John O'Keeffe looks at how the game has become more defensivelyminded, leading to a decline in skills
A lot more match analysis has crept into preparations and one of the most analysed teams in the country is Kerry. We've probably had a tendency to play the same way since the 1970s and the attitude has been: why change the system? But it's very easily analysed with six forwards who play in fixed positions. Northern teams have been figuring out a way to beat the system.
This philosophy of defending has looked at the principles of defence in soccer - essentially you have four defenders defending against two attackers - and taken them on board. When analysing Kerry you look at Mike Frank Russell and Colm Cooper and you don't want to get isolated with either of them one-on-one trying to defend. One solution is to block the avenue to goal so there are at least seven defenders marking six forwards.
Armagh use Kieran McGeeney and Tony McEntee as defenders to ensure the opposition won't put up big scores. This has impacted all around the field. Wing forwards traditionally had an exclusively attacking role but that has changed to a 50-50 attack and defence role with players constantly dropping back. This has been developing for a number of years but it's far more prevalent now. Wing forwards are playing like backs and teams field four forwards at most.
I would fear for the game it's got so defensively minded. It's not the spectacle it used to be, but in fairness to managers, their emphasis is on winning matches.
The way to unlock these new formations is with quick release and long kick-passing, preferably with a Bomber Liston style of inside forward - big and mobile - to exploit the early ball. But players coming up in clubs are being drilled in hand-passing and slow build-up, which allows the blanket defence of rugby.
Modern football culture says "mind the ball", "play it short" and, most importantly, "don't give it away". A lot of this is because players no longer have confidence in their ability to kick the ball long. Coaches give out to players for giving away possession.
Another of the great skills is catching high ball in the middle of the field. At times this is not even contested and players simply wait to ambush the fielder. So a great skill is being lost.
Give Tyrone credit: they are very capable of playing a high standard of football because they have good kickers, pace and intensity. But it is ingrained in their heads: "when you lose the ball, you've got to fight tooth and nail to get it back - even if you're a corner forward."
It's a tremendous testament to their fitness levels and the unselfish effort the players put in. This also applies to Armagh but Tyrone are more intense and have more natural footballers.
There is also a huge emphasis on statistics, with print-outs of players' performances telling how many times they gave the ball away, how many wides, how many tackles missed. In the old style, a few mistakes were accepted and you didn't mind about it - just kept the game going. Improved analysis is, however, a good thing. It is an aspect of the modern game that will improve football, whatever style is being played.
But the game needs more kicking. The incentive is that a side that can kick accurately from distance will score points and release inside forwards more quickly. This isn't sour grapes or arrogance. I'm not saying there's something wrong with football just because we (Kerry) are not winning. Kerry have to adapt to modern play if we want to be successful, have to get people behind the ball to protect a two-man full-back line. We can't expect the traditional ways to work just because they always did.
The two best teams are in the final. Criticisms of Tyrone's style of play have been over the top. I would rate them as good players individually with high skill levels. Complaining about style won't help Kerry in the long run. We weren't as hungry as they were. When the game was up for grabs early on Kerry didn't look like they had the hunger. And I can't explain why not. I don't believe that one or two All-Ireland medals should take the appetite off a Kerry footballer.
We would be aware of the charge that Kerry football now has a soft centre. It's a hard one to take because it's contrary to everything Kerry footballers should stand for. I feel this year - and maybe it's an excuse - we just hadn't met anyone with the sort of intensity Tyrone had. In Kerry we tend to believe footballers fall like leaves from the trees. But that's no longer the case so we need preparations from an earlier stage.
From the age of 15 or 16 players need to be educated in how to become as good a footballer as they can possibly be. That means putting more effort into development squads and taking advantage of the strong schools structure in the county, where we have half a dozen A colleges.
What you ultimately want in your senior intercounty team are players who have the desire and a lifestyle that's conducive to playing at the highest level. That means extra work and extra sacrifices - gym work, kicking practice, etc.
Most county teams train at night and have these big meals at night and you'd have to wonder about that. But we also expect them to curtail their social lives almost completely and that's a huge ask for amateur players. Yet that's what you have to do. Live like a professional. And if you don't have compliance, you're not going anywhere.
The qualifier system has made the All-Ireland harder to win but expectations in Kerry haven't reduced. In a way that's a good thing but the bar is higher nowadays. We have a Sports and Leisure department in IT Tralee and that has to be expanded, developed and used more for player assessment and devising development programmes.
But there is an awful lot of pride in this county and I'm sure the lessons will be learned. These things are cyclical. Players will continue to come around through the schools but we must be ready for them when they do.
