Four pro teams in a different league.

[Spudulika]

Connect with kids early, you have them for life. The GAA are past masters on this, rugby followed their lead. Football clubs are, in all fairness, doing more to be involved with the community, consistent work like this means long term growth and an affinity with the club.

[GenerationXI]

The FAI need to push that the future of Irish football, the future premier league stars, the future International stars are being developed right here in Ireland. If the top talent is kept here for as long as possible I have no doubt the standard in the league will keep rising and the teams may even start getting the right money for their talent that they deserve.

Couln't agree more. Also, whatever about the Premier League/Championship, which could never hope to compete with, if you look at the volume of Irish Players playing professionally further down the English Tiers, you can't help but thinking we'd have a great league if they all stayed at home and made the move the way Keith Fahy, McClean, Kevin Doyle etc. did.

Jof, this was proposed by one former Cork City boss, a centralised contract system (not unlike the MLS) where players would be loaned to clubs and so that the FAI would protect and monitor the development of players under it's jurisdiction. It makes perfect sense for sport, society and business, so it was shot down by a combo of LOI, Junior and Schoolboy clubs as they all want their own little fiefdoms.

Sounds like a sensible idea, but to me there is a massive gulf between what an Irish Club and UK Club can offer a 16 year old in terms of facilities and development. How may 16/17 year-olds actually get to play in LOI first teams? Let's say I'm Bristol and I sign a 16-year-old from Cork and then I have to watch him try to develop in a set-up I don't consider to be as good as mine. It could be a deterrent. Equally, It's a tricky situation for a young man and his family to be in and sometimes I guess you just have to chase the dream. It's one thing to be noticed by one UK club when you're playing in Ireland, it's another when you're over in the UK playing and constantly coming into contact with other reserve team managers, their coaches and staff. It's a difficult question. If you compel someone to stay here, you have to accept you're asking them to stay in a system that's second rate and pass up on the opportunity to go to a club with a proper academy, full-time training etc.

It must be nearly time to dust of the All Ireland League thread as well

It's always been the answer to all of our problems.

[GenerationXI]

Also, in response to the OP, LOL. You can invent your FCs Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster and I'll still be at LOI games because they're not my teams. But, I, like the others on here, presume you're taking the pee.

[Sonny]

I, for one, welcome our new provincial overlords!

[sparky12345678]

These ideas come up again and again and there are some merits in aspects of them;
1. I like the idea of an All Ireland League, but obv the northerners; some sort of compromise needed
2. If we were starting from scratch regional clubs could be an idea BUT people are naturally very loyal to their clubs; However, there are 2 many clubs in Dublin (Galway had three and look what happened), and thats coming from a Sporting Fingal Fan. I would suggest 1 strong northside - 1 strong southside clubs (amalgmations of clubs are relatively common in the history of football). Bray and UCD somehow unite... Dno what to do with Louth... Galway Cork Derry and Sligo all hav a strong base but what next? how do Tralee expect to build any sort of fanbase? or Tipperary? or any rural areas??
Also comparing to Rugby is bad idea because the provinces play in the Celtic league which isnt nearly as popular as the Heinkein Cup (ie Champions league).
Although I think a Celtic League of football could also be interesting; Wales, N Ireland, Ireland and Scotland (minus Celtic and Rangers, although these days sure whats the difference) playing together could be great fun but is it viable?

As has been mentioned the only really longterm solution is the GAA model... Which means building strong underage clubs and filter clubs which means an amalgamation of the various self serving powerhungry football organisations (which is probably the biggest challenge) into one having a proper pyramid structure with junior clubs feeding senior ones etc...

[Guinney]

Dno what to do with Louth...

Louth Wanderers was been talked about for a few years, were Dundalk and Drogheda unite. Thankfully this will never happen.

[peadar1987]

I don't think Dublin particularly needs any more clubs, but two southside and two northside clubs should be sustainable. I know I haven't included UCD, but they're a bit of an anomaly, with their prospective fanbase far less tied to geography than the other two.

Bray aren't a Dublin club, we're the sole representative of Ireland's largest town, dont'cha know!

As for the rest, with no disrespect to Longford, if they can sustain a club, anyone can, let alone a county with a population as large as Kerry's

[BonnieShels]

I don't think Dublin particularly needs any more clubs, but two southside and two northside clubs should be sustainable. I know I haven't included UCD, but they're a bit of an anomaly, with their prospective fanbase far less tied to geography than the other two.

Bray aren't a Dublin club, we're the sole representative of Ireland's largest town, dont'cha know!

As for the rest, with no disrespect to Longford, if they can sustain a club, anyone can, let alone a county with a population as large as Kerry's

Drogheda and Dundalk are bigger. Swords isn't much behind Bray.

Are you nicking Cois Cairn for stats?

[peadar1987]

Drogheda and Dundalk are bigger. Swords isn't much behind Bray.

Are you nicking Cois Cairn for stats?

That's what I get for working off hearsay. I was told ages ago that all the settlements larger than Bray were cities, but it looks like Drogheda, Dundalk, and Swords are all bigger, and still classed as towns.

Interestingly, the actual order of the towns from the 2006 census is:

Dublin
Cork
Galway
Limerick
Waterford
Drogheda
Dundalk
Swords
Bray
Tralee
Sligo
Ennis
Naas
Celbridge
Navan
Newbridge
Clonmel
Leixlip
Malahide
Carlow
Kilkenny

and so on

Tralee actually has more than twice the population of, say, Athlone, and I didn't even go far enough down the list to find Monaghan or Ballybofey.

[Jofspring]

Dublin FC
Cork FC
Galway FC
Limerick FC
Waterford FC
Drogheda FC
Dundalk FC
Swords FC
Bray FC
Tralee FC
Sligo FC
Ennis FC
Naas FC
Celbridge FC
Navan FC
Newbridge FC
Clonmel FC
Leixlip FC
Malahide FC
Carlow FC
Kilkenny FC.

Now there's all The LOI's problems solved. A team in all the highest populated towns. Ye're all welcome.

[Eminence Grise]

Unless Tarmonbarry City get an invite to participate, I'm boycotting your league!

[Spudulika]

Unfair on Monaghan, half the dairy herds of the county turn up to watch! :-)

Can't be done on city size, this means difficulties in terms of competing sports! Best to go (as the Yanks did) on where the hotbeds of underage football (no sniggering down the back, this is EXACTLY what Chuck Blazer told us at a seminar 10 years ago). That way you tap into the youth players, link with the families and develop your "brand" accordingly. However.....it won't work in Ireland with the current FAI setup, the schoolboy leagues need to be cut off at the knees.

GenXI - you're correct in what you took on my post, and I don't have any answer to solve it. I know it depends on trust, but also that if a player, at 16/17/18 is bought by a club in the UK, for example, the fee goes centrally into the FAI with the schoolboy/youth clubs getting 50%. But remember that the FAI now are beholden to do something for their money - not only do they negotiate with the foreign clubs, they also have to ensure that facilities and coaching are right in Ireland, plus that local clubs have their own places. It can work, it should work, but it won't because it's Ireland, why? Because it makes sense and can function properly.

[Jofspring]

Unless Tarmonbarry City get an invite to participate, I'm boycotting your league!

They are in subject to licence requirements.

[legendz]

Dublin – as they are.
Cork – Cork City
Galway – Galway Utd
Limerick – Limerick FC
Waterford – Waterfod United
Drogheda – Drogheda United
Dundalk – Dundalk FC
Swords & Malahide – North Dublin Rovers
Bray – Bray Wanderers
Tralee – Munster Dynamos (Kerry, West Limerick & West/North Cork)
Sligo – Sligo Rovers
Ennis – Munster Rovers (Clare and nearby areas)
Naas, Celbridge, Newbridge & Leixlip - Kildare United
Navan – North Leinster Rovers
Clonmel – Munster Celtic
Carlow & Kilkenny – South Leinster United

Castlebar – Connaught Celtic (Mayo, Roscommon & Leitrim)

The leagues problems even more sorted. Keep the current clubs as the are and add in 9 clubs:
Galway – Galway Utd
Swords & Malahide – North Dublin Rovers
Tralee – Munster Dynamos (Kerry, West Limerick & West/North Cork)
Ennis – Munster Rovers (Clare and nearby areas)
Naas, Celbridge, Newbridge & Leixlip - Kildare United
Navan – North Leinster Rovers (Meath & Nearby areas)
Clonmel – Munster Celtic (Tipperary & nearby areas e.g. West Waterford/East Cork)
Carlow & Kilkenny – South Leinster United
Castlebar – Connaught Celtic (Mayo, Roscommon & Leitrim)

[Eminence Grise]

They are in subject to licence requirements.

Woo-hoo! Us Rossies can come up with the bestest laid plans to meet all requirements... DVD's, computer generated stadia plans, you name it we'll get it!

[Jofspring]

Woo-hoo! Us Rossies can come up with the bestest laid plans to meet all requirements... DVD's, computer generated stadia plans, you name it we'll get it!

If its the DVD you want sorted then you need to talk to Galway. If its the computer generated stadia then we are your men for the job. Finn Harps did a good job on a computer generated stadia too mind. If you want instant rivals then throw a Rovers at the end of the team name and just call yourselves Rovers on public forums. It will drive the Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers fans mad.