Lessons to be learned from A-League?

[Snoop Drog]

A League was launched here in Oz last year (this is the first season) and I believe that el can learn a lot from it.

One team per market: Yep, it’s a big one that could mean the end of a number of clubs (including mine). Sydney, for example, had a number of clubs in the old national league. Basically a new club, separate from all the existing clubs, was created and the existing clubs effectively relegated to the state league. The league was careful not to link the new entity, Sydney FC, with any of the old clubs (hence “United” or “City” wasn’t added to the club name; new ground- The fantastic Aussie Stadium). Each of the old clubs got attendances of a few thousand at best. Sydney FC has had average attendances of about 17,000 and a record home crowd of 27,000 (unofficially a lot more as the turnstiles were opened to let the thousands outside who arrived late in for free).
The result of setting up a “neutral” club was that most of the fans of the old clubs moved to Sydney FC- And these were fans who not only had emotive link to their old clubs but a cultural link too as many of the old sides where linked to various ethnic groups (Greek, Italian, Croat). But they saw that in order for football to develop in Oz, they had to support the new entity.
For me the real success is the “greater football community” becoming involved. People who had never been to a football match before but watched English Premiership on TV came to see the new league, familes (100’s on them) whos kids played “soccer” on Sundays were attracted to the game, people like me who had no link to the old league but missed football back home (there are many Irish and British fans at Sydney FC games) came to see what the new league is like. The season is almost over and attendances have stayed steady at 16,000-17,000 (this week will be a bumper week vs league leaders Adelaide- 20,000 perhaps??)

I see this as a model for football in Dublin. One club, non affiliated with any existing el club, pooling together the existing support and more.

Entry to the league wasn’t just based on geographical location (although all major centres are included) but on financial backing, stadium and local opportunities. Hence areas like the Central Coast of NSW have a club (with average attendances over 7,500).

A salary cap- keeping a level playing field until the league is established (although every team is allowed one “marquee player” outside the cap. Kevin Muscat and Dwight Yorke play in the league as marquee players.Laugh at Muscat and Yorke if you want but there is no player of their experience playing in el. Imagine Yorke played for your club…)

I’m not saying A-League is perfect (only 8 clubs so far, a question over is it can keep quality players it develops without Europe buying them up, early days yet) but it is a brilliant start. A league similar to el has been converted into something that appears a lot more viable and likely to succeed.

[Carlin]

I see this as a model for football in Dublin. One club, non affiliated with any existing el club, pooling together the existing support and more.


Fúck franchise football. I would never in a million years support a team like that. And most of the Bohs, Shels, Pats & R*vers fans would be the same.

So there goes the "pooling together the existing support" idea.

[Snoop Drog]

I would have said the same Carlin. But if your club was effectively dumped out of the league and you were offered a professionaly run league as an alternative maybe you would think different. I do.

[Dodge]

I'm sick to death of people who don't support any of the dublin clubs telling us what should happen to our clubs.

[Snoop Drog]

I don't support a Dublin club but I do support Irish football. That gives me the right to have an opinion on the subject.

[Réiteoir]

I'm sick to death of people who don't support any of the dublin clubs telling us what should happen to our clubs.

whs - maybe we should merge Drogheda and Dundalk into one big super club?

[Snoop Drog]

Nope, I am not on about merging clubs (we would just swallow up our Northern neighbours after all ;) ). But if someone came up with a proposal for a Louth club that was better and more viable than the existing setup then why not go with that (even if it meant that DUFC or Craptown were no longer in a national league)?

I'm well aware that this suggestion may mean the end of DUFC (who I have supported for over 25 years) but I think el is dying a slow death and only has the support of a relatively small group of diehard fans. Significant changes have to be made to attract the general sporting public to our game.

[hamish]

Snoop Drog - didn't the Danes do something similar a decade or so ago??

[Snoop Drog]

I'm not sure Sirhamish, I don't know much about the SAS league (except that Brondby seem to be the dominant team there).

[stevieontour]

One big problem in OZ is that the Standard is absolutly Crap

Can't see it suceeding in the long Run, when you compare it to the world class athletes they have in all other Sports, especially Rugby League & AFL.

[Snoop Drog]

One big problem in OZ is that the Standard is absolutly Crap


I rate it as been better stadard than el (much better in fact. And more consistent with only one team not performing on the pitch this year). Ok, it's not world standard- most of the players from the old setup play in A-League and they don't become better players overnight. And I agree it is early days re: popularity.

But the Aussie Football Fed have created the basis of a credible football league were none existed before. They have tapped into a dormant market of football fans who have bought into the new league in great numbers. The sporting public has pledged their support and will expect more from the league over coming seasons and if A League can build on this with better players and standard then AFL and Rugby will be threatened.

[DvB]

I have to laugh at all these suggestions to 'tinker' with the 4 big Dublin clubs, I for one will freely admit that if anything was to happen to Rovers, ie merge or be replaced in the league by a franchise Dublin club, i'd simply never support either the merged entity or the franchise team, knowing the people i attend games with i'm pretty sure they'd walk away from supporting the league too! FFS i'd rather watch that shower in D.7 than watch any mickey mouse team 'made up for the good of the league or to appease the sides outside Dublin'
Losing the current fan bases of any of the 4 clubs is hardly a good start for a shiny new team representing the capital!

No to Mergers!

No to Franchise football!

Koh

[BohDiddley]

Who needs another genius scheme to give football a glittering future?
We in Ireland are already blessed with makey-uppy soccer. It's called the (English) Premiership and, in case you hadn't noticed, it has mass 'support', as well as a head-lock on the political, cultural and sporting establishment. If you have a problem with real football, warts and all, why not join the hundreds of thousands who weekly enjoy a higher class of game on shiny plasma? That way you won't have to get your hands dirty following grimy little clubs like Drogs and Bohs.

[ThatGuy]

I have to laugh at all these suggestions to 'tinker' with the 4 big Dublin clubs, I for one will freely admit that if anything was to happen to Rovers, ie merge or be replaced in the league by a franchise Dublin club, i'd simply never support either the merged entity or the franchise team, knowing the people i attend games with i'm pretty sure they'd walk away from supporting the league too! FFS i'd rather watch that shower in D.7 than watch any mickey mouse team 'made up for the good of the league or to appease the sides outside Dublin'
Losing the current fan bases of any of the 4 clubs is hardly a good start for a shiny new team representing the capital!

No to Mergers!

No to Franchise football!

Koh
Well said. If my club folds to create a new club with some others in Dublin then I will finally be set free from this hold that the Eircom League has over me and I won't be back!

[Snoop Drog]

Why bother developing the strongest league we can? Because it protects our game against rival codes/ leagues and ensures that the game will survive in the future.

Sydney clubs fans swore never to support 'franchise' football either but when the new club emerged, most of them realised it was for the best as their own league was dying a slow death.

I believe Irish football, which I am passionate about, is dying a slow death. Most users of this site would follow their team to the end of the earth (ie Sligo ;) ) but I am not so sure that the rest of the numbers required to keep the game afloat would.

The Oz example is, on the face of it, 'franchising'. Supporters of Sydney Olympic, Wollongong Wolves, Marconi (the 'old' league teams) can still support their teams but they no longer play in the top league.

The FAI are considering somewhat similar criteria to determine the members of the new league. I am saying, go the whole hog and start from scratch and if someone proposes a new team to represent the whole of Dublin (or Louth for tha matter) and if that proposal is more viable and more substantial than any other proposal, then it should be considered very closely.

[bohs til i die]

Why bother developing the strongest league we can? Because it protects our game against rival codes/ leagues and ensures that the game will survive in the future.

Sydney clubs fans swore never to support 'franchise' football either but when the new club emerged, most of them realised it was for the best as their own league was dying a slow death.

I believe Irish football, which I am passionate about, is dying a slow death. Most users of this site would follow their team to the end of the earth (ie Sligo ;) ) but I am not so sure that the rest of the numbers required to keep the game afloat would.

The Oz example is, on the face of it, 'franchising'. Supporters of Sydney Olympic, Wollongong Wolves, Marconi (the 'old' league teams) can still support their teams but they no longer play in the top league.

The FAI are considering somewhat similar criteria to determine the members of the new league. I am saying, go the whole hog and start from scratch and if someone proposes a new team to represent the whole of Dublin (or Louth for tha matter) and if that proposal is more viable and more substantial than any other proposal, then it should be considered very closely.


All this is based on how many seasons of franchise football in Australia?

The issues with irish football are much more fundamental. We are trying to co-exist with minute by minute coverage on TV of football across the water. Australia is a country that is used to attending sporting events, be it Aussie Rules, Rugby league and Union, Cricket etc. We are trying to compete with a TV influenced audience.

Bottom line is winding up the Big 4 to create one super club wont work. The Build it and they'll come mentality doesnt exist. Shels allegedly have a super stadium in Drumcondra but get **** poor crowds for all the 'success' they have had recently. The Deportivo game gives an ideal example of the mentality of the Irish 'sporting' public. The EL needs investment from the FAI in finance, marketing and strategic planning, and we also need the governments support on infrastructure. There is a whole package there that needs to be Marketed, and it has never really been marketed properly, so how do we know it its doomed?

An example is the Bohs Kids go Free initiative that began in 2002 when we played Shels, Pats and UCD. It average about 450 paying adults [per game] bringing kids in for free as a result of a promotion in the schools. That idea has been killed by the clubs marketing 'guru' director due to poor management of the idea.

You are advocating giving up on something that was never really marketed properly on the basis of ONE season in Australia. It may continue to be a success down under but its a different country with a different mentality to sports in general. Until clubs are run professionally, with proper back up from our national association then no amount of changes or re-launches or overhauls will change that.

[Snoop Drog]

I already stated that it was early days and season one of A-League, however, I am not convinced that an Irish "Super League" is out of the question.
btid- You say "Until clubs are run professionally, with proper back up from our national association then no amount of changes or re-launches or overhauls will change that."
I say- "if someone proposes a new team to represent the whole of Dublin (or Louth for tha matter) and if that proposal is more viable and more substantial than any other proposal, then it should be considered very closely."

I don't think these two comments are poles apart

If someone comes to the table with a proposal to run the league more professionaly and this proposal involves new clubs in Dublin, Louth, Belfast or whereever then I believe it is worth considering. I agree this may appear a bit "build it and they will come" and I don't believe that a new league should be based on one season of moderately successful A-league.

I know it's a bit rich coming onto an el forum and basically suggesting tearing the whole league down but can you see the Irish league being around in 20 or 30 years time if we stick to the current format?

[Jerry The Saint]

I see this as a model for football in Dublin. One club, non affiliated with any existing el club...

Isn't this the idea behind Dublin City FC:confused: What you're essentially advocating is that the remaining 5 Dublin clubs are demoted to non-league so we can all throw our support behind Seery's franchise. I hope you realise how silly that sounds!

I'm also surprised that you would willingly throw your support behind a hypothetical new Louth Galaxy FC that put Drogheda out of business? Do you think many of your fellow Drogs would go along with this?

[Snoop Drog]

jerry, not really- CHF are an existing club and would alienate much of the football fraternity.

I don't want to put The Drogs out of business and I would hope that they would form the basis of a "super League" team for the area. But if there was a proposal that was percieved as being better for the game then I think it is worth pursuing.

No, I doubt many Drogs would share my view. Maybe put it down to being away from the el "scene" for too long (6 years or so) and my brother would fu[kin kill me for suggesting that the FAI Cup Winners drop down a league, but I do question the long-term viability of the current setup. No matter how much tinkering and tweaking the FAIlures do.

A league featuring Dublin, Belfast, Cork (ie the 3 biggest markets) and 7 or 9 others. Is such a suggestion really so left field? (if it is, then my apologies, I've read the situation all wrong)

[Cosmo]

I'm also surprised that you would willingly throw your support behind a hypothetical new Louth Galaxy FC that put Drogheda out of business? Do you think many of your fellow Drogs would go along with this?

Nobody would go along with it - either from drogheda or craptown - stupid suggestion :rolleyes:

[monutdfc]

Sydney has a population of 4M.
Average crowds of 16,000 would translate to 6,000 in Dublin assuming a population of 1.5M in Dublin.

[Réiteoir]

Snoop Drog - didn't the Danes do something similar a decade or so ago??

Yep - they did - forming FC København:


FC København is a Danish football team, playing in Copenhagen.

The club was formed in 1992 after a merger of two clubs: Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) (founded in 1876, mainland Europe's oldest club), and Boldklubben 1903. They have won the Danish championship on four occasions (1993, 2001, 2003 and 2004) and the Danish Cup on three occasions (1995, 1997 and 2004).

As part of the deal - B 1903 simply had a name change and absorbed KB - B 1903 were already playing their matches at the Parken Stadium (the current home of FCK and the Danish national team).

The other half of the deal sees the FC København Reserve team playing under the KB name.

[pete]

I don't like franchises anymore than any other eL fan but it is worthy of discussion.

Oz seems to be a country of large cities whereas Ireland really only has dublin to compare for sheer mass. It would not be possible to have 1 dublin club supporting 1/3 of the population so how many would be needed & don't think can select on basic north south dublin ideal.

The eL needs a bottom up approach not top down. Need eL to link with junior leagues & underage upwards.

IMO 2007 is too soon for another eL relauch. The FAI woudl be better spending a few years preparation & have massive launch in say 2009 with proper & noticable changes in structure, players, sponsors & tv.

[NY Hoop]

Why bother developing the strongest league we can? Because it protects our game against rival codes/ leagues and ensures that the game will survive in the future.

Sydney clubs fans swore never to support 'franchise' football either but when the new club emerged, most of them realised it was for the best as their own league was dying a slow death.

I believe Irish football, which I am passionate about, is dying a slow death. Most users of this site would follow their team to the end of the earth (ie Sligo ;) ) but I am not so sure that the rest of the numbers required to keep the game afloat would.

The Oz example is, on the face of it, 'franchising'. Supporters of Sydney Olympic, Wollongong Wolves, Marconi (the 'old' league teams) can still support their teams but they no longer play in the top league.

The FAI are considering somewhat similar criteria to determine the members of the new league. I am saying, go the whole hog and start from scratch and if someone proposes a new team to represent the whole of Dublin (or Louth for tha matter) and if that proposal is more viable and more substantial than any other proposal, then it should be considered very closely.

With all due respect you have the misfortune of living down there and where football is a minority sport. Franchise football can only work in a country like oz and the states where it is a minority sport, where there are no traditions.

Sick to **** of hearing our league is "dying a death". I've been hearing that crap for years despite recent bigger attendances and much improved European results. Long term future is the All Ireland League but we have to be careful that that is not the cure for all our collective ills.

I would suggest you leave that country. Trust me your IQ will rise immediately.

KOH

[rerun]

I would have said the same Carlin. But if your club was effectively dumped out of the league and you were offered a professionaly run league as an alternative maybe you would think different. I do.

Eh??? If my team was dumped out of the league I certainly wouldn't support either the league or the replacement super-team.

[Schumi]

One team per market... I see this as a model for football in Dublin. One club, non affiliated with any existing el club, pooling together the existing support and more.
Great idea! We could call the team Wimbledon and they could play in the English league. I can't believe no one's ever thought of this before!

[Kildare Lad]

Not A Good idea IMO, What is the point of ruining football for alot of fans ? For me definately I dont support my team for the quality, I suport them because they are me local club. I dont know if its the same for most EL fans but I dont really care about the quality, i'd prefer it if it was better but for me its fine the way it is now

[hamish]

Don't write off New Zealand. I was checking the attendances for the NZ club in that Aussie league and they were pulling in around 7,000 plus for some games - a lot more than they'd get in their local league.

Don't forget the massive attendance NZ got when they hosted the u-17 World Cup there a few years ago. 25,000 at the final and averge attendances of around 8,000 for many of the other games as far as I can recall. Bigger than attedances at any other venues for under age World Cup finals

Also under age footie there now has more players than rugby because the "European" kids are much smaller than the Maoiri kids and giving up. That info is from a rugby writer who investigated the situation and wrote about it in the Observer about a year or so ago.

There is always a market for football and that's simply because it is the one game that is truly worldwide and around here genuinely PAN European. People aren't stupid - they'll flock to see local clubs if they believe they are getting stronger in standard - on and off the field.
Look at the viewing figures for the EL play off and FAI Cup Final and the attendances. People will watch on telly and attend matches if they think it's worthwhile.

[Snoop Drog]

I would suggest you leave that country. Trust me your IQ will rise immediately.

KOH

Yep, but my pay and the temperature would both drop :D

KOD

[Saint Tom]

can i suggest snoop drog that a league containing team from Dublin, belfast and cork would account for 2.2(?) million from a population on the island of roughly five million.. of course that only justifies 30% of clubs.. if you go on population basis does Louth deserve a club?

[stevieontour]

[QUOTE=Snoop Drog]I rate it as been better standard than el (much better in fact. And more consistent with only one team not performing on the pitch this year). QUOTE]

Are you in Oz at the moment, and if so, have you been to a game, cause really it's far off the pace of a European League.

Some of the players have good technique, but the speed of the game allows them to express their skills so easily. The Defending is pathetic.

Think about it, we've all scored that "Great Goal" in training or on a Sunday morning. Doesn't count for **** against an un organized defense.

Shelbourne would wipe the floor with any team here.

As for attendances. Other than Sydney, most teams get just over 10,000.
Which if you compare populations is about the same as Ireland.
Sydney's fans base is bigger due to the immigrants living in Sydney.

The main difference is that people are more positive to their teams limitations here and they look for the positives instead of the negatives.
Their media will show the goals during the sports news etc. Which don’t happen in Ireland.

What I like about the A-League, and I know you guys might go crazy, but I think the Idea of Championship games at the end of the league to decide the Winner is a great idea. The excitement grows and it teaches teams to time their peaks better.

[Snoop Drog]

Saint Tom, my point was that this "franchise" idea was gaining moderate initial success in Australia (Thread Title- "lessons to be learned for A-League? note the question mark) and that our own league should, at least, consider it. I'm not sure where the teams should be located in order to proportionally represent the entire island or if representing everyone proportionatly is the right way to go.

5million people / 12 teams = 400,000 people or so per team. Population of Louth/Meath/North Co Dublin = 300,000??? (A guestimate) which by your reasoning would be slightly short of representing the island proportionally.

[Snoop Drog]

[QUOTE=sirhamish]Don't write off New Zealand. I was checking the attendances for the NZ club in that Aussie league and they were pulling in around 7,000 plus for some games - a lot more than they'd get in their local league.
[QUOTE]
Sir Hamish,this season has been a complete disaster for the NZ Knights and they are, probably, the biggest dissappointment regarding A League. Their attendances average 4,000 (great by local NZ standards but the lowest by far in the A League)

They openly admitted that they had picked the wrong players for the job and hadn't expected to meet such strong opponents in the A League. They have lost four members of their squad including Simon Yeo (the only half decent player they had) and their captain (due to team turmoil- probably because management said the palyers were sh1t!)

Expect to see a huge reshuffle in the Knights camp before next season (including management)


NZ Knigths Trivia!
They have the longest away league trip (to Perth- 6,000 kms) of any other team in the world (apart from Perth! badly structures sentence there :D )

I think they are the only team in the world to not only play outside their own "national federation" (ala Derry City) but outside their own Confederation (NZ is in Oceania Federation while Australia are now part of Asia)

[Snoop Drog]

[QUOTE=Snoop Drog]I rate it as been better standard than el (much better in fact. And more consistent with only one team not performing on the pitch this year). QUOTE]

Are you in Oz at the moment, and if so, have you been to a game, cause really it's far off the pace of a European League.


yep, I have been at every Sydney FC home game and the away games at Central Coast and Newy. The standard is below most Eurpoean leagues but I stand by it is better than el.

Follow this (flawed) logic for a mo: I reckon Australia would probably beat Ireland at international level if they met tomorrow (when they last met a couple of years ago, Ireland were narrowly better but I recon Oz has got better and Ireland have deteriorated a bit).

It is very possible that A League players may get an international callup and maybe even a WC call up (something that has always evaded el). Archie Thompson, who left Victory a couple of weeks ago, will most probably play in the WC finals.

I know that Aussie pool of players may be smaller the Irelands and therefore el players are not needed but I believe the standard in Oz is higher.

Roll on a Shels preseason tour of Australia so we can see!

[stevieontour]

[QUOTE=stevieontour]
yep, I have been at every Sydney FC home game and the away games at Central Coast and Newy. The standard is below most Eurpoean leagues but I stand by it is better than el.

The defending in the A-League is my biggest gripe.

I could get 10-12 a seson in that league if I played up front, and I'm crap.

Watch them honestly, they don't put players under pressure, and the amount of times you see a centre half run at a striker with his stance totally wrong, and his lack of conviction in the tackle is laughable.

Yorke looks great in midfield, yep he was an amazing striker, and a very talented footballer, but he stands on the centre spot and looks amaizng in a position he has no experience at.

[Snoop Drog]

I agree defenders have alot to learn (esp at Sydney FC).

[Réiteoir]

NZ Knigths Trivia!
They have the longest away league trip (to Perth- 6,000 kms) of any other team in the world (apart from Perth! badly structures sentence there :D )

Incorrect.

The longest away trip in Senior Professional Football is the one made by Luch-Energiya Vladivostok to Zenit St Petersburg in the Russian Premier League.

A distance of some 10,500km

[Jerry The Saint]

Incorrect.

The longest away trip in Senior Professional Football is the one made by Luch-Energiya Vladivostok to Zenit St Petersburg in the Russian Premier League.

A distance of some 10,500km

And Pat Dolan complained about having to go from Cork to Ballybofey. :D

[Réiteoir]

And Pat Dolan complained about having to go from Cork to Ballybofey. :D

From Cork,Cork
To Ballybofey,Donegal
Distance 419.7 kilometres


You would have to do the journey from Cork to Ballyboffey 25 times to cover the same distance from St Petersburg to Vladivostok

[Dodge]

Sure Dolan has a granny from Vladivostok

[CollegeTillIDie]

Incorrect.

The longest away trip in Senior Professional Football is the one made by Luch-Energiya Vladivostok to Zenit St Petersburg in the Russian Premier League.

A distance of some 10,500km

Well said that man who correctly pointed out that Russia is the largest territory on earth!
The NZ input into the A-League is not a welcome development at all. Seems to be an attempt to mirror Rugby's Super 12 down in the Antipodes.

[Ash]

I agree defenders have alot to learn (esp at Sydney FC).

Is Ian Fyffe playing for Sydney FC this season?
He was a fairly good centre half with Sydny Olympic and got called into
the Australia U21s while playing for them a few seasons ago.

[hamish]

[QUOTE=sirhamish]Don't write off New Zealand. I was checking the attendances for the NZ club in that Aussie league and they were pulling in around 7,000 plus for some games - a lot more than they'd get in their local league.
[QUOTE]
Sir Hamish,this season has been a complete disaster for the NZ Knights and they are, probably, the biggest disappointment regarding A League. Their attendances average 4,000 (great by local NZ standards but the lowest by far in the A League)

They openly admitted that they had picked the wrong players for the job and hadn't expected to meet such strong opponents in the A League. They have lost four members of their squad including Simon Yeo (the only half decent player they had) and their captain (due to team turmoil- probably because management said the players were sh1t!)

Expect to see a huge reshuffle in the Knights camp before next season (including management)


NZ Knigths Trivia!
They have the longest away league trip (to Perth- 6,000 kms) of any other team in the world (apart from Perth! badly structures sentence there

I think they are the only team in the world to not only play outside their own "national federation" (ala Derry City) but outside their own Confederation (NZ is in Oceania Federation while Australia are now part of Asia)

Take your point Snoop Drog - where did I see that 7,000 attendance figures? Must have lost the site I guess but I do have only two home attendance figures from here:o

http://www.soccerstats.com/2kteam.asp?league=australia&teamid=4&homeaway=3&round=0

As you can see only two games are shown from this site but I was really hinting at the potential fan base (in any country really) and, as we both agree, the Knights get better attendances than if they played in a NZ only league. As you can see they got 9,827 for their first game and it dropped to 4,938 for the second game.
True too, they have had a woeful league but they must be pleased that they have a healthy POTENTIAL market if they can generate a bit of success.

True, few clubs play outside their country leagues but I believe that the MSL will include two Canadian clubs in the near future.

I'm sure there is much we can learn from other leagues but I'd be inclined to also look at what had been achieved in Debmark and other leagues - before Dublin club fans jump on me I don't think amalgamating Dublin clubs would be successful. Then again, we have such a shower of "event junkies" in this country, you can be sure if a "Dublin United" was concocted you'd have loads of these people jumping on the bandwagon if such a club was successful - soon as things went wrong they'd be first of that particular vehicle and we'd be back to square one.

If you look the likes of Rushden & Diamonds, Thurrock etc in England it has happened where clubs have amalgamated and generated support but I suppose it depends on so many local factors it's hard to compare like with like.

I think the idea of Louth United wouldn't work. One of the two towns might eventually suffer. Here in Beeslow the local rugby club amalgamated with Athlone to form Buccaneers. Eventually, nearly all home AIL were transferred to Athlone and the local rugby club, while existing and fielding a few teams, have sort of dipped below the radar level and have only a fraction of participants that Beeslow Town FC have.

I know it's a lousy comparison but if Athlone and Longford combined to form Midlands United:eek: I'd have no interest whatsoever in such an enterprise and I'm sure Athlonians and Longford fans would feel the same. Sometimes, history and tradition are important.

BTW don't worry about badly structured sentences, your message came through loud and clear. You're talking to the master of grammar babble here in Hamish. LOL:D

[Dodge]

True, few clubs play outside their country leagues but I believe that the MSL will include two Canadian clubs in the near future.
Toronto is fairly definite. Probably won't be another one for a while

[hamish]

Well said that man who correctly pointed out that Russia is the largest territory on earth!
The NZ input into the A-League is not a welcome development at all. Seems to be an attempt to mirror Rugby's Super 12 down in the Antipodes.

Trouble is - as with rugby league and union "down there" Rupert Murdoch's dirty little fingers are all over those competitions and many games in both codes have quite poor attendances as well as big crowds for the big games from what I've seen on Sky.

That man should be locked away from all sport. Can you imagine if he got his sticky fingers on Gah here. You'd end up with All Ireland fixtures like "Wickford" v "Roscomayo". LOL:D :D

[Réiteoir]

Toronto is fairly definite. Probably won't be another one for a while

There is talk of the Montréal Impact being admitted to the League in 2 season's time.

I think it's conditional on the upgrading of their stadium

[pete]

IMO talk of the Aussie league being poor quality isn't valid. If they get bigger attendances that will mean more money & over time better players.

I was enthuasistic about an All-Ireland league but after speaking to some Portadown fans recently & also hearing Linfield chairmans comments i don't see a desire for fulltime pro football in NI.

What is the future of the eL? Crowds will always be the primary source of funds so how much do average crowds in say 10 team Premier need to get to be sustain the league?

[Dodge]

There is talk of the Montréal Impact being admitted to the League in 2 season's time.

I think it's conditional on the upgrading of their stadium
If there's any new teams they'll be brand new franchises. The Toronto team will be run by the Maple Leafs organistation.

[sonofstan]

[QUOTE=Snoop Drog][QUOTE=sirhamish]

I know it's a lousy comparison but if Athlone and Longford combined to form Midlands United:eek: I'd have no interest whatsoever in such an enterprise and I'm sure Athlonians and Longford fans would feel the same. Sometimes, history and tradition are important.



as I wouldn't in any Shelhemians/ Bohbourne abortion; that's not the point tho' - Delaney and prospective media partners aren't interested in the couple of thousand lunatics who for some unaccountable reason watch often dire football in sh!tholes up and down the country and frequent message boards; they want the people who DON'T go already - so what you and I and everyone else here think of the idea is irrelevant.

[Réiteoir]

looks like a bit of fan disenfranchisement going on with Delaney there