LOI In Europe 2025

[Acornvilla]

I do think whatever top 2 leagues in the co eff table who get the extra CL spot every season should lose their ECL entrants. Not sure about banning the entire top 10 leagues, but definitely having no PL entrant every year would be better for everyone else.

[pineapple stu]

For Conf League, this was meant to be to support the smaller leagues, makes a mockery of it, likes of Chelsea winning it.

but its just same old same old making last 16 / QF etc.

I don't agree with this. It can support the smaller leagues and still let them play Chelsea. I'm sure that was an experience for Rovers

Real Betis hadn't ever gotten past a Euro quarter final before so it can hardly be the same old names in the last 16. Slovenia, Poland (twice), Austria and Sweden were all represented in the quarters. Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, Bosnia and Norway were in the last 16 (and Rovers were a penalty shoot-out away)

That's not same old same old

[oriel]

It is when it gets to the biz end, how many smaller leagues have made the semi's, and no chance ever making a final.

Absolutely no need for leagues 1-10 to be involved in this competition, plus would likes of Chelsea honestly see Conf League win as a massive trophy, hardly an open bus London tour stuff.

[pineapple stu]

Well you're changing horse now - you were talking about the last 16 being "same old same old" and now it's the semis. I don't think that's great for your argument tbh.

But take the semis as the (new) point of concern - you've still got FC Basel, Olympiakos (who won the tournament outright - the first Greek side ever to win a European competition), Club Brugge and Djurgardens who've made the semis. Are they same old same old? None from a top-ten ranked country. And then from the top-ten ranked countries, you've had Leicester, Real Betis, Aston Villa, West Ham and AZ Alkmaar make the semis - again, none of those are same old same old.

If you take out the top ten countries, you demean the competition for everyone else. I think the current format - where the top 12 only have one team, and it increases from there - is good.

[BigEars]

It is when it gets to the biz end, how many smaller leagues have made the semi's, and no chance ever making a final.

Absolutely no need for leagues 1-10 to be involved in this competition, plus would likes of Chelsea honestly see Conf League win as a massive trophy, hardly an open bus London tour stuff.

What you perhaps haven't considered, is if you do that, you create the UEFA equivalent of the Tommy Murphy Cup........ nobody gives a ****.

Also when you're talking about countries to disclose, I could have maybe understood the top 4-5 due to their dominance in European competitions.
However the Czech league is ranked 10th. Are you really desperate to prevent Czech sides from competing in the Conference League ?

[sbgawa]

I loved having the opportunity to play Chelsea. Plus if you take the top teams out of the conf league good luck getting a good sponsor or tv companies interested and bang goes the prize money

[Nesta99]

Radical proposal! Lets have a champions competition for champions, cup winners competition, and a competition for the rest with parachute games for those that are knocked out of he others. Maybe have a pre European tournament called something like intertoto where clubs that progress can get access to the main best of the rest. Throw in a competition for lower ranked leagues that earn additional places for higher comps following season and also can be parachuted in to when out of all other competitions, paid for by national wealth funds to buy world cup hosting and for clubs to get entry to the European system like the Israelis. Exclude some multi club clubs that are not liked for some reason, just for the laugh like, and alls sorted.

[oriel]

List of winners since ECL came in.

Roma
West Ham
Olympiacos
Chelsea

Greek League is ranked 12th, Eng and Italy ranked 1 and 2, and you can be quite sure this competition will be dominated by top 4 leagues going forward, mickey mouse stuff, they should be in CL and EL only.

[Martinho II]

Seen on another website that Athlone Town have applied for a European Licence to take the place of Drogheda. I dont know how reputable the website is but has anyone else heard this?

[pineapple stu]

List of winners since ECL came in.

Roma
West Ham
Olympiacos
Chelsea

Greek League is ranked 12th, Eng and Italy ranked 1 and 2, and you can be quite sure this competition will be dominated by top 4 leagues going forward, mickey mouse stuff, they should be in CL and EL only.

So you started off complaining that the last 16 was "same old same old" - then that became the semi-finalists - then it became the winners...

It's very hard to take your complaint seriously when you redefine it so often. And you still ignore that one of the four winners comes from a country that had never won a European club title before - the literal definition of something that's not same old same old.

[Martinho II]

This is the website that I saw this article:
https://leagueofirelandtalk.wordpres...erence-league/

[holidaysong]

Seen on another website that Athlone Town have applied for a European Licence to take the place of Drogheda. I dont know how reputable the website is but has anyone else heard this?

According to UEFA rules, they're not eligible, as they're neither a cup winner nor in the top division.

https://documents.uefa.com/r/Regulat...etition-Online

[oriel]

So you started off complaining that the last 16 was "same old same old" - then that became the semi-finalists - then it became the winners...

It's very hard to take your complaint seriously when you redefine it so often. And you still ignore that one of the four winners comes from a country that had never won a European club title before.

Was wrong on this initially, point was meant to be on winners from all the top leagues, 1 was an exception with Greece, but this competition will still be dominated by winning teams from top 4 or 5 leagues in years to come, already 3 of the 4 winners to date are from 1 and 2 ranked !

Still think leagues from ranked 1-10 have no business being involved in this, and it would be a better competition for leagues who have never made a final (or rarely) to have a realistic (and maybe regular) chance of winning a euro trophy.

In summary, Chelsea hardly did an open top bus tour for winning this years ECL (if they did, its sad), however it would be a huge achievement for any league ranked outside the top 10.

You will no doubt disagree and that's fine, its just a view I have, nothing else.

[Nesta99]

According to UEFA rules, they're not eligible, as they're neither a cup winner nor in the top division.

https://documents.uefa.com/r/Regulat...etition-Online

Is the womans qualidication relevant for Europeab licence, Thought at one time the domestic association could nominate a side like if a playoff system is used to get a Euro slot

[pineapple stu]

Still think leagues from ranked 1-10 have no business being involved in this, and it would be a better competition for leagues who have never made a final (or rarely) to have a realistic (and maybe regular) chance of winning a euro trophy.

You will no doubt disagree and that's fine, its just a view I have, nothing else.

I will disagree though - as BigEars and sbgawa have said, you'll create a tournament nobody cares about if you take out the top ten countries. And that'll hurt the LoI involvement, not benefit it.

[oriel]

Fair enough, can see both sides of the argument, still think its too 'top heavy' with highest ranked leagues, but it is good to have a 3rd competition, since the long gone ECWC departed the scene.

[Mr_Parker]

According to UEFA rules, they're not eligible, as they're neither a cup winner nor in the top division.

https://documents.uefa.com/r/Regulat...etition-Online

"Subject to*Paragraph 4.05, a club that is not admitted to the competition is replaced by the next-best-placed club in the top domestic championship of the same association, provided the new club fulfils the admission criteria and the status of the competition allows such a replacement, safeguarding the sporting integrity of the competition. In such case, the access of the relevant association is adjusted accordingly."

[EalingGreen]

What you perhaps haven't considered, is if you do that, you create the UEFA equivalent of the Tommy Murphy Cup........ nobody gives a ****.

The argument for excluding Premier Lge and La Liga clubs from the Conf is sound in principle, but you're absolutely correct, Big Ears.

For in practice, the Conf would get zero interest/coverage without a sprinkling of big names.

[EalingGreen]

Radical proposal! Lets have a champions competition for champions, cup winners competition, and a competition for the rest with parachute games for those that are knocked out of he others. Maybe have a pre European tournament called something like intertoto where clubs that progress can get access to the main best of the rest. Throw in a competition for lower ranked leagues that earn additional places for higher comps following season and also can be parachuted in to when out of all other competitions, paid for by national wealth funds to buy world cup hosting and for clubs to get entry to the European system like the Israelis. Exclude some multi club clubs that are not liked for some reason, just for the laugh like, and alls sorted.

Sorry, but I've seen all the 'Back To The Future" films - the first one was great and the second ok, but the third absolutely stank the place out.

There is no call for a fourth, such as you suggest!

[ger121]

I see Dan tweeting Drogheda’s appeal has been rejected