Steven Poacher says fans need to better understand defensive systems

Steven Poacher says that the practice of criticising managers and teams for playing to a system only serves to highlight people’s ignorance of coaching.

In his column in this week’s Gaelic Life, he rebukes those who scorn the use of defensive styles of play, by stating that they simply don’t understand who games work.

He said: “This mass hysteria that surfaces every time a club team or a county team set up with a defensive formation or shape is just now at this stage pure ignorance by uneducated and tactically inept coaches.

“Any good coach involved in a team sport, will have a game plan or a system of play.

“Soccer teams have different ways of playing, basketball teams have game plans and systems, rugby teams and hockey teams basically all invasion games will have different styles and systems, why should Gaelic football be any different.”

Read the full column in the current issue of Gaelic Life. If you would like to read it now, buy the online edition by clicking here