QuoteYeah that 10 minutes made a huge differenceOriginally Posted by redobit
I counted 60 people in Drom tonight at Salthill v Harps with about 30 of them Harps. First time there, strange experience.
Yeah that 10 minutes made a huge difference
Is a break through in Europe the only way the LOI can establish a wider base? The most obvious reason that summer football is here is that it doesn't clash with English football. While it clashes with GAA -- there will obviously be less teams as championships roll on. Can't imagine that a reversion to winter 'fulltime' football will bring in the masses -- particularly considering if the harsher winters of last two years are the norm.
In reality clubs like UCD shouldn't be permitted in the league, along with obvious strugglers in First Division.
The amalgamation of a pared down combined Premier and First Division could stop endless repeat games.
What about a league of top North of Ireland teams and from the Republic?
All rubbish pie in the sky stuff
Crowds were better in winter. Can argue why but it's pretty clear
UCD are there on merit
Are endless meaningless games more attractive than playing teams 4 times (when clubs always played each other 3 times anyway)
An all Ireland league cures nothing. You think Sligo v Dungannon is more attractive than Sligo v Bray? Setanta cup figures disagree
Well said Dodge - some people are so lacking in knowledge about the game its unreal. Please point him to the Hogan stand and be rid of that rubbish
Getting rid of the first division is only going to make more meaningless games. It's usually fairly obvious who the title challengers are after 10 or 15 games (with the notable exception of this season), and without relegation to worry about, everyone else's games become meaningless fairly quickly.
I'm a firm believer in expanding the league. As I've said before, if places like Longford and Monaghan, neither exactly a metropolis, can support sustainable teams, there is absolutely no reason places like Nenagh, Ennis, Cavan, Mullingar, Navan, Kilkenny, Kildare, Tullamore and Carlow can't also support them. Of course, to attract clubs from these areas, the league has to make itself an attractive prospect, and really needs to cut down on the ridiculous financial antics, buckets of fudge, and shoddy treatment of teams by the organising authority.
Any Mons got a figure for Monaghan v City from last week?
"Must you tell me all your secrets when it's hard enough to love you knowing nothing."
http://worddok.blogspot.com
Salthill didn't bother to ask people to pay last night. I arrived right on kick off and couldn't find anyone to pay and no one I spoke to had paid either. Meant to find someone to pay at half time but clean forgot.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Any club in a location that doesn't have a tradition in soccer, pre-1920s will simply will not get off the ground.
Fact of matter is that soccer is historically a game most popular in Northern half of Ireland, with pockets of popularity on east Coast from Dublin to Dundalk, 'garrison towns' and towns with Protestant secondary level schools.
I think that a Northern All-Ireland Division -- and a Southern Division would sort out 'football viability' for domestic football. It took until 1920s for Cork City to play a game of soccer in Dublin! It would be ridiculous in extreme for anyone north of Thurles wanting to travel to Cork and Waterford to a lesser degree.
Regarding meaningless games, I suppose its a relative situation. Clubs who after a few games will lag behind will view 'meaningless games' as vital in terms of survival -- although it might not draw in support, because football 'sheeple' crave success and coat-tail it. Therefore, will hurling and gaelic football dominating the South and rugby an increasingly popular sport in Leinster -- domestic soccer can should rightly look to its traditional base core.
I am no big fan of FAI's attitude to LOI and attempting to merge IFA and FAI domestic league might be too big a issue to grapple and one that either side are happy to trundle on with -- but until Irish football teams perform well consistently in Europe in this increasingly consumer age it won't advance rapidly.
Then again we are up against global popularity of Premiership (which is increasingly elitist) domestic ball sports etc.
Look, Cuba produced the best 'amateur' boxers in the world! You are either interesting in promoting the game, running a viable business, but UCD is a good example is testament to the fact in Ireland the situation is intractable.
PS - re UCD there on merit, considering the scholarship programmes and selecting players from around the country they have a unique advantage. fair play to them. I love the likes of Wexford Youths and would love to see a community-based and community-lead approach in Ireland, but one that is supported by the community in turn.
Bottom line the First Division is a grave yard. It can actually mean the death of would be viable clubs, the traditionally stronger clubs in it should be extricated and breath life into their respective clubs.
You mentioned Wexford Youths in your post, they don't seem to be doing too badly. Bray, Monaghan and Longford only joined the league in the mid 80s, Finn Harps only founded in the 1950s, and football is an immensely popular sport all over the country, even in areas that have no significant history in the LOI. Almost every town has a club of some description, and it's the fault of the LOI that they have no interest in joining up at present. It's just not an attractive enough prospect, there's no media hype about it, no chance to grow your club, and no prestige associated with the brand, due to the repeated foot-shooting the clubs seem obsessed with.
As for meaningless games, if there's no relegation, there's no functional difference between finishing 4th and finishing 14th, if you get rid of relegation to the first division. The drop-off in attendances for clubs who aren't fighting for anything except pride is well documented, and is the reason the Football League in England introduced the play-offs, to keep the competition alive for clubs further down the table. As a Bray supporter, I know full well that games in a relegation dogfight are far from meaningless!
Anyway, I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that the League of Ireland needs credibility and a good public image more than anything to move forwards and develop, and throwing clubs out of the league who are there on merit is not the way of going about that. If UCD are thrown out of the league, it's not going to draw any more fans in to Shamrock Rovers or Shels, all it's going to do is lose to the league those people who now follow UCD.
Wexford Youths are dying.
His post, arguing the relevance of the 1920s when talking about football in 2011, is of course, still utterly bizarre.
That's a fairly good turnout from Salthill.
[QUOTE=shellyriver;1502194]Any club in a location that doesn't have a tradition in soccer, pre-1920s will simply will not get off the ground.
Fact of matter is that soccer is historically a game most popular in Northern half of Ireland, with pockets of popularity on east Coast from Dublin to Dundalk, 'garrison towns' and towns with Protestant secondary level schools.
****e you speak, its 2011, Garrison town ****e did you here that rubbish from the head of the fai or something. Soccer is the beautiful game, its played in every village in the land practically at this stage
And most of them watched from inside the clubhouse.That's a fairly good turnout from Salthill.
[QUOTE=geezer;1502241]I'd agree with this..tis awfully puzzling where he came up with this rubbish. The pre-1920's thing, we all know is rubbish, doesn't need explaining. But the 2nd part....wut? Garrison towns? Football is probably the highest supported sport in the whole country. LOI may not be the highest supported but football itself is for me more widely supported than GAA with every 2nd person claiming to be a United fan or a Liverpool fan or some of the like.
In the LOI your point doesn't back up either, look at well supported teams like Cork and relatively well supported teams like Waterford, Galway and even Cobh had their fair share of a crowd when they were going well, then tell me they're near the east cost or northern half of ireland garrison towns or whatever rubbish you're on about.
Eloquent stuff there Mr Tribesman!
Aw, just read any books about the history of soccer in Ireland - there was a good would recently brought out about Co Donegal!
Strange. There were 50 of us on the bus!! Including those who drove, there were at least 100 of us which is still a good bit down on what normally travels to Turner's Cross. (I could name most of them if that helps)
Did they all go to the match? or was there a stop off in Mahon Point for some late night shoppingStrange. There were 50 of us on the bus!! Including those who drove, there were at least 100 of us which is still a good bit down on what normally travels to Turner's Cross. (I could name most of them if that helps
No need for the names.
I was just going by what I thought was in the away end but was never much good at guesstimating crowds.
"Must you tell me all your secrets when it's hard enough to love you knowing nothing."
http://worddok.blogspot.com
Haha. There were about 30 standing for the second half, but a lot more sitting down behind. 1800 must be your lowest of the season? Thought that was strange considering you'd have expected to beat your neighbours.
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