eL "relaunch" - Questions for those against

**OneRedArmy** · 30/01/2006, 9:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bald Student

What we need is some kind of mechanism to seperate the two types of clubs. I propose that each club playes a series of 30 to 40 games against their rivals on a round robin basis. The clubs which do poorly in this competition could me moved to a lower league to be replaced by clubs which did well in the league immediatly below.

Sounds good.

Would you hold this tournament in a glorified cowshed or in a modern stadium with facilities designed to attract families and make watching the game less of a hardship?

**Bald Student** · 30/01/2006, 9:19 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Sounds good.

Would you hold this tournament in a glorified cowshed or in a modern stadium with facilities designed to attract families and make watching the game less of a hardship?

I vote for a modern stadium. In fact I'd go so far as to say that any club which does not have a stadium of a certain standard should not be allowed to enter this competition.

I remember being promised such a competition about three years ago.

**pete** · 30/01/2006, 10:14 PM

AFAIK all clubs have equal access to infrastructure grants (except for shels of course who live in Delaneys pocket

) with the exception of smaller once off grants to european qualifiers.

I think everyone has to accept that the Premier division must have minimum standards off the pitch but of course they need to realistic. I would suggest minimum capacity & minimum seats level amoung others.

**Bald Student** · 30/01/2006, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I think everyone has to accept that the Premier division must have minimum standards off the pitch but of course they need to realistic. I would suggest minimum capacity & minimum seats level amoung others.

Exactly,
I think we're starting to reach a consesus on the issue. The consesus we're reaching is very similar to what the licencing should have been two years ago.

**dcfcsteve** · 30/01/2006, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

We've only ever had 2 "guises" as you like to call it - we were called Galway Rovers when we first joined the league - and apart from Derry City all new teams to the league have struggled.

I agree with your point overall JC, but whilst I'd love it to be true I think it's a bit harsh to state that City are the only new team to the league not to have struggled.

Cork City only joined in 1984. There was no Cork team for the 2 previous seasons, so they were a proper new team. They're far from struggled.

Longford Town also joined in 1984, and have been quite successful over all. Two FAI Cups, a League Cup, consolidation in the Premier division (top 5 finish in 3 of the last 4 seasons) and a half-decent stadium could hardly be considered struggling. Particularly given the size of their town. Though they do struggle in Europe....

Bray could also be considered successful. Two FAI Cups, 3 Frst Division titles (including the inaugural one), and now Premier Division consolidation after a series of yo-yo's (mid-table last year). Not bad for a small new club.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 31/01/2006, 6:20 AM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

I am taking it at face value that Tallaght will be ready to occupy, or close to by season 07 and similarly the Bowl.

I would imagine however that enhanced infrastructure requirements will form part of the Premier division application at the end of this season (eg 3,000 seats with 5,000 in 3 years or something similar). Put simply, the Bowl proposals referred to above (1,500 seats) are simply aimed at minimum existing standards.

I'm not victimising UCD, for example if Derry don't secure ownership of their ground soon the Council has indicated that they don't have major investment plans, therefore we would been in severe trouble with no possibility of acquiring land for greenfield development.

Well you could always get a greenfield site slightly back over the border in Co. Donegal, but within easy reach of your present ground.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 31/01/2006, 6:24 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I agree with your point overall JC, but whilst I'd love it to be true I think it's a bit harsh to state that City are the only new team to the league not to have struggled.

Cork City only joined in 1984. There was no Cork team for the 2 previous seasons, so they were a proper new team. They're far from struggled.

Longford Town also joined in 1984, and have been quite successful over all. Two FAI Cups, a League Cup, consolidation in the Premier division (top 5 finish in 3 of the last 4 seasons) and a half-decent stadium could hardly be considered struggling. Particularly given the size of their town. Though they do struggle in Europe....

Bray could also be considered successful. Two FAI Cups, 3 Frst Division titles (including the inaugural one), and now Premier Division consolidation after a series of yo-yo's (mid-table last year). Not bad for a small new club.

Well our club was accepted into the League in 1979 when the second Cork Club at the time(i.e. Cork Celtic) did not get it's financial house in order!
U.C.D. won the F.A.I. Cup in 1984 have finished 4th in the top flight on two occasions, the second of which in 2000 saw us qualify for the U.E.F.A Intertoto Cup. Our previous spell in the Premier Division lasted 9 years.
One First Division title , two runner-up spots considering our resources not bad at all!

rerun · 31/01/2006, 11:59 AM

Bother me, why not play a 22 team league in 2007, the top 10 go into the eircom i-League 1 and the the bottom 12 go into eircom i-League 2 for season 2008? Who's with me?

**pete** · 31/01/2006, 12:43 PM

A 22 team league even for 1-2 years is stupid idea. The current 10 teams in the 1st division are there because they not good enough for the Premier.

**Bald Student** · 31/01/2006, 12:53 PM

A 22 team league would just be boring. The boring mid-table would be huge and without relegation the bottom of the table would be just as boring.

**Magicme** · 31/01/2006, 1:46 PM

Originally Posted by pete

A 22 team league even for 1-2 years is stupid idea. The current 10 teams in the 1st division are there because they not good enough for the Premier.

Not necessarily true. Only 2 teams can go up and there is fierce competition mid table in the first division trying to get into the second places. Who is to say that first division teams wouldnt hold their own against the premier teams. Mons had the Drogs on the ropes in their cup game and were unlucky not to win but they were able to show that they could hold it up against a top team.

**SeanDrog** · 31/01/2006, 1:51 PM

Mons had the Drogs on the ropes in their cup game and were unlucky not to win but they were able to show that they could hold it up against a top team.

yeah keep dreaming pal - thats right ypur better than Drogs

oh yeah you should have won that game ............

and given we beat Bohs, Bray and Cork i suppose that means by right you should really be cup and league champions .

calling planet earth come in earth .....

rerun · 31/01/2006, 2:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bald Student

A 22 team league would just be boring. The boring mid-table would be huge and without relegation the bottom of the table would be just as boring.

Do you mean the mid-table between places 8 and 15 that would be the teams in contention for the higher league spots?
I would have thought teams that had the slightest chance off making the top league the following year would battling it out and making for more entertainment! Teams in the top third would have to keep going all season, not only competing for the league but to keep above, what I believe, would be a competitive drop zone, i.e. mid table.
Are you worried UCD couldn't do better that top half against the minnows ?

Ideally I'd see a 22 team league as taking place for only one year, after that it's up to natural selection, two up/two down, and normal service can be resumed.

The added advantage of this is that we'd get some really entertaining games, I'd say Galway and Dundalk fans would relish this.We wouldn't have to put up with this nonsense of three games between teams, a Dublin derby twice a week (Bohs v Shels AGAIN??? and who'd be the home team?).

**Magicme** · 31/01/2006, 2:37 PM

Originally Posted by SeanDrog

Mons had the Drogs on the ropes in their cup game and were unlucky not to win but they were able to show that they could hold it up against a top team.

yeah keep dreaming pal - thats right ypur better than Drogs

oh yeah you should have won that game ............

and given we beat Bohs, Bray and Cork i suppose that means by right you should really be cup and league champions .

calling planet earth come in earth .....

Haha....not saying that! Just saying that we came close so it does not necessarily mean that first division teams couldnt compete with Premier teams. didnt say they would always win or that we were better than you...

**JC_GUFC** · 31/01/2006, 3:12 PM

[QUOTE=dcfcsteve]I agree with your point overall JC, but whilst I'd love it to be true I think it's a bit harsh to state that City are the only new team to the league not to have struggled.
[\QUOTE]

Sorry Steve, I just meant in their first few years in the league - when Derry joined the league they won the treble within 3 years - Galway United have of course had a glorious history since joining as well including a 100% record in Europe - 6 games, 6 defeats!

**John83** · 31/01/2006, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by rerun

Do you mean the mid-table between places 8 and 15 that would be the teams in contention for the higher league spots?
I would have thought teams that had the slightest chance off making the top league the following year would battling it out and making for more entertainment! Teams in the top third would have to keep going all season, not only competing for the league but to keep above, what I believe, would be a competitive drop zone, i.e. mid table.
Are you worried UCD couldn't do better that top half against the minnows ?

Ideally I'd see a 22 team league as taking place for only one year, after that it's up to natural selection, two up/two down, and normal service can be resumed.

The added advantage of this is that we'd get some really entertaining games, I'd say Galway and Dundalk fans would relish this.We wouldn't have to put up with this nonsense of three games between teams, a Dublin derby twice a week (Bohs v Shels AGAIN??? and who'd be the home team?).

These would be the same minnows UCD spent a season ****ing on two seasons ago?

The standard in the first division is dire - Harps, UCD and Bray all set record points totals against them fourteen months ago. I don't see them being much better now.