Sums Linfield in Europe up pretty well

[Graemerz]

How's that? We're pre season and your half way throught your season. Fitness and match sharpness are all in favour of IL clubs.

I think in mid-February when the Setanta Cup begins it favours the IL teams as they are over the mid-way part of their season and the EL sides are just in pre-season however by the time the competition is ending in May the EL sides have the upper hand as they are certainly fresh with a handful of games under their belts where the IL sides are badly fatigued due to playing close to 60 matches.

[SolitudeRed]

Surely this would not affect Linfield as much as the other IL teams as they now have 7 full timers in the squad now, and I presume their fitness levels would be better than part time players!

Incidentally how many teams in the Eircom League are full time/Professional? I think that Shamrock Rovers are part time are they the only team?

[waide]

I think in mid-February when the Setanta Cup begins it favours the IL teams as they are over the mid-way part of their season and the EL sides are just in pre-season however by the time the competition is ending in May the EL sides have the upper hand as they are certainly fresh with a handful of games under their belts where the IL sides are badly fatigued due to playing close to 60 matches.

This post is spot on.

[De Town]

Incidentally how many teams in the Eircom League are full time/Professional? I think that Shamrock Rovers are part time are they the only team?

Longford Town are all part time.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Surely this would not affect Linfield as much as the other IL teams as they now have 7 full timers in the squad now, and I presume their fitness levels would be better than part time players!

Incidentally how many teams in the Eircom League are full time/Professional? I think that Shamrock Rovers are part time are they the only team?

No, about half are part time. Bohs, Cork, Derry, Galway, Sligo, Pats and Drogheda are full time.

[Graemerz]

Surely this would not affect Linfield as much as the other IL teams as they now have 7 full timers in the squad now, and I presume their fitness levels would be better than part time players!

Incidentally how many teams in the Eircom League are full time/Professional? I think that Shamrock Rovers are part time are they the only team?

Regardless if you are semi-professional or full time, a 60 game season is going to take it out of you.

[Graemerz]

Sums up even more what Linfield achieved as Elfsborg defeated Debrecan tonight 1-0 in Hungary, in the first leg of the 2nd round.

[NY Hoop]

You lost you achieved nothing.


KOH

[Graemerz]

You lost you achieved nothing.


KOH

Maybe, but we're still better than you.

[NY Hoop]

Mature comeback that. Out of interest how do you come to that conclusion? By beating limavady 9-0 or something?

Delusions of adequacy again.

KOH

[Graemerz]

This coming from a supporter of a club who just last season were playing Eircom First Division football, thats a class above the rest that.

[NY Hoop]

Yeah last season and we won the first division which is about the level you play at in some games.

KOH

[Graemerz]

Yeah last season and we won the first division which is about the level you play at in some games.

KOH

Fortunately its not Linfield's problem if a few of the clubs within Northern Ireland are of a poor standard. All we can do is expect to beat them and dominate within our country, which we pretty much do.

[David]

Mature comeback that. Out of interest how do you come to that conclusion? By beating limavady 9-0 or something?

Delusions of adequacy again.

KOH

Two defeats plus one after penalties in almost 20 games against the top Eircom League teams shows that we are at the very least on a par with anything the Eircom has to offer.

[osarusan]

the first division which is about the level you play at in some games.

The games where they win the Setanta cup?

[sonofstan]

Two defeats plus one after penalties in almost 20 games against the top Eircom League teams shows that we are at the very least on a par with anything the Eircom has to offer.

Agreed. So would you not prefer to play in a league where you'd get a game every now and then? Glens apart, it must get pretty boring up there.

[David]

Agreed. So would you not prefer to play in a league where you'd get a game every now and then? Glens apart, it must get pretty boring up there.

Never gets boring winning trophies. However personally I would prefer an all Ireland League.

[Steve Bruce]

Never gets boring winning trophies. However personally I would prefer an all Ireland League.

Once upon a time I would have but not now.

Any games bar Tolka and we have a very reduced amount of tickets for our supporters.

Also with the LOI playing during the week most weeks and never on a Saturday, it would be a financial nightmare for the supporters.

I simply couldn't afford to pay £30+ every two weeks for an away game and also lose a days pay.

[Graemerz]

Once upon a time I would have but not now.

Who’s to say they would make an All-Ireland League and base it on the Eircom League and not the Carnegie? I’m sure fans of the Eircom League would prefer more structure and that most matches are played on a Saturday at 3pm. As for mid-week cup fixtures this could easily be sorted out.

Just an idea…

All-Ireland Premier League (12 to 14 teams) most matches played on a Saturday and could be moved to a Friday night or a Sunday for television purposes.

All-Ireland Cup (64 teams) most matches played on a Saturday and could be moved to a Friday night or a Sunday for television purposes.

All-Ireland League Cup (32 teams) Split into regional groups (Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connacht) Then goes to a final 8 from the groups. Group matches played on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening with the Quarter finals to final matches being played on Saturday and could be moved to a Friday night or a Sunday for television purposes.

Will probably never happen though…

[David]

Once upon a time I would have but not now.

Any games bar Tolka and we have a very reduced amount of tickets for our supporters.

Also with the LOI playing during the week most weeks and never on a Saturday, it would be a financial nightmare for the supporters.

I simply couldn't afford to pay £30+ every two weeks for an away game and also lose a days pay.

There would certainly be difficulties. However I honestly feel we are outgrowing the Irish League if we have not already done so. I simply see continued participation in the Irish League as a possible hindrance to our undoubted progress.