Hehe
Afterwards I had a drink in my local, the NI football club at Shaftesbury Sq, and I was speaking about football as usual. Told one of them I was planning to go to games of Crusaders and Donegall Celtic in the coming weeks, as those were the only Belfast teams I hadn't paid a visit yet. They said that if I would be wearing that Linfield scarf at the Donegall Celtic game, I would not get out there alive
Ah, I'm no Linfield fan. I was hoping they'd win because it can only be good for the Irish League, and because it's convenient to have a European game at 5 minutes walking from your front door. But I'm not planning on picking a team here, during my time in Northern Ireland I hope to see all teams from Premiership and First Division at least once. Though who knows I meet some friends at one of these teams and roll in to it, just like it happened with Shelbourne when I lived in the Republic...
A wee PS: I am not trying to get into a North-South debate here. As a neutral who lived in the South and now lives in the North, I got to appreciate both the EL and the IL.
All I am saying is that comparing two leagues based on four games (Shels-Linfield, Shels-Glentoran, Glentoran-Shels, Linfield-Halmstads) is not fair to neither of both leagues. To make a comparison you need to see at least 10 games a season of both leagues, and go to both top teams and bottom-of-table teams.
Sure, the level in the EL will be a bit higher (not too spectacular, bit still a bit higher) but to say that IL is dying is a huge mistake.
IL will only be dead when the public interest is gone. And I can only say the number of spectators are higher here than in the ROI, because there is no big GAA culture to compete with here (the loyalist half of the population doesn't care about GAA, whereas in the ROI the GAA is very huge). As long as people come to the stadiums (which still is the case) Northern Irish football will survive. You don't need professional players to survive, several leagues of smaller countries have no professional players but still get the public interest. You can go to Carmarthen-Cwbran with the same excitement and passion as when you go to Liverpool-Man United. It all depends on what you expect I guess, but to say IL is dying is looking down on it, which IMO is wrong.
Financial troubles are there, indeed. Both isn't that everywhere. We have Omagh that folded, Coleraine very likely will fold as well, and several others are in bad circumstances financially. South of the border Bohs are in bad circumstances, Waterford may not survive, and Shamrock Rovers is also in doubts about its future. And don't think it's different on the mainland, in Belgium the number of mergers and bankruptcies is bigger than ever in football, and in Italy there's only one top flight team that is free of debts (Juventus)...
It's far from only the Northern Irish football that has these problems. No league gets spared of financial problems.
Bad choice for comparison there Gerrit - Carmarthen v Cwmbran in the Welsh Premier would get a crowd in the very, very low hundreds at best. Hardly evidence there of public interest, but I get what you're saying overall.Originally Posted by Gerrit
You should take a trip over to the Brandywell for a game sometime - I've no doubt that you're just a City fan in-waiting.....
I know Cwbran and Carmarthen will not attract big crowds, but what I mean is that the few that are there will be just as excited (if they're true fans) as a Liverpool fan going to a 60000 crowded Anfield to see LFC-Chelsea... As long as your heart is with a team, you will have fun, and it doesn't matter then if you have professional players and trophies or just amateurs who never reach Europe.
Northern Ireland football gets good crowds in average (compared to the LOI it seems slightly more) and the people in the grounds have fun. As long as that's the case IL will survive.
I'd like a 32 county league, but then a true merger. With 8 teams from both sides of the border (and I count Derry as ROI side now because they're in the LOI).
The league should have a neutral name, so not Irish League and not Eircom League. That way people from both sides of the border won't have a reason to feel not welcome or not home. I'd say "United Ireland League" would be a good name.
Starting with the top-8 teams from the EL and the top-8 from the IL. Anything different would be an insult to whatever of both league has less representatives. After all it should not be about results in Europe only, if you really want to unite soccer fans on the island they should start off in equality. A merger of both leagues would be about bringing together two communities of soccer fans, not about trying to add 3 good teams to the EL and let down the rest of Northern Ireland. Some people watch only to improving the level of game and improving the results in Europe ; I disagree completely with this view, as I believe the social aspect of football is way more important than the results or level.
If the idea would be to just add Portadown, Linfield and Glentoran to the EL and let out the other NI teams because "not good enough", then that's looking down on the IL, which can in no way be accepted. The Irish FA should only negotiate with the FAI about a joint league if the people from the FAI are guaranteeing them equal rights. Which means that Northern Ireland would get as many teams in the new league's top division as the Republic.
And Steve, I will come to Derry within a few weeks. I was thinking of a citytrip of 3 days with included: sightseeing, a game of Derry City (Friday) and a game of Institute (Saturday). Sunday would be sightseeing-only.
mmmm .... a social experiment called the "United Ireland League". I presume all matches will be played on Sundays.
here, I dont think too many linfield fans would warm to the idea of playing in a "united Ireland league"
I think picking a better name for the league would be a good start. The priemership and championship is out for a start. The league is a bit dull. what could you call it ?
The ÉIRE 32 League
"They have the internet on computers now!" ,Homer Simpson
Nothing at all wrong with the name "Irish league".here, I dont think too many linfield fans would warm to the idea of playing in a "united Ireland league"
I think picking a better name for the league would be a good start. The priemership and championship is out for a start. The league is a bit dull. what could you call it ?
Does exactly what it says on the can. Can't see anyone in the south having any issues with it.
Same with the 'Irish Cup' - much better name than the FAI Carlsberg nonesense....
Cant argue with that ..... anyway .... who gives a toss about the name .... it would be the success of it that i'd be worried about.
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.
A few options that would be perfectly accepted in both North and South:
- Island of Erinn League (correct spelling if needed)
- Green Island Championship
- 32 County League
Or another option: name it after a league sponsor that's active in both the Republic and the North. Example:
- Paddy Power League
(the IRA League is no longer possible as their Northern branch has no more intentions of doing business
Gerrit - don't mean to be rude, but you still have a lot to learn about the political intricacies of life in Ireland.A few options that would be perfectly accepted in both North and South:
- Island of Erinn League (correct spelling if needed)
- Green Island Championship
- 32 County League
Or another option: name it after a league sponsor that's active in both the Republic and the North. Example:
- Paddy Power League
(the IRA League is no longer possible as their Northern branch has no more intentions of doing business
"32 county league" would most definitekly NOT be acceptable to Unionist fans, nor would anything including the Irish language like "island of Eireann' (which is just cheesy anyway, as is 'Green island league').
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with keeping the existing term 'Irish League'. No-one has any issues with it, and it precisely describes what it's
talking about. There is no need for any other makey-uppey names, full stop.
Cant see why the old "League of Ireland" couldnt be used?The Irish League is the name of the Northern Irish League so I dont think thats an option as it would offend eircom league clubs,similarly eircom league would offend northern clubs,from my point of view the "League of Ireland" is perfect for the job.
Cant understand why the Irish league is called that in the 1st place though,apparently the majority of the north feel they're not irish at all but british,in any case it should be called the Northern Irish league
"They have the internet on computers now!" ,Homer Simpson
Gerrit you either havent a clue or are taking the ****.
how about
The FA's name , Sponsors name , Premier League
so
FAI Eircom Premier League
Priemer league is used all over the world and it would be best.
The Irish League has been called that since 1890 when it started. That was long before partition or anything.
Why exactly would clubs from the Republic be so "offended" by the term 'Irish league' ?? Shels and Bohs played in the Irish League before they decided to split-off and create a Free State version in 1921. I think you're reading waaaaaay too much into all of this. NO-ONE will have a problem with the term 'Irish League'.
Other countries talk in terms of the 'Irish League' when they describe the Republic already. Just like you would talk about the French/Belgian/Spanish etc League - regardless of whetehr or not they have a different name.
League of Ireland / Irish League, one's as good as the other. No football fan, regardless of political stance, would have a problem with either name, even if they are ucrrently used up NOrth.
Afterall, whats the point in rallying for an All-Ireland league if we're going to get hung up on silly bits like names? Once its not the IRA Allstar League or something all names are good. If people are going to get so uptight over names, it doesn't bode well for how a league would be successfully implemented!
God
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