View Full Version : LOI in Europe 2023
refjohn
07/08/2023, 3:20 PM
90 minutes versus 4+ hours on a work night. If UEFA / FAI agree then sensible option
sbgawa
07/08/2023, 6:58 PM
Very inconsiderate on us poor dubs :)
Calcio Jack
07/08/2023, 7:18 PM
Genuinely surprised that the club are asking for this, but great stuff!
Might this be the start of a return to the Irish League ?
brendy_éire
07/08/2023, 7:42 PM
Might this be the start of a return to the Irish League ?
We should all just go back to the IL, yourselves included. :)
Just wondering if the club have maybe missed the boat on Windsor. You'd imagine Tobol have already applied for their Irish visas, would they be willing to get UK ones now?
Windsor definitely the logical choice. I suppose we couldn’t have even asked for it earlier as Linfield may have still been in competition but hopefully not too late. If get the go ahead and can keep the tie alive you’d think we could get a bumper crowd in Belfast. A handy ~1hr 15min drive now and a significant Derry contingent in Belfast anyway.
D24Saint
07/08/2023, 8:35 PM
Genuinely surprised that the club are asking for this, but great stuff!
Not a bit of cake and eat it going on ? If Tallaght was nominated it should be set in stone.
brendy_éire
07/08/2023, 9:10 PM
Not a bit of cake and eat it going on ? If Tallaght was nominated it should be set in stone.
They should have had this sorted before the competition started, yes, but if we can change, why not?
Read through the rules on it, basically seems like it's up to UEFA to approve.
TonyD
07/08/2023, 10:44 PM
They should have had this sorted before the competition started, yes, but if we can change, why not?
Read through the rules on it, basically seems like it's up to UEFA to approve.
With Derry’s unique position I could definitely see UEFA agreeing. Would there be agreement from the IFA ? As you said earlier, the opponents could get awkward about it too. Apart from anything else I’m sure they’d prefer to have Derry discommoded by having to travel as far as possible, and play in front of less of their own support.
EatYerGreens
08/08/2023, 12:14 AM
With Derry’s unique position I could definitely see UEFA agreeing. Would there be agreement from the IFA ? As you said earlier, the opponents could get awkward about it too. Apart from anything else I’m sure they’d prefer to have Derry discommoded by having to travel as far as possible, and play in front of less of their own support.
Once the oposition realise the price of hotels in Dublin during the Summer seaosn, they'll be straight onto the phone to agree :D
brendy_éire
08/08/2023, 8:47 AM
With Derry’s unique position I could definitely see UEFA agreeing. Would there be agreement from the IFA ? As you said earlier, the opponents could get awkward about it too. Apart from anything else I’m sure they’d prefer to have Derry discommoded by having to travel as far as possible, and play in front of less of their own support.
The IFA are fine with it, few extra quid and gives them a positive media story too.
Team flying from Derry at 9 this morning, arriving into Kostanay at 1 in the morning Kazakh time. Proper trek, even with a charter.
outspoken
08/08/2023, 9:31 AM
The IFA are fine with it, few extra quid and gives them a positive media story too.
Team flying from Derry at 9 this morning, arriving into Kostanay at 1 in the morning Kazakh time. Proper trek, even with a charter.
Chatting a Linfield fan this morning, he said the sticking point might not be the IFA or Linfield but the PSNI, they may not want the hassle. I'd like to think times have moved on but would it be a case of maybe having to bus Derry fans in and out?
Partizan
08/08/2023, 9:43 AM
Chatting a Linfield fan this morning, he said the sticking point might not be the IFA or Linfield but the PSNI, they may not want the hassle. I'd like to think times have moved on but would it be a case of maybe having to bus Derry fans in and out?
I thought we had all moved on from this.
brendy_éire
08/08/2023, 10:00 AM
Chatting a Linfield fan this morning, he said the sticking point might not be the IFA or Linfield but the PSNI, they may not want the hassle. I'd like to think times have moved on but would it be a case of maybe having to bus Derry fans in and out?
Derry fans were never bussed in and out of Windsor, except the supporters club at the university in Belfast.
You can drive there and park on Boucher Road handily enough. Would be outrageous if the PSNI say no, IMO.
EalingGreen
08/08/2023, 10:13 AM
You'd imagine Tobol have already applied for their Irish visas, would they be willing to get UK ones now?Would they need to?
I could be completely wrong here, but even if technically they needed a UK visa, and assuming they are flying into Dublin with Irish visas, does anyone entering NI from ROI currently need a visa? And even if they should, is anyone going to check? Or even care?
As "Outspoken" says, the PSNI might be more likely to object, not on account of the "politics" etc, but rather because having to supply officers for crowd control for 8-10k(?) fans on the streets of Belfast with minimal notice, could cause problems for their rosters and overtime, as well as eating into their budget.
Personally I really hope they don't, and think they won't. But police forces everywhere tend not to be fans of football crowds generally, irrespective of which team they support.
EalingGreen
08/08/2023, 10:31 AM
Even the Faroes have two teams left, one of which has four qualifying games and a group stage to come.
Interesting commentary here on KI Klaksvik, looking at the circumstances behind their European run - maybe it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise as everyone else thought:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66405575
Cracking photo included, too:
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/976/cpsprodpb/10492/production/_130660766_dji_fly_20221122_104808_131_16691142902 36_photo.jpg
(KI usually play their football at the Djupumyrar stadium, but will host the rest of their European matches at the bigger Torsvollur in the capital)
thischarmingman
08/08/2023, 11:31 AM
Good Lord - thischarmingman is a blast from the foot.ie past!
Welcome back!
https://i.imgur.com/cMoh9xHl.jpeg
Philosophizer
08/08/2023, 11:55 AM
Stunning photo from the Faroes.
EatYerGreens
08/08/2023, 12:15 PM
Chatting a Linfield fan this morning, he said the sticking point might not be the IFA or Linfield but the PSNI, they may not want the hassle. I'd like to think times have moved on but would it be a case of maybe having to bus Derry fans in and out?
Windsor and its surroundings are designed to be a very easy stadium to police. I doubt fans of any club have had to be bussed in and out of there for decades?
holidaysong
08/08/2023, 12:39 PM
Dundalk fans were bussed in and out for a Setanta Cup tie in 2011 and it was mandatory to be able to attend. We played there in the Unite the Union Cup again in 2019 and while it was strongly recommended to travel with the official club buses, it wasn't strictly enforced.
EalingGreen
08/08/2023, 12:53 PM
Stunning photo from the Faroes.Note how that's their stadium on the left - two small stands and (an uncovered?) terrace behind the goals.
While I assume that the ground on the right with running track etc is also a multisport facility for the locals etc.
Meanwhile, I suspect the two big black-roofed buildings (bottom left) may also be indoor sports facilities (gym? sports hall? pool?). And just noticed a third building between them and the multisport.
All of which for a town of 5k on a small rock in the middle of the North Atlantic puts our equivalents in Ireland, N & S, to shame.
Philosophizer
08/08/2023, 1:15 PM
Note how that's their stadium on the left - two small stands and (an uncovered?) terrace behind the goals.
While I assume that the ground on the right with running track etc is also a multisport facility for the locals etc.
Meanwhile, I suspect the two big black-roofed buildings (bottom left) may also be indoor sports facilities (gym? sports hall? pool?). And just noticed a third building between them and the multisport.
All of which for a town of 5k on a small rock in the middle of the North Atlantic puts our equivalents in Ireland, N & S, to shame.
Exactly. Very small, but beautifully tidy sports facilities. And slap bang in the centre of the bay for easy access for all.
The nordics just do things better!
EatYerGreens
08/08/2023, 1:22 PM
Exactly. Very small, but beautifully tidy sports facilities. And slap bang in the centre of the bay for easy access for all.
The nordics just do things better!
Not just the Nordics. A friend of mine who ran a football club in Dublin moved to Germany a couple of years ago, and said it is so much easier to hire pitches over there. Every town and village will have good quality council-owned sports facilities that are available to hire at a reasonable price. That doesn't happen here, where pitches are reducing in number all the time and demand for them is high. And then we wonder why so many people stop doing sport after school or uni, and why the public's health isn't what it is in other countries.
Philosophizer
08/08/2023, 2:54 PM
True. A mate recently moved to Dublin from Netherlands and has told me similar stories - Immaculate football facilities all over the country.
Those countries are decades ahead of us in terms of infrastructure, as outlined by the recent fai report. In truth, most of us in the know didn’t need an fai report to tell us that, but at least they’ve finally for their act together.
EalingGreen
08/08/2023, 3:25 PM
Exactly. Very small, but beautifully tidy sports facilities. And slap bang in the centre of the bay for easy access for all. Tbf, if you've ever been to the Faroes, there's usually nowhere else you can build anything - basically each island stands out like a big dog's ******, straight up out of the ocean. Even the sheep have two legs only half as long as the two on their other side, it's that steep!
The nordics just do things better!For a minute, I read that as "Nordies" :D
But you're dead right. Mind you, they might as well put their money and time into stuff like that, since once the fishing boats have tied up for the day, there's precious little else to do, especially in winter.
Still, a marvellous place to visit, if not to live.
pateen
08/08/2023, 4:13 PM
The IFA are fine with it, few extra quid and gives them a positive media story too.
Team flying from Derry at 9 this morning, arriving into Kostanay at 1 in the morning Kazakh time. Proper trek, even with a charter.
No way it's a direct flight then?
joey B
08/08/2023, 4:31 PM
No way it's a direct flight then?
Stopping in Budapest and Tbilisi for refueling I seen somewhere…..
pineapple stu
08/08/2023, 4:38 PM
You won't get a charter with range enough to Kazakhstan I would say
Something like Budapest and Tbilisi makes sense
pineapple stu
08/08/2023, 8:35 PM
I see Klaksvík are doing the business again
1689010855617466368
culloty82
08/08/2023, 8:40 PM
Interesting commentary here on KI Klaksvik, looking at the circumstances behind their European run - maybe it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise as everyone else thought:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66405575
Cracking photo included, too:
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/976/cpsprodpb/10492/production/_130660766_dji_fly_20221122_104808_131_16691142902 36_photo.jpg
(KI usually play their football at the Djupumyrar stadium, but will host the rest of their European matches at the bigger Torsvollur in the capital)
And they've now won their first leg at home to Molde, so just 90 minutes away from an upgrade to Europa League at a minimum, should they hold out in Norway.
ger121
08/08/2023, 8:40 PM
What a team!
geysir
08/08/2023, 8:46 PM
2 brilliant goals for KI scored by their best player Arni Frederiksberg, his first reminded me of Brady's v Brazil, where everybody was expecting a cross and he wrongfooted them all.
edit
Arni's brace
https://youtu.be/T3B1HtADwVU?t=34
EalingGreen
08/08/2023, 9:53 PM
No way it's a direct flight then?A lot of commercial passenger jets have sufficient range to fly the 3,000+ miles to Astana non-stop. But even if you could afford to charter one, the runway at Eglinton surely isn't long enough to permit it to take off safely, and certainly not with a full fuel load - they'd still be taxi-ing past Dungiven!
I'm sure they've chartered a much smaller jet, which is why it has to stop twice en route.
geysir
08/08/2023, 11:22 PM
https://foot.ie/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by brendy_éire https://foot.ie/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://foot.ie/showthread.php?p=2157545#post2157545)
Team flying from Derry at 9 this morning, arriving into Kostanay at 1 in the morning Kazakh time. Proper trek, even with a charter.
With a 5 hours time difference that's not too shabby.
Imo to be drawn at home in the first leg is a huge advantage over the tie. Derry have to make that trip twice before the 2nd leg is played.
2 Year Contract
09/08/2023, 8:03 AM
The thing I don’t understand is why Derry had their game last Sunday away to UCD postponed when they weren’t flying until Tuesday, but their game this coming Sunday at home to Drogheda is going ahead despite it being so soon after the trek back from Kazakhstan
Are Derry expecting 12,000 fans to travel to Windsor Park if they are allowed to use this venue?
I doubt if the Belfast soccer public will support Derry City FC from the League of Ireland in great numbers!
Even Linfield struggle to attract big attendances for European fixtures over the years!
The thing I don’t understand is why Derry had their game last Sunday away to UCD postponed when they weren’t flying until Tuesday, but their game this coming Sunday at home to Drogheda is going ahead despite it being so soon after the trek back from Kazakhstan
I don’t get that either and would rather have just played it, with all respect to UCD could have probably made several changes and still managed the points and it’s a game we then don’t have to worry about down the line.
Are yDerry expecting 12,000 fans to travel to Windsor Park if they are allowed to use this venue?
I doubt if the Belfast soccer public will support Derry City FC from the League of Ireland in great numbers!
Even Linfield struggle to attract big attendances for European fixtures over the years!
I would say if tie is alive there will be a large crowd (the talk of Belfast has created an extra bit of buzz now too). Linfield aren’t as well supported as Derry in general with average crowds significantly below ours even with bigger away crowds and the boost from the home Glentoran game crowd.
pateen
09/08/2023, 10:38 AM
A lot of commercial passenger jets have sufficient range to fly the 3,000+ miles to Astana non-stop. But even if you could afford to charter one, the runway at Eglinton surely isn't long enough to permit it to take off safely, and certainly not with a full fuel load - they'd still be taxi-ing past Dungiven!
I'm sure they've chartered a much smaller jet, which is why it has to stop twice en route.
Still seems strange. Astana is closer than New York. What's the nearest international airport to the club?
pineapple stu
09/08/2023, 11:21 AM
It's only closer if you fly over Russia, which you can't (and don't want to) do right now.
Kostanay has an international airport
EalingGreen
09/08/2023, 12:34 PM
Still seems strange. Astana is closer than New York. What's the nearest international airport to the club?I've no idea of the figures, but to charter a modern passenger jet like eg a 757, holding 200-250 passengers, must cost an absolute fortune - that's if one is available, since they're likely all in regular airline service.
Much more financially sensible to charter a smaller, older aircraft and just accept that you have to do it in stages.
As for runways, Aldergrove would possibly be long enough(?), but if not, the new runway at Dublin airport should certainly do it, Shannon also. But as I say, that's academic, not least because (as pineapple says), avoiding Russian airspace must add 1,000 miles or more to the trip.
EatYerGreens
09/08/2023, 12:44 PM
Still seems strange. Astana is closer than New York. What's the nearest international airport to the club?
If all you can get a short notice is a small plane (which is also all you need to move a fairly small number of people), then having to stop to refuel is no great surprise. It's big jets that are flying non-stop to New York, presumably not small charter planes.
MichaelCherrito
09/08/2023, 12:59 PM
Over the last few days the fact we have learned is that stadiums are not up to it and something should be done before thinking about anything else. Clubs’ development need a good structure regarding facilities and that should be the prime goal in the short term.
That would be key in improving the football quality in this country and,as we are seeing with other countries, European results.
It’s been depressing to see that Klaksvik have to travel only 30 miles to play their remaining matches this season while Derry City won’t play anymore at their own ground regardless of how much they progress.
brendy_éire
09/08/2023, 1:05 PM
If all you can get a short notice is a small plane (which is also all you need to move a fairly small number of people), then having to stop to refuel is no great surprise. It's big jets that are flying non-stop to New York, presumably not small charter planes.
This. Team flying on an E145 with 49 seats, so two stops needed.
Charter costs are astronomical at present. The club looked at an A320 to Kuopio (174 seasts), it was over a quarter of a million. Would have been charging fans the guts of £1.5k for a ticket, so they went with the E145 instead.
The club charged £450 for the 1h15m charter flight to the Faroes on an A320, which they filled, and still lost money on it.
brendy_éire
09/08/2023, 3:51 PM
It's a 'no' to Windsor. That'll put loads off travelling.
https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/uefa-refuse-derry-city-request-to-play-europa-conference-league-home-tie-at-windsor-park-4249649?fbclid=IwAR2rnMRbo5qe_0nPobSwyqUX791YlkC0h in65GSBSvvtq2dU1ors5vDixbM
D24Saint
09/08/2023, 4:01 PM
I’ll head up that game in Tallaght. It’s hard to expect a big crowd at it. It’s a lot of traveling for a home game.
brendy_éire
09/08/2023, 5:04 PM
I’ll head up that game in Tallaght. It’s hard to expect a big crowd at it. It’s a lot of traveling for a home game.
Wonder what the pricing will be. I don't think we can charge our usual £25/€29 and expect decent numbers.
Should reduce it to a tenner and get locals in, IMO.
When Dundalk played there, did they get many Dubs going?
D24Saint
09/08/2023, 5:10 PM
Surprised UEFA were rigid on this. For instance what would a club like FC Vaduz do if they got through a few rounds.
pineapple stu
09/08/2023, 5:21 PM
They reached the groups last year and hosted their games in their own ground
LoI stadiums are ****
Philosophizer
09/08/2023, 5:22 PM
When Dundalk played there, did they get many Dubs going?
The BATE match had a great crowd I remember. Near capacity I’d say. I think Tallaght only had 2 stands at that time tho - so about 6k capacity. Also the tie was still in the balance for the leg in Tallaght. And Dundalk is a hell of a lot closer than Derry so people could easily make the round trip that eve.
D24Saint
09/08/2023, 5:23 PM
They reached the groups last year and hosted their games in their own ground
LoI stadiums are ****
No argument there.
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