Future league challengers?

As Dundalk meet Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday night, a win for the home team would put 30 points between the teams. Although Waterford in 3rd place have had a remarkable first season back in the top flight, there is still a whopping 20 points currently between them and Cork in 2nd place. The gap between the top two and their nearest challengers is vast and there is even further distance to the rest - in fact the top four teams are the only ones to have a positive goal difference.

Can Rovers or Waterford or any other side close this gap and realistically challenge the top two next season? What do they need to do to achieve this?

Stephen Bradley has consistently said that Rovers are closing this gap, but the league table evidence contradicts it. Paul Corrys take is interesting as are some of the replies to his latest RTE column

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018...nvestment-now/

Is it feasible for any of the other teams like Derry, St Pats, Bohs or Sligo to mount a challenge in the foreseeable future?

Are you really new to this league of Ireland stuff?

Athlone could win the league in two years time with a wacky enough owner ffs.

If you look around Europe you'll see leagues dominated by two or three clubs. It could well be that the increase in UEFA prize money is making our league "normal", but I'd give it at least five years of Cork/Dundalk duopoly before we can reliably call it that.

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

If you look around Europe you'll see leagues dominated by two or three clubs. It could well be that the increase in UEFA prize money is making our league "normal", but I'd give it at least five years of Cork/Dundalk duopoly before we can reliably call it that.

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Have we not had that already with Dundalk and Cork.Both teams will have shared the last 5 titles and I can’t see anyone crashing that party for the foreseeable future.

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Originally Posted by Ezeikial

Can Rovers or Waterford or any other side close this gap and realistically challenge the top two next season? What do they need to do to achieve this?

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Money. And a good manager - but primarily money.

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Originally Posted by ger121

Have we not had that already with Dundalk and Cork.Both teams will have shared the last 5 titles and I can’t see anyone crashing that party for the foreseeable future.

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And the last three cup finals too don't forget

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

And the last three cup finals too don't forget

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This is the year for them to be drawn against each other prior to the final...

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Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

This is the year for them to be drawn against each other prior to the final...

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We're putting one of them out in the next round..no question.

In reality we'll get UCD away and lose..no offence stu & co.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

We're putting one of them out in the nest round..no question.

In reality we'll get UCD away and lose..no offence stu & co.

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None taken. I'm sitting here thinking we'll get Longford away and lose....

It's 2007 all over again...!

Half the gap is there because of the goalkeeping debacle for the first half of the season. 1 goal conceded in 7 since bazunu , manus took over. The other half is tricky because the sheer depth as well as quality of dundalk is massive. Rovers need to sign a couple and get Clarke back, then get lucky with injuries to key men. Form of players is key as well. Cork have shown it's possible to stay in touch.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

It's 2007 all over again...!

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I'd be quite happy with 2007 all over again. Although, I'm not sure Waterford will end up in the playoff this time.

Strong finances and a good mgt team are key parts of any success, but so too is recruiting the right type of players. Exciting talent and a good attitude from players are equally important.

It will also take time to recruit and blend in the right players, looking back on Friday night Dlk v Finn Harps it was interesting to see the quality on the bench. Rogers, Shields, Benson, Duffy, Hoban, McGrath and Folan. Others weren’t even on the match day squad included Gartland and Poynton, leaving the injured duo of O’Donnell and Chevedukas.

A big squad is essential then to challenge, and that brings you back to having the finances in place. I don’t see any team challenging either Dundalk or Cork in the short to medium term in this regard.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Half the gap is there because of the goalkeeping debacle for the first half of the season. 1 goal conceded in 7 since bazunu , manus took over. The other half is tricky because the sheer depth as well as quality of dundalk is massive. Rovers need to sign a couple and get Clarke back, then get lucky with injuries to key men. Form of players is key as well. Cork have shown it's possible to stay in touch.

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Next year is your year.

Or the year after :)

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

And the last three cup finals too don't forget

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Very true. I just can’t see the monopoly being broken over the next 5 years. Yes we’ve had teams be successful for periods of time in the past but overspending tended to bring that period of domination to an end. The way Cork and to a slightly lesser extent Dundalk are run,suggests that is unlikely to happen for the foreseeable future.

We have seen Shels, Bohs, and Shamrock Rovers 20 year dynasty's in the last decade or so, all came crashing down.One thing about the LOI is the relatively constant change.
while Dundalk and Cork look to be light years ahead of everyone else I would never underestimate the LOI clubs (any LOI club) ability to f*^k things up.If by some chance Dundalk (or Cork) maintain this supremacy they should be handicapped by starting at -20 points (or take Bradley as manager). If that doesn't do it we can all give up and jointly convert to whatever the latest day tripper fad is.

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

If you look around Europe you'll see leagues dominated by two or three clubs. It could well be that the increase in UEFA prize money is making our league "normal", but I'd give it at least five years of Cork/Dundalk duopoly before we can reliably call it that.

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As others have pointed out this is Year 5 of the Dundalk/Cork duopoly!

This is the thing that hasn't been there before, and it's evident across Europe. Euro prize money is distorting competition across Europe, from the likes of TNS up the food chain to BATE, Dinamo Zagreb, Basel, Celtic, Juventus.
Undoubtedly Dundalk and Cork will be in Europe next season. Whichever one is in the CL is guaranteed 800K. Rovers are at least qualifying for Europe every season despite their apparent 'crisis'. Add in their impressive infrastructure and strong support (relatively) and they're in pretty good shape and positioned to challenge in a couple of years.

If they sign some better quality defenders it could well be the case that Shamrock Rovers could overtake Cork City next season. Whether that will be enough to make them league challengers remains to be seen

Anyone hoping to challenge Dundalk will have to sign very well. They have the money to sign quality in depth that no one else can get near.