TYRONE boss Mickey Harte has backed GAA Director-General Paraic Duffy's proposals for change to the GAA calendar, but called on Gaels to "be patient".
The removal of one inter-county fixture date – ending the Allianz Football League Division One semi-finals – will make it harder for the Red Hands to win the competition for the first time since Harte's opening season in charge (2003).
However, the Errigal Ciaran clubman supports that decision, and Duffy's plans – approved by Central Council - to compress the inter-county calendar while introducing a round robin series of games instead of All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals.
Asked if he approved of the Monaghan man's proposals, Harte said: "I would, I would – I think there's been a lot of thought put into all the re-structuring. I think it's a very realistic attempt to change things for the better for the club player."
Doing away with the Division One semi-finals means that even if Tyrone reach the decider on April 9 they will have a seven-week gap until their Ulster SFC quarter-final against Derry on May 28:
Harte is content with that, though, commenting: "Anything that adds more game opportunities for clubs at that time of year is a good thing: "People need to take stock – this can only be fixed in stages. You can't just re-write the script to say: 'There's the simple solution'.
"Step by step people will try to accommodate and facilitate all aspects of our Association. I think that's what headquarters are trying to do at the minute."
The new Club Players Association has urged Duffy to "park" his proposals rather than putting them before Annual Congress later this month. Harte believes that the plans should be considered by the GAA's ultimate decision-making body, but cautioned against calls for immediate sweeping changes to the calendar: "I think people have got to be patient, let the situation evolve a step at a time. If we tighten up the provincial championships to a degree then we should actually get some more valuable time for clubs.
"Ultimately, if we're able to bring the All-Ireland series forwards into August, which people will try to do when the time is right, then there are moves afoot to make things better for the club player.
"Nobody would deny that that is a good idea – but it has to be done in stages and phases which are feasible and workable. That's the way we should go about this – and show some degree of patience in the process.
"Nothing in this world is ideal; sometimes it's only when you try out something that you see if it is what you thought it was going to be. If not, then I'm sure the people are prepared to review and adjust things if necessary. But this is a genuine attempt to make things better and we have to step back and see how that evolves."
Understandably, Harte's focus is on the Allianz Football League, and Sunday's opener against Roscommon, the opposition in his first game in charge back in 2003, although this time Tyrone are at home, one of four matches in Healy Park.
He laughed when asked if he felt his county was capable of winning Division One on their return to the top flight, saying: "Well, I've always thought that every season. We've done reasonably well on some occasions. I think we were very unfortunate to lose in the '13 Final to Dublin, by a point. Another year [2004] we had to go to a [semi-final] replay with Galway in Salthill and they beat us after extra time.
"We were in the semi-final in '05 against Wexford and we didn't expect to get beaten in that one. We've been there or thereabouts and while we haven't won it [again], we've been competitive and I think we will still be competitive.
"We wouldn't turn down the chance of another final if we can get there".
