Marquee Players

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19/10/2006, 12:53 PM
Red Head

Marquee Players

This could be a possible idea to increase interest in the EL.

In the Australian A-League they have the concept of a marquee player , 1 for each club to generate interest in the league. Last year Sydney for example had Dwight Yorke and he definetely added to the crowds Sydney got, this year they have Benito Carbone and Duncan Ferguson is rumoured to be going to another club. Dwight Yorke was also Sydney's best player and the standard in the league is id say above EL standard.

If the EL were adopt something similiar with proper sponsorship this wouldnt cost the clubs much, ie businesses could sponsor the player. It would hopefully attract more sponsorship and the barstoolers. I think "Marquee Player" would have to be properly defined so that we dont get more players well past it and flying in once a week for games.

Interesting article on it here http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/...artid5640.html

Good idea, bad idea, what do ye think?
19/10/2006, 1:10 PM
ciaraa

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Head

This could be a possible idea to increase interest in the EL.

In the Australian A-League they have the concept of a marquee player , 1 for each club to generate interest in the league. Last year Sydney for example had Dwight Yorke and he definetely added to the crowds Sydney got, this year they have Benito Carbone and Duncan Ferguson is rumoured to be going to another club. Dwight Yorke was also Sydney's best player and the standard in the league is id say above EL standard.

If the EL were adopt something similiar with proper sponsorship this wouldnt cost the clubs much, ie businesses could sponsor the player. It would hopefully attract more sponsorship and the barstoolers. I think "Marquee Player" would have to be properly defined so that we dont get more players well past it and flying in once a week for games.

Interesting article on it here http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/...artid5640.html

Good idea, bad idea, what do ye think?

Just a general comment but whats the obsession on this MB with trying to attract Barstoolers??
19/10/2006, 1:25 PM
Red Head

well do you want the league to standstill or progress?
19/10/2006, 1:30 PM
NY Hoop

The only way the league will progress is through proper administration by all clubs, realistic wage bills, proper facilities and clear rules set out by the authorities that must be adhered to.

Paying washed up foreigners has been proven to be a waste of time. History tells us that in this league: Frank Worthington and his ilk.

We should be trying to atract new fans. Barstoolers are a waste of space. If you think scientology is brainwashing look into your local on a saturday or sunday afternoon.

KOH
19/10/2006, 1:37 PM
Student Mullet

Is this a bit like DCFC bought Carlton Palmer and Efan Ekoku? That wasn't much of a success.
19/10/2006, 1:42 PM
Red Head

I think ye are all missing the point i was trying to make. I am aware of all the Carlton Palmers etc. but what Sydney have done is different. Dwight Yorke proved to be very successful, people went to the games because of him and now that he is gone they have maintained their crowds. I think if it was to be considered it wont have to be administered properly so that the players that would come in (and they dont have to be English can be irish also) would have to benefit the club and the league. Its worked for Sydney, maybe or maybe not it could work in the EL as well.
19/10/2006, 2:17 PM
trevy

I can't see the point of it to be honest.Paying a fortune to some hasbeen looking for a last payday might bring a few barstoolers out for a game or 2 but they'd drift away fairly quickly.Most Eircom League can barely manage their wage bill as it is without adding more to it.It was tried in the 70's I think(before my time) and didn't work in the long term.
19/10/2006, 2:24 PM
endabob1

I think there are a few differences in circumstance here
One is that the A League has also attracted home quite a few Oz internationals coming to the end of their career's which has helped the standard.
The second is that this is basically a new league in a country where Soccer is behind AFL, NRL, Super 14 & even Basketball in terms of popularity, it needed something to make i stand out from the old league. I was out there when the old league structure was in place and believe me there was no huge difference in standards between that & the EL.
Finally the financial difference is immense, remember that Oz is a big country and the A league is an 8 team league that includes a New Zealand team!! Considering that's about 25Million population in total for 8 teams there's a much bigger potential audience to pitch for. The League has been set up with strict financial guidelines and salary caps are in place, there is also AFAIK a draft system and links to the accadamey of sport. It is in essence closer to the American football system than anything like we have or are used to on this side of the world, the"clubs" are not actually clubs as we would know them but franchises and would be closed down if they were not performing financially and opened up elsewhere.
Of the 8 teams 6 of them play in cities which would bigger than any city in Ireland except Dublin and even then Melbourne & Sydney are both much bigger cities than Dublin and they only have 1 team each.
20/10/2006, 9:14 AM
BohDiddley

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaraa

Just a general comment but whats the obsession on this MB with trying to attract Barstoolers??

You'd prefer if they stayed away?
20/10/2006, 9:49 AM
Magicme

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

The only way the league will progress is through proper administration by all clubs, realistic wage bills, proper facilities and clear rules set out by the authorities that must be adhered to.

Finally you agree that Monaghan United are of value in progressing the league.
20/10/2006, 10:28 AM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magicme

Finally you agree that Monaghan United are of value in progressing the league.

Not at all. Should have put in fans as well.

Anyway Romario just signed a 4 match deal with Adelaide Utd for �134000 while also contracted to two other clubs. This shows that the marquee player idea is a just a final pay day for ageing pros. Also this does nothing for any potentially good local players in Adelaide who have no chance of playing for them if the club is bringing in old stars.

You cant compare the 2 leagues as endabob as pointed out.

KOH
20/10/2006, 10:30 AM
Magicme

R u a politician NY? Change the criteria/subject to suit yourself.
20/10/2006, 10:53 AM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magicme

R u a politician NY? Change the criteria/subject to suit yourself.

No I am not. My stance all along is that monaghan bring nothing to the league and I have been consistent on this. Like CHF if a club has no fans it should not be in the league. People will agree or disagree. I've pointed out why on numerous occasions.

The topic is marquee players.

KOH
20/10/2006, 11:02 AM
GuisaSaigon

Luther Blisset came to Derry a few years back.Scored against us we won 2-1 . In an interview in the following weeks London evening standard Blisset said that 8000 fans showed up to see him and he scored the winner in a 2-1 Derry victory, all of which was BS.
Progress will not come through Marquee players, We had Micheal Donnelan (GAA player) a few years back. We got a big crowd for 1 game,Donnellan played for a while but never got the hang of keeping the ball under the bar.
20/10/2006, 11:37 AM
Magicme

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

No I am not. My stance all along is that monaghan bring nothing to the league and I have been consistent on this. Like CHF if a club has no fans it should not be in the league. People will agree or disagree. I've pointed out why on numerous occasions.

The topic is marquee players.

KOH

Yeah u say we bring nothing to the league yet say that the way we are run is how all clubs should b.

The idea of marquee players has been mooted b4 by the FAI but am not sure it would do much. The way I look at it is if we had the kinda money to pay a marquee player we could just get some better quality regular players instead.
20/10/2006, 11:52 AM
endabob1

To me the basic argument is would you rather spend €100k on having a big name for a season or spend the same money on developing an accadmey which can produce quality players for years to come. It's like the give a man a fish and feed him for a day or teach him how to fish and feed him forever sceanrio.
20/10/2006, 12:03 PM
Magicme

Precisely the principal we work from.
20/10/2006, 1:15 PM
Poor Student

It's a bad idea and requires huge amounts of funds to bring anyone of a meaningful stature. The Sydney chairman was delighted to have Yorke sign for Sunderland as he was bankrupting the club and said he'd never do anything like it again. The Romario deal is just ridiculous. He's 39 or 40.
20/10/2006, 1:24 PM
ifk101

Location, location, location.

It's a long way from Australia to the major football leagues. It's a Ryanair ticket for the Irish sporting public.
20/10/2006, 2:28 PM
Krstic

Lads this has been going on in LOI footy for years.

We've had Dennis Tueart, Alan Sunderland, Neill McNabb, Steve Williams, luther Blissett and David kelly.

And I know alot of other LOI clubs have had big stars at the end of their careers, so it's not really a new idea for us.
20/10/2006, 2:57 PM
Poor Student

I wouldn't put David Kelly in that bracket. I'd say he was cheaper than the others and made a better contribution. Didn't he only leave to take a coaching role?
20/10/2006, 2:59 PM
Krstic

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poor Student

I wouldn't put David Kelly in that bracket. I'd say he was cheaper than the others and made a better contribution. Didn't he only leave to take a coaching role?

Made a great contribution as did McNabb and Sunderland.
But it's the same thing, he was an ex-international after all.