FRC set to refine new rules after mixed reactions

Jim Gavin has confirmed that the Football Rules Committee (FRC) has proposed further refinements to the new football regulations after evaluating feedback from five rounds of league matches.

The rule changes have been a dominant topic throughout the Allianz Football League campaign, drawing criticism from several inter-county managers.

Following their 50th meeting on Monday night, the FRC discussed and agreed on certain modifications.

“There are adjustments,” Gavin, who chairs the FRC, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland. “We have made some recommendations.”

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These proposed changes will now be sent to the Standing Committee on Playing Rules, which will then present them to Coiste Bainistí Members. This management committee, led by GAA President Jarlath Burns, will review the recommendations before forwarding them to Central Council for further consideration.

“The committee will meet next Thursday to vote on any proposals if there are any,” Gavin added.

Over the weekend, multiple inter-county managers expressed concerns about elements of the new rules. Among those who publicly criticised aspects of the changes were Dermot McCabe, Peter Keane, Davy Burke, Jim McGuinness, and Pádraic Joyce. Meath manager Robbie Brennan was particularly outspoken in his disapproval.

Gavin acknowledged the feedback from these figures and others across the game.

“We’ve received input from inter-county and club managers, as well as submissions from the GPA in recent days. All of it is welcome,” he said.

“Overall, people seem to be in favour of what they’re seeing. Inter-county managers, while they only represent 2pc of our Association’s games, are still a key stakeholder. Their matches get a platform for 26 weeks of the year, so it’s crucial to listen to their views — but we also listen to club voices.”

However, Gavin suggested that managers who resist adapting to the new rules may put their teams at a disadvantage.

“In any management setting, you’ll always have a bell curve,” he explained. “There are the innovators who embrace change early, and then there are the laggards.

“In general society, that’s how it works. We can already see teams thriving in this new environment, and we’re taking all feedback into account.”

One of the more divisive aspects of the new rules is the 50-metre advancement penalty for tactical fouling, which some argue is excessively severe. However, Gavin does not share that view.

“We don’t believe it’s too harsh,” he stated. “If we consider discipline, not a single person in our survey has said this is a bad idea. Some may feel it’s tough, but the aim is to deter the kind of referee abuse that has been going on for too long.”

Another rule drawing criticism is the requirement for goalkeepers to take their kick-outs within 20 seconds, particularly since it was not enforced from the start of the league. 

Yet, according to Gavin, analysis of the first four rounds of league action shows that the average time taken for a kick-out is 21 seconds, suggesting that the adjustment is not as drastic as some have claimed.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has raised concerns about the physical toll the new rules may be taking on players. He suggested that an increase in soft-tissue injuries could be linked to a reduced recovery period.

“Maybe they [the FRC] wanted the fastest-paced game in the world, but that’s surely going to come at a cost to players, isn’t it?” McGuinness remarked after Donegal’s recent win over Derry.

He also suggested that the FRC’s approach appears to be designed to increase fatigue levels among players.

In response, Gavin stressed that any examination of player welfare concerns will be grounded in data. 

“We’ve heard that players are under more strain, but we haven’t yet seen the data to confirm it, as teams are not sharing that information with us,” Gavin explained.

“That research is ongoing, and we will only be able to make a proper assessment once we receive anonymised data. I don’t need to know which counties are involved, but until we have that information, we can’t draw any conclusions about the physical demands.”