i didn't say a national academy, i said irish clubs each with academies that would hopefully be able to make an impact in the cl at some stage.
What has Champions League football got to do with opening a national academy?
i didn't say a national academy, i said irish clubs each with academies that would hopefully be able to make an impact in the cl at some stage.
It works here in North America with Canadian teams participating in MLS. There's always a way if you're creative. I agree with the assessment that Irish teams are unlikely to ever do much in Europe unless there is a major restructuring and a link up with other small leagues in the UK/Europe.
which leagues would you think might amalgamate. the original one i said wales probably would be a non runner as they already have 2 teams at or around the epl. it would all depend on the old firm jumpin ship. have uefa ever allowed something similiar to happen before anywhere
thank you sir
Not that I know of, and I'd be surprised if they did.
One cross-border league among peripheral countries would lead to calls for another cross-border league among less peripheral countries, and so on until a larger European-wide "superleague" would be lobbied for (again) by the major clubs. The clubs would gain more control over the game, at the expense of UEFA's authority. Remember, UEFA also shot down the idea of an "Atlantic League".
Ultimately the so-called "European Model of Sport" would be threatened, a concept that the EU is sympathetic towards, and hence why they allow UEFA to engage in restrictive practices such as collective selling of Champions League TV rights. In another industry this would be in blatant breach of articles 101 and 102 of the Lisbon Treaty, but sport's "specificity" can sometimes be argued to support such monopolistic behaviour. In this instance a pyramidal structure with national leagues featuring promotion and relegation, solidarity from the top of the pyramid to the bottom (facilitated by TV revenue sharing, transfer fees etc.) and cross-border club and (importantly) national teams is seen as the "European model" of team sport. The EU, in 2007's White Paper, came short of wholly endorsing this model across all sports but I think it's clear they would support UEFA on these grounds if a new move towards a superleague emerged. In any event, the G14 has now been disbanded and the European Club Association has been formed and is recognised as a key stakeholder by UEFA. It appears that UEFA is still in charge, so to speak, and will remain so.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's in UEFA's best interests to keep national leagues independent, or else their control over European football may begin to slip. It may deny Ireland a platform to compete at a higher level of club football, but by and large I support UEFA, especially in its stand against the out of control Thatcherite model of football endorsed by the EPL.
A potentially ironic outcome of a multi-country "Magners League" could be that Irish clubs would benefit, but club football in general would gain more control over the game, at the expense of international football. For all FIFA's criticisms of late I, for one, am glad that both FIFA and UEFA are fighting for the international game - even if it may be out of self-interest. In UEFA's case I honestly think they care, and I quite like them and Platini.
That said, Platini has supported a Dutch-Belgian league merger, and a Balkan-wide league in the past.
I suggested last year that the Europa League be reconfigured on a regional basis, with more group games, and guaranteeing entry to clubs like the best 2-3 Irish clubs. A specialist football / sports economist in Belgium thought it was a rubbish idea!
Last edited by Stuttgart88; 13/06/2011 at 10:52 PM.
thanks for that stutt a lot of research gone in there
very interesting article bout holland/belgium, makes you think if uefa can support that merger then there really is a possibility of something happening here.
10 - 15 years ago it seemed that a european super league was defo on the cards , havent heard any mention of it in a while. the europa league seems to be becoming less important each year im not sure expanding it even more will do it any good.
okay, ill humour you that the attractiveness of Welsh teams to the irish public will be the panacaea that cures domestic football but why would we have to regionalise and, i presume, get the Welsh (Nordies and Scots?) to regionalise (akin to Celtic Cup rugby). Wouldnt your plan work just as well without destroying the 121 year history of an institution like Bohemians? Or the 5 year history of those whippersnappers, Shamrock Rovers?
If it is an academy you are after then it should be administered by the FAI and graduates are drafted to the league clubs (like the NFL draft or something). Ive posted on this before at length a while back. Will try and root out the posts at some stage.
I also think this discussion should be removed from this thread by the mods and a new thread created.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
bonnieshels already sorted it out, i responded to you here
http://foot.ie/threads/152711-The-ca...tional-Academy
sums up long fairly well here, from foot365, doesn't mention bayern
Shane Long - Reading
A bit obvious given his goals last season and the amount of attention he has already received this summer, but forwards who bag a few in the Championship are usually the first to be snapped up by eager managers who Sky Plus 'The Football League Show'. A busy little bee, Long has a decent leap for a not particularly big man, as well as a nice turn of pace and a decent finish. Perhaps most importantly - and this is meant in the nicest possible way - he's a little b*stard to play against, nudging and shoving and chirping away, almost irritating opposition defences into submission. For a man unproven in the Premier League he won't come cheap, but he's a rough diamond who can be polished by the right man.
Who Might Want Him: Everton, Newcastle, Sunderland, QPR.
edit: it wouldn't mention bayern, the article only conernin epl clubs
Last edited by the bear; 19/06/2011 at 2:09 PM.
Has there been anything further on the Bayern link?
Nothing that I can see except stuff from a Bayern forum on 14/06 and NOTW on 12/06
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
bayern fans not convinced to say the least
http://www.bayernzone.com/transfers/...hane-long.html
Sure why would they. He's some English defender they've never heard of.
The Bayern online rumour mill appears to be an expansive operation. Almost 50 active, individual-centric threads on that first page alone. Shane get's the honor of his own but in line with that other forum, it's a combination of (understandably) not knowing who he is and wanting a defender instead.
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