-kicks.

International Rules manager Joe Kernan has rowed in behind the introduction of the ‘mark’ as he believes it could have a positive impact on attacking play. However, Canavan is reticent about such changes and believes there is too much negativity surrounding the game.

“I think people are pressing the panic button with regard to our game because of a few games - and I would stress a few games in the National League [last year] that were very hard to watch - as there was so much to be enthused about our games.

“I could pick out games that were high-scoring, games where there was serious intensity and where there were tough physical exchanges; there were games where there was exceptional high fielding. Our game is so varied and there are so many aspects of skill that are being currently displayed.”

Canavan echoed the sentiments of Irish News columnist and former Armagh defender Aaron Kernan, who recently bemoaned the negative punditry that has enveloped Gaelic football.

“I think Irish News analyst Aaron Kernan did an excellent article, where he asked why so many people are knocking our game and talking it down rather than talking about the things that were done well," added Canavan.

“I think people should forget about knocking the game and knocking the rules. Our game is evolving and is taking its natural course and we should be more excited with what we have and the effort our players give to our games.”

The playing rules committee is expected to address time-keeping issues in games at congress, which Canavan is very much in favour of: “There are a few small changes that would help our game: the issue of time-keeping is a key issue because I think the referee has enough to do without having to be worrying about the time, as there is so much going on. So that's one area, but that’s not a major rule change.

“Often, these committees feel compelled to make widespread change or make numerous proposals when it’s not needed.”

A couple of seasons ago, there was an emotional wave of support for the introduction of the black card in a bid to stamp out cynical play - but Canavan believes it has had “limited success”.

“I wasn’t totally in favour of it because it was placing more pressure on the shoulders of one man - the referee. I think there have been so many games where the lack of consistency has been shocking," he said.

“That’s why, as a whole, it hasn’t worked. There is still cynical play going on and players are still happy to take a black card. It’s been a very limited success, in my opinion.”

Despite some depicting doomsday scenarios for Gaelic football, the Sky Sports pundit says analysing the ever-changing face of the sport is hugely enjoyable: “It’s amazing the amount of people across the water that have never seen our game and the people that are working in Sky on the GAA programmes have been enthralled and enthused by it,” he said.

“It’s a product in this country that has been hidden far too well and for far too long, so we need to get it out there. It’s not really that we have to sell our game as such because the quality and pace of the action speaks for itself.

“People get the opportunity to watch every other sport, so it’s great they get the chance to watch Gaelic games as well.” I still think there is so much more that we can analyse and do and improve our analysis.

“There are 30 players on the field at any one time; there is so much going on in the game. And over the past decade, the game has experienced serious change in how it’s played. The tactical approach of managers and players is so critical to how a team performs. Our game is evolving all the time and, as a result, there is so much to analyse and highlight during games.”

On his punditry role, Canavan added: “Nothing beats playing, but you do get a kick out of it. I feel in a privileged position to be asked to attend Croke Park for All-Ireland semi-finals and finals and other big Championship games throughout the country.

"It’s a labour of love. I don’t see it as a day’s work."