Replacement club for Dublin City?

[FootballManager]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone here please tell me what the plans are for replacing Dublin City in the Eircom League? Is it certain that there will be 22 league clubs for the 2007 competition?

Any rough ideas on which club it might be to replace them, or if there are several teams in the running, can someone please list them? Which team is most likely?

I'm trying to finalise the Football Manager 2007 game, I'd like to know what exactly is happening for next year, so I can implement it :)

Thanks in advance,




Darren Matthews
Football Manager Irish Researcher.

[Bohs Belgie]

You should ring or mail the FAI, as they are taking over the whole league from next season....
If and when you get an answer from them, could you let us, the fans, know....
Seriously though, everyone seems to be in the dark as to what their plans are

[dcfcsteve]

Feck knows what's happening.

I doubt the FAI know themselves, as it's not like there was a waiting list for the league. It's not exactly in their hands re getting a replacement - they're dependent upon 3rd-party interest.

I'd suspect one of the Mullingar teams, but you never know.

[Red&White]

The league will be formed on a "collect twelve crisp packets and you're in" basis. This is the only fair way to judge prospective entries.

[FootballManager]

Feck knows what's happening.

I doubt the FAI know themselves, as it's not like there was a waiting list for the league. It's not exactly in their hands re getting a replacement - they're dependent upon 3rd-party interest.

I'd suspect one of the Mullingar teams, but you never know.

Thanks.

This is as I feared. It's all guess work. So I'll have to take a total flyer at what's happening next season.

I was going to add for example Mullingar Town to the league for the 2007 season... the problem is that it will look so 'off' if this is not the case. However I don't have much of an option as no official sources seem to know anything, and there is a coding deadline fast approaching for the Football Manager 2007 game.

I'm gonna go with the following:

11 team Premier Division for 2006...

1 team relegated from Premier.
2 teams promoted from First + Mullingar Town added to First Division for 2007 season start.

How does that sound, anyone here any objections/better ideas?


Kind regards,




Darren Matthews.
Football Manager Irish Head Researcher.

[Dodge]

It'll definitely be 12 teams in the premier.

Oh and where's my books?!?!? :D

[BrayUnknowns]

There's an offical eL meeting about it this week and from the stories doing the rounds Mullingar Town will be elected to the league.

[NY Hoop]

There's an offical eL meeting about it this week and from the stories doing the rounds Mullingar Town will be elected to the league.

IF that's true bad move IMO. There is already an EL team in that county. Preferably it should be a club from a county that has no EL team like Kerry, Tipp, Mayo or Wexford but if those counties have not applied..........

Still its better than having another Dublin team in the league.

KOH

[Schumi]

I'm gonna go with the following:

11 team Premier Division for 2006...

1 team relegated from Premier.
2 teams promoted from First + Mullingar Town added to First Division for 2007 season start.

How does that sound, anyone here any objections/better ideas?

IMO, you'd be better leaving Dublin City in if you don't know who's taking their place.

Could you have DC start the season and go bust at the correct time in the season? You could rearrange the table dpending on appeals over what happens to their results. :D

[Strabane_Harp]

Suppose Mullingar might be an ok addition to the league, but a Kerry team would have been my choice

[Strabane_Harp]

IMO, you'd be better leaving Dublin City in if you don't know who's taking their place.

Could you have DC start the season and go bust at the correct time in the season? You could rearrange the table dpending on appeals over what happens to their results. :D


and how about a special 'Olly says Olly gets feature' :p

[Red&White]

Suppose Mullingar might be an ok addition to the league, but a Kerry team would have been my choice

Defo.

[Schumi]

and how about a special 'Olly says Olly gets feature' :p

Yeah, the Shels manager should get a special option to appeal about stuff.

I always thought the lack of points deductions in the league made the game quite unrealistic too. :D

[Terry]

Suppose Mullingar might be an ok addition to the league, but a Kerry team would have been my choice

agreed, would also put a team from mayo there too, say castlebar celtic or westport united.

[Burnsie]

There's an offical eL meeting about it this week and from the stories doing the rounds Mullingar Town will be elected to the league.

Why are the eL deciding on the new member when the FAI are determining the composition of next seasons leagues, to which all eL member clubs will have to apply autonomously?

[Irish Fan]

Hi

Congratulations on what is truly a great game and I am anticipating its release. Any date decided? To be honest everyone here knows that Shamrock Rovers will be in the Premier division next season so I hope to see them in the top flight in the new game. With regards to the replacement team who knows best bet is get onto the FAI they should know by now! My personal opinion is Mullingar Town or Castlebar Celtic. I hope for the first time in ANY manager game that the teams will be on par with real life for to long now the Irish league players are VERY underrated and unvalued. Hopefully now with our European exploits such as Derry outclassing IFK Gothenburg (who beat West Ham pre season) & Gretna, Drogheda beating Helsinki and Start, Cork beating Apollon Limasso, Shels beating FC Vetra & Odense BK. Kevin Doyle's rise to international level just a few months after leaving Cork City also the level of internationals and former internationals currently playing in the league even the Irish under 21 teams best players play in the League of Ireland such as Stephan Ward, Roy O Donovan & Kevin Deery. The standard of the League has improved dramatically over the last few years it is now on level that our best teams like Derry, Shels, Cork & Drogheda would challenge for play off spots in the Championship were as the weaker sides would challenge for the League One title I still cannot understand how this doesn't reflect on League of Ireland player stats and values in Football Manager. Is there going to be a improvement on this side of the game???!!! I do believe I have a good knowledge of the league and would be more than willing to help you out in your research of the Irish league for FM2007.
Best Regards
Paul

[John83]

agreed, would also put a team from mayo there too, say castlebar celtic or westport united.
What, in for Shels when they go bust? ;)

Unfortunately, everything's up in the air for next season, and I can only say I'm glad I don't have to guess what it'll happen, like you Darren.

[FootballManager]

Suppose Mullingar might be an ok addition to the league, but a Kerry team would have been my choice

It's all the same to me, who the team is. I just want to get it right so the game is realistic. What it does mean is that I now need to scramble and find out as much as I can about the Mullingar Town team, and get it up to scratch for entry into the game. Possibly Kerry league too if they might be in instead...

If anyone has any usefull info on Mullingar Town please pass it on.

Thanks again lads.

[Strabane_Harp]

Well for god sake dont ask the Eircom League or the FAI for any info.

Question to the FAI: Who won the premier last season

FAI: jesus thicko, it was Chelsea of course, anyway im away to old Trafford here. Cork who?

[Battery Rover]

There's an offical eL meeting about it this week and from the stories doing the rounds Mullingar Town will be elected to the league.


Thats the rumour round here as well and they have been signing a few ex League of Ireland players as well. Off the top of my head I know they have signed Stephen Mullen from us when he asked to leave as he can only commit to Saturday night footie. Can find out a bit more at the cup match tomorrow night.

Will be a local Derby for us at least next season.

[SligoBrewer]

westport utd would be my choice 4 election 2 the league

but for realism mullingar

[CollegeTillIDie]

At the risk of sounding cynical , nobody will be replacing Dublin City, in fact given the financial state of some of the leading clubs left in the League, there could in fact be less clubs in the League next season than at present.

Now if the scenario outlined above does come to pass and they really want 22 clubs in the League, there could be actually be anywhere from 2 to 4 vacancies in the League , come December, Revenue Commissioners permitting of course.

[steno]

Would like to see a team from Kery or Mayo myself. Just think there there are enough teams in the midlands and Dublin. One more in the South or west would spread things as well as clubs in the midland or dublin not losing fans to a new club (Athlone and Mullingar both in Westmeath).

[Ash]

Off the top of my head I know they have signed Stephen Mullen from us when he asked to leave as he can only commit to Saturday night footie. Can find out a bit more at the cup match tomorrow night.

Will be a local Derby for us at least next season.

Mickey Collins has also joined then from us aswell as far as I know.

They are suppose to have decent facilities over there too.

[Ronnie]

Question in Mullingar I thought was that they already have 2 clubs of similar stature, Town and Athletic and that they do not get on! Both had ambitions to go the next step. Combined they would have agreat set up to start with, ut I think Athletic have the facilitities, such as astro truf pitches and Town only have a fairly decrepit ground. I could be wrong and that may have changed, but a while back a merger between the two was as likely as Bohs and Rovers merging!

[drummerboy]

Have been to both Mullingar grounds. Both have astro training facilities. Town have a huge pitch and a fairly basic stand on one side.

[FootballManager]

Thanks lads for all the info. I'm going to go with Mullingar Town as I have to make a snap decision and can't wait to see exactly what happens.

Though I'll get hammered when the game hits the shops, and we find out that something totally different happened, and my data is totally off ;)

[FootballManager]

Hi

Congratulations on what is truly a great game and I am anticipating its release. Any date decided? To be honest everyone here knows that Shamrock Rovers will be in the Premier division next season so I hope to see them in the top flight in the new game. With regards to the replacement team who knows best bet is get onto the FAI they should know by now! My personal opinion is Mullingar Town or Castlebar Celtic. I hope for the first time in ANY manager game that the teams will be on par with real life for to long now the Irish league players are VERY underrated and unvalued. Hopefully now with our European exploits such as Derry outclassing IFK Gothenburg (who beat West Ham pre season) & Gretna, Drogheda beating Helsinki and Start, Cork beating Apollon Limasso, Shels beating FC Vetra & Odense BK. Kevin Doyle's rise to international level just a few months after leaving Cork City also the level of internationals and former internationals currently playing in the league even the Irish under 21 teams best players play in the League of Ireland such as Stephan Ward, Roy O Donovan & Kevin Deery. The standard of the League has improved dramatically over the last few years it is now on level that our best teams like Derry, Shels, Cork & Drogheda would challenge for play off spots in the Championship were as the weaker sides would challenge for the League One title I still cannot understand how this doesn't reflect on League of Ireland player stats and values in Football Manager. Is there going to be a improvement on this side of the game???!!! I do believe I have a good knowledge of the league and would be more than willing to help you out in your research of the Irish league for FM2007.
Best Regards
Paul

Hi Irish Fan,

Thanks for the input. I in some ways agree with what you're saying here. But in order for me to improve it I'll have to raise the levels of many of the players and teams that you mentioned. I have done this gradually already, and will continue to do it as best I can. It's all about realism. But I'll refine it a little more ;)

Mail me on darren_cm@hotmail.com if you'd like to help with the game, all the help I can get is welcome, from any of the lads or lasses here.

Cheers,



Darren.

[Battery Rover]

Mickey Collins has also joined then from us aswell as far as I know.

They are suppose to have decent facilities over there too.


Was speaking to a former Athlone Town player tonight at the cup game and he mentioned to me that he was approached by Mullingar to coach them but he believed that they were pushing for the A league or whatever its gonna be called.

[alabama rover]

Hi

Congratulations on what is truly a great game and I am anticipating its release. Any date decided? To be honest everyone here knows that Shamrock Rovers will be in the Premier division next season so I hope to see them in the top flight in the new game. With regards to the replacement team who knows best bet is get onto the FAI they should know by now! My personal opinion is Mullingar Town or Castlebar Celtic. I hope for the first time in ANY manager game that the teams will be on par with real life for to long now the Irish league players are VERY underrated and unvalued. Hopefully now with our European exploits such as Derry outclassing IFK Gothenburg (who beat West Ham pre season) & Gretna, Drogheda beating Helsinki and Start, Cork beating Apollon Limasso, Shels beating FC Vetra & Odense BK. Kevin Doyle's rise to international level just a few months after leaving Cork City also the level of internationals and former internationals currently playing in the league even the Irish under 21 teams best players play in the League of Ireland such as Stephan Ward, Roy O Donovan & Kevin Deery. The standard of the League has improved dramatically over the last few years it is now on level that our best teams like Derry, Shels, Cork & Drogheda would challenge for play off spots in the Championship were as the weaker sides would challenge for the League One title I still cannot understand how this doesn't reflect on League of Ireland player stats and values in Football Manager. Is there going to be a improvement on this side of the game???!!! I do believe I have a good knowledge of the league and would be more than willing to help you out in your research of the Irish league for FM2007.
Best Regards
Paul


Sorry if i am missing the obvious but.....What is the managers game?

[dcfcsteve]

IF that's true bad move IMO. There is already an EL team in that county. Preferably it should be a club from a county that has no EL team like Kerry, Tipp, Mayo or Wexford but if those counties have not applied..........

Still its better than having another Dublin team in the league.

KOH

Problem is that there isn't exactly a host of teams in a position to join the league at short notice, so the FAI have to go with pretty much whoever says they wants a place. In an ideal world it wouldn't be Mullingar, but the world of Irish football is far from ideal.

Anyways - Athlone's also in Roscommon, so technically it is a new county being covered............:p

[ifk101]

Both Athlone and Mullingar are "big" towns in Irish terms so the population is there to support two league teams in Westmeath. Mullingar is a larger urban centre than a number of places that currently have a league team.

If Mullingar are brought into the league, does anyone know what type of facilities they would be bringing with them?

[bigmac]

Would like to see a team from Kery or Mayo myself. Just think there there are enough teams in the midlands and Dublin. One more in the South or west would spread things as well as clubs in the midland or dublin not losing fans to a new club (Athlone and Mullingar both in Westmeath).


I agree. I don't think Dublin clubs would lose fans but as it is, it's very difficult for other clubs to attract players based in Dublin - they'd frequently prefer to drop a division and stay in Dublin than to travel to Waterford, Limerick, Galway etc... Another team within commuting distance of Dublin is going to make it that much more difficult again for these clubs. Ideally we'd all go like Derry and have locally based players only, but that isn't a realistic option for most teams.

[steno]

Was speaking to a former Athlone Town player tonight at the cup game and he mentioned to me that he was approached by Mullingar to coach them but he believed that they were pushing for the A league or whatever its gonna be called.


Wouldn't surprise me if both teams from Mullingar are in the A league whenever it is set up as well as teams from Kerry or Mayo if none of the four are in the eircom league next season.


Orignally posted by dcfcsteve
Anyways - Athlone's also in Roscommon, so technically it is a new county being covered............

Was waiting forsomeone to say that!!!

[Dodge]

Someone might wanna ask the clubs before we co-opt them in. Very very few intermediate sides have any ambitions to play in the league. They know they'd have to do up their grounds substantially and their travelling costs would rocket. Most will look at the last two clubs (St Francis and Kildare)who came into the league and decide to be a big fish in a small pond rather than be perenial strugglers.

If they want to join, great but most clubs mentioned here won't be interested

[harpskid]

I woudn't go with Mullingar in that game tbh. As far as I can gather, there'll be no new teams coming into the League for next season and we'll be running for a nine-team first division :eek:

[harpskid]

Also...Mullingar have failed to field in a couple of U21 games in the Northern section, so hardly giving themselves a good platform to progress to the eircom League :rolleyes:

[Raheny Red]

Also...Mullingar have failed to field in a couple of U21 games in the Northern section, so hardly giving themselves a good platform to progress to the eircom League :rolleyes:

That's a reason why they would be picked ;) :rolleyes:

[holidaysong]

IMO we should be looking to try and "persuade" one of the existing eL clubs (*Cough*Monaghan*Cough*) to drop down to the new 'A League' and have a nice round 20 teams - 10 in Premier, 10 in First.

[steno]

Someone might wanna ask the clubs before we co-opt them in. Very very few intermediate sides have any ambitions to play in the league. They know they'd have to do up their grounds substantially and their travelling costs would rocket. Most will look at the last two clubs (St Francis and Kildare)who came into the league and decide to be a big fish in a small pond rather than be perenial strugglers.

If they want to join, great but most clubs mentioned here won't be interested

Not assuming any of the clubs mentioned are interested in joining but my posts may have come across that way. But both Kerry and Mayo league have participated in the League cup so may be thats some indication of future ambition?

Won't say Kildare County have struggled either. County came very close to promotion up to the last two seasons and made a profit of over 44,000 last year not to mention the Every1 a winner draw which has been hugely successful. County maybe struggling on the field at the moment but things have improved off the field.


Originally posted by holidaysong
IMO we should be looking to try and "persuade" one of the existing eL clubs (*Cough*Monaghan*Cough*) to drop down to the new 'A League' and have a nice round 20 teams - 10 in Premier, 10 in First.

Can't expected Monaghan to drop down that just isn't right!. No amount of persuation willl work either I'd imagine.

Ideal situation would be two divisions of 12 IMO. But thats never going to happen. The 10-team premier didn't work last time and same goes for the First.

[passerrby]

IMO we should be looking to try and "persuade" one of the existing eL clubs (*Cough*Monaghan*Cough*) to drop down to the new 'A League' and have a nice round 20 teams - 10 in Premier, 10 in First.

dont think thats necessary as i here dundalk are up to their jockstraps in dept again so why dont you take your plastic pitch and go away.

[NY Hoop]

IMO we should be looking to try and "persuade" one of the existing eL clubs (*Cough*Monaghan*Cough*) to drop down to the new 'A League' and have a nice round 20 teams - 10 in Premier, 10 in First.

Agree 100%


KOH

[harpskid]

Why the hell should Monaghan be asked to drop down from the First Division :rolleyes: ?

Monaghan are probably one of the few clubs in this country who do things by the book I reckon. It's frauds like Ollie Byrne ye should be looking to get shot of, not the likes of Monaghan.

Ffs some folk here are as mad as the FAI!!

[ciaraa]

Why the hell should Monaghan be asked to drop down from the First Division :rolleyes: ?

Monaghan are probably one of the few clubs in this country who do things by the book I reckon. It's frauds like Ollie Byrne ye should be looking to get shot of, not the likes of Monaghan.

Ffs some folk here are as mad as the FAI!!

Big time!! Monaghan are a great club! Sure by that crazy logic why not get rid of a Dublin club? Too many of them anyway... Start with tax dodgers and clubs with no ground maybe??

[John83]

Why the hell should Monaghan be asked to drop down from the First Division :rolleyes: ?

Monaghan are probably one of the few clubs in this country who do things by the book I reckon. It's frauds like Ollie Byrne ye should be looking to get shot of, not the likes of Monaghan.

Ffs some folk here are as mad as the FAI!!
Ah, but you see Harpskid, as a senior official at a club not terribly far from you explained to some friends of mine, a club like Monaghan has no ambition, and that's holding back the league. Shels, on the other hand, have plenty of ambition. Note the lack of financial criteria in the criteria for picking the league teams next year. :rolleyes:

[dcfcsteve]

Ah, but you see Harpskid, as a senior official at a club not terribly far from you explained to some friends of mine, a club like Monaghan has no ambition, and that's holding back the league. Shels, on the other hand, have plenty of ambition. Note the lack of financial criteria in the criteria for picking the league teams next year. :rolleyes:


I'm assuming that's another cheap swipe at Jim Roddy by a certain UCD fan....? :rolleyes:

For what it's worth, I agree with this sentiment. That doesn't mean I'd like to see Monaghan thrown out of the league. Nor does it mean that I think Shels are the way forward, or are the only example of ambition.

Ask yourself this - would you rather have a league of 22 Monaghans or a league of 22 Cork or Derrys ? Or hows about 22 Longfords or 22 Monaghans (jokes about their style of football aside) ? Serious question.

Ambition doesn't have to mean hamstringing yourself financially through extreme fiscal over-exertion. Claiming that Sels represent the only possible manifestation of ambition in Irish football is just a convenient excuse for lacking ambition.

I'd like to see Monaghan stay in the league. But I'd also like to see them take advantage of the fact that they're the only club in their immediate area and see them show the sort of ambition that other small, unfashionable clubs like Longford, Drogheda or Athlone have managed to do. Is that really such a bad thing....?

[passerrby]

Ah, but you see Harpskid, as a senior official at a club not terribly far from you explained to some friends of mine, a club like Monaghan has no ambition, and that's holding back the league. Shels, on the other hand, have plenty of ambition. Note the lack of financial criteria in the criteria for picking the league teams next year. :rolleyes:

john83 we have lots of ambition but laced with reality ,it appears that some clubs have let thier ambitions run away with them and are now paying the price.we have a simple philosopy dont spent what you dont have and build your club from the bottom

[steno]

Don't see the point in this arguement there is no way the league will turn into two divisions of 10 teams unless some one else goes belly up before then. Monaghan have every right to participate in the new league just like every other team and no amount of persuation will see them 'drop' A divsion.
A league of 22 derry and corks won't be a bad thing.
It's harder for some clubs to pull support in their area as well with gaelic being the dominant sport as well as the negativity shown by many towards the eircom league

[John83]

I'm assuming that's another cheap swipe at Jim Roddy by a certain UCD fan....? :rolleyes:
I'll make no comment on which official it was, but it was a Derry official, and I'm had three people tell me pretty much the same story of the conversation which I'm referring to, so yes it's a swipe at a sweeping vision that has no foundation in reality, no concrete proposals - an A and a B and no roadmap from one to the other.


For what it's worth, I agree with this sentiment. That doesn't mean I'd like to see Monaghan thrown out of the league. Nor does it mean that I think Shels are the way forward, or are the only example of ambition.

Ask yourself this - would you rather have a league of 22 Monaghans or a league of 22 Cork or Derrys ? Or hows about 22 Longfords or 22 Monaghans (jokes about their style of football aside) ? Serious question. I'd love to see 22 clubs of the size of Cork and Derry. I'd love more to see 22 even bigger clubs. I'll take what we can get, and I value clubs which live within their means. Waterford were ambitious, and look where it has them.

Anyway, from what you're saying Steve, our opinions on this probably aren't actually very far apart.

[Student Mullet]

I'd love to see 22 clubs of the size of Cork and Derry. I'd love more to see 22 even bigger clubs.Well I'd love to see 22 clubs even bigger than that again. Do I have the most ambition?