Tackling football’s core problems

Gaelic football is in danger of being severely undermined by the lottery of fouls.

It was difficult to watch last weekend’s All-Ireland qualifying Gaelic football matches without feeling concern for the overall health of the game. Perhaps it is the credit crunch, but the crowds were well down on previous years for the All-Ireland championship at this stage.

More significantly, the standards of the games themselves were very poor. All were referee-dominated occasions ...