Championship format (poll hopefully!)

Imposter

Hopefully this works this time.

This thread is more about football than hurling but it could probably apply to hurling as well.

So with all the complaints about the back door system by managers this week, how do you think the Championships should be run.

Option 1: Do you favour the current system of having the provincial championships, back-door system and then all-ireland series?

Option 2: Do you favour the system proposed by Armagh's Joe Kernan where the provincial championships are played as a league basis and then semis and finals for the province followed by the all-ireland semis?

Option 3: Do you favour splitting the provincial championships and the all-ireland into seperate competitions with both running as knock-out competitions?

OPtion 4: Do you favour splitting the provincial championships and the all-ireland into seperate competitions with the all-ireland running as a league with groups of 4 or 5 initially and then knock-out. Teams could also be seeded?

Option 5: Do you favour the old system where there is no back door and teams get just one chance?

Option 6: Or do you favour some other system? If so please explain.

redspider

I think the current system is good, although it has some faults that could be rectified. One problem is that the teams that say lose a provincial title are usually on a big downer and so it is necessary that they get at least 2 weeks to prepare. But maybe that another aspect could be that the draw should be open rather than pairing losers of provincials versus qualifier winners who are obviously on a high. The trend over the last few years is favouring the qualifying counties.

Other suggestions:
I think the league should be started say in March and really be a part of an all-ireland qualification process. Those teams that do well get better placings and are seeded.

Another option for a new way of running it would be to use the league part to weed out the bottom-16, similar to Aussie Rules. Again, start it in March, say with 8 groups of 4. Then have play-offs, and have a back-door system too.

Waylander

Ilike the current sytem but I was strongly opposedtoit when they introduced tit so it is hard to say for sure. I think that the only thing that really needs improvement is the scheduling of matches. Whatever about teams playing two weeks in a row this is Laois' third week in a row, and that is too much for amatuer sports men\women with fulltime jobs as well.

Imposter

My opinion is that an option4 type championship would be best. I'm not a huge fan of the back door as it means teams have been beaten but still can win the championship. The numbers of counties in provinces (notably ulster and leinster) often mean that the current system discriminates against them too as they have to play more games.

The back door was introduced so that weaker teams would get more games but what it has turned out ot be is that the stronger teams who have a bad day can still be successful.

I think having a complete open draw championship would even up any perceived (or existing) disparities in the standards of the provinces. Playing a mini league initially gives the weaker counties more games and more importantly everyone in equal in terms of games played to win the all-ireland (unless there's a group or 2 with 5 in which case some teams may have 1 more game). It also eliminates a back-door. A team can have a bad day in one of the initial league games and recover but they can't lose later on in the tournament and expect to progress.

I would also run the provincial championships seperately and possibly use the results from this to seed the teams for the all-ireland championship. I would think that teams would still be up for these championships as it is seen as a significant acheivment to win these. To this end I would also scrap the league as it is treated as a joke by a lot of teams.

Anyways, that's my 2c.

Waylander

Imposter wrote:

The back door was introduced so that weaker teams would get more games but what it has turned out ot be is that the stronger teams who have a bad day can still be successful.

I disagree with this statement. Look at this years provincial finals and you will see that Laois, Westmeath and Limerick were all still in the competition. I think this is a testament to the back door system, and that Westmeath and Limerick in particular have flourished under this system over the last few seasons. I thinkit has been very successful to date.

Imposter

Waylander wrote:

I disagree with this statement. Look at this years provincial finals and you will see that Laois, Westmeath and Limerick were all still in the competition. I think this is a testament to the back door system, and that Westmeath and Limerick in particular have flourished under this system over the last few seasons. I thinkit has been very successful to date.

Them 3 examples you've given have improved because of strong underage teams down through the years. Imo the qualifier system has had little to do with their success.

On the other hand Galway, Armagh and this year Dublin for example are benefiting from it far more than the weaker counties seem to be.

Edit: I even think the GAA has realised this and that new cup (whatever it was called) what introduced for those weaker teams as the qualifiers wasn't working to their advantage.

kilkennycat2004

Waylander said

I like the current sytem but I was strongly opposedtoit when they introduced tit so it is hard to say for sure. I think that the only thing that really needs improvement is the scheduling of matches. Whatever about teams playing two weeks in a row this is Laois' third week in a row, and that is too much for amatuer sports men\women with fulltime jobs as well.

Same story with Kilkenny hurlers after we beat Clare tomorrow:-)
The only real solution may involve an earlier start to the championship for more teams. May not suit RTE but at the business end of the championship teams much be given a chance to recover.