Secret All-Ireland league talks at 'advanced' stage [Archive] - Page 3

monutdfc

12/12/2007, 2:43 PM

someone is drip feeding this twaddle to the papers ( i wonder who ) in the hope that this will grow legs but when it comes down to it there is no support from the eircom league which by the way is 22 clubs or the irish league ,the FAI or IFA . a number of the so called big clubs are attempting to get there hands on more money at the expense of everybody else, f*"k im
I can see your point but I am not sure I agree passerby. Another way of looking at it is a rising tide that lifts all boats. However, if it excludes clubs or doesn;t have a clear pyramid system in place then I agree.
Also, I agree that it's not the right way to go about it, without the clubs/FAI/IFA

passerrby

12/12/2007, 2:43 PM

im willing to bet you collect marvel comics .... super hero

GavinZac

12/12/2007, 3:39 PM

Whether some people like to admit it or not, Linfield are regarded as the biggest, most successful, most recognisable club on this island.

:D

your semi-relevant club is only recognisable for its (seemingly, former) association with hardcore unionism and a great propensity for beating a few pub teams in a provincial league.

I think Linfield being part of it would create more razz-matazz than any other single club.I think the razz-matazz is associated with proper marketing and tv coverage rather than some club Joe Gamble made famous once.

dcfcsteve

12/12/2007, 3:52 PM

I think Linfield being part of it would create more razz-matazz than any other single club.

Whether some people like to admit it or not, Linfield are regarded as the biggest, most successful, most recognisable club on this island.

I'm happy with this announcement, But if an AIL still goes forward, good luck, I'll still be watching Linfield dominate Irish League football as per usual.

PS: If Linfield don't agree, neither with Glentoran and visa versa.

That's not like a Linfield fan to think the footballing world revolves around them....! :rolleyes:

How has the EL managed to survive all these years without the help of the mighty Linfield, eh......? :o

Your club is famous for one thing - being the Rangers of Ireland. For that you'd be as much of a hindrance as a help to any all-island league.

How do you know the Glens wouldn't jump at an AIL with or without Linfield ? Perhaps they can see that the Irish League is a hide into nothing.

Interesting that the league without the most glamorous, exciting, biggest penis'ed club in Ireland is the one with the bigger crowds, better media coverage, better European ranking etc etc etc. How the hell did that all happen without the mighty Linfield?!?! Surely some mistake.... :eek:

Steve Bruce

12/12/2007, 3:53 PM

:D

your semi-relevant club is only recognisable for its (seemingly, former) association with hardcore unionism and a great propensity for beating a few pub teams in a provincial league.
I think the razz-matazz is associated with proper marketing and tv coverage rather than some club Joe Gamble made famous once.

I think that is highly offensive and very bigoted view.

If rules would allow it you would be called a few choice names. No doubt you'll be let off for such scandelous remarks.

We have had problems, but they are far better now and we are not known for our bad side.

Fool

Steve Bruce

12/12/2007, 3:53 PM

That's not like a Linfield fan to think the footballing world revolves around them....! :rolleyes:

How has the EL managed to survive all these years without the help of the mighty Linfield, eh......? :o

Your club is famous for one thing - being the Rangers of Ireland. For that you'd be as much of a hindrance as a help to any all-island league.

How do you know the Glens wouldn't jump at an AIL with or without Linfield ? Perhaps they can see that the Irish League is a hide into nothing.

Interesting that the league without the most glamorous, exciting, biggest penis'ed club in Ireland is the one with the bigger crowds, better media coverage, better European ranking etc etc etc. How the hell did that all happen without the mighty Linfield?!?! Surely some mistake.... :eek:

Steve you managed once again to show how much of a **** you are. And how much you dont know.

R�iteoir

12/12/2007, 3:54 PM

dcfcsteve

12/12/2007, 3:55 PM

I think that is highly offensive and very bigoted view.

If rules would allow it you would be called a few choice names. No doubt you'll be let off for such scandelous remarks.

We have had problems, but they are far better now and we are not known for our bad side.

Fool

He said Unionism - not Loyalism. A fellow northerner should know the difference.

It is a fact that Linfield is asscoiated with uncompromising Unionism. That is a core part of your identity.That's why your fans sing GSTQ and other ditties with a political/cultural, rather than footballing theme.

Are you now denying that Linfield has an avowedly Unionist ethos ? If not - what are you crying about.....? :confused:

GavinZac

12/12/2007, 3:56 PM

I think that is highly offensive and very bigoted view.

If rules would allow it you would be called a few choice names. No doubt you'll be let off for such scandelous remarks.

We have had problems, but they are far better now and we are not known for our bad side.

Fool
though I have no idea how saying your club is percieved as being bigotted would be a biggoted comment to make :confused: i said, formerly! i enjoyed the welcome we got in belfast this year, and told it to my astonished workmates. most of them (and from other football fans id have spoken to in the past) would expect bile and bigotry. I'm not claiming that that is still there, but it takes a long time for those sort of stains to clear, especially when linfield dont get that much attention down here.

anyway, can atheists be bigots? interesting topic for another thread.

dcfcsteve

12/12/2007, 3:57 PM

Steve you managed once again to show how much of a **** you are. And how much you dont know.

Enlighten us then, oh wise one......

dancinpants

12/12/2007, 4:11 PM

:rolleyes: Every time......

A face

12/12/2007, 4:43 PM

Moderation: Lads, can you all mind your step here please. DO NOT drag this thread into a place it shouldn't be going.

If you have an issue with a post, report it. It will be dealt with when Mods are available.

Think before you post, take deep breaths, count to ten, whatever you need to do but do not get into something that can be avoided.

passerrby

12/12/2007, 4:49 PM

its all your fault for having an all ireland forum then they want an all ireland league what next peace

Tony_Montana

12/12/2007, 5:10 PM

Slightly off topic so sorry if it is to far off the mark, but lots of petty arguing on here. Anyway this is one way people can work things out and people can sort out their differences once and for all.

Ok there's this lad who does Judo and is a black belt. hes a Italian lad who works in a chip shop and he's absolutely huge. every time i go into the chip shop he gives me dead eyes. i'm big aswell and so he probably sees me as competition. im 16 stone and 5 foot 11 and he's about 19 stone and 6 foot 2. He's bigger than me but ALL my weight come s from muscle. there is no fat whatsoever on my body but there is on his. I admit he does have muscle aswell but muscle and fat. My abs are clearly deffined wheras his are covered by a layer of fat. His arms and shoulders are very defined though.

Anyway, the dead eyes continue for a while and im just shrug it off thinking he is insecure but one night I see him in the pub drunk and he's staring at me as usual and I stare back and he comes out with "what the **** you looking at". I say "You mate - your looking at me all the time giving me dead eyes whatsd ur ******* problem, mate"?

So we get right up in each others face and I say "look if u want some lets do it outside". We walk outside and he continues to mouth off at me. He claims I was with his ex girlfriend or something. Anyway, we square off and we are both in a sort of boxing stance. I knew he did Judo and body building and his grappling might be pretty good like mine. I throw a few leg kicks and fast jabs but he keeps coming forward.

He swings at me and tries to grab my shirt to go for a collar throw. But I dont let him. I'm used to grappling no gi but he is used to gi. I get double under jhooks around his waist and inside trip him and land on top in his guard. I throw a few hammerfists and aim to pass his guard. His legs are very strong and the guard is secure. He tries to armbar be so I hug him close. He makes a pathetic attempt at a kimura and then switches to a triangle. He fails miserably at the triangle and I pass his guard as he opens his legs and get to side control. I pretend to go for an armbar and switch round to the other side. as he defends the arm by turninga away I take his back and have him in full rear mount. I rain some elbows down on the back of his head and then go for the choke. I secure the Rear Naked Choke and he passes out.

I stand up victorious and look at hjis mates and say "RIGHT WHO ELSE WANTS SOME?" They shuffle about nervously. And so I wait about a bit til the lad wkes up and I ask him why the **** he kicked off? He seems reasonable now and I offer to shake his hand and he accepts and says lets leave it at that. I buy him a pint and tell him I never knew I was with his ex and was sorry. We are mates now and there's no hard feelings

We sorted things out man to man note !!!!!!! ... like warriors and now there are no hard feelings and we train together. Still remember the fight though. I'll never forget it.

GavinZac

12/12/2007, 5:17 PM

....

what?

Tony_Montana

12/12/2007, 5:23 PM

....

what?

Illustrates how men can work things out.

Not Brazil

12/12/2007, 5:30 PM

both asked me in tones of disgust if I'd like to see Linfield in Dalymount...... I said yes of course, and that i felt I had more in common with Linfield/ Glens fans than Celtic fans from Dublin; this provoked derision. Thing is, both are SF voters

I hope you told them that us big, bad, Linfield fans thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality afforded to us by Bohemian FC in their social club at Dalymont, prior to the Setanta game versus Shelbourne a couple of seasons back.;)

I think the Bohs fans who came to Windsor last year, in their colours, to watch a Linfield IL game thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality they received also...I heard they were speechless by the time they left.:D

Not Brazil

12/12/2007, 5:35 PM

An AIL without Linfield wouldn't work in the long term - but could in the short term, with the aim of coaxing Linfield into it sooner rather than later.

If the major clubs in the north apart from the Blues left the IL to play in an AIL, Linfield would be left with the crumbs of a league. Especially if the new league was launched with great razz-matazz, TV coverage, decent crowds etc, I wouldn't see it taking long before Linfield got involved.

It would be a difficult start without the Blues, but there shouldn't be any single-club veto on a proposal like this (feckin' Unionists with their vetoes..... ;) )

steve,

The response of Linfield FC today is exactly the same as that given by the late David Crawford (RIP) on behalf of the club when this notion was mooted a couple of years back - I think it was one of the Derry papers that actually was first to run with the news then of "secret talks between IFA and FAI clubs"?

Something being missed is that Glentoran FC are known to be very keen on the idea of an AI League - they were certainly very bullish about it a couple of years ago.

If Glentoran FC bolted to join an AI League, you could bet your bottom dollar that Linfield FC would not be far behind them.

GavinZac

12/12/2007, 5:39 PM

steve,

The response of Linfield FC today is exactly the same as that given by the late David Crawford (RIP) on behalf of the club when this notion was mooted a couple of years back - I think it was one of the Derry papers that actually was first to run with the news then of "secret talks between IFA and FAI clubs"?

Something being missed is that Glentoran FC are known to be very keen on the idea of an AI League - they were certainly very bullish about it a couple of years ago.

If Glentoran FC bolted to join an AI League, you could bet your bottom dollar that Linfield FC would not be far behind them.

its mentioned in the mirror today that the glentoran chairman has reinterated that intention and thinks its a great idea.

If linfield's chairman's biggest problem is a fear of professionalism and assuming no club can attract an average attendance of 5000 in the long run, they need a new chairman.

sonofstan

12/12/2007, 5:49 PM

I hope you told them that us big, bad, Linfield fans thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality afforded to us by Bohemian FC in their social club at Dalymont, prior to the Setanta game versus Shelbourne a couple of seasons back.;)

I think the Bohs fans who came to Windsor last year, in their colours, to watch a Linfield IL game thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality they received also...I heard they were speechless by the time they left.:D

Yeah, I did; even repeated the urban legend about Billy Hutchinson .....

EalingGreen

12/12/2007, 6:06 PM

If linfield's chairman's biggest problem is a fear of professionalism and assuming no club can attract an average attendance of 5000 in the long run, they need a new chairman.

Not how I read it, which was that he is of the opinion that for an all professional League to work long term in Ireland, clubs would need to be able to attract average crowds of 5,000 each.

I guess if it were competitive and properly run, Linfield and Glentoran and several Eircom clubs could do so. But whether enough others could to maintain a League, with promotion and relegation etc is questionable.

You've got to cut your suit according to your cloth.

Not Brazil

12/12/2007, 6:07 PM

If linfield's chairman's biggest problem is a fear of professionalism and assuming no club can attract an average attendance of 5000 in the long run, they need a new chairman.

I find that an odd view from our esteemed Chairman.

We have 2,500 Season Ticket holders currently - the potential to develop this upwards in a better, professional, league is plain to see.

GavinZac

12/12/2007, 6:15 PM

The thing is, there isnt actually a need for -every- IL team to turn professional, no more than there is need for -every- LoI team to. obviously given closer proximity and smaller catchment areas, there would be necessarily less pro teams from the IL ranks. Semi-pro teams don't need ~5000 strong attendances to keep afloat.

eelmonster

12/12/2007, 7:31 PM

Just had a conversation at work with two colleagues about this (on foot of the piece in the paper) - both nominally LoI fans (Bohs and Dundalk) although i doubt either have been to a match in 10 years; both asked me in tones of disgust if I'd like to see Linfield in Dalymount...... I said yes of course, and that i felt I had more in common with Linfield/ Glens fans than Celtic fans from Dublin; this provoked derision. Thing is, both are SF voters - they want a united Ireland, but are squeamish at the idea of a south Belfast team in an all -Ireland league; makes you wonder what kind of republic they want....

What I'd be afraid is that it would raise all these atavistic feelings outside the cohort of current LoI/IL supporters

You should remind your Dundalk workmate of the Dunfield program, sounds like he hasn't been to Oriel since the 70s.

Kivlehan

12/12/2007, 7:43 PM

If the other top IL teams get involved and start benefiting financially Linfield will have to either join or fall behind their rivals. End of story. Economics will decide that one way or another ... if in fact the other IL clubs get on board.

dcfcsteve

12/12/2007, 8:33 PM

steve,

The response of Linfield FC today is exactly the same as that given by the late David Crawford (RIP) on behalf of the club when this notion was mooted a couple of years back - I think it was one of the Derry papers that actually was first to run with the news then of "secret talks between IFA and FAI clubs"?

Something being missed is that Glentoran FC are known to be very keen on the idea of an AI League - they were certainly very bullish about it a couple of years ago.

If Glentoran FC bolted to join an AI League, you could bet your bottom dollar that Linfield FC would not be far behind them.

Ssssshh NB !

You'll upset Steve Bruce if he realises that the footballing world doesn't revolve around Windsor Park.....! :D

Bomb Landsdowne

12/12/2007, 9:02 PM

I would be more in favour of Linfield and Glentoran being invited to join the Eircom league or this new breakaway league rather than an All Ireland league. This would still give the North a league and cement Northern Irelands national teams future. The rest of the teams in the North would just drag the league down plus the costs of travel for them wouldnt make it worth there while.

Kivlehan

12/12/2007, 11:04 PM

I prefer the idea of separate, national divisions below the joint top division. There could be a 12 team Irish Premier League and below it the FAI Championship and the IFA Championship respectively. Each year the bottom two can be relegated from the Irish Premier League and the winners of the FAI/IFA Championships can be promoted. The second place teams in the championships could have a playoff, with the winner of that going on to another playoff against the 10th placed team in the Irish Premier League for their spot.

Having separate national divisions below the top division should minimize travel issues for smaller clubs yet still provide a growth path for the more ambitious smaller clubs. It should also add reason to keep separate international squads for those it is important to.

Lux Interior

12/12/2007, 11:10 PM

its mentioned in the mirror today that the glentoran chairman has reinterated that intention and thinks its a great idea.

If linfield's chairman's biggest problem is a fear of professionalism and assuming no club can attract an average attendance of 5000 in the long run, they need a new chairman.

If Stafford thinks it's a "great idea" then you can bet your dog-eared Setanta schedule that he'll manage to f**k it up on behalf of GFC.

In principle, I am in favour of an all-island competition, even though my own club would struggle initially, as we have been hitting nadirs on-and-off the field for two seasons now.

The very fact that we've stumbled to consecutive second places in the Irish League tells you all you need to know about the overall playing standards.

sonofstan

12/12/2007, 11:21 PM

Boh_So_Good

13/12/2007, 12:20 AM

I think the idea of an All Ireland super league of visionary clubs is a great idea - eventually all clubs will gain from a strong domestic scene.

It is much better than the GAA "solution" the Chairman of Sligo Rovers is trying get the FAI accept where players can only play for the country/catchment area from which they were born! I know that this 'poor mouth' West of Ireland welfare-whinger mindset is the norm there, but this is a frightening mentality in this day and age. This kind of Knacker thinking will kill the league.

So there is no other real alternative to grow domestic soccer on this island than an elite, all Ireland strategy going off on their own. If Sligo Rovers and others can't get their s h i t together then f u c k em. Why should the failure of some be the accepted benchmark for all. Sligo Rovers should change chairmen and get somebody in who thinks beyond rattling the culchie poorbox in the direction of the Pale.

The FAI have nothing to offer ambitious eircom league clubs and likewise the IFA up north with forward thinking clubs. The wage cap idea which the FAI came up with is simply a mechanism to prevent eircom league clubs from outgrowing the FAI. Nothing else. It speaks volumnes about what the FAI think of domestic soccer. "lets not get carried away lads...you're hardly Man U now!" Is this the kind of framework from which Irish domestic soccer should be developed.

The FAI and IFA are surplus to a profession successful league. If that means Kildare and Institute in the Champions League then so be it. At some point the ambitious clubs have to make their own way without the shackles of two increasingly pointless administrative bodies holding them back.

MariborKev

13/12/2007, 8:01 AM

The wage cap idea which the FAI came up with is simply a mechanism to prevent eircom league clubs from outgrowing the FAI. Nothing else. It speaks volumnes about what the FAI think of domestic soccer. "lets not get carried away lads...you're hardly Man U now!" Is this the kind of framework from which Irish domestic soccer should be developed.

With the greatest respect, the clubs were fully involved in the drawing up of the Participation agreement. Indeed several figures welcomed the wage cap, now they are crying foul.

Whilst we blame the FAI for plenty, the clubs have to take a share of the blame here. They trumpeted the merger and are now throwing their toys out of the pram....

Mr A

13/12/2007, 8:29 AM

From this-

I know that this 'poor mouth' West of Ireland welfare-whinger mindset is the norm there

To 'It's all the FAI's fault, they're holding us back'-

The wage cap idea which the FAI came up with is simply a mechanism to prevent eircom league clubs from outgrowing the FAI. Nothing else. It speaks volumnes about what the FAI think of domestic soccer. "lets not get carried away lads...you're hardly Man U now!"

Without a hint of irony!

If anything Bohs should be in favour of the wage cap, because if their use the money their move will get them wisely they should have a sustainable income that most clubs here can only dream of. The clubs have proved that left to their own devices they will make an utter and complete balls of things due to short sighted thinking and a total lack of long term planning. If the wage cap helps the slow learners get their house in order then it should be welcomed.

OneRedArmy

13/12/2007, 8:47 AM

Boh_So_Good

13/12/2007, 9:56 AM

Echoing the previous post, surely if Bohs are as wealthy as they claim to be (and consequently have a higher absolute wage cap), then they, of all clubs, should welcome it?

Given the single greatest legacy of the previously self-run League was abject financial mismanagement, I can't see how anyone can see the wage cap as anything other than a good idea.

Its implementation and enforcement however is a different question...

The age cap is the reason why nearly all the best players from the last couple of years are in England now and hence why the European performances went suddenly down.

It is a form of socialism which like all socialism creates nothing by the mundane and ordinary. You are not going to get Irish clubs into the group stages of the champions league by paying them pocket money and bus fare.

This is what the FAI are demanding and the clubs got freaked out with the SHels thing and signed up. It was a mistake - greatness IS worth the risk. Shel's gamble almost paid off. The got *this* close. It's worth the risk as some club with hit the big time eventually.

But not by being cowards and ninnies. I am glad some clubs have finally woken up to this and want out of the self-defeating wage cap.

Poor Student

13/12/2007, 10:05 AM

The age cap is the reason why nearly all the best players from the last couple of years are in England now and hence why the European performances went suddenly down.

So the wage cap (which is only now being introduced) lead to the departure of the likes of Kevin Doyle?

It is a form of socialism which like all socialism creates nothing by the mundane and ordinary.

A socialist approach would be to set a flat figure wage cap. The figure is a percentage of turnover. Not sure how they're going to define that but it's a figure that varies from club to club.

finnpark

13/12/2007, 10:09 AM

This would would mean been ranked last by UEFA rankings for a number of seasons?

OneRedArmy

13/12/2007, 10:11 AM

The age cap is the reason why nearly all the best players from the last couple of years are in England now and hence why the European performances went suddenly down.

It is a form of socialism which like all socialism creates nothing by the mundane and ordinary. You are not going to get Irish clubs into the group stages of the champions league by paying them pocket money and bus fare.

This is what the FAI are demanding and the clubs got freaked out with the SHels thing and signed up. It was a mistake - greatness IS worth the risk. Shel's gamble almost paid off. The got *this* close. It's worth the risk as some club with hit the big time eventually.

But not by being cowards and ninnies. I am glad some clubs have finally woken up to this and want out of the self-defeating wage cap.You don't have a clue.

There is no wage cap now and wasn't when Doyle left.

As for your comment on Shels, if every club overspent and one or two hit the bigtime, the others would go bust. Who would be left for the successful clubs to play?

Christ on a bike.

dcfcsteve

13/12/2007, 10:22 AM

The age cap is the reason why nearly all the best players from the last couple of years are in England now and hence why the European performances went suddenly down.

It is a form of socialism which like all socialism creates nothing by the mundane and ordinary. You are not going to get Irish clubs into the group stages of the champions league by paying them pocket money and bus fare.

This is what the FAI are demanding and the clubs got freaked out with the SHels thing and signed up. It was a mistake - greatness IS worth the risk. Shel's gamble almost paid off. The got *this* close. It's worth the risk as some club with hit the big time eventually.

But not by being cowards and ninnies. I am glad some clubs have finally woken up to this and want out of the self-defeating wage cap.

Ignoring the fact there was no wage cap when Kevin Doyle left, you honestly think he would've left solely because one was in place ? :confused:

Or might it not have been the allure of a vastly larger pay package, playing football at a significantly higher and more professional level, and cementing a place for himself in the International squad...?

Nah - it's all the wage cap's fault.....

Block G Raptor

13/12/2007, 11:37 AM

OneRedArmy

13/12/2007, 11:40 AM

osarusan

13/12/2007, 11:58 AM

I think the point he was making is that if they introduce a wage cap then we will never in the future be in a position to offer an alternative to players like Doyle
The national league has never been in a position to offer an alternative to a player like Doyle, who are wanted at the top couple of levels in England.

It's not like the wage cap is going to mean that clubs can no longer offer 20,000 quid a week like they used to.

And if I'm not mistaken, it is possible for this wage cap to be removed in the future, at a time when it is no longer beneficial/necessary.

if they introduce a wage cap then we will be... consigning ourselves to the fact that we'll never at anytime in the future have a league structure to rival cross channel leagues instead of aspiring to catching up

I think allowing clubs to pay as much as they want (and sometimes more than they can afford) to players has done nothing to create a league structure to rival cross channel leagues.

However, the introduction of a wage cap will generate funds which can be used to improve the clubs in other ways - improving the ground, helping the youth team etc, in fact, doing things that might, in the long term, help to create a league structure to rival cross channel leagues.

dcfcsteve

13/12/2007, 12:04 PM

I think the point he was making is that if they introduce a wage cap then we will never in the future be in a position to offer an alternative to players like Doyle ie: consigning ourselves to the fact that we'll never at anytime in the future have a league structure to rival cross channel leagues instead of aspiring to catching up

Here's the scoop people. The highest level of Irish football will NEVER be able to compete with the highest level of English football. For a whole host of blindingly obvious reasons.

Even if Cork had offered Doyle the same money as Reading, I'm convinced he would've gone anyway. Stephen Kenny went to Dunfermline for LESS money than City offered him, for example. It's not just the money - other leagues offer intangible positives to players and managers that we just can't compete with.

Trying to throw money at the problem as a misguided solution would therefore be total insanity.

Block G Raptor

13/12/2007, 12:06 PM

Well we've been unable to sustainable grow the League in the past to rival cross channel leagues
The root causes of this is failure of the league and Clubs to a lesser extent to sell themselves to an Irish football mad public. better facilities, better product marketing,and winning hearts and minds is what is needed to improve this league Not a self-Hindering debilitating wage cap

dcfcsteve

13/12/2007, 12:10 PM

The root causes of this is failure of the league and Clubs to a lesser extent to sell themselves to an Irish football mad public. better facilities, better product marketing,and winning hearts and minds is what is needed to improve this league

Agreed.

So where does the money to do all these thing come from then ?

Especially as any money a large number of clubs gets blown on paying staff to chase the dream, and never does anythign for marketing, facilities etc.

Very few clubs will take jam tomorrow over jam today, as that is the problem with football. The 'dream' is all consuming - particularly for the bigger clubs that face constant pressure/expectations re success. If they were capable of beign sensible and investing in all those things you mentioned yourself, then there wouldn't be a need to regulate. But time and again, clubs in Ireland (and indeed elsewhere) have shown themselves incapable of converting money into anything other than an improved playing squad.

EalingGreen

13/12/2007, 12:20 PM

As I posted on another forum, it is not just the Eircom or Carnegie Leagues, combined or separate, which cannot compete with the English Premiership.
The 72 English and Welsh clubs which make up the Football League cannot "compete", either.

However, that is no reason for them just to give up and go and try something else. Instead, they have learned sometimes harsh lessons from the Premiership and elsewhere about the need to administer their affairs and finances properly, to market their game professionally and to provide modern, acceptable stadia and facilities.

And whilst there are always some clubs who are struggling for survival within the set-up, overall, the League clubs are in better shape than they've been for a long time. Indeed, in terms of attendances, the Football League is now the fifth most successful in Europe (behind the English Premiership, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga, but ahead of France's Ligue 1 and the rest).

Therefore, if domestic football in Ireland, both North and South, can sort itself out, there will always be a space for the "product" (hate that word), even in the 21st Century. Which, after all, is only what the FAI proposals re spending restrictions, or the all-Ireland League etc are all about. (Or should be!)

Block G Raptor

13/12/2007, 12:35 PM

Agreed.

So where does the money to do all these thing come from then ?

For starters from a proper sponsorship deal, one where the sponsors actually play an active roll in promoting the league which carries they're name. secondly the league/Fai need to start seriously pumping cash into marketing their product and thirdly the clubs do need to market themselves to their communities but I dont think say Bohs advertising their friday game on radio/tv would have the same impact as the entire league being advertised properly in the media. if setanta were to come on board official sponsors, show more games and advertise the way sky advertise the premiership (they do it for the setanta cup) you'd be surprised the difference it would make. Most people think the premiership is the be all and end all because its rammed down their throats

MariborKev

13/12/2007, 12:41 PM

For starters from a proper sponsorship deal, one where the sponsors actually play an active roll in promoting the league which carries they're name. secondly the league/Fai need to start seriously pumping cash into marketing their product and thirdly the clubs do need to market themselves to their communities but I dont think say Bohs advertising their friday game on radio/tv would have the same impact as the entire league being advertised properly in the media. if setanta were to come on board official sponsors, show more games and advertise the way sky advertise the premiership (they do it for the setanta cup) you'd be surprised the difference it would make. Most people think the premiership is the be all and end all because its rammed down their throats

All reasonable points.

Which are completely swept away when clubs don't keep control on their finances, and we end up with "Shels on verge of extinction" stories. It doesn't matter how much window dressing you do, if the foundation are built on sand, it is a waste of time.

Clubs have to take responsibility for their actions and a wage cap will not a panacea for all the ills, but it is a start.