Niall Morgan has expressed concerns over some of the rule changes under consideration by the Football Review Committee – particularly in relation to the position of goalkeeper.
The ‘emerging themes’ the committee are examining include ways to address the modern phenomenon of the roaming goalkeeper. One of the enhancements being tested is that a goalkeeper can only receive possession in the large rectangle from a player also within that large rectangle. They can also receive the ball beyond their 45 or 65-metre line.
But Morgan, who has been hugely influential in the evolution of goalkeeping in Gaelic football, fears the FRC suggestions could have a negative impact on the appeal of the position.
“The role that I play, I would say I was slightly concerned with some of the rules,” says the Tyrone goalkeeper. “It does seem like the goalkeeper is going to go back to playing on the line, which won’t really suit.
“Over the last few years, goalkeeping has become a position where people see it as attractive, young players are looking to be a goalkeeper now. That was not so much the case whenever I was asked to play for Tyrone, I was completely against playing in goal but I knew it was my only chance of getting on the county team.
“Do we want to make the position less attractive?”
Morgan, who says he would be open to participating in one of the sand box games if the opportunity presented itself and his schedule allowed, also has reservations about the rule in relation to keeping three players inside their own 65-metre line.
“You’re going to be attacking a ball and it goes over the 65, you’re no longer able to attack it, you have to wait. That goes against what you’re taught from when you were a six-year-old, attack the ball.
“If you’re tracking a player back, are you going to have to start looking behind to count how many players you’re leaving behind?
“There are some rules that I love, I love the 40-metre arc and getting two points for a long-range score, that’s going to make teams come and press out a wee bit more.
“The kickout idea where it has to go beyond the 40-metre arc, does that not promote a defensive system where teams will rally back behind the 40-metre line? It’s just making sure that we get it right and we don’t make any position less attractive or put people off wanting to play.
“We’re looking for it to be entertaining for people to watch but has the game ever been more competitive where anybody can win any game? Yes, at times it’s not attractive but like Down were five minutes from beating Armagh in the Ulster championship and now Armagh are sitting in an All-Ireland semi-final.
“You have to consider what is entertainment – is entertainment a team winning by 20 points or is entertainment a close match? You wouldn’t say to two boxers, get in the middle of the ring and just start slugging the head off each other because that’s where it could end up if we’re not careful.”
