20 Teams, 2 Divisions, 1 National League

[legendz]

The Football Pathways Plan:
"02 STRUCTURE: AN INTEGRATED
APPROACH WITH GREATER SUPPORT
• A clear pyramid with promotion and relegation at all levels.
FAI CUP - TIERS 1 TO 5
FAI AMATEUR CUP - TIERS 3 TO 6"

The fourth tier seems the next logical step of the Football Pathways Plan. When tier 3 is announced - hopefully there will be some word on what to expect next.

If Trim Celtic, as per their announcement, "has made a powerful impression and is now a serious contender for the national league pyramid" - it'll be interesting to see what that actually means.

[culloty82]

Just that if/when it expands to twenty teams, they'll be first in the queue, I'd imagine.

[EatYerGreens]

Just that if/when it expands to twenty teams, they'll be first in the queue, I'd imagine.

Really? Because it sounds to me like it's just self-promoting ballix.

They've essentially bene told "Don't call us - we'll call you". If they'd made that powerful an impression, they'd be in the new 3rd tier. They're not, so they clearly didn't.

[nr637]

The Football Pathways Plan:
"02 STRUCTURE: AN INTEGRATED
APPROACH WITH GREATER SUPPORT
• A clear pyramid with promotion and relegation at all levels.
FAI CUP - TIERS 1 TO 5
FAI AMATEUR CUP - TIERS 3 TO 6"

The fourth tier seems the next logical step of the Football Pathways Plan. When tier 3 is announced - hopefully there will be some word on what to expect next.

If Trim Celtic, as per their announcement, "has made a powerful impression and is now a serious contender for the national league pyramid" - it'll be interesting to see what that actually means.

https://www.facebook.com/trimceltic1...3918664986908/

[2 Year Contract]

Hard to take anything Trim Celtic take seriously when they also post stuff like this

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AU...ibextid=wwXIfr

[BigEars]

The Football Pathways Plan:
"02 STRUCTURE: AN INTEGRATED
APPROACH WITH GREATER SUPPORT
• A clear pyramid with promotion and relegation at all levels.
FAI CUP - TIERS 1 TO 5
FAI AMATEUR CUP - TIERS 3 TO 6"

The fourth tier seems the next logical step of the Football Pathways Plan. When tier 3 is announced - hopefully there will be some word on what to expect next.

If Trim Celtic, as per their announcement, "has made a powerful impression and is now a serious contender for the national league pyramid" - it'll be interesting to see what that actually means.

A 4th tier will likely take a huge amount of restructuring if it's regionalised to more than 2 areas (which it likely will be).

The LSL would be easy to integrate.
But everything after that becomes tricky, do you go for 3 regions or 4 ?
Do we stick to traditional provinces (with Ulster only having 3 counties) or split to Dublin, Leinster, Munster, Connacht-Ulster ?

How do you integrate the MSL ? It's currently a Cork only league and some of the strongest clubs in Munster are playing Junior football in their own district leagues. Do you need to create temporary North/South Munster leagues to get some of those Junior clubs at a higher level before creating a proper Munster senior league ?

Something will definitely need to be done long term, but there's no question it's a minefield. The 3rd tier is the easy bit.......and it's certainly not easy !

[Elfman]

Really? Because it sounds to me like it's just self-promoting ballix.

They've essentially bene told "Don't call us - we'll call you". If they'd made that powerful an impression, they'd be in the new 3rd tier. They're not, so they clearly didn't.

It does sound a bit like self-promotion but you'd hope the FAI weren't as blunt as that. They asked for applications and then whittled it down to the serious ones. For clubs that applied in good faith and made it as far as Trim did, I hope the FAI let them down gently to encourage them to apply in future and avoid them coming out of the whole thing cynical and bitter.

[Elfman]

A 4th tier will likely take a huge amount of restructuring if it's regionalised to more than 2 areas (which it likely will be).

The LSL would be easy to integrate.

Do we stick to traditional provinces (with Ulster only having 3 counties) or split to Dublin, Leinster, Munster, Connacht-Ulster ?

How do you integrate the MSL ? It's currently a Cork only league and some of the strongest clubs in Munster are playing Junior football in their own district leagues.

I wouldn't necessarily say the LSL would be easy to integrate – they've essentially become a Dublin only league with non-Dublin clubs leaving for their own districts such as Parkvilla to Meath (NEFL) and Willow Park to Athlone (CCFL).

I think you'd have to start with the provincial FAs. Outside of the SFAI, who have 30 votes iirc, the four FAs have the largest voting block (46 votes) in the FAI's General Assembly. The Leinster FA alone has the same voting power as the entire Premier Division.

So if you want to stick to provinces or create new regions entirely, I think you'll need regional FAs who will support it.

[Burnsie]

the clubs will decide themselves, and I wouldn't expect there'll be any more enthusiasm within the LSL to become a fourth tier than there was to join the third (which is to say, pretty minimial)

As i've said before, unless and until there are significant financial incentives (such as grants) to switch to the aligned calendar and join the League of Ireland, most clubs will be happy enough tipping away as they've always done , and can do without all the extra admin hassle

[Roones26]

the clubs will decide themselves, and I wouldn't expect there'll be any more enthusiasm within the LSL to become a fourth tier than there was to join the third (which is to say, pretty minimial)

As i've said before, unless and until there are significant financial incentives (such as grants) to switch to the aligned calendar and join the League of Ireland, most clubs will be happy enough tipping away as they've always done , and can do without all the extra admin hassle

The approach and in my opinion the correct one, is that its not actually about integrating anyone its about creating an environment where it says this is the league we are offering, any club with ambition and drive to be more than the LSL or Intermediate or County Leagues are now opt in

[Elfman]

I probably fall somewhere between Burnsie and Roones26. Clubs absolutely have to look after themselves first and foremost but that's where you need a governing body that looks after every club. Similarly, you don't want a governing body just telling everyone what they to do without a mandate or members will break away to form their own body (Super League, Premier League even our own FAI started off as a breakaway group).

Burnsie is right that LSL and MSL clubs need a reason to join the pyramid outside of ambition but I'd also like to see a change to the make up of the respective FAs. For example, the Galway FA appears to have more power than the Connacht FA which seems to be tail wagging the dog in my head. Open to others thoughts on it as I don't really hear much chat about FAs since we naturally focus on teams and leagues.

[legendz]

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ireland and Football Association of Ireland:
15. Provide for the appropriate development of football pathways in a consistent and coherent manner nationwide, with a view to enhancing participation opportunities and ensuring greater inclusivity and access for children within Irish football.

Are the FAI in much of a position to dally on implementing the Pathways Plan?

Exemptions to implementing the calendar season are to be subject to biannual reviews to ‘assess progress and support the league’s eventual transition to alignment’.

Cooke wrote: “It strikes a crucial balance, providing necessary flexibility to our leagues while protecting the strategic integrity of the Football Pathways Plan as our ultimate goal remains unchanged.”

[Elfman]

Great point Legendz, I hadn't even thought of this. I viewed the exemption option, paired with the change of cup comps to the summer, as a message that lower leagues would be accommodated but not enabled.

It's definitely a strategy. I'd think the FAI would have to ensure the new leagues they introduce are as successful as the underage leagues in order for this to work though.