i think the squads will be interchangeable, much like the U21 system at the moment but with players freely moveable.Originally Posted by gufcfan
from the reserve teams point of view:
a key aspect of the a league is actually the u20 league - the FAI see this as the perfect age (or perhaps u19, like a lot of europe) for underages to end and moving into the squad to start. moving the restriction down a year and removing the option to play overage players will then immediately form the bones of an A league team - for instance, at cork city it would certainly benefit players who have out grown the u21 level but have yet to break the first team, eg Mark McNulty / Killian Lordan / maybe even Denis Behan, and would give players like Cathal Lordan and Shane Guthrie the benefit of regular football against senior players without needing to be farmed off to cobh/waterford. it will provide a way for players like colin obrien to stay match sharp, and finally, the best of the u20 team could also be picked to be "promoted" to this level. of course, an extra team means extra refs, extra coaches - the FAI firmly wants the eircom league's footprint on the national sports scene to be bigger.
from the (currently) intermediate teams pov:
it allows them to portray themselves locally as now being "above" the provincial leagues, as part of the nationwide "pyramid". it could mean a lot for local clubs in kids eyes to have the local paper reporting that Kerry League (south division) have just qualified for a play off against Cherry Orchard (north division) in the final of a national competition, with the winner taking on an EL side for a place in the league.
it would also mean playing in the summer. the current difference with the senior game played in the summer and the junior/intermediate played in the winter is of benefit to nobody. while participating clubs would face the challenges associated (clash with other sports being the main one), it would also help them in terms of football and in terms of competing against the senior sides in national cups. the romance of (then intermediate) cobh ramblers reaching the cup semi final would be much more likely to be reborn than intermediate sides finding themselves out of season and missing players against similar sorts of teams they'd be playing in the A league.
id say so. election is the policy at the bottom of virtually every pyramid around europe, its just that currently, irelands pyramid is rather shallow and disjointed.In the long term would entry to the league be on invitation. Say you had a team finish rock bottom a few years in a row...
im very enthusiastic for the A league as I feel football here in ireland would benefit from the same sort of deep and comprehensive pyramid found in england, italy, norway etc. whilst i know we will never have the same level of participation, it would be a much bigger draw for young players to consider themselves part of the same structure as the zayeds and healys, rather than the eircom league and first division floating untouchable above the rest.
i too am thinking aloud here so apologies for rambling and im not quite sure if ive made any central theme evident other than "what bright spark at the FAI thought of this and can we make him president"
Fair points, and I agree with you- but will enough clubs be willing to participate? The travel costs are likely to be quite high and this will put off D1 and intermediate clubs, the latter especially. The reserve league will be daunting for anyone to join if there are not sufficient teams to regionalise it. It may end up that all league clubs are required to participate.
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that remains to be seen I guess, but i suppose worse things could happen than the current u21 league simply being rebranded for a few years until other teams wish to participate.
With all the discussion of whether it would be good or bad, i think a bit of perspective is needed.
How is the GAA so strong? For the most part, I think everybody involved can feel a connnection with the players at the top level.
My point is that a clear path can be seen between the grassroots of the local clubs and players of all levels, and the intercounty players. The same thing would not be achievable in soccer in ireland, but what we do need is for it to be much more visible at local level.
I would imagine that it is very difficult for local teams to stay focused and continuosly strive to improve when they have reached the ceiling of their perceived capabilities in their local leagues.
Even given the level which the Eircom league is at it is still seen as an elite that few clubs can aspire to.
Increasing the number of clubs participating around the country is the only way to change this.
Increasing participation will in turn increase popularity over time.
The all-ireland is watched by a huge percentange of the population.
Your own county team may contain players from your club or a neighbouring club. It gives you a sense of connection. Local soccer suffers a lack of such feelings. Very few clubs are involved in meaningful nationwide competition, i.e. the eircom league. Before anyone jumps down my throat, what i mean by meaningful is more a valuation of what i find to be the view of the general public more than the worth of a local league.
And in response to what gavinzac mentioned about smaller local teams facing off against reserve teams of established names in the league, I believe that can only be a good thing. Look what happens when a league team gets drawn with a non-league outfit. I would imagine that for the most part it peaks peoples interest in local team.
Im aware that im rambling so ill let yee digest that, and as usual disprove all my theories about irish soccer!
Agree
I don't agree. Look at Monaghan and Kilkenny for example. year in year out, they struggle at the bottom of the First, and it can't really help their bid to gain support when they keep on losing. However, if they got relegated into the A league, there's then a decent chance they could mount a promotion campaign and get a bit of interest in the team going. They could maybe even catapult their good form into the First. Don't know if Monaghan or Kilkenny fans would agree though.
Interesting point, no doubt mons and cats would disagree but were they relegated and replaced with a new team it would do the league good. You would have a situation whereby teams outside the race for promotion have something to push for i.e. consolidating their place.
You wouldnt have teams languishing in limbo never winning a game. Even if a team were near the foot of the table there would be something to play for.
I retract my earlier remark but it cant be taken as a given that killkenny or mons would automatically go straight back up. Their teams would have been weak enough as it is, but then to drop into a lower league would lose them their brightest.
Im not disagreeing, just thinking out loud again!
Also my apologies to killkenny and monaghan, at least you have the hurling... oh scratch that....
Just did some digging but couldnt find anything regarding what clubs need to fullfill in order to be part of the A league.
Anybody have info rather than guesses?
I do not recall any criteria being set down in the Genisis documents or any of the FAI ones. Therefore I think it is probably safe to conclude that the requirements will be fairly minimal.
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Im sure they will have to hold an A championship licence and if they wish to get promoted must therefore obtain a b domistic licence. the ad in last weeks papers spoke about licensing as a requirement.
but the national league have not decided on having an under 20 or 18 league so if they go with a 20s that would mean premier clubs having a senior, a league and an under 20s which would not be cheap ,
I wish i did not know then what I dont know now
The A league license would have to be pretty loose, at least initially or there'd be very few teams capable of entering. Then gradually increase the standard year on year. If you set the bar too high it'll be nigh on impossible to meet.
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take your point but ifthe team if that wins the league is no better off or worse in terms of infrastructure and support then it will not benifit the league at all. if a new team entering the eircom league must have as its starting point better potential for suport and infrastructure otherwise noting will change except lowering the present standards which we agree is not great bu at least is something,
like yourself im just thnking out loud and have not seen any geat palns for the new structures.
I wish i did not know then what I dont know now
I still think that even if you have teams that are no better off infastructure wise it will still stimulate growth in support for the league over time. You have too many areas of the country with no representative at national senior level.
Last edited by gufcfan; 23/04/2008 at 10:15 PM.
I see derry fell into the abyss on that map
Edit: Eh, hold on they are there, but the border's moved. Finally, Derry has been annexed!!!
I thought it looked funny alriteI see derry fell into the abyss on that map
Edit: Eh, hold on they are there, but the border's moved. Finally, Derry has been annexed!!!
As the map illustrates there are big pockets with no clubs involved in the national game
I'd say teams will overlap their squads.
Boooooo!I see derry fell into the abyss on that map
Edit: Eh, hold on they are there, but the border's moved. Finally, Derry has been annexed!!!
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
The map also bears a striking resemblance to a map of population density in Ireland.
No it doesn't. The population of both Mayo and Kerry are as dense as f**k yet there's no team there.
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