All Ireland League

**OneRedArmy** · 07/11/2006, 8:36 AM

Surely now is the time to make this a reality?

The current farce of a League and the lack of confidence that the FAI will be any better organised come next year is almost begging a group of clubs to go out on their own and come up with a rival proposal to Delaney's little party, but crucially on an all Ireland basis.

Now, has anyone got the ambition, vision and balls to do it?

**green-blood** · 07/11/2006, 8:37 AM

oh its that time of the year is it...

**OneRedArmy** · 07/11/2006, 8:48 AM

Originally Posted by green-blood

oh its that time of the year is it...

By dissolving the current League structures Delaney is almost inviting it to happen. This is why its an opportune time.

From a legal perspective, they may also be duty bound to examine a rival proposal.

Remember the FAI (nor FIFA nor UEFA) don't control the law in this country, despite what they might have you believe.

**Dodge** · 07/11/2006, 8:49 AM

At this point I'd like to point out tht within the last 2 months, all clubs voted to not only stay within the FAI but to give them MORE control over league.

A breakaway will never happen.

**dcfcsteve** · 07/11/2006, 8:55 AM

Now would circumstantially be a good time, but in reality it's just too early.

We've only had 2 years of Setanta - it needs more time and growth to bed itself in and prove itself as more than just a passing fad.

More crucially, any breakaway would require funding to make up for the lack of FAI/IFA cash (at least for the initial period when both played awkward). We don't haved the commercial appeal yet to be able to do this without serious behind-the-scenes legwork, which would itself require time and funding.

Also - our clubs are so badly run at the moment that any breakaway would probably be an administrative disaster and collapse under the weight of petty parochial squabbles. Just think what Oily would be like as part of a breakaway body !

So unfortunately we're stuck with the FAI for the foeseable future, painful though that is to accept.

**endabob1** · 07/11/2006, 9:01 AM

Setting up a league accross two different associations and two seperate political states is not going to be set up overnight, the IFA are in the middle of their season the EL is coming to an end, when would the new league start?
There are reasoned arguments to make for setting up the league as it would surely result in better standards and have half a dozen BIG sides, ie capable of pulling over 5,000 punters on a regular basis but logistically and politically it would be difficult to set up.
There are also reasoned arguments against it like the possible disolving of talent at a local underage level, the fact that the FAI taking control of the League should help in aligning it to national teams, it should boost the profile and the standars of the league, this would all potentially be lost in an all-ireland league.
Basically the arguments for it are never going to be strong enough to persuade the powers that be that it will benefit their associations more than the current set ups.

**Poor Student** · 07/11/2006, 9:02 AM

A certain club chairman told me at the start of the season that he was asking Glentoran to in his words "take a leap of faith" and join the new league. I think he said Linfield weren't interested. That's the last I heard on the matter.

**ifk101** · 07/11/2006, 9:16 AM

Why do proponents of a All-Ireland league assume that everything will be better with a unification? Isn't more logical to assume that an unification will make things worse than they currently are?

**endabob1** · 07/11/2006, 9:19 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Why do proponents of a All-Ireland league assume that everything will be better with a unification? Isn't more logical to assume that an unification will make things worse than they currently are?

I think that there would be both positives and negatives from a unified league but at the moment the negatives far outweigh any potential positives.

**Dodge** · 07/11/2006, 9:22 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Why do proponents of a All-Ireland league assume that everything will be better with a unification? Isn't more logical to assume that an unification will make things worse than they currently are?

The idea is that any new product would be far more marketable than anything with the LOI/IL baggage. It'd need a top sponsor and a godd TV contract but IMO an AIL is far more appealing to casual fans than the current set up.

A clean break could also see massive tightening of the rule book etc making things a little easier on the admin side

Thats the theory anyway. pie in the Skiy idea IMO

**wws** · 07/11/2006, 9:33 AM

100% oppossed to any link with the Irish League other than the satisfactory Setanta Cup. More than adequate

absolutely no need to merge with the north league

**David** · 07/11/2006, 9:37 AM

Linfield have been non commital on it and have stated publicly that they have not been involved in talks when it was alleged that we were. If Glentoran did publicly back it, I think it might cause a serious rethink at Windsor Park. The Glens are the only team that bring a decent support to Windsor at the minute so if they jusmped ship we would not be left with much to be honest. The same would work the other way round.

I can't see it happening in the forseeable future as much as I would like to. There are too many people in both governing associations happy with their wee cushy numbers, it would be akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.

**ifk101** · 07/11/2006, 9:40 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

The idea is that any new product would be far more marketable than anything with the LOI/IL baggage. It'd need a top sponsor and a godd TV contract but IMO an AIL is far more appealing to casual fans than the current set up.

A clean break could also see massive tightening of the rule book etc making things a little easier on the admin side

Thats the theory anyway. pie in the Skiy idea IMO

Neither set of associations, clubs, administrative structures etc can currently get their houses in order - surely an unification will multiply these problems, not least because there will be massive power struggles between the old identities upon unification.

Assuming that sponsorship will increase is forgetting that costs will also increase. An unification will certainly result in costs increases. But can we be sure that incomes will also increase? Is Longford - Dungannon more marketable that Longford - Cork to the "casual fan" or the "casual sponsor/ television company"?

**Dodge** · 07/11/2006, 9:51 AM

Not IMO no, but thats the theory bit...

**OneRedArmy** · 07/11/2006, 10:07 AM

Who said that any of the current administrators on either side of the border would have to be involved?

If you are going to quote UEFA and FIFA chapter and verse as a response, read my post at the top first.

I can accept those who don't the idea in any way shape or form, what I can't accept is those who think it would be good but think now isn't the time or there are too many barriers in place.

If its going to be done, when the FAI dissolve the League there will exist a brief legal limbo where there is no league in the Republic of Ireland. This is the time to do it.

**bohs til i die** · 07/11/2006, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

This is the time to do it.

You seem to be forgetting there would still be a league up North and they are half way through the season.

**passerrby** · 07/11/2006, 10:15 AM

i have spoken to at least two senior club members of the EL who are pushing for this and they feel that genisis is the ideal first step.
a .take away the vote of clubs
b. wittle down thew number of premier clubs.

**David** · 07/11/2006, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Neither set of associations, clubs, administrative structures etc can currently get their houses in order - surely an unification will multiply these problems, not least because there will be massive power struggles between the old identities upon unification.

Assuming that sponsorship will increase is forgetting that costs will also increase. An unification will certainly result in costs increases. But can we be sure that incomes will also increase? Is Longford - Dungannon more marketable that Longford - Cork to the "casual fan" or the "casual sponsor/ television company"?

Longford Dungannon might not be but Cork Linfield, Bohs Glentoran etc is. Like in both leagues now, as is the case with every league there will be games that do not sound that appealing. However in an AIL there would be significantly more appealing and marketable games than there is in either league at the minute.

**Macy** · 07/11/2006, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by David

Longford Dungannon might not be but Cork Linfield, Bohs Glentoran etc is. Like in both leagues now, as is the case with every league there will be games that do not sound that appealing. However in an AIL there would be significantly more appealing and marketable games than there is in either league at the minute.

Additionally, if it's a 16 team league on a straight home and away basis, the big games (or big visits in the terms of smaller clubs) have more appeal and the mid/ lower table games don't suffer from to many times against the same teams.

There is no will for this amongst the clubs - the way even those fundamentally opposed to the arrangements meekly agreed to the FAI merger shows that they haven't the balls.

**Aaron** · 07/11/2006, 11:55 AM

I cant see it happening for another 8-10 years yet. There is too much going wrong in both associations to try and merge at this time. Add in the fact that there will be a debate on whether the two national teams will merge. Questions like who runs the league, who's invited...etc, personally i dont see it and dont want it to happen