Oisin Mcconville

The benefits of appointing an ‘outside’ team manager have certainly come up for discussion as several County Boards get down to the difficult business of appointing new bosses.

I had the pleasure of working alongside Mickey Harte in our shared roles as BBC pundits in the closing stages of the All-Ireland Championship.

Less than a decade ago, inter-county football and hurling team management appeared to be the goal of many people.

There is no doubt right now that we have an increased emphasis on the participation of children in Gaelic games.

The decision to pull the plug on the redevelopment of Casement Park for Euro 2028 just when we all thought that a spanking new stadium was in the offing has created a huge sense of disappointment throughout Ulster.

Each passing week brings us a step closer to the introduction of new playing rules that Jim Gavin and his Review Committee will propose later this year.

There is no doubt that the introduction of new playing rules in Gaelic football will serve to transform the game.

The scrapping of the traditional early-season competitions, the relatively poor standard of club football of late and the ongoing debate in relation to the proposed new playing rules are certainly providing GAA chiefs with rather more than just food for thought.

We are slowly coming to the end of another year and while most people will have things to do and targets to meet, I believe that now would be as good a time as any for the GAA to take stock.

There is no doubt that misfortune can plague sportsmen and women just as it can assail the rest of us.