Tactical Evolution in Gaelic Football

Emmet RyanAction81.com

• Write the Tactics not Passion column on Action81.com

• Played with Crokes for 15 years, un-used sub for a lot of good teams and starter for a lot of not so good teams.

• And most of you probably know Larry.

What we’re going to look at

1. Know your resources2. The modern field3. It’s not all about defence4. But we’re still going to talk about Donegal5. Applying theory to chaos6. Q&A

1. Know your resources

Players

• Man management is vital to any strategySWOT each member of your panelLook at what they respond toAcknowledge deficiencies, work around themWhat makes a player a contributor?http://youtu.be/SIgsvouuYsI

The Rise of Average

• Average doesn’t mean bad, it means average.Crokes, Crossmaglen, and anyone winning

Dublin are exceptions not the rule.Garrycastle won Leinster without a deep panelJust 4 players from the Donegal vs Kildare All

Ireland quarter final in 2011 lined out in their respective county finals last year.

2. The modern field

The way we see teams line out is evolving

• Kildare vs. Down in August 2010 – Kept one extra man back as sweeper.

• Kildare vs. Tyrone in April 2012 – Played an end to end pressing game.

• Formation is fluid and prone to some rather radical innovations.

• Does this look like 3-3-2-3-3?

This may look familiar

3. It’s not all about defence

Crossmaglen

• Turned the idea of swarm play on its head.• Theory is pretty simple, over-run the

opponent in attack and get as many players forward as fast as possible.

• Execution is more complex.• Relies on every piece working.

Galway

• Working with resources• Shortage of large players, so they can’t be

Cork.• Not the deepest panel, so they need to keep it

simple.• If everybody looked the same, we’d get tired

of looking at each other.

4. But we’re still going to talk about Donegal

Lovely people, awful drivers, lots of rain

• Team that couldn’t get past the first round of Ulster played 14 league and championship games in 2011, lost just 2.

• Looked at what he had and asked what he could do with it.

• Recognised where there was depth, at the back, and built from there.

The 45-45

• Sean Moran called it Cat O’Naccio.• Dominate the terms of how and when the ball

crosses either 45.• Recognises space as a resource more than

possession.• High tempo but can slow the game down.• First half against Dublin was their magnum

opus.

The Michael Murphy question

• Donegal vs. Cork in 2009.• Defensive role but still pivotal to attack.• Donegal vs. Cork in March 2012.• Even see the dilemma with Glenswilly.

5. Applying theory to chaos

The more you put in…

• Learn everything you can about your own team.

• Learn everything you can about your opponent.

• Be willing to change but don’t blow up the bus – Dublin in 2010.

• Never stop evolving.

Remember…

• Every strategy is reliant on the personnel.Fermanagh in 2012 Division 4 Final.• Fail to be prepared, prepare to failEventually caught up with St Brigid’s.• For the love of everything, try to enjoy

winning.

6. Q&A and contact info

• Website: Action81.com• Twitter: @action81• Email: emmet@action81.com