As sport evolves, it is important that players at all levels adapt their game and learn from other sports to get ahead. With that in mind, Tipperary footballer Michael Quinlivan joined us on OTB AM to give even the most amateur player some tips on how to succeed at full-forward.
At inter-county level, opponents worth their salt will be putting every body on the line to stop a full-forward of Michael's skills. He let us into how he regards with the physical presence of backs, and how he views other sports in this regard.
"There is a lot of enjoyment to be had out of good defending. A lot of enjoyment. You look at the enjoyment the Italians get out of it every year, in a World Cup or in a Euros - they won't be there to ruin a tournament this year!
"Quality defending has its place. And a system overcoming another system is as enjoyable a thing for a manager and a player [...] From watching rugby, it seems like big turnovers inside your own 22 are nearly celebrated more than a try in a lot of cases!"
"You can at certain points of the game [be marked by 2 or 3 people.] But that is when you're trying to transition and to take the ball off of their setup. It has become more if a counter-attack in that regard - winning the ball high up the field has become more important.
"If you look at Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, when Firmino wins the ball back then Salah and Mane are gone. They can score within five seconds of winning that ball back.
The importance, however, is on the entire team being on the same page when it comes to pressing, because working in small numbers doesn't work.
"It can be a bit more difficult when it's only two people and the field is a hell of a lot bigger. But if we could pinch it two or three times in a half, you might get a goal off one of them or you might get a couple of points. It is a huge lift for the whole team if the forwards are winning the ball back.
There is an importance placed on the accountability of players, but Michael was keen to impress that even top players get lucky.
"It takes a while. It is bred into people that when you are a forward you are supposed to score but it is just the way the game has gone - where it is everyone attacks, everyone defends - it becomes a lot more apparent.
"You can measure how hard a team is working, and the thing is that it doesn't come every day. Some days you can try as hard as you want and you won't get near [your opponents.] There are other days when you are lazy, you go five yards and there is a loose pass and you look great!
In a sport where everyone is encouraged to 'take your point', the scoring of goals can often be viewed askew even when it is so clearly beneficial for the team. Quinlivan has been one of the more prominent goalscorers of late, and had some advice as to how to improve deadliness in front of goal.
"It gives the team a huge lift. A goal at the highest level is not just a goal, it's maybe 1-5 or 1-4, and suddenly three points is turned into seven points. Mayo did it to us a couple of years ago in an All-Ireland semi-final - we thought we were playing really well, they get a goal and then suddenly they've kicked 1-6 in the space of ten minutes.
"When you get in [close to goal] - and my Dad was a goalie in GAA - the goalie is just coming out to make himself as big as possible. So just a small bit of a small bit of a slip either side and the ball will normally go in."
Michael was on OTB AM, which you can find weekdays from 7:45 on our Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.
