Football doesn't need fixing says Derry boss Mickey Harte

The Derry manager was speaking after his side recorded a fourth straight league victory by defeating Galway in Salthill, a game played 24 hours after the GAA's annual congress finished in Newry on Saturday.

A relatively low key congress saw the smallest motion list (26) for 20 years as Armagh's Jarlath Burns was elected the Association's new President. Notable changes did include all cards carrying into extra-time, meaning players red-carded no longer being able to be replaced for extra-time, while Motion 19 ensured temporary rules which have been in place for a number of years were made permanent. These included the black card and penalty rule which will become permanent and be applied to U20 and minor level next season.

Derry were beneficiaries of that particular rule against Galway when Diarmuid Baker was denied a goalscoring opportunity after a challenge from Kieran Molloy which brought the Galway man a black card and Derry a momentum changing penalty, but Harte still believes evolution beats revolution in terms of improving football as a spectacle.

"It's the name of the game and it makes you wonder why do we need to change the rules?" he explained when it was pointed out that four Derry ‘defenders’ have hit the net in the county's opening four league games.

"People are talking about changing the rules and there seems a lot of discontent with what's going on but I don't think you need to change rules. Teams change the game. Teams adapt, teams adjust, teams do whatever is required to make the best of the game that's about at that moment and I think the game we have at the minute is very good.

"One thing that I don't like is the forward mark. Other than that I think everything else is workable. Coaches and coaching teams have got to work out the side of the game that isn't good to look at and we all know there's a degree of people doing the same things, just to hold possession with no particular purpose in mind.

"That isn't good for people to watch and I understand that but there's so much good about the game as well so I don't think we just tear it up and write a new set of rules because one element of the game had taken a development that means one part isn't good to look at."

"Last night's game, Dublin versus Kerry; same set of rules and a brilliant game. Tyrone versus Mayo in the first half wasn't particularly good to look at but second half was a really good game so I don't think we need to be getting so concerned about all these rule changes.

"Just let's play the game and let it evolve because people have to work out ways of dealing with what they are confronted with."