what are the solutions?

[bishbash]

What can be done to drastically improve the current loi?

A list of suggestions,

is the 2 division system really working or would one division with a reduction of teams be a better idea. I mean this year when kilkenny pulled out was it wise to introduce sporting fingal, i know they have done extremely well at this season and are very much in the shake up for promotion but another team from Dublin where there are so many clubs already and attendences are poor enough as it is and lets be honest thats one of the biggest if not the biggest problem lack of support. maybe one division with less teams may SLIGHTLY improve the situation.

Better media coverage (RTE) where our national broadcaster commits to showing at least one game each week through either rte or tg4.

Obviously better financial management through a salary cap for example. Ensured by a number of external accountants, appointed maybe by the fai, who control the finances of each club. I know this will effect the quality of players attracted to the league but we have to take a step back to go forward.

The most important part and the hardest part to improve the support of the teams. we are supposed to be a great nation for support will this league proves otherwise we are bandwagon supporters as proven by munster rugby. great support there now but many people will tell you that they remember watching munster play leinster in front of 500 people and we are not talking about 30 years ago either! If this league was supported properly the skys the limit. we could see our top teams qualifying for the group stages of the uefa cup and have top european teams coming here regularly. Its up to each individual "football fan" in this country to try make th difference.

introduction of schoolboy academies for all clubs to try bring the standard up and to get clubs to produce home grown talent like most clubs in other countries. yes i know that this another drain on finaces but also any top young players who move on will generate money. do this by working in conjunction with local junior legues and form some sort of partnership with them

And failing all this find 22 russian billionaire oil tycoons and its happy days.

[Mr_Parker]

I laugh everytime I see the salary cap mentioned. The simple solution is to live within your means and don't gamble with the long term future of clubs.

[bishbash]

obviously this does'nt happen and that is why a solution has to be found i.e independent accountants monitoring the books.

[Student Mullet]

We need to change the number of teams in each division.

[MariborKev]

I laugh everytime I see the salary cap mentioned. The simple solution is to live within your means and don't gamble with the long term future of clubs.

Stick to causing mayhem on ILS.

[holidaysong]

We need to change the number of teams in each division.

:eek: :D

We do this every two or three years anyway!

[passerrby]

i think we have one more chance to save our league we must hand over the running of the league to the fai who must appoint a director and a club promotion officer and they must bring in a salary cap and we need our own weekly tv program if we dont do this we re fcuked.. doh

[Student Mullet]

Does anyone else look back fondly to the time of the Genesis Report when the league was only loosing 3 million a year?

[HarpoJoyce]

Does anyone else look back fondly to the time of the Genesis Report when the league was only loosing 3 million a year?

Which Genesis report?
Wait...what am I asking you for, you have no idea. Otherwise you wouldn't insult people by suggesting there is only one.

[Mr A]

I laugh everytime I see the salary cap mentioned. The simple solution is to live within your means and don't gamble with the long term future of clubs.

Very simple in theory, but when the clubs around you are spending wildly you suffer badly on the field if you don't try to keep up. This loses you fans and damages the club. That's why it's important to bring in some sort of regulation- becuase otherwise the salary arms race starts all over again.

[Mr_Parker]

Stick to causing mayhem on ILS.

Good, well reasoned and argued point there Maribor. :rolleyes:

[Mr_Parker]

Very simple in theory, but when the clubs around you are spending wildly you suffer badly on the field if you don't try to keep up. This loses you fans and damages the club. That's why it's important to bring in some sort of regulation- becuase otherwise the salary arms race starts all over again.

"If" by Rudyard Kipling springs to mind.

[don ramo]

i know what they can do with that report, heat houses throughout the winter,

**** genisis, simple lads 18 team premier divsion, have the remaining first and A teams (7) play in a second division, with the bigger clubs reserve teams in with them, id say any club that has professional set-up should be able to afford a reserve team, so what is it 4 professional teams, that will make up a nice 11 team second divison,

face facts we cant run 3 division and to have a compulsory A team for semi-professional teams is ****e to say the least,

[MariborKev]

Good, well reasoned and argued point there Maribor. :rolleyes:

I did mean to add a smiley:p

I enjoy the manner in which your postings tend to cause mayhem on ILS. Your posting of facts,and the reliable response from Linfield fans et al that you have an agenda.

Anyway, I don't agree with your scenario. Clubs are short-termists, and they must be forced to adhere by means of compliance.

[Student Mullet]

Which Genesis report?The most recent one, the one into the league. I avoid using numbers because some people call it the second one and some call it the third one because there was a little report done in between the two main ones.

I have a copy on the computer at work, I can send it on to you if you like.

[HarpoJoyce]

The most recent one, the one into the league. I avoid using numbers because some people call it the second one and some call it the third one because there was a little report done in between the two main ones.

I have a copy on the computer at work, I can send it on to you if you like.

Which people?

It shouldn't need to be sent on, as Sligo Rovers drew at home this evening.

[jinxy lilywhite]

The answer to your question is that there is no real quick fix to the current problem. Overall the league is caught up in this Europe crap and "if we are professional then we can perform better against european opposition that we've never heard of.

The solution to the problem is costly and would probably take 10 years to come to fruition.
1) Investment in youths and infrastructure
2) Investment in grounds to make grounds alot more appealing to the prospective new loi fan
3) Clubs to stop overspending
4) Clubs to stop giving the media ammunition to beat them down with.
5) Ridiculous wages for average players to be at an end.
6) Investors in the league to be dettered from think that investing in football will bring ST gains but to be made aware that their investment could take 10 yrs to come right

Some people have big chips on their shoulders and blame english and scottish football and to phrase "Barstoolers" but really the clubs have nobody to blame but themselves.

So really there is no real solution. Irish football really has lost all respect from potential Irish football supporters and is laughed at by the majority of Irish football fans. Its not an overnight phenomion but has been happening for the last 30 years and really now as we are trying to address the issue that are we finding it the toughest to get bums on the seats

[jebus]

Loads of things.

Short term: 16-18 team Premier, the rest playing in 2 new A divisions, leagues decided by location. Clubs also have to learn to live within their means, we've done so, Rovers learned their lesson, so hopefully Cork, Drogs, Bohs, Galway etc will have learnt this lesson too

Medium term: Increased advertising with the FAI putting pressure on the media to portray the league in a good light to try and get the new generation of kids interested in LoI as they enter their teens or 20s. FAI grants to clubs to be used exclusively for improving the stadiums, this money can't be used for anything else, just this.

Long term: Increased focus on youth systems

All very good to say this, getting it done is the hard part