SPL better than eircom League � Hoolahan

**De Town** · 07/01/2006, 3:11 PM

Hoolahan started on the bench today for Livi away to Alloa in the Scottish Cup.

**ThatGuy** · 07/01/2006, 3:19 PM

I was never overly impressed by Houlihan to be honest, he is a very good player but there have been better young players in the league in recent years (Doyle, O'Flynn, JP Kelly, McCourt) and better players in the Shelbourne team (Byrne, Heary, and while not on 2005's form Crowe). Surprised that Houlihan has gone for such a fee.

Although in saying that, I don't doubt that people's high opinions of Houlihan are wrong, and the fact that he has gotten his "big move" would support that, I'm just going by games that I have seen him play against Bohs.

**Slash/ED** · 07/01/2006, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by De Town

Hoolahan started on the bench today for Livi away to Alloa in the Scottish Cup.

It'll probably be a few weeks before he's in the first team, his fitness must be way off the rest of the team atm.

**Raheny Red** · 07/01/2006, 5:19 PM

Weso came on in the second half! - Livi equalised with the last kick of the game. 1-1.
Anyway I just checked to see what league Alloa are in. Now I was expecting them to be in the first division and looking for promotion after that result. To my amazement they are bottom of the second division and are facing relegation to the Scottish Third Division!

Oh the mighty Livi!!

**Dyl10** · 07/01/2006, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Raheny Red

Weso came on in the second half! - Livi equalised with the last kick of the game. 1-1.
Anyway I just checked to see what league Alloa are in.

Is jose Quitonga playin for alloa?

**Iorfa** · 07/01/2006, 11:51 PM

Was on the bench. Don't think he's much of a regular with Alloa these days.

**dcfcsteve** · 08/01/2006, 2:36 AM

Originally Posted by Raheny Red

Weso came on in the second half! - Livi equalised with the last kick of the game. 1-1.
Anyway I just checked to see what league Alloa are in. Now I was expecting them to be in the first division and looking for promotion after that result. To my amazement they are bottom of the second division and are facing relegation to the Scottish Third Division!

Oh the mighty Livi!!

I sincerely hope he was scratching his head on the drive back to Midlothian, wondering what he had done to foresake European football for last-minute equalisers against a club who would probably struggle in the Eirom First Division.....

Dear oh dear....

**sfc red** · 08/01/2006, 3:11 AM

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

I was never overly impressed by Houlihan to be honest, he is a very good player but there have been better young players in the league in recent years (Doyle, O'Flynn, JP Kelly, McCourt) and better players in the Shelbourne team (Byrne, Heary, and while not on 2005's form Crowe). Surprised that Houlihan has gone for such a fee.

Although in saying that, I don't doubt that people's high opinions of Houlihan are wrong, and the fact that he has gotten his "big move" would support that, I'm just going by games that I have seen him play against Bohs.

I was at every Shels game last season and he was an absolute privilege to watch.
I seem to remember his best game being against Bohs in the the 2-1 at Tolka (Remember...Bobby Ryan swings it over and Glen Crowe, standing on the word Judas, scores the winner...) where he absolutely ripped you apart

**MrJoeSoap** · 08/01/2006, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I sincerely hope he was scratching his head on the drive back to Midlothian, wondering what he had done to foresake European football for last-minute equalisers against a club who would probably struggle in the Eirom First Division.....

Dear oh dear....

I'm with you on this one. "eL title challengers -> SPL relegation fodder" being a step up is debatable... last minute equalisers to a team bottom of the Scottish Second Division is just awful.

Anyone else see what Wes said about when he played against Keane in a friendly?

"I was having a decent game ... and at one point he (Keane) turned to Gary Neville and shouted, �kick that little so and so�."

**thejollyrodger** · 08/01/2006, 11:40 AM

Hoolahan and livingstons comments were bordering on the ludercous. Livingston arent in the same class as Shelbourne. We wont be on the recieiving end of a 7-0 thrashing by the old firms and Livingston are never ever going to see Europe.

The €140,000 move for Hoolahan is a step down and he knows it. Obvously its getting at him or he is completely ignorant.

The transfer does highlight the antics of Cork City who have disgraced themselves with the cheapo sale of Doyle, who is estimated to be worth �3million GBPounds, for a couple of thousand Euro.

**ThatGuy** · 08/01/2006, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by sfc red

I was at every Shels game last season and he was an absolute privilege to watch.
I seem to remember his best game being against Bohs in the the 2-1 at Tolka (Remember...Bobby Ryan swings it over and Glen Crowe, standing on the word Judas, scores the winner...) where he absolutely ripped you apart

He was playing against a 17 year old making his debut and versus a Bohs team severely hit by injuries and suspensions and reduced to 10 men after a few minutes in fairness!

**ThatGuy** · 08/01/2006, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

Hoolahan and livingstons comments were bordering on the ludercous. Livingston arent in the same class as Shelbourne. We wont be on the recieiving end of a 7-0 thrashing by the old firms and Livingston are never ever going to see Europe.

The €140,000 move for Hoolahan is a step down and he knows it. Obvously its getting at him or he is completely ignorant.

The transfer does highlight the antics of Cork City who have disgraced themselves with the cheapo sale of Doyle, who is estimated to be worth �3million GBPounds, for a couple of thousand Euro.

The SPL is a step up, a mammoth step up. Livingston may or may not have a better team than Shelbourne or any club here, that is up for debate, but it is a better club in every sense of the word that is for sure.

The 7-0 point is irrelevant though, if any club here was to play against the Old Firm regularly I am sure that they would be on the wrong end of a hiding at least once. I know Irish clubs have gotten results against Aberdeen, Kaiserslautern, Rosenorg, Deportivo etc, but that is in the euphoria of Cup competition where underdogs always raise their game. In the run of the mill league games I think the gulf in class would be evident (not between top EL sides and Livi, but between top EL sides and top SPL sides).

And Cork City had no choice about Doyle's fee, it was in his contract. Luckily for them he didn't have a free transfer to Britain release clause as many players in the league do.

**thejollyrodger** · 08/01/2006, 11:45 AM

The league may be a step up but Livingston defintely arent. You can be in a top league but be bottom in a top league getting hammered regularly. Time to call a spade a spade. Its a bad move for Hoolahan.

**ThatGuy** · 08/01/2006, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

The league may be a step up but Livingston defintely arent. You can be in a top league but be bottom in a top league getting hammered regularly. Time to call a spade a spade. Its a bad move for Hoolahan.

Week in week out Houlihan will be playing against better sides than there are in the Eircom League. He will be playing in front of massive crowds, perhaps in the region of 60,000 on occassions. He will be playing against clubs which qualify for the Champions League group stages and have a pedigree in Europe. He will be playing in a better home staidium, presumably better facilities than what Shelbourne have in IT Blanchardstown, be earning more money, and with a club that has the budget to bring in better players than any EL club can afford to. He is also in a far greater shop window for moving to a bigger club.

How on earth is that a step down?

**MrJoeSoap** · 08/01/2006, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

Week in week out Houlihan will be playing against better sides than there are in the Eircom League. He will be playing in front of massive crowds, perhaps in the region of 60,000 on occassions. He will be playing against clubs which qualify for the Champions League group stages and have a pedigree in Europe. He will be playing in a better home staidium, presumably better facilities than what Shelbourne have in IT Blanchardstown, be earning more money, and with a club that has the budget to bring in better players than any EL club can afford to. He is also in a far greater shop window for moving to a bigger club.

How on earth is that a step down?

Because they are bottom of the SPL and staring relegation in the face???

How good a shop window is the Scottish First Division?

**ThatGuy** · 08/01/2006, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by MrJoeSoap

Because they are bottom of the SPL and staring relegation in the face???

How good a shop window is the Scottish First Division?

They are one point behind half way through the season.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 08/01/2006, 12:03 PM

Even though they're currently bottom I don't see Livi dropping down this season unfortunately (nothing to do with Weso, I just never liked Livi). The Pars are a much worse football team through and through and have been gutted of most of their reasonably talented players since the Jimmys left.

**thejollyrodger** · 08/01/2006, 12:04 PM

He will be playing against 2 good clubs and 1 decent enough club. Talking about what other clubs are doing is pathetic attempt at trying to boost the club that you are going to. Livingston arent Celtic, Rangers or Hearts.

The rest of the time he will be travelling to the highlands playing pathetic attempts at clubs.

Although Shels and other EL clubs dont have great facilities and finances we at least have the potential of Europe. We will be playing against top teams, some far superior than the old firms.

Shelbourne also have plans for the future, new stadium training facilites etc. What have Livingston got ? Lets avoid relegation lads .

**ThatGuy** · 08/01/2006, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

Although Shels and other EL clubs dont have great facilities and finances we at least have the potential of Europe. We will be playing against top teams, some far superior than the old firms.

Who exactly will Shels be playing this season who are "far superior than the old firms?"

If teams in the SPL are jokes, what the hell are the other 11 clubs in the EL then?

People get their knickers in a twist about ignorant people dissing the EL, yet the same people make crazy remarks about teams in a league which they clearly know nothing about. Ridiculous.