JOHN Gill on radio 1 at 6.30

[DvB]

Rovers would know all about these, so i guess your the rite man to mention them

Yep, i'm purely basing my posts in relation to DFC on SRFC's past practices!

Koh

[oriel]

I didnt hear the interview, but have heard some of it second hand.

Personaly speaking I dont think we`ll be invited to the new lge, I reckon we`ll just miss out by coutest of our appaling record 2002 - 04, if it is the case, its not the end of the world, and I`m certainly not going to lose any sleep over it. I think the prize money for nx years first div is 50k, and the winners play lge cup winners for setanta spot and of course auto promotion. There`s a good feel good factor around the club at the moment, maybe best in 10 years, increased attendances, goods structure, decent playing staff, albeit how many will stay is unclear, still we`d have to be confident of winning it next season if we stay where we are.

However................if we do get selected in a surprise development, how funny will that be especially for the club's place we take and all the anti dlk fc vibe on here ?

All fun and games ahead boy and girls...........

[bigmac]

all the anti dlk fc vibe on here ?

I think you're a bit eager to have the world against you Oriel. Most people are just pointing out that it's a bit rich to be complaining about a process that the club already agreed to. I don't think anyone was really being "anti Dundalk".

I have a lot of sympathy for Dundalk on this one I must say.

the problem here is not dundalk

Fair play to Dundalk.

[pineapple stu]

But then why were they made to take part in a play off match, which woud have no bearing on the final outcome of whether they got promoted or not ?

To decide whether they'd be classified as 13th or 11th in this year's league standings.

In fairness, while the whole criteria thing is clearly the biggest load of nonsense ever seen in footballing circles - and I'm including Shels' claims of imminent investment - it was clearly outlined back in May (week of the FAI Cup Second Round the stuff came out).

Still, best of luck to Gill. Hope he gets the point across about what a mess the FAI have made of the league this year.

Dundalk did the same with arguably our best midfielder Sean Finn, and then Scully for the 2nd leg, cant punish players for booking holidays 5months ago, when there was no mention of a playoff

What were you going to do if you reached the Cup Final?!

[pete]

Given so many people were dismissive of the FAI criteria what alternative would you suggest?

IMO the FAI clearly wanted a strong group of teams to start the league. They will then probably come up with some entry criteria for 1st division teams to get promoted in addition to having to win their league. This is common in many leagues & about time the eL started to actually enforce rules that have been in place for years.

The fact is that Dundalk have not performed on the pitch for years & have one good season all be it through a playoff so its not as if they being refused entry for years.

Is there a good eL citizen portion to the entry crieria?

[pineapple stu]

Given so many people were dismissive of the FAI criteria what alternative would you suggest?

What alternative?! Is that a serious question?!

The league standings, obviously, as always used - here and around the world. Dump the bottom team (Dublin City), promote the top team (Rovers) and swap the play off teams in the First Division teams win (i.e. Dundalk replace Waterford).

Those 12 teams would be subject to strict licencing, and relegation or points penalties applied if necessary. I would have no problems kicking Shels out and docking Cork 8 points if their finances aren't up to date from their last winding up orders. However, if someone in the top 12 meets licencing, they're in the top flight, end of story.

By definition, the 12 best teams in the country is the strongest Premier Division available.

But hey, I'm sure the FAI care about Irish football as much as they tell us they do...

[harps1954]

Dundalk did the same with arguably our best midfielder Sean Finn, and then Scully for the 2nd leg, cant punish players for booking holidays 5months ago, when there was no mention of a playoff

No mention of a play-off. Shame on the people in charge of your club. The play-off was included in the eircom League's rule-book at the beginning of the season. The play-off was also included in the FAI's merger proposal document that was sent to all clubs and that was on the FAI's website up until a few weeks ago. So to say that the play-off just appeared out of nowhere in the last few weeks is laughable. Didn't your club officials read the rule-book? Did they read the merger document which they voted to accept? It's not a bit wonder John Gill doesn't know what's happening if people felt that the decision to play a play-off game was only decided towards the end of the season. Your club would have voted on the eircom League rulebook at the start of the season and your club voted to accept the proprosals in the FAI merger document. If they done this without even reading the fine detail, shame on them.

[Philly]

This is like a student going on to the radio cyring over how they didn't get into Trinity (premier division) because they didn't understand the points system, and now they have to go to UCD (D1).

They agrred to the procedures. Nothing can change those procedures now. The same criteria are applied to all clubs, and the playoff has very little signifigence in the grand scheme of things.

Cop on Dundalk and await the results just like every other club has to.

I just know that this wholee affair will get messy when things are announced. Some club is bound to go to court.

[holidaysong]

The FAI could have avoided this can of worms by not having a playoff. They were even referring to it as a Promotion/Relegation playoff on the radio for **** sake. Obviously I want to be in the Premier League next season. If it takes putting public ressure on the FAI then so be it. While doing a wee dance on the RSC pitch on Saturday night however it was a bit hollow.

[LukeO]

This is like a student going on to the radio cyring over how they didn't get into Trinity (premier division) because they didn't understand the points system, and now they have to go to UCD (D1).

Hate to be them...

[Macy]

The FAI could have avoided this can of worms by not having a playoff.

I suppose potentially it could've made a difference to a clubs ranking. The problem isn't the playoff, it's Dundalk's attempt to use it that's creating the problem.

[WeAreRovers]

What alternative?! Is that a serious question?!

The league standings, obviously, as always used - here and around the world. Dump the bottom team (Dublin City), promote the top team (Rovers) and swap the play off teams in the First Division teams win (i.e. Dundalk replace Waterford).

Those 12 teams would be subject to strict licencing, and relegation or points penalties applied if necessary. I would have no problems kicking Shels out and docking Cork 8 points if their finances aren't up to date from their last winding up orders. However, if someone in the top 12 meets licencing, they're in the top flight, end of story.

By definition, the 12 best teams in the country is the strongest Premier Division available.

But hey, I'm sure the FAI care about Irish football as much as they tell us they do...

Absolutely 100% spot-on.

While I have no sympathy for Dundalk, I do think that Waterford and to a lesser extent Bray and Bohs totally pulled the pish last season knowing that they were fairly safe in regards to their places in the new league.

That looks bad from the outside looking in. All that Giller is doing is trying to win sympathy for Dundalk based on that. Mind you, he's wasting his time.

KOH

[drummerboy]

Can anyone confirm if Dundalk signed up to this process last summer. I thought everyone signed bar Dublin City but someone very close to Giller is on another chat forum saying that they didn't sign up to this.

[soccerc]

Can anyone confirm if Dundalk signed up to this process last summer. I thought everyone signed bar Dublin City but someone very close to Giller is on another chat forum saying that they didn't sign up to this.

Tbe process was endorsed at a special egm of the eL by an overwhelming majority and raetified by the FAI. All clubs knew what was involved

[Schumi]

This is like a student going on to the radio cyring over how they didn't get into Trinity (premier division) because they didn't understand the points system, and now they have to go to UCD (D1).

Ignoring the childish jibe, it's nothing like that. A closer analogy would be the CAO deciding that this year they'd give extra points for where you live, how you did in your 5th year & Junior Cert exams, the number of friends you have, the size of your house and how well you can bull$hit them about what you're going to do in college.

[CharlesThompson]

in fairness to dundalk, they are doing exactly what i would want my club if we were in the same situation. they know full well that they are most likely well behind on a number of criteria, but what have they to lose by going on a pr offensive, and putting the maximum possible pressure on the fai.

they probably feel that it wont work, but with the fai in charge, can anybody be sure?

I agree with this. The FAI, by using a very roundabout way to determine the Premier League participants next season, were always going to leave themselves open to what Gill is going on about now. I'd think that whether it was Dundalk, Rovers, Galway, Limerick we would be hearing the same from whoever from the 1st Division won a play-off.

The FAI should have done away with the play-off this season in order to close the door on the claims of Dundalk (or any other first division side who won a play-off).

[pineapple stu]

This is like a student going on to the radio cyring over how they didn't get into Trinity (premier division) because they didn't understand the points system, and now they have to go to UCD (D1).

Now now!

[Philly]

Pineapple Stu is way more fun that Schumi.

Although Shumis way of putting it makes far more sense than my childish, jibe-filled rant.

However, Dundalk did accept those ridiculous proposals. They can't now go wetting their pants over it and saying that they din't read the small print. PR at this stage won't make any difference anyway.

[Poor Student]

I just don't get this line of approach. I think the IAG process is total and utter rubbish and haven't seen any attempt to even jusitfy it but I'm well aware of what it entails and its workings. It's a bit odd but it's not the hardest thing in the world to get a loose grasp of. I can remember posters here pointing out nearly half a year ago how the playoff game was going to be the most meaningless official game in the history of football. Suddenly over time it was hyped back into a proper playoff in the minds of fans and people from the clubs that might be involved in it. I'd be focusing on the IAG process in general, there's no need for it and it has no place in football.

[mcgonigle]

I suppose potentially it could've made a difference to a clubs ranking. The problem isn't the playoff, it's Dundalk's attempt to use it that's creating the problem.

Yeah thats the problem Macy

Sounds like someone works for the FAI