QuoteAll teams are mixed - most teams would have players from the Republic as well.Originally Posted by wonder88
They're all non-sectarian and some, like Glentoran, are actively anti-sectarian.
The debate about which league is stronger, based on looking only on results between teams or European progress is something that may give give comfort to some, but for clubs and leagues and those that run them, the real strength measurement is having sustainable clubs and a league that does not regularly see clubs lurch from one crisis to the next or go bust.
All teams are mixed - most teams would have players from the Republic as well.
They're all non-sectarian and some, like Glentoran, are actively anti-sectarian.
Last edited by Charlie Darwin; 04/04/2021 at 6:56 PM.
What on earth are you on about?
Is it all the years and all the recreational living but I seem to remember a Glentoran banner at an Irish Cup final V Linfield, way, way, way back in the day with 'Glentoran Play Football not Religion' on it
Don't they have a big sign saying "Jesus loves you" or something in the Oval? Sounds religious to me!
The club are. The fans are another matter.
Yes it's called a competitive sport. What else matters?
Well that backs up EYG's opinion to some extent - are you looking down your nose on LoI Mr P? You have a valid argument on this, but it is a results based game too. If we could put stars over crests for better run clubs IL trumps LoI, 2 runs to European group stages in the last number of years is much more fun!(as a Dundalk fan of course).
Last edited by Nesta99; 04/04/2021 at 10:30 PM.
Be nice to add politics to such a banner, if sport and politics can truly be separated also.
So why don't we pack the whole thing in and all go watch Man City?
He did say competitive, not bought...
Glentoran are no better, nor worse than any other NIFL clubs in the work they do to deal with sectarianism. All clubs work to address such issues. Why do you put them on a pedestal above other clubs?
Yes the game is results based, but not when the game may be unbalanced because one club is advantaged over another because a blind eye is turned,
I didn't, I said they're one of the clubs but I'm most familiar with them so I used them as an example. Why are you so touchy?
We do watch Man City don't we? We can watch the premiership and go to the LOI, it's a mad concept. What criteria do you think we should decide football matches on? Our programme is better than Sheffield United but as you say I don't fancy our chances against them
I'm not touchy, just find it strange that you even put some clubs above others in what they do.
You seem very defensive and combative Parker. And that's fair enough.At what stage for you is a AIL on? What's the bottom line for NIFL getting involved in an AIL?
Why not just watch Man City and ignore the LoI though?
After all, it's a results game
Cant help but feel its bad timing for such an anouncement from the Belfast Telegraph. Could have waited till things died down a little bit (when petrol bombs werent being thrown at police up north) or maybe that was their intention. I guess UEFA want to announce something positive along with the deeply unpopular new Champions league rules. Do think that new language will have to be used around the competition. For example, 'all-Ireland' might put off some up North.
The great thing about LOI is the comparative sizes of clubs. In the next 10 years, its not beyond the possibility of most teams being able to win the league. There was 5 league winners of the league between 2010 and 2020 (from 4 regions). An All-Ireland league adds another 4-6 clubs which are similar stature to LOI, who can all win the league. I think it will work better than something like the Belgian and Dutch league, where you can expect Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord to finish consistantly over Genk, Anderlecht and Liege.
I don't think this analysis stands up to be honest.
In the past six seasons, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and Cork have not only won the title or the Cup each year, but have also been runners-up each year (except for Bohs breaking that last year by coming second in the league). That's an unprecedented dominance here.
Cork have since imploded due to mismanagement, and I think Dundalk are on the same road to be honest. Rovers appear to have a much more sustainable model with their academy, and I don't see who's coming through to challenge them at the moment given no-one's beaten them in the league since Sept 2019 (25 games now). Bohs are the obvious ones, but this year hasn't started well. Harps are battling relegation obviously, Sligo could be on the way up but can they launch a title challenge?
And what 4/6 IL clubs are going to challenge for a title? We know it's a weaker league (which isn't to say it's a lesser league) and I don't see any way Ballymena, Cliftonville or Larne (4th to 6th at the moment) could challenge for the title here.
I think a combined league would be more competitive in general - it couldn't not be - but I don't think it's true at all to say that most teams, including 4-6 from the IL, would have a chance of winning an AIL in the next ten years.
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