Monaghan legend Conor McManus has retired from inter-county football just as the game introduced new rules that would have suited him perfectly.
The 37 year old was hoping to try one more year with the Farney men, but his injuries just wouldn't let him, but he has enjoyed the enhancements so far.
Speaking to Ireland AM the sharp shooter admitted that changes needed to be made, for the sake of Gaelic football.
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“100 percent the game needed it. There are no two ways about it. The game needed something.
“It had become very stale, very robotic, very sterile. In the last year or two I wasn’t starting some of the league games.
“You were sitting watching games where you would never be doing that before because you were always stuck in the middle of it.
“It was boring. It was boring to watch. It was a poor, poor spectacle. You are sitting and in the crowd around you, you can hear people talking to each other. That’s not what Gaelic football should be and the atmosphere in Gaelic football games should be.
“It definitely needed changing and it’s good to see that it has changed. It’s good to see games now. They are a better watch. They are a better spectacle. There’s more attacking in it. It definitely has helped the game.”
Watching the likes of Michael Murphy returning to the game and having an immediate impact against Armagh last weekend, McManus can't help but wish that he got an opportunity to try the new rules.
However, retirement isn't something that he is going to let hold him back either as he accepts that it was simply out of his hands.
“Listen, it would have been great and that’s what probably took me a wee bit longer (to decide on retirement) than if there was no rules change. I would have been gone probably sooner, towards the end of last year.
“You were sort of sitting back waiting to see were the new rules going to come in and then trying to figure out after that was the body going to be fit to do it.
“It just wasn’t. I would have went back in and tried it. I always felt I didn’t want to be in there, just for the sake of being in there.”
"I didn’t really want to retire - It’s fairly well documented now.
“I just got to the stage where I wasn’t able to train to the level to play inter county football. I could get through a game, but when you go in the gates of Cloghan on a Tuesday or a Friday night you need to be 100 per cent all in.”
Monaghan seem to have adapted well to the new rules and have been in good form so for in Division Two as they hope to secure promotion back to the top table next season.
