Airtiricity League XI v Manchester United confirmed for Aviva Stadium on August 4

[Dodge]

Actually, if the four clubs in Europe refuse (quite justifiably) to release any players, you'd be looking at a Pat's + bottom half LoI select. Which could well get hammered, to the joy of the barstoolers.

And if Pats (or Sligo or whoever else qualifies for the semis) are playing a League Cup game on the Monday, and a league game on the Friday, they've every right to withdraw their players too

Proving that nobody in the FAI even thinks about the league's fixtures...

[Jicked]

Pathetic decision. So completely unsurprising decision from the FAI. Two days before Rovers v. Bohs, and we'll have been playing games in the League, League cup, FAI Cup and Europa League. I'm fairly sure we won't be releasing any of our first team squad.

BTW, what is the general contact email of the FAI? I can't seem to see one on their website?

[Schumi]

BTW, what is the general contact email of the FAI? I can't seem to see one on their website?

info@fai.ie as far as I know. Don't hold your breath on a reply though.

[Magoo..O'O]

I fancy Damo to get a result - 1 -1 . Im sure Man u will draw a good crowd.
Of course not a patch on Real Madrid at Tallaght tho

[Jicked]

Cheers, I don't expect one but I'll take any chance to vent. Presumably John Delaney and the boys will be too busy getting their autograph books ready and dealing with ticket requests from Fiann Fáil TDs to be arsed with what Irish football fans think.

[Bray-Z]

I think Doolin got that gig as well. He'll probably throw most of the U23s in it + Jason Byrne and Gary Twigg.

Richardson will manage them.

[passerrby]

the league said last year that it would not allow fundraising matches to interfere with there LOI shedule think they will have a change of mind

[Candystripe]

Hopefully a club might make it to the 3rd round of Europe.If so what a great chance for league fans to go along and have that game on before the Manu w**kfest.

The club could also get the same gate money they would have earned if the game was played at the RDS as no league grounds in Ireland is suitable for the 3rd round criteria in European competition and more L.O.I. fans would be there to support them.

[Jofspring]

I hope all the teams with big games either side of this match refuse to release their players and let it be known in the national press that LOI teams have more important games to play than ridiculous friendlies against Man U in the AVIVA in the middle of their season. If the LOI put out a strong team and really go for it and want to win it it will really show the barstoolers that the Premier League friendlies are bigger than our own league. If our own FAI won't respect our league i can see why the barstoolers wouldn't and to be honest i'd understand it.

[Riddickcule]

Fair juice to be honest if and only if the LOI get a fair wedge of the income. Whatever happened to the supposed Rovers-Bohs game that was supposed to be played there? I though that would have been a good showcase for the league, the Dublin derby, north v south of the river etc.

And the barstoolers would realise that the atmosphere is class at LOI games ( at times) and may catch the bug.

[Mr A]

OK, the timing is crap, but if an LOI side played well in this game it could help improve the image of the league in the eyes of those primarily interested in the premiership more than any likely European tie. If teams don't want to release players, fine, play those that will. I'm sure no one will be forced to partipate.

[Jofspring]

Does anybody know if the LOI clubs agreed to this fixture or did the FAI just make the decision for them?

If the clubs agreed to it then its not so much the FAI people should be annoyed with but maybe the clubs for agreeing to this game in the middle of the season.

I suppose we could also look at it that if the FAI really wanted to be ***** they could have just made it Rep of Ireland vs Manchester United and not included the LOI at all.

Exposure of the league is possibly good. Timing of it is shocking.

[Dodge]

OK, the timing is crap, but if an LOI side played well in this game it could help improve the image of the league in the eyes of those primarily interested in the premiership more than any likely European tie.

if the LOI side do well its because man U didn't try

If they do poorly, its because they're crap

[Schumi]

Will the money made be divided up among the clubs? At least there'd be some benefit if it is.

[sligoman]

Entry should be refused to anyone wearing a Man U jersey that has an Irish accent, after their money has been taken and they've received a kick in the s.

[Sam_Heggy]

I would have preferred if we opened the ground and Rafa brought our boys in to kick the sh!te out of the pub team 11.
We would be a much bigger draw than those w*anks down the road.
Imagine the FAI letting that little English cnut Rooney play in the first game in the new Landsdown.

A prize for the first one of us to hear someone down the local say any of the above phrases. Even better prize for anyone who hears all 3 from the same person.

[sligo23]

Make sure them shams boys from Oriel get tickets anyway.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

The league are just following the lead shown by the clubs themselves. Do you think if any club was given the option of playing United they'd turn it down? Plenty of the league clubs play English teams in the summer as it is when the league season is going on

[Réiteoir]

OK, the timing is crap, but if an LOI side played well in this game it could help improve the image of the league in the eyes of those primarily interested in the premiership more than any likely European tie. If teams don't want to release players, fine, play those that will. I'm sure no one will be forced to partipate.

There were 20,000-odd such people at the Shels - Deportivo match in Lansdowne with Shels one game away from the Group Stages of the Champions League - how many of those are at League games week in week out now?

Any performance - good or bad - from a LoI Select will do absolutely nothing for the promotion of the League to those kind of people - clubs should stand up to the FAI and not release any players for this glorified kickabout.

Then again - none of our member clubs would have been able to get a hold of Delaney today to voice their concerns - he was too busy enjoying the junket at the Europa League Final in Hamburg

[MariborKev]

if the LOI side do well its because man U didn't try

If they do poorly, its because they're crap

Exactly Dodge.

It will be utterly depressing, 80-90% of the people in the stadium will be cheering a foreign side. I'll be staying well away from this one.