Former Mayo footballer Conor Mortimer says new rules would have suited him

Michael Bolton

Former Mayo footballer Conor Mortimer says the new rule changes would have suited him back when he played.

As players around the country prepare for the third round of the Football League, the new rules are becoming more familiar with every training session.

The opening games have seen more room for attackers, with the three-v-three rule leading to more chances for forwards.

Reflecting on what he has seen so far, Mortimer said the new rules would have benefitted him.

"Provided the ball came in fast, I would have liked to play in today's game. A lot of the new rules are what it was like for me for all my career, it was one-on-one a lot of the time.

"Typically speaking, if you beat your man, you are in shooting range of a score. From 2012 on when Donegal

"I think teams have yet to adapt to the long kick, they are still taking a little bit out of the ball.

"When teams are doing something for seven or eight years, it is going to take time. There are still 11 behind the ball if you slow down the play.

"In terms of the hop and solo, it is kind of a hybrid game like the AFL, which suits Mayo, we like our half-backs to bomb forward."

During his time with Mayo, Mortimer was one of the most dangerous forwards in the game.

However, in 2012, with Mayo managed by James Horan, he stepped away from the panel and admitted the years that followed were not easy.

“When I left that time, I don't know what you'd call it, a bit of a hissy fit or whatever with Horan at the time. I'm probably more regretful than anything else.

“I felt I had a couple of years left in me at that level, that was probably the hardest bit for me. I didn't deal with it greatly at that time, and I didn't deal with it great after because I was watching Mayo playing, knowing I could've been out there.

“It was only when I got a little bit older I was able to think would you be able to sit on a bench, be part of a squad thing, I would now because I'm older. At that time, I thought I was better than everyone else, that was my own little bit of a mistake at the time.

“I loved playing the game. I grew up playing with a football, and I got to a level by playing all of the time, by practising all of the time.”

It has not been an easy start for Mayo in Division One, with defeats to Dublin and Galway in the opening games. This season saw Mayo lose a lot of experience, with Cillian O'Connor, Padraig O'Hora and Rob Hennelly all stepping away from the panel.

Mortimer hopes new players will be integrated into the team this season, which he says could make a difference at the crunch stage.

“We've had who we've had for the last number of years, and been very competitive. We haven't got over the line.

"Like all successful teams, you need to be able to embed one or two each year, Dublin has done it, Kerry has done it, Tyrone has done it, Armagh has done it.

“If we look back at the last six or seven years with Mayo, we haven't too many new lads by All-Ireland quarter, semi, and final time. It is generally your 15 who we've had.

“I'd like to think there will be two or three additions this year, who will add to the team when they're on the field and are embedded with that trust to make a difference when it matters.

“While it is disappointing to lose a couple of games, there is a bit of pressure on: we probably need to beat Tyrone. You don't want to be losing three and then having to win your last maybe four games. That is undue pressure.

“This game in Castlebar, we need to start making home advantage count. What was most worrying, it wasn't the defeat against Galway, it was the manner of the defeat.”