A 7-team league First Division Next Year

[citybone]

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.

The Genesis report suggested 10 + 10 league structure. Don't have that many clubs right now so 10 + 9 would be good although it would be 2015 before that could be implemented. Maybe one club might join if there are some better clubs coming in eg. Bray, Boh's. Would suck for Boh's and Bray but might help the league structure in general at least in the short run. When/if the amount of clubs expands to 24 we could go to a 12 + 12 league structure but need to help the First division now before we go to 18 teams or less.

[galwayhoop]

Silly request Dodge. You know exactly what I meant.

Not being funny Nigel but can you name any?

And if you can find one who have ambitions of playing LOI then ask the following questions:
Do they have reasonable sized support?
Could their support grow enough to allow them to increase their budget over time?
Are their facilities up to scratch to host league of ireland games?
Are they located in an area where there isn't already an established LOI club?

Salthill and Mervue are two clubs who had the ambition but were unable to overcome the hurdles outlined above that would make them sustainable.

Your argument is a bit like saying if everyone in Ireland gave me a euro I'd be a multi millionaire. You will really have to come up with a name here because as someone who is very familiar with junior football I honestly don't think there is.

Added to that the best junior and intermediate teams have regular success, if they took the step up they would struggle to be competitive never mind enjoy success. The novelty would wear very thin very quick. As stated above most local clubs enjoy the thought that they are good enough but would never dare try to be.

[Sam_Heggy]

The Genesis report suggested 10 + 10 league structure. Don't have that many clubs right now so 10 + 9 would be good although it would be 2015 before that could be implemented. Maybe one club might join if there are some better clubs coming in eg. Bray, Boh's. Would suck for Boh's and Bray but might help the league structure in general at least in the short run. When/if the amount of clubs expands to 24 we could go to a 12 + 12 league structure but need to help the First division now before we go to 18 teams or less.

19 team league this season, top 10 form 2015 Premier Division, bottom 9 form 2015 First Division. Simples.

[Dodge]

Silly request Dodge. You know exactly what I meant.

It is no more silly then saying we should bring these mythical clubs into the LOI. You can deal in theses all you like. If you can't name any club that would have a strong enough base (facilities, finances, local support) to join the league of Ireland, then that says it all

This may be exactly what's wrong. Why should we deal with it? Why shouldn't we be trying to fix it?

We should be. But again, you can't force teams to step up and you're VERY unlikely to get one of them to do it for 2014 (which is the point of this thread)

[A face]

It is no more silly then saying we should bring these mythical clubs into the LOI. You can deal in theses all you like. If you can't name any club that would have a strong enough base (facilities, finances, local support) to join the league of Ireland, then that says it all

But there have to be a good few that fit the bill, and i don't know all of the clubs who are in a position to make the step up. Off the top of my head .... Mullingar, population, finances afaik, and facilities i dont know. Look at any town in Ireland with 40,000+ population that doesn't have a team in LOI. I agree its gonna be hard to get teams to step up this year so i think that FAI need to identify clubs who aren't far off the mark and work with them to see if they can make the step up with a bit of work. A regionalised A Championship should be the aim to make it easier for clubs to make the step up and build.

90% of the problem is that clubs dont have a clear pathway as regards competition and development to eventually get to the point where they are ready to make the step up.

[Dodge]

Mullingar aren't in the top 4 division of the Leinster Senior League and you want them in the LOI?

These are the teams that played in the A Championship as Non league teams (and haven't been in the LOI)

Castlebar Celtic - 2009/10
Fanad Utd - 2011
Carlow 2009-11
Tralee Dynamoes - 2009/10
Tullamore Town - 2008-10

So even of those teams, most pulled out before the final season.

[A face]

Mullingar aren't in the top 4 division of the Leinster Senior League and you want them in the LOI?

Fair enough, i was just suggesting them given the population in the area.

These are the teams that played in the A Championship as Non league teams (and haven't been in the LOI)

Castlebar Celtic - 2009/10
Fanad Utd - 2011
Carlow 2009-11
Tralee Dynamoes - 2009/10
Tullamore Town - 2008-10

So even of those teams, most pulled out before the final season.

Carlow or Tralee seem to be the most feasible of them (i would have thought anyway). Yeah, its gonna be tough this season alright but jebus they need to start looking at this strategically and work with clubs to see where they are and where they can be.

[nigel-harps1954]

I don't know junior and intermediate clubs well enough down the country to know who would be in any shape to make the step up. As A Face said though, there's towns like Mullingar, Castlebar, Cavan, Ennis, Portlaoise, Clonmel, Tralee and Killarney that are all plenty big enough to sustain a League of Ireland club.

I'm simply saying, hypothetically speaking, there should be a club in some of the bigger towns in Ireland that have realistic ambitions of becoming as big a club as they can be.

I'm not saying we should force anyone into the League, and I've not even hinted at that prospect, so I'm not sure why you keep bringing that up Dodge.

In an ideal world, the FAI would just swallow pride and go with a one tier league for one season and give prospective clubs a full year to prepare for League of Ireland football while assisting them along the way and bringing them up to scratch both with infrastructural and financial advice, rather than waiting until September/October for 'expressions of interest'.

Tralee Dynamos had a genuine interest last season and were shot down. How we could be doing with them now. Similarly we had interest from Carlow and Fanad, who would be handy to have around now, as much as I'd not be a huge fan of letting someone like Fanad into the League.

The aim simply has to be the resurgence of the A Championship. The best thing Irish football has probably ever produced, was scrapped for no apparent reason.

Also, galwayhoop, Mervue and Salthill simply aren't a good argument. A project of pet boys in the FAI that went wrong. Nobody ever expected them to be successful, or build a fanbase. They're part of a whole different conversation, as well you know. You simply can't compare them to a team coming in from somewhere fresh.

[nigel-harps1954]

Mullingar aren't in the top 4 division of the Leinster Senior League and you want them in the LOI?

What should it matter if they are top of their league or not, if they have potential to grow as a club?

[A face]

I don't know junior and intermediate clubs well enough down the country to know who would be in any shape to make the step up. As A Face said though, there's towns like Mullingar, Castlebar, Cavan, Ennis, Portlaoise, Clonmel, Tralee and Killarney that are all plenty big enough to sustain a League of Ireland club.

I'm simply saying, hypothetically speaking, there should be a club in some of the bigger towns in Ireland that have realistic ambitions of becoming as big a club as they can be.

That's it .... If they are viable then they have a chance of doing well, and THAT could be great for football in this country.

The aim simply has to be the resurgence of the A Championship. The best thing Irish football has probably ever produced, was scrapped for no apparent reason.

What actually was the reason? Did they get bored of it? Seriously? I cant think of a reason for it at all. If need be they should have expanded and regionalised it ..... It was something that they ran themselves and could control FFS. I just don't get it.

Also, galwayhoop, Mervue and Salthill simply aren't a good argument. A project of pet boys in the FAI that went wrong. Nobody ever expected them to be successful, or build a fanbase. They're part of a whole different conversation, as well you know. You simply can't compare them to a team coming in from somewhere fresh.

Agreed with this, Mervue and Salthill are not the yardstick and even if they are i can only imagine there are other clubs far better placed to enter the league, willingness is another argument agreed but they very never going to have huge crowds heading to either ground, and if Galway United were still going then they wouldn't have been let in i would think.

[Dodge]

I'm not saying we should force anyone into the League, and I've not even hinted at that prospect, so I'm not sure why you keep bringing that up Dodge.

Because you, and others, keep mentioning we should bring in other clubs. I'm pointing out that teams don't want to be brought in. It's that simple. Talk of anything else is pie in the sky.

What should it matter if they are top of their league or not, if they have potential to grow as a club?

Really? You think a club without a modicum of success on the field is a good sign that they would know how to run a succesful LOI football club?

[Dodge]

If you don't think Mervue and Salthill are the barometer for new clubs here's every club that's joined since 1990

St James Gate - Joined 1990, left 1996
St Francis - joined 1996, left 2001
Dublin City - joined 2001 (replaced Home Farm, left 2006)
Kildare County - joined 2002, left 2009
Wexford - joined 2007, still hanging on
Sporting Final - joined 2008, left 2010
Mervue - joined 2009, left 2013
Salthill - joined 2010, left 2013

We've also lost Newcastle West, Home Farm, Kilkenny, MOnaghan and had years out from Galway and Cobh.

Of all those team only Dubln City (twice promoted) and Sporting Fingal (one year in prem, cup win) had any success. The rest did/have done nothing

Dublin

[nigel-harps1954]

Really? You think a club without a modicum of success on the field is a good sign that they would know how to run a succesful LOI football club?

Of course, after all, unless you win all your games, you'll never be able to run a good club.

[Macy]

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

All rumour, but I've heard its far from assured.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I know there is resistance from many here to a one tier league, but how low is too low for the FD? Would two tiers of 12 and 6 still be considered preferable to one of 18?

[Louth4sam]

I know there is resistance from many here to a one tier league, but how low is too low for the FD? Would two tiers of 12 and 6 still be considered preferable to one of 18?

It boils down to finance. None of the top clubs would want a one tier league as the teams coming up would seriously impact on attendances. Home games against Wexford and Cobh rather than an extra game against Rovers, Pats, Derry or Sligo that would have a travelling support and are attractive enough to bring out the home support?

The first division needs to be sorted as a priority but not at the expense of weakening the current premier division sides.

[nigel-harps1954]

So, a game against the likes of Finn Harps or Longford Town or Waterford United are less attractive than that of Bray, UCD or Drogheda (with respect to the clubs mentioned)?

I don't buy into the 'weakening the stronger clubs' argument. For the sake of one season I'm sure they could deal with the huge financial hit they'll be dealt with by playing a First division team.

Such a load of tripe.

[Dodge]

So, a game against the likes of Finn Harps or Longford Town or Waterford United are less attractive than that of Bray, UCD or Drogheda (with respect to the clubs mentioned)?

I don't buy into the 'weakening the stronger clubs' argument. For the sake of one season I'm sure they could deal with the huge financial hit they'll be dealt with by playing a First division team.

Such a load of tripe.

Haven't first division clubs used finance as a reason to let them into the top division? What's the difference?

[nigel-harps1954]

Haven't first division clubs used finance as a reason to let them into the top division? What's the difference?

I believe the argument is, none of the First Division clubs want to be playing the same 7 teams over and over again. It's utterly ridiculous. The added finance is only a bonus. An 8 team First Division was a disgrace, and a travelling nightmare. A 7 team division is just completely unworkable.

[Longfordian]

Maybe one tier is too big a change but certainly two up and two down with a play off could be workable. It reduces meaningless games in both divisions. I don't really see what a major blow that'd be to the Premier Division clubs that stay up. They might lose a few hundred euros in an away following but I'd imagine if the likes of Harps or Longford came up the away following would be fairly decent.