How did Stephen Cluxton "revolutionise the game"?

blanch152 wrote: »

The thread title says it all.

We are not having a debate about how David Clarke or Brian Kelly revolutionised the game. Why? Because they didn't.

Cluxton is a once-in-a-lifetime player, captaining his team to three All-Irelands in a row, four in all. A goalkeeper scoring the winning point in the All-Ireland victory he didn't captain the team. Wow, just wow.

He doesn't kick the ball over the sideline in the last minute of the All-Ireland final like Clarke did and cost his team a chance to equalise, he doesn't miss the free in injury time to win the All-Ireland like Cillian O'Connor did, he has demonstrated the ability to close out those situations.

Sure, he has had occasional meltdowns or cracks in his technique, but when do they ever make the difference between winning and losing - hardly ever. Much was made of Mayo's success in the first half of the All-Ireland final this year on his kick-outs, but I can't remember the last time they handed out medals at half-time. By the end of the game, Cluxton's kick-out success rate was far superior to Clarke's and he nailed the ones that mattered. The same is seen on the other occasions.

Why do we now have a new rule that kick-outs have to cross the 20m line? Stephen Cluxton.

Why did we have a new rule that kick-outs must travel a certain distance? Stephen Cluxton.

Why did we have the introduction of the mark? Stephen Cluxton.

And despite those rule changes to curtail his influence, Dublin are still favourites to win next year.

Cluxton deserves to be considered in a debate not just about the greatest goalkeeper to play the game, but also about the greatest footballer to play the game. And he is not done yet.

That’s it in a nutshell. Rather than just basing it on opinions, if we consider the hard facts – the impact that one man has on the game of football. How can it be said that he hasn’t changed the way it is played. The main talking point when Dublin come up against any of the top teams is what are the opposition going to do for Cluxton’s kick-outs – press, hold back, kick the ball of the tee etc. Many people just think that kicking the ball sideways to unmarked corner back, big deal. Shure I can do that myself. Completely missing the picture. Cluxton has revolutionised the keeper’s role, which in turn impacts on the entire team. Or in fact, both teams – the opposition as well. Tyrone tried the press for the first 10 minutes of semi-final, but Cluxton had the ability to ping the ball long over the press, resulting in Dublin powering ahead, and Tyrone retreating to Plan B (unfortunately they had no Plan . Against Mayo couple of years back, he was going short one minute, then hitting Paul Flynn, D Connolly etc. in the half forward the next minute. Kept A O’Shea running around in circles, getting nowhere until he became exhausted and had no impact on the game. His ability to hit the ball high enough to bypass whatever standers are in his way, long enough to reach his target, and accurate enough that the player can just run on to the ball has revolutionised how the game is played. And in a good way in my opinion.

And good point made about the rule changes. If you have the hierarchy in GAA meeting together to bring in rules to counteract one man’s attributes, to try to introduce a leveller playing field, I think that says it all.

I’m from Mayo, but I find it baffling how it’s considered that David Clarke has been ahead of Stephen Cluxton for All-Stars in the past 2 years. I’m delighted for Clarke, but that’s just bias. If Mayo had Cluxton and Dublin had Clarke, I’d be pretty confident that it would be the Green and Red of Mayo belting out of the speakers after the final whistle in the last 2 years. But that is just subjective.

castletownman wrote: »

Sure the only reason Clarke hit that last kick-out over the sideline in the last minute, was because all of Mayo's outfielders and "out-balls" were unceremoniously dragged down by their respective Dublin markers in the most unashamedly unsporting and cynical act ever seen in September. Hard to find a target then

Bambi wrote: »

So you didn't watch the match then? There was no one dragged down when Clarke ballooned that kick over the line, and he had men free on the other side

In fact, on all his dire kick outs in extra time the only mayo player who was dragged down was leeroy in retaliation for "the most unashamedly unsporting and cynical act ever seen in September".

Clarke **** himself, plain and simple.

Apparently, you can still get the smell in Croker.

Bambi wrote: »

that image is so big because some people obviously have problems with their eyesight

No no no. The Dublin Meeja replaced the live video feed with a doctored version to hide the TRUTH of what happened.

They have the technology - developed at the cost of millions of Euro, diverted from development funds to a shady company operating out of DCU.....

Honestly, I don't even know how this fabrication got any traction at all, and yet it is quoted as Gospel in places.

I was being sarcastic lads.

Didn't mean to descend the thread into a Mayo/Dublin debate, and I apologise for doing so. Very touchy subject

Anyway back on track, while I outlined my opinion on it earlier, I would echo a previous posters contention that it was DUBLIN itself rather than Cluxton individually that revolutionised the game.

castletownman wrote: »

I was being sarcastic lads. Didn't mean to descend the thread into a Mayo/Dublin debate, and I apologise for doing so. Very touchy subject

Awwww. /puts away pitchfork and flaming torch.

castletownman wrote: »

I was being sarcastic lads.
Anyway back on track, while I outlined my opinion on it earlier, I would echo a previous posters contention that it was DUBLIN itself rather than Cluxton individually that revolutionised the game.

Bang on. However, I would add that while it is the team that wins, Cluxton is more often than not, the one pulling the strings.

blanch152 wrote: »

If it was DUBLIN itself that revolutionised the game, how come all the other counties haven't been able to replicate it and beat them? Answer: because they don't have another Stephen Cluxton.

At the end of the day, it was Cluxton's ability that revolutionised the game, the team took advantage of that.

Well I would argue that Dublin have a once in a generation panel of players too now. Hardly just Cluxton. I mean the graphic shown after the Tyrone game of the forwards that didn't start the semi shows their strength in depth.

I argued earlier that Durcan's kickouts were equally as effective and key to Donegal's system. And incidentally they shut down Cluxton in 2014, the last time Dublin lost in championship. So there's one example of it being beatable. I admit that it's harder to come up with other examples as they have generally swatted away all comers in the last three years (when the importance of his restarts are hardly that important when they are exceeding the handicap spread at the other end).

Now I get Cluxton is an icon of Dublin GAA, and is undoubtedly one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, but lord some of the fawning over him is overboard.

Nothing sly about the title of the thread, it opens it up to both the pro and the anti Cluxton folk.
I am firmly in the pro brigade so there is no confusion. He has with the help of a great team and tactical coaching changed the role a keeper plays. I don't think there was a sly dig at any other county, most if not all would take him in a heartbeat. He's that good, not sure what Dublin will do when he hangs up the boots.
Like the Gooch his talent should be celebrated. Like it or lump it the game has changed and he was a major factor in it.

For those who want all kickouts beyond the 45 and contested by midfielders, think what the game would end up as!!! Two 6' 8" midfielders looking for a mark on every kick out, I love high fielding as much as the next man but when a team has a ball the want to retain it.

blanch152 wrote: »

The kickout strategy really only dates back to Gilroy and only first had real effect in 2011. Since then, it has rarely been beaten. Some have cited the Donegal game, but that was down to poor play and panic by all-out attack and some wasteful wides.

Ger Brennan was a huge lose that day too.