Laois football boss Justin McNulty believes that his team could benefit more from the back door system in the All-Ireland Championship, than they would if they progressed through the front door.
McNulty is of the opinion that championship teams don’t see enough regular game time, and while the back door route through the championship is difficult, it may offer teams a better chance at succeeding in the long run.
“It’s a totally different kettle of fish but in a way it’s better,” McNulty was quoted as saying in the Irish Examiner.
“These guys are footballers. That’s what they’re here to do. They want to be playing more often than the current championship system possibly allows.
“Two, three games a year is not worth all that training. Premiership soccer teams play once or twice a week. Why can’t GAA teams play at that level as well? Once every week, two weeks; that’s certainly not overloading in my mind.
"So long as we don’t carry any injury problems I don’t see that as being a problem, I see it as being an exciting challenge and an exciting opportunity.”
Laois were comfortable winners in their All-Ireland qualifier against Tipperary but, despite this, McNulty used three subs within the first 50 minutes of the game.
“This is not a 15 man game,” added McNulty.
“It’s a squad game and we’ve full confidence in the squad. We’ve strength in depth and we know we can call on any guys in any future match and know that they’ll do a job equally as well as the guys who have started.”