Foot.ie Q&A - Noel Mooney - Questions

[A face]

** Please note - Questions Only, please discuss in another thread.

OK folks .... Its that time again, we have lined up another Q&A session.
We, the patrons of foot.ie are invited to compose questions for Noel Mooney - The FAI's National Club Promotions Officer

"It's a new job, a brand new position and a great opportunity, together with the Club's promotions officers to get some momentum going and revive interest in what is an excellent on-field product." - From www.fai.ie (http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1549&Itemid=9)

You will have a week to compose you questions below and we'll pass them onto Noel, then he'll send back his answers and we'll post them up here, same as usual.

All normal message board rules (http://foot.ie/info/rules.htm) apply, no abuse will be tolerated, this thread will be policed and not foul play will be permitted.

** Please note - Questions Only, please discuss in another thread.

[micls]

On average, how successful do you feel the CPO's have been in increasing attendances?

[Sonic]

What exactly have the FAI done to improve the eircom league since taking over at the beginning of the season?

[sligoman]

Do you think that the fines which the FAI hand out to clubs on a regular basis are damaging the league and possibly making your job even harder? Some may be warrented but some are simply ridiculous.

[jamie m]

do you think the move to summer football has been a success?

[superfrank]

Do you think the league is making progress?

[khoop]

Is it not frustrating having someone so incompetent as John Delaney as your boss?

(And no - that IS NOT abuse. It's a serious question.)

[CollegeTillIDie]

What sort of damage do you think it does to the perception, of the FAI Eircom League of Ireland, when the Chief Executive of the FAI, identifies himself primarily as a supporter of a team in a foreign country?

[Kildare Lad]

Do you hope to see a bigger increase in attendances next season?

[pixiehead]

What are League doing to promote the game through the Media and reverse embarrasing trends on the public air waves ( ie. The Premiership-RTE, Premiership Live- Today FM) :mad:

[sfc red]

Why hasn't Tom been employed there yet?

[Ceirtlis]

Has the fai studied other national leagues which have higher attendances and profile than the eircom league ,in countries similar to Ireland, in order to identify ways in which to improve the eircom league and if yes which countries?

[Philly]

Do you think that the FAI and your team have done enough when it comes to promoting the First Division?

[Ceirtlis]

Do you think that full-time football is sustainable in the long run at current attendance levels?

[A face]

Pick one of the following choices .....

Summer Soccer v Winter Soccer
Hoof Ball v On The Deck
Brian Kerr v Stan
TV3 or TnG
FAI Cup v Setanta Cup
Limerick FC v Limerick 37
Names on Jerseys v Just Numbers
The Star v The Indo
Last Minute Winners v Five Nil Wins
Eircom Park v Bertie Bowl
Commentating: Paddy Mulligan v Paul Osam
Jackman Park v Rathbane

[sligoman]

What did you think of the FAI's decision to promote a team last season for off the field reasons?

During your playing career, what was your most memorable game? and who was your favourite team to play for and play against?

Favourite EL manager? and player?

[pineapple stu]

Who does those stupid long winded headlines on the FAI website, and please can you tell them to write proper ones?!

[forza]

All these silly fines for confetti, flares etc is that not doing more harm then good to the clubs?

After all how can we attract new fans if grounds are colourless morgues?

[Sonic]

What is wrong with fans showing some pride and passion with harmless objects such as toilet roll being used to celebrate a goal!? I would like to make a case for Finn Harps to be refunded as I think the decision was uninformed and unwarranted!? The column in the rte aertel section seems to agree. Your thoughts??

[pineapple stu]

Fanzines are banned from grounds under FAI regulations. Since this harms supporters' clubs, meaning less income, which goes on buses to away games, promotion of the club, etc, is this move not counterproductive? Are there any plans to get rid of this rule?

[onceahoop]

Do you think soccer has lost out to GAA for the attention of fans during the summer months of the GAA Championship.

Do you you think it's viable to have two games or even three on in Dublin on a Friday night.

[Poor Student]

Glancing over the papers today one can see very little coverage is given to the LOI or in some papers none at all in spite of the fact that two FAI Cup quarter finals took place last night. Is enough being done to persuade papers to give better and more prominent coverage to the league?

[bellavistaman]

1)Are there any steps been taken to try and give the First Division more coverage in papers and on T.V?

2) Any plans for a television series like "the soccer show" few years ago, dedicated to Eircom League, premier and first division, on a weekly basis? Not just highlights but behind the scene stuff too?

[MariborKev]

What is the most innovate scheme developed by a CPO at any club so far?

[swano]

Do you not think it will be hard to attract new fans to the league when it seems your employers have no respect for the current fans, demonstrated by changing games at less than a weeks notice without informing clubs?

[sligoman]

Any chance you could get John Delaney's job? You'd clearly do a better job than him.

[Poor Student]

Do you have any more information on the soon to be formed 'A' Championship? Have any clubs who would be new to the league declared a strong interest in signing up? If so, who or how many?

[Risteard]

Booing Booing Noel,
thanks for some entertaining moments in the Shed, thanks for taking our questions and I wish you continued success in the job.
1. Would you not have preferred another season or two between the posts?
2. Do you believe more support from Merrion Square and the government is required before we see significant improvement in the image of the league and clubs individually?
3. Have you identified the stigma of 'barstooler' fans of the English Premiership as a particular problem/opportunity?

I also second robbiedrogs and Poor Students questions.

[A face]

With you now holding the role of National Club Promotions Officer, you would be looking at what resources are available to you as regards promotion of the league through all the various mediums. One of these mediums (if not the most important one) would be Television. While there have been improvements in televising the league in recent years with the deal that was signed across TG4, TV3, Setanta and RTE, it still clearly falls way short of what is deserved and needed.

Imo opinion TG4 are the best of the four, but you cant really point the finger at the commercial stations. That leaves RTE, the national broadcaster. This is a station who repeatedly contradicts its policies (http://www.rte.ie/about/policies.html), values and seem to ignore its own Public Service Broadcasting Charter when it comes to League of Ireland football. This is a station who show football from another league AT THE COST of its own domestic league.


In terms of services RTÉ commits to sports programming that reflects the demands for national, regional, minority, amateur and local sports in Ireland today

They flagrantly ignore their commitment with regards to the league, in terms of proportionate representation, quality of programming, scheduling of programming and advertisement of said programming. The ratio of programming hours between foreign football and domestic football is alarmingly one sided.

Will the FAI through the Nation Clubs Promotion Scheme be doing anything to address this situation and dare i say lobby the National Broadcaster in attempt to get them to promotion the domestic game properly and seriously?

[micls]

What are your feelings on the wage-cap?

1)Is it enforceable?
2) Benefits?
3)Dis-advantages?

[razor]

Were you really low on confidence before you got the hair done?

[Macy]

Does the FAI have figure's that show summer football has been a success compared to a winter season in terms of media coverage and attendances, broken down by region?

What measures are going to used to indicate whether a previously failed policy of a 10 team league is a success or otherwise this time in terms of increased media coverage and exposure?

What measures do you use to see if policies and promotions have been a success? Could you name the indicators that you do use please?

In investigating ways of promoting Irish football, do you look at more radical restructuring of the game rather than simply playing with numbers? Should we be considering things like play off's, north/south; east/west conferences that give all teams exposure to attractive, big name fixtures?

Is the ridiculous censorship of volunteers running and contributing to clubs websites and programmes doing more harm than good?

Would you agree that the most important media today is TV? In which case do you agree it is vitally important for the league to grow that the next international deal is tied in with a hourly, weekly, early evening highlights show covering every Premier game and one featured 1st Division game as well as a fixed number of live games, and this should be a deal breaker for the FAI?

[sligoman]

You did an experiment with Sligo Rovers before their game with Bray back in August and without doubt, it was a success, but realistically, do you think clubs in the league would be able to afford the level of promotion that went on for that game on a regular basis? Would the FAI subsidise some of the cost?

Have the F.A.I. any plans for a friendly match with an EL select team Vs. the senior international team, which should help promote the league? Maybe even a mini-tournament involving the EL players, senior team and the Ireland U-21 team?

[Paddyfield]

Where do you realistically see the League of Ireland in:

(a) five years time?

(b) ten years time?


.

[Pablo]

How many Junketts do you get a year to travel on European Trips?

[Ceirtlis]

Have you encountered any resistance to the regime change in the league this year?

[monutdfc]

Would you like to see the eLoI get onto Sky Sports?

[shelbourne1904]

How would you rate the performance of L37 as a club awarded its place to compete in the 1st Division.
Include
A)League position,
B)Financial position
C)Overall Success as an ongoing representative of Senior Football in the 3rd biggest City in this state
D)This Seasons Ground Improvements
and lastly
E) Prospects for the Future

[monutdfc]

Do you enjoy your job?
Do you get disheartened sometimes, when you see hordes going off to England/Scotland every weekend? or when Sunderland are afforded a weekly column in the Irish Times?
What do you think of Niall Quinn's courting of the Irish football public?
What's the best way to "convert" an English Premiership fan?
Are facilities a major impediment to growing eLoI support?

[MariborKev]

Tell us your funniest/favourite Ollie Byrne story.

[JC_GUFC]

A few of these may have been touched on

Why are fans being fined for trying to bring colour and atmosphere to games? This is something that can really make a difference between being live at games and watching a game on TV.
I think it's common sense that lighting flares in a crowd of people is a safety risk but there should be an arrangement that these "displays" are possible in controlled environments. Is this in any way possible?

Do you not think that it is completely disrespectful to fans to fine them for trying to create a better atmosphere? Throwing paper?! Was it littering these fans were fined for?!

Can the FAI help the TV companies choose which games are live? Showing Waterford v Sligo instead of Harps v Derry in the cup just suggests that someone who knows nothing about the eL is making these decisions.

Finally, is there any plan to bring in a uniform kick off time for the league? It has improved a lot in recent seasons but in Division 1 games are still all over the place. Also will Dundalk still be allowed to play games on Thursday nights if they reach the Premier again?

[MariborKev]

League Of Ireland are a committed bunch.

What can we do to help you and the CPOs promote the League?

[jebus]

Some of these already said, but I'll second them,

How do you feel Limerick 37 and Wexford Youths have done on and off the pitch this season?

Why are fans being fined for adding colour to the games? Why are supporters clubs not allowed sell their fanzines inside the ground? Why aren't we allowed criticise the FAI? Do you not think that moves like these will drive away fans, rather than bring them in?

Why was such something as damaging to the league's reputation amonst non-EL fans like Galway being promoted over Dundalk allowed? How do you plan to reverse the negative look that that incident left in many non-EL fans on the league? Can you convince them that our league isn't a shoddy two-bit operation after a PR disaster like that? *(not a pop at Galway here, I just think that whole incident has left the EL as something of a joke in many peoples eyes)

[Student Mullet]

Is the Genesis Report written after the 2002 World Cup available for fans to read?

[WoodquayBoy]

In future major announcements, can ye ensure you get all the facts out clearly to people, as some fans aligned with Dundalk, Limerick 37/FC/City/Whateveryou'rehavingyourself and Sligo Rovers are still unaware of the fact that Galway United were not promoted last seaosn and Shelbourne were not demoted. Both were invited to different tiers of a new league.
Likewise, I am not having a pop at other fans as such, but when some simple facts are lost in announcements, it is no wonder they feel angry about something they think happened.

Are you happy with the promotion of the league by chief sponsors? Is there enough local promotion of league games?

I want to add my support for the question about stupid fines - being hit in the pocket to the tune of €500 for fans thropwing paper makes the league a laughing stock.
Thanks, and good luck with continued promotion of a league all of us here hold dearly

[sligoman]

Can you describe a typical working day for both yourself and a Premier Division CPO please?

What targets have CPO's got to meet? How is it brokedown ie. weekly, monthly etc.? How long are the contracts they've been given? If it's 1 year and targets aren't met I presume they won't get it re-newed, unlike John Delaney?

Do you think eircom, as sponsors, do enough for the league?

[A face]

Lads, just limit it to asking questions if you can.

[Lim till i die]

What do you think is the best way to change the general publics perception of the league as a laughing stock? (No Offence)

Do you think the 65% of turnover rule will be inforced?

And if so, then how?

[Sniffer]

What is your opinion on an in depth magazine show including highlights v the extensive live coverage we have received this season?

[SligoBrewer]

are the fai trying to eradicate terracing?
have they looked at safe ticketed terracing?

why should we be forced to sit down and shut up?