It's on the backpage and get a two page spread. The Derry City chairman says it being looked into to form a 16 team league and do it without the FAI or IFA. He seems to be quoted at length. Usually these breakway league stories never come to fruition though.
Interesting if it's coming from Jim Roddy, as he's had quite a bit of contact with Linfield and the Glens recently. Probably in regular contact with at least Institute as well...
Would be excellent if the FAI and IFA were left well out of any developments. Can only see them standing in the way of something like this.
Does their web site carry full stories ? If not, can anyone scan the article in - am dying to see it.
Derry have been testing the water recently with there friendlies against Irish league teams and the Setanta Cup is another test on the way..if the Setanta cup is a success there could be some truth in this..
Sorry, only read it at the shop when I was supposed to be working.Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
He was very insistent on Irish football's inevitable death if this didn't happen. There was a quote about starting new and 'cutting away the bottom' which sadly I imagine includes us. It ended with a final quote something along the lines 'We won't be moving to the Irish league. Never. We'll play Glens and Linfield again but only in an All Ireland league'
They would need to have the agreement of both the FAI and IFA for this as otherwise they would be banned by UEFA from all their competitions and they would not recognise any signings etc that would occur.
We'd get an All Ireland league and dump the FAI out of the equation, it's like two birds with one stone! I might head out and get the Star now just to have a read, this is big news alright. I think they'll wait to see how the Setanta cup goes first so this is more of a longterm thing, it could certinaly be good.
I have to say though I think a 16 team league would be great but you couldn't just dump the rest. Have two first divisions, regionalised, one for the ROI and one for NI and have some kind of promotion/relegation. You'd need it to keep the interest in a 16 team league and to let other areas get a chance to get a premier team.
Roddy said the Setanta Cup was too little too late. To cut the FAI out would be a dream if we could be administered by a competent or even semi-competent (even slightly competent!) organisation. Given that it would be a kind of symbolic cross border cooperation perhaps there would be some way of selling it to UEFA. Though such a thing could become very elitis like the EPL and Roddy seemed to give that air about it. He said it was ridiculous that Ireland (the island) with a population of 5.5m had 50 senior clubs. He kept talking of the likes of Shels and Linfield subsidising the others. His words, not mine.
Yeah, had to laugh at how he claimed the other clubs in the league are living off Shels and Derry, how exactly did he work that one out? The idea of dumping the FAI and IFA sounds pie in the sky to me. For this simple reason. As stated above, UEFA are not going to grant European places to clubs in any new league unless it has the backing of the FAI. I just couldn't see them going against the FAI on this. No European spots would make the whole thing seem suddenly a lot less attractive I would have thought.
Was the English Premiership not a breakaway from the rest of the league ?
If all/the overwhelming majority of clubs North and South wanted this to happen, then it would. Both the FAI and IFA would be forced to just go along with it, or else look completely stupid and instantly become irrelevant. This is a non-issue - they couldn't stop it happening if the clubs wanted it.
Exactly .... if the FAI and IFA neglect their domestic leagues then it is their fault it'll kick them in the árse .... they'd have no say in the end. It would snow ball if it initially looked like the makings of a good league. It would be brilliant actually ... prefect result for the years on incompetence.
The SFAI are the governing body for grassroots football in Ireland, not the FAI. Its success or the lack of is all down to them.
Yes but the FA ended up running it. If we have a breakaway League a new organisation made up of IFA/FAI would end up running it. Net result of which would be an All-Ireland international team. The downside would be fewer European club spots .
I don't think so, Roddy says in the article that he can't ever see an all-ireland team forming.
By the way, anyone who can should go out and buy the paper for that article. He certainly isn't afraid to speak his mind and it's a very good read, he seems to be very ambitious about how good this league could be.
Last edited by Slash/ED; 21/11/2004 at 7:06 PM.
If there is an all-Ireland league, there will be an All-Ireland team,whether Jim Roddy thinks so or not. It will be decided by FIFA and UEFAand there really will be one game one association on the island of Ireland .
I really don't think so and hope not, as the resistence to an All Ireland team would be massive. To have a national team you have to run a domestic league so have regionalised first divisions, one run by the FAI for the ROI, one run by the IFA for the NI and they get to keep seperate national teams and we can have one all ireland league run by a seperate body. With a bit of co-operation I don't see why it can't happen.
I think this is the only way to go. The FAI have failed the league for too long and it just frustrates me to see the lack of progress at times.
A body made up of all the clubs would be able to negotiate directly with the government. Also TV deals could be better organised.
It is the only way to go. 16 team premier sounds perfect. Getting rid of the FAI would be an absolute dream if possible
The idea that an all-island league would need a single Irish team, and therefore could never happen, is also a non-issue . As you say - at the end of the day it's down to FIFA/UEFA to decide. It's both highly feasible and perfectly likely that they would grant a special dispensation because of the political situation in Ireland. Especially if a single league was seen as part of the peace and reconciliation/'normalisation' process.If there is an all-Ireland league, there will be an All-Ireland team,whether Jim Roddy thinks so or not. It will be decided by FIFA and UEFA
After all Derry City play in the Eicom League, even though they're based in the IFA's jurisdiction, because of a FIFA/UEFA dispensation. They've done dispensations before. I would put money on them doing another one here if the case was put to them.
Non-issue....
Slash - could you scan a copy of the article in and post it up ? I'm gagging to read it...!!
Thanks.
I would but I've no scanner, I'll ask a few people tomorrow if they have one that I could use and see what I can do.
Im all for the development of soccer on this island but i wonder how 1 league is going to bring it on ?
The clubs up north are worse than the clubs down south. none of them are full time professional. Not much competition there.
One league means a lot less European places so why stop that ?
One league equals one national team and one FA. The nordies are going to want to have to melt into one association. There isnt much to gain from having a few extra N.I players. Where is there advantage there.
I think the Sentanta cup is probably one of the best ideas. I would increase the prize money and TV coverage. That would really help the clubs without any of the draw backs.
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