So did Mick Collins, though FG won't admit it.Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Both tried and failed (although especially in the case of Sporting Fingal, it was more a case of being muppets and overspending than poor crowds. Their attendances were more than enough to sustain a club spending within its means)
There was talk of Bohs moving out to near the airport, but there was all sorts of shenanigans with them selling Dalyer, and then the property market crashed, so that put that one out of the question. St. Pat's would probably be the most "West Dublin" of the clubs, seeing as Shams are in Wicklow and all.
South Dublin is a huge catchment area with only UCD (whose association with the University doesn't help them with attendances unfortunately).
For what it's worth, I'd like to see a proper integrated pyramid system, even if that means a return to winter football. Ireland should be able to support maybe 30 professional or semi-professional clubs. So all format discussions aside, you'd have a top flight with stringent requirements on grounds, finances, coaching structures, etc. A division below it with less harsh requirements, then a fully regionalised division below that with only financial requirements, to stop teams going bust every ten minutes, where the lower end of the semi-pro teams would be mixing it up with sides towards the top of the amateur pyramid, and sides who ticked a certain number of boxes on ground, training and financial could be inserted into the system if the situation required (which would save reconstituted sides like FORAS and GUST having to start in the 15th division of the local regional set-up)
Absolutely agree. There's no future in that prospect whatsoever and as for the lure of Donegal lads to Derry. Inishowen is a significant area of the county where players look more toward Derry than Ballybofey for League of Ireland football. And south of Barnesmore gap players have an eye toward Sligo Rovers.
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Any Dublin clubs who might like to have a go?
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Like who? I'd imagine most LSL sides a) couldn't afford the step up, b) their home venues wouldn't even be a patch on Drom and c) they probably don't want their financials being looked over anyway. Any team that made the step up would probably have to drop all their ex-LOI players who are being paid under the table and still find the money to enter the league and probably rent a stadium from one of their other Dublin clubs. Generally speaking, if a club hasn't already expressed an interest they're a long way from applying.
With only 1 team in Galway next year confirmed, if nobody applies their will only be 7 teams in first div next season, surely that's why Fai looking for clubs to apply this year
Where is this confirmed?
I have scattered my dreams underneath your feet, tread carefully, cos it's my dreams you walk on.
FAI confirmed this a long time ago when the O Connor report came out, Talks are at advanced stage between Meruve, Salthill, GUST & Galway FA. It is proposed all the parties will have one member of the board of new club (don't have any further info),but I would expect more info on proposed new club will come out in next few weeks
I thought it was a wish of both the FAI and football in galway in general. Didn't realise it was official. I wish ye well, but I think ye need to get it together now, not in a few weeks. next season is not that far away
I have scattered my dreams underneath your feet, tread carefully, cos it's my dreams you walk on.
The FAI confirmed that it was what they wanted to happen. I think its far from confirmed in reality, especially with Mervue challenging for a play-off place and GUST getting their U-19 application rejected.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
They really are a step ahead of the rest, the FAI. They wanted one team in Galway, and most people would have looked at Galway United and said that's it. But they had a better plan - they brought in two more Galway teams, knowing they'd all eventually go bust and have to merge. That's why we pay the FAI so much - they're always thinking a step ahead of us mere mortals.
Anyone who thinks football can follow the GAA model of county clubs hasn't a clue about football.
Exactly, the product is fine, Irish people just dont like live football
Unless it involves them getting on a plane to the UK. Maybe if every team built an airport......
They do, just they seem to prefer it on a TV in a pub.
The trick is making them realise that it's even better to actually be at the thing.
IT has been confirmed,just not publicly. You could yet see Galway United return next year in the premier league! GUST have no u19 team so Mervue and salthill still have an outlet for their u18's. This then would give developing talent a better chance when taking the big step up to senior football, where GUFC will have 1st refusal on the players at both clubs
If Mervue get promoted, you mean? Or are we having another DVD competition?
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
What does this mean?
What happens if Galway and another club want to sign a player on amateur terms with Mervue or Salthill?
Are you suggesting that Galway will have some type of preferential rights? How would that be enforced if the player did not want to sign?
The issue is not with live football or the product - LoI is almost like having a guilty pleasure, people are interested but dont admit to it. Eg there is usually one person in every pub that is a rabid Man U, liverpool, Celtic etc fan, the most vocal person in the place, the one who swears at the big screen roaring instructions at players, and looks like at any monemt he is gonna put his pint through the TV. LoI gets a mention and superfan starts frothing at the mouth and ranting about how ****e LoI is and who would wanna watch? others just agree for peace and subject is dropped. Its just not trendy to follow LoI and those that do often are on the recieving end of scorn (though we know better as we are real football fans yeah). There are so many issues to deal with...so the one thing that could start a turn around is for Sky to to do for LoI what they have done for darts - superfan who lives life my the doctrine of Sky would overnight believe being a LoI fans is cool beause Sky sports says so. Its a limited and quick fix but all there is at the moment imo. Friday night football, Oriel Park, big crowd, controversy, goals, sending off - add a bit of SP1 razmataz and there is your produt in its best light (not because of Dundalk, just happens to be the stand out game and one was got over on the mighty Shamrock Rovers which garners its own type of attention). After this next is infrastructure, the two rovers have 2 of the best grounds and the highest gates, Cork and Lims are anomolies here and probably sorted with some onfield success. Sometimes the fixes are too deeply thought about like season played, community liason, dublin centric irish media coverage if any at all, community club, ownership types blah blah
You can't make a comment like that without trying to show a correlation between best grounds and highest gates. Especially when, as you note, Cork and Limerick have better grounds than both.
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