DOWN manager Paddy Tally says the time has come to do away with the provincial system and introduce “a whole new” structure for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
Tally's Down side takes on Donegal in Sunday’s Anglo-Celt opener and the Tyrone native argues that the current provincial structure has had its day.
“The provincial Championships were designed a long time ago because of geographical decisions,” said Tally.
“It’s time for a change and a whole new structure. There are a lot of counties that have no chance (to win the Sam Maguire) and now, year on year, it’s usually the same teams that come through to the last eight.
“So it’s very difficult for a new team to break through and I would like to see something new. We need to look at different options. There has to be some alternative so it doesn’t become a knockout system where, when you lose in the Championship, you’re gone for the season.
“There has to be something else to incentivise the players to stay at it - one of the biggest issues is players dropping out of (county) football which is not good.”
Tally was disappointed that a Qualifier system wasn't put in place for the 2021 season. Going forward, he agrees with the proposal for a two-tier Championship competition based on League rankings in which teams are seeded depending on their League finish.
“I think there has to be a seeded Championship,” he said.
“I think the proposal that is in for the new structure is pretty good. You have to be playing well in your League to get a crack at playing for the Sam Maguire. It’s not perfect but at the same time it’s definitely progress.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, Tally has capable players with pace throughout his side and if Down were able to stay with Donegal into the second half, the support of a packed Pairc Esler could roar the Mournemen on to a surprise win.
But that won’t be the case after the NI Executive decided against increasing the numbers permitted at games from the current level of 500 supporters.
“We seem to have difficulty with everything at the moment in terms of politics and agreeing on anything so it doesn’t really surprise me that they can’t come up with a plan for outdoor sport,” said Tally.
“It is really disappointing for everybody and it doesn’t make any sort of sense, I don’t think there’s any medical evidence to back this decision up.
“But it is a pity because a Championship day on a sunny afternoon with the crowd in is good for people, it’s good for the players but it’s beyond our control – all we can do is get ready for the game and look forward to that.”
Victory on Sunday will see Down progress to an Ulster quarter-final against Derry. The Mournemen signed off on their Division Two campaign with a season-best performance against Laois but Tally says another level will be required against Donegal.
“The bare minimum we need is at least the same levels of energy,” said Tally who will be without hard-working Loughinisland midfielder Jonny Flynn on Sunday.
“We understand that the (performance in the) Laois game was good, it was good to get the result but we’re playing a completely different animal in Donegal.
“Our players are wise enough to know that if we don’t reproduce a level above that then we won’t come out with the result. We have to work even harder than we did the last day when the energy was very positive.”
