FAI Invites First Division Expressions of Interest

**Longfordian** · 08/05/2014, 9:23 AM

Do they even qualify for Jersey?

**Mr A** · 08/05/2014, 9:48 AM

No one can leave until July in any case. Unless they agree to simply walk away from their contracts and are happy not to play football until then.

**jinxy lilywhite** · 08/05/2014, 10:46 AM

Waterford supporters need to shoulder some responsibility here. Time after time the board have messed up and been bailed out by the goodwill of their supporters. During the last debacle did they demand a place on the board or more involvement in the running of the affairs of the club.
I am not sure if they have a supporter club or a trust but they need to mobilise ASAP if they want to prevent this reoccurring.

**Macy** · 08/05/2014, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

The alternative would be something similar to Northern Ireland, where the FAI dictates that every league feeds into the pyramid, in which case we'd see Dublin clubs who don't particularly want to be part of the league ending up getting promoted and finding they don't have the income to do it, will have to play on a different day than they're used to and will have to file their accounts like a normal business, none of which they have any interest in doing. And that's before you even get into the fact they'd have to switch over to summer football.

Just as the premier clubs won't be the turkeys voting for christmas regarding relegation places, the FAI/ Delaney aren't going to be the turkeys that p�ss off their power base by taking on the Junior and Intermediate clubs.

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

And that's before you even get into the fact they'd have to switch over to summer football.

Summer Football, fecking things up since 2003.

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Do they even qualify for Jersey?

Given the history of the league (clubs and players), a tax haven is the logical choice.

**Ezeikial** · 08/05/2014, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by sulywaterfordfc

Waterford had a meeting tonight. It's been said no players will be released and that the players want to play for jersey.

Gibraltar would be a better prospect

**wonder88** · 08/05/2014, 10:01 PM

Interesting that the English FA are following Shamrock R, just shows that they are the most progressive club by far in Ireland. However in Germany there is a move towards doing away with B teams as apart from the big clubs, most find it too expensive for the returns (unclear often) from the exercise. Many there believe that a loan system works better in developing young/fringe players as the B teams there play at 3rd tier level; which is too low a standard. How many B teams do people think could play in the First Division before it becomes irrelevant and how many Premier Div clubs can afford to field a B team, cost reported at 80k per season?

Agree that 2 promotion places from the 1st division would help, but it needs at least 2 and if possible 4 extra "real clubs" to join it to make it a proper league. If as it looks like it, you can't get new clubs I think the best solution is to have a one division league, with a halfway top/bottom split and with the bottom club having to apply for re-election at the end of the season.

**Charlie Darwin** · 08/05/2014, 10:27 PM

Accrington StanleyVerified account‏@ASFCofficial

To increase the number of English players in the top flight we're going to launch a B team & apply to join the Premier League

**legendz** · 09/05/2014, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

How many B teams do people think could play in the First Division before it becomes irrelevant and how many Premier Div clubs can afford to field a B team, cost reported at 80k per season?

* Over a third.
* 1.

**CityRebel** · 26/06/2014, 10:14 AM

City and Pats have registered interest in entering B teams next year.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 16/09/2014, 11:54 PM

The Sun is reporting tomorrow that Shamrock Rovers are considering pulling the plug on the "B" team already: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bxr6lX6CEAA04h9.jpg

**Charlie Darwin** · 16/09/2014, 11:57 PM

I saw that and I'd be very disappointed if it was the case. I know 100k is a lot of money in LOI terms, but Nutsy has been very complimentary in what the B team has brought to the first team squad, and I'd hate to see us go back to the old model.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2014, 7:21 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I saw that and I'd be very disappointed if it was the case. I know 100k is a lot of money in LOI terms, but Nutsy has been very complimentary in what the B team has brought to the first team squad, and I'd hate to see us go back to the old model.

Nutsy doesn't appear to think that having the B players playing and training part time is of much benefit to him given the first team squad are full time. I'm not sure what alternative he has in mind except adding the 100k onto his own budget.

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/09/2014, 7:39 AM

Back to seven teams so. Wonderful.

**desaintsno.12** · 17/09/2014, 7:50 AM

heard a few weeks ago that B team players were told that Nutsy was 100% pulling the plug on it and they should start looking for new clubs.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2014, 9:35 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Back to seven teams so. Wonderful.

Unless Cork or Pats follow up on their initial interest.

**bennocelt** · 17/09/2014, 9:36 AM

Well that was obvious

**Macy** · 17/09/2014, 10:19 AM

Surprised it's Nutsy's decision tbh. Should be at least the board, if not the members. Not much of a model club, if a potentially short term appointment is making the call on what was so supposed to be long term player development policy. However, on our visits, they never got much support in so maybe it's more than the player wages affecting the financial decision to pull them.