You'd want to get something for that cough.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohDiddley
Can I suggest some sort of buy out for the last few bits of that ground of yours.
or you could get some benylin. special offer on in tesco's at the moment.;)
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You'd want to get something for that cough.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohDiddley
Can I suggest some sort of buy out for the last few bits of that ground of yours.
or you could get some benylin. special offer on in tesco's at the moment.;)
great advertisement for bohs and bray there :D
well done lewis.
Another thing that I feel needs to be brought in is points deductions for teams failing to pay players on a consistent basis. Maybe some sort of 3 strikes policy could be brought in here - it is the LOI after all, and 1 cancelled home game due to bad weather can leave clubs struggling for cash.
In a case like that, I wouldn't expect or demand points deductions, but in the cases of Cork and Derry this year, they deserve it for treating their players (and employees) like crap. Most teams were only playing players too much in order to get on-field success, so if the chances of that are scuppered by possible points deductions, it should theoretically prevent them from paying the stupid wages in the first place.
What city is that Chernobyl?Quote:
Originally Posted by BohDiddley
Ok Liberty Hall and the Spire, but what is everything else? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by BohDiddley
One of the major things that can be done to improve the League of Ireland is stopping coming up with stupid reasons for the problems that have nothing to do with the problem. Going from 12 Premier teams to 10 didn't solve the problem, and you can bet your ass 10 to 16 won't solve the problem. The format of the league has nothing to do with the problem.
The country is in recession at the moment, and football clubs are being hit just like businesses throughout the country are being hit, companies going in to administration and liquidation everywhere, and a few clubs going the same way, very hard to maintain a decent cashflow at the moment.
On the plus side, what clubs everywhere should be doing, and I think in a large number of cases are doing, is getting their house in order, putting in systems in place to run a club in an efficient, cost-efficient manner, not blowing money chasing pipedreams, and investing in youth, both as players and fans.
Personally I believe that the LOI post-recession, will be a more stable 1 than pre-recession, thanks largely to the amount of work clubs have had to do to keep themselves above water during the recession.
Fully agree. So many small things need to be fixed and tightened up first, before we talk about mass marketing campaigns and 16-team leagues.Quote:
Originally Posted by CSFShels
I'm surprised that nobody saw fit to comment on my ticket scanning suggestion? (apart from a still annoyed roinuj, but he doesn't count)
The smaller the league the better IMO,more competition.
yeah for the players, makes no difference if your a fan and your seeing bohs vs bray 4 times a season.
One massive league would ruin football in this country imo. 7 games in it will become clear that only half the teams have anything left to play for. The gaps between top and bottom would be huge and would make it very hard for the bottom teams to drum up support. Luckily, the FAI know all this so this will not be done.
Basically we need to invest in facilities and then try and get a bandwagon effect going at the start of the season. Large marketing campaign, tv, radio, shopfronts, flags and banners in the towns, special deals on the first few games. It's then up to the club to make sure the crowds have a good time. Mascott and crap for the yougens, general good atmosphere around the ground (large, committed singing section) and entertaining football (a big ask I know).....
We have to get people in and do whatever we van to keep them coming back.
Is that really the Dublin skyline.....?!? :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by BohDiddley
By God - there's not much to look at is there.
Isn't that one of the statues from Easter Island on the right, a British Army watchtower on the left, and Big Ben in the middle ? And I'm sure there's a minaret in there too.
Bar the Hypo, there's not much to recognise in the Dublin skyline it seems...
I would say three in a row will cure that cough pretty nicely ;) Seriously, as Dublins top club Bohs would obviously have the honour of representing the county (SRFC can of course represent Wickla).Quote:
Originally Posted by placid casual
Clubs not making damaging slurs against other clubs would also improve the image of the League.
Some very good ideas in this thread (even if some not too practical) it would be a good idea for the FAI to initiate a process to canvass fans on thier views and to get input to the League structure. If not before this should certainly be done before the League structure review in two years time (although I see no reason to wait !)
I thought there is supposed to be a league review right now ?
Since when was Tallaght in Wicklow?Quote:
Originally Posted by marinobohs
since when was wicklow in dublin?:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by tippex
Hasn't been part of Dublin for 400 years now. Shame. Though Bray's been creeping back, I'm looking at you Old Connaught.Quote:
Originally Posted by Acornvilla
Like I said in a previous thread I've been wrecking my head the whole time with formats etc for the league.
But there's one question that has always got me and I can't really figure out a decent answer...
Why is it that we NEED to play 30+ games in a season. I know it's proper convention in Europe but there's no need for convention in Ireland due to the unconventional league and the fact that we have 3 other major field sports to compete with for starters not to mention the world's biggest league across the sea and a divided soccer jurisdiction!
We keep trying to work out what the best amount of teams would be but stopping short as to the reason why we play each team 2/3/4/5 times or whatever in a season in the league.
We all know that playing more home games equates to more income in theory but would not playing fewer but more meaningful home games not be more advantageous. It also means spending less money on away games which a lot of clubs can't afford at the moment, esp in the FD.
The main problem with the LOI is a lack of interest with the general population and a lack of understanding of what the population wants/likes.
As a nation we are complete event/success junkies. So let's start thinking along those lines. Having a Bohs/Rovers game only twice a season makes it an occasion. Having them on prime-time TV makes it watchable. Having bigger croawds makes it more watchable. Having it more watchable on TV would make more people want to go and so on ad infinitum.
We need a combination of all POSITIVE ideas to get us back to where we want this league to be in the future.
We have had some decent contributions in this thread and we should keep it up. The solution is in there.
Stability is the priority but we need an ambition outside of that stability.
A lot of good ideas here in fairness and, as BonnieShels says, a combination of positive ideas is needed.
14-16 teams would be my ideal played on a one home and one away basis. Between the League and various Cup competitions there are far too many 'here we go again' moments. Sligo and Cork City played each other 7 times this season and had another postponed - you're never going to attract a large crowd to matches 5,6 or 7 unless there's something huge at stake.
Bring the FAI Cup forward as well. November/December is a terrible time for a Cup Final. Play it in September at the latest. Look at the crowds that Fingal could have attracted after the Cup Final if they had another half dozen games left.
Honesty and Integrity are another two vital ingredients. On this point I do believe that we're getting there slowly. I'd agree with Fran Gavin that there are only a few chancers left but unfortunately even one is enough to leave a sour taste and all the wrong headlines. I also believe (I may be one of the few!!!) that the FAI are going about things in the right manner now and hopefully their intolerant attitude to the nod and wink manner of business will rub off on the Clubs. Accounts, attendances etc have to be forthcoming and honest.
Treated as a business then this League can be successful. Clubs must do what they can to increase their business, same as anybody else. This may be by reducing ticket prices, offering incentives in the form of Ireland or other tickets, maintaining links with schoolboy clubs, more aggressive advertising or whatever. It's up to each Club to devise their own strategy dependent on their own circumstances and location. Offer all Schoolboy clubs in your area tickets to sell (or pre-book) with them retaining 10/20% of the ticket price for the benefit of their own club. it's in their interest then to sell as many as they can. Have the CPO liase with the secretary or liason officer of each club.
The recent An Post voucher scheme was quite a good idea but should be run for the first month of the season, not the last. Get the kids in and hopefully they'll pester Mammy or Daddy for the rest of the season.
The Clubs need to talk to each other as well. Brainstorm and share ideas. If one club finds a strategy that works for them then they should be sharing it - another may be able to develop it further.
Just to add to the idea of a media campaign... where possible well known personalities could be used, even some of the Irish squad, and people like Westlife, Robert Bergin, Jimmy Magee, Jonathon Rhys Myers and others.
Keep thinking folks... best one of these threads in a while.
It's clearly Raiden from Mortal Combat on the Far left.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
I'm not sure the scale is correct though, I don't think he's as tall as the spire.
You were doing so well until then...:mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by twowheelsonly
we need a fit and proper persons test like they have in the EPL
You crazy? That would mean regulation and investigation of some sort. If we can't do it for banks, Taoisigh etc. what hope has the LOI got?Quote:
Originally Posted by GUFCghost
Awesome idea. We really do need it.
Cuz it works soooo well in England......Quote:
Originally Posted by GUFCghost
Anyone heard of plans to increase the PD in 2011 to 14 teams, with 1 relegation/play off in 2010 and 5 teams coming up - the remaining clubs to be removed to regional lges?
I have to say, this would be my personal preference to the PD Size, would mean for eg, 13 proper home lge games, have the likes of Bohs/Rovers go to places like Ballybofey, Athlone, and Limerick to fight for points, would also open up the league and increase the profiles of the smaller clubs.
I dont like the idea of home and away twice, becomes boring and hard to sell the game.
That idea, my preferred one as well, has been knocking about for a while so I'd say the FAI are considering it at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by oriel
Pending on licenses then who do you kick out of the league? Would 18 or 20 teams bet better (surely at least two clubs will fail to get a license). As it is I think the Premier League is stagnant (have never been in favour of 10 team leagues) and the First Division just isn't working.
Something needs to be done though because instead of this league attracting new supporters it seems to be losing old ones (people like myself and others have been posting about being sick of it all in the Cork thread). My own lack of love for Limerick in the second half of last season was more to do with the league's failings than Limericks as a club really as I just thought what's the point when the entire system is going backwards if anything. I remember talking to a Bohs fan on the Luas one day when I was living in Dublin and he made the point that he was done if Bohs went backwards to semi-pro and the league followed suit, I'd be interested to know if he has done so now
These plans come up every year, I won't hold my breath. 13 home league games is too few anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by oriel
I think a 16 team PD would work, 15 home lge games + expand out the lge cup a bit, add in an FAI cup game and its almost up to 20.
Next year fixtures pending, some Dublin teams wont have to leave the city for months - thats not a 'Lge of Ireland'
have to agreeQuote:
Originally Posted by BYCTWD
Unless you do something like a SPL style split after 26 games, top 7/bottom 7, which would mean another 6 games with 3 home/3 away.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
I've a simple if a little far-fetched idea. if the FAI were to demand that in order to buy tickets for Irish Internationals 5 LOI ticket stubs must be produced, attendances would be up immediately and I would imagine once the Bar-Stool sitting EPL jersey wearing "Irish Supporters" had attended their requisite 5 games thay may just have caught the LOI Bug
I doubt the FAI gives that much of a sh!t about the LOI to let it affect attendences of international gamesQuote:
Originally Posted by Block G Raptor
Ireland attendances would plummet and the FAI would be immediately bankrupt.
They could give free entry to LOI games with every International ticket.
Then LoI clubs would go broke. Remember the roaring success that was the An Post promo?
Premier Divison should go back to 12 teams and have the 10 in the first. That would mean only facing teams 3 times in a season again in the Premier, one less as we got predominately sick of having to play Bohs last season! Bring back a cup for the First Divison and A league similar to the Johnstones Paint Trophy in England. It would give teams something to play for at the bottom of the first divison.
Then they should give up, put their head in the sand and hope when they come up for air all is well in the world...........Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Like the government are doing!
So the only alternative to letting thousands of people free into games - and thereby doing clubs out of money, as has been seen to be the case in these kind of promos - is to give up?
Yes, give up or wait for the A Team to turn up.
I don't see why Loi supporters should not get first access to Ireland tickets.
Have a membership system where the first lot of tickets for Ireland home games go to members of Loi supporters clubs.
That way no-one loses money, there is a major incentive into supporting your Loi team, and the people who deserve to be at Ireland matchs, can go.
How does the block booking system work anyway?
The LoI Supporters' Clubs can lose money if they get left with tickets no-one wants. And LoI Supporters' Clubs have access to tickets.
Yes but i mean Loi SC have first access to Home tickets, they don't at the moment.