Revamp for League Cup and Europa League places.

**SunderlandBohs** · 26/05/2009, 9:14 AM

With the League Cup looking like lame duck I came up with this idea.

Move the final to the October Bank Holiday weekend and play it in a neutral ground i.e Cork v Derry in Athlone Town Stadium or Bohs v Dundalk in United Park. Or maybe hold the final in Tolka Park.

The winners of the LC enter a play-off with the 3rd place team or maybe 3rd, 4th and 5th places for a spot in the Europa League at the end of the season.

Other countries have done something along the same lines so why not here?

What do you think?

**howsyourtouch** · 26/05/2009, 10:19 AM

the fai would find some way to seriously mess this up...

**neutrino** · 26/05/2009, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by SunderlandBohs

With the League Cup looking like lame duck I came up with this idea.

Move the final to the October Bank Holiday weekend and play it in a neutral ground i.e Cork v Derry in Athlone Town Stadium or Bohs v Dundalk in United Park. Or maybe hold the final in Tolka Park.

The winners of the LC enter a play-off with the 3rd place team or maybe 3rd, 4th and 5th places for a spot in the Europa League at the end of the season.

Other countries have done something along the same lines so why not here?

What do you think?

a very valid idea that would bring the league cup more into focus. Playing games on monday/tuesday nights doesnt help either but I reckon it's hard to fit it in any other way. The Euro Play-Off would be a good addition and add something new. Worth exploring !!

**holidaysong** · 26/05/2009, 12:11 PM

To be honest, I don't think it would encourage clubs to take the competition more seriously and it could just end up with our league having weaker representatives in Europe.

**Ceirtlis** · 26/05/2009, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by SunderlandBohs

With the League Cup looking like lame duck I came up with this idea.

Move the final to the October Bank Holiday weekend and play it in a neutral ground i.e Cork v Derry in Athlone Town Stadium or Bohs v Dundalk in United Park. Or maybe hold the final in Tolka Park.

The winners of the LC enter a play-off with the 3rd place team or maybe 3rd, 4th and 5th places for a spot in the Europa League at the end of the season.

Other countries have done something along the same lines so why not here?

What do you think?

Dont really like the idea to be honest. The Fai Cup is the main cup competition, I dont think the league really needs another strong one especially now when clubs have lesser numbers in their squads. I also think it is unfair to jeopordise the european spot of a club that have finished 3rd in the league by giving an equal chance to a team who have won a mid-week competition. The Setanta Cup place is enough for the league cup winners.

**Dodge** · 26/05/2009, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Ceirtlis

Dont really like the idea to be honest. The Fai Cup is the main cup competition, I dont think the league really needs another strong one especially now when clubs have lesser numbers in their squads. I also think it is unfair to jeopordise the european spot of a club that have finished 3rd in the league by giving an equal chance to a team who have won a mid-week competition. The Setanta Cup place is enough for the league cup winners.

Yep, league cup is now the 5th competition for some LOI sides. No need to revamp it. Some take it seriously, and good luck to them. Fairly big prize money for it

**thischarmingman** · 26/05/2009, 1:51 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

it could just end up with our league having weaker representatives in Europe.

Originally Posted by Ceirtlis

I also think it is unfair to jeopordise the european spot of a club that have finished 3rd in the league by giving an equal chance to a team who have won a mid-week competition.

I agree completely, it would be foolish to jeopardise the work (even if it is two steps forward and one backward at tiems) done by our teams in Europe in the past few years. It's too important to risk with one of our second rate teams...

...then again, Pats will be in Europe this year...

**RoversHead** · 26/05/2009, 3:08 PM

If you consider how many games a team has to win to finish 3rd compared to winning league cup would it not be a little unfair to lose out on a euro spot after a 3rd place finish .Id scrap the competition if it wasnt for the fact that it gives squad players a run out and div 1 sides a shout at winning something.Every league in europe has this issue with the second cup comp no easy fix.

**L.T.F.C.** · 26/05/2009, 9:31 PM

good idea but i wouldn't have the players change in Tolka.

**gufcfan** · 27/05/2009, 7:25 PM

Don't like the idea. Europa League qualification should be left as it is. The League Cup is plenty carrot for many teams who are on the trail of some silverware.