Joseph Lapira

**SkStu** · 23/09/2010, 6:27 PM

youre totally missing the point sean.

Our best players are already in the english premiership. We lost them when they were young teenagers. The MLS doesnt. If we kept our best players at home until they were a bit older our league would be just as good as the MLS and would provide players directly to the Premier League. Maybe even moreso than the MLS.

Until we retain the majority of our young players the league will continue to fail and our national team will continue to fail also. That should be the FAI's top priority but it never will be.

**Yard of Pace** · 05/04/2011, 6:16 PM

Ye will love this one. He's signed for United Sikkim in the Indian second division after being out of the game for some time following the end of his Norwegian spell.

Previously rejected by East Bengal according to this:
http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/18...aichung-bhutia

**Acornvilla** · 05/04/2011, 6:41 PM

Originally Posted by sean r

mark is correct the mls is a decent standerd and can hammer any loi side. they have soccer stadiums here and quite good ones. they have a amature u23 league that acts as the 4th division here in the usa. even though they are u23 they are run as a pro team and play in the national cup. also the mls players leave the mls to go to top flight leagues. jozy altadore left mls to go to villareal in spain. donovan left for everton bocanegea to fulham ect. how many loi players go right to the english prem right away? our guys go t northampton town then get released!! the loi can learn alot from the mls in the way of developement of players ok the league is weak in some areas but the players are leaving mls for TOP FLIGHT TEAMS not league 2 sides in england. the usa have more players playing top flight football than ireland does. we can learn from the mls the league is a good standard and has come a long way since it 1st started. there miles ahead of the loi

Altidore couldn't get a game at Villarreal could he thou?

And sure for arguments sake heres a few lads who played LOI that are in the prem now (all didn't make the jump in a day granted because they got promoted with their clubs from the championship)

Kevin Doyle + Stephen Ward - Wolves
Keith Fahey - Birmingham
Seamus Coleman - Everton
Connor Salmon - Wigan via SPL

Then you have shane long at Reading who will certianly make the leap soon

In the SPL (decent players)

Niall McGinn + Paddy McCourt - Celtic
Sean Dillon - Dundee Utd

Theres tons of other lads doing very well over there saying they only make the leap to Northampton is a little derogatory and inaccurate although i'm sure Northampton is lovely

But agree with the other lads that you missed the point a little

**sean r** · 05/04/2011, 8:42 PM

could laperia do a job in the loi?

**SkStu** · 05/04/2011, 8:48 PM

id like to think Sporting Fingal or Dublin City could beat United Sikkim or East Bengal on their day.

**irishultra** · 05/04/2011, 9:38 PM

mls teams would beat loi teams. rovers would be competitive but nothing more than that.

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/04/2011, 10:15 PM

Not sure about that. The MLS is better than the LOI but the standard isn't that high.

**Acornvilla** · 05/04/2011, 10:36 PM

I've watched the odd MLS game and there pure muck, SPL is more enjoyable..

Maybe i've just seen all the sh!te games thou

Given himself is playing div 2 india, i'm sure hed do a job for longford town maybe

**sean r** · 05/04/2011, 10:43 PM

can he do a job for athlone town??

**Dodge** · 06/04/2011, 9:24 AM

Considering nobody has seen him play in 3/4 years, everyone would just be guessing.

**Yard of Pace** · 06/04/2011, 9:34 AM

I'd love to know more about Lapira. He's obviously not going to be a top player but I'm quite jealous of his adventures nonetheless. I'd say a few years playing in Norway and India would be great craic. And certainly more fun than lining out for Longford every Friday night!

**pineapple stu** · 06/04/2011, 9:39 AM

He should have an interesting autobiography at the end of his career anyway.

**Acornvilla** · 06/04/2011, 3:47 PM

Originally Posted by sean r

can he do a job for athlone town??

I'd say i'd do a job for Athlone town at this stage

**Dermotron** · 30/01/2012, 3:58 PM

Back with Nybergsund this season

Could have been a money spinner to stay in India longer with the new Premier League Soccer about to kick-off

**eitoof** · 07/02/2013, 5:47 PM

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/01...ohnny-leveron/ On trial with Vancouver Whitecaps - if he gets a game there, he won't be their first Irish international player!!