A 7-team league First Division Next Year

**Dodge** · 19/11/2013, 12:30 PM

Are we going to have this every year? The FAI is doing all it can to get teams in. They can't FORCE teams to join the league.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/11/2013, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Are we going to have this every year? The FAI is doing all it can to get teams in. They can't FORCE teams to join the league.

Are they really though? What are they doing to get teams into the league? Simply releasing a 'expressions of interest' statement isn't exactly helping clubs make the step up.

**Mr A** · 19/11/2013, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

The FAI is doing all it can to get teams in.

Except come up with a strategic plan to make the league a more sustainable and attractive place to be. It might not help this year, but maybe then we wouldn't have this debate every year.

The Genesis report on the league may have been a half arsed joke, but at least they had the interest to commission it and follow some of the recommendations. At this stage it feels like the FAI see the health of the league as essentially too lost a cause to tackle currently.

**Dodge** · 19/11/2013, 1:32 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Are they really though? What are they doing to get teams into the league? Simply releasing a 'expressions of interest' statement isn't exactly helping clubs make the step up.

I know they've spoken to several clubs. The interest simply isn't there.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/11/2013, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I know they've spoken to several clubs. The interest simply isn't there.

But that wasn't my question.

What are they doing to help the clubs? Once a club gets into the League of Ireland, what exactly does the FAI plan to do to help the club settle into the League, adjust financially, and cope with the massive step up?

**Macy** · 19/11/2013, 1:52 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I know they've spoken to several clubs. The interest simply isn't there.

That could be anything from some chump in abbotstown, phoning some pal in an Intermediate or Junior club. Or it could mean a detailed discussion with the management committee of a club, with the FAI committing to helping the club to step up, providing supports (financial and/or expertise) etc etc. Given the lack of effort to keep clubs already in the league from going (some stories I've heard are shocking if true), I'd be guessing it's more the former than the later.

**galwayhoop** · 19/11/2013, 2:15 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

But that wasn't my question.

What are they doing to help the clubs? Once a club gets into the League of Ireland, what exactly does the FAI plan to do to help the club settle into the League, adjust financially, and cope with the massive step up?

What can they do while maintaining sporting integrity? They can't just hand them money to survive.

They gave the recent additions (Salthill & Mervue) serious leeway on licensing thereby reducing the cost involved in stepping up. Neither were able to grow any substantial following and therefore would never grow past the level they reached.

Granted Mervue reached a playoff but in reality they would never come close to anything other than cannon fodder if they got up due to the financial limitations of being a club with no fans.

Both of those clubs earned their place in the league on merit and are excellently run local clubs. And that's the main point, local clubs can only ever attract a finite amount of support or commercial interest. Any junior or intermediate club would be crazy to enter the LOI at this stage. It is a loss making activity for all clubs, even (particularly??) established clubs, bar one or two extreme examples.

I'm beginning to think that the only way new teams will enter the league is if they are manufactured. Amalgamated from numerous entities in areas with a high population density. The first of which is currently being spawned in Galway.

Time will tell whether the various factions have the appetite to see it through to it being successful. But in the short term I certainly don't see any clubs making the massive commitment to enter what is well and truly a graveyard division with close on no exposure for sponsors or clubs. It's financial suicide.

**SeanDrog** · 19/11/2013, 2:23 PM

The fai could cover ref fees, cover insurance for clubs, provide club loans and overdraft (at a reduced rate compared to banks ), provide centralised back office like finance IT and legal for clubs.

Centralised buying of kits /balls/ steward jackets etc etc.

Just a few ideas off the top if my head. Effectively act like a Co-op for the clubs.

Or some clubs could (IMO should) come together in a Co-op structure to at least reduce costs by sharing resources and increasing their buying power to decrease costs .

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/11/2013, 2:26 PM

I'm not talking about financial assistance. There's many other factors to running a successful club besides finances.

**SeanDrog** · 19/11/2013, 2:27 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I'm not talking about financial assistance. There's many other factors to running a successful club besides finances.

Fair enough

**galwayhoop** · 19/11/2013, 2:30 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I'm not talking about financial assistance. There's many other factors to running a successful club besides finances.

Such as?

What do you think they could (realistically) do to attract a junior or intermediate side jump from local football to league of ireland next March?

**fitzpatrick10** · 19/11/2013, 2:46 PM

7 teams, its already a joke having to play everyone 4 times !!

Fai dont give a fcuk about the first division..

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/11/2013, 2:56 PM

Originally Posted by galwayhoop

Such as?

What do you think they could (realistically) do to attract a junior or intermediate side jump from local football to league of ireland next March?

Greater exposure. If a club is genuinely ambitious enough, surely they should be looking at League of Ireland level.

There's already many clubs right across the country that claim to be better than League of Ireland clubs. This is their chance to show it.

FAI need to provide assistance though, in ways such as appointing an advisor to them, to work alongside their board in the day to day running of a club. They only need to report once a week to make sure they're on the right track. As said before, relaxing licensing for a year or two to get the clubs up to speed should also be done.

FAI don't really need to be spending much to attract new clubs to the league, but they need to be doing more than simply asking "Do you want to join the league?, no? Okay then."

**Dodge** · 19/11/2013, 3:58 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Greater exposure. If a club is genuinely ambitious enough, surely they should be looking at League of Ireland level.

There's already many clubs right across the country that claim to be better than League of Ireland clubs. This is their chance to show it.

Most of these clubs are quite happy not to have their sham claim exposed. Seriously, look at how little impact ANY new entrant into the LOI has had in recent years. They're happy to live in their own little bubble.

FAI need to provide assistance though, in ways such as appointing an advisor to them, to work alongside their board in the day to day running of a club. They only need to report once a week to make sure they're on the right track. As said before, relaxing licensing for a year or two to get the clubs up to speed should also be done.

And what happens if the clubs don't get up to standard? Kick them out for not being able to get the licence?

FAI don't really need to be spending much to attract new clubs to the league, but they need to be doing more than simply asking "Do you want to join the league?, no? Okay then."

It's a tough sell when clubs already in the league do nothing but **** and moan about it.

I'm coming accross pro FAI and anti-new clubs here. That's really not the case. I just think anyone who believes there's any kind of market for new LOI clubs is deluded. Most of the bigger junior/intermediate clubs actively despise the LOI. They'll have seen what happened Kildare/Newbridge, Salthill, Mervue etc too

**eitoof** · 19/11/2013, 4:14 PM

Are Wexford 100% on board for next year?
A six team league would be utterly laughable so hope so.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/11/2013, 4:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Most of these clubs are quite happy not to have their sham claim exposed. Seriously, look at how little impact ANY new entrant into the LOI has had in recent years. They're happy to live in their own little bubble.

Therein shows a distinct lack of ambition. I'm talking about clubs who may actually have a realistic ambition. There certainly has to be at least two or three clubs in this whole country who fancy a crack at it.

Originally Posted by Dodge

And what happens if the clubs don't get up to standard? Kick them out for not being able to get the licence?

Precisely. If any club, new or current don't pass licensing, they simply should not be allowed to compete. It'll soon give clubs a kick up the hole to sort themselves out and we might see an altogether healthier league.

Originally Posted by Dodge

It's a tough sell when clubs already in the league do nothing but **** and moan about it.

I'm coming accross pro FAI and anti-new clubs here. That's really not the case. I just think anyone who believes there's any kind of market for new LOI clubs is deluded. Most of the bigger junior/intermediate clubs actively despise the LOI. They'll have seen what happened Kildare/Newbridge, Salthill, Mervue etc too

I understand exactly where you're coming from, don't get me wrong. I'm not completely deluded, and I do believe many clubs would be crazy under the current FAI regime to join the league. But realistic ambitions should see clubs want to make the step up eventually. The FAI should be looking to help clubs and help the league as a whole strengthen further.
You'd have to imagine, non league clubs in the likes of England and continental leagues all hazard ambitions to climb as high up their respective ladders as they can. The mentality in Ireland is simply to be the big name locally and be happy with it. It's ridiculous.

**A face** · 19/11/2013, 4:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Are we going to have this every year? The FAI is doing all it can to get teams in. They can't FORCE teams to join the league.

I disagree with this but i agree with you're main point. I would like to see them looking at this in the long term, as opposed to firefighting, trying to make up the numbers. And i'd add to that by saying they should be looking at a regional A Championship as well as the first.

**Dodge** · 19/11/2013, 4:30 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Therein shows a distinct lack of ambition. I'm talking about clubs who may actually have a realistic ambition. There certainly has to be at least two or three clubs in this whole country who fancy a crack at it.

Go on then, name them.

Precisely. If any club, new or current don't pass licensing, they simply should not be allowed to compete. It'll soon give clubs a kick up the hole to sort themselves out and we might see an altogether healthier league.

Or you're back to 6/7/8 clubs.

You'd have to imagine, non league clubs in the likes of England and continental leagues all hazard ambitions to climb as high up their respective ladders as they can. The mentality in Ireland is simply to be the big name locally and be happy with it. It's ridiculous.

Its ridiculous but it's absolutely the fact we have to deal with.