Another way

[Xlex]

is there another way. should the league of ireland be run on a roster basis with the fai holding all contracts centrally?

just to say, a squad of 20 players, paid as follows, or some variation of the structure.

4 youth team players
4 players on tier 2 wage
4 players on tier 3 wage
4 players on tier 4 wage
4 players on tier 5 wage.

bonuses depending on final league position, actual crowd at each game. all revenue retained by the governing body. all sponcership arranged through the governing body. any surplus returned back to clubs in the form of grants for youth development.

something needs trying...

[SligoBrewer]

[BonnieShels]

is there another way. should the league of ireland be run on a roster basis with the fai holding all contracts centrally?

just to say, a squad of 20 players, paid as follows, or some variation of the structure.

4 youth team players
4 players on tier 2 wage
4 players on tier 3 wage
4 players on tier 4 wage
4 players on tier 5 wage.

bonuses depending on final league position, actual crowd at each game. all revenue retained by the governing body. all sponcership arranged through the governing body. any surplus returned back to clubs in the form of grants for youth development.

something needs trying...

If you tie this in to a total overhaul of the national league system it would be brilliant. however I don't think UEFA and FIFA would approve of this. Football Federation Australia got into trouble over the organisation of the A-League a few years back. Something to consider though.

On a sticking point though... would we trust the FAI not to make a complete hames of it?

Great idea though. It's nice to see people thinking outside the box.

[Colbert Report]

The MLS in the USA do something quite similar to this, without the revenue sharing aspect. The league does own all the individual contracts though.

[SligoBrewer]

There's too much history to go ****ing about with franchises.

[mr.untitled]

There's too much history to go ****ing about with franchises.

It's this attitude that will be the death of the LoI. Centralized contracts is a good idea, The main problem faced by the league in recent memory is players contracts, be it the Marney affair, over payment, non payment, duel contracts, it seems to never end. The other option is to sit back and see which club is next to implode due to miss management. The system isn't working.
I have been a devout LoI fan for 20 years and have seen plenty of token changes, one division, two divisions, a split premier, crazy promotion and relegation structures, a change froom Sunday to Friday, a change from Winter to Summer, 12 teams, 10 teams and so on. The structure changes every other season and none of it has worked.
There is a structure in place now that may lead to 3 senior teams in Galway, none in Cork and five (possibly 6) premier league clubs from Dublin.
Its only a matter of time till someone gives out about another "how to fix the LoI" thread, If the UEFA obstacle can be overcome, centralizing contracts should be strongly considered

[Macy]

is there another way. should the league of ireland be run on a roster basis with the fai holding all contracts centrally?

No, the FAI are less trustworthy than the clubs. The only role I would see is in centrally contracting international players, a la rugby, to keep them in the Irish game. Properly enforced licencing, along perhaps with a properly researched reorganisation of the league is what's needed. At the moment the FAI are part of the problem.

One of the main things the League has going for it is tradition. Franchise football will kill senior football in this country. We're a nation of bandwaggoners, and people see the solution as disenfranchising(?) the people that are loyal to the game?

We have the policy in place, it's called licencing. We just need the FAI to feckin enforce it, and close loopholes (such as the player barmen).

[Dodge]

It's this attitude that will be the death of the LoI.

YOu really think his sense of tradition is what will kill the league. The league thats been going nearly 90 years?

There's nothing wrong with the league. Its similar to practically every league in the world.

The problem is with cheating directors/board of managements and a lack of enforcement of what are some standard rules/regulations

[Titan]

It has to be said that all sorts of things have been tried. Theyve all failed! The whole centralising of contracts and sponsorship and revenues etc is the best idea I've heard. It wont happen of course because the FAI are scared of taking responsibility. They will hide behind the whole ''were not allowed interfere with the clubs bo****.
The worst that could happen is that our clubs are not allowed compete in Europe. Would this really be a bad thing for say 3 years? It would give the League a chance to regroup and really have a crack at making a go of this. Without the ''dream'' of reaching the group stages of a European competition clubs can concentrate on the important things such as cutting their cloth according to their means.

I'm really disillusioned with Football at the moment. I'm sure by early December the withdrawl symptoms will kick in and I'll start looking for a new club but for now its XFactor all the way!

As someone who was involved with a LOI club this season I wouldnt trust 90% of the people involved to run a tap never mind a football club!

[incident]

It's this attitude that will be the death of the LoI. Centralized contracts is a good idea

Yes, centralised contracts could potentially be a very good idea as if managed properly it could ensure that players actually get paid, clubs remain under the 65%, and that clubs who default on paying wages (through the The FAI) could be quickly identified and dealt with appropriately. However that's putting more faith in the FAI than I have.

However, all of the rest of it - limits on players of a certain wage bracket or type, centralising all revenue and sponsorship, etc would be a huge mistake even by LOI standards as it'd remove independence from the clubs and create a whole new set of problems. Even then, it'd be difficult for a competent, motivated governing body to run such a system properly, so on what planet could the FAI ever manage it?

[mr.untitled]

YOu really think his sense of tradition is what will kill the league. The league thats been going nearly 90 years?

I don't think his sense of tradition is whats going to kill the league, I think using this sense of tradition as an excuse to avoid wholesale change could be damaging. The tradition thing, if marketed correctly could be a huge advantage to the league. If SF (who are almost the opposite of a franchise) get promoted, we are looking at atleast 4 top flight games next season attracting crowds of under 300. we are looking at teams gambling on the 65% rule, a win or bust mentality. I could go on and on. but hey why change things, tradition and all.

[pineapple stu]

If SF (who are almost the opposite of a franchise)

And boom goes your argument.

[mr.untitled]

And boom goes your argument.

Alright PS, how are they a franchise, a franchise of what?

[pineapple stu]

A franchise league - a load of new clubs being set up with rich backers who ensure they can spend way over what they bring in an attempt to jazz things up; often, if the backers get bored and pull out, the club is simply gone.

That differs to SF how?

And I'd be very interested in why you claim that SF are the exact opposite of a franchise.

[dong]

I don't think his sense of tradition is whats going to kill the league, I think using this sense of tradition as an excuse to avoid wholesale change could be damaging. The tradition thing, if marketed correctly could be a huge advantage to the league. If SF (who are almost the opposite of a franchise) get promoted, we are looking at atleast 4 top flight games next season attracting crowds of under 300. we are looking at teams gambling on the 65% rule, a win or bust mentality. I could go on and on. but hey why change things, tradition and all.

Bohs > 300
Shams > 300
Cork > 300
Dundalk > 300
Pats > 300
Sligo Rovers > 300
Drogheda > 300, surely?
Galway > 300, only just but still.
UCD < 300
Franchise < 300

[pineapple stu]

I assume he means UCD v Fingal, UCD v Fingal, Fingal v UCD, Fingal v UCD.

[dong]

Yea, fair enough.

[Réiteoir]

A franchise league - a load of new clubs being set up with rich backers who ensure they can spend way over what they bring in an attempt to jazz things up; often, if the backers get bored and pull out, the club is simply gone.

That differs to SF how?

And I'd be very interested in why you claim that SF are the exact opposite of a franchise.

Let's all have a League
A League of Dublin Citys
That'll be the Solution
Football History Dilution

[mr.untitled]

A franchise league - a load of new clubs being set up with rich backers who ensure they can spend way over what they bring in an attempt to jazz things up; often, if the backers get bored and pull out, the club is simply gone.

That differs to SF how?

And I'd be very interested in why you claim that SF are the exact opposite of a franchise.

First off, I didn't say SF were the 'exact' opposite. SF simply are not a franchise. In this system, clubs with very little infrastructure and no fan base but with a substantial backer can enter and possibly win the league. a la Soorting Fingal. It would be far more difficult to do this in a centrally controlled system. A club like SF is made possible by an open league system, this is why they are almost the opposite to a franchise.

as for your other points
why should a centralized or 'Franchised' league consist of 'a load of new clubs being set up with rich backers'. What about using the existing clubs but the FAI holding the contracts and allocating players via a draft system. I know what everyone thinks of the FAI but they are one step up from the majority of clubs.

I respect yourself and Dodges opinions but when Dodge says stuff like 'there's nothing wrong with the league' just gets me annoyed, threads about how many teams in the premier league is as useful as having a thread on how to rearrange the deckchairs on the titanic

[pineapple stu]

Dodge, as usual, is spot on in what he says, btw.

The problem is we now think the league is the standard it's been the last few years, and people want to keep it there, not wanting to believe that can never happen.