20 Teams, 2 Divisions, 1 National League

[nr637]

A 12 team league would dilute the quality of the league. I highly doubt it's something being considered at the top level.

I've been reading and suggesting my own alternative league structures for over a decade here and elsewhere. Suggesting it'd be the solution to generating interest in a failing league. Now we have 2 divisions which work well(ish) and interest has never been higher, with a fully professional premier division. If it's not broke don't fix it.

What we need imo is more clubs playing at a higher level, not necessarily more players playing at the highest level.

"Now we have 2 divisions which work well(ish) and interest has never been higher, with a fully professional premier division. If it's not broke don't fix it."

I agree with your post, especially the above. I also am excited with the FAI's plan for a new National League third division. Hopefully it gets going as planned and as with all new ideas, it will have its issues at the start.
Significantly, the real intention is to create new competitive platform and pathway for non-league clubs which should also make the first division more competitive.

[Martinho II]

A club should make it as easy as possible to progress through the levels. Academy players should be brought into senior training. This doesn't happen as first team trains in Dublin and has Dublin managers who literally do not look at or care about the Academy

Did we train in Dublin throughout the 80s and 90s? I don't know if we did or not. However the national league Academy system has changed a lot, and is the main reason the LOI is now booming. I remember people on here going against that at the time! Like some genius saying Academy football isn't experience lol, shur there were people saying Longford doesn't need a skatepark too there will always be pushback that's why it's so so important to always ask oneself the question: well what have you achieved and that will give an indication of whether one's opinion is worth anything really

Back then our senior mgrs were Dublin based or outside the county except for Zac Hackett which was pretty much locally based training wise I imagine!So would think that other times that some trained in Longford and rest in Dublin

[Keen2win]

It's interesting to know when we started to sell our soul to Dublin.. LOI was different then, now there is thousands being spent on an academy that is not focused on producing players. We have lost millions letting Owen Elding go!

[pineapple stu]

Has any 17-year-old academy player in the history of LoI generated millions for a club?

[Keen2win]

Depends how much he is sold for pineapple, that's what a football club is about developing players and keeping your best performers! Out of interest do you have any experience in football or are you just an entitled dubliner?? Cos I saw you going on about Kerry FC shouldn't be in the league, typical nonsense from an entitled dubliner with zero experience in the game!! That's what I figured straight away anyway

[pineapple stu]

Depends how much he is sold for pineapple
Well duh.

But has any 17-year-old academy player in the history of LoI generated millions for a club?

[Buckett]

Depends how much he is sold for pineapple, that's what a football club is about developing players and keeping your best performers! Out of interest do you have any experience in football or are you just an entitled dubliner?? Cos I saw you going on about Kerry FC shouldn't be in the league, typical nonsense from an entitled dubliner with zero experience in the game!! That's what I figured straight away anyway

I'd love to see your football cv

[Nesta99]

30 years of watching the game, all levels, taught me more than all the coaching badges gained and to a decent level too via FAI and FA. Ive a degree in Sports Science, worked in sports development for local governmet and an NGB, Im not from Dublin. Am I allowed an opinion? Ive raised questions on the county model using Kerry FC as an example also.

[outspoken]

30 years of watching the game, all levels, taught me more than all the coaching badges gained and to a decent level too, UK and Ireland. Ive a degree in Sports Science, worked in sports development for local governmet and an NGB, Im not from Dublin. Am I allowed an opinion? Ive raised questions on the county model using Kerry FC as an example also.

Do you have a league medal though. How dare you post here without one.

[Another Bohemia]

Well duh.

But has any 17-year-old academy player in the history of LoI generated millions for a club?

Melia maybe? But he'll be 18 when the transfer goes through technically. Either way he's the exception that proves the rule in this case. Also something that seems to be missing from Keen's analysis is that Longford could have offered Elding the highest contract in the division and he probably still would have left because he went to a premier division team that has a necessity to play youth players. Longford were never going to keep him and so would be missing the millions regardless of any future transfer fees.

Also if it became a requirement to be involved in football at some level before commenting on it then the entire sports journalism industry would collapse :D. Keen is either the most one note troll you'll ever see or someone who has more passion than sense.

[pineapple stu]

Melia maybe? But he'll be 18 when the transfer goes through technically.
Melia wasn't (isn't) a 17-year-old academy player though. He was a senior player at 15. Elding was 17 (just) and without a senior game when leaving Longford

[Keen2win]

I'm getting very confused I think I should probably just delete my foot.ie account leave you all in peace. Amen 🙏

[LTFC]

Depends how much he is sold for pineapple, that's what a football club is about developing players and keeping your best performers! Out of interest do you have any experience in football or are you just an entitled dubliner?? Cos I saw you going on about Kerry FC shouldn't be in the league, typical nonsense from an entitled dubliner with zero experience in the game!! That's what I figured straight away anyway

You wouldnt know whats in a contract, and any player would be trying to get the best options they could get and the club trying to do the same. A release clause here might be a financial amount, the player might want that at 10k, the club at 100k and the compromise somewhere in the middle.
For young players then even in our own league you have the dog eat dog competitive nature of it - for example Shamrock Rovers Michael Noonan has passed out some of the others in his own club who are also ranked very highly - including a kid from Longford Goodness Ogbonna.

[Keen2win]

I hope LTFC turn it around and I love Dubliners as I do Longfordians

[LTFC]

To bring this back on topic, do we have any updates on clubs and how many clubs want to join the 3rd tier?

[EatYerGreens]

To bring this back on topic, do we have any updates on clubs and how many clubs want to join the 3rd tier?

It might be easier to form a list of clubs that DON'T want to join the 3rd tier? :D

[LTFC]

It might be easier to form a list of clubs that DON'T want to join the 3rd tier? :D

To be fair over 60 expressions of interest went in, but where those are now I dont know, but does seem that appetite is there.

[yurt]

Does anyone know much about the current setup at Ringmahon Rangers? They're due a few million from Kelliher's transfer, would be great if this sort of money was coming to an intermediate side who were already planning on stepping up the national level

[nr637]

Does anyone know much about the current setup at Ringmahon Rangers? They're due a few million from Kelliher's transfer, would be great if this sort of money was coming to an intermediate side who were already planning on stepping up the national level

A reported €3 million payday! :confused:

[Martinho II]

A reported €3 million payday! :confused:

Judging by the item on Virgin Medias report on CK from Ringmahons ground yesterday they seem like a well organised club!

[nr637]

Judging by the item on Virgin Medias report on CK from Ringmahons ground yesterday they seem like a well organised club!

They provided their 'Slick DVD' to RTE as well! :)

[EatYerGreens]

Are Ringmahon one of the 67 ?

[oldfan]

To bring this back on topic, do we have any updates on clubs and how many clubs want to join the 3rd tier?

Newbridge Town

[kksaints]

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0610/1517637-league-ireland-clare/

Interesting if slightly pie in the sky idea for the beginnings of a team in Clare.

[legendz]

Calls for League of Ireland team to be set up in Clare
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0610/1517637-league-ireland-clare/

[Straightstory]

Calls for League of Ireland team to be set up in Clare
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0610/1517637-league-ireland-clare/

Politicians thinking it's a great idea - but just don't ask them to get involved in funding it.
Non-news story of the year.

[Martinho II]

Politicians thinking it's a great idea - but just don't ask them to get involved in funding it.
Non-news story of the year.

Interesting proposition. What famous footballers come from Co Clare btw?

[2 Year Contract]

Interesting proposition. What famous footballers come from Co Clare btw?
Barry Cotter, Barry Ryan and Ryan Nolan are the only 3 Clare players I can think of. Limerick posters on here might know of more

[Kiki Balboa]

Calls for League of Ireland team to be set up in Clare
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0610/1517637-league-ireland-clare/

I might be right in thinking that there is nearly a uniquely Irish football problem on show here. Due to archaic structure of Irish football, all Clare teams are kind of hemmed into a local league, with no room for 'expansion'.

You have a team from a largish urban centre stuck directly competing against fairly small catchment areas (that probably drives un-ambition), and is less successful recently than a much smaller town in Newmarket, which is closer to an established LOI club (getting players/training/administration knowledge).

Now, the FAI and Local Council (which shows local motivation at least) wants to develop a sport/economic center, have to deal with local football politics directly (ie. the Tribalism that is inherent in competing clubs), and choose (if they are all being serious) either the club with the location with most potential, the current best set-up (maybe indicates its members are the most capable), or a new entity with no local history and social capital which leans on GAA sympathies, to bet on.

Similar problems seem to have arisen for this 3rd Tier in Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow, and Meath.

Not saying there are not solutions available (or even if it is a big deal), Kerry seems a success so far. But the structures needed changing at least 20 years ago to naturally pick winners and losers, and stratify locally - obviously that's not happened - and it is what it is at this stage.

The FAI did seem to have some strategy with developing 'county' teams in the underage leagues, but havent seen any indication what the current strategy will be.

In all honesty, the FAI probably dont even have the capacity to develop such strategies for the 3rd Tier selection process and it might not even be a one-size-fits-all solution.

[EatYerGreens]

Calls for League of Ireland team to be set up in Clare
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0610/1517637-league-ireland-clare/

I think this says a lot more than it appears at first glance.

Firstiy, it tells me that the LOI has reached a level of mainstream acceptability and even attractiveness now when you have politicians in a strong GAA county calling for and discussing having a club in their area (no matter how unrealistic the manner of doing so is). This wouldn't have happened 10+yrs ago.

Secondly, I think it's also noteworthy that this was from a Sinn Féin councillor. A parrty that usually can't see much beyond GAA. The 'garrison game' no more, it seems?

[nr637]

I think this says a lot more than it appears at first glance.

Firstiy, it tells me that the LOI has reached a level of mainstream acceptability and even attractiveness now when you have politicians in a strong GAA county calling for and discussing having a club in their area (no matter how unrealistic the manner of doing so is). This wouldn't have happened 10+yrs ago.

Secondly, I think it's also noteworthy that this was from a Sinn Féin councillor. A parrty that usually can't see much beyond GAA. The 'garrison game' no more, it seems?


I remember Newmarket Celtic winning the FAI Junior Cup in 2023 beating St. Michaels of Tipperary. Other teams from the Clare league of note are Bridge United and Avenue United. Up the banner! :rolleyes:

[culloty82]

I might be right in thinking that there is nearly a uniquely Irish football problem on show here. Due to archaic structure of Irish football, all Clare teams are kind of hemmed into a local league, with no room for 'expansion'.

You have a team from a largish urban centre stuck directly competing against fairly small catchment areas (that probably drives un-ambition), and is less successful recently than a much smaller town in Newmarket, which is closer to an established LOI club (getting players/training/administration knowledge).

Now, the FAI and Local Council (which shows local motivation at least) wants to develop a sport/economic center, have to deal with local football politics directly (ie. the Tribalism that is inherent in competing clubs), and choose (if they are all being serious) either the club with the location with most potential, the current best set-up (maybe indicates its members are the most capable), or a new entity with no local history and social capital which leans on GAA sympathies, to bet on.

Similar problems seem to have arisen for this 3rd Tier in Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow, and Meath.

Not saying there are not solutions available (or even if it is a big deal), Kerry seems a success so far. But the structures needed changing at least 20 years ago to naturally pick winners and losers, and stratify locally - obviously that's not happened - and it is what it is at this stage.

The FAI did seem to have some strategy with developing 'county' teams in the underage leagues, but havent seen any indication what the current strategy will be.

In all honesty, the FAI probably dont even have the capacity to develop such strategies for the 3rd Tier selection process and it might not even be a one-size-fits-all solution.

Indeed - while a county model would probably serve best for Mayo (would either Castlebar or Westport be of sufficient size to survive in the First Division?), Kildare might actually do better with individual clubs applying, given the relative success of Maynooth in recent years, and Newbridge essentially operating as Kildare County in the past.

[Martinho II]

I remember Newmarket Celtic winning the FAI Junior Cup in 2023 beating St. Michaels of Tipperary. Other teams from the Clare league of note are Bridge United and Avenue United. Up the banner! :rolleyes:

Never heard of those two clubs are they Ennis based?

[culloty82]

Bridge United are from Sixmilebridge, with Avenue from Ennis - the latter tend to have a similar Junior Cup record to Kerry clubs, in that they often make decent progress, without really threatening to win the competition.

[Buckett]

The Avenue manager posted a memorable photo of their new jersey last year!

[Eminence Grise]

I'd be happy to see an LoI club from Clare, and it's a sign, maybe, that the league is on an upswing, but this has all the hallmarks of a few lads scribbling ideas on a beermat after the council meeting. You have a sense it'll go nowhere when there's a SF councillor tarting for private investors - mustn't have got the memo about democratic socialism.

[Nesta99]

I think this says a lot more than it appears at first glance.

Firstiy, it tells me that the LOI has reached a level of mainstream acceptability and even attractiveness now when you have politicians in a strong GAA county calling for and discussing having a club in their area (no matter how unrealistic the manner of doing so is). This wouldn't have happened 10+yrs ago.

Secondly, I think it's also noteworthy that this was from a Sinn Féin councillor. A parrty that usually can't see much beyond GAA. The 'garrison game' no more, it seems?

It also indicates a possible shift in future public funding direction. Local politicians are usually on the pulse on what grants are available or what is ccoming and are quick to make calls in anticipation so they can claim credit. SF do tend to shout on everything and they only have to be right once. Still think the county model is unsuitable, a mini GAA is not what is needed, focus should be on club and catchment growth and not an umbrella or rainbow club rooted in not dealing with fomo or ego.

[nr637]

I'd be happy to see an LoI club from Clare, and it's a sign, maybe, that the league is on an upswing, but this has all the hallmarks of a few lads scribbling ideas on a beermat after the council meeting. You have a sense it'll go nowhere when there's a SF councillor tarting for private investors - mustn't have got the memo about democratic socialism.

I would have thought that the new proposed FAI third tier National league would have been the best way to start!

I wonder has that Clare SF councillor done any research or checked to see if any Clare Junior club or even the Clare District Soccer League had applied or shown interest in this new proposal!

:confused: