Sadlier in today's Indo

Interesting piece by Richie Sadlier in today's Indo.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-29507775.html

Excerpt:

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The League of Ireland means a great deal to the people involved in it but they are getting fewer and fewer in number. Jeering those who choose to watch better players at foreign clubs playing superior football only makes League of Ireland fans sound like the kind of people most football fans would like to avoid. This opening weekend of the Premier League is an occasion of significance in the lives of the majority of Irish football fans. No date in the domestic calendar comes close.


The changes that might work would require a complete overhaul, the surrendering of power bases and the ending of petty rivalries. A franchised league controlled by the FAI with two clubs in Dublin and another eight to ten in cities and towns across the country could provide something people want to watch. Players could be centrally contracted and transfer fees from sales to foreign clubs would work much as they do in MLS with the money divided between the club and the league itself. Ultimately, the best young players in the country will gravitate towards the academies of these clubs.


These proposals were put to me last week and I believe they are worth exploring. However, the number of people who consider themselves to be powerful figures in the domestic game affected by them probably means they will never even be discussed. Yet radical change is needed or the League of Ireland will, in time, limp over the abyss.

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Discuss!

Is he really advocating the expulsion of three of the Dublin clubs?

Louth United 'til I die!

What does Bernie Madodff think?

i believe that the league is in a dire state and that an open discussion should take place in how the league can rebrand itself and try to attempt to move forward. however I don't believe that there should be pre conditions to how some people want the league to unfold like 2 teams in Dublin.

something new needs to be done and I believe an open discussion should take place involving all stakeholders

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Originally Posted by holidaysong

Louth United 'til I die!

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Ironically that concept vaguely appeals.

​Runs...

Not sure what's so interesting about this article. What it's proposing has been touted time and time again. It's ripping the soul out of the league. These are clubs, not 'franchises.'

Its disappointing to hear Sadlier talk such tripe. Clubs have become the scapegoat for those outside LOI to criticize the domestic game. Dont get me wrong, clubs can and should do more, but, realistically what is the most a club can do ? Taken Sligo as an example as a club who has done it right off the pitch, add 1000 to a game ? A good return, but in the grand scheme of things not a massive difference. He blames clubs for complaining about the FAI and that they should fix the league format themselves, and than notes that each club only looks after themselves, which of course they will, because if they don't extinction is a real possibility. I don't get the responsibility Sadiler expects from the FAI for the league, if clubs should sort it out.

As for his suggestions for a radical overhaul, what if this is done and fails?? We will be left with nothing. Franchises ? Its a sporting league, teams should earn their spot in the top league on the pitch, not off it. Setting up franchises means we might have lost Sligo or Dundalk. The league is already a high standered (not EPL, but still ) for people to watch if they were going to watch.

Its just a negative article, and has been written by many writers recently. Never mind Bohs and Dundalk had great crowds over the weekend and that there are many positives this season like competitiveness at top and bottom, with all mid-table (Limerick, cork drogheda) teams looking to move up next season. Nevermind a Club near extinction last season has battled back. Just focus on the negative.

No need for a revolution, if we were just able to hold onto the good tings about the league without starting from scratch we can build. It just needs direction and protection from a governing source. RANT OVER

Im sure Richie would have no problem endorsing 2 Dublin club franchises even if St Pats aren't one of them!

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

In case I didn't make myself clear...

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

I would love to see a rule where are clubs playing in the league are supporter owned Co Ops. We can dream of fancy ways of re branding of the league unless the Irish media buy into it will struggle to attract new fans to games. How hard is for a radio station on a Friday to read out the fixtures, RTE today and end of Sunday game said sport on RTE this week and listed all they have on but forgot about MNS.

if I remember wright Didn't FAI give money off International games, in return RTE have to show MNS and they were meant to increase their live games each year and this year they were meant to a live game every week

You really have to wonder where the league will be in another few years. I don't agree with the franchise element but you have to wonder how things will ever be sustainable if things continue to trundle along as they are. In fairness, most teams have become more realistic but the debts hanging over some teams with minimal income coming in is scary. Sligo, Dundalk, Limerick and Athlone have been success stories recently and hopefully it continues for them but you'd wonder. There are so many teams in dire straits throughout the league that it'll only take something small to put the final nail in the coffin. FAI money is if anything going to decrease further and European prospects look bleak so the clubs need to be honest about where revenue can be generated. Teams have gone out of business and come back in some shape or form and everyone has continued on but there's only so many body blows the league can take in terms of its credibility and in terms of going to the public looking for support. If your club has gone out of business and re-formed with no significant punishment having paid my business 10c (at best) for every €1 you owe me I won't be too inclined to be singing your praises.

Jesus christ..it's been done here a million times.

There's only one thing that'll improve this league, infrastructure, teams, fans, and everything associated with League of Ireland football, and that is a whole heap of money. It's one thing we don't have, and we won't get unless there's some sort of unusual takeover of things on a Sky Sports Premier League type basis.

Unless some massive billionaire comes in and decides to pump money into improving Irish football, we'll remain exactly as we are.

Hard to take Sadlier's article seriously....

No mention of a pyramid! :D

Reading into the last paragraph, it's pretty clear that he's flying a kite for somebody. But who? Frank And Irene never seemed interested in a Franchised And Integrated system....

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

In case I didn't make myself clear...

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

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In my head, it was this, with Nick Leeson's name subbed in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJPE2h3uyOc

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

In case I didn't make myself clear...

He interviewed Nick Leeson.

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Co-incidently the last two people to employ Jeff Kenna as manager (only two...).

ON that reason alone their opinion should be discarded

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Co-incidently the last two people to employ Jeff Kenna as manager (only two...).

ON that reason alone their opinion should be discarded

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Its sad to see such negativity against such radical ideas. The league will no doubt limp along and we'll celebrate 1500 going to watch Athlone Town and the likes but this just shows how low expectations are.

People in Ireland have absolutely no interest in watching sport that is not hyped to the hilt. The LOI will never have this appeal to the masses beyond the hardcore support.

In the absence of money, the powers that be need to tap into the "local" element. Target the areas where there are big catchment areas. Run the league on an all-ireland basis even. Sure, the idea of Louth United may be repulsive to Dundalk and Drogs fans but if its a matter of pooling resources in order to survive and push on or else either club eventually going out of business due to lack of finances/interest, then you simply have to try something new.

Westmeath GAA can attract far bigger crowds than both midland LOI clubs combined, and that would be for lousy GAA league fixtures. Without a billionaire to pump in millions (without expections of making a return), the league is threading water and will do so for infinity unfortunately.

Start from the top down, an investment in making sure you have a huge number of UEFA pro licence coaches. Upgrade facilities where possible. Facilities are not even the problem, the best players develop in worse surroundings. But they need to be nurtured. The real challenge is to get a handle on the DDSL schoolboy clubs who simply farm our players in the hands of UK clubs to make profit.

We need to provide the best young irish players with an alternative, staying in Ireland until at least 21. And making sure that by doing so they will be receiving a far higher level of coaching than they would have expected. Coaching and development that is the equivalent of what they would receive should they move when they are 15-16.

In turn, the LOI will improve with the cream of irish talent rather than relying on (and this will sound harsh) journeymen who didn't cut it in England and lads who were never at the level to make it in the UK.

With a better base of players, the standard rises. With better coaching hopefully the quality of manager rises also. Its a merry go round here right now with the same managers having managed a host of their rivals clubs.

European football would provide our "cream of the crop" to develop rather than sitting in the Wolves reserves at 19. You would be very surprised at how quickly the hipsters would catch on if young irish lads were getting mentioned abroad as being massive talents yet still operated at home. Look at the Belgian league for example, it gets so much attention right now for being a breeding ground for top class talent, you hear lads at work telling you all about the next big thing playing for Anderlecht and Standard Liege etc...

Keeping all of our best players (or providing them with a chance to avail of first team football and top level coaching in their formative years) may just make some of them see they dont need to move so soon. The big money move will still be there when they hit their early 20s. Transfer fees will also improve and we won't see them shambles of the likes of Cherry Orchard/St Kevins Boys holding the transfer record for biggest fee ever received on the island.

There are other smaller issues (larger isssues from a political standpoint) and this will cause alot of controversy, but maybe special work permits can be issued to exceptionally talented players from non EU countries. The LOI could be a gateway to the bigger leagues for some Brazilian's/Argentinians/American's/etc... who are not eligible for a work permit in the UK? maybe after 3 years they are eligible for Irish passports if extremely stringent conditions are met, and I stress the number of these players should be limited to maybe 3 per club. Young irish players may benefit from playing alongside such talent also and may even eclipse such players in terms of talent.

There are so many avenues to explore in terms of tapping into the appetite of people for football in ireland. My fear though is the lack of creativity, ideas and downright drive and interest to make things better.

I think "franchising" is a disaster of an idea in the making. This isn't like America, where we're starting out from scratch with nothing but new markets to build on. I in no way believe that entities like "Louth United" would be more successful than the likes of Drogs and Dundalk separately, especially as its creation would alienate a large portion of both clubs' fanbase.

If we're being negative, it's because Sadlier ideas are poor, as his choice of interview subject.

The IRFU managed to get an income tax rebate scheme in place for very well paid rugby players to protect and develop the strength of the pro game in Ireland. How about a similar scheme for football semi pros and pros. Have not done any sums but I wonder if the entire scheme might be cheaper on the state than one rugby player. Would not be a silver bullet but should slow down the flood of kids abroad and incrementally improve the standard on the field....and correspondingly everything else.

Shamrock Rovers
Sligo
Cork City
Derry City
Louth Utd
Kerry unknowns(?)
Midlands fc
Dublin City United
St Patricks
Galway athletic.

piece of pi$$.
put small town bitterness & rivalry aside and embrace the future