Are they good enough...

Ok, probably an annual (maybe monthly topic!), would a LOI XI be competitive against the current Ireland international squad, not the team that played against S.A.

Personally, I think they would be. It should at least be a regualr(ish) fixture, if only to get make sure that the national team management are watching the game here. As far as I know Trap, Tardelli and Brady aren't season ticket holders anywhere ;)

(I know someone here is going to tell me that Liam Brady goes to every Rovers game... :D )

Discuss.

They'd lose

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Originally Posted by gustavo

They'd lose

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They as in Ireland or they as in the LOI select? ;)

I dunno, depends on who's managing the LOI XI. Trap's ROI aren't the most offensively-minded. A draw would be achievable at the very least.

A bit depends on whether a league of Ireland selection would only include players eligible to play for the national team - with or without Twigg and Ndo, fr'instance.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would seriously think that a LoI selection (with or without Twigg, Ndo etc) would be a real match for the RoI international team.

While our international team is no great shakes, there are precious few in the LoI who are ready now for the step up to the Championship, never mind Premiership or international football.

But an annual fixture would be a great way to showcase the best of the LoI talent and create further exposure for the league among the "missing" Irish football supporters.

The problem I find with such exposure is that it'll attract more scouts than fans, players will be sold off in the next window and the Irish fans of soccer have one more excuse not to abandon the arse-groove they've made in their barstool.

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Originally Posted by rerun

Ok, probably an annual (maybe monthly topic!), would a LOI XI be competitive against the current Ireland international squad, not the team that played against S.A.

Personally, I think they would be. It should at least be a regualr(ish) fixture, if only to get make sure that the national team management are watching the game here. As far as I know Trap, Tardelli and Brady aren't season ticket holders anywhere ;)

(I know someone here is going to tell me that Liam Brady goes to every Rovers game... :D )

Discuss.

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I'd like to see some type of Celtic League (Expanded Setanta Cup?), involving Irish (LOI + IL), Scottish and Welsh teams, which would give our league an international exposure it doesn't currently have.

The winners could perhaps get a Europa Cup or Champions League group stage place as the prize.

I reckon this would be a TV moneyspinner in these isles and would give the Setanta Cup the injection it needs.

I think a league select would be a good way to promote the league. My preferred way would be to hold a pre-season tournament at Lansdowne, with a number of decent European sides, plus an LOI select. Give the barstoolers something to attract them, and give them a genuine Irish side to cheer on.

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

I think a league select would be a good way to promote the league. My preferred way would be to hold a pre-season tournament at Lansdowne, with a number of decent European sides, plus an LOI select. Give the barstoolers something to attract them, and give them a genuine Irish side to cheer on.

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Its a good idea but the only decent teams that we could attract that would play their first teams and not their reserves would be sides that play in a summer league. There isn't that many summer league sides out there who would attract barstoolers.

Given that the OP asked if they would be competitive rather than win the game then I would say yes, they would be competitive and give the international team a decent game.

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Originally Posted by Duffman

Given that the OP asked if they would be competitive rather than win the game then I would say yes, they would be competitive and give the international team a decent game.

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Thanks Duffman! Thats the spirit of the original post. Think about it though from a motivational point of view, LOI players against the team that are taking their places (ok, my agendas out here!). Who's going to be trying harder, I bet the EPL players would view this as a meaningless friendly, I'd hope LOI players would be playing to prove a point and give the management something to think about.

No doubt in mind a league xi would compete with and beat Ireland,we would dominate the midfield easily infact even a Rovers Bohs select would win.Trapp is an imposter .

Jeepers, that's quite a post!

Compete: Yes, probably
Win: Not if Ireland took it halfway seriously.
Trapp: Not an Imposter.

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Originally Posted by RoversHead

No doubt in mind a league xi would compete with and beat Ireland,we would dominate the midfield easily infact even a Rovers Bohs select would win.Trapp is an imposter .

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I'd love to agree with that, but it's probably wrong.
BUT, my opinion has always been, that we have plenty of players here as good as the workhorses in the 'national' team.
I mean, I dont think we will replace Given, probably not Keane, cant say about doyle, o'shay, duff, dunne. But beyond this the other players - the ones we would be hard pushed to name -
[Sean St. Ledger, Kevin Kilbane; Stephen Hunt (Aiden McGeady 67), Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, (Caleb Folan 75) - had to cut & paste their names from the FAI site - I only know Kilbane & Hunt of that lot from the last competitive fixture]
- these would be replaceable with players from the LOI, without lowering the team's quality (probably increasing it IMO)

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Originally Posted by Infadel

Its a good idea but the only decent teams that we could attract that would play their first teams and not their reserves would be sides that play in a summer league. There isn't that many summer league sides out there who would attract barstoolers.

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It would have to be pre-season for a winter league, maybe to coincide with our mid-season break (It might as well be used for something!)

I know that raises issues with teams losing players, so maybe a week's break after the tournament would have to be arranged for teams whose players were in action.

Maybe the package could include a showcase LOI game, between the winners of the league and cup from the previous season, instead of using it as a curtain-raiser.

Of course, you couldn't have any English teams, because people would just turn up to cheer them on against a LOI XI

And if all else fails, we've already seen the sort of interest Liverpool reserves can generate, we could just get them!

what would the loi team be....... mine would be

1. murphy (bohs) 2.boco (sligo) 3. c.powell (bohs) 4. peers (sligo) 5. oman (bohs) 6. deegan (bohs) 7. gamble (cork) 8. ndo (bohs) 9. brennan (bohs) 10. cretaro (sligo) 11. twigg (shamr) im a sligo rovers supporter so 3 sligo players in there and im sure some wil disagree lol

Do other countries have games like these. I know thats a hard one to answer because no other country has the problems that we have so the gap doesn't exist but is there anything similar anywhere else?

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Originally Posted by rovers100%

what would the loi team be....... mine would be

1. murphy (bohs) 2.boco (sligo) 3. c.powell (bohs) 4. peers (sligo) 5. oman (bohs) 6. deegan (bohs) 7. gamble (cork) 8. ndo (bohs) 9. brennan (bohs) 10. cretaro (sligo) 11. twigg (shamr) im a sligo rovers supporter so 3 sligo players in there and im sure some wil disagree lol

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Not sure about Boco at right back, I would say Duff would have a field day :p

Killian Brennan shouldn't make Bohs starting XI never mind the LOI select.

My LOI XI would be as below:

Brian Murphy

Conor Powell, Darragh Maguire, Dan Murray, Ian Bermingham

Joey Ndo, Gary Deegan, James Chambers, Raf Cretaro

Jason Byrne, Gary Twigg

i have been awful impressed with deegan this year surely an english club will come in for him. cant understand fenlon having him on the bench for tonights quarter final. he is best midfielder i have seen in the loi in a while