The segregating of the football championship looks to be moving a step closer, with GAA president John Horan this week telling the media that the GAA are in favour of the proposal, with a likely sweetener for its implementation the 'B' final replacing the All-Ireland minor final as the curtain-raiser to the senior football final.
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Counties must vote for it, however, and Carlow manager Turlough O'Brien has outlined some arguments against its implementation.
He published his thoughts on his Twitter.
- 'B' Championship will never attract sufficient media attention - no appetite in media to cover secondary competitions. As a result many players will not be interested in playing for county. Top tier will hoover up all of the publicity and attention. OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND.
- NFL serves that purpose. Four divisions in Order of Merit. That's where counties need to focus. MARKET IT properly.
- Narrowing the base does not promote the game - rugby is the example. Creating ELITISM.
- Answer is to support these counties, not exclude them. FUNDING....
- Arms race at top between 4/5 counties and others cannot join it. LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
- How do we fit more games into a crowded calendar?
- Recalibrate relationship between CLUB AND COUNTY. Balance is completely skewed and this makes it worse.
- Championship is about the big day, the dream of taking out the big gun, memories of Carlow v Kildare, Tyrone, Monaghan and Dublin will never be matched by a B competition. NEVER.
- 4 provincial titles are still VERY IMPORTANT.
- ESRI Report - 31 hours a week...we need to pull the game back, not make it more elite.
We are allMost of us are amateurs. - It's not about a day at Croke Park....
You may not agree with all of Turlough's points, but few will disagree with all of them...
