Managers join chorus of calls for black card system to be reviewed
COLM COLLINS, CLARE MANAGER
1 Is the black card working? When it was first brought in, the black card served its purpose and did cut out cynical play but the whole thing is beginning to disintegrate into a farce. We were told when it was introduced that it had to be clear-cut, but too many players have been sent off now, for black card offences that are in the grey area and are not clear-cut, at all. There is a lack of education among supporters about the card too, any foul and they are shouting for a black card, so it has become very confusing. If it is going to continue, it has to be used properly.
2 Would you be in favour of a sin-bin? I have always said that anything we can take from other sports that will improve our game, we should do it. The sin-bin works well in rugby, so there is no reason why it can’t work well in Gaelic football. But I also think we should look at soccer, at how linesmen can flag fouls that the referee has missed and we should look at bringing that into our game. And it beggars belief to me that the issue of time-keeping has not yet been taken out of the referee’s hands. It is about making the job easier for him.
3 Is it time for a video official? Again, this is something that works well in other sports, so why wouldn’t it work well in our sport. I know some will make the argument that there will be no video official for club matches or league games in the lower divisions, but so what? On All-Ireland final day, the biggest day for our sport, there should have been a facility where the referee went upstairs to someone watching on a monitor for a big call. If that was in place, Lee Keegan and Jonny Cooper might have stayed on the field last week. I would absolutely be in favour of a video official.
PETE MCGRATH, FERMANAGH MANAGER
1 Is the black card working? No, I don’t believe it is working and I think it is time now to review its place in our game. I think it has added to the confusion and uncertainty among players, and the offences which you can be given a black card for has become a grey area. In my mind, the offences outlined under the black card can be dealt with by a yellow card. We have four different cautions in our game now – yellow, red and black card as well as a tick. It is too many, especially for a referee trying to keep up with the pace of the game.
2 Would you be in favour of a sin-bin? I wouldn’t be in favour of a sin-bin because I believe it can become very messy and it could be completely unworkable at club level, where you may get players sent off for 10 minutes and they just go over to the sideline. Also, if a player is sinbinned, does that mean he is replaced for 10 minutes or a team down to 14 men for 10 minutes. It’s not something that I can see working throughout the game.
3 Is it time for a video official? I am not sure about that one. A referee has a team of officials who should be helping him on the field, as it is. Does he need another one in the stand? I know that Hawk-Eye has worked very well, but if they are going to think about bringing in a video official, he can only be used for decisive, game-changing incidents. Every time there is a melee in the middle of the field, the referee shouldn’t be consulting a video official. It should only be for red cards, penalty calls, that sort of thing.
JOHNNY MAGEE, WICKLOW MANAGER
1 Is the black card working? I don’t think it is working. There are still too many players willing to take a black card in the final few minutes for their team and there is still too much ambiguity over what constitutes a black card. The inconsistency is driving players mad, a black card offence in one game isn’t deemed so in the next.
2 Would you be in favour of a sinbin? In our Championship game against Carlow this summer, three of their players got a black card in the final few minutes, each of them stopped our team from building an attack. Would those players being as willing to take a black card for their team if they knew they weren’t going to be replaced, if they knew they would have to sit out the final few minutes. The sin-bin is a much better solution, it would make players think twice.
3 Is it time for a video official? The way that the game has gone, and the pace the players play at now at inter-county level, I think a video official is becoming a necessity. A referee has to make a call on a body-collision or third-man tackle when there may be five or six players may be within his eyeline. It is very unfair on a referee that he has to make that call in a split-second. If he had an extra pair of eyes looking at a video, it would be done and dusted in 30 seconds and it would be clear-cut. Traditionalists may cry that the game is taking from rugby, but I feel with the players getting even fitter, it is becoming more necessary.