FAI to sign deal with Endemol

[Dodge]

But wasn't one of the reasons listed off by Gavin on MNS that outside agents were not allowed as they were taking money out of the game? I'm pretty sure it was given as one of the many and ever-changing reasons for not allowing the friendly.

He might've said it but the facts prove him wrong

I had though it wa only agreements above a certain capacity but he flip/flops so much he might've said both

[gael353]

Limerick to be fair have other things to be focussing on. It's a shame the city didn't get the Barca tie but Limerick at the same time don't exactly have a ground where they can host their own games. Clubs should be able to play friendlies in their own ground unless under construction.


eh Thomond Park......

[gael353]

the rule only applied to a club where they had the use of a stadium which could cator for and generate enough revenue and profits to make friendly games with big big clubs worth while

[Steo]

On day 25 in the LOI House, George O'Callaghan is moving into his 25th different bedroom so far.

[gastric]

Does anyone know if an Irish side, be it international or domestic, will be competing in this tournament?

Please ignore! On second reading realised my stupidity!

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/1115/dublin_avivatournament.html

[Dodge]

BTW Delaney confirms in today's papers that it was ndemol who stopped the Limerick/Barca friendly

I mean we all guessed it at this stage but there he is confirming it

[Sambuca]

But wasn't one of the reasons listed off by Gavin on MNS that outside agents were not allowed as they were taking money out of the game? I'm pretty sure it was given as one of the many and ever-changing reasons for not allowing the friendly.

I didn't undserstand how ndemol could stop a friendly. Pity for Limerick.

[elroy]

Decent deal for the FAI, however it doesnt exactly align itself well with the domestic season. Also after the debacle that was the MU V Airtricity match, I would prefer if they put Shamrock Rovers in the tournament as league champions rather than a hastily thrown together select.

[pineapple stu]

Whatever you're having yourself, we're all inclusive.
Don't worry LTID; I'm mocking the copy and paste "journalist", not yourselves.


Why not leave the team who finishes just outside the European places into this. 4th or 5th?
You'd probably end up in a position where clubs are fighting to come lower down the table to play Inter in the summer tournament instead of Qarabaq in the UEFA Cup. Would be an utter farce.

[Straightstory]

A League XI would be a complete joke; on a hiding to nothing. It would be different if one of the clubs were invited, but that's difficult because of European commitments. I don't think the clubs should have anything to do with this. And after the master-stroke of the €10 tickets yesterday, the FAI have turned around and shot themselves in the foot again. I realise they need to pay for the stadium, but it would actually be better to have four foreign teams in this tournament than suffer the embarrassment of this years Airtricity v Man Yoo yet again.
Completely agree. Humiliation ahead, and a gift to the worst kind of barstoolers. Rico's management of the team the last time was a disaster. And his defensive reaction afterwards to the debacle was embarrassing. I lost all respect for him as a result.
After the good work by the FAI over the cup final, they've resorted to type. It would be just great if the clubs had the bottle to tell Delaney they want nothing to do with this.

[BonnieShels]

A League XI would be a complete joke; on a hiding to nothing. It would be different if one of the clubs were invited, but that's difficult because of European commitments. I don't think the clubs should have anything to do with this. And after the master-stroke of the €10 tickets yesterday, the FAI have turned around and shot themselves in the foot again. I realise they need to pay for the stadium, but it would actually be better to have four foreign teams in this tournament than suffer the embarrassment of this years Airtricity v Man Yoo yet again.
Completely agree. Precisely my thoughts on it. What an inept organisation. It would be impossible to fathom how,they are capable of this insanity if you weren't Irish.

[osarusan]

In fairness to the FAI, the options other than a LOI representative team are no LOI team/representation at all, or one LOI club as the representative.

With the former, I think they'd be open to criticism of ignoring the LOI completely, and with the latter, they'd be open to allegations of favouritism (at least unless the process of deciding which LOI team is chosen is made transparent).

[legendz]

I don't think any club club should get preferential treatment for this anyways, it's a good chances for the best players in the domestic game to raise their own profiles.

Thomond Park isn't Limerick's ground. The club need to focus on this more and how some people in county Limerick still feel alienated from the club from the time of the name change to Limerick City.

[osarusan]

The club need to focus on this more and how some people in county Limerick still feel alienated from the club from the time of the name change to Limerick City.
And you don't think a high profile friendly with the added plus of generating revenue to help with the purchase of and or improvement of our own ground would help in this regard?

You would rather we didn't hold any friendlies at all until our own ground was ready to host them?

[passerrby]

BTW Delaney confirms in today's papers that it was ndemol who stopped the Limerick/Barca friendly

I mean we all guessed it at this stage but there he is confirming it

was it a siged deal then or was that only agreed this week

[Dodge]

Presume it was signed and they were waiting for one of the clubs to agree before trumpeting it.

But with the FAI, who knows.

For the record I've absolutely no bother with a League selection being involved in these games.

[marinobohs]

Presume it was signed and they were waiting for one of the clubs to agree before trumpeting it.

But with the FAI, who knows.

For the record I've absolutely no bother with a League selection being involved in these games.

Agreed Dodge RE LOI select - how can a team that so narrowly won the League be better than a team selected from the whole League ? Funny how this suggestion comes up when shams win the League, I dont recall any clamour for Bohs to play Man ure last time. Just get a decent manager to manage the LOI select this time :o.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well presumably the team that has played together for months/years will be better than one that has played together for a couple of days.

[Dodge]

I dont recall any clamour for Bohs to play Man ure last time

We were being kind to you by not bring up the fact that you were only available to play the friendly after being thumped by TNS...

[marinobohs]

Well presumably the team that has played together for months/years will be better than one that has played together for a couple of days.

Would presume the team with the better players (surely a League wide select ?) would be better. Agree though (as posted by earlier contributors) that some training sessions for LOI X1 should be possible.

Maybe a playoff - League Champions V League select X1 for right to play in 4 team tournament ? As this is going to be an annual event a playoff as suggested (similar to bog ball all star games) would make it interesting and the prize of a place in the Aviva competition would make it competitive. Would depend on fixture organisation but if number of league games reduced could be possible.

[marinobohs]

We were being kind to you by not bring up the fact that you were only available to play the friendly after being thumped by TNS...

As (much) older Pats fans will just about recall (it has been a while):o Champions League can be a difficult place As for "thumped" I will be equally kind and not mention "10 -0" so.:rolleyes:

[Charlie Darwin]

Would presume the team with the better players (surely a League wide select ?) would be better. Agree though (as posted by earlier contributors) that some training sessions for LOI X1 should be possible.

Maybe a playoff - League Champions V League select X1 for right to play in 4 team tournament ? As this is going to be an annual event a playoff as suggested (similar to bog ball all star games) would make it interesting and the prize of a place in the Aviva competition would make it competitive. Would depend on fixture organisation but if number of league games reduced could be possible.
I wouldn't presume that at all. The standard of footballer doesn't vary that much in this league and I think a team that trains and plays together for a season would be better placed to play in a tournament than any XI from the other teams in the league. I'm not just putting Rovers in that bracket: Sligo, Fingal and even Bohs (depending on what their squad is like) would be similarly well-drilled. More preparation time is a must for any League XI but they'll always be improvising to a degree.

[Dodge]

As (much) older Pats fans will just about recall (it has been a while):o Champions League can be a difficult place As for "thumped" I will be equally kind and not mention "10 -0" so.:rolleyes:

Can't beat topical humour. Your replies are one short of "your ma"

[marinobohs]

Can't beat topical humour. Your replies are one short of "your ma"

Oh dear, was that a raw nerve ? :o

[pineapple stu]

No, it was you replying like a ten year old yet again. You asked a question, it was answered and your reply was "Yeah, well - you lost 10-0 once". Grow up, mb.

[Dodge]

Yep, nothing bugs me more than people who simply can't accept a light hearted barb without replying with one back, about something completely irrelevent to the point (ie the reason no one calmoured for BOhs to play man u)

Its cringeworthy stuff

Trust me, I'm well over our humiliation at the hands of Zimbru. You'll be happy to know your loss to TNS helped

[marinobohs]

No, it was you replying like a ten year old yet again. You asked a question, it was answered and your reply was "Yeah, well - you lost 10-0 once". Grow up, mb.

Slagging Bohs good, Slagging Pats bad ? how unlike you to have double standards where Bohs are concerned Stu. dodge made a remark about Bohs and europe i responed in kind RE Pats.

No harm done.

[marinobohs]

Trust me, I'm well over our humiliation at the hands of Zimbru. You'll be happy to know your loss to TNS helped

Glad we could help. never really found another LOI clubs defeat helped/made up for my own clubs defeat but takes all kinds. Bit "in the land of the blind" for my liking as I prefer to see all LOI teams do well.

[osarusan]

You're an example to us all.

[Dodge]

Glad we could help. never really found another LOI clubs defeat helped/made up for my own clubs defeat but takes all kinds
Not to labour the point, but it stands to reason that the more embarressing results for Irish teams that have happened since Zimbru, the less embarressing our result becomes.

Now if you wanna discuss which result was worse, PM me as this is way off topic now

[legendz]

Why should one club get an advantage of playing in this tournament? All clubs can have their own competitions in their own ground if they want.

On the Limerick issue... It's a bit of financial doping in a way if Limerick got to host a game like that in a stadium that aint there's. I'm not all against it though. I want to see Limerick do well and definitely would've gone to the game.
Derry hosted Barca once in their own ground. At least now there is clarity on the capacity issue. No club actually has a ground with that capacity so it's not a problem at the moment.

[marinobohs]

Not to labour the point, but it stands to reason that the more embarressing results for Irish teams that have happened since Zimbru, the less embarressing our result becomes.

Now if you wanna discuss which result was worse, PM me as this is way off topic now

Dodge, as I said couple of posts back have no interest in any LOI teams "bad" results (pretty much all have them) so wont be taking you up on PM option (Yea, i thought you would be disappointed :o).

Still think a LOI select a better option than champions for 4 team competition (although play off match as suggested earlier would settle the argument). also alows players put themselves in the "shop window" for possible transfers.

[Dodge]

Why should one club get an advantage of playing in this tournament? All clubs can have their own competitions in their own ground if they want.
If you’re talking about Rovers, then they’d have won the league and deserved this bonus (and again I’d have no problem with this)


On the Limerick issue... It's a bit of financial doping in a way if Limerick got to host a game like that in a stadium that aint there's.
Are you for real? Limerick would have to taken on the fees associated with bringing the team over, rent of the ground, and all the other costs associated with hosting a high profile game (security, marketing, etc etc). If they had the balls to take on that risk, they absolutely deserved to reap the benefits of it

You might as well accuse any club who reaches out to a sponsor of “financial doping” as they don’t share the spoils with the rest of the league

[Dodge]

Dodge, as I said couple of posts back have no interest in any LOI teams "bad" results
You clearly do, as why else bring up 11 year old results that aren't related to the topic at hand?

[Real ale Madrid]

Could Limerick have gone ahead with the Barcelona game and just issue 14,999 tickets? They still could have made a healthy profit if they were able to sell all the corporate tickets.

[osarusan]

Could Limerick have gone ahead with the Barcelona game and just issue 14,999 tickets? They still could have made a healthy profit if they were able to sell all the corporate tickets.

It's hard to know without knowing all the costs.

Anyway, I'm not sure if the Endemol clause applies to the actual capacity of the stadium, rather than the number of tickets allowed to be sold.

[gael353]

First up the barcelona game was too go ahead in Thomond park and legendgz please note that this would be our preferred ground in the event of one of the two big european clubs commming to play in ireland. Limerick is lucky that it is the only club with such a facility at its disposal outside of dublin hence the FAI having such a bee in their bonnet about it. Ticket prices for the Barcelona game were set and it would have been a 26,000 sell out. Smaller croweds would mean higher prices so no 14,999 would not have worked in this economic climate. If as it is stated in todays paper that Inter will play two games possibley in Limericks Thomond park or corks turners cross. Well clearly FAI the game cannot go ahead in liimerick as Thomond park is over the 15,000 limit Of course if the fai ran the game then the 15000 rule would be exposed for what it is,,,,wankk!
i wouldnt be looking at the endamol link at all its the other lot ICONIC id be worried about. Run by a clare man, this agent is the rival for Platnum one and is the reason the FAI AGM is on in clare next year. He will now sponsor the centers of excellance as local councils pull back due to lack of funds and will prob become an agent for the players in whoring them to cross channel clubs.

[osarusan]

Gael, I'm pretty sure the clause would allow friendlies of over 15000 where Endemol are involved, just not their competitors.

[gael353]

more then likely ossy, but its to clear the debts of the most expensive small stadium in the world that these games are on for. inter wouldnt draw 5,000 to a game so guess it will go ahead iin jackman ;)

[Dodge]

Gael, I'm pretty sure the clause would allow friendlies of over 15000 where Endemol are involved, just not their competitors.

Thats exactly it.

[marinobohs]

You clearly do, as why else bring up 11 year old results that aren't related to the topic at hand?

PM me and i will let you know. let thread carry on as title.

[outspoken]

only a money spinner 4 the fai so they can get the barstoolers in again its very dissapointing after the great success on sunday , tickets are more than likely going 2 be hugley over priced and most loi fans will stay away just like they did for the barstoolers vs airtricity league 11 game.

[SwanVsDalton]

What will make this tourney any different from the one that failed in the mid/late 90's? As much as I enjoyed watching Ryan Coyle destroy Celtic under Wim Jansen, the whole thing wasn't much of a success. Inter are very high profile, fair enough, but I hope there's a coherent plan on how to make it a moneyspinner for the association, raise the profile of Irish soccer and bring punters through the gates and keep them. At least kudos to the FAI for seemingly securing plenty of dosh for it.

[Oldred]

And the money will, no doubt, go to the stadium and the international set-up rather than the LoI

[Charlie Darwin]

There's a lot more money in TV today than there was even a decade ago which I assume is the prime rationale, plus the obvious need to get as many games in at the Aviva to cover the building costs. There are loads of these tournaments going on every July so there's obviously money there to be made - the question as you said is whether the FAI's got a good enough plan to take advantage in a competitive market.

[Dodge]

What will make this tourney any different from the one that failed in the mid/late 90's?

How were they falures? Great crowds at all of them and TV revenue.

[SwanVsDalton]

How were they falures? Great crowds at all of them and TV revenue.

Didn't think they captured much imagination at the time. Crowds did seem decent and I know they were on SKY, but wasn't it a long-term plan that got dropped?

[Dodge]

2 year deal signed with some company afaik.

[El-Pietro]

On day 25 in the LOI House, George O'Callaghan is moving into his 25th different bedroom so far.
hed keep moving in and out of one room with diminishing satisfaction

[A face]

Decent deal for the FAI, however it doesnt exactly align itself well with the domestic season. Also after the debacle that was the MU V Airtricity match, I would prefer if they put Shamrock Rovers in the tournament as league champions rather than a hastily thrown together select.

I'd fully agree here. Maybe go with it the first year but if they, the FAI manage to mess it up and result in the LOI being misrepresented then that should be the nail in the coffin for any more of these type of games.

It could be a great platform for a LOI side to show what they're worth but as it was said, another game like the ManU game and i'd definitely not be in favour of it any more. There shouldn't be an excuse now either. They saw what can happen and the have loads of time to prevent it happening again.