10 Team PD: Good or Bad

[Acornvilla]

I think having a 16 team division would be sensible, at least for the time being. Referring to Dodge's comment, I think a 16 team league should be given more than just one season to develop, granted messing around with the league structure every season doesn't do anything to help matters. Teams playing eachother twice a season would be of greater benefit to the teams outside of the capital. I know its good for gates when Bohs play Rovers every other month. But having Cork go to Derry twice a season and vice versa costs a lot of money in travel costs. With falling attendances I'm sure the travel costs more than what a club will take at the gate for such a fixture anyway! I can see where peader1987's point when Longford at battling for 15th place without relegation and some sort of regional pyrmaid system being set up to allow ambitious clubs outside of the LOI to start competing in the league in the future

a championship perchance?


and longford would come 14th!!

[John83]

I have a league meta-structure in mind which might help: how about any change to the structure of the league be followed by a period of not less than a decade where the very suggestion of another structural change result in a prompt lynching. A little stability goes a long way.

[pineapple stu]

But damn it all, how will we decide which format not to tinker with? They should all be tried so we can work out the one true Format.

[roinuj]

;)
It was for only 1 season, and it was ****e

it wasnt only one season
during the 70s and 80s it has always been a 16 team league.

[weecountyman]

A 16 team top flight with all below it amateur. 2 feeder leagues on a regional basis (16 in each) and then link up to provincial feeders. Any team who wishes to go up into the top league must meet rigorous ground and financial standards, which are lowered the further down one goes. They do it in smaller countries with smaller playing and fan bases.

[sixesandsevens]

A 16 team top flight with all below it amateur. 2 feeder leagues on a regional basis (16 in each) and then link up to provincial feeders. Any team who wishes to go up into the top league must meet rigorous ground and financial standards, which are lowered the further down one goes. They do it in smaller countries with smaller playing and fan bases.

I think that would be a simple answer to the league format that could be implemented even by the FAI?

[thischarmingman]

But damn it all, how will we decide which format not to tinker with? They should all be tried so we can work out the one true Format.

One format to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them?

[Doomofman]

I'd prefer a bigger league, would be nice to play more teams each season...

[peadar1987]

One format to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them?

In the League of Ireland, where the shadows lie

[thischarmingman]

In the League of Ireland, where the shadows lie

Given our recent board 'situation' I dont' know whether by 'lie' you mean lying down or telling an untruth.

[osarusan]

perhaps "die" would be a better word. No ambiguity there.

[roinuj]

the 10 team league is boring.
playing the same team every few weeks p1ss people off going to games.
the bigger the league the better. and more smaller clubs will get a chance of pulling in a few bob extra when playing the bigger teams.
example: waterford united v longford = 300/400
waterford united v cork = 2000/3000
waterford united v rovers = 2000/3000
waterford united v athlone = 300/400

no club in the league would survive playing the likes of the longfords and monahans week in week out.
we all need at least 5 big games a season to keep on top of things.

[Riddickcule]

16 tem PL with 12 team FD, current clubs + Salthill, Tralee, Tullamore, Castlebar, Carlow and Cobh

[Acornvilla]

perfect :) with regional amature devisions below one in leinster. munster and connaucht + ulster

[Riddickcule]

Or we could go scottish and make League and non-league seperate from each other
ie. Senior and Junior football

[Acornvilla]

preferr first idea because u pretty much read my mind!

[Riddickcule]

On second thought screw my 2nd idea,

We always have to copy different "models"

Hows bout developing our own "model, one where fans are heavily involved with their clubs, and not simply run for profit ie.EPL

[Acornvilla]

i'm too tired to think i'll get back to ya on it :) good night internet

[KevB76]

16 tem PL with 12 team FD, current clubs + Salthill, Tralee, Tullamore, Castlebar, Carlow and Cobh

I like it - but we're still one club short arent we ?
(no more Kildare County)

[Riddickcule]

I like it - but we're still one club short arent we ?
(no more Kildare County)
You may be right on that one yeah, not a good mathamatician...Anyone?

[John83]

He's right Riddickcule.

[culloty82]

16 tem PL with 12 team FD, current clubs + Salthill, Tralee, Tullamore, Castlebar, Carlow and Cobh

I like it - but we're still one club short arent we ?
(no more Kildare County)

Either Clonmel or Kilkenny would have the quality to make up the 12th team. In future years, teams from unrepresented counties would be invited to join as per the current A Championship, until two 16-team division would be as nationally inclusive as realistically possible, with all major towns involved.

[Riddickcule]

Two 16 team Divisions, 30 games in both.Sounds good

Expand the Setanta Cup, get more teams involved.
Also in time i think we should revert back to winter football, not trying to cause a fuss lol, Just my opinion.

[sixesandsevens]

16 tem PL with 12 team FD, current clubs + Salthill, Tralee, Tullamore, Castlebar, Carlow and Cobh

I'd definitely agree with you on the PL setup, I'm sure everyone would like a bigger division playing more teams each year.
It would be great if the league could then be extended to the 12 team FD format with the mentioned clubs, but the interest just isn't there. I'm sure the like of Castlebar, Tullamore, etc. have a few loyal followers who would follow them around but can you imagine the attendance a FD game between Castlebar and Tralee would be? Pretty small. I think the FD should be scrapped at the moment, have the FAI concentrate on the one division until the clubs are stabilised and interest in the league increases. Once these two criteria have been met maybe then they could start thinking about a two tier league setup

[Sam_Heggy]

have the FAI concentrate on the one division

Are they not doing that already? :confused:

[culloty82]

I think the FD should be scrapped at the moment, have the FAI concentrate on the one division until the clubs are stabilised and interest in the league increases. Once these two criteria have been met maybe then they could start thinking about a two tier league setup

If a single division was in the best interests of Irish football, I'd be for it, but there are a number of reasons why a second tier would still be needed. Without relegation, most of the matches for the lower teams in the second half of the season would be pointless, the 4-6 teams excluded would be stuck in the wilderness of junior soccer forever and finally, the new influx of teams would introduce domestic soccer to fans in many new counties, getting rid of the "Dublin League/Leinster League" tags that have dogged the LoI for years.

[sixesandsevens]

[/QUOTE]
Are they not doing that already? :confused:

Point taken :)


the 4-6 teams excluded would be stuck in the wilderness of junior soccer forever and finally, the new influx of teams would introduce domestic soccer to fans in many new counties, getting rid of the "Dublin League/Leinster League" tags that have dogged the LoI for years

This is exactly the reason I think a 16+ league would be good for the game and would mean that the Dublin clubs actually have to travel out of Dublin a lot more, playing the same teams less times and hopefully stimulating more interest.
But why not concentrate on one league at the moment? At least if there wasn't a relegation hanging over the heads of the likes of Wexford, Athlone, Limerick teams who might make up a 16+ team league and it wouldn't mean they would start spending ridiculous sums of money to aviod relegation and hopefully stabilise the league for the future.
I know that there are plenty of clubs who have ambitions above Provincial League football, but the country needs at least a dozen strong clubs with decent facilities and a good supporter base. If the FAI could acheive these goals then they could start looking at forming a first division. And with a new, larger and hopefully financially viable FD you can introduce a lot of new regional clubs to the LOI.
I know this would consign certain clubs in the LOI to provincial/junior football but lets be honest, if the smaller clubs playing in the FD stay there, they're eventually going to go the way of Kilkenny and revert back to Junior soccer anyway due to running costs!!