The underage leagues are reason for optimism Stu.
Some of the football in 13s 15s 17s is excellent and technique is better than most of the senior players
Possibly, though I'll believe it when players start coming through at senior level. For now, there's been lots of talk about good underage teams - including the national underage teams - for the past couple of years, but no end product at senior level as yet.
And of course, a falling ranking makes it less likely we'll be let into the UEFA Youth League next year. Only a couple of games of course, but great to be able to test yourself at that level in underage.
Last edited by pineapple stu; 11/07/2019 at 10:53 PM.
Just regarding coefficient, we know already where we'll be starting next season, that's set in stone before this season starts. From 2021-22 it's all change with Europa League 2. Staying above 52 in the rankings seems to be the only main target (in terms of avoiding losing spots or starting earlier). But yeh another poor season looking probable. Best case maybe Rovers hold on and Dundalk beat Riga and win a round in the EL
Rovers well worth their draw player some lovely football and for 20 mins at the start of the second half they were dominant. Tired in the last 15 mins or so but they deserved that late equaliser. A bit like Dundalk yesterday a lot of physical late exchanges mainly from the opposition. Byrne spread the ball well too but what's the story with kavannagh and loving being offside? Himself and Idah could do damage together in a nightclub.
True on the EL2 actually. Had Dundalk lost away to FH in 2016, then we'd be down 48th at the moment and would have started in the preliminary round of the Europa League this year. But it seems the plan at the moment is for everyone below 30th to start in the first round of EL2, so it looks like we'll avoid that fate alright.
Losing the Youth League spot isn't great, although we qualified when Ireland were ranked 41st.
But it is more the general malaise alright.
We have to honest here - it looks like the league is going backwards! Out of 55 countries, Ireland are 48th placed based on co-efficient points gather so far this year (0.25). N Ireland have 1.0 and Wales have 0.5 already! We are at 41st at the moment but being honest, that's too high for us. It could have being worst - Rovers equalised in the last minute! Next week, we need Dundalk and Rovers to get through but its going to be tough.
I mean Dudelange drew 2-2 against Maltese opposition at home.
Obviously there are no "soft" draws. There are always unseeded teams beating seeded teams and "surprises" when a country we consider lacking in Football culture does well but we also need to be aiming for a certain standard.
some other interesting tidbits;
Bratislava drew 1-1 at home against Montenegrin opposition.
The Europa draw against Legia and The *Latvians* v Ljubljana as mentioned.
Minsk 1-1 v *Latvian* opposition.
Radnicki Nis (Serb) were seeded against Flora Talinn and Talinn won 2-0.
The Israeli team only managed a draw against Albanian opposition.
The Lithuanians only managed 1-1 at home v Faroe Islands
Macedonian team also performed well away from home. They all show that irish clubs should be able to manage a decent result or 2. Rovers did well and Dundalk will hopefully get their **** together and if 2 clubs go through a round or two it wont be a terrible year but yea...
Its disappointing that Irish clubs cant manage a bit of consistency and look to role models like the Scandanavians.
Football is still a very popular sport in Ireland we should be better than this.
Seeing it with my own eyes like that was unbelievable. I wrote that after Desmond (I think) had ballooned a shot almost over the ground from 20 yards out. Other examples include weak as water first time crosses that never reached anybody except a defender. The overall level of technical, attacking ability of our sides is one of the worst in Europe, along with our rankings in the co-efficient.
and the only way the league will get better is with investment and constantly driving our underage coaching structures to deliver players with the technical abilities/abilities to be able to receive a pass under pressure, shield control and pass again. This is starting to happen you can see the improvements in the National underage leagues. At this stage as once avid Ireland fan now little interest in the National team for me the National League is it where i see some teams genuinely trying to play ball. If we somehow manage to get that all island league with the investment level mentioned, i think we could jump well up the co efficient.
Super result for Rovers, they just need to be careful now and not to think they have already got through, wasn’t expecting too much from Pats though. The Cork result was just very disappointing, I think this is the first time an Irish side has ever lost to Lux club too, the meltdown must be almost complete now with Cork, what a decline and how quick also.
I think both Dundalk and Rovers will get through next week, that will get things a little back on track.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
Missed out also on a potential tv deal too, I think clubs are free to negotiate this up to play off rounds, then on the other hand the locals / business / cops would have had the nuisance of thousands of ticketless Rangers fans descending into Cork City centre areas / TC, before / after the game.
Last edited by oriel; 12/07/2019 at 9:46 AM.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
Fair point but so should be go further down the table to get access to these games or are be developing as a league trying to push up the table. Dundalk and Rovers in fairest to both are at a decent level but Pats and Cork aren't - simple as - its a shame Bohs are not in Europe this year. The rest of the league needs to get up to this level if we are to move on instead of thinking playing pre-qualifying games - in fairest, Pats and Cork probably would lose these games as well!
There was no reason to think that Cork would implode so badly this season. Waterford looked to have a good squad to compete in Europe and now the wheels have come off there too.
Pats are performing pretty much at the level of their squad and were up against a goodish team last night , but not great.
Rovers midfield would at least be the equal of most at this stage of the Europa League, and were far better than Brann, even with the usual malfunctioning defence and front "line". Could win 3-0 in Tallaght.
Dundalk will score away so hopefully a 1-1 or better will see them through. Would have been a year too early for Bohs. With the core of the team signed for next season, if we qualify , I think we will compete with a bit of passion and spirit anyway.
The bigger issue here is that the support for the senior league here is negligible. In every other country we play against, high nett worth individuals,some with dubiously acquired wealth, can heavily invest in a tax efficient way , in a game that is universally loved. Similarly Tech, comms, finance and other blue chips weigh in as additional sponsors. Meanwhile here, every bank and supermarket chain in the state is heavily invested in the GAA (and Rugby), to the extent that the GAA`s efforts to spend/hide their vast wealth while stlll getting state hand outs , is like an episode of Breaking Bad.
On the other hand, "big" sponsors in our league are on line betting, high interest loan companies for poor people, pubs etc. With the exploding clown car that is the FAI, Government have ready excuses not to fund the infrastructure.
Dundalk and Rovers are the exception now in being in a position to compete against well funded clubs from some of the poorest countries in eastern Europe. If their backers get cold feet we will be dropping down to Northern Ireland Level.
There seems to have been a revival in Sottish soccer in recent years. It might not do any harm to make some connections over there and maybe pick up a few hints. Big game in Tallaght next week, for the club and the league.
Has there?
Progres beat Rangers in 2016
Kilmarnock needed an injury-time winner in Wales last night, and Aberdeen face a nervous second leg in Finland after conceding late in a 2-1 win. Aberdeen scraped past Jeunesse Esch in 2016.
Last year was ok, but take Celtic and Rangers out and they're not great at all
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