Donegal manager Jim McGuinness: New rules bring football back 20 years

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness believes football has rolled back two decades following the rules changes brought into the sport, but in a positive way.

The beginning of the Allianz Football League brings excitement as well as intrigue because of the impact of what McGuinness, like many others, describes as a completely new sport compared to before.

He is looking at the positives of such changes and is willing to embrace it rather than be cautious.

The former soccer coach told the BBC: "I think a lot of it is going to work to be honest with you. And I don't think it's going to be that difficult to police either. Probably the lads coming back from the other half [will be the most difficult].

"We've had a referee on the sideline trying to police that for us as they were dropping back in to help the man in the middle. But apart from that, they haven't been too difficult.

"One of the major issues that [got us here] in the first place was possession football.

"And I think you might have a situation where that can end up happening in the attack half and slowing play. But we'll have to wait and see. Will goalkeepers be as brave in reality as they are maybe in the off-season or the challenge games?

"I think the role of the keeper did become very pivotal. But I think in terms of kick out strategy, it became all short ones.

"And I think now you're going to see a different type of role required for the goalkeeper in terms of keeping the ball away from the opposition but also having a situation where there's length on the kick.

"And I think that's going to make it more exciting probably. The ball is going to be in contest a lot more and you know it's going to mean that people have to go back to the drawing board in many respects in terms of