dcfcsteve and Steve Bruce argue which league is better

**LeviathanNI** · 15/05/2007, 9:31 PM

Originally Posted by finnpark

Anyone with half a brain knows that Lingfield were totally outplayed by both Cork and Drogs. Cork should have won 4-0 while Drogs should have won by at least 5. As the Eircom teams get fitter the gap between the 2 leagues become evident. I would go as far as saying that the Eircom 1st division is on a par with Irish League premier. Little difference. The Irish League is so bad it should be disbanded. It is the 3rd worst league in Europe for feck sake.

And alas Cork didn't, and the Drogs beat us on penalties...

Where did your team finish again??

**BleusAvantTout** · 16/05/2007, 6:41 AM

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Anyone with half a brain knows that Lingfield were totally outplayed by both Cork and Drogs. Cork should have won 4-0 while Drogs should have won by at least 5. As the Eircom teams get fitter the gap between the 2 leagues become evident. I would go as far as saying that the Eircom 1st division is on a par with Irish League premier. Little difference. The Irish League is so bad it should be disbanded. It is the 3rd worst league in Europe for feck sake.

WHO ARE YA?

**CuanaD** · 16/05/2007, 6:57 AM

Originally Posted by finnpark

Anyone with half a brain knows that Lingfield were totally outplayed by both Cork and Drogs. Cork should have won 4-0 while Drogs should have won by at least 5. As the Eircom teams get fitter the gap between the 2 leagues become evident. I would go as far as saying that the Eircom 1st division is on a par with Irish League premier. Little difference. The Irish League is so bad it should be disbanded. It is the 3rd worst league in Europe for feck sake.

god i hate this crap! - Linfield are a bloody good team - in the context of this island - they are unarguably one of the top 4 teams if you look at the 3 seasons of Setanta results. Yes, the quality in the rest of their league is noticably lower. Yes, there is more strength in depth in the eL. But Linfield are good at playing against decent teams - they are difficult to break down & can nick goals, which is why they WON against Cork and took Drogs to penalties. It does not have to be pretty to be effective & we have all seen them play decent football in other matches.

eL results have changed since we went to summer soccer, go back before that and we were not FAR ahead of the IL - IL are still in the winter season, so they still do badly in Europe.

The worst IL side in the Setanta (lets say Swifts) would still survive in the eL premier - they would probably be at the bottom end, but they wouldn't be far off Longford, Galway, Waterford & Bray. Loughgall wouldn't. But Kilkenny & Monaghan would expect to be fighting a relegation battle if put into the IL premier too.

Short answer - eL is SLIGHTLY better standard than IL - mainly in a 'strength in depth' fashion, as our top few teams are of a similar standard - but the gap is accentuated in european results because of the summer soccer season.
NONE of us are going to win the CL or UEFA in the near future, but that shouldn't stop us trying to ger BETTER.

end of rant

**Philly** · 16/05/2007, 8:38 AM

Linfield would definitely be up there in the top four or so in the eircom LOI.

The rest are pretty crap though, mostly, and would be akin to Bray Wanderers - that kind of "up and down" team. Teams like Donegal Celtic would be lower Division One, if they even got a license...

You have to hand it to Linfield. They may be in a crap league but a team can only beat what's in front of them and they do that. They seem to work hard to ensure their standards don't drop to those around them, so well done to the.

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 8:39 AM

I have to say some of my faith in LOI supporters have been restored with the last few posts.

Linfield supporters would all say we played terrible against Drogs and Cork, Linfield supporters would be the first to say that fitness did tell. But lets not forget that was our 57th game this season. Not bad going for a part-time outfit.

**OneRedArmy** · 17/05/2007, 8:41 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

I have to say some of my faith in LOI supporters have been restored with the last few posts.

Linfield supporters would all say we played terrible against Drogs and Cork, Linfield supporters would be the first to say that fitness did tell. But lets not forget that was our 57th game this season. Not bad going for a part-time outfit.

You still seem unable to differentiate between comments on Linfields ability versus commentsthe rest of the Irish League.

You are a good side playing in a poxy League.

FACT.

**Pablo** · 17/05/2007, 9:22 AM

Is there really an arguement to be made? As hallion spokeman i would like to say the EL would molest the IL 99 times out of 100

**David** · 17/05/2007, 9:24 AM

Originally Posted by Pablo

Is there really an arguement to be made? As hallion spokeman i would like to say the EL would molest the IL 99 times out of 100

Yet in recent seasons you have been beaten by two Irish League clubs. Those stats don't hold up then do they?

**Pablo** · 17/05/2007, 9:29 AM

Originally Posted by David

Yet in recent seasons you have been beaten by two Irish League clubs. Those stats don't hold up then do they?

The setanta cup is only a pre season tournament sure. A minor trophy like the league cup.

**GavinZac** · 17/05/2007, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by Pablo

The setanta cup is only a pre season tournament sure. A minor trophy like the league cup.

the standard would be higher in the league cup though. kerry league gave us a scare, compared to portadown, like.

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 9:34 AM

Originally Posted by Pablo

The setanta cup is only a pre season tournament sure. A minor trophy like the league cup.

Sure it is, keep telling yourself that

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 9:35 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

the standard would be higher in the league cup though. kerry league gave us a scare, compared to portadown, like.

If the standard is higher in the league cup, you should pull out now, if you can't win the Setanta cup, how the hell will you even jocky in the League cup

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 9:37 AM

Originally Posted by Pablo

Is there really an arguement to be made? As hallion spokeman i would like to say the EL would molest the IL 99 times out of 100

No likely to be honest.

If there was an AIL our top 4 or 5 teams would sit in the AIL premier Division.

**GavinZac** · 17/05/2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

If there was an AIL our top 4 or 5 teams would sit in the AIL premier Division.

Maybe if it was ridiculously large like the IPL

**David** · 17/05/2007, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

the standard would be higher in the league cup though. kerry league gave us a scare, compared to portadown, like.

Who beat you at Turners Cross.

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

Maybe if it was ridiculously large like the IPL

I think your being ridiculous in your assumption that Waterford would be better than Portadown.

Portadowns form went to hell as the Setanta started and it showed domestically as well as in the Setanta cup.

Dungannon are a solid team and would sit comfortably in the LOI. They wouldn't be anywhere near the top but they wouldn't get relegated.

Glentoran although the Setanta cup doesn't show it, they would still be a mid table team.

**Dodge** · 17/05/2007, 11:55 AM

Having seen Portadown and Dungannon, both would struggle in the premier division in the LOI

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2007, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Having seen Portadown and Dungannon, both would struggle in the premier division in the LOI

I've seen a few games on TV and I have to say the standard isn't something I would be worried about as a Linfield supporter. Portadown and Dungannon are good sides who would be better than your bottom 3 or 4 sides, no doubt.

But there's no point in argueing about it. We have two different opinions and we might as well just leave it at that.