What the FAI thinks of progressive clubs:

[Riddickcule]

its because people realise that for all their faults, the FAI is still the best option.


I could do a better job of running the league.


You can't convert the Irish public to football, the football has to convert them,
Thank you, those 14 words are music to my ears. Thats what everyone needs to realise, the public don't get the LOI, therefore the LOI needs to go. Sorry, but its true.

[Lim till i die]

The FAI isn't the best option.

It's the ONLY option.

I doubt if there will be a club in the land objecting.

On an aside, that Junior Council statement is of course predictably laughable.

[Dodge]

Thank you, those 14 words are music to my ears. Thats what everyone needs to realise, the public don't get the LOI, therefore the LOI needs to go. Sorry, but its true.

*sigh* this again.

The public dn't get ANYTHING bar English football. There's nothing you can do to change that.

[CuanaD]

Your post has one simple activity though: if the clubs won't stand up for themselves, give them a hint of what a ground looks like without fans for one match.

If we are serious about trying to show the clubs that the fans support Limerick, then you could for 1 weekend boycot all other games, BUT everyone go to whatever (home!) Limerick game is on that weekend instead - shows solidarity & gives the club in question a financial boost too.

[pineapple stu]

Yif the clubs won't stand up for themselves, give them a hint of what a ground looks like without fans for one match.

I'm sure that's lame
The FAI couldn't give a monkey's if the league's grounds are empty. All they really care about is holding onto power and not having bad media. A boycott would only hurt the clubs and do nothing to the FAI.

I think I agree that the FAI is the way forward for the league; the problem is that Delaney's in charge, and he's a complete moron. So you're now looking at working out how to bring about a guy's resignation - that's pretty much the only satisfactory solution to this particular problem (and there's lots of other problems in the league obviously). Ousting someone from power is surprisingly hard to do. Look at Glazer for a football example - survived one fan buy-out, and seemingly in a strong position to survive a second one, all while he lumbers the club with massive debt. Plenty of other political examples.

(Another solution is to try work with the FAI, but that's been tried to an extent and failed because (a) the FAI will sit down, pretend to be interested, listen to everything you have to say and then do whatever they want, but back it up by saying they worked with the fans in coming to the solution, and (b) it takes a lot of co-ordination among fans, which is hard because of geographical dispertion, not having the time because of being involved at club level and the general Irish trait, as you pointed out, of saying things would be great but stoping short of getting involved).

The other problem, of course, is that LoI fans are a minority in our own country, and barstool fans don't care about Delaney; he can do what he wants to the league so long as Man U keep on winning.

[micls]

But Delaney and his cronies as the best option? I don't think so.
Why don't you think so? What other options are there?

The FAI screws up an awful lot, but clubs running themselves screw up a lot more.

If we are serious about trying to show the clubs that the fans support Limerick, then you could for 1 weekend boycott all other games, BUT everyone go to whatever (home!) Limerick game is on that weekend instead - shows solidarity & gives the club in question a financial boost too.

And screw my own club? My club didnt make this decision, why would I punish them financially for it. Clubs budgets are tight, boycotting your own club will only hurt them, not the FAI

[osarusan]

If we are serious about trying to show the clubs that the fans support Limerick, then you could for 1 weekend boycot all other games, BUT everyone go to whatever (home!) Limerick game is on that weekend instead - shows solidarity & gives the club in question a financial boost too.
Thanks for the idea, but it would hurt other clubs financially, and the only people who would notice are the people who already know what the FAI are.

I'd agree with Stu that the only way to make them notice is a lot of bad publicity. Without showing the FAI that the LOI (or the LOI fans at least) can make life tough for them, the LOI is in no position to negotiate anything.

I think that a few thousand copies of a pamphlet, maybe even translated into a few languages, containing some legitimate gripes (FAI looking to switchBohs' European tie, Limerick vs Barcelona friendly for example) about the FAI being handed out to fans and press, if possible, before the Airtricity XI vs Man. United fixture would help, with more handouts and protests to come at the Europa final in Dublin next year, might have an effect.

[gufct]

The press release from the Provincial associations was prompted and scripted by the man from del monte. The knives will be out again this time and he is out to hold onto power whatever the cost to soccer in this country and he has his own self appointed board of control full of lackeys who only care about power and perks to do his dirty work.

[pineapple stu]

I'd think that a few thousand copies of a pamphlet, maybe even translated into a few languages, containing some legitimate gripes (FAI looking to switchBohs' European tie, Limerick vs Barcelona friendly for example) about the FAI being handed out to fans and press, if possible, before the Airtricity XI vs Man. United fixture would help, with more to come at the Europa final in Dublin next year.
Now that's a solid idea (even if it won't actually bring about Delaney's resignation, cos all he has to do is ignore it and enforce tighter security controls for the next game. Or even, as they read this site, at the Man U game. But the cat's out of the bag now; we can but try).

Wouldn't bother with the translations, to be honest - I don't think there's that much interest among the immigrant community (they tend to keep supporting their team at home - look at the amount of Poles at the friendly in Croker last year for example).

With regards text, what would go in?

> FAI blocking Barca friendly
> Moving Bohs' game (as per osarusan)
> Licencing messes?
> Don't think there'd be a point complaining about Man U in Lansdowne at that game, to be honest. You'd lose too much goodwill.
> Challenging Daniel McDonnell
> Anything Fran Gavin has ever said (specific examples?)

All of these points should be rebutted rather than just stated - there should be a conclusive reason why the FAI have screwed up. It should also have a point rather than just "The FAI have done these things badly - boo". Calilng for Delaney to resign is the obvious one, I suppose.

Following from that, let's make this thread like the "continue the story thread" - if everyone chips in a bit of text, it can be amended and grow to a final leaflet.

[osarusan]

Now that's a solid idea (even if it won't actually bring about Delaney's resignation, cos all he has to do is ignore it and enforce tighter security controls for the next game. Or even, as they read this site, at the Man U game. But the cat's out of the bag now; we can but try).

Wouldn't bother with the translations, to be honest - I don't think there's that much interest among the immigrant community (they tend to keep supporting their team at home - look at the amount of Poles at the friendly in Croker last year for example).

With regards text, what would go in?

> FAI blocking Barca friendly
> Moving Bohs' game (as per osarusan)
> Licencing messes?
> Don't think there'd be a point complaining about Man U in Lansdowne at that game, to be honest. You'd lose too much goodwill.
> Challenging Daniel McDonnell
> Anything Fran Gavin has ever said (specific examples?)

All of these points should be rebutted rather than just stated - there should be a conclusive reason why the FAI have screwed up. It should also have a point rather than just "The FAI have done these things badly - boo". Calilng for Delaney to resign is the obvious one, I suppose.

Following from that, let's make this thread like the "continue the story thread" - if everyone chips in a bit of text, it can be amended and grow to a final leaflet.

Surely the only place to hand them out would be outside the ground, where the FAI can't do anything about it.

I originally had the idea for the Europe league final and visiting fans, hence the translations. A basic wesbite containing further info and links on the stuff highlighted in the handout would be good. (Links to McDonnell's articles, for example.)

It's not so much (for me at least) about bringing about resignations as it is showing the FAI that the LOI can make life awkward for them, and that
treating clubs like crap is something that we can and will make known to the world outside an apathetic Irish public.

Causing them embarrassment among a wider audience (UEFA, for example) might make them sit up and listen.

[Mr A]

I think the most interesting thing about the latest press release is that it seems to indicate a belief that Delaney's position may be under threat. Otherwise- why bother bringing the spotlight on to such an embarrassing affair again, it wouldn't make any sense?

Not that making sense seems to matter much!

[pineapple stu]

Surely the only place to hand them out would be outside the ground, where the FAI can't do anything about it.
You'd be surprised!!

[dahamsta]

The FAI couldn't give a monkey's if the league's grounds are empty.

Who said anything about the FAI? You're cherrypicking stu, read the full post.

The other person that responded did the same thing. Suggesting that the FAI in it's current format isn't working is not the same as suggesting that the FAI should be binned. If you read the rest of my post, I use the phrase "Delaney and his cronies". That should be a hint about my thoughts on the problem to anyone that's actually paying attention.

Again, stop cherrypicking people's posts and/or reading between the lines before responding, it's an incredibly poor way of debating and it's what causes 90% of the flame wars on Foot.ie.

And again, for the fourth time now, I'm not putting forward real solutions, I'm just "blueskying". I don't have the answers and I know I don't have them. What's frustrating me is that, up until the last few posts at least, people weren't trying to come up with solutions, they were just bitching about it in the standard Irish way. If ye just want something to bitch about, they continue as-is. If ye want it to change, then bitching isn't the way to go about it. It solved absolutely nothing.

[pineapple stu]

Sorry - Delaney and his cronies couldn't give a monkey's etc etc.

They're kind of one and the same; easy to interchange them. No-one else in there has a mind of their own worth talking about.

[OwlsFan]

c). Game not staged to open a white elephant of a building

GAME OFF

FAI can't win can they. They get attacked for years because they have no stadium and now when on behalf of Irish football they get a share in a world class stadium at last, it's called a "white elephant of a building". What did you want ? To be gifted a stadium? Damned if you do, damned if you don't .

[micls]

Who said anything about the FAI? You're cherrypicking stu, read the full post.

The other person that responded did the same thing. Suggesting that the FAI in it's current format isn't working is not the same as suggesting that the FAI should be binned. If you read the rest of my post, I use the phrase "Delaney and his cronies". That should be a hint about my thoughts on the problem to anyone that's actually paying attention.

Again, stop cherrypicking people's posts and/or reading between the lines before responding, it's an incredibly poor way of debating and it's what causes 90% of the flame wars on Foot.ie

As Stu said, the FAI and Delaney and his cronies are the same thing. It's an old boys club where they give each other contracts. Ideally it wouldn't be like that, but that is the reality.


And again, for the fourth time now, I'm not putting forward real solutions, I'm just "blueskying". I don't have the answers and I know I don't have them. What's frustrating me is that, up until the last few posts at least, people weren't trying to come up with solutions, they were just bitching about it in the standard Irish way. If ye just want something to bitch about, they continue as-is. If ye want it to change, then bitching isn't the way to go about it. It solved absolutely nothing.

The people 'bitching' didn't have solutions either, like yourself. There's nothing wrong with venting against a decision you disagree with, even if you don't have a solution to a problem.
If people only posted about things they had the answer too, or could do something about, internet forums wouldn't last very long at all.

Now if you do have a solution(e.g. voting another party into government rather than just giving out), and still just bitch rather than doing something, that's a different situation. However Id guess most people on this thread fall into the first camp.

[marinobohs]

FAI can't win can they. They get attacked for years because they have no stadium and now when on behalf of Irish football they get a share in a world class stadium at last, it's called a "white elephant of a building". What did you want ? To be gifted a stadium? Damned if you do, damned if you don't .

Actually the new stadium has the potential to be a massive negitive factor on the Irish game if it sucks up all available resources (thus depriving clubs of funds/fund raising oppurtunites - Limerick already an example).

Back on thread, Would agree on need for practical solutions but dont think getting Delaney out is achievable, and attempting to do so could easily backfire (as seen with junior crowd). Similarly boycotting matches is cutting off our noses to spite our faces as our clubs would be the losers.
A leaflet/circular idea does have some merit is trying to change the attitude of the FAI towards our League but dont expect the media (all baying for accreditation to the shiny new stadium) to be of any assistance. It would be hard work with little prospect of victory for those involved but seems the best suggestion todate.

[Riddickcule]

It's funny that most people on here hate the Fai but would still want them to ruin our league..makes no sense.

And before anyone says theres no other option, there is. Private Company ftw!

[Lim till i die]

Private Company ftw!

What??

Who??

When??

Where??

How??

Etc

[Jofspring]

It's funny that most people on here hate the Fai but would still want them to ruin our league..makes no sense.

And before anyone says theres no other option, there is. Private Company ftw!

People have no problem with the FAI as a whole, everybody would just prefer if someone else was in charge of the FAI.

[Riddickcule]

Why not? why are private companies so frowned upon on here loool

[Dodge]

Why not? why are private companies so frowned upon on here loool

They're not. I'd love a private company that could show me properly costed, well thought plans on how to increase income streams into clubs and ensure that said income isn't wasted.

I haven't seen one yet though

[John83]

I think that most people´s problem can be stated with a small paraphrasing of a Douglas Adams quote: Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President of the FAI should on no account be allowed to do the job.

Similarly, no company with an actual desire to run Irish football should be let near the place.

[Buile Shuibhne]

As an indication of how much the FAI care about the League Of Ireland – the Official League website hasn’t been updated since Tuesday this week.

Is there a moratorium on all League news because two international friendlies are on this week and tickets are still available?

There’s a full schedule of games on tomorrow including the Bohs Vs Rovers derby.
It might only be the First Division – but you’d even expect the resignation of league legend Dermot Keely to register with them?

The League is obviously well down on the FAI’s list of priorities.

[Dodge]

The first division dosn't count.

The league as a media officer who's sole job is this type of thing. he doesn't have any other functions within the FAI. He's on leave obviously

[Buile Shuibhne]

Still ne'er a mention of the league's news stories this week or tomorrow's big games.

[Riddickcule]

They're not. I'd love a private company that could show me properly costed, well thought plans on how to increase income streams into clubs and ensure that said income isn't wasted.

I haven't seen one yet though
Honestly what was wrong with the p1 proposals? Or is it a personal thing going on with Drury?

[Dodge]

Honestly what was wrong with the p1 proposals? Or is it a personal thing going on with Drury?

I've never even met Drury! He's mates with brian Kerr so he's he's in my goodbooks though...

Did you read the P1 proposal? Did you read how they were going to bring money into the league? The document mentions two ways (and only two ways) in which they would get the league's income to increase by enough to pay for the massive increases in prize money. 1) Massively increase the fees clubs would pay to the league 2) negotiate a contract witha tv company that would pay a substantial amount to the league and the clubs

Now 1) actually hurts clubs as thye haven't a pot to **** in as it is. And 2) simply wouldn't happen as currently the league pays RTE to show MNS and they have to neg TV companies to show games for butons.

Platinum One would not invest one single penny into Irish football, and infact they said they'd pay themselves a "management fee"

I'll say it again, for the umpteenth time, I honestly don't care who looks after the league as long as its the best deal possible for the clubs. If its the clubs themselves, the FAI, platinum one or any other company, I don't care.

Let them make rock solid proposals that aren't based on fantasy, and I've no doubt everyone involved will look at them seriously.

Until then, we can continue going to games and enjoying our teams' victories.

[Riddickcule]

Fair enough, i have read the proposal and i thought it was pretty good, but sure i'm naive so...

But sure why do you presume the project would fail? If the product was marketed right and they managed to get a good TV deal, why not? Yes the clubs fee's would increase dramatically but it would be worth it for the return they would see. And you think the proposals aren't solid? There was 62 pages in that report. Someone said it was the most in depth report into Irish Football ever. Besides, if the project was supported there could have been a few tweaks to the proposals to make people happy, they even said that if the proposal is supported by all the right stakeholders then they would continue preparing for it. Someone would mention that there wasn't a proper financial plan in order and then they'd have to go back and fix that. Surely no company would go through all that to try make money. It's not like they were in trouble financially anyway.

[osarusan]

But sure why do you presume the project would fail? If the product was marketed right and they managed to get a good TV deal, why not? Yes the clubs fee's would increase dramatically but it would be worth it for the return they would see.

First of all, prize money awarded to clubs which comes from the money they pay in fees is not new money at all. It's just the clubs' original money being given back to them.

Secondly, the FAI, when negotiating television rights with RTE, had to accept 4 million euro (I think thta was the figure) less in order to get MNS shown on RTE. RTE were willing to pay more for just the rights to show international games than they were willing to pay to show international games and domestic games. In other words, FAI are paying RTE to broadcast the program. The only cross-border competition has exactly set the pulses racing either, you'd have to admit.

Any new league, even an AIL, will see the majority of the games being the same as now - Bohs versus Rovers, Galway versus Dundalk, etc. Not enough people want to watch them now to make their broadcast viable - although P1 talked about massively increasing TV deals, a lot of people are pretty sceptical as to how they'd go about doing that. Setanta viewing figures and the RTE deal wouldn't exactly appeal to broadcasters to the extent that they'd fork out a few million for the rights.

Everybody knows we need money to improve the league - P1's ideas on how to generate it were no better than the ideas of anybody else.

[passerrby]

Fair enough, i have read the proposal and i thought it was pretty good, but sure i'm naive so...

But sure why do you presume the project would fail? If the product was marketed right and they managed to get a good TV deal, why not? Yes the clubs fee's would increase dramatically but it would be worth it for the return they would see. And you think the proposals aren't solid? There was 62 pages in that report. Someone said it was the most in depth report into Irish Football ever. Besides, if the project was supported there could have been a few tweaks to the proposals to make people happy, they even said that if the proposal is supported by all the right stakeholders then they would continue preparing for it. Someone would mention that there wasn't a proper financial plan in order and then they'd have to go back and fix that. Surely no company would go through all that to try make money. It's not like they were in trouble financially anyway.
there was a lot of pie in the sky proposels in the p1 document most of which were not possible some people bought into it but in the main most thought it was not sustantable.
p.s. remind me not to let you take my priize cow to market

[Réiteoir]

Well - this is now truly dead in the water:


Barça to play Vålerenga in pre-season

FC Barcelona will play a friendly in Oslo on July 29, 2010 against Vålerenga Fotball before heading off on the tour of Asia.

The Blaugrana director general Joan Oliver announced the added fixture will complete the club’s pre-season schedule. “The game against Vålerenga fulfils the pre-season programme which is complicated by the World Cup and the Spanish Super Cup,” he explained.

Vålerenga is an historic club that was founded in 1913. Arguably, their most successful era came in the 1980’s when they became the kings of Norwegian football. They have won the league title on five occasions - the cup four times, with the last coming in 2008.

After the game against Vålerenga the Blaugrana will travel to Asia on tour. Once there, Barça will play their first game against a Korean K-League select team in Seoul on August 4 and then meet Guon FC in the Olympic Stadium in Beijing four days later. “Barça will earn around €2 million from each game,” Oliver added.

Might head along to this

[gael353]

dunno can it be done but can someone put up the link to Delaneys article in todays mirror? 12/06/10. i believe its another gem :D

[bennocelt]

dunno can it be done but can someone put up the link to Delaneys article in todays mirror? 12/06/10. i believe its another gem :D


What did the wan*** say?

[Dunny]

What did the wan*** say?

Weres the tissues?

[Ash]

p.s. remind me not to let you take my priize cow to market

Is that one of the cows from behind the goals at Gortakeegan? :D

[gael353]

parting shot by mayor

in tonights Limerick Cronicle

"The Football Association of ireland chief executive John Delaney should 'consider his position' in the wake of the soccer orginizations failure to sanction the proposed friendly between limerick fc and barcelona. According to Cllr Keily, as a result of the decision, Cllr Keily estimated the local economy lost between 15 and 20 million euro in revenue...........

[marinobohs]

parting shot by mayor

in tonights Limerick Cronicle

"The Football Association of ireland chief executive John Delaney should 'consider his position' in the wake of the soccer orginizations failure to sanction the proposed friendly between limerick fc and barcelona. According to Cllr Keily, as a result of the decision, Cllr Keily estimated the local economy lost between 15 and 20 million euro in revenue...........

While I have always disagreed with the FAI stance on the proposed Barca friendly I dont see why the FAI shouild be concerned about the "local economy" of Limerick. The football club yes but the local economy ? fraid not.

Would have more respect for local polititians had they shown the same "interest" when the club (and same applies across the country) was in such trouble.

[Charlie Darwin]

The figures in these cases are always a bit dubious. The assumption seems to be that if people don't spend money on a football game and the pomp surrounding it they'll simply burn the equivalent amount of money instead. I'm sure there's some significant loss with regard to fans from other parts of Ireland (and the few Catalans that come along) but 20 million sounds insane.

[osarusan]

20 million is insane, and the ex-mayor is insane also.

[pineapple stu]

It's the kind of figure you'd love to publicly challenge, except that it's being used to have a go at the FAI over their ridiculous actions, so I say let him lie as much as he wants in this case.

[marinobohs]

It's the kind of figure you'd love to publicly challenge, except that it's being used to have a go at the FAI over their ridiculous actions, so I say let him lie as much as he wants in this case.

Your enemy's enemy and all that :D Still think the economy of Limerick is somewhat outside the brief of the FAI ! Mayor Probobly lost the run of himself after the "Good Friday victory" over the Munster rugby game.

Still, anything that can embarrass the FAI................

[TonyD]

parting shot by mayor

in tonights Limerick Cronicle

"The Football Association of ireland chief executive John Delaney should 'consider his position' in the wake of the soccer orginizations failure to sanction the proposed friendly between limerick fc and barcelona. According to Cllr Keily, as a result of the decision, Cllr Keily estimated the local economy lost between 15 and 20 million euro in revenue...........

I'm willing to bet he considers little else. And I'm pretty sure he's very happy with his position. At the top of the dungheap he's schemed his way up.

[Jofspring]

Limerick taking the FAI to Court on Monday January 31st according to the back page of the Star.

[Longfordian]

Limerick denied a Licence will be on the back page shortly.

[Mr A]

Hold on, don't FIFA hate it when clubs take associations to court? Could this potentially affect the national side?

[Dodge]

I think FIFA hate when governments interfere more.

The clubs v national assocation thing I'm not sure about

[Spudulika]

Limerick taking the FAI to Court on Monday January 31st according to the back page of the Star.

What are the reasons? All news focused on this pesky election thingy.

[Jofspring]

What are the reasons? All news focused on this pesky election thingy.

From a quick read of it it's about the whole Barcelona friendly not being given the go ahead. It was due to go to the Arbitration for Sport but supposedly Limerick where not happy with this so have decided to bring it to the High Court under the 2010 Arbitration Act.

I'm very weiry of this to be honest. The thoughts of how this could come back on Limerick if unsuccessful are not good.

[superfrank]

Hold on, don't FIFA hate it when clubs take associations to court? Could this potentially affect the national side?
The barstoolers will REALLY love the LOI then.

I think Dodge is close to the truth.