Gavin Defends Setanta Decision

You have to remember that the First Division winners will be a Premier Division club by the time the Setanta Cup comes around. A First Division club could have won the League Cup.

Also, there is a good chance that a First Division club will be representing the eircom League in both the Setanta Cup and the UEFA Cup if Longford win the FAI Cup. So, if Longford are relegated and win the FAI Cup, do people then think that they shouldn't be in the Setanta or UEFA Cup.

Remember, the First Division Champions only get a shot at playing in the Setanta. They still have to get by the Premier club. It's up to Derry to prove that they deserve it more than Harps or Cobh. If Harps or Cobh beat Derry, then they deserve to be in the Setanta. Same way as if Longford beat Cork, they deserve to be in the both cups next season.

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Originally Posted by btid1

Still no answer from Dodge as to an example of another country in which this is done.Simple reason because it is not done anywhere else.

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The Setanta Cup only applies to one other country!? Have you seen the Dutch european places play offs? Do you think out little thing compares to their monstrosity? The only country that admits the league cup winners into europe is England. Are they wrong?

Why do we have to copy other leagues?

In all fairness- not too many countries have an equivalent to the Setanta Cup.

My feeling is that the current setup adds interest to the first division and can help launch a new club towards competitive status in the premier for the following season. This will be even more important when the ten team league returns. If the league cup winners lose their place it'll be because they can't beat the first division champions- so slap it right up them.

I think FAI are trying to give the teams in North a chance to do well if there was a first division in the competition, they are hoping that Derry Lose and the winner of D1 goes through to give the Northern Teams a chance.

Also, what if Derry and Bohs were already in the Setanta Cup via different ways, would the first division team go in automatically ?

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Originally Posted by btid1

Still no answer from Dodge as to an example of another country in which this is done.Simple reason because it is not done anywhere else.

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What other countries provides a competition like the Setanta Cup.

I think in that case the 3rd placed team in the league would play the D1 winners in the playoff.

What if the First Division winners also win the League Cup?

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Originally Posted by Mr A

I think in that case the 3rd placed team in the league would play the D1 winners in the playoff.

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But what if they're in the cup final. :eek: :D

i think its a very good idea sure look at shamrock rovers they would have had a good crack at it this year of they were in it, i dont see how a first divison team wouls make the competition worse, fair enought a prem team would be better prepared fro a good assault on it, but the league cup alone shouldnt give entry, one cup is enough for one league, never understood the second cup competition anyways, if longford win the FAI cup a first division team could possibly be in it anyway, instead of the promoted first divsion club, if we finnish 9 point clear of dundalk we should go up due to finnishing so far ahead of them and they didnt beat us at all this year, but yet we still must play them even though we proved were better than them,
some people think its unfair some dont, personal opinions

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Originally Posted by Stato

Premier clubs had four opportunities to qualify (League x 2, FAI Cup and League Cup). First division clubs only ever had two opportunities (FAI Cup and League Cup) so I don't see a problem with giving them a third shot.

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There's a very obvious reason why Premier Division teams have more chances...

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Rightly so. How is awarding the first division winners a crack at the league cup winners branded as awarding mediocrity but awarding it to possible 3rd or 4th place finishers not?

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Are you actually comparing winning the First Division to coming 3rd/4th in the Premier? That's one of the most ridiculous comments I've read in a long time.

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Originally Posted by harps1954

It's up to Derry to prove that they deserve it more than Harps or Cobh. If Harps or Cobh beat Derry, then they deserve to be in the Setanta.

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Derry have proved it by winning the League Cup, which is more difficult than winning the First Division.

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Originally Posted by harps1954

Also, there is a good chance that a First Division club will be representing the eircom League in both the Setanta Cup and the UEFA Cup if Longford win the FAI Cup. So, if Longford are relegated and win the FAI Cup, do people then think that they shouldn't be in the Setanta or UEFA Cup.

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If Longford win the cup then they will deserve Setanta football no matter what league they are in because they won the cup!

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Originally Posted by harps1954

They still have to get by the Premier club. It's up to Derry to prove that they deserve it more than Harps or Cobh.

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They do deserve it more because they won something!

Why dont we just abandon the idea of having two leagues then and just put them all into one because there seems to be no reward for being in the Premier just huge costs!!

harps1954,

Royal League for Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Baltic League for Teams from Latvia and Estonia.
There is also another one, For countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union

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Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

Are you actually comparing winning the First Division to coming 3rd/4th in the Premier?

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No, I was replying to the idea that winning the first is mediocre but finishing 4th in premier isn't. Do you think finishing fourth in premier is more than mediocre? Both are mediocre "achievements"

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Originally Posted by btid1

They do deserve it more because they won something!

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Both teams will have won something :p

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Originally Posted by TheBoss

harps1954,

Royal League for Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Baltic League for Teams from Latvia and Estonia.
There is also another one, For countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union

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The Finns don't compete in the Royal League - and the Norwegians have just pulled out of the whole thing - I wouldn't expect it to go ahead this winter - as it's been a farce of a competition so far (hardly anyone went to watch the games)

The CIS Cup is the one for the former Soviet States

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Do you think finishing fourth in premier is more than mediocre? Both are mediocre "achievements"

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It's good for us. :o

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Originally Posted by Réiteoir

I wouldn't expect it to go ahead this winter - as it's been a farce of a competition so far (hardly anyone went to watch the games)

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Setanta Cup in 3 seasons time!!

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Both teams will have won something :p

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Hard for any of the Premier teams to win the prize Harps/Cobh will win but both could have won the league cup.

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Originally Posted by btid1

Hard for any of the Premier teams to win the prize Harps/Cobh will win but both could have won the league cup.

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Would you be happy with a rule that says Bohs are in the tournament every season no matter what? Would that keep you happy?

Give the idea a chance before you tear it apart.

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Originally Posted by osarusan

Would you be happy with a rule that says Bohs are in the tournament every season no matter what?

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Eh, no, that's the St Pats rule. They can't open it up to just anyone.:p

But why all the complaints NOW? Why wasn't this flagged before any club signed up to the new league and changed then? Why wasn't Rico or Connor complaining about this a year ago when they knew it was coming? It's a bit like Dundalk last year - they complained after the event, even though they had signed up to something. Or is it a case that club's just signed up to the new FAI run league without bothering to check what they signed up for?

Clubs knew long before the start of the season what they were signing up for and that winning the League Cup didn't give automatic qualification into the Setanta Cup. I still don't know what Rico and Connor are complaining about. They haven't won the League Cup anyhow, so it doesn't involve them. Even if there was no play-off with the First Division champions, Derry would still have qualified for the Setanta Cup by winning the league cup and Bohs and Cork in 3rd and 4th place would still have had to be content with missing out.

I'd love to see Longford win the FAI Cup now, just to sicken Rico futher.