In one of the papers today that Wexford and Cobh are expected to be around next season and that Shels will go fully amateur..
I've an idea for next season. Why not split the Premier Division into 4 conferences, NW,NE,SE and SW. It would look something like this:
North West Conference
Derry City
Finn Harps
Galway
Sligo
Longford
North East Conference
Dundalk
Drogheda
Athlone
Bohemians
Shelbourne
South West Conference
Cork
Cobh
Limerick
Waterford
Team 20
South East
Shamrock Rovs
UCD
St. Patricks Athletic
Bray
Wexford
I am assuming that Mervue and Salthill will both drop out.
Each team will play the other teams in their conference four times (16 games) and each team in the other two conferences once (20 games), resulting in a regular season of 36 games, except for NW-SE and NE-SW, in which case the teams will not meet. To make allowances for group strength, the composition for the playoffs will be the three conference winners followed by 5 wildcards with the next highest number of points. Quarter and semi-finals will be played at the home of the higher-ranked team, while the final will be played at the Aviva. The remaining clubs will enter a shield competition, possibly with a place in the EL as the prize for the winners, which will have a similar format to the main knockout stages. I think the final would attract a large crowd since the teams will be playing off for a place in the champions league. Obviously, I admit it does have flaws (repetitive fixtures in the local conference), however this will reduce travel costs as games will become more localised, which will make it more attractive to clubs considering joining the league. What do other people think about this idea?
Last edited by BoyInGreen; 05/10/2013 at 9:40 PM. Reason: Modified original proposal to account for Wexford's survival
Big NFL fan?
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
A bit, but not an awful lot. At least it would be more sustainable than one big 18 team league with teams having to spend a fortune traversing the whole country.
Any gains would be lost by fans tuning out due to the repetitiveness. You've basically just proposed three First Divisions, with, on current standards, two or three big teams in each.
Moreover, its a league. Leave knock-outs for the cup.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
I knew that criticism was coming. The model's not perfect, I admit, but what is the alternative? A single 18 team division is simply too large for this country, especially with many clubs teetering on the brink of collapse. An eight-team division or less is OK only as a temporary measure. Clubs have no interest in joining a league traversing Cork to Donegal as, as we saw with Monaghan and Kilkenny, the costs are simply prohibitive. I hate to say it, but if the LOI is ever going to recover from this mess, radical ideas should not be easily dismissed.
P.S. I will modify my proposal to even the games out a bit.
https://foot.ie/forums/117-Kerry-FC
A Championship: 4 years - 8 first teams - 0 financially ruined. First Division '14: 7 first teams.
Opportunity lost for new clubs/regions to join the LoI family.
Thanks . Have you a link for the Olympic idea? Would like to check it out.
OK, listen, this just isn't the NFL. The problem with your plan was not that it needed a fourth sub-division.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
http://foot.ie/threads/183574-Reform...18#post1713918
Just to expand a small bit further. What I'm suggesting is, if the LoI is a single division of 18, I'd like to see 3 regionalised development leagues below it. Leagues being north&west, east and south. LoI clubs would enter development teams, allowing for only 3 over age of 23 players in a matchday squad. First teams that might join the development league from Carlow or Mayo for example would not have restrictions on the age of players. Just to finish off the point, with 3 regional development leagues, the best first teams from each league and the worst team in the LoI could play-off for the final LoI spot.
The advantages seem to be a level for players to develop between U19 and Premier division. Smaller regions to cut down travel and related costs. An opportunity again to extend an olive branch to interested clubs in joining the league at some level. If the league does go the way of a single division, it'll keep teams near the bottom honest as there is the potential for relegation. Finally, if there is to be no repeat of the situation of too many clubs from one area, new teams entering the development league would possibly be conditional on is a region already represented by a club.
https://foot.ie/forums/117-Kerry-FC
A Championship: 4 years - 8 first teams - 0 financially ruined. First Division '14: 7 first teams.
Opportunity lost for new clubs/regions to join the LoI family.
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