FAI to sign deal with Endemol

In that case, it only makes sense to incorporate a team that is not going to be playing in Europe into this big jamboree.

However, it better not be Waterford. We seriously need to have no distractions next year.

With these the case, I am going to recommend that it be Bray. They'll not be worried by the distractions, and will not need to start playing competitively until half past October, and they'll somehow pull it out of the bag in the last two or three weeks. Again. It would also be good for them to know this far in advance that they are not playing at home that weekend so that they can plan to have the builders in that week.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

The last tournament of this nature saw the Champions of 1997 and 1998 play. I think Derry beat Celtic. Can't remember which of Newcastle/PSV they played in other game. Pats played in 1998.

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Very randomly found the goals of those games on an old video a couple of weeks ago. Seán Dundee and Danny Murphy and Phil Babb and Rusty and Eddie Gormley and Colin Hawkins. Them were the days...

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Originally Posted by hoops1

Word is the FAI's favourites are going to be involved too.

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Rovers or Man U? ;)

Well I think we can take it that this tournament is clearly an example that things haven't changed and the fudge train is in motion. Yesterday was a mirage.

Champions League winners Inter Milan are to head for Dublin to play in a four-team tournament next summer.

Under a 10-year, multi-million Euro agreement between the Football Association of Ireland, Endemol Sport and sports agency Iconic, Inter and an Airtricity League XI will take part in the inaugural event at the Aviva Stadium on 30 and 31 July 2011.

The organisers have also promised to secure a top Barclays Premier League club and another big name from Europe to complete the line-up.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/...ournament.html


Perhaps yesterday was a mirage afterall.

I won't be spending my hard earned money watching meaningless friendlies against an Airtricity IX

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In addition to the tournament, Inter will do some pre-season training in Ireland and will play another game at either Turner’s Cross or Thomond Park.

The association has already ensured the latter venue is free on the date concerned.

Endemol Sport, whose parent company brought the world the television show Big Brother, were the reason Limerick City were prevented from hosting Barcelona in the summer.

The League of Ireland club’s plans to bring the European champions to Thomond Park were scuppered by a contract with a “third party” at the time, which prevented the FAI from sanctioning games in venues that held 15,000 fans or more.

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Irish Times states (as opposed to suggesting) that Endemol were the reason for the Limerick/Barca issue.

Also, that Inter warm-up game being played in Thomond against Limerick would be very welcome.

Didn't know ye'd reverted to being "Limerick City".

A League XI would be a complete joke; on a hiding to nothing. It would be different if one of the clubs were invited, but that's difficult because of European commitments. I don't think the clubs should have anything to do with this. And after the master-stroke of the €10 tickets yesterday, the FAI have turned around and shot themselves in the foot again. I realise they need to pay for the stadium, but it would actually be better to have four foreign teams in this tournament than suffer the embarrassment of this years Airtricity v Man Yoo yet again.

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Originally Posted by crc

A League XI would be a complete joke; on a hiding to nothing. It would be different if one of the clubs were invited, but that's difficult because of European commitments. I don't think the clubs should have anything to do with this. And after the master-stroke of the €10 tickets yesterday, the FAI have turned around and shot themselves in the foot again. I realise they need to pay for the stadium, but it would actually be better to have four foreign teams in this tournament than suffer the embarrassment of this years Airtricity v Man Yoo yet again.

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There were a lot of things to be embarrassed about the Man Utd game but the scoreline wasn't one of them.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There were a lot of things to be embarrassed about the Man Utd game but the scoreline wasn't one of them.

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Ah, yes it was.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Its in the middle of European qualifiers. The last thing players need is more games

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If an inter-league clash was to come about again, it'd be better placed around the early spring.
If clubs want to promote themselves they can do so through their own performances in the domestic game and European competition. The FAI, while out to make money for themselves it has to be said, have to look at promoting the league, not one or two of it's club. I think the games are a good idea. It's unfortunate regards timing but the only time the games can go ahead. Last summer's representative side would have been more of a unit had they played together once or twice before, which an inter-league clash would've given them.

Whatever about the involvement of an LOI select team, an annual injection of over a million euro to Irish football has to be good news.

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Originally Posted by Mr A

Whatever about the involvement of an LOI select team, an annual injection of over a million euro to Irish football has to be good news.

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I would have thought it would go straight to their bank loans? I mean, it's good that they're getting the money this way as opposed to elsewhere, but I don't expect to see any extra money spent on domestic football. I hope I'm wrong though.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Didn't know ye'd reverted to being "Limerick City".

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Whatever you're having yourself, we're all inclusive.

The players should get something for it in terms of match fees anyways. Also the fact it's going to be a regular fixture as opposed to a one-off event, the competition should be able to have a high enough profile after one of two years. The players involved should be able to get a higher profile off the back of the games as well which in turn will be good for their respective clubs. If sides involved like Inter take up warm-up games in the country, it'd be great as well.

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Originally Posted by Jicked

As Champions it would seem best that Rovers go forward to represent the League in this. Another XI is a complete waste of time for everyone, but this way, and if it became a regular feature, the Champions could be rewarded by playing big European sides every year even if they were say, dumped out of Europe by a Welsh team.

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What a great post, you managed to shít on another team while saying that your team should get to enter it regardless. In that case, there should be no prizemoney for winning the league.

Never miss a genuine opportunity when it comes to TNS eh. I still think Champions representing the league instead of an XI makes more sense (although the dates make that difficult), and would say as much if Bohs were Champions. As for prize-money, I don't think the LoI side would be able to force a very big appearance fee from Endemol.

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Originally Posted by Mr A

Whatever about the involvement of an LOI select team, an annual injection of over a million euro to Irish football has to be good news.

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Somehow, I think that €1m will not go very far into the huge advertising budget to be expended on the glamour games with Armenia and Macedonia forthcoming, never mind the games between Scotland, Wales, & N.Iron...

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Originally Posted by White Horse

I won't be spending my hard earned money watching meaningless friendlies against an Airtricity IX

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Well they have a hard enough task playing with 11 players, but to just play with 9 players? Well that's making it pretty impossible for the lads.

Have absolutely no problem with a league XI in this tournament.

Provided it's managed right. Week off before/after for everyone to stage friendlies. Commitment from visiting clubs to play 2/3 other games. Help bringing in 1/2 slightly higher profile (than the current norm) teams to fulfill other friendlies. Some visible benefits for all clubs.

Course the chances of any of this are indirectly proportional to the credit given to the fai for the cup final ticketing.