RE: MDL Change of Season ?

[MDL Man]

I'm sure this debate has been had on here before but the league that my club compete in, the Meath and District League, are currently discussing proposals for a change of season in line with the LoI season.

Also there seems to be a strong belief that the LFA/FAI are going to insist on such a move in the not too distant future.

What do people think of this?

(Incidentally, if you are from the Mayo League and havent recieved my wee survey on the matter I'd appreciate it if you send me an email to aferdia@gmail.com and I'll forward it to you. Cheers)

[BallyBoy]

We've had it here in Mayo for a number of years now. There are positives and negatives involved.

Main positives:

1. Improved pitches
2. Improved quality of football
3. Because we are the only connaught county with summer soccer it means some teams are playing all year around because external comps are played in winter.

Negatives:

1. Clash with Gaelic
2. May affect rural clubs due to clash with Gaelic
3. Clashing with people holidays, etc in summer

I think overall it has had a positive effect in Mayo

[mandarin frogs]

We've had it here in Mayo for a number of years now. There are positives and negatives involved.

Main positives:

1. Improved pitches
2. Improved quality of football
3. Because we are the only connaught county with summer soccer it means some teams are playing all year around because external comps are played in winter.

Negatives:

1. Clash with Gaelic
2. May affect rural clubs due to clash with Gaelic
3. Clashing with people holidays, etc in summer

I think overall it has had a positive effect in Mayo

Clash with GAA is the biggest problem. Previous to 1994, it was a stronger league, albeit on worse pitches during the winter. You'll find that GAA clubs frown on dual players, and will actively go out of their way to make things difficult i.e. training and fixture clashes:ball:

[MDL Man]

Previous to 1994, it was a stronger league,
What do you mean previous to 1994? Is it 13 years since the Mayo League switched?!:eek:
Surely not?

[Bestie]

What do you mean previous to 1994? Is it 13 years since the Mayo League switched?!:eek:
Surely not?
Yes. Mayo have been playing Summer soccer since 1994. There is a full article on http://mayo.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=836&Itemid=9

[Hoops 1967]

I play in the limerick district league and I would love to see summer football. To be able to play on better pitches and in better weather conditions can only be a good thing and it will lead to better football being played :ball: .
Maybe a pre-planned 2 week break in august might help with lads going on holidays because fella's going on holidays is the only problem that I can see with summer football.

[Innishvilla]

I play in the limerick district league and I would love to see summer football. To be able to play on better pitches and in better weather conditions can only be a good thing and it will lead to better football being played :ball: .
Maybe a pre-planned 2 week break in august might help with lads going on holidays because fella's going on holidays is the only problem that I can see with summer football.

I play in the cork AUL and there are alot of positives for Summer football which are mentioned above, I would think one of the biggest negatives would be that teams would to need to make the effort to keep pitches watered/moist with good grass coverage because from the few games we've played at the end of the season on hard pitches, short of grass, we've had three or four injuries that were mainly down to the pitches.

[mandarin frogs]

I play in the limerick district league and I would love to see summer football. To be able to play on better pitches and in better weather conditions can only be a good thing and it will lead to better football being played :ball: .
Maybe a pre-planned 2 week break in august might help with lads going on holidays because fella's going on holidays is the only problem that I can see with summer football.

There's more hazards than holidays hoops- stags/weddings/hangovers! Mayo league have introduced a 3 week mid season break this year in jul/aug

[galwayhoop]

There's more hazards than holidays hoops- stags/weddings/hangovers! Mayo league have introduced a 3 week mid season break this year in jul/aug

surely people go on stags, get married ad drunk more often than just in the summer months!!!

[the grape vine]

There's more hazards than holidays hoops- stags/weddings/hangovers! Mayo league have introduced a 3 week mid season break this year in jul/aug

ya, the 3 week break is a great idea this year(no friendlies allowed in that 3week period) . plus the may,june and august weekends are penciled in as free weekends.
playing games on a thursday evein is also great to stop a back log of fixture's,

[Closing Time]

I play in the cork AUL and there are alot of positives for Summer football which are mentioned above, I would think one of the biggest negatives would be that teams would to need to make the effort to keep pitches watered/moist with good grass coverage because from the few games we've played at the end of the season on hard pitches, short of grass, we've had three or four injuries that were mainly down to the pitches.

Once you play in the summer the pitches are in better condition. Are the pitches not in the same condition at the start of the season as at the end. The differnce is that when playing in wet conditions pitches get cut up and are impossible to repair. In summer this will not happen.

[Innishvilla]

Once you play in the summer the pitches are in better condition. Are the pitches not in the same condition at the start of the season as at the end. The differnce is that when playing in wet conditions pitches get cut up and are impossible to repair. In summer this will not happen.

Fair enough point, but I think you would still need teams to water pitches at times during the Summer months.
On another point it wouldn't affect my club much as we don't have many GAA players in our ranks at the moment but I would see that clash as the biggest obstacle to Summer football...
The GAA in cork are constantly arranging trainings/matches to clash with soccer even now when the seasons only slightly overlap!!!

[Thunderblaster]

When summer football was first mooted in 1994, I was against the idea at the time, but as the years went on, the concept was accepted and I'm definitely for it with the kids.