Which is better; Eircom League of English 2nd division

[applehunter]

I went on to the Peterborough website to thank them for John O'Flynn and Dan Murray. They told me that Our league was an equvilant to the Conference in England. Do you agree with Roddy Collins and his buddies that an Eircom League team would not hold its own in the 2nd division.

[Neil]

City would hammer Peterbrough.

[UCD_4_Life]

Roddy Collins wouldn't know.

It's definitely as good as most of the Second Division, perhaps Wigan, Cardiff and Bristol City might be a bit above but other than that I'd say most of our clubs could at least survive with Bohs, Shels etc. pushing for at the play-offs.

[Colm]

City, Bohs or Shels would destroy any team in the English 2nd division.

[sadloserkid]

Originally posted by Colm
City, Bohs or Shels would destroy any team in the English 2nd division.

Isn't it a bit funny that some people here are dismissing the English second division with the same cavalier ignorance that the armchair brigade dismiss our league with. I presume you've been at many English second division games to make such an emphatic statement Colm? ;)

Personally I think that Bohs and Shels would probably be looking at play-off spots in the second at least. Over the course of a season against full-time clubs I think Cork City would get found out a bit and probably finish somewhere in the middle.

I think the most of teams in our Premier would at least survive in the English second but let's not get carried away and remember to give other leagues the respect we crave.

[Macy]

IMO having watched a bit of 2nd Division football (Bury's promotion season, Kiely in goals), I'd say that Bohs and Shels would be pushing for promotion.... Pats, Rovers, Cork mid table.... The rest surviving - not necessarily in trouble, but not exactly setting the league a light either....

[eoinh]

Sorry SLK, but most people would have seen proper coverage of the english second division on television which does a good job of covering it (unlike here). Most eircom league followers know english football (except me) but most english league followers dont know eircom league followers.


Most of the Britball/sky brigade will be watching Celtic of Glasgow tonight,. Ill be watching Real Madrid v Juve.

I cant remember who asked the question but its silly so im not going to answer it. But Peterborough left go Waterfords goalkeeper Conor, O'Flynn (who has since become an irish U-21 international) and Dan Murray which makes me suspect that they are mental (like the skonto riga director who thinks we are all going to die in a giant meteorite explosion in June and has fled to Ecuador). i kid you not.

Some english crowd bought Nugent from city years ago.
Me dont think theyre great at spotting talent. :rolleyes:

[sadloserkid]

Originally posted by eoinh
Sorry SLK, but most people would have seen proper coverage of the english second division on television which does a good job of covering it (unlike here). Most eircom league followers know english football (except me) but most english league followers dont know eircom league followers.

That's hardly the same thing as actually watching a match in the flesh and you know that. With proper coverage anything could look impressive on TV and to be honest watching the English second division on TV makes it look like, off the field at least, we've got a lot of catching up to do. Attendances, ground structure etc all look better over there because they suffer to a lesser degree from barstoolers and glory hunters. I know you think I'm swallowing British hype here but I don't agree. Apart from reading results in the paper I have sod all interaction with British football except for watching Premiership highlights once every six weeks or so. Watch the continental competitions too. I think that it's interesting that Macy, the only one thus far who's seen any bit of English 2nd Division, has agreed almost entirely with me on this one.


Originally posted by eoinh
I cant remember who asked the question but its silly so im not going to answer it. But Peterborough left go Waterfords goalkeeper Conor, O'Flynn (who has since become an irish U-21 international) and Dan Murray which makes me suspect that they are mental (like the skonto riga director who thinks we are all going to die in a giant meteorite explosion in June and has fled to Ecuador). i kid you not.

I agree with you that Peterborough are clearly being run by some very strange folk indeed... Waterford's keeper Dan O'Connor is also an U-21 International, as far as I know Peterborough have pretty serious money worries and lost their Youth Academy status a year or two ago as well so maybe that's behind it?

Some english crowd bought Nugent from city years ago.
Me dont think theyre great at spotting talent. :rolleyes:

[pete]

While the eL continues to be more professional on the pitch our clubs would probably still suffer over a long season with smaller squads.

As the eL gets more fulltime squads the top half of the Premier would hold their own in the engliag 2nd division.

Even before summer football could see that most eL clubs were beating english 2nd & 3rd divsion clubs in pre-season when they would have lost a few years previous.

Money + stadiums doesn't necessarily mean better footballers.

[sadloserkid]

I know. That's why I said that Bohs and Shels would grab play-off spots anyway.

[pineapple stu]

Was looking for a picture of Clive Delaney at West Ham and came across a West Ham fanzine site. They asked a West Ham fan currently in Ireland for his opinion, and he said the top teams were decent Division 2 standard. Don't know what it's worth, but surely some insight?

[alanb]

i've lived in a couple of towns here in the UK both of which have second division sides (or had... one has since been relegated though may be about to bounce straight back up in the playoffs) and have seen quite a few games.

I very much agree with Macy's thoughts on the matter above... the top half of the premier division would be challenging in the upper reaches of the second division. mid table would be struggling; while the yo-yo clubs in the eL would be division three standard.

Some of the bottom clubs in the eL though would struggle in the third division... (look at Carlisle... irish manager, quite a few irish players who did well enough at home).

[UCD_4_Life]

Originally posted by alanb
i've lived in a couple of towns here in the UK both of which have second division sides (or had... one has since been relegated though may be about to bounce straight back up in the playoffs) and have seen quite a few games.

I very much agree with Macy's thoughts on the matter above... the top half of the premier division would be challenging in the upper reaches of the second division. mid table would be struggling; while the yo-yo clubs in the eL would be division three standard.

Some of the bottom clubs in the eL though would struggle in the third division... (look at Carlisle... irish manager, quite a few irish players who did well enough at home).

There's a few at Carlisle but in all fairness poeples shouldn't use that as a gauge to how eL clubs would do.

While there are a few ex-eL players the bulk of the squad is made up by players who've been in England for most of their careers. Also Richie Foran (who didn't even have a one in two average over here) has gotten excellent reviews and scored about the same amount of goals. Unless Roddy was playing at least eight or nine players that had "made it" over here then it wouldn't be fair to judge.

[Soko]

Originally posted by eoinh
I cant remember who asked the question but its silly so im not going to answer it. But Peterborough left go Waterfords goalkeeper Conor, O'Flynn (who has since become an irish U-21 international) and Dan Murray which makes me suspect that they are mental (like the skonto riga director who thinks we are all going to die in a giant meteorite explosion in June and has fled to Ecuador). i kid you not.



I didnt know they had O' Conner either, he looks a good keeper. Someone told me they had serious cash flow and debt problems and everyone except the first team squad of about 15 were let go including the lads. I know Murray wasnt but he wasnt going anywhere with them. Barry Fry apparently wanted to keep John O' Flynn and cut a first team player but was told no way. Sure they know best don't they.