Should the league adopt the split system?

[CollegeTillIDie]

The Scottish style system, when it was applied here in 1992/93 and 1993/94 one season saw Limerick ( bottom of the top group) and technically 6th end the season 10 points behind St. Patrick's Athletic( top of the bottom group and technically 7th). Now that's farcical!

[CollegeTillIDie]

Changing to a 10-team league will lead to fixture chaos, where 30-40 games will be postponed during the season, and when you have teams playing twice a week, every week, in the run-in. Carnage. This is what the "We care about Irish football" institute have insisted upon, knowing that the experiment was a disaster before, and will be no better, when we're shoehorned into that shy-te system again in 2 years time.

Correct... attendances in the fourth series of the game were noticeably down on those in the second series. Despite the fact that in the case of some teams ( like UCD) their results had improved! If you threw in the League Cup you faced the prospect of playing the same team 5-6 teams a season especially if your team drew Premier Division opponents in the FAI Cup.

[GavinZac]

How so? Come on, you can do better than that.

while its a "nice" idea in theory, the eircom league is a little more competitive than the mediocrity you watch every week. the reason it exists in scotland is to ensure yet-another-oh-so-worthy-of-tv old firm derby, not any perceived unfairness of home/away balances.

also, i think this is either the last, or the second last season where the premier division will be 12 teams strong. until the IL finally capitulates anyway.

[half_full]

wouldnt suit the LoI as its FAR more competitive than the SPL.

[Red&White]

About the nonsense that the league is won by teams being at home more than away, the league is settled over 33 games. If you have done your stuff, you deserve to win the league over 33 games. If you haven't, you don't.

So it's totally fair that, two points in front, after one game at home and one away against Cork, that Derry should play the title decider at Turner's Cross?

[MariborKev]

This is what the "We care about Irish football" institute have insisted upon, knowing that the experiment was a disaster before, and will be no better, when we're shoehorned into that shy-te system again in 2 years time.

To be fair, the clubs voted for it so they are as much at fault as anyone......

[GavinZac]

So it's totally fair that, two points in front, after one game at home and one away against Cork, that Derry should play the title decider at Turner's Cross?

ye're being ridden rock-solid by the cork conspiracy. no, the other cork conspiracy.

[mypost]

So it's totally fair that, two points in front, after one game at home and one away against Cork, that Derry should play the title decider at Turner's Cross?

Yes, it is fair. In the example you post, the onus is on Derry to wrap up the title before they have to go to Cork. If they don't, they put themselves at a disadvantage when they go there. A 4-round league wouldn't alter that situation. In a title decider, someone has to be away last. Under the three-round system in 1991, Cork played Dundalk in a title decider in Cork on the last day. Dundalk won 1-0. Just because you're away doesn't mean you can't win the league.

The 4-round league will open a new can of worms. Between Setanta, FAI, League Cup games, replays, and a 4-round league, teams could face each other 7-8 times during the year. Who wants that??

Answer: The FAI.

[pineapple stu]

Yes, it is fair. In the example you post, the onus is on Derry to wrap up the title before they have to go to Cork.

That's nonsense. The onus is on no club to wrap the title up before the last match.