anyone with the interests in sports wanst an all-ireland league, it must be one of the only sports left without being runn on an all-ireland basis,Quote:
Originally Posted by harry crumb
its boyce thats thats afraid of losing influence over the IL
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anyone with the interests in sports wanst an all-ireland league, it must be one of the only sports left without being runn on an all-ireland basis,Quote:
Originally Posted by harry crumb
its boyce thats thats afraid of losing influence over the IL
the only clubs that we would even want from the north would be linfield, glentoran, and portadown... its up to them to breakaway in the interests of improving their attendences and standards...
We're a long way away from the majority of IL clubs or their fans being OK with an AIL, and I suspect a fair few eL clubs would oppose it too.
Expanding the Setanta cup to include more teams would be excellent, but talk of amalgamating the leagues is very premature indeed.
Just like any other country money is the ony way to drive forward. Compare the prize money & tv exposure of the eL & IL & absolutely no competition. However would need to remove a lot of teams from senior football as too many & will be small clubs on both sides of the border that will resist.Quote:
Originally Posted by Galway Harps
advantages of an All -Ireland League a) easier and more viable to have professional teams in such a set up b) more attractive fixtures
c) if it leads to an All-Ireland international team, it increases the chances of some team from this island being at the final stages of major tournaments with a larger playing pool to choose from ...oh and can Lawrie Sanchez be the manager ? :D
Mr Boyce's comments on the matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by wws
"All politicians, especially those from the south, should keep out of any football affairs in Northern Ireland. This is not the first time Mr Ahern has made comments that have upset people in Northern Ireland. We have excellent relations at football level with the Football Association of Ireland and both sides are perfectly happy with the situation as it now stands. As far as Northern Ireland football is concerned, we will continue to play as Northern Ireland long into the distant future. I'm not prepared to enter into any discussions on the matter"
Embarrassed FAI officials apologised to Mr Boyce at the dinner for Ahern's comments.
I'd agree that it should happen, but I'm appalled that Ahern didn't use his speech to be more positive about the game here, maybe citing the player exodus as proof that the league should be treated with more credibillity by the media and sporting public.
Also the BBC report stated this ''Rugby is the most high-profile sport to be organised on a north-south basis, and up to 30 sporting bodies operate in this way'' higher profile than Gaelic Football ???
Here's a novel/crazy idea for a combined league; merge the two leagues then have two league tables, one for prize money/trophies/medals/relegation counting all results, the other for European qualification counting only results between teams from the same association.
That's a great idea :)Quote:
Originally Posted by TommyT
Very true, but at this stage it's a case of "Any publicity..."Quote:
Originally Posted by TommyT
I am in favour of an AIL should the conditions for it be right but certainly not of a joint national team. However I feel that Ahern with this poorly judged speech has set the possibility of this back years. An AIL and an all Ireland team are two completely separate issues and should be dealt with as such. All Ahern has done is make people both sides of the border defensive at the fear of losing their national team and therefore wary of an AIL.
Brilliant idea Mr T. I pity the foo' who argues with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by TommyT
So does the Munster FA, but they don't compete internationally. There would be no reason why technical specifics required to satisfy UEFA/FIFA couldn't be worked around - i.e. still having separate cups etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Réiteoir
You could have an entirely new league run by a new body (similar to premier in UK) organised on an all-island basis. The respective national leagues (cut to a single division each) could act as the lower divisions and there could perhaps be play-offs to determine relegation and promotion. There might be issues about ending up with odd numbers in leagues, but if the will to do it was present, then it would just be a matter of ironing out the details.
There are a million and one different formats that could be used, but I think a combined league is necessary for the long-term future.
Much to Cork's dismay :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by bigmac
don't know about this idea. but a seperate AIL premier division of 18 or so teams with an AIL 1st division with 18 teams also. then beneath that you could have the Connacht/Munster/Leinster/Ulster Senior Leagues, and a play-off system between them to decide who goes up to 1st division (but they would have to meet certain criteria first).Quote:
Originally Posted by bigmac
the make up of the premier division could be decided by the top 9 from each of the respective leagues.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David
agreed.
in addittion Boyce destroyed any hope of this coming to fruition with some classic leadership on the issue - I'd love if he replaced delaney down here. This is what you want from a CEO - clear, unequivocal no bs say what you mean and mean what you say comments!
Classic stuff from Boyce. I'd be a fan.
the Setanta cup suffices for me and fullfills all my cross border "urges"
a combined league would just be flogging the idea to within an inch of its life
I think ahearn was been mischeivious as a return swipe over the dundalk debancle but has done more to kill whatever chances of this happening off.
Is this a runner?
The AIL is the only way we will achieve a fully professional League on the island of Ireland.... so of course I am in favour of it.
An eventual All-Ireland representative international team, might well see, the chances of this rain sodden oul sod's chances increase of participating in major tournaments .
Northern Ireland reached 1958, 1982 and 1986 World Cups no Euro Championship final appearances.
This was in spite of defeating (West) Germany home and away in the 1984 European Championship Qualification Group.
Republic of Ireland reached 1990, 1994 and 2002 World Cups and a solitary Euro 1988 Final appearance.
I think that with the entire island's population to choose from and the children of immigrants it would be easier to get a successful squad together.
I think its a good idea and one that should happen but it wont as there are two very highly paid boards of control in both orginisations and neither want to yield. Its jobs for the boys really and if it were Minister O'Cuiv he would be asking for a seperate football body fully funded by your taxes for irish speaking soccer players. Both governments should pull funding till they come together. Sack both Boyce and Delaney to get it going
So who would be in this league?
If a 20 team league was introduced, would the split be 10 North / 10 Republic? Population would suggest a 30% / 70% split but that would never fly. Would 40% / 60% work? And would Derry City count as a Northern team or a Republic team? Would seem logical that they count as one from the North.
It doesn't really matter, the good teams would rise to the top after a couple of seasons anyway. If you're concerned about it, you could have 5 from the FAI, 5 from IFA, 5 from a play-off series of the marginal team, and of course Derry City to bring it up to a nice even 16! (This also nicely bypasses your question over whether the Candystripes should be considered northern or southern!)Quote:
Originally Posted by Kivlehan
If you merge England and Scotland they would have a better chance of winning things. If Switzerland merged with Austria it would make them strong, if Brazil and Argentina merged their national teams it would make them virtually unstoppable yet I don't hear of anyone in these countries calling for it to happen. People want their national identity and a national team should be what it says on the tin, the national team of that country. Once you start merging national teams it would turn into a farce.Quote:
Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie
East and West Germany were reunited following an imposed partition, so why not reunify Ireland?Quote:
Originally Posted by David
Completely different situation. The teams were reunited when the country was, there was never two separate countries playing as one. ROI and NI are two separate countries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Lord
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tazskool
Lads, not that I'm advocating an All-Ireland international team but your arguements in this case don't fly. No one seems too upset about there being an All-Ireland Rugby team. In Rugby League, there's a Great Britain team.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
If you want to carry the national Identity thing then Cork should have a different team as should Connemara. In the UK the north of England should have its own team too. All I'm trying to say is that nations and national boundaries are arbitrary. Having said that I couldn't care less if we had a united national team or not. All-Ireland League is all I'm concerned with.
Ahern looking for cheap publicity. Dundalkkk wouldn't make that league either if that was his intention.
I'm in favour of an All Ireland League, if nothing else an 18 team league, home and away. However, people are deluded if they think it's going to be the solution. As was said before - 10 team league was failure; Summer football was failure compared to what it was supposed to deliver; Licencing has been a failure. What makes anyone think that the FAI can be involved in anything that'll be done properly? Even the Setanta Cup has had it's issues with FAI controlled teams.
Frankly, couldn't give a toss about the international team, one way or another.
What rugby does is rugby's business. As far as I am aware the Ireland rugby team has simply stayed in existence and did not split when the island was divided into two countries. Your arguments re North of England etc are just plain silly. How difficult is it to understand that one country = one international team. It is this way all over the world.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohsPartisan
Or in the case of the UK, which to all intents and purposes is one country, one head of state and all served by the westminster parliament (despite devolution) you have 4 national teams. Yes 4!
The old USSR team covered more than one nation.
that was just responding to what you said about "identity". There are different identities all over the island of Ireland and also all accross the UK. In fact you'd get it hard to find a nation anywhere with one homogenous identity.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
Anyway don't get your knickers in a twist, I'm only playing devils advocate and pointing out that there are holes in your particular arguement. There is one arguement, one very good arguement against an All-Ireland team and the only arguement you need i.e. people don't want it. Case closed.
As I said I couldn't care less about International football.
There is merit in people calling for a UK team, it is a legitimate argument. The old USSR team covered one political entity. I cannot think of any examples of two countries from different jurisdictions playing as one.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohsPartisan
i would like to see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by BohsPartisan
BUT
i would want the team to play under the tricolour and sing Amhrán na bhFiann prior to home and away games. none of this 'irelands call' BS.
HOWEVER
i would think that our northern cousins who currently support NI would not be too fond of the above.
and that little difference is before the suits sit down. No chance anytime soon unfortunately
Point is that we are a lot closer to an AIL than an All Ireland National Team. and i don't see the situation changing any time soon.
personally i feel that the idea of an AIL would increase the profile of the game here, increase attendances, more revenue....etc. In turn BOTH the FAI & IFA would have a better product which run right would increase the standard of footballer based on these islands and as an obvious roll-on we would both have better National Teams.
So you want a merged team yet only want one part of that team recognised? Very fair indeed. I wonder why people up here would be against that. You are being totally unreasonable.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
I'm with David on this. Some of the ignorance on here never ceases to amaze me - that tri colour remark really took the biscuit. I'm opposed to an AIL as well. Both leagues are making good progress in their own right and the Setanta Cup has served both well.
selective quoting from a post isn't really smart :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by David
read the rest of the post - especially the comment that came after that what you quoted!! it answers your question.
then the post goes on to rule out the proposition in the short term but points to the benefit of an AIL for BOTH associations.
your reply to my post sir is akin to the red tops attitude of quotation!
the post was meant to show that there would be difficulties outside of boardroom level.Quote:
Originally Posted by wws
i stand by the fact that i would like to support a national team under the national flag. it is neither ignorance nor sectarian.
i understand fully that members of the northern community would not (thus the capitolised HOWEVER) and that was the point of the post. :rolleyes:
Easy solution we fly the Red Flag and sing l'internationale! :p
:D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by BohsPartisan
Regardless of what you posted afterwards you are still in favour of a merging of two national teams yet only one of those countries being recognised with regards to anthems and flags which to me is a despicable attitude.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
it is more of a personal opinion than an attitude. BTW the actual meaning of the tricolour was to show the unity between both of the main traditions on the island - although it has not been accepted by one of the traditions.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
i would not support the notion of the national team which played under the union jack however i understand that would be the preference of some from your community (not necessilary you).
i identify the tricolour as my national flag and any team representing ireland imo should play under it. however i also understand that there is a large number of people from your community who would not tolerarte such a scenario and that is why, as i said, it will not happen.
just because you do not believe the same as i do does not make you right or wrong and the same applies to me. we merely have different opinions.
would i identify with a single national team that neither played under the tricolour nor sang Amhrán na bhFiann: NO
would you identify with a single national team that played under the tricolour or sang Amhrán na bhFiann: NO
does that make me wrong: NO
am i just pointing out more reasons why the suggestion is not feasible at this point in time: YES
I do recognise the tricolour and have no problem whatsoever in doing so. It is the flag of the Republic of Ireland. Likewise Amhrán na bhFiann is the national anthem of the ROI. Howebver if there was to be one team on the island that team would not be the ROI it would be a joint ROI/NI team and therefore both countries should be recognised.Quote:
Originally Posted by galwayhoop
Regardless of anthems, flags etc, the only international team on the island that I support (and will ever support) is Northern Ireland.
That will be the case until I die.
amhrán na queen