Credit where it’s due extratime.ie and offtheball

**SeanDrog** · 16/09/2018, 8:51 AM

For decades of following our league I often bemoaned the poor coverage on the media - usually a few paragraphs of a bland match report in a paper was all we would get.

But we currently never had it so good, extra time.ie and off the hall league podcasts ( both cover both divisions !) are brilliant. So to both teams - thank you , you’ve enriched our league by giving it more depth than just “weekend scores”.

**Brusher** · 17/09/2018, 8:12 AM

Have to agree about the Podcasts Seán, but I was only thinking about newspaper coverage, which I reckon is done best by the tabloids, like the Mirror on a Friday.However, reading the Saturday Indo and Times, it looks like we're now competing with womens soccer and Gaa. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for equality,but there was good reporting on the build up for the women's All Ireland Final, but the LoI match reports were pretty abysmal.

**Mr A** · 17/09/2018, 8:31 AM

The podcast scene has become so crowded I find myself not listening to any of them a lot of the time. I might pick out a few that feature us but otherwise there just isn't the time.

There's a real gap in the market for a podcast that summarises and provides highlights of the rest of them.

**Philosophizer** · 17/09/2018, 8:42 AM

I've only listened to LOI Weekly and the Greatest league in the World podcast.
LOI weekly is streets ahead imo, even if they do sometimes have the inarticulate Johnny McDonnell as a guest.

**bohsmug** · 17/09/2018, 10:42 AM

Soccer Republic Extra is the main one I listen to. It really is great at the moment.

**sbgawa** · 17/09/2018, 10:54 AM

The latest issue of GLITW was interesting, They had Rued Dokter on and he was asked about a topic raised here in terms of somewhere for under 19 players to go after under 19's
When asked about an under 21 he was negative but suggested instead that the best few players might stay on and be allowed play as overage players (or indeed first teamers play down).
Also suggested then biggest teams might play a reserve team which could hoover up the best of the 19's that are being released......he did say his concern there would be that this would make the stronger teams potentially stronger.....
I'm not summarising it very well probably..........worth a listen

**outspoken** · 17/09/2018, 11:01 AM

Give Between the Stripes LOI podcast a listen lads you won’t be disappointed. Great guests every week and the only pod that lets fans on to have their say and you often find the fan interviews are actually the most insightful. No doubt the pod market has become over saturated though. I only listen to LOI weekly and GLITW. The 98fm one is awful.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2018, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

The podcast scene has become so crowded I find myself not listening to any of them a lot of the time. I might pick out a few that feature us but otherwise there just isn't the time.

There's a real gap in the market for a podcast that summarises and provides highlights of the rest of them.

I’ll give the lads at Between The Stripes a shout out, they don’t have the resources of a lot of their competitors but still put out a decent show most weeks. It’s been let down by the quality of Harps fans that they’ve had on but you can’t have everything.

Edit no need when outspoken is happy to give himself a shout out!

**Shearer** · 17/09/2018, 11:28 AM

I listen to:
Greatest League In The World,
Soccer Republic Extra,
LOI Weekly.

All three are superb and make my commute a lot easier.
Must get into Between The Stripes and ExtratTime's Podcast - anyone know what platforms they're on?

**Brusher** · 17/09/2018, 12:07 PM

Like them all, but certainly a shout out for Between the Stripes, which is available on Spotify.

**Mr A** · 17/09/2018, 12:16 PM

Of all of them BTS is probably the one I listen to most regularly. LOI Weekly can be brilliant (the Brian Kerr episode was superb) but some of the 'banter' on it can be annoying.

In general I would love to see them talk to people who actually run clubs a bit more. Previous pieces with John O Sullivan for example were excellent. If I was involved in one now I would be knocking on John O Connor's door to do a few slots about finance in the league. Most fans and players haven't the first notion of what goes into keeping a club going so hearing from people that do from time to time adds a lot to coverage.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2018, 12:22 PM

Yeah Johnny Ward seems like a sound guy and he’s definitely passionate about the league, but he can be a bit cringey when he’s trying to be overly matey with the guests.

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/09/2018, 2:05 PM

BTS is the only one I've been listening to on any regular sort of basis. I think there's too many going around at the minute.

**Martinho II** · 17/09/2018, 4:02 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

BTS is the only one I've been listening to on any regular sort of basis. I think there's too many going around at the minute.

I listen to all the league of ireland podcasts except for the shamrock rovers one... but there will be a time when I go back to work and choose on which is the best one as wouldnt have the time any more. loi weekly can be great but cringey. 98 fms one is ok but Jamie Moore talks way too quick for me at times. TGLITW is superb with Con Murphy but my favourite has to be BTS considering the resources that the Section O lads have to manage on. Extratimes is average tbh,..

**kksaints** · 17/09/2018, 7:15 PM

Listen to Soccer Republic, LOI Weekly & GLITW. All really enjoyable. GLITW gets some really good guests in and Con and Conan work very well together.

LOI weekly is very enjoyable. I like the two hosts and have no issue with Johnny Ward's banter which I find usually to be funny. Only issue I find is they tend to use Whatsapp voice messages a fair bit which breaks up the flow of the show a bit.

First time I heard Soccer Republic extra Dave Barry was on it. Nearly put me off it tbh. Personally I think this is the weakest of the three that I listen to. Sometimes its excellent especially the episode with Pete Mahon a few weeks ago but other times its not nearly as good especially if Dave Barry is on it.

Would agree with others that there is probably too many. I don't have the time to listen to the others. I listened to the Extra Time one a few years ago and it was decent but with their links with Eir on the live TV coverage I'm surprised they haven't joined it and LOI weekly together.

**outspoken** · 17/09/2018, 7:32 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Of all of them BTS is probably the one I listen to most regularly. LOI Weekly can be brilliant (the Brian Kerr episode was superb) but some of the 'banter' on it can be annoying.

In general I would love to see them talk to people who actually run clubs a bit more. Previous pieces with John O Sullivan for example were excellent. If I was involved in one now I would be knocking on John O Connor's door to do a few slots about finance in the league. Most fans and players haven't the first notion of what goes into keeping a club going so hearing from people that do from time to time adds a lot to coverage.

Thanks for the support. We actually had John on last season I think it was, he was superb. LOI weekly is great but some weeks they definitely go ott with the banter, at the start I thought GLITW wouldn’t have much freedom given it’s ran by the league but Con and particularly Conan have been superb. Having been a guest on their show I just wish we had a studio like theirs 😂

**Shearer** · 17/09/2018, 7:42 PM

I love LOI Weekly for the characters and camaraderie just as much as the coverage! I think Johnny McDonnell was great on it last week and I love listening to him.

**CorribsideSteve** · 17/09/2018, 8:13 PM

Out of curiosity, do any of ye regard Peter Collins as an LOI man? Or is Soccer Republic something he got stuck with when they drew straws in the RTE canteen for which Presenter hosted any given programme?

**ger121** · 17/09/2018, 8:46 PM

I was listening to LOI Weekly a lot and GLITW a bit but as OP said, there are so many it’s hard to keep up.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2018, 8:54 PM

Originally Posted by CorribsideSteve

Out of curiosity, do any of ye regard Peter Collins as an LOI man? Or is Soccer Republic something he got stuck with when they drew straws in the RTE canteen for which Presenter hosted any given programme?

The Collinsbot is incapable of human emotion, he merely follows his programming.