Pat Spillane is glad Australia beat Ireland in the international rules this year.
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This bracing early 90's style Eamon Dunphy-like utterance came in his Sunday World column this week. He thinks the Australian win and the chastening first half was just what Gaelic football needed.
He rounded on the usual suspects - coaches with grim Northern accents who have achieved success in the past decade.
After watching the international rules, Spillane wants four rule changes implemented in Gaelic football.
- Goalkeepers should have too kick the ball beyond the 45m line from kick-outs, eliminating short, crab-like handpassing movements up the pitch and forcing contests in the air.
- He wants to ban back-passes from frees and sidelines - a pet hate of his
- A rule restricting the number of consecutive hand-passes
- And the GAA should look at abolishing the pick-up - Spillane contends it adds nothing to the game.
Spillane aimed a kick at the general standard of managers at club level. and came out with an intriguing suggestion that teams could examine the possibility of drafting in a couch from the AFL.
