Keely urges Setanta expansion

**pete** · 23/04/2006, 9:40 AM

Setanta want to sell tv subscriptions. I can't see welsh or english football fans taking out subscriptions for a few games a year.

How would you decide what SPL team enters? 3rd, 4th, 5th place? If none of the top 4 teams entered would it be acceptable to take teams 5th to 8th?

5 Kilmarnock 35 1 52
6 Aberdeen 35 3 50
7 Inverness CT 35 9 49
8 Motherwell 35 -6 45

I don't see these teams a draw.

**Poor Student** · 23/04/2006, 1:30 PM

Originally Posted by pete

If none of the top 4 teams entered would it be acceptable to take teams 5th to 8th?

No, it wouldn't. It's one thing for us to quietly know the league is inferior to the SPL. It's another thing to insitutionalise, recognise and highlight that inferiority by having the best teams from one league compete against the middle standard from another. It would downgrade the competition and our league. If there's an expansion then I think Wales is the way to go. It can bring the same benefits to them it does ours, money and media coverage.

**Poor Student** · 23/04/2006, 3:11 PM

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

Why Would you want the Welsh teams in ? They are muck beyond Muck ! Surely you would get a bigger attendance for a game against Kilmarnock or Aberdeen than a game against Aberystwyth, TNS Or Rhyl, i mean come on i think the scottish teams that finnish outside European spots should be invited, would not Invite the Welsh because they are a Joke ( Sorry Longford Fans)

I think the benefit of the Setanta Cup could help bring them up a level like Linfield in the last year. Also, you're attitude is a lot like the attitude shown by many towards IL teams. Do you think the top four of Wales are any worse than Dungannon?

You don't think inviting mid table Scottish teams does the tournament's image damage? What makes you think the likes of Kilmarnock or Motherwell would be bothered with such a tournament? Also, mid table Scottish teams are better than a lot of people give them credit for and could well prove to be better than the eL's top teams if they took it seriously. Now that would only do damage to the league's image.

**Dazzy** · 23/04/2006, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

would not Invite the Welsh because they are a Joke ( Sorry Longford Fans)

**crc** · 23/04/2006, 4:02 PM

I think the major benefit of the Setanta Cup is having a quality 'product' (forgive the expression) for Irish football. If the Setanta Cup were expanded to Scotland and/or Wales, it would be a tacit acknowledgment that we can't attract interest in Irish football on our own. The biggest challenge facing the IL and eL is to break the perception that the only football worth watching is in Britain!

**Macy** · 24/04/2006, 7:58 AM

It should be expanded, but only with more eL and IL teams. Top 6 plus the cup winners as now (FAI/IFA Cup and League Cup), and have 4 groups.

**Derek** · 24/04/2006, 9:08 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

It should be expanded, but only with more eL and IL teams. Top 6 plus the cup winners as now (FAI/IFA Cup and League Cup), and have 4 groups.

Then the cup would never end

**pete** · 24/04/2006, 9:50 AM

There isn't the quality to entend the Setanta Cup. Whatever about the eL the IL sides would just be making up the numbers. It has to be seen as an achievement to qualify for the tournament too. The addition of extra teams this year now mean participants get 20k & not the previous 30k. 6 group games is enough too as eL calendar cannot fit in more games.

**Macy** · 24/04/2006, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by pete

There isn't the quality to entend the Setanta Cup. Whatever about the eL the IL sides would just be making up the numbers. It has to be seen as an achievement to qualify for the tournament too. The addition of extra teams this year now mean participants get 20k & not the previous 30k. 6 group games is enough too as eL calendar cannot fit in more games.

It'd be the same number of match days/series. At most an additional set of quarter finals. It'll have to be extended at some point, if the aim is some kind of AIL, or something to stave off that possibility.

**Tenderloins** · 24/04/2006, 10:37 AM

Welsh teams would add nothing to the competition. Scottish teams who didn't qualify for Europe should be well beatable by the top EL teams, thus improving the profile of the EL.
Bohs victory over Aberdeen a few years ago got a lot of notice from non EL fans.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 24/04/2006, 12:36 PM

I honestly can't see Dons fans caring for it, same goes for Well, Caley and Killie.

**Risteard** · 24/04/2006, 9:50 PM

Why can't it be left be?
Nothing at all wrong with the current format.
The only suggestion made that i thought decent was to have playoffs between the eL and ILs 4th and 5th teams cross-border for the fourth position in either group.
Could have been a fair way of having Bohs rather than Dungannon in this year with all due respect.
IL 4th v eL 5th in NI &
eL 4th v IL 5th in the Republic.
And even that would prob be too undiplomatic for the IL.

Leave it be i say.

**Sheridan** · 24/04/2006, 9:57 PM

The appeal of the Setanta Cup is that determines, however tenuously, the champions of Ireland, or at least provides one club with a vaguely plausible pretext for styling themselves thus. The incorporation of Scottish and Welsh teams into the competition would dilute this appeal.

I can't believe Keely is paid to churn out this tripe (a phrase that crosses my lips most Friday nights.)