Jim Gavin says further adjustments to the new football rules have been recommended by the Football Rules Committee (FRC) based on feedback after five rounds of league action.
The new rules have been the main talking point of the Allianz Football League campaign to date, with some coming under severe scrutiny by various inter-county managers.
The FRC met for the 50th time on Monday night, where as expected, tweaks were put forward following discussions.
"There are adjustments," FRC chairperson Gavin told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. "We have made some recommendations."
Those recommendations are passed to the Standing Committee on the Playing Rules, who will make recommendations to Coiste Bainistí Members, the management committee chaired by GAA President Jarlath Burns.
They’ll consider the recommendations and make motions towards Central Council.
"They meet next Thursday to vote on any proposals, if any, that are made," Gavin added.
Last weekend a number of inter-county managers voiced their dissatisfaction with elements of the new rules. Dermot McCabe, Peter Keane, Davy Burke, Jim McGuinness, Pádraic Joyce and most vociferously, Meath manager Robbie Brennan criticised spoke out .
Gavin acknowledged their input.
"We have got feedback from inter-county and club managers, GPA submissions in recent days. It is all welcomed," he said.
"In general, people like what they see. Inter-county managers, they represent 2% of the Games of our Association, but they are a very important stakeholder. They get a shop window for 26 weeks of the year. It's very important to listen to them, but we also listen to the clubs."
However, Gavin suggested that those managers who fail to embrace the new rules will be at a competitive disadvantage
"Like any general management, you have a bell curve. You have people who are leading it, who are innovators, and you have people who are laggards.
"In society, that's what it is in general. The early adopters, we can see already those teams who are thriving in this particular space, but we take all feedback onboard."
The 50m advancement for tactical fouling has been a bone of contention for some who suggest it is too severe a penalty. Gavin was asked if he agreed.
"We believe they are not. Let's look at the discipline piece. Not one person in the survey has said that is a bad idea. People might have said it’s harsh, but it’s to disincentivise the abuse of referees that has gone on for so long."
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Ethan Rafferty gets an opportunity to speak with FRC member Peter Canavan about his concerns for goalkeepers. 'I could be out of a job tomorrow' he says.
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The 20-second rule for goalkeepers to get their kickout away has been criticised in some quarters, compunded by the fact it wasn't in force from round one of the league. Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty says it has created "uncertainty" for players and officials alike, but Gavin says analysis carried out on the opening four rounds of the league indicates the average kickout is 21 seconds.
Gavin also responded to concerns over player welfare. Donegal manager Jim McGuinness stated at the weekend that the number of soft-tissue injuries indicates that recovery time is decreasing.
"It almost feels like everything that the FRC are coming up with is to try and create a level of fatigue in the players," he said following his side's victory over Derry.
Gavin insists that any response to those concerns will be data-based. The association has linked up with Dublin City University, with Professors Niall Moyna and Mark Roantree undertaking statistical analysis to determine the physical demands on players.
"What we have heard is that there are more demands on players, but we haven't seen the data yet because teams are not sharing the data with us. That research is ongoing," he said.
"Until we get the data, which will be anonymised – I don’t need to know who the counties are – but until we have the data we can’t make any assessment of the physical demands."
