"Linking" clubs

[peadar1987]

This is sort of a sequel to my post in a previous thread (linky (http://foot.ie/threads/137252-Are-there-too-many-clubs-in-this-country?p=1371852&viewfull=1#post1371852))

I think most of us can agree that having an LOI club at the apex of a pyramid of junior clubs would definitely be a good thing for the LOI, and probably good for the junior clubs, and conveyor belt of national team players as well.

This post is about what this pyramid should look like.

My vision would be as follows:

-The LOI club are linked with all the major clubs in the area

-Big club games can be played at the LOI club's stadium (cup finals, etc.)

-Club members get cheap tickets to the LOI club's home games

-Dual registration between the junior clubs and the LOI club can be held. This means that the top players from the junior club can be playing for the Under 20s occasionally, hopefully moving to the reserves and eventually the first team if they are good enough. A "gentlemen's agreement" should be in place to compensate the junior league club for any games the player might miss, as well as compensation for if the player eventually signs a full-time contract with the LOI club. This would work both ways, as the less-used reserve players for the LOI club would be able to bolster the teams of the junior club, instead of merely rotting week after week. The junior club get a good player, and the LOI club keep their reserves match fit.

-The top junior team players get to participate in extra training sessions with the LOI club, giving them and the junior club the benefit of better coaching, facilities, and training partners, and the LOI club a chance to scout out emerging talent.

-The LOI club's brand is plastered all over the junior club, to make sure everyone is aware of the link between the two.



I think this sort of set up with local clubs would improve the supply of top young players to LOI clubs, instead of electing to go to England or Scotland at the first opportunity, it would help to heal the rift between the LOI and junior football, so in time they could be seen as partners rather than rivals, it would generate goodwill and enthusiasm towards the LOI club from a target demographic with great potential, for both numbers and commitment. And best of all, it's dirt cheap to implement, just a few emails, a meeting or three, and a handshake to get things rolling.


(Disclaimer: I am not claiming this is a silver bullet, I know there are deep divisions between the LOI and junior football, and I put the tin hat on before I started a "Let's fix the League thread"!)

[Spudulika]

This is what Sporting Fingal have been doing/trying to do in the Fingal County area. I'm sure someone could enlighten me on this, but I have a feeling that self-interest will always get in the way of progress.

[MariborKev]

Already in place at Derry

- The pick of the underage talent representative side for Foyle Cup, Umbro Cup etc is listed as "Derry City Academy"
- We have a training and compensation package in place with the local youth leagues

I agree with Spudlika though, self interest is a problem.

[outspoken]

Sounds like a fantastic idea but hard to put in place because like someone said self-interest will always come first

[Riddickcule]

Good thinking but most of that is already there but is ineffective.

One problem is that the best young players in the country play for top junior clubs, we need to work with junior clubs to fix it so that the top youth play for LOI academy teams. eg/ the best players in Dublin play for Rovers/Bohs youth teams instead of Cherry Orchard or Home Farm.

[pineapple stu]

We're linked with Mount Merrion. The junior clubs have UCD AFC as their sponsor I think. We've had a few players move from them to us (the McMillans I think are the best example; also Fran Moran). They're the most common team in the half-time games, and I think some of the other stuff is in place too.

[peadar1987]

Good thinking but most of that is already there but is ineffective.

One problem is that the best young players in the country play for top junior clubs, we need to work with junior clubs to fix it so that the top youth play for LOI academy teams. eg/ the best players in Dublin play for Rovers/Bohs youth teams instead of Cherry Orchard or Home Farm.

One of the main problems is the lack of dual registration. If an LOI club want a player, they have to scout him out, or sign him blind, both of which cost money.

Simply taking the best young players away from junior clubs isn't going to be productive either. Even if they get a small amount of compensation, Losing all their best players is just going to **** off the club, and to **** off the junior clubs is to alienate a huge segment of potential LOI supporters. There's not enough of a smooth transition, and not enough incentive either for the junior clubs to let their players go, or for the players themselves to leave, seeing as they'd just be playing reserves to start with anyway. I think having a system where players can gradually ease from one to the other is vital to ensure good relations between junior and senior football, and for player development

As for self-interest, that's going to be a problem, naturally, but the best way to combat that is to set things up so that it's in peoples' interest to work together. A little helping hand from the FAI would go a long way here.