Setanta Cup expansion on the cards?

[Poor Student]

I guess no one else picked up on this story. It was in the Sunday Mirror I think. An article quoting some man named Crawford (it didn't both to state if he was from Setanta, IFA, FAI, a club ) said there's talks about inviting English or Scottish teams to join. He was quoted as saying it would be great to add Kilmarnock into the mix and breathe some new life into the competition.

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

[Ebmania]

I guess no one else picked up on this story. It was in the Sunday Mirror I think. An article quoting some man named Crawford (it didn't both to state if he was from Setanta, IFA, FAI, a club ) said there's talks about inviting English or Scottish teams to join. He was quoted as saying it would be great to add Kilmarnock into the mix and breathe some new life into the competition.

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

Yes i agree. They wouldnt be earning the right to compete in it just given invitation cause there in the Scottish or even worst Championship. That would defo turn this competion into a joke. Also at this time of year doubt a decent club from either place would want the distraction from quailifying for europe or getting promoted.

[mypost]

I guess no one else picked up on this story. It was in the Sunday Mirror I think. An article quoting some man named Crawford (it didn't both to state if he was from Setanta, IFA, FAI, a club ) said there's talks about inviting English or Scottish teams to join. He was quoted as saying it would be great to add Kilmarnock into the mix and breathe some new life into the competition.

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

Best way of spicing up the competition is to replace the Northern Ireland clubs, with Scottish Premier clubs, as bar Linfield, the Northern Ireland clubs are no match for the LOI clubs. If they can't beat LOI clubs when it's our pre-season, they never will.

Having LOI clubs against SPL clubs will draw more interest among the wider public, be more competitive, and enhance the competition.

[pete]

Best way of spicing up the competition is to replace the Northern Ireland clubs, with Scottish Premier clubs, as bar Linfield, the Northern Ireland clubs are no match for the LOI clubs. If they can't beat LOI clubs when it's our pre-season, they never will.

Linfield have been the old IL club to perform consistently against the LOI teams.

I don't what 8th or 9th place team in the SPL would bring to the competition. Worst scenario would be losing to them.

[David]

Linfield have been the old IL club to perform consistently against the LOI teams.

And we still haven't got that game against Cork. Fancy that as a semi final?

[micls]

And we still haven't got that game against Cork. Fancy that as a semi final?

With us at home....Yes please.

[dcfcsteve]

And we still haven't got that game against Cork. Fancy that as a semi final?

Wait until you get out of the group first David. You were lucky against the Glens at home last night. If they could shoot straight you'd have lost 3:1.

[dcfcsteve]

I guess no one else picked up on this story. It was in the Sunday Mirror I think. An article quoting some man named Crawford (it didn't both to state if he was from Setanta, IFA, FAI, a club ) said there's talks about inviting English or Scottish teams to join. He was quoted as saying it would be great to add Kilmarnock into the mix and breathe some new life into the competition.

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

I've no idea who yer man Crawford is, but I's suspect this is just someone thinking aloud.

I disagree totally with the idea that Welsh Champions would bring more to the Setanta than SPL or English Championship teams. The standard of the Welsh Premier is woeful - their crowds are pitiful, their stadiums are dire, and the average standard of football is probably no better than the average in the EL First Division. So they would add nothing and detract a lot.

Regardless - the key point is that the Setanta Cup is still learning to walk. How is it that Linfield v Glens in the League on Boxing Day can attract 14,000, whilst the same fixture 2 months later in the Setanta Cup only attracts 3,150 ? We need to make Setanta work as a spectacle in the context of Ireland first. Only then should anyone look at broadening it beyond the island. Chunking in The New Saints, Barnsley and Falkirk is not the answer.

[gufcfan]

there's talks about inviting English or Scottish teams to join. He was quoted as saying it would be great to add Kilmarnock into the mix and breathe some new life into the competition.

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

First off. Inviting teams into the competition because we might be able to persuade them, is the wrong way to go about it. All the teams are taking part because they want to. There may be a big carrot but in it for them but attendances arent too shabby either.

No-one other than league champions and runners-up should be invited to take part as it would make a mockery of the competition.

Wales is a possibility, but it is questionable whether it would raise the profile of the competition. Would they want the distraction of it? How much interest is there in Welsh football? On the other hand Welsh clubs may see it as a good source of possible income.

I think at ground level with the fans, a huge part of the draw is the North-South rivalry. I cant see that with the Welsh.

As for Scotland, it’s a non-runner with me. Celtic and Rangers would struggle… The Premiership also for the same reason.

[gufcfan]

Regardless - the key point is that the Setanta Cup is still learning to walk. How is it that Linfield v Glens in the League on Boxing Day can attract 14,000, whilst the same fixture 2 months later in the Setanta Cup only attracts 3,150 ? We need to make Setanta work as a spectacle in the context of Ireland first. Only then should anyone look at broadening it beyond the island. Chunking in The New Saints, Barnsley and Falkirk is not the answer.

I agree 100%

[Shelsman]

I think if we can't get the best of another league to come into the Setanta then we shouldn't be expanding it. I wouldn't mind letting in the Welsh champions to expand the market and scope of the tournament a bit but accepting mid table or lower league sides from Scotland and England would cheapen the competition, especially if they outperform others.

I have to agree, though I would ideally like to see Welsh and Scottish teams in it so that there are four groups, each with a club from Ireland, NI, Wales and Scotland. Quarter Finals after that.
I would see the interim goal to this is to get the Welsh involved, once that's successfull then bring in the Scots. If Setanta, the FAI, FAW and SFA each put in £200,000 then prize money of £1,000,000 would be hard for Celtic and Rangers to resist considering that neither is flush with cash. I wouldn't be too bothered if Celtic and Rangers fielded fringe and youth players in the group games ( at their own risk! ), Cardiff did this in the Welsh Cup ( and got beaten in the Semi-Finals too! ).

When I say Welsh clubs I mean Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and the Welsh League champions ( the first three after all play in full time leagues ), or maybe the top two Welsh teams in the English League and the top two from the Welsh League.

The best way for our league to progress is to play games against quality opposition regularly, the Setanta Cup has been a Godsend in this way, but playing competitive matches against SPL sides every season will help it even further and will increase interest in the league too.