New format creates fresh fixtures issues

GAA: As with so many recent GAA reforms, the one unchallengeable verdict on the new format for the Allianz National Football League is that it's an improvement.

Players have welcomed the switch to a calendar year-based season. Managers, as the graphic here indicates, are also heavily in favour, although some have more reservations than others.

The arguments in support of the departure are obvious: the provision of a decent rest period for players, a far stronger element of continuity between NFL and championship and a rationalised pre-season for training purposes. The reservations expressed are for the most part not as strong and were willingly suspended to give the idea a trial.

One such concern is the weather.

These weeks frequently bring the wettest, windiest conditions of the year, and 2002 has been no exception. The unsuitability of the weather contrasts with what were mild and pleasant days back in October and November. There are two points to be made about this situation.

Firstly, to have any coherence the season must run continuously. Running off a handful of matches in the autumn, breaking in December and resuming two months later is a waste of everyone's time.

Secondly, the weather argument logically leads us to the time of the year when players want to play and spectators want to watch - the summer. Inevitably - but by no means straightforwardly - the GAA will come to accept a league-based championship played off during the summer.

Similarly, the argument that for some teams the empty diary for the eight months after early June is too much of a void raises an obvious question. Why should teams be laid off in early June? A longer run in the summer is worth any number of truncated playing experiences in October and November.

One concern that isn't as easily answered centres on the packed schedule proposed for the next 10 weeks and the way it favours bigger, stronger panels. Whereas in the past teams could cope comfortably enough with run-of-the-mill knocks, the current format means even short-term injuries could eliminate a player for two or three matches. Then again, short of a draft system, how do you balance out the contrasting strengths of county panels, regardless of how often teams play?

There is also a broader point about the loading of the fixtures calendar during the current period. As well as the new NFL season, young footballers must cope with the under-21 championship and the Sigerson Cup. Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey expresses his misgivings.

"I think we need a big overview of games at this time of the year. Most counties have university players and yet you have all this activity slap-bang in the middle of the Sigerson and preparations for the under-21 panel. It's very hard on the player involved, and God help him if his club is still in the All-Ireland. Managers have to guard against burnout, because there's pressure on players from all quarters. I see very little wrong with league matches before Christmas, but we do need to sit down with the Sigerson mentors and talk about this."

The expansion of the Sigerson beyond a small, university cartel into all third-level institutions has meant that a great number of young inter-county players are involved with the intense preparations commonplace in colleges nowadays. This congestion has been exacerbated by the under-21 situation - something that frustrates Paraic Duffy, chairman of the Games Administration Committee.

"The proposal of the competitions workgroup was that under-21 matches wouldn't be played in the spring. Central Council accepted that, and the All-Ireland semi-finals were fixed for September-October. This wasn't nodded through; the decision was taken after discussion. But then three of the four provincial councils - Connacht was the exception - scheduled their under-21 championships for February and March.

"Central Council then overturned the GAC's decision not to allow an expanded Hastings Cup (an under-21 competition) take place. So something like 26 counties have been playing at under-21 level throughout January. I feel sorry for the CAO (Comhairle Ard Oideachais, the body administering third-level competitions) because they asked the workgroup to try and leave February free of under-21 activity."

Clearly further work must be done if the GAA's fixture list is to be properly streamlined, but it would be unfair to blame tomorrow's restructured league programme for problems generated elsewhere.