LoI in Europe 2024

[nr637]

6,108 just announced. Good attendance considering. Well done all! ?

[Nesta99]

An entertaining 2nd half too. Rovers should be done and dusted though, about the 60 mins Rovers looked to tire a bit.

After a shaky start that was a European performance that was worthy of LoI champions and the ability in that side. I dont agree TNS were no good, they didnt get a foothold in the game once the equaliser happened bare a couple of short spells that should they could play. Last and I think only TNS corner and the cross prior may have been a nerve jangler at 2-1. But composed, didnt sit back, and a good watch. That shoud be enough to progress, should have a good go in the glamour ties knowig that another 3 points are very doable. Rovers should take a screen shot of that table, looks like something off Football Manager!

[texidub]

Rovers 3rd in the conference league table as it stands... behind Legia Warsaw and Rapid Vienna and just ahead of Chelsea. I know it's so early it's almost meaningless, but I'm going to enjoy it for the next 30 mins or however long it lasts :)

[pateen]

Well done Rovers, a better than expected position on the table

[yurt]

The question now is, where in the top 24 Rovers can get to? Another 3 points and they could be looking at playing an average team in the knockouts.

There are a lot of bang average sides in the ECL. If rovers can claim a few more points they'll probably be playing a team on par with APOEL and would have to fancy their chances if it panned out like that.

[pineapple stu]

Chelsea 4-0 up ono the Armenians mid-way through the first half.

Larne 1-0 up on St Gallen though. Strange competition. But entertaining for all that.

[Acornvilla]

Solid stuff from Rovers after the early scare, far better team, would say TNS were also a far better team than Larne, fun to get to see the leagues go head to head. Rovers miles ahead in the trio.

[pineapple stu]

APOEL, who drew in Tallaght, 2-0 up on Fiorentina, who beat TNS 2-0

[ger121]

Chelsea 6 up at HT. They and Rapid will be very unlikely to yield any points for Rovers.

Borac at home the best chance for more points but depends which version of them turns up.

[Nesta99]

Solid stuff from Rovers after the early scare, far better team, would say TNS were also a far better team than Larne, fun to get to see the leagues go head to head. Rovers miles ahead in the trio.

Diplomaticly put! Rovers rather than league miles ahead in the trio. Sparing EG and EYG another demographic debate!

[Acornvilla]

Diplomaticly put! Rovers rather than league miles ahead in the trio. Sparing EG and EYG another demographic debate!
Tbf TNS and Larne have been pretty dominant domestically, are they even an indication of their leagues quality?

[Nesta99]

Depends, ask a Linfield fan! But get your point, though Rovers have been dethroned in a league where 5 sides could win it with a few weeks to go so it would indicate a greater depth of quality. Just not to contradict myself Im parking worst standard season ever designation temporarily for this point.

[legendz]

Fair play to Rovers. 7 points from 3 games. Rapid Vienna away will be tough. Borac at home will be key. They must be targeting 10 points at least from the group stage. Should see them through after 5 rounds.

[Acornvilla]

Depends, ask a Linfield fan! But get your point, though Rovers have been dethroned in a league where 5 sides could win it with a few weeks to go so it would indicate a greater depth of quality. Just not to contradict myself Im parking worst standard season ever designation temporarily for this point.
I'm very much on the league is stronger than people are giving it credit for this season side of the fence so contradict away :D
I think half the league could take Larne/TNS on their day, even Derry if they were in the humor!

[Burnsie]

Rovers predicted to finish 12th out of 36 (https://x.com/fmeetsdata/status/1854661791596662930), being given a 97% chance of making the play-off round and 10% chance of direct qualification

[sbgawa]

Rovers coefficient for next year now stands at 13 and with the bonus for where you finish in the league is more like 14.5.
That should be enough to be seeded in all 4 rounds of Conference League pre groups next year.
Lots of landmines and winning 4 rounds in a row is a masive ask but it helps.
A win in our last home match would have the coefficient at around 17 which would be extraordinary.
We really picked the wrong year to **** away the league, we could have been seeded for first two rounds of Champions league and with a massive chance of auto qualifying for groups.

Glass half full overall i suppose but this year will go down in my books as the biggest missed oppurtunity in the league and a chance to really establish a multi year group stage patern

[placid casual]

Handy enough victory in the end for Rovers despite giving away a poor goal at the start.
Watts continues to show he has been the best player in the league this year and Kenny finished his goal well.
The games get infinitely harder from here on in but a draw against Borac should see us qualified.

[2 Year Contract]

Handy enough victory in the end for Rovers despite giving away a poor goal at the start.
Watts continues to show he has been the best player in the league this year and Kenny finished his goal well.
The games get infinitely harder from here on in but a draw against Borac should see us qualified.

That chance Watts created for himself in the second half by turning 2 defenders inside out on the edge of the box before firing over would’ve been some goal if he had’ve just hit the target. Brilliant play to even create a shooting chance though

[brendy_éire]

6,108 just announced. Good attendance considering. Well done all! ?

Seriously impressive considering the crap KO time.

[ForeForeToo]

That chance Watts created for himself in the second half by turning 2 defenders inside out on the edge of the box before firing over would’ve been some goal if he had’ve just hit the target. Brilliant play to even create a shooting chance though

That piece of play was glorious.

[CorribsideSteve]

Good, solid win for Rovers. It's such a strange feeling watching an LOI match in Europe where the Irish side are the bigger team, and favourites. Great crowd all things considered, but the atmosphere seemed a bit...flat? They should have won by more but will be delighted with how the Conference has gone so far.

[pateen]

Can Rovers fans say why Bourke and Byrne only come on late. Both nearly always show a level above the rest when they come on.

[Acornvilla]

Can Rovers fans say why Bourke and Byrne only come on late. Both nearly always show a level above the rest when they come on.
I imagine it's a combination of it being match load thing, especially given injury records, eering on the side of caution and not overdoing it, they also have so many options, need to share a lot of game time around.

[nigel-harps1954]

With the Borac Banja game being an 8pm kickoff, and a genuine chance of progression to the knockout rounds, surely Rovers will be looking to fill Tallaght for that one?

[pateen]

Was thinking that myself. I hope they do for a proper atmosphere

[legendz]

Rovers predicted to finish 12th out of 36 (https://x.com/fmeetsdata/status/1854661791596662930), being given a 97% chance of making the play-off round and 10% chance of direct qualificationNo mention of points though. I presume that prediction is on Rovers getting to 10 points at least.


Rovers coefficient for next year now stands at 13 and with the bonus for where you finish in the league is more like 14.5.
That should be enough to be seeded in all 4 rounds of Conference League pre groups next year.
Lots of landmines and winning 4 rounds in a row is a masive ask but it helps.
That'll be great news if Rovers can be seeded for the four rounds. Qualification rounds as always are fraught with danger. Even at First Division level. Clubs 2nd and 3rd falling at the semi-final hurdle.
If Shelbourne can utilise safety nets, and possibly even without, there is a strong chance of at least two Lol clubs getting through to the group stage next year.
Pat's under Kenny cannot be ruled out either. The cup winner is receiving a bye to Q2 AFAIK. Not far off cup winners qualifying for the Europa League qualifiers either. A rising tide.

[pateen]

Nothing to do with Shamrock Rivers but Bradley spouts some serious ****e. This and the fact he's a total whinger.

'We are the ones who have brought up the standards in this country for a long time'

[EatYerGreens]

Nothing to do with Shamrock Rivers but Bradley spouts some serious ****e. This and the fact he's a total whinger.

'We are the ones who have brought up the standards in this country for a long time'

I thought it was the FAI?

[Tomas]

Congrats to Shamrock Rovers in Europe. Booster win for the club and the league of Ireland.

Also hatts off Shelbourne. Lived in Dublin for a decade and Shels around 2015 looked like they´re going bust. Now they are Champions??? Amazing story. What odds were on Shelbourne to win the league before the season, I gues 20/1 or even more?

[2 Year Contract]

Congrats to Shamrock Rovers in Europe. Booster win for the club and the league of Ireland.

Also hatts off Shelbourne. Lived in Dublin for a decade and Shels around 2015 looked like they´re going bust. Now they are Champions??? Amazing story. What odds were on Shelbourne to win the league before the season, I gues 20/1 or even more?

9 years is an eternity in LOI football :) They were in the second tier back then, have been promoted, relegated and promoted again in those 9 years. I believe they were 25/1 to win the league this year before the season started

[Stuttgart88]

Good, solid win for Rovers. It's such a strange feeling watching an LOI match in Europe where the Irish side are the bigger team, and favourites. Great crowd all things considered, but the atmosphere seemed a bit...flat? They should have won by more but will be delighted with how the Conference has gone so far.I thought of this article when I read your post

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2024/11/02/shamrock-rovers-at-windsor-park-showed-that-appearances-matter/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

His players, [Stephen Kenny] thought, had looked different in Alkmaar’s modern stadium – then a decade old – and perhaps looked at themselves differently too.

He was talking about environment and perception and, ruefully, he would revisit the theme a few months later.

Following Dundalk’s summer elimination from the Champions League by Rosenborg – 3-2 on aggregate after extra time in the second leg – Kenny observed his players and the 21,000-capacity modern stadium Rosenborg inhabit and said: “There is nothing between the teams and yet we are playing in bloody Oriel Park, very limited facilities, and we are coming to grounds like this.

“The players deserve to playing on stages like this.”

At Windsor Park in Belfast, Shamrock Rovers walked into the 18,500-capacity redeveloped stadium and looked like they owned it. Graham Burke, Daniel Cleary and company strode around Windsor with a sense of belonging.

The point here, however, is Kenny’s – presentation. Part of the reason why Rovers were so persuasive – and impressive to an audience who see them rarely – was the setting.

Windsor is the best soccer-specific (as they say in the US) stadium on the island. The second-best is Tallaght. Rovers play consistently in Europe on the sort of stages Kenny mentioned. There’s a trip to Stamford Bridge next month.

This not only makes the players and management of Stephen Bradley more comfortable when entering these surroundings, it also enhances external perception of them.

Go back to Alkmaar-Dundalk and Dutch infrastructure has material benefits plural – commercial income is one, obviously, but there is also the added value in the transfer market of players being seen in a Dutch situation, as opposed to being seen in Irish domestic football at, say, Oriel Park.

Put simply, better facilities, better stadiums increase the value of the players inside them. Supermarkets call it packaging.


There's more of note in that article other than the extracts I have copied above.

And somewhat related, I was in a rugby school and I think it's fair to say two of old pals, Leinster season ticket and IRFU debenture holders, know diddly-squat about the LOI and quite frankly assume it's rubbish. I'm in a WhatsApp chat with them. One did agree to come out to Tallaght with me last season but the opportunity never arose. The other, quite out of the blue, posted in the chat on Friday that he had just seen a presentation by Kevin Doherty about Drogs' US investment and their plans and he was really impressed. He and his wife went to the match yesterday and loved it. Both recognised that the "FAI run-in" (as they called it) was getting a lot of attention.

[osarusan]

I have always thought that if you take LOI football and put it in front of 10,000 fans in a decent stadium, it'll just look better, and people would consider it better quality football than the exact same game being played out in front of 800 people.

[EalingGreen]

I have always thought that if you take LOI football and put it in front of 10,000 fans in a decent stadium, it'll just look better, and people would consider it better quality football than the exact same game being played out in front of 800 people.Agree. And even if a particular game turns out to be a dud, quality-wise, in such a setting, if there's more noise from the crowd, and the facilities and comfort are themselves decent quality (seats, view, cover, catering, toilets etc), then the overall day out won't seem quite so wasted.

[Stuttgart88]

And it's in this context that it really drives me mad when even big clubs like Derry leave a bunch of training goalposts stacked up behind the pitch. It just looks like amateur football.

[bohsmug]

And it's in this context that it really drives me mad when even big clubs like Derry leave a bunch of training goalposts stacked up behind the pitch. It just looks like amateur football.

100% agree, more so as a television viewer than when at the game. When attending a game I don't think the spare goalposts have as big an impact, although still look amateurish. I don't know if this makes sense but my own take on this is that from a set/staging point of view the goals need to mean something (have value or whatever the best way to phrase it is), the ultimate aim is to get the ball in there.

[Philosophizer]

And it's in this context that it really drives me mad when even big clubs like Derry leave a bunch of training goalposts stacked up behind the pitch. It just looks like amateur football.
100% agree. Some of these little details annoy me about our product on tv. I think it’s because we’ve never had a proper tv deal that these things aren’t corrected.

[lofty9]

And it's in this context that it really drives me mad when even big clubs like Derry leave a bunch of training goalposts stacked up behind the pitch. It just looks like amateur football.

Owned by council, stored by council, locked to rails by council.

[dundalkfc10]

I thought of this article when I read your post

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2024/11/02/shamrock-rovers-at-windsor-park-showed-that-appearances-matter/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

His players, [Stephen Kenny] thought, had looked different in Alkmaar’s modern stadium – then a decade old – and perhaps looked at themselves differently too.

He was talking about environment and perception and, ruefully, he would revisit the theme a few months later.

Following Dundalk’s summer elimination from the Champions League by Rosenborg – 3-2 on aggregate after extra time in the second leg – Kenny observed his players and the 21,000-capacity modern stadium Rosenborg inhabit and said: “There is nothing between the teams and yet we are playing in bloody Oriel Park, very limited facilities, and we are coming to grounds like this.

“The players deserve to playing on stages like this.”

At Windsor Park in Belfast, Shamrock Rovers walked into the 18,500-capacity redeveloped stadium and looked like they owned it. Graham Burke, Daniel Cleary and company strode around Windsor with a sense of belonging.

The point here, however, is Kenny’s – presentation. Part of the reason why Rovers were so persuasive – and impressive to an audience who see them rarely – was the setting.

Windsor is the best soccer-specific (as they say in the US) stadium on the island. The second-best is Tallaght. Rovers play consistently in Europe on the sort of stages Kenny mentioned. There’s a trip to Stamford Bridge next month.

This not only makes the players and management of Stephen Bradley more comfortable when entering these surroundings, it also enhances external perception of them.

Go back to Alkmaar-Dundalk and Dutch infrastructure has material benefits plural – commercial income is one, obviously, but there is also the added value in the transfer market of players being seen in a Dutch situation, as opposed to being seen in Irish domestic football at, say, Oriel Park.

Put simply, better facilities, better stadiums increase the value of the players inside them. Supermarkets call it packaging.


There's more of note in that article other than the extracts I have copied above.

And somewhat related, I was in a rugby school and I think it's fair to say two of old pals, Leinster season ticket and IRFU debenture holders, know diddly-squat about the LOI and quite frankly assume it's rubbish. I'm in a WhatsApp chat with them. One did agree to come out to Tallaght with me last season but the opportunity never arose. The other, quite out of the blue, posted in the chat on Friday that he had just seen a presentation by Kevin Doherty about Drogs' US investment and their plans and he was really impressed. He and his wife went to the match yesterday and loved it. Both recognised that the "FAI run-in" (as they called it) was getting a lot of attention.

1 thing always sticks out about Alkmar for me, a lot of the younger fan base based themselves in Amsterdam (as you do) and Man Utd were playing Feyernord on the same night as us and the amount of United fans who couldn't believe the amount of Dundalk fans going around the day before the game.
They were amazed we had approx 1000 going to the game but our home attendances were only approx 3000

[EalingGreen]

1 thing always sticks out about Alkmar for me, a lot of the younger fan base based themselves in Amsterdam (as you do) and Man Utd were playing Feyernord on the same night as us and the amount of United fans who couldn't believe the amount of Dundalk fans going around the day before the game.
They were amazed we had approx 1000 going to the game but our home attendances were only approx 3000If you think about it, it shouldn't be a surptise that a much higher percentage of fans at a club like Dundalk are "hard core", than at a tourist club like Man U.

While the chance to play in Europe means more to such fans than those of a club like Man U, where it's pretty much taken for granted (see eg St.Mirren's away support in Europe this year)

[dundalkfc10]

If you think about it, it shouldn't be a surptise that a much higher percentage of fans at a club like Dundalk are "hard core", than at a tourist club like Man U.

While the chance to play in Europe means more to such fans than those of a club like Man U, where it's pretty much taken for granted (see eg St.Mirren's away support in Europe this year)

I understand the hard core element alright, but in my own family my Father and 2 of his brothers went to Alkmaar
The last Dundalk game my Dad attended was the FAI Cup Final when Rovers beat us on penalties, one my uncles hasn't been in Oriel Park since the 1980s when he was a kid himself
The other one would be a regular but an awful lot of older people went to that game who would never go to Oriel Park

[Nesta99]

A lot of expats were at that game also. I wouldnt have anticipated that many Dundalk people and fans living on the continent tbh, Brussels an obvious one but plenty arrived in from Germany, Denmark, Lux, Swiz, Netherlands itself. I had tickets for home section myself but up beside the away section.and that block was busy beside the packed away section. Non Dundalk friends topped things up a bit, but yeah there was general surprse at the support, performance and result and some shock at Gary Roger's ruthless goalkeeping!

[placid casual]

Rovers allocation of 2,927 for chelsea away sold out.
Should hopefully be a bit of craic and Rovers will be already qualified for the play offs,and not reliant on having to keep an eye on the goal difference...

[yurt]

Rovers allocation of 2,927 for chelsea away sold out.
Should hopefully be a bit of craic and Rovers will be already qualified for the play offs,and not reliant on having to keep an eye on the goal difference...

Yeah the league stage has gone exactly to plan so far for Rovers after they were handed the dream sequence of fixtures. Since they've gone and got the results that were expected of them they'll get to have their big tie in London with very little to lose.

It could easily end up being the case going in that if Rovers win at Chelsea they could finish in the top 8 and qualify for the QFs directly. It would really increase the coverage around the game if SR had something to gain from the game instead of it being a dead rubber.

[placid casual]

Are you suggesting that Rovers could be capable of taking on what is widely regarded as the most expensively assembled football squad in the world and trying to win . I think we'll be going to keep the score down. I'm presuming you saw chelsea obliterate their last opponents in the competition?

[Nesta99]

Its is a classic throwback to the days when you could hope to nick a 0-0, maybe rough a side up and scare them for 5 minutes before the next 90 with back to the wall before the inevitable last second calamity. Those days are gone, its hoping for not being totally whipped, being aware of GD implications, and eanjoying the occasion of being there at all. Talk of a win is nice and all and belief is good but....

[Another Bohemia]

Are you suggesting that Rovers could be capable of taking on what is widely regarded as the most expensively assembled football squad in the world and trying to win . I think we'll be going to keep the score down. I'm presuming you saw chelsea obliterate their last opponents in the competition?

Yeah premier league football may as well be a different sport to LOI. Rovers have some very good LOI players but there are so many levels between LOI and the premier league.

[ger121]

Are you suggesting that Rovers could be capable of taking on what is widely regarded as the most expensively assembled football squad in the world and trying to win . I think we'll be going to keep the score down. I'm presuming you saw chelsea obliterate their last opponents in the competition?

By GW 6 they’ll be well inside the Top 8. They’ll put out the reserves of the reserves in that squad. They’ll still win of course. Maybe 2 or 3 nil but it won’t be a Noah level bashing.

Two nice away days coming up, sandwiched between the one game that really matters and that is Borac. A point there would remove even the small percentage chance of 7 not being enough.

[yurt]

Are you suggesting that Rovers could be capable of taking on what is widely regarded as the most expensively assembled football squad in the world and trying to win . I think we'll be going to keep the score down. I'm presuming you saw chelsea obliterate their last opponents in the competition?

Sorry no that's not what I am suggesting. I dont think they've any chance of being competitive, which I think everyone agrees with.

I just think that in the couple days of build up to the game if rovers have something bigger to play for it'll increase interest. They could potentially get to half time at 0-0 and that would become a story in itself.

[placid casual]

Sorry no that's not what I am suggesting. I dont think they've any chance of being competitive, which I think everyone agrees with.

I just think that in the couple days of build up to the game if rovers have something bigger to play for it'll increase interest. They could potentially get to half time at 0-0 and that would become a story in itself.
Ok grand, sorry I took you up wrong.
Yeah that makes sense,but as Ger rightly points out, it's the Borac game that is the one Rovers will target,as 1 more point should push us into the top 24. I'm taking Bradley's assertion of a possible top 8 place with amusement but not serious.

[placid casual]

Two nice away days coming up, sandwiched between the one game that really matters and that is Borac. A point there would remove even the small percentage chance of 7 not being enough.

I'm going to both Ger, should be great craic.
As we pished the league up the wall it's highly unlikely we'll get here next season so you have to take your opportunities as a seasoned LOI fan where you can get them.
Can't wait to see the chelsea faithful clutching their overpriced pearls when Rovers turn up on their doorstep:)