League of Ireland in Europe 2016

**El-Pietro** · 17/09/2016, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by TheBoss

Well, Portugal only won 1 game at the Euros in 90 mins and that was against Wales, do they care?

Also, you could look at it from the opposite, 2 losses from 7 games against decent opposition, that's unheard of for a LOI club in Europe. They have conceded 8 goals in those matches, again that's great by LOI standards.

I guess its frustration on my point, we managed to win twice and lost as many games as they did in our first 6 euro games and we're looking on in envy. Still incredible for them, I don't mean to denigrate their achievement.

**ToberonaTornado** · 17/09/2016, 1:24 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

Gartland is a liability.

Good spot

MOTM performance from B.Gartland Thursday night.

Anyone remember Garts playing for Mons and Portadown? Ridiculous to see the difference in him between now and then!!

**ToberonaTornado** · 17/09/2016, 3:20 AM

Dundalk match in full on he link.
https://www.setantago.com/ondemand/1...&end=&searchq=

**White Horse** · 17/09/2016, 1:53 PM

Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado

Anyone remember Garts playing for Mons and Portadown? Ridiculous to see the difference in him between now and then!!

It was a different player with the same name.

**Martinho II** · 17/09/2016, 5:41 PM

Originally Posted by ToberonaTornado

Good spot

MOTM performance from B.Gartland Thursday night.

Anyone remember Garts playing for Mons and Portadown? Ridiculous to see the difference in him between now and then!!

its 100% the same player. I remember him playing for Monaghan around six years ago under Mick Cookes management when we were in the same division.

**legendz** · 17/09/2016, 9:39 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

Remember there was talk of a third tier European competition. Maybe this is a move towards that?

It's hard to know what UEFA's are planning with that. With the latest move to give 16 automatic places to the top 4 leagues, there's no way 3rd placed teams should be dropping into the Europa League.
It's madness that Dundalk have to travel to Russia and Israel. The Europa League should have two conferences, West Europe and East Europe. Both being 8 groups of 4. Scottish clubs have lamented having to travel to Eastern Europe at times as well. If the Europa League expanded to 64 teams regionalised in two conferences of 32, all Champions League teams knocked out in the qualifiers could be added to the following Europa League qualifying round. The smaller nations have to get changes in their favour. Something like 40 associations are affected. Surely as a group they can exert some influence?

**El-Pietro** · 18/09/2016, 1:08 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

It's hard to know what UEFA's are planning with that. With the latest move to give 16 automatic places to the top 4 leagues, there's no way 3rd placed teams should be dropping into the Europa League.
It's madness that Dundalk have to travel to Russia and Israel. The Europa League should have two conferences, West Europe and East Europe. Both being 8 groups of 4. Scottish clubs have lamented having to travel to Eastern Europe at times as well. If the Europa League expanded to 64 teams regionalised in two conferences of 32, all Champions League teams knocked out in the qualifiers could be added to the following Europa League qualifying round. The smaller nations have to get changes in their favour. Something like 40 associations are affected. Surely as a group they can exert some influence?

You say a lot, but you don't think it through.

**Ezeikial** · 18/09/2016, 8:34 AM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

You say a lot, but you don't think it through.

You have said so little, without any specifics

**legendz** · 18/09/2016, 8:43 AM

Football forum. Humble opinion given.

**pineapple stu** · 18/09/2016, 8:44 AM

Thought it was fairly self-explanatory in the context of the quoted post myself.

"Madness" that Dundalk have to go to Russia and Israel? All teams eliminated from the CL group stages to drop into the Europa League? The smaller counties should group together and exert their influence? 32 teams coming out of the groups to be joined by 16 CL teams in the next "qualifying" round?

Thought El Pietro's comment was fairly understandable myself.

**White Horse** · 18/09/2016, 8:51 AM

A League of Ireland team just went to Holland and played better football than the home team. Think about that. Because Dundalk are making us reconsider what we think we know. They call into question the idea that our national team is restricted to a long ball game because that's 'our footballing culture.' They, as Kenny Cunningham pointed out on Thursday, call into question the idea that League of Ireland players never, ever deserve a place in the national squad until they move cross-channel. And they call into question the general writing off of the League of Ireland in Irish sporting culture.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-35057268.html

**pineapple stu** · 18/09/2016, 9:21 AM

And of course the one player called up to the national team is the one who - as some even predicted - had the weakest performance on the day.

Though "making us reconsider what we think we know" sounds like daft barstooler backtracking. Even if it is written by a Sligo fan.

**legendz** · 18/09/2016, 9:58 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

"Madness" that Dundalk have to go to Russia and Israel? All teams eliminated from the CL group stages to drop into the Europa League? The smaller counties should group together and exert their influence? 32 teams coming out of the groups to be joined by 16 CL teams in the next "qualifying" round?

CLQ1 losers into ELQ2.
CLQ2 losers into ELQ3.
CLQ3 losers into ELPO.
CLPO losers in EL Group stage.

EL group stage: 64 teams. Two conferences of 8 groups of 4 each. Top 2 in each group into the Round of 32.

The CL is being made more elitist in favour of the top leagues. In my own humble opinion the 3rd placed CL teams should not be parachuting into the EL Round of 32 and all league champions knocked out of the CL qualifiers should have a EL safety net.

**nigel-harps1954** · 18/09/2016, 10:01 AM

I don't really think that sounds like backtracking at all. He's absolutely nailed that headline for me. The general consensus is that Irish football is long ball and 'hit it up to the big man', which unfortunately, it largely is. Dundalk are going against the grain, and most League of Ireland sides are at least trying to follow suit. St Pat's have been playing it for a while now too and Irish football is turning a corner. We all know this, but the average football fan doesn't because all they see of football in this country is what the national team play.

A bit of a change in overall attitude is needed, and this could be a catalyst for change in some ways. I'd say that's the angle that Sweeney is taking.

**pineapple stu** · 18/09/2016, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

CLQ1 losers into ELQ2.
CLQ2 losers into ELQ3.
CLQ3 losers into ELPO.
CLPO losers in EL Group stage.

EL group stage: 64 teams. Two conferences of 8 groups of 4 each. Top 2 in each group into the Round of 32.

The CL is being made more elitist in favour of the top leagues. In my own humble opinion the 3rd placed CL teams should not be parachuting into the EL Round of 32 and all league champions knocked out of the CL qualifiers should have a EL safety net.

There's literally no need to regionalise the Europa League group stages. In fact, it defeats the point of a Europa League.

You're also living in dreamland if you think UEFA will allow CLQ1 losers to drop down to the Europa League at the expense of third-place in the groups. And no amount of "Sure would the small countries not get together" will change that.

**pineapple stu** · 18/09/2016, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I don't really think that sounds like backtracking at all. He's absolutely nailed that headline for me. The general consensus is that Irish football is long ball and 'hit it up to the big man', which unfortunately, it largely is. Dundalk are going against the grain, and most League of Ireland sides are at least trying to follow suit. St Pat's have been playing it for a while now too and Irish football is turning a corner. We all know this, but the average football fan doesn't because all they see of football in this country is what the national team play.

A bit of a change in overall attitude is needed, and this could be a catalyst for change in some ways. I'd say that's the angle that Sweeney is taking.

I don't agree LoI is "largely" long-ball to a big man up top, with physicality trumping any skill. (Harps definitely are, mind). Agree on Pat's and Dundalk. Cork played excellent stuff when I saw them against Genk. And while all three of UCD's European goals last year were from long balls, there was plenty of comment - particularly during the Slovan game away that was live on telly - about how great it was to watch an Irish team look to pass the ball.

**White Horse** · 18/09/2016, 10:33 AM

One aspect of Dundalk's successful approach in Europe that should be acknowledged is the impact of UCD in the domestic game.

Dundalk are reaping the benefit of UCD recruiting talented youngsters and giving them a good football, and indeed wider, education. There is no point in even trying to play a long ball game when you have players like Finn, Benson, and McMillan.

**legendz** · 18/09/2016, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

There's literally no need to regionalise the Europa League group stages. In fact, it defeats the point of a Europa League.

You're also living in dreamland if you think UEFA will allow CLQ1 losers to drop down to the Europa League at the expense of third-place in the groups. And no amount of "Sure would the small countries not get together" will change that.

A humble opinion was simply put out there in a football forum. Non champions defeat the point of a Champions League. It's fair of course to point out the reality of UEFA not making changes at the expense of 3rd placed teams. It's not doubted.

**pineapple stu** · 18/09/2016, 10:52 AM

If you're going to put out a humble opinion, you have to expect it to be humbly challenged or humbly shown to be nonsense.

Seriously, why should the EL group stages be regionalised?