All-Ireland League not practical – Jeffrey

Red&White · 27/03/2007, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by AnnaghRed

Cork City are at Shamrock Park about now, less than a mile from where I sit at a PC screen.....and yet i'll be there for the visit of lowly Larne on friday night.

Probably just as well you didn't go, eh?

**dcfcsteve** · 27/03/2007, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

When are Derry entering the English Premier League steve?

Pathetic post Dodge.

If we were of English Premier standard (like the Old Firm) in a much weaker league (like the SPL) then your question might have had a degree of credibility. Instead - it just looks really stupid....

Linfield have clearly out-grown their own league, and would fit-in well standard-wise in an all-island league. And if they did help establish an AIL - rather than deserting the rest of the IL a la the Old Firm, the reality is that there are other IL clubs who are bigger supporters of the all-island league idea than Linfield ! They're actually the most vocal against it.

**dcfcsteve** · 27/03/2007, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

I can't speak for Linfield but that's the general point posters are making. To compare the expansion of the IL's expansion to 16 teams which amounts to nothing more than extra cannon fodder for the top clubs to the other situation is ludicrous. Let's leave insulting terms like "pub league" to barstoolers and other forums please.

Hang on - it's not Linfield's fault that extra cluibs added when their league was expanded can't compete on a level playing field !!! But they have to deal with the reality that falls out of that.

The exact same thing didn't happen when the EL expanded. Longford, Cork, Derry, Bray - were they all supposed to be just cannon fodder as well......? The fact that they weren't just goes to show how bankrupt league football in the north is. It's such a small place that no matter what they did with the teams I can't see the current status quo changing. Their only hope in challenging it would be to have a big team from the 2nd city in the province - one capable of attracting the crowds, money and sponsorship etc to mount a decent challenge. But the IFA blew that chance 22 years ago..

I suspect strongly that if City turned round tomorrow and asked to re-join the IL, then the likes of Linfield would welcome us with open arms. Would such a move impact their European qualification chances ? Unbdoubtedly yes, on a going basis. But they'd still back it. Which betrays the underlying fact that their opposition isn't about protecting European qualification at all ! It's primarily about politics - having a league in and for Northern Ireland.

Which is a viewpoint they're entitled to - just don't try to dress it up in footballing terms like Euro qualification !!

**AnnaghRed** · 27/03/2007, 5:36 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

After the shambolic showing of the Irish League clubs, there is zero point in having an all-island league with anyone other than Linfield

Certainly little point in continuing with the Setanta being played at this time in our season.

I personally don't think McFall is 100% committed to the competition.

Cork have effectively handed us an 11-0 aggregate thrashing, and the only other time I can remember that sort of annihilation was v's FC Porto.

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Where was Jeffreys/Linfield and their European rant when the IL Premier division was expanded to 16 teams......?

The idea behind expanding the IL to 16 teams was to lessen the relegation dogfight at the bottom, it had absolutely no impact of the fight for european places which is normally between about 6 clubs.

Of those 6 clubs only one would have a realistic chance of qualifying for europe in an AIL.

It is a legitimate objection.

Originally Posted by Red&White

Probably just as well you didn't go, eh?

Aint that the truth?

I daresay you boys feel a lot sicker though?

**BohsPartisan** · 28/03/2007, 8:04 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

Nicely predicted, wws.

Predicting that someone would call him on a (unobjective, Partisan) false statement on this message board?
Nul Point.
Spelling the word Partisan like a slav?
Nul point.

**Dodge** · 28/03/2007, 8:12 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Pathetic post Dodge.

If we were of English Premier standard (like the Old Firm) in a much weaker league (like the SPL) then your question might have had a degree of credibility. Instead - it just looks really stupid....

Linfield have clearly out-grown their own league, and would fit-in well standard-wise in an all-island league. And if they did help establish an AIL - rather than deserting the rest of the IL a la the Old Firm, the reality is that there are other IL clubs who are bigger supporters of the all-island league idea than Linfield ! They're actually the most vocal against it.

You really are a humourless sod, aren't you steve?

**Steve Bruce** · 28/03/2007, 9:30 AM

Linfield play in our home countries league. Why would we leave it?

Sure the standard is very low at the moment, but it wasn't that long ago the LOI was a lesser standard than IL.

Who knows what will happen in 10 years time. We could have some money pumped into our sport, a lot of young promising players comming through and a mini boom period for crowds.

There are clubs in Northern Ireland who are sleeping giants.

Portadown
Ballymena
Coleraine
Cliftonville
Glenavon

They could all command a good support on there day and in the past they did command a good support regulary.

But at the moment there is great apathy in Northern Ireland but hopefully in the future we could show a more positive light and attract more families etc to our local game.

The only way I would support an AIL is if the Northern Ireland team is protected. If we have to have an All Island national team, then I'm 150% against it.(you can view it as sectarian if you like, but it's not, I'm a Northern Ireland man, not an Ireland man)

PS: The IL hasn't done very well in this tournement(Linfield excluded) but I can assure you that Portadown & Glentoran would both be mid table teams in the LOI. As would Cliftonville and one or two others.

They wouldn't challange for the league, I would accept that 100% but they would be quite safe in the LOI.

Linfield has been very consistant against LOI teams and indeed have beaten more LOI teams than LOI teams have beaten us. I wouldn't be as cocky to say we would win your league, but we certainly are capable of doing so and we would be there or there abouts every year.

**dcfcsteve** · 28/03/2007, 1:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

You really are a humourless sod, aren't you steve?

Only when you're around Dodge. Only when you're around.....

The Good Lord created smilies to help people get around the fact that it is difficult to tell from text alone what tone someone is writing something in.

With your curmudgeonous track record, you'd be well advised to employ them......

**finnpark** · 02/04/2007, 7:11 PM

Its better for the Eircom league that they dont join. They have only 1 decent team who probably be mid table. The rest would drop the Eircom League down so I don't see the point.

**Lux Interior** · 02/04/2007, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by finnpark

Its better for the Eircom league that they dont join. They have only 1 decent team who probably be mid table. The rest would drop the Eircom League down so I don't see the point.

Our Seconds might do okay, though

**Steve Bruce** · 04/04/2007, 1:11 AM

Originally Posted by finnpark

Its better for the Eircom league that they dont join. They have only 1 decent team who probably be mid table. The rest would drop the Eircom League down so I don't see the point.

You obviously haven't been watching the Setanta cup that closely have you?

Linfield has beat both of your favourites to win the league and drew the other games.

We have also qualified through the group stages every season.

And we have also topped the group every season and although this year hasnt been finished yet, we are on top of it now.

We would definatly be title challangers of your pretentious league. We know our standard, you lot on the other hand think your better than you are.

Just think how easy this tournement would be if Linfield went full-time

**Soper** · 04/04/2007, 1:21 PM

Easy to say when Linfield are in season, and haven't got a new manager trying to get used to his team like Elfy Fenlon

**David** · 05/04/2007, 6:57 AM

Originally Posted by Soper

Easy to say when Linfield are in season, and haven't got a new manager trying to get used to his team like Elfy Fenlon

Yet Eircom League supporters use their superior record in Europe in recent years to show that the Eircom League is superior despite this taking place a full month before our season starts.

**MariborKev** · 05/04/2007, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by David

Yet Eircom League supporters use their superior record in Europe in recent years to show that the Eircom League is superior despite this taking place a full month before our season starts.

Or the fact that if we compare overall records in the Setanta Sports Cup that the LOI is miles ahead.......

**David** · 05/04/2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Maribor

Or the fact that if we compare overall records in the Setanta Sports Cup that the LOI is miles ahead.......

I concern myself only with Linfield and we have shown yet again that we are a match for anything in the EL. Bit rich a Derry fan bragging about Setanta Cup records.

**Graemerz** · 05/04/2007, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Maribor

Or the fact that if we compare overall records in the Setanta Sports Cup that the LOI is miles ahead.......

Linfield won it in 2005, Drogheda won it 2006.

That makes it 1-1.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 05/04/2007, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

Linfield won it in 2005, Drogheda won it 2006.

That makes it 1-1.

No. Linfield are the only team from NI that can match any of the LOI teams that have entered.

**dcfcsteve** · 05/04/2007, 1:25 PM

Originally Posted by David

I concern myself only with Linfield and we have shown yet again that we are a match for anything in the EL. Bit rich a Derry fan bragging about Setanta Cup records.

Feeble David. We both know that neither Linfield nor Derry are representative of our respective leagues.

The Setanta record is very clear. IL clubs have been woeful, with only one exception. EL clubs have more than twice as many victories than IL clubs whenn it coems to facing each other. Therefore - the EL has performed much better than the IL.

The facTs are indesputable here - not matter what feeble spin you try to put on them.

**David** · 05/04/2007, 1:30 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Feeble David. We both know that neither Linfield nor Derry are representative of our respective leagues.

The Setanta record is very clear. IL clubs have been woeful, with only one exception. EL clubs have more than twice as many victories than IL clubs whenn it coems to facing each other. Therefore - the EL has performed much better than the IL.

The facTs are indesputable here - not matter what feeble spin you try to put on them.

The only fact that matters though is who wins the competition and as far as that is concerned it is one win each.