Bohs in Europe

**gaffer 2008** · 29/09/2008, 10:05 PM

Ok we all know that Bohs probably won't make it to the group stages next year. What do you think is needed to push Irish teams onto a higher level in europe.

i know you'll all probably say CASH!!...but in my opinion if we could have a proper youth system in this country ie eircom league league clubs running proper youth accademy's and make a better effort to try and keep our talent at home.

**finnpark** · 29/09/2008, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by gaffer 2008

Ok we all know that Bohs probably won't make it to the group stages next year. What do you think is needed to push Irish teams onto a higher level in europe.

i know you'll all probably say CASH!!...but in my opinion if we could have a proper youth system in this country ie eircom league league clubs running proper youth accademy's and make a better effort to try and keep our talent at home.

Damien Richardson has had the best success in Europe.

His style of play, as outlined by himself on MNS one night, included:

1. Don't concede any at the back. This means keep your back 4 in place all the time, don't let your full backs attack at all. A highly alert and concentrated back 4 for defending only.

2. No matter who the opposition is be confident and try to dictate the midfield. Posessional is the king.

I would have to agree with him. You really need to score away from home and its a huge advatage if you are lucky enough to be drawn away from home in the 1st leg.

Also, if you can plenty of crosses in from near the corner flag, especially low inswinging crosses then anything can happen in the box.

I do feel that Bohs should have a tall target man like John Murphy of Pats

**Réiteoir** · 29/09/2008, 10:57 PM

Looking at the Qualification Structures for next season - this could be the season when a couple of the League Clubs could make a breakthrough

**ciaraa** · 30/09/2008, 6:53 AM

Originally Posted by Réiteoir

Looking at the Qualification Structures for next season - this could be the season when a couple of the League Clubs could make a breakthrough

there was some bohs poster on the drogs forum (I know, I know ... ) marvelling at how great this magical bohs team is saying they';ve only conceded 8 goals all season or whatever yet they got an easy intertoto route and still made a mess of it. when you see what pats have done this year and even drogs battling performances it really highlights how tame bohs have been in europe. as alan matthews knows, strong domestic form doesnt equate to strong european form. would love to see an irish team reach the promised land of uefa/euro cup group stages but it aint gonna be bohs. (anyway hopefully pats will have done it in a few hours time)

**Dodge** · 30/09/2008, 7:02 AM

If Bohs go out at the same stage as Drogheda this year they make the uefa group stages (I think)

Also Bohs won't playa team from the top 12 ranked leagues to make the CL group stages

Best chance ever IMO

**Schumi** · 30/09/2008, 7:30 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

If Bohs go out at the same stage as Drogheda this year they make the uefa group stages (I think)

Not quite. They'd make the equivalent of the round Pats are in now. The losers in the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions' League
make the UEFA group stage.

**Straightstory** · 30/09/2008, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by ciaraa

there was some bohs poster on the drogs forum (I know, I know ... ) marvelling at how great this magical bohs team is saying they';ve only conceded 8 goals all season or whatever yet they got an easy intertoto route and still made a mess of it. when you see what pats have done this year and even drogs battling performances it really highlights how tame bohs have been in europe. as alan matthews knows, strong domestic form doesnt equate to strong european form. would love to see an irish team reach the promised land of uefa/euro cup group stages but it aint gonna be bohs. (anyway hopefully pats will have done it in a few hours time)

That's because Alan Mathews doesn't seem to care about how his teams perform in Europe. He doesn't 'know' anything. I think Bohs could make a brave attempt to make the Group stages next year. They're the best team we'll have had in Europe since Shels a few years ago. They have the crucial ingredients of experience and defensive organisation. (Despite their tame exit this year). You seem to have as much of a dislike to Bohs as you do to capital letters, but I'll certainly wish them all the best next year and believe, if their attitude is right, they can put up a decent performance.

**finnpark** · 30/09/2008, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

That's because Alan Mathews doesn't seem to care about how his teams perform in Europe. He doesn't 'know' anything. I think Bohs could make a brave attempt to make the Group stages next year. They're the best team we'll have had in Europe since Shels a few years ago. They have the crucial ingredients of experience and defensive organisation. (Despite their tame exit this year). You seem to have as much of a dislike to Bohs as you do to capital letters, but I'll certainly wish them all the best next year and believe, if their attitude is right, they can put up a decent performance.

You cannot really speculate untilt he draw is made. If Bohs meet a really defensive side in Europe I would fear for them. The clubs are due a bad year in Europe so I suspect next season could be bad.

**A face** · 30/09/2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

That's because Alan Mathews doesn't seem to care about how his teams perform in Europe. He doesn't 'know' anything.

You cannot bring Alan Matthews into this debate because he is the exception to the rule in Europe for LOI. The guy is a complete disaster and just isn't up to it in Europe. Whatever you think of him domestically, abroad the guy just doesn't cut it .... or want to cut it for that matter. His attitude alone will see he never does anything of note in Europe.

**placid casual** · 30/09/2008, 11:10 AM

**Dodge** · 30/09/2008, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by finnpark

The clubs are due a bad year in Europe so I suspect next season could be bad.

You suspected this year was going to be bad. Predicting defeats before nearly every single game...

**finnpark** · 30/09/2008, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You suspected this year was going to be bad. Predicting defeats before nearly every single game...

Well I got them mostly right in thend

**Dodge** · 30/09/2008, 11:20 AM

Irish clubs haven't lsot the majority of games this year...

**gaffer 2008** · 30/09/2008, 11:33 AM

i think the best bohs can hope for is the third qualifying round and thats only if the draw is kind.

the point im trying to make is that no LOI team can hope to achieve anything in europe unless there are drastic changes made to the infrastructure of the game in this country

**A face** · 30/09/2008, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by finnpark

1. Don't concede any at the back. This means keep your back 4 in place all the time, don't let your full backs attack at all. A highly alert and concentrated back 4 for defending only.

2. No matter who the opposition is be confident and try to dictate the midfield. Posession is the key.

That goes without saying but i think Gaffer is asking is what needs to change in the way Irish football is run to enable us to get to the next level.

Originally Posted by gaffer 2008

in my opinion if we could have a proper youth system in this country ie eircom league league clubs running proper youth accademy's and make a better effort to try and keep our talent at home.

I'd agree with that. Good quality youth systems teaching technical football so that players have what is needed to compete with more technically able countries style of play.

I really dont think that will happen to any large degree given that junior and senior football is so fragmented in this country. It would need to be driven fromn the top down to effect change and they doesn't seem to be the will to change this. Junior football seems to opperate on its own from what i can see.

**Shelsman** · 30/09/2008, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by ciaraa

there was some bohs poster on the drogs forum (I know, I know ... ) marvelling at how great this magical bohs team is saying they';ve only conceded 8 goals all season or whatever yet they got an easy intertoto route and still made a mess of it.

Fenlon is a rubbish manager in Europe -gets everyone behind the ball then hoofs it up to a lone striker, then spend 10mins trying to get the ball back again only to give it away again in seconds. The only exception to this was when we played Glentoran. He has an inferiority complex when it comes to playing in Europe.

Pats have really shown the right attitude this year ( along with the quality, fitness and technique ). Cork City did it before away to Slavia Prague and Derry City too.

Alan Matthews is another embarrasment when it comes to European football.

**Shelsman** · 30/09/2008, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

I think Bohs could make a brave attempt to make the Group stages next year. They're the best team we'll have had in Europe since Shels a few years ago.

How did you work this one out? Can you back it up with stats in comparison to other eL sides who have been playing in Europe?

**gaffer 2008** · 30/09/2008, 12:29 PM

id agree with that. There are different organisations namely the NDSL and the SDFL that run different accademies for talented youngsters. You also have the emerging talent programmes run by the FAI but none of the eircom league clubs have proper accademies. For example Bohs, Pats,Shels and Shamrock Rovers have clubs that play in the DDSL but none or very few of them attract the best talent in this country. The likes of cheery orchard and home farm constantly attract the best youth players in this country....Why???

i'll tell you why these clubs only develope players with a few to being scouted by English clubs. If the likes of LOI clubs had accademies in place that could keep our players at home and have a pathway for them into the first team then our league would be in a much healthier position.

**Heliodorus** · 30/09/2008, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by gaffer 2008

Ok we all know that Bohs probably won't make it to the group stages next year. What do you think is needed to push Irish teams onto a higher level in europe.

i know you'll all probably say CASH!!...but in my opinion if we could have a proper youth system in this country ie eircom league league clubs running proper youth accademy's and make a better effort to try and keep our talent at home.

Oh, I dont know about that. First of all european qualification is being re-organised and secondly all irish clubs should be seeded in the first preliminary round at least so things should be easier in theory at least. LOI clubs have had a mini disaster with regard to financing their full time set ups this season but if they can ride this out even better performances could be around the corner in europe ( except at my club cork city where poor old Alan Matthews doesnt have a clue).

**Straightstory** · 30/09/2008, 2:21 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

How did you work this one out? Can you back it up with stats in comparison to other eL sides who have been playing in Europe?

Bohs have experienced players, they are running away with the league, don't concede many, and unlike Drogs and Derry in the last couple of years, aren't going into the tournament out of form and in disarray. (Although that of course can change).

A lot depends on whether Fenlon has a Doolin/Rico attitude to Europe or an Alan Mathews one.