I'd never argue that clubs, and individuals, don't benefit from european success. But Pats games in Europe didn't help the LOI at all. They helped us, and Fahey, and Fabio and a handful of players. But the league didn't benefit.
If you look at most of the Europa League groups today, if an LoI club was there, they'd get fair amount of coverage with all the games.
Shels got loads of coverage when they played Depor. What good did that do the league?
European progression as a panacea is very much overrated.
Probably depends on what club it is too. Shelbourne don't have any fans, and didn't even when they were winning things. If Derry, Cork or Rovers got into the EL they might actually have a reasonable chance of repeating the success the next year, and that would be more likely to have a knock-on effect.
I agree it's no panacea though.
So its the amount of fans you have that makes you more successful?? Naming 2 first divison clubs and a club who havent won the league in 16 years doesnt bcak up your argument well there
Well if we are not the best this year we will next year. As Bohs will be part time and we will have a few of your better players.
Well Rovers have had hardly any fans* until recently too. I'm just saying that all three clubs have more or less the largest current fanbases and arguably the largest effective catchment areas for blow-ins, which would set them on course for sustainability at a higher level. Like I said, it's not a panacea, but those are the clubs with the greatest capacity for growth.
*let's say "active" fans
Yep im the arrogant one
not all clubs with a low fan base run themselves into the ground in their race for success however i can name you a few clubs with a large fan base who have done just that... any spring to mind maseanjo
the way to combat this is for these clubs to take a lesson from the smaller clubs in financial prudance
EVERY club, bar maybe Monaghan, will invariably bring the game into disrepute a half dozen or so times each per season.