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The 2005 Genesis Report stated the following:
"The Eircom League is a central cog in the FAI Technical Plan. It is critical that a strong domestic league acts as the pinnacle of the football pyramid and pathway to create an integrated development structure. The league is of key strategic importance to football in Ireland."
Is it really true that the League of Ireland is strategically important to football in Ireland?
Strategically means 'of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect' - what would the consequences for Irish football be if the League ceased to exist?
We'd be unable to feel morally superior to the great patriots who follow foreign teams?
I never knew that was why we have a League of Ireland :)Quote:
Originally Posted by A N Mouse
By some estimates an average of only 10,000 people attend a full round League of Ireland matches on any given weekend and the League doesn't provide any players to the senior national side - so I ask again - How strategically important is the League to Irish football?
It's the best level of football in the country. And there are several players in the Ireland squad that came via LOI clubs. They tend to get magically better when they join a UK club.
What's the point you are trying to make here by the way?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
It sounds like you are confusing "Irish football" with the Irish national team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
Its importance to the latter, in terms of players plaing in both at the same time, is small, but its importance in the far wider picture of Irish football in general is much bigger.
How strategically important is the national team to Irish football?Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
We'd become a laughing stock within UEFA circles
We'd have no international team (see the setting up of the Wlesh league for this type of precedent)
We'd then have no income into Irish football which would, of course, affect all levels of the game
Not to mention the fact that as the only professional level of the game in Ireland, it gives a huge amount of employment to people working in football.
I'm not trying to make a point. It's a genuine question but I am coming from the angle that there seems to be a lot of resources put into something that appears to be in terminal decline. I just wonder if there was no League of Ireland would it have a negative impact on the wider football community?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
How strategically important is football to national football? Would Cork have been any less entertaining if it had been a hockey team in meltdown? No! Would the story of Stephen Ireland's granny's funeral been any less entertaining if he were a rugby player? No!
National football - better because it's Irish. (Bugger the football.)
[QUOTE=Dodge;1323917]We'd become a laughing stock within UEFA circles
We'd have no international team (see the setting up of the Wlesh league for this type of precedent)
Sorry but I don't understand that. How does the existence of the League impact one way or the other on the national team?
If you're right about your first point then this is a very relevant issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Employment (while important to those affected) is not a good enough reason to maintain a league. It certainly wasn't the reason why it was set up in the first place.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
That's a different issue and if you want to start a new thread on that I'll gladly give my humble opinion on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schumi
You are not allowed to have an international team without having a domestic league, with very very few exemptions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
Oh. Didn't know that. I presume that's a FIFA rule - so who are the exceptions - and do you know why the exceptions were made?Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Liechtenstein is the only exception I know of because of its size. They compete in the Swiss leagues. Though the likes of Andorra, San Marino and even Monaco have their own leagues.
Thanks for that info. In any event I'm not really suggesting getting rid of the League. I just think that perhaps (and it's only a 'perhaps' because I am not in possession of all the relevant facts) it absorbs too much money and other resources that may be to the detriment of football at other levels in the country.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I'm willing to bet that Giovanni Trapattoni receives more money each year from the FAI than the 20+ league clubs in Ireland. The resources the clubs have to work with have to come from the fans, and sponsorship, and the clubs themselves fight tooth and nail to keep themselves in existence, with minimal help from the FAIQuote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
Quite possible. Total prize money for the two leagues was €1.25m. With Denis O'Brien's help I think Trapp earns €2m. Could be wrong on both counts though.Quote:
Originally Posted by peadar1987
OK now we're getting somewhere. Why should the FAI help the League of Ireland clubs? What do League clubs do for football in Ireland?Quote:
Originally Posted by peadar1987
Apart from playing it at the highest level in the land? And giving the best players in the country an outlet against each other?Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
What is it you want from the League of Ireland?
What does any club do for football in Ireland?Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccer Mom
If you don't think the highest level don't do anything for football in ireland, you must think the leagues below the LOI do even less?