LOI In Europe 2025

**nr637** · 07/08/2025, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by pateen

Anyone have a link to the highlights?

On Youtube with Croatia TV.

**brendy_�ire** · 07/08/2025, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by pateen

Anyone have a link to the highlights?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jl54buHAdnc

**Nesta99** · 07/08/2025, 11:41 AM

I had missed that 2nd penalty that nobody shouted for. VAR moment???

**Nesta99** · 07/08/2025, 11:50 AM

Some funny comments on the youtube vid, I liked this one and hope thats what the general expectation is - 'While (our) football players shave their legs, car mechanics from Ireland show their balls and win'

This one is just an interesting one-

'Every year the same.. Sell everything that is worth a little and then patch it up with some freebies.. So sell the club when you can't finance the club for a single year without selling everything.. Every 6 months a new team.. They can't wait for the winter and summer transfer window to sell. A trading company, not a club'.

Just cause it mentions Dundalk....

'If we exclude Dinamo as the biggest club in Croatia in terms of results in Europe, Irish clubs have much more success than the rest of us in the last 10 seasons combined. From Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Cork City... with double and triple the budget'.

**Acornvilla** · 07/08/2025, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

I think its a gradual up trend (champions pathway parachute a big help), there will be dips of course but in general there's a sense of not totally writing off a possible win. I know it was a preseason Linfield but Shels technical ability everywhere bar up top was made for Europe and especially in hot weather. They can keep ball and play one touch out of tight spaces. My worry was that that might have been because they had space with Linfield not able to close or cut off space. But they showed up against a better side, their game in the last round probably helped them get up to speed, they didn't fold when going behind and took chances when they came. It was a pretty complete performance and had all the elements that we moan about when we leave games behind. Its half done yeah but there is a good chance and Shels have shown that they can get it across the line imo.

Outside of the champions having a couple bites at it, and being able to have a few games/weeks to get up to speed with the level, I think the ECL has been huge in giving every club games at a level they can compete in and improve over time. Pat's are the obvious non champion benefactor over the last few years, and have become very consistent at winning the ties they should. Bohs looked like they could go that way too a few years ago but the team was taken apart, they might be on the cusp of getting back there. Off and on the field they're at the strongest point they have been in decades, navigating the stadium redevelopment will be crucial. Derry can be anything they want to be. We have a lot of clubs with huge untapped potential, (Hello Cork) even if the Dublin clubs will always have natural advantages that are extremely difficult for everyone else to compete with.

I think we largely have a generation of players now who go in to these games with little fear and want to emulate what they've seen Rovers and Dundalk do. Being at a level where all 4 teams are getting seeded in Rnd 1's and consistently winning 90% of those ties would be my hope for the future, with a lot of clubs being well able to recrate what Pat's have shown, most Irish clubs being regularly seeded and/or winning in ECL rnd 2 is possible too. There will be plenty of teams from every small league establishing themselves as regulars in the 2nd/3rd rnd and there's no reason that we can't be part of that. We'll always need huge luck to get anyone outside of the champion in to the groups, but I am cautiously optimistic it's far from impossible any more.

I love the champions route and the ECL, I think it's great teams from the Faroes and everywhere else have a chance to get a club in to a group stage, it could have really positive knock on effects for minnow national teams in the medium term.

The obvious glaring issue is with the money being so huge, and with Rovers already having a very strong structure off the field, we are in serious danger of them completely running away with the thing and creating a gap between themselves and everyone else that could take a decade to bridge, for that alone I think the league really need Shels to make the groups this time out. If Rovers are regularly making groups, I do still think they will have the odd season where they wobble, the fixture congestion will always be an issue for clubs at our level, it will be very interesting to see if Shels can maintain any momentum this season if they make it. Someone else will need to be ready to take their chance when it comes, but we have a pretty solid group of clubs outside of Rovers who can put a strong challenge together over the next few years.

Even for Shels, they're raw a European level, but including last season they've played 9 European games in about 12 months, a decade ago they would have been unseeded last year, gone out in rnd one, probably had the same happen to them again this year and that would be that. They're building a lot of experience and momentum that wasn't really possible previously, and it is lovely to see they surprised us all yesterday with such an accomplished performance. Even if they don't see out the 2nd leg, I would be very confident they will play with far more confidence and conviction in the Playoff.

**Nesta99** · 07/08/2025, 12:11 PM

Until Rovers academy becomes an absolute conveyor belt of talent I dont think LoI will become a 1 team league. Whether Rovers fans like it of not, recent dominance has been partly to to with how rubbish other clubs have been and not put in a challange when they should, not looking at anyone specific like Derry....or Dundalk's self inflicted wounds. (im not taking away from 4 in a row, you beat whats in front of you but it was done at a canter and not consistantly blowing teams away as they should).

Maybe its wishful thinking not having one side dominate ala Scotland, unless its Dundalk of course, but I just think money only goes so far tbh, great to have, but attracting better players in is still an ask. I do ultimately believe in the rising tide adage, and its less an arms race or as financially attritonal today compared to the past. There are a number of clubs that could put together title challange sides financially at least (Dundalk are nowhere in that bracket and wont be without significant outside investment again as divisive as it might be - without all the inside detail pushing P6 was plan a with no viable plan b). From Galway, Derry, St Pats, Bohs, maybe Shels now that they'll plug some financial holes with Europe, Drogs even, theres enough there to keep it a real challange to win the league. That may be be Rovers regularly but they will have to be on song all the time.

**sbgawa** · 07/08/2025, 1:34 PM

It never happens that teams dominate for ever , it just feels like it.
When we won 4 in a row in the early/ mid 80's people couldnt see us losing again and if you has said we would win 1 title and be relegated in the next 25 years people would have sent you to the loony bin.
Man United in 2012 had won 13 totles in 20 years and are now winless in 13 and not looking likely.
Lyon won around 10 French leagues in a row an are nowhere now..............to cross codes its not that long since people were saying we should split the Dublin GAA footballers into two teams North and South or no one would ever win the All IReland again, not mention a friend of mine in Kilkenny who told me back in the day he was missing an All Ireland Final as he was sick but "sure ill be better for next years final"

All that being said ill enjoy it while it lasts but losing the league last year will probably cost us group stages this year so there is no money piling up yet