I disagree. It would appear that he has been briefed by someone close to the Platinum proposals given the overall spin of the article.
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"Newry Town"
Cliftonville
"Historically a protestant amateur club" :rolleyes:
"their chairman, Jim Boyce" :rolleyes:
"Meetings with the two associations have yielded more mixed outcomes" :rolleyes:
He states there will be 12 teams. Lists 13 and includes Portadown and Cliftonville who are both being overlooked in this proposal?
Though maybe this bit is correct...."The scheme remains at the drawing board stage" which puts all the past ramblings into perspective.
He states that the league will have twelve teams of which 12 teams from the following list of teams are most likely to be included.
But agree there are a number of editing issues but interest in the AIL from the LOI teams seems to be centered on two Irish League teams. Maybe that's why info from him on the other Irish League teams is weak.
Average crowds of 3000? I wonder what are the average crowds for the last 5 seasons for Cork, Derry, Pats and Bohs? (No point looking at Galway/Drogs etc, they have fluctauted too much to be relevant). Does the attendance thread give us any idea?
I don't think there's been any doubt that its early doors. There's always going to be a huge element of spin in these kind of things.
Has anyone viewed the start date of this season as being realistic?
Just because someone's is taking a public position on one thing doesn't mean it bears any resemblance to reality. If they took a stance that they were looking to launch in a few years time, clubs wouldn't properly engage and would keep their cards close to their chest.
average crowds of 3,000 is the realistic target of a AIL as a start point, anyone who thinks its the target fro entry must be on another planet (or just twisting it for the own anti AIL views), cork must be the only team in an AIL if its the average over the last 5 years.
It is a realistic starting point as a target for an AIL in its first few seasons though to make it a success.
Given that the 12 founding members of any AIL (along with what ever company is going to run it AND the IFA and FAI) would have to set out the rules and entry requirements, anything being bandied about here and elsewhere is just guess work and rumor.
Yes and I'm in agreement.
What's to research when it's obvious Cliftonville and Portadown aren't part of the proposals. Maybe the lack of editing by Malone is to highlight this.
Or irrelevant.
But don't you agree.
There're first division clubs in the LOI that currently have better facilities than both Cliftonville and Portadown, and whilst Cliftonville and Portadown may point out they have future plans so do clubs such as Finn Harps and Athlone Town. And then you have clubs such as Shels and Dundalk, whilst no great shakes at this moment in time - they both have a history of winning cups and trophies. What do Cliftonville and Portadown bring to the table that doesn't already exist in the LOI? And do we need to dig deep to realise this? The AIL is for the professional clubs in the LOI + Linfield and Glentoran.
The only way to get linfield, glentoran and the IFA on board will be a fair share of spots for IL teams, after 2/3 seasons it will all balance itself out, the clubs not up to it will drop down and professional clubs putting the facilities in place and winning the divisions below will fill the spots, they may very well improve enough to stay up also, no one will really know till its tried
Yes. See where he uses the word "criteria" to describe it (along with the ground capacity)? "The sorts of criteria being mentioned (minimum 5,000 seat stadiums and initial attendances of at least 3,000)" Fairly clear, in my book. Maybe he's misquoted, but I'm happy I'm not reading the quote wrong at least.
You cann't just expect an AIL to solve all our problems, and suddenly lead to 3000 average crowds. You can't just come up with a vision of the future and say "That's where we're going; anyone who disagrees can sod off" You have to realise the league's place in the greater scheme of things and realise that if we haven't made any significant impact on attendances on average in the past ten years or so, we're not suddenly going to add on 50% because of some vague aspiration. Roddy is a dreamer; he has very little connection with the real world, and you need to see where things are in the real world in order to devise a realisable plan going forward.
Translation - this is my view; anyone who disagrees is an idiot. :rolleyes:
Maybe it's just a target as opposed to a criterion, but the bit where the Galway official was quoted as saying it's a criterion hints otherwise. That's all we've got to go on for now really, so you can't dismiss people's opinions as nonsense just because you take the fancy to.
Where for one minute did I suggest Portadown or Cliftonville would or should be considered to be in an AIL? What I pointed out was that said journo included them in his list despite everyone and their granny, except him, knowing that they wouldn't be included. :rolleyes: