AIL:Will it happen?

[OneRedArmy]

Presumably clubs receive money from Eircom (the sponsors) .

They get free wifi from Eircom, which also works from time to time. They get prize money, which presumably is funded out of the sponsorship deal, which is all cases is an immaterial amount when compared with the annual budget.

and RTE (for TV coverage). .

TV money is around E5k a game and typically goes to the larger clubs that are part of the G6.

There may be other sponsors, too. Presumably all clubs receive some of this money, including First Division clubs.

Not that I'm aware of.

In a break-away AIL, sponsorship for the rump league would massively reduce and TV coverage would cease. Therefore those clubs outside the AIL would lose revenue. Therefore it is NOT ridiculous to say that they will lose revenue.

Not true. See above.

To compound this, the income of the AIL clubs will increase, therefore massively increasing the disparity in income between those in the AIL and those outside. This will make it more difficult, if not impossible, for those outside the AIL to compete.

Agreed. But thats a different point.

[GavinZac]

Which is why a comment like this-
portrays a serious lack of understanding (or lack of care) for the clubs who won't make the cut.

Its definitely care. Very few people in Limerick care about L37 so why should we? I want a professional Premier Division. the only way I can ever see that happening is adding a few bigger clubs from the north. You, or L37, don't want a professional Premier Division? Because essentially you're saying that you don't want the quality of football on this island to improve, regardless of the involvement of NI teams. Or is it that you just want one that involves yourselves? Because tbh I don't see a professional L37 any time soon. Or indeed, given the apparent contempt LoI is held in by soccer participants in the count, ever.

[OneRedArmy]

Its definitely care. Very few people in Limerick care about L37 so why should we? I want a professional Premier Division. the only way I can ever see that happening is adding a few bigger clubs from the north. You, or L37, don't want a professional Premier Division? Because essentially you're saying that you don't want the quality of football on this island to improve, regardless of the involvement of NI teams. Or is it that you just want one that involves yourselves? Because tbh I don't see a professional L37 any time soon. Or indeed, given the apparent contempt LoI is held in by soccer participants in the count, ever.

This is a very valid point.

Its a fine line between skepticism around whether or not a professional league is viable (completely understandable given recent history) and downright begrudgery and hostility at anyone trying to progress by fans of clubs who know they won't be part of it.

I also think there is a huge amount of rose tinted glass-ism being displayed here about the status quo, particularly in respect of licensing, wage caps and the like. There is a demonstrable record of failure to implement and enforce rules under the current regime.

[sullanefc]

and when exactly will the have nots see any prize money

When they play in this new league, silly.

[Jerry The Saint]

What's the prize money like in the First Division? Without TV money (for almost all clubs), and greatly increased fines, is it possible that some clubs contributed more to the FAI than they got back this season

Funnily enough, I'm thinking of the €2,000 fine that Paul McGee incurred for L37. Add to that, the fact that their club was expelled from the league because of a personality clash and I'm surprised to see that Limerick fans have such great faith in the FAI. Maybe they'd be better off taking their chances with a group of shady businessmen...

[jebus]

Funnily enough, I'm thinking of the €2,000 fine that Paul McGee incurred for L37. Add to that, the fact that their club was expelled from the league because of a personality clash and I'm surprised to see that Limerick fans have such great faith in the FAI. Maybe they'd be better off taking their chances with a group of shady businessmen...

I've got no faith in the FAI as a competant organisation, but it's still better than handing the power over to the 'big clubs' to lock themselves into their top spots for years to come.

Plus I more looked at the rest of our fellow 'in this together' Eircom clubs who left LFC hanging out to dry just so they could get their precious licensing a year ago as bigger villians then the FAI, who I knew would **** Danny Drew over the first chance they got

[Dodge]

I've got no faith in the FAI as a competant organisation, but it's still better than handing the power over to the 'big clubs' to lock themselves into their top spots for years to come.

Plus I more looked at the rest of our fellow 'in this together' Eircom clubs who left LFC hanging out to dry just so they could get their precious licensing a year ago as bigger villians then the FAI, who I knew would **** Danny Drew over the first chance they got

Didn't you want Drew out? Or am I confusing you with someone else?

Anyway, if there's a breakaway league all clubs will have to be involved and there will have to be a pyramid system.

The problem with the FAI is tht junior football holds too much sway and their almost entire focus is on the international team. any organisation that is set up solely to look after the league clubs will be a good thing IMO

[Supersaint]

I heard kerr was on pat kenny this morning on rte talking about an AIL,anyone listen to it?

[osarusan]

Because essentially you're saying that you don't want the quality of football on this island to improve, regardless of the involvement of NI teams. Or is it that you just want one that involves yourselves?

I'm not saying either of those things.

I am saying that any moves to improve the standard of football in Ireland should focus on improving all the clubs, with equal focus given to each club, by an organisation responsible for doing so.

Creating a situation which allows the gap between the AIL premier division teans and the rest to widen does not, in my opinion, improve the quality of football on the island. It will improve the quality of a minority of clubs, while the quality of the majority of clubs, and the means by which to improve their quality, will be reduced.

[osarusan]

Didn't you want Drew out? Or am I confusing you with someone else?

We wanted him out of the club because he was a fool. But we didn't deserve the club to be booted out of the league just because the FAI didn't like him.

any organisation that is set up solely to look after the league clubs will be a good thing IMO

Agreed. But they must be responsible (and want to be responsible) for all the clubs, not just the ones which can earn them a short-term profit.

[jebus]

Didn't you want Drew out? Or am I confusing you with someone else?

I did, that still doesn't make what the FAI did to him and Limerick FC any more right though

[Steve Bruce]

I can understand why smaller clubs are against this.

How many Pro AIL would be happy for United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona etc went ahead and formed a European Super League to let football evolve.

We would all be up in arms about it.

[sliced pan]

I would love to see an all Ireland league, have been hoping for this for years but every few years we get these meetings. I remember in the mid nineties headed by Linfield and Dundalk it was definatly goin to happen but never did. Heart says August head says 5 years at least.

[Redie]

Really we should all aspire to an all Ireland league eventually, but not by the means currently proposed, the IFA and the FAI must be the one's to bring it about. I see it evolving over the next five years through the gradual expansion of the Setanta Cup and hopefully when it does come about we will end up with a 14 to 18 team top division that will rid the current leagues of their Mickey Mouse image and do away with the totally unnatural set up of teams playing each other three times a season.

[passerrby]

[if clubs wish to go away and start there own league best of luck to them but dont ask the smaller clubs to endorse why should we.
my points are as follows

a.there is nothing in this for 16 clubs otherwise we would have been invited to the table from the start (any attempt to invite us now is a cynicil attempt to get much needed support)
b. I will take the fai over the g6 anytime.
c. if you dont give a fcuk about my clubs future i reserve the right not to give a flying fcuk about yours.

[sullanefc]

I'm not saying either of those things.

I am saying that any moves to improve the standard of football in Ireland should focus on improving all the clubs, with equal focus given to each club, by an organisation responsible for doing so.

In most countries, one/or more teams improve and the rest are forced to catch up. Are you suggesting that the FAI hold back the big clubs, and drag the small/unambitous ones forward?? Ridiculous!

[if clubs wish to go away and start there own league best of luck to them but dont ask the smaller clubs to endorse why should we.
my points are as follows

a.there is nothing in this for 16 clubs otherwise we would have been invited to the table from the start (any attempt to invite us now is a cynicil attempt to get much needed support)
b. I will take the fai over the g6 anytime.
c. if you dont give a fcuk about my clubs future i reserve the right not to give a flying fcuk about yours.

So all you are annoyed about is that Monoghan did not get an invite?? How thin skinned of you. If Monoghan were ambitious enough they would be forcing their way around the G6 table.

Remember: A rising tide raises all boats.

[Mr A]

Remember: A rising tide raises all boats.

Not when some of the boats are forcibly anchored to the bottom by an unfair system.

[passerrby]

In most countries, one/or more teams improve and the rest are forced to catch up. Are you suggesting that the FAI hold back the big clubs, and drag the small/unambitous ones forward?? Ridiculous!



So all you are annoyed about is that Monoghan did not get an invite?? How thin skinned of you. If Monoghan were ambitious enough they would be forcing their way around the G6 table.

Remember: A rising tide raises all boats.

you dont get it sullen they do not want the other 16 clubs at the table except to lend support and put some pressure on the fai thats why we should not support anything coming from the g6 ,as for forcing our way to the table maybe we can get a company to do a fancy dvd do you reckon that might do the trick
remember: leaky boats sink even the titanic.

[pól-dcfc]

I'm totally in favour of the AIL, but if certain details of what we are hearing are true, I don't want it in the proposed form. I think there should be 14-16 teams initially with scope for expansion. 1 up and 1 down relegation and promotion isn't on. 2 should be relegated each year to give 1st division clubs more chance of benefitting.

Money also must filter down the leagues, otherwise the competition will be extremely stagnant, and interest will be lost.

[OneRedArmy]

Not when some of the boats are forcibly anchored to the bottom by an unfair system.

Lack of support from the local public?