yeah but they have an all Ireland national team. this will not happen in football.
Its not rubbish. UEFA have made it quite clear to the FAI that without political unity there cannot be an All Ireland League. UEFA are the governing body of European football and no league can operate without their permission.
Because of this expect to see the Setanta Cup being used as a mini AIL for years to come.
Gonzo I have no idea who shams are.
KOH
That's Rovers to you son. The first division, which you lot know a lot about, and the lack of a ground are temporary.
Hope that clears it up for you.
KOH
Oh, for the love of God...Yet another another interesting debate gets side-tracked into a typical foot.ie points scoring arguement due to one person's inability to resist the temptation to make some predictable remark about Rovers
Any way, back on topic - yes, NY Hoop is proberbly right re UEFA's stance on the issue. The only way around it would be for one or both of the two associations to disband, thus doing away with the two international teams as we know them. That, quite simply, isn't going to happen before political unity. The other option would be for the FAI to invite individual clubs from the North (similarly to Derry in the eighties) to join us, presumably the strongest clubs in the north. It would retain the status quo with regard to how our league operates, only with a few additional members included.
Ireland: Discovered!
But that'd be unlikely without additional European places, as we'd've lots of big teams going for few places (I'm not complaining, it'd raise the standard no doubt - but the clubs are unlikely to want to lose out on European money!). Could the IFA get an injuction (or something?) in place to stop them leaving?
God
Europe is not the be be all & end all of irish football. If an All Ireland league was able to sustain professional football for a whole Premier division it would be better.
It may be possibel to retain FAI Division 1 & IFA Division 1 as regional leagues to satisfy FIFA/Uefa requirements,
I doubt it. No doubt they'd resist it if the likes of Linfield or Glentoran went to them and said "we're out of here", but legally I can't see how under EU law they can block such a move - freedom of trade, and all that. It's worth considering, if certain, stronger clubs in the North can be persuaded that their potential is being stifled by staying in a league that is going backwards rather than forwards. OK, I know what we have down here isn't exactly the bee's knees but there are people up north who see the eircom league has being run with German efficienvy in comparison to what the IL has to offer in it's present state.Originally Posted by EnDai
Ireland: Discovered!
Or the IFA to invite Shels, Derry and Bohs to rejoin.Oh, for the love of God...Yet another another interesting debate gets side-tracked into a typical foot.ie points scoring arguement due to one person's inability to resist the temptation to make some predictable remark about Rovers
Any way, back on topic - yes, NY Hoop is proberbly right re UEFA's stance on the issue. The only way around it would be for one or both of the two associations to disband, thus doing away with the two international teams as we know them. That, quite simply, isn't going to happen before political unity. The other option would be for the FAI to invite individual clubs from the North (similarly to Derry in the eighties) to join us, presumably the strongest clubs in the north. It would retain the status quo with regard to how our league operates, only with a few additional members included.
Limerick might make it too as we had a team in the Irish Cup Final in 1892.
I can't see it happening particularly as the "not so secret talks" involve clubs and not the governing bodies.
Having watched the Setanta Cup and the various recent European campaigns, there can surely be no doubt which is more beneficial to clubs?
having seen the crowds and interest in the Setanta cup I cant really see what all the interest is in AIL.
Maybe true in general, but there was nothing wrong with the athmosphere in the Brandwell on Monday, judging from the TV anyway.
When exactly did UEFA make this pronouncement NYH, and where exactly has it been reported ??
Ignoring the fact that this is the first that i (and I suspect most other people on here) have heard of UEFA having made such a declaration - do you really think that UEFA would even have the vaguest interest in making a pronouncement that clearly meddled so heavily in politics ?
So if a breakaway from the IL joined the EL (or vice-versa) what would happen ? Are you telling me that UEFA would efefctively close-down/disown club football in Ireland !?!
I suspect strongly that personal opinion/viewpoint and reported fact are gettign mixed up here.
Dassa's point re:attendances at Setanta Cup games is valid.
Irish people ( as in islanders who inhabit the Oul Sod) DO NOT earn the right to be called football supporters. IL and EL fans excepted. The rest of the herd ( hurrrrrrrd) are event junkies who won't go to something unless another 10,000 are going to be at it. And going every other week to every home game is too much like COMMITMENT and in the 21st Century nobody has that!
You couldnt be more wrong. I would love to see an AIL. I mean you would want to be an idiot not to want senior football on the island to progress.When exactly did UEFA make this pronouncement NYH, and where exactly has it been reported ??
Ignoring the fact that this is the first that i (and I suspect most other people on here) have heard of UEFA having made such a declaration - do you really think that UEFA would even have the vaguest interest in making a pronouncement that clearly meddled so heavily in politics ?
So if a breakaway from the IL joined the EL (or vice-versa) what would happen ? Are you telling me that UEFA would efefctively close-down/disown club football in Ireland !?!
I suspect strongly that personal opinion/viewpoint and reported fact are gettign mixed up here.
I dont know the exact date when UEFA made this pronouncement but the FAI would know. As I said UEFA are the governing body and no league can operate without their permission.
KOH
I reckon it is only a mtter of time before it happens, although a united international team has been ruled out. It works for rugby and snooker etc etc, why not for soccer? People are talking about unity and peace, maybe if people were more willing to communicate and interact, then that would be another steeping stone towards that goal, in a way this is about soccer and politics, but put the politics to one side, leave the politicians to their work, and just enjoyn the soccer. An injection of new teams to make a united league might increase the interest, make a league that we can all be proud of?
Some good sound-bytes, gonzo, but no substance behind your accusations. When you look at it, no-one's made a single valid point about an All-Ireland league which has been backed up by stats or evidence. Maybe we should start debating this evidence rather than throwing out sentences that sound good?
(Incidentally, I'm for an All-Ireland league. I just don't think it's the panacea it's being touted as.)
Without a combined national team,personally cant see an all Island league and the last thing I want is combined national team. i think we are living in a dream world if we think its going to happen.
It may be possible that if an All-Ireland league was constructed the level of football would improve, in a way of looking at it is that firstly a united league might gain more respect than two minor leagues. The population is there to support it. I suppose the question is how do you get people to support their local team?, when they are more interested in Chelsea, Liverpool and United. Another thing is that the teams represented in the league should be more nationwide based, rather than a handful of counties represented. The GAA can do it, why not the IFA/FAI? e.g Wexford, Kerry, Cavan.......
Sorry NY - but I suspect that it's you who is talkign out of their hoop here (if you'll excuse the puin).
So - UEFA have made a proclamation that meddles heavily in politics in a part of Europe with a history of violent division. Despite foot.ie being full of people with a borderline obsession for Irish club football and everythign to do with it - no-one else on here appears to have heard of such a proclamation except you, and you can't even tell us roughly when such a fundamental proclamation was made, or when or where it was reported.....?
I'm afraid it's yourself who's got this totally wrong NYH. As much as it bores me to have to bring this up seemingly every month now - there is a legal precedent under EU competition and Restraint of Trade law that states that any EU-based football club can play in any other EU-Based league if they want, so long as they are accepted within that new league. So, for example, if the Old Firm wanted to join the English League, and the League there voted to accept them, UEFA and the SFA could do feck all to stop it happening legally. Likewise, if a group of IL teams wanted to join the EL, or vice-versa, EU law would support them in doing this so long as they were accepd into that league in-accordance with its rules for accepting new members.
I can quote my evidence for this : the legal case of 'Newport County et al vs the FAW' and Lord Blackburn's ruling on it in the English High Court in 1994 - a ruling made made with reference to EU restraint of trade and competition law. Can you provide similar evidence for what you're saying ? As otherwise it's just nonesense...
Last edited by dcfcsteve; 30/03/2006 at 3:20 PM.
I don't think the Setanta Cup has gained much extra support outside people who would normally go to IL or eL games. Maybe this because Setanta coverage around the country is patchy (NTL + 32k Sky/Chorus subscribers).
Most of the IL sides except Linfield are average ability or poor so don't attract the attention of supporters. Cork City v Drogheda Setanta CUp crowds were a bit smaller than league crowds you;d expect but this is due to boredom of playing 3 times in 4-5 weeks.
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks