GAME IN BETTER HEALTH

GAA EXTRA MONAGHAN star Conor Mcmanus is fed up with the rule tinkering in

Gaelic football and insists the game has never been in better shape.

The All-star nominee accepts the GAA needs to evolve with the times as attendances slide but dismisses the notion that the games aren’t the spectacle they used to be.

“I just think there is too much tinkering going on at the minute,” Mcmanus (above) said. “Football isn’t as defensive as it once was. Scoring averages are rising so I don’t fear for our game.

“It will naturally grow by itself. Flick on the All-ireland football final from 1988 or 1998, or even 2008. Now, tune into the 2018 version. Gaelic football is so much better than it used to be,” he told The Sports Chronicle.

“Not sure people are willing to admit that. We come from a fairly low base when it comes to spectacles. People can get hung up on the past.

“But look at the games in the early 2000s and come back to me, I guarantee you will appreciate more what we have now.”

The new rule proposals don’t give the Clontibret star much confidence for the future either.

“No matter what rule is brought into Gaelic football, the best teams and cleverest tacticians are going to make it work to their advantage.

“I accept we need to constantly look at our sport, something isn’t right, we can all see that.

“New rules are coming. I’m all for the forward kicking mark – that could turn things for the better – but the three hand-pass rule is only going to heap pressure on referees.

“There is some logic; they are trying to encourage kicking and alleviate overly defensive systems but this is tackling the symptom rather than the problem.”