With the much anticipated Allianz Football League Finals now just days away and the debate on their importance in the calendar intensifying plenty of former inter-county stars have been weighing in on both sides of the debate.
With the League's beginning to suffer from a perceived predictable nature in the newly-condensed format, there have been calls from former inter-county stars and pundits like Peter Canavan to scrap the league finals in favour of a traditional league format to disincentivise the fielding of weaker teams by top-counties in preparation for Championship.
However, speaking on the RTE GAA Podcast five-time All-Ireland-winning Kerry star Tomás Ó Sé rubbished those claims throwing his weight behind the 'brilliant competitions' that are the leagues, claiming all they need is to be rejigged.
While to some degree it may feel like the results of the League have become predictable, ultimately the Division One final will see two newly promoted teams competing for the title, while Monaghan were relegated for the first time in a decade.
Tomás Ó'Sé throws support behind the league finals
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Speaking on the RTE GAA Podcast, the Kerry U20's boss Tomás Ó'Sé used Andy Moran's Leitrim as a fundamental example of the league's brilliance, singing the competition's praises.
'I think it would be a huge mistake to do away with finals' - Ó Sé, McGinley and Keegan preview league finals
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The finals, I'm looking forward to them. I think they're going to be four crackers, as close as you'll get to championship. The league is brilliant, the league is a great competition.
But you've the league and then you have a championship and then it all dips. It all actually dips for a while and it's the structure of the championship, it's different provinces starting at different times and I see it happening that the voices are coming out now and there's more of a voice now to start those provincial championships earlier and put the league running straight into the championship and the only reason they're saying that is to have the top teams, teams playing like with like, and that's what they want.
I think we're going to have a brilliant weekend of football and I just read this morning with Andy Moran and how excited he is for Leitrim. I think it's going to be brilliant for them and I think it would be a huge mistake to do away with the finals.
Rejig it in such a way that senior teams have something to play for, for a little bit of time and space between the championship starting. But I think it's going to be a great weekend of action.
Tomás Ó'Sé's comments come off the back of similar comments from Mickey Harte and Andy Moran who both rubbished the idea of scrapping the League finals.
The crackers Ó'Sé are looking forward to, will see two of Sam Maguire's most plausible contenders Dublin and Derry face off in the top tier, while Division Two will see an ever-fierce all-Ulster clash between a Jim McGuinness lead Donegal and Armagh.
In the lower tiers where Ó'Sé rightly points out will be the less competitive counties' only genuine shot at silverware this season, Down look to continue their sensational unbeaten run as they take on Westmeath in Division 3, while Andy Moran's Leitrim who are steadying the ship following a rocky start will take on Laois in the Division Four clash.
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