Football Pyramid

**gufcfan** · 19/05/2014, 7:50 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Travel expenses are a much over hyped element of costs for clubs. We probably travel more than the vast majority of clubs in the league, are not running a large budget and they're still not a massive chunk of our outgoings.

This is it. Even clubs running on a shoestring will only spend a small percentage on travel costs. It's a nonsense argument in my opinion. Every Euro a club brings in over the course of a year is hard graft, but this blinkered focus by some on travel costs being the big evil defies logic.

Originally Posted by Macy

Ground improvements is also over hyped - standards for the 1st are pretty bloody low (whatever about the standards they are supposed to be).

Standards in the FD are low, yes, and the FAI have shown they are perfectly happy to admit teams with sub-standard facilities.

**legendz** · 19/05/2014, 8:09 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

That's just it. What is the incentive for these clubs? It's not financial so....prestige? Of being in the national league? Not very persuasive.

I suppose prestige is a part to play in it. Non-league clubs aren't exactly dominating the league and FAI cups. Lol is the highest level. If a region is looking to develop the game, entering a team in the national league might seem a natural step.
Interesting comments on travel costs.

**Mr A** · 19/05/2014, 8:27 PM

Prestige does indeed matter. I spoke to the chairman of Mervue after they left the league and he said while they'd be paying for it for years it was still worth joining the league for the profile of the club.

**Titan** · 19/05/2014, 8:40 PM

The only way we will have a pyramid in this country is if we physically bring one over from Egypt!
Or if UEFA insist on it. Would be good but no appetite from junior clubs. They're too good for us.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/05/2014, 9:11 PM

The FAI need to grab football by the balls in this country and start it all from scratch again. Leave the various junior and intermediate leagues to run their own leagues if they want, but provide them with no funding. Instead, extend an offer to every single club in the country to join into the new pyramid system.
With promotion and relegation from each division, each club must meet certain criteria before gaining entry to the next division. Affiliation fees would reduce with each drop in division.

1. Premier Division (12 teams)
2. First Division (12 teams)
3. Second Division North (10 teams)
3. Second Division South (10 teams)
4. Ulster Senior League (10 teams)
4. Leinster Senior League (10 teams)
4. Connaught Senior League (10 teams)
4. Munster Senior League (10 teams)
5. Regional Lower Leagues (Based on current junior system, incorporating current intermediate clubs who don't make their respective divisions)

As we all know, however, the FAI won't ever do this, or anything similar to help growth of football in Ireland.

**Nesta99** · 19/05/2014, 9:31 PM

Simple enough! To win a various division gains $! Revolution -divide up CEO's wage among his intermediete powerbase, see how quick they would stick if there was monies available beyond FAI, and into the LoI.

**legendz** · 19/05/2014, 10:22 PM

8 first teams took part in the A championship over it's 4 year existence. The current first division has less than 8 first teams. An opportunity seems lost there.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/05/2014, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

8 first teams took part in the A championship over it's 4 year existence. The current first division has less than 8 first teams. An opportunity seems lost there.

Scrapping the A Championship is the worst decision made in Irish football in the past 20 years.

**gufcfan** · 19/05/2014, 10:41 PM

Not a peep out of Ruud Dokter in ages.

**Macy** · 20/05/2014, 1:36 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

As we all know, however, the FAI won't ever do this, or anything similar to help growth of football in Ireland.

It wouldn't have the support of the "footballing public". I stumbled upon a thread on boards.ie that was sparked by Brendan Rodgers saying that 16 is too old for players from Ireland to go over to England. It is getting plenty of support, with plenty more saying we should export children to Spain or Holland instead. Those saying we have to put the structures in place here are very much in the minority and getting argued against.

**DannyInvincible** · 21/05/2014, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

... Brendan Rodgers saying that 16 is too old for players from Ireland to go over to England. It is getting plenty of support, with plenty more saying we should export children to Spain or Holland instead.

An Irish solution to an Irish problem...

**Stuttgart88** · 21/05/2014, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by gufcfan

Not a peep out of Ruud Dokter in ages.

Why should there be? He rightly identified some obstacles at the outset, but it's the FAI's job to shape the whole structure of the game. As pointed out above, no major change is likely.

**Stuttgart88** · 21/05/2014, 11:32 AM

Invite ten EPL B teams into the LOI. English football doesn't want them, but our public seemingly does! We get more money, Greg Dyke gets his wish. Best placed Irish team wins the league.

**citybone** · 22/05/2014, 8:56 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

The FAI need to grab football by the balls in this country and start it all from scratch again. Leave the various junior and intermediate leagues to run their own leagues if they want, but provide them with no funding. Instead, extend an offer to every single club in the country to join into the new pyramid system.
With promotion and relegation from each division, each club must meet certain criteria before gaining entry to the next division. Affiliation fees would reduce with each drop in division.

1. Premier Division (12 teams)
2. First Division (12 teams)
3. Second Division North (10 teams)
3. Second Division South (10 teams)
4. Ulster Senior League (10 teams)
4. Leinster Senior League (10 teams)
4. Connaught Senior League (10 teams)
4. Munster Senior League (10 teams)
5. Regional Lower Leagues (Based on current junior system, incorporating current intermediate clubs who don't make their respective divisions)

As we all know, however, the FAI won't ever do this, or anything similar to help growth of football in Ireland.

I largely agree but go straight from Prem Division to First Division North and south and down to provincial leagues so.

1. Premier Division (12 team)
2. First Division North (12 team)
2. First Division South (12 team )
3. Leinster Senior League (10 team)
3. Munster Senior League (10 team)
3. Ulster Senior League (10 team)
3. Connacht Senior League (10 team)
4. Leinster Senior League North (10 team)
4. Leinster Senior League South (10 team)
etc.

Another Problem would be that the Intermediate and junior clubs are currently on the Winter football unlike Senior Football could be changed in 2 or 3 years but im guessing most of these clubs would fight this too.

**Macy** · 22/05/2014, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by citybone

Another Problem would be that the Intermediate and junior clubs are currently on the Winter football unlike Senior Football could be changed in 2 or 3 years but im guessing most of these clubs would fight this too.

If that was the sticking point, even the most ardent supporters of summer football would surely suck up a switch back? Even the PFAI insisted on a LoI break to allow players a holiday, it's unrealistic to expect lower level clubs and players to give up their summers imo.

**nigel-harps1954** · 22/05/2014, 1:32 PM

Ulster senior league is a summer league and the proposed Connacht senior league was supposed to be summer far as I know.

**wonder88** · 22/05/2014, 7:19 PM

How is the Ulster Senior league doing Nigel ? Have any clubs dropped out, is standard higher than local football that non-LoI clubs play, is it expensive to take part (i.e. are players/managers paid)?

**legendz** · 22/05/2014, 7:58 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

The FAI need to grab football by the balls in this country and start it all from scratch again. Leave the various junior and intermediate leagues to run their own leagues if they want, but provide them with no funding. Instead, extend an offer to every single club in the country to join into the new pyramid system.
With promotion and relegation from each division, each club must meet certain criteria before gaining entry to the next division. Affiliation fees would reduce with each drop in division.
As we all know, however, the FAI won't ever do this, or anything similar to help growth of football in Ireland.

Originally Posted by citybone

I largely agree but go straight from Prem Division to First Division North and south and down to provincial leagues so.
Another Problem would be that the Intermediate and junior clubs are currently on the Winter football unlike Senior Football could be changed in 2 or 3 years but im guessing most of these clubs would fight this too.

If the FAI were to make some change, I'd suggest invite all clubs who can meet the premier criteria into an expanded Premier. Have a regionalised tier below it with criteria similar to the defunct A Championship, featuring those unable to obtain a premier licence, B teams and other clubs entering at that level. Let the rest be a natural growth. With a level where clubs can join, it's down to clubs/regions themselves from there really to make the efforts. With the big fish in small ponds that the FAI do not want to cause stormy waters in, it seems the only option.

**nigel-harps1954** · 23/05/2014, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by wonder88

How is the Ulster Senior league doing Nigel ? Have any clubs dropped out, is standard higher than local football that non-LoI clubs play, is it expensive to take part (i.e. are players/managers paid)?

Few clubs have dropped out, it's not in the greatest of shape, but there's still some very strong clubs in it. much higher standard than Donegal League though.
Also, it's no secret around here, the likes of Letterkenny Rovers are paying out bigger wages than Harps are.

**sadloserkid** · 24/05/2014, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Few clubs have dropped out, it's not in the greatest of shape, but there's still some very strong clubs in it. much higher standard than Donegal League though.
Also, it's no secret around here, the likes of Letterkenny Rovers are paying out bigger wages than Harps are.

How many (if any) non-Donegal clubs are in it? Or does it represent a province in the same way that the Munster Senior League does?