I wasn’t working last Saturday morning, so I made every effort not to waste any energy. What energy I did have, I used to have a quick glance at my phone to check emails and Facebook. Away from all the hoopla of Claudio Ranieri being sacked or Donald Trump being Donald Trump on my timeline, there was this term Super8 featuring heavily. It wasn’t nostalgia driven articles about the Irish Cricket teams exploits in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Nor was it about a sequel to the popular film of the same name released in 2011. Then it clicked. It was that pathetic proposal to breath new life into the Senior Football Championship. And it was being put forward at the GAA Congress that morning.
I’d forgotten about it since it was first proposed back in August of last year. Paraic Duffy’s concept on, as GAA.ie put it, “how best to restructure the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and condense our calendar of inter-county games to give our club championships more room to breathe”. When it was originally announced, it was met with scepticism and general confusion as to its benefit. At least that’s what I gathered amongst GAA supporters across the spectrum. The proposal added eight extra matches to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship by way of introducing two groups of 4 at the quarter final stage. These teams would square off in their respective groups playing in a round robin style format. Two teams would progress from each group to make up the semi-finalists. Each team would play a game at home, one away, and the final game in Croke Park.
According to the GAA press release at the time, “The new structure would provide a more exacting pathway to the All-Ireland final: the finalists will have had to compete with three of the best teams in the country at the group stage followed by a semi-final with a top-four team that came through the same test. This will have the effect of ensuring that the finalists will have been equally tested and that the two best teams in the country contest the All-Ireland final.” There would be more games during the summer when the conditions are better. The All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, the primary motivator behind the revamped format, would be given ample time upon conclusion of its inter-county companion to be facilitated in good time and without disruption.
I remember thinking at the time that this is so convoluted that anyone with a lick of sense will not pass that. And I didn’t give it any more thought. Until that Saturday morning where, much to my horror, it was passed by a majority of 76% to 24%. This was despite calls from the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and newly formed Clubs Players Association (CPA), both of whom canvassed its members and unanimously agreed the concept didn’t work. However, delegates at the Congress supported the motion comfortably into law. The decision has been met with dismay amongst Inter-County players, with Clare’s Podge Collins “Players club & county don't agree but who gives a f*** about them” and Philip Jordan of Tyrone stating “Can't be bothered following Congress updates after super 8 is passed. 2021 before club players can get a fair deal, depressing thought.” The supporter reaction was much the same, with less focused rebuttals focusing on the greed of the GAA. I’m dismayed to the point I’ve hammered out this article just to convey how mindless this proposal actually is.
While many people have come out and remarked upon the format as a money making concept, I’ll be quick to disagree. Personally I have no issue with the GAA economists and their fundraising. Some followers would easily forget that it is still a Not-For-Profit organisation that has to make money in order to survive and flourish. While more games in theory should bring more money, the benefit if any, will not be big. There is enough evidence in my mind to ask if the extra games will even be enough to cover the general matchday costs for hosting? That is because the quarter finals in their current form are not well attended. Games not involving Dublin, Donegal and Mayo of late have received very poor numbers. So imagine how attendances will fare with two more “quarter-final” games to consider. The fair weather supporter is hardly going to attend two extra quarter final games when they can barely attend one! Factor the extra travel and ticket costs and you’ll be hard pressed to find a large number even within the hardcore support of each competing county that will attend all three group games.
Last August, I attended a quarter final double header featuring Kerry vs. Clare and Galway vs. Tipperary. An attendance of 29,251 contributed to an atmosphere that was so mind numbing I’d have fallen asleep if it weren’t for the sun beaming into my face on Hill 16. That attendance figure is misleading for the fact it doesn’t account for the number of people who saw both games. . I am certain that while 29’521 may have entered the stadium, it wasn’t the peak no. in the ground at any one time. Those watching Kerry dispose of Clare had a long journey home and didn’t bother sticking around for the shock of the Championship that followed. In my own case, I just arrived after the 2nd half had started in that opening game. I doubt a large number of the Galway and Tipperary fans were in a rush to get there early, primarily given the distance we had to travel. That’s the problem with these double headers given the fact they’re in Dublin. Each of the aforementioned counties would have had at least 2.5 hours travel to get to the stadium. And with rare exceptions over the years, the attendance & atmosphere has always been disappointing at these games. I would like to think that the 3 quarter empty Croke Park greatly contributed to the tame performance Galway gave that day. It would be insulting to Tipperary if I did but it hardly helped stoke the fire!
I've felt for a few years now that quarter finals should be played at the home of the provincial champion. I believe too many games are played in front of a half empty Croke Park, stifling the atmosphere and the allure of playing in the premier GAA stadium. The idea of Galway having to play Tipperary in Pearse Stadium last August instead would have been a far better occasion. The atmosphere of 20’000 people in that stadium opposed to a half full Croke Park is uncomparable. Maybe we might have won too! Jokes aside however, while the new format does give the provincial champion their home game, it retains an appearance at Croke Park along with another game on top of that. EVERY team in the quarter final will have a home game and a trip to headquarters! So where is the motivation of winning a provincial title outside of silverware? At least the Hurling Championship gives incentive to their provincial championships by giving the winner direct passage to the Semi-Final. There could also be a case that a county might be out of the group stage before they even have a home game or reach Croke Park. Imagine the atmosphere for those damp squibs and the revenue it would bring in.
Tipperary arguably pulled off the result of the Championship
by beating Galway in comprehensive fashion that day. While they are a young and
exciting team, having defeated Derry in 4th Qualifier Round in
superb fashion, the result was still a big shock in the GAA. Not only the
outcome but the fearless and dominating fashion they swept Galway aside as
well. It was a historic result and the highlight for many people in the
Championship in 2016. It ensured their first semi-final appearance in 81 years,
and sadly it could be their last for some time. In order to qualify for the
semi-final under the Super 8 format, they'd have to produce another superb performance
like it to ensure progression. A general group would be made up of 2 provincial
champions and one other qualifier. Using last year’s quarter finalists, they'd
have to beat one of Tyrone/Dublin/Kerry and Clare/Mayo/Donegal. All good teams,
and no easy game against any of them.
Say they do put in another solid performance and qualify.
What have they got left to push on to the final? Tipperary have a number of
good players coming through but in comparison to the top counties, their
strength in depth is not the same. In the semi-final last year against Mayo,
they lost one of their best players in Robbie Kiely to a black card early in
the game. It was a crucial decision and his influence was missed as the game
went on. I thought watching that game they had a chance to make a game of it in
2nd half but the physical and mental fatigue showed in the final third when
they needed scores. There is no surprise or shame in that, especially given the
season they had. They’d reached the Munster final before losing to Kerry by 10
points. However, they bounced back to beat Derry in a thriller before disposing
of Galway in emphatic fashion. The experience will count to their young players
but what chance will they have of doing it again in seasons to follow?
How many counties realistically have strength in depth to have realistic ambitions of winning an All-Ireland Final in this format? Tipperary couldn’t afford to lose one key player without suffering in that semi-final. The increase in games & travel will affect the player’s conditioning. There is even more potential for injuries and fatigue to set in. The group stage is to be played across 15 days. Three intense games in the guts of 2 weeks is no mean feat. And while the training levels of the Senior Inter-County teams borders on professionalism, this format will take its toll on all participating counties. The difference could well be how best equipped your strength and conditioning team is for one, and the number of quality players left at your disposal should something go wrong. The bigger counties have the budget and fundraising nous to be able to cope with the spending required on their inter-county teams. However, what about the likes of Leitrim, Waterford, Antrim etc. Do they have what it takes? Would they have to gamble on putting all their resources into the Senior Team at the expense of other teams and areas in their county to make a stab at it? What if the costs of maintaining the high fitness levels of Senior Inter-County players increases with this new format. Will the GAA foot the cost when a County Board comes in and needs financial assistance? It’s already happening, and with the spending costs for some counties surpassing the €1 million mark for 2016, it is only going to get worse.
(The backroom team of All-Ireland Football Champions Dublin, enough to fill a matchday panel!)
It is set-up for the bigger counties to continue getting stronger. The day of a fairy-tale run by a weaker county outside of the traditional powers of today will be things of the past indefinitely in my opinion. I am not ruling out Tipperary making it to another semi-final within the next five years. Being a Galway fan, it would smack of sour grapes if I denied their quality. I just find it hard to see it happening in this format. Before Tipperary last year, the last unfancied team to make an appearance in the semi-finals were Wexford in 2008. Fermanagh before them in 2004. The days of unknown making an appearance in the final four were reducing with every year. How does this format help those outside of the top 8 or 12 teams playing Senior Football compete? Where is the thinking for the lower tiered counties? Take for example the NFL. The worst team each season will always get first pick in the draft the following season. They have their pick of the potentially best young football athlete in the game. Now while it’s no guarantee that team will immediately improve, it gives them the catalyst to build around young talent and work towards the future. You may be bad one year but you’ll always have something to build for in the future. I know the two systems are incomparable for many reasons but compare the benefit of that draft system in providing a level playing field to that of the Super8 in the GAA in the same area. You will realise that Super8 does nothing for weaker counties and can only serve to increase the gap already present.
This concept only exacerbates the existing problem of fixture congestion. EIGHT
extra games are introduced into a calendar already taking place from early
January up to September. To counter act that, the GAA also introduced measures
such as the abolition of replays outside of finals and the removal of the
National League Semi-Finals. Those semi-finals never really interfered with a
club championship for a start so their removal doesn’t make a huge difference
in my opinion. The abolition of replays doesn’t account for the overall
increase either. There were a grand total of FOUR replays last year. In 2015,
there was just two. In addition to all of this, it was also decided that the
All-Ireland Senior finals in both Gaelic Football and Hurling would be brought
forward by three weeks. Adding two extra rounds to the Football championship
and bringing the All-Ireland finals forward by three weeks makes no sense. They
are fundamentally competing concepts. It could lead to a very condensed football
calendar, which may or may not be a good thing. It does free up September
onwards for the Club Championship. On the other hand the frequency of games may
take its toll on player and supporter. The UEFA Champions League once had a 2nd
Group Stage before the quarter-finals for a few years before scrapping it,
realising its futility. Interestingly, the only county delegation to speak out
against the Super8 format, Cork, argued that this would disrupt their own club
championship structure as they run the majority of it off in the summer. Theirs
will not be only the county championship to experience fall out from this new
format I feel. How many counties realistically have strength in depth to have realistic ambitions of winning an All-Ireland Final in this format? Tipperary couldn’t afford to lose one key player without suffering in that semi-final. The increase in games & travel will affect the player’s conditioning. There is even more potential for injuries and fatigue to set in. The group stage is to be played across 15 days. Three intense games in the guts of 2 weeks is no mean feat. And while the training levels of the Senior Inter-County teams borders on professionalism, this format will take its toll on all participating counties. The difference could well be how best equipped your strength and conditioning team is for one, and the number of quality players left at your disposal should something go wrong. The bigger counties have the budget and fundraising nous to be able to cope with the spending required on their inter-county teams. However, what about the likes of Leitrim, Waterford, Antrim etc. Do they have what it takes? Would they have to gamble on putting all their resources into the Senior Team at the expense of other teams and areas in their county to make a stab at it? What if the costs of maintaining the high fitness levels of Senior Inter-County players increases with this new format. Will the GAA foot the cost when a County Board comes in and needs financial assistance? It’s already happening, and with the spending costs for some counties surpassing the €1 million mark for 2016, it is only going to get worse.
(The backroom team of All-Ireland Football Champions Dublin, enough to fill a matchday panel!)
It is set-up for the bigger counties to continue getting stronger. The day of a fairy-tale run by a weaker county outside of the traditional powers of today will be things of the past indefinitely in my opinion. I am not ruling out Tipperary making it to another semi-final within the next five years. Being a Galway fan, it would smack of sour grapes if I denied their quality. I just find it hard to see it happening in this format. Before Tipperary last year, the last unfancied team to make an appearance in the semi-finals were Wexford in 2008. Fermanagh before them in 2004. The days of unknown making an appearance in the final four were reducing with every year. How does this format help those outside of the top 8 or 12 teams playing Senior Football compete? Where is the thinking for the lower tiered counties? Take for example the NFL. The worst team each season will always get first pick in the draft the following season. They have their pick of the potentially best young football athlete in the game. Now while it’s no guarantee that team will immediately improve, it gives them the catalyst to build around young talent and work towards the future. You may be bad one year but you’ll always have something to build for in the future. I know the two systems are incomparable for many reasons but compare the benefit of that draft system in providing a level playing field to that of the Super8 in the GAA in the same area. You will realise that Super8 does nothing for weaker counties and can only serve to increase the gap already present.
As for the club player who happens to be an Inter-County player, what break do they get? Are they essentially in pre-season for 8 months of the year? As I mentioned above, if the training increases as a result of increased inter-county games and a greater intensity, what break will they get during the season? And what break will they get after? Colm Cooper is looking forward to All-Ireland Club Final on the 17th March and then its very likely he’ll be involved in the Kerry set-up for the Inter County Championship onwards. And the cycle will repeat itself once the Senior Inter-County championship concludes. The club championship may get a free run from September onwards but it could lose their marquee Inter-County star anyways from fatigue or injury. More alarmingly, what diminishing chances are left for a young prospect coming out of Minor football to adjust to the step-up without it having a detrimental effect on his social life and/or his work or education? An increasing number of players are taking a year out of playing Senior Inter-County football for a variety of reasons. And this format will not encourage them to keep playing. It will only serve to contribute to player burnout or disillusion with the game. For example, for a county like Cavan to lose a talented player like Martin Dunne (below) is something they can't afford given their size and player depth.
To add insult to injury, the Club Players Association was rejected official recognition on the basis of it being too early. The new concept was designed with the Club Championship in mind; that was the key selling point. However, the GAA decide not only to ignore the opinions of the club player by endorsing an unpopular format, but to refuse to recognise them in an official capacity to boot. It makes you wonder what the GAA’s thinking towards the club player when they’re making up formats and statements that contradict each other. There is nothing I've read or heard that argues for this Super8 introduction. And by that, I mean the example of a real tangible benefit for the GAA and the Championship on a whole. Within a year of its introduction, the problems of fixture congestion, player burnout, the negative impact on player both Inter-County and Club will continue to exacerbate. There could very well be a scenario where the GAA will be back to the drawing board in 3 years realising their mistake.
I sincerely hope they realise this much sooner.
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