3 down ! Your opinion

Ok so is the opinion of people now the season is well underway - should three teams go down every year? (Not just this readjustment year).

I have to say it does seem to make teams fight harder (no walkovers this year), only 3 points between bottom four and no clear relegation candidates yet - it's keeping interest in a league that Cork destroyed with their unconquerable dominance (shame on you Cork 😜 ).

When I first heard three going down I thought it would be a disaster but I'm not so sure now. Although I might change my mind if we are one of the three 😀.

I think 3 down is too many with the amount of teams in the first div, as you'd have to have 3 up, which would mean some crap teams coming up with probably at least 1 good team going down. I think 2 down with a playoff for 3rd bottom vs 3rd in the 1st division would be the best format for two 10 team leagues.

Errmmmm!!

http://foot.ie/threads/222920-Relegation-Battle

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Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado

Errmmmm!!

http://foot.ie/threads/222920-Relegation-Battle

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That thread is a discussion of the relegation battle this season, whereas this is a discussion of the relegation format for this and future seasons, no?

Three down is already tough in the current 12-team division. If you want to keep that for next year, it would mean 3 out of 10 would go down, which I think is too many. Fast forward a few years, and at least half of the division would consist of teams bouncing up and down between the divisions every one or two years. I can't see how this would help the league to progress.

Format is complete pants.

Teams are spending more than they should be to avoid relegation. Might be alright over the course of one season, but going forward it's not sustainable every year.

Relegating 3 of 10 teams would just beyond insane.

So that would mean:
1-4 Europe
5&6 Irn Bru Cup
7th Isolated
8-10 Relegated

Relegation on steroids, no thanks.
3 is bad enough with 12 teams. With 10 teams it would be daft. The LOI goes in swings and roundabouts. Sometime teams need to consolidate or build and this just puts teams under pressure financially.

3 down from 10 is madness.

3 down from 12 is still a huge percentage.

3 up from the First is equal madness.

You could argue that 3 down isn't enough given the quality of the league this year.

Indeed. Like every league, every year, this is the worst in living memory.

1 down automatically
8th and 9th in premier versus 2nd and 3rd in first devision winning team of the four stays up (or go's up)

How about ten go down, with no promotion or relegation after this season? Most agree that Cork and Dundalk are streets ahead of everybody else, so those two playing each other thirty times a season would be a tasty prospect.

Not for Dundalk it wouldn't :)

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

1 down automatically
8th and 9th in premier versus 2nd and 3rd in first division winning team of the four stays up (or go's up)

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8th against 3rd and 9th against 2nd, two-legged playoffs - so they all get the extra home gate.
Also, try to get an extra Irn-Bru place, then everyone except 10th gets some extra games (if the cup-winner comes from the Premier) - giving incentive to play for EVERY place

In a 10 team Premier Division played over 4 series, the bottom team should be relegated. The First Division winners automatically promoted.

The promotion/relegation playoff options I'm in favour of are: 9th Premier Division vs 4th First Division and 2nd First Division vs 3rd First Division or else an option similar to the most recent format of 9th Premier Division vs winner of 2nd First Division vs 3rd First Division.

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Originally Posted by Mr A

Indeed. Like every league, every year, this is the worst in living memory.

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Sure you say that every year.

The LOI always being simultaneously the worst and the greatest league in the world is one of the only certainties in life along with death and taxes.

I thought the 12 + 8 structure was fine, don't agree with 3 going down this season, think it will end up just pushing more teams into oblivion in the bottom half of the First Division next season.

The mooted promotion/relegation playoff system seems reasonable:
3rd v 4th;
winner v 2nd;
winner v 9th Premier Division.

The GAA are trialing group stages in their championships for a number of years. I'm in favour of the LoI trialling a Europa League playoff. Not everyone is favour of playoffs. All I can say is I'd make the effort to go the Markets Field if Limerick were in such a play-off.

In something similar to the mooted promotion playoff, 3 teams could enter the LoI-EL playoffs. The highest placed of the 3 receiving a bye to the final: 3rd v winner of 4th v 5th. If the cup winner has finished in the top 5, the 6th placed team can take the third LoI-EL playoff spot.

Playoffs have been reasonably successful in giving more teams something to play for and getting good media coverage. The Championship playoffs across the water really keep that league action packed up to the final day. Like the GAA, there's no harm trialling it out. If it's not successful, simply revert back.

Getting the feeling this is gonna be a last game of the season job in the relegations battle.

The battle is crystallizing a little now. It is realistically 3 from 5 with only a 3 point gap between those teams. Impossible to say which two will get out of it yet. If you were down there you'd probably want to see one or two of the sides get isolated from the bottom so that it becomes 1 from 3 but its very entertaining from the outside looking in. Even if it was just 1 (+1) going down it would be fascinating with the gap being so small.

Pats will get out. Drogs will go down
1 of galway harps and sligo to survive.
Probably harps.

It's as tight as a ducks arse alright. Goal difference could easily come in to play. Drogheda by far the worst off on that front with Galway, Rovers and Pats fairly similar.

To be fair to Sligo they battered Bohs at times on Fri. It it wasn't for some wayward, shooting and brilliant saves and last gasp lucky blocks they would have scored numerous times. If they continue to play like that they should be grand.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Pats will get out. Drogs will go down
1 of galway harps and sligo to survive.
Probably harps.

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Pretty much agree though I think Harps will go down.
I'd favour Sligo to stay up but it must be a concern that Ger Lyttle still doesn't have a win.

Yeah. Only 2 points from two home games against Harps and Galway and a trip to Dalymount isn't a good return.

An average of a point per game again should be enough to ensure safety. Limerick are two wins from 33 points.

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Originally Posted by legendz

An average of a point per game again should be enough to ensure safety. Limerick are two wins from 33 points.

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It would be in a normal season, but I think you'll need closer to 38 or 40 points to guarantee anything this season.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

It would be in a normal season, but I think you'll need closer to 38 or 40 points to guarantee anything this season.

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The bottom 5 are currently on less than a point per game.

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Originally Posted by legendz

The bottom 5 are currently on less than a point per game.

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Finn Harps survived on 32 points last season. This season, that wouldn't be good enough. Galway in 9th position last season ended up on 38 points.

I don't think 33 points may be good enough this season.

10th place I reckon won't be more than 33 points but time will tell. Bray aren't safe from an asterix.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

10th place I reckon won't be more than 33 points but time will tell. Bray aren't safe from an asterix.

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Obelix is always lurking.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

10th place I reckon won't be more than 33 points but time will tell. Bray aren't safe from an asterix.

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Why would you think they'd be deducted points out of curiosity? Being in trouble financially wouldn't affect the on the field points total. They might not pick up too many more if things go pear shaped but they'll keep what they have.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Finn Harps survived on 32 points last season. This season, that wouldn't be good enough. Galway in 9th position last season ended up on 38 points.

I don't think 33 points may be good enough this season.

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In the last 5 seasons, the bottom 3 have always had less than a point per game (less than 33 points). The current bottom 5 have less than a point per game. The form guide so far clearly suggests that 33 points should be enough to be above the bottom 3. Maintaining an average of a point per game has always been a rule of thumb for survival. Maintaining an average of 2 points per game then is the rule of thumb at the top of the table for the European places.

Can we change the thread title to 2 down?

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Originally Posted by legendz

In the last 5 seasons, the bottom 3 have always had less than a point per game (less than 33 points). The current bottom 5 have less than a point per game. The form guide so far clearly suggests that 33 points should be enough to be above the bottom 3. Maintaining an average of a point per game has always been a rule of thumb for survival. Maintaining an average of 2 points per game then is the rule of thumb at the top of the table for the European places.

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This season is very different to other seasons, already simply for the fact that nobody is being cut adrift at the bottom. Everyone is picking up points and will continue to do so. I don't think 33 points will be enough, but we'll see come the end of the season.

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

This season is very different to other seasons, already simply for the fact that nobody is being cut adrift at the bottom. Everyone is picking up points and will continue to do so. I don't think 33 points will be enough, but we'll see come the end of the season.

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Are you saying that in full knowledge that the form of the bottom 5 to date is less that 1 point per game?

While everyone are picking up points, it doesn't seem to be at a different rate to other seasons. There are only so many points on offer. The distribution of these points again seems in line with recent years.

If anything, on current form the team finishing 8th might accumulate 32 points. The team finishing 10th might accumulate 30 points. It'll be close. The line between safety and relegation on current form will be around that 33 point mark.

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Originally Posted by legendz

Are you saying that in full knowledge that the form of the bottom 5 to date is less that 1 point per game?

While everyone are picking up points, it doesn't seem to be at a different rate to other seasons. There are only so many points on offer. The distribution of these points again seems in line with recent years.

If anything, on current form the team finishing 8th might accumulate 32 points. The team finishing 10th might accumulate 30 points. It'll be close. The line between safety and relegation on current form will be around that 33 point mark.

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Mid-season form counts for nothing. I realise you're not going to change your mind on this, so we'll just leave it and wait to see at the end of the season.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

Why would you think they'd be deducted points out of curiosity? Being in trouble financially wouldn't affect the on the field points total. They might not pick up too many more if things go pear shaped but they'll keep what they have.

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Was obvious as soon as he came out with that stuff on Friday. Setting the scene.