Pat Spillane: Sweeper/keeper is a 'stupid idea'

Pat Spillane says he always thought the idea of a sweeper/keeper was a 'stupid idea'.

Speaking on the RTÉ GAA Podcast the former Kerry great said that a keeper's main purpose was to prevent goals, and that certain shot stoppers were on 'ego trips' when they ventured out the field.

A number of counties have deployed their goalkeepers as an extra outfield player at various stages of games in recent years, from 'marking space', when the opposition is setting up their own kick out, to being used out the field to create overlaps.

There have even been examples of keepers getting forward to score points from play, with Monaghan's Rory Beggan kicking a score in his county's Allianz League opener against Tyrone in January.

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The panel were discussing the topic following The Kingdom's league victory over Monaghan in Inniskeen on Sunday, in which Beggan was caught out of place twice for goals in a decisive period of the game, just after half-time.

"For years I've watched the evolution of this outfield, or sweeper, keeper," said Spillane.

"I was always biting my lip because I thought, 'this is a stupid idea but I can't say it because I'll be accused of living in the past.'

"A goalkeeper's primary job is to stop goals. If he was that good out the field he'd be playing there, not in goals!

"Once or twice in a game, an unexpected move, a bit of variety - I can see that - but they're all coming out now. These guys are on ego trips because they're on a powerful adrenaline push.

"The crowd are baying and