What can be done to improve the League of Ireland?

**BonnieShels** · 02/12/2009, 7:22 PM

Originally Posted by GUFCghost

we need a fit and proper persons test like they have in the EPL

You crazy? That would mean regulation and investigation of some sort. If we can't do it for banks, Taoisigh etc. what hope has the LOI got?

Awesome idea. We really do need it.

**dcfcsteve** · 03/12/2009, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by GUFCghost

we need a fit and proper persons test like they have in the EPL

Cuz it works soooo well in England......

**oriel** · 22/12/2009, 2:38 PM

Anyone heard of plans to increase the PD in 2011 to 14 teams, with 1 relegation/play off in 2010 and 5 teams coming up - the remaining clubs to be removed to regional lges?

I have to say, this would be my personal preference to the PD Size, would mean for eg, 13 proper home lge games, have the likes of Bohs/Rovers go to places like Ballybofey, Athlone, and Limerick to fight for points, would also open up the league and increase the profiles of the smaller clubs.

I dont like the idea of home and away twice, becomes boring and hard to sell the game.

**jebus** · 22/12/2009, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Anyone heard of plans to increase the PD in 2011 to 16 teams, with 1 relegation/play off in 2010 and 5 teams coming up - the remaining clubs to be removed to regional lges?

I have to say, this would be my personal preference, 15 proper home lge games, have the likes of Bohs/Rovers go to places like Ballybofey, Athlone, and Limerick to fight for points, would also open up the league and increase the profiles of the smaller clubs.

I dont like the idea of home and away twice, becomes boring and hard to sell the game.

That idea, my preferred one as well, has been knocking about for a while so I'd say the FAI are considering it at least.

Pending on licenses then who do you kick out of the league? Would 18 or 20 teams bet better (surely at least two clubs will fail to get a license). As it is I think the Premier League is stagnant (have never been in favour of 10 team leagues) and the First Division just isn't working.

Something needs to be done though because instead of this league attracting new supporters it seems to be losing old ones (people like myself and others have been posting about being sick of it all in the Cork thread). My own lack of love for Limerick in the second half of last season was more to do with the league's failings than Limericks as a club really as I just thought what's the point when the entire system is going backwards if anything. I remember talking to a Bohs fan on the Luas one day when I was living in Dublin and he made the point that he was done if Bohs went backwards to semi-pro and the league followed suit, I'd be interested to know if he has done so now

**Schumi** · 22/12/2009, 2:49 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Anyone heard of plans to increase the PD in 2011 to 14 teams, with 1 relegation/play off in 2010 and 5 teams coming up - the remaining clubs to be removed to regional lges?

I have to say, this would be my personal preference to the PD Size, would mean for eg, 13 proper home lge games, have the likes of Bohs/Rovers go to places like Ballybofey, Athlone, and Limerick to fight for points, would also open up the league and increase the profiles of the smaller clubs.

I dont like the idea of home and away twice, becomes boring and hard to sell the game.

These plans come up every year, I won't hold my breath. 13 home league games is too few anyway.

**oriel** · 22/12/2009, 3:13 PM

I think a 16 team PD would work, 15 home lge games + expand out the lge cup a bit, add in an FAI cup game and its almost up to 20.

Next year fixtures pending, some Dublin teams wont have to leave the city for months - thats not a 'Lge of Ireland'

**passerrby** · 22/12/2009, 4:05 PM

Originally Posted by BYCTWD

18 team Premier, abolish the First, regionalised A league.

have to agree

**total hoofball** · 22/12/2009, 5:49 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

These plans come up every year, I won't hold my breath. 13 home league games is too few anyway.

Unless you do something like a SPL style split after 26 games, top 7/bottom 7, which would mean another 6 games with 3 home/3 away.

**Block G Raptor** · 28/12/2009, 11:44 PM

I've a simple if a little far-fetched idea. if the FAI were to demand that in order to buy tickets for Irish Internationals 5 LOI ticket stubs must be produced, attendances would be up immediately and I would imagine once the Bar-Stool sitting EPL jersey wearing "Irish Supporters" had attended their requisite 5 games thay may just have caught the LOI Bug

**monkey9** · 29/12/2009, 1:00 AM

Originally Posted by Block G Raptor

I've a simple if a little far-fetched idea. if the FAI were to demand that in order to buy tickets for Irish Internationals 5 LOI ticket stubs must be produced, attendances would be up immediately and I would imagine once the Bar-Stool sitting EPL jersey wearing "Irish Supporters" had attended their requisite 5 games thay may just have caught the LOI Bug

I doubt the FAI gives that much of a sh!t about the LOI to let it affect attendences of international games

**pineapple stu** · 29/12/2009, 8:17 AM

Ireland attendances would plummet and the FAI would be immediately bankrupt.

**endabob1** · 29/12/2009, 9:12 AM

They could give free entry to LOI games with every International ticket.

**pineapple stu** · 29/12/2009, 9:27 AM

Then LoI clubs would go broke. Remember the roaring success that was the An Post promo?

**Dillonman** · 29/12/2009, 10:09 AM

Premier Divison should go back to 12 teams and have the 10 in the first. That would mean only facing teams 3 times in a season again in the Premier, one less as we got predominately sick of having to play Bohs last season! Bring back a cup for the First Divison and A league similar to the Johnstones Paint Trophy in England. It would give teams something to play for at the bottom of the first divison.

**endabob1** · 29/12/2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Then LoI clubs would go broke. Remember the roaring success that was the An Post promo?

Then they should give up, put their head in the sand and hope when they come up for air all is well in the world...........

Like the government are doing!

**pineapple stu** · 29/12/2009, 12:41 PM

So the only alternative to letting thousands of people free into games - and thereby doing clubs out of money, as has been seen to be the case in these kind of promos - is to give up?

**endabob1** · 29/12/2009, 12:54 PM

Yes, give up or wait for the A Team to turn up.

**Riddickcule** · 29/12/2009, 6:28 PM

I don't see why Loi supporters should not get first access to Ireland tickets.

Have a membership system where the first lot of tickets for Ireland home games go to members of Loi supporters clubs.
That way no-one loses money, there is a major incentive into supporting your Loi team, and the people who deserve to be at Ireland matchs, can go.

How does the block booking system work anyway?