League of Ireland in Europe 2017

The DFC match day programme runs an update on the seeding for each home game, for the first programme (late Feb) we were in the final seeded spot (at that point in time) but only due to clubs who had very little euro pedigree leading those leagues.

The most likely scenario was that Dundalk would be un-seeded and this still remains, in fact it will probably be all but confirmed very soon. Interesting to note amongst clubs already confirmed as seeded are the two we knocked out last year, BATE and FH. The latter being prime example of getting your co-efficient in good order means you don’t have to be relying on other leagues to have league winners with clubs with lower co-efficient.

Dundalk would probably need to get to play off stage again this year, and with a few more wins to have a chance of being seeded next year. That’s a very tall order. The same will apply to Cork this season, but it’s a very difficult process to rack up the wins, points means prizes!

Its too early to be worrying about 2018/19 yet. The whole system is going to change,going back to 10 years rather than 5, and with the top 4 leagues getting 16 automatic places.

The Irish Champions will likely be starting in the first round as a seeded team next year - I think it will be impossible for any Irish team to enter in the second round, and being seeded would be very difficult as well even if they do qualify for that round.

We're definitely not seeded in the EL this year anyway. Needed another point at least for that. Some interesting seeds in the Northern region though as things stand. Linfield, Cliftonville Aberdeen and Rangers all in there. I'd fancy a cut off any of those. But on the other end of the scale, Legia Warsaw, AIK Solna and IFK Gotenburg terrify me.

I'd love a trip to Eastern Europe, Latvia or Estonia for example. I think it would be an interesting tie and an adventure. But I also see our old friends KR in there. We've come a long way since that dark (not literally, there was no nighttime) afternoon in Iceland.

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Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Its too early to be worrying about 2018/19 yet. The whole system is going to change,going back to 10 years rather than 5, and with the top 4 leagues getting 16 automatic places.

The Irish Champions will likely be starting in the first round as a seeded team next year - I think it will be impossible for any Irish team to enter in the second round, and being seeded would be very difficult as well even if they do qualify for that round.

We're definitely not seeded in the EL this year anyway. Needed another point at least for that. Some interesting seeds in the Northern region though as things stand. Linfield, Cliftonville Aberdeen and Rangers all in there. I'd fancy a cut off any of those. But on the other end of the scale, Legia Warsaw, AIK Solna and IFK Gotenburg terrify me.

I'd love a trip to Eastern Europe, Latvia or Estonia for example. I think it would be an interesting tie and an adventure. But I also see our old friends KR in there. We've come a long way since that dark (not literally, there was no nighttime) afternoon in Iceland.

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Swedish teams have a poor European record against Irish clubs this century though. Including IFKG

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Heh, an even earlier bird already got there before you: http://foot.ie/threads/217098-League...in-Europe-2017

:)

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Ha yes Danny, sorry forgot about that:p

The richest clubs want to exclude lower league champions altogether. Not just happy to have 4 automatic places for the top 4 leagues, they want to reduce the Champions League from 32 to 24 so they have to share less of the big money pot.

The last time all LOI sides were all unseeded was in 2006/07, that turned out to be reasonable year.

Ah stop teasing me with all this European talk. I feel like a poor boy looking in the window of a wealthy persons house on Christmas morning!

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Originally Posted by TheBoss

The last time all LOI sides were all unseeded was in 2006/07, that turned out to be reasonable year.

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Hopefully this will be a reasonable year as well as the seedings, draws and ties themselves are played out. Dundalk and Cork have raised respect levels towards the league.

While they might not bring pressure upon themselves by saying it publicly, I'm sure the Dundalk management staff will be aspiring to get to the playoff rounds at least. Cork I imagine will be looking to get another shot at making the playoffs by getting back to Q3.

Henceforth, Finlay Harp, you shall be known as Tiny Fin.

Gawd bless us, ev'ryone!:D

Honestly, I don't see Dundalk getting too far this year. They're absolutely miles away from where they were last year. League hopes rest with Cork this season. If we get one team through one round, that'll be the height of it.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Honestly, I don't see Dundalk getting too far this year. They're absolutely miles away from where they were last year. League hopes rest with Cork this season. If we get one team through one round, that'll be the height of it.

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You might not be too wide of the mark. I think the stat is that the league's champion has gotten through CLQ2 in 2 out of 8 seasons.

Depending on seeding and draw, I'd be hopeful the experience within the Dundalk camp will see them past the first hurdle.

If ELQ3 and the EL playoff round becomes the norm for the top 2 in the league it'll mark good and respectable progress. Naturally very difficult in the seeded knockout format of the qualifiers.

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Originally Posted by oriel

The latter being prime example of getting your co-efficient in good order means you don’t have to be relying on other leagues to have league winners with clubs with lower co-efficient.

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Luckily cup specialists Shamrock Rovers are back to help with this effort.

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Originally Posted by Finlay Harp

Ah stop teasing me with all this European talk. I feel like a poor boy looking in the window of a wealthy persons house on Christmas morning!

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Surely you've got used to it by now though ? ;)

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Originally Posted by legendz

The richest clubs want to exclude lower league champions altogether. Not just happy to have 4 automatic places for the top 4 leagues, they want to reduce the Champions League from 32 to 24 so they have to share less of the big money pot.

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It's the slow march towards a European Super League, which kind of feels inevitable.

UEFA's strategy is to essentially delay it happening, by continually conceding more and more to the bigger clubs until we get there by default anyway. At which stage their main focus will be on trying to run/control it themselves, as without jurisdiction over it they'd lose a massive slice of their relevance (and income).

Derry playing EL games in Oriel?

https://www.derrynow.com/soccer/derr...-season/156210

No quotes, so would maybe take that article with a pinch of salt.
How do the trust that own the Sligo Showgrounds operate? Do they set their own prices, or take the lead from the football club?

This seems to have come right out of the blue, that website/link is generally not too reliable though, and they have in the past just re-ran stories from other sources. I did a quick google, the difference in distance is 138k to Sligo v 157k to Dlk, actually thought it would be longer. If there is anything in this, two key points, not that it should be an issue, but capacity will be limited to 3.2k seating, and assuming Derry start in round 2, they will be able to play two matches only at this venue.

If Dundalk chose to play their CL round 2 game in OP they would be getting the ground ready anyway, but the EL games will be a month earlier in June. I actually hope this is true, be nice to see another euro match. I`ll wait for a more trusted source though.

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Originally Posted by oriel

If there is anything in this, two key points, not that it should be an issue, but capacity will be limited to 3.2k seating, and assuming Derry start in round 2, they will be able to play two matches only at this venue.

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We'll be in the first qualifying round, as will be Cork and Shamrock Rovers. http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/qual2017.html

I wouldn't be all that pleased with Oriel myself. I'd almost gaurantee that the club hasn't considered any IL venue either. I think Riverside can't be used, but Mourneview, Seaview, Solitude and the Oval would all be options (assuming we wouldn't use Windsor).

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

Derry playing EL games in Oriel?

https://www.derrynow.com/soccer/derr...-season/156210

No quotes, so would maybe take that article with a pinch of salt.
How do the trust that own the Sligo Showgrounds operate? Do they set their own prices, or take the lead from the football club?

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I would imagine that it's the club you're dealing with. From what I know the trust is set-up to ensure that the grounds are used for sport etc but Rovers pretty much run it and develop it etc.

Strange one.

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

We'll be in the first qualifying round, as will be Cork and Shamrock Rovers. http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/qual2017.html

I wouldn't be all that pleased with Oriel myself. I'd almost gaurantee that the club hasn't considered any IL venue either. I think Riverside can't be used, but Mourneview, Seaview, Solitude and the Oval would all be options (assuming we wouldn't use Windsor).

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You can still only play two rounds then there, OP can host up to R2 in both EL and CL then. I would have thought Belfast would have suited you better, but then that probably wasn't looked into as Sligo was considered first?

Whether or not the IFA and/or UEFA would allow use of a stadium in a different jurisdiction is the real question there. It might well be the case that Oriel is the only option.