Who are our 08/09 UEFA cup entrants?

[Tenderloins]

I know Drogheda won the League, but who are Irelands other entrants to Europe for the 08/09 season?

[Danny]

Pats & Cork

Bohs in Inter toto

[Con-Con]

I can see Bohs doing well in the inter toto, and Cork getting to the 1'st round proper!

[Dodge]

I can see Bohs doing well in the inter toto, and Cork getting to the 1'st round proper!

based on Cork drawing 0-0 at home to Bray and Bohs struggling to beat galway 1-0 away?

[Fester]

based on Cork drawing 0-0 at home to Bray and Bohs struggling to beat galway 1-0 away?

Early Days Yet !!!

[SPXcyan]

Hopefully Irish clubs will do as good a job as 2006 or even better.. I think we can expect it given the strength of the clubs participating all depends on the draw I spose..

I havent looked it up but does anybody know if we have any clubs seeded this season??

[TheBoss]

Drogheda Utd will be should seeded in the Champions League.


Unsure about the other 2.

[pete]

Drogheda Utd will be should seeded in the Champions League.

Unsure about the other 2.

Uefa Cup entrants unlikely to be seeded but difficult to work out when don't know qualifies for other countries yet. If they don't make it will probably be top of the unseeded not that it means anything.

[A face]

At a minimum all Irish clubs have to get past the first round. If they dont then they have left the league down. I dunno about anyone making it to the 1st round proper yet to be honest, although it would be nice if someone did. Bohs should do well.

[Dodge]

At a minimum all Irish clubs have to get past the first round. If they dont then they have left the league down.

Ridiculously simplistic.

No LOI team would get close to beating a team as classy as Odense.

[Cymro]

Obviously in certain cases the draw can be harsh and exceptions do exist. I think he was making a general statement.

To be honest, full time professional clubs who are in season should expect to win their first round tie, especially when seeded.

[Dodge]

To be honest, full time professional clubs who are in season should expect to win their first round tie, especially when seeded.

But they won't be seeded (bar maybe Drogheda), and will more than likely meet other full time professional clubs

[Cymro]

Yeah, but most of them will have, at best, a few pre-season friendlies behind them, whereas the in-season team will be at their peaks in terms of sharpness. That's worth at least a one goal advantage over the two legs, in my opinion, though I've no doubt you'll disagree.

[Dodge]

Yeah, but most of them will have, at best, a few pre-season friendlies behind them, whereas the in-season team will be at their peaks in terms of sharpness. That's worth at least a one goal advantage over the two legs, in my opinion, though I've no doubt you'll disagree.

Of course I do. The level of the player far outweighs their fitness. And the majority of the teams in our side of the draw have winter leagues (Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia etc etc)

[mrtndvn]

Ridiculously simplistic.

No LOI team would get close to beating a team as classy as Odense.

U mean no loi team would beat them again?

Good lord if Byrne had any bottle shels would of knocked them out of the competition

[Dodge]

U mean no loi team would beat them again?

By beat them I mean knock them out. Moral victories are rubbish

[ifk101]

I haven't a clue what Pats' turnover is as I haven't access to their accounts but Odense's turnover was approximately €6 million in 2005. I suspect this would be at least twice Pats' turnover?

If you compare Danish clubs and League of Ireland clubs the biggest, noticeable difference is off-field activities. Take FC København. The name of the company behind FC København is Parken Sport & Entertainment - the football team forms the centre of a listed company whoms business is "entertainment". The company's main asset is the Denmark's national stadium but a franchise of gyms also forms part of the company. Monies generated from non-footballing activities would be re-invested in the football team.

Odense has also followed the lead of F.C. København and is now established as a "entertainment" company. Again the football team is the centre of the company that includes a congress centre and hotel.

It's clubs with this kind of resources LOI teams are meeting in the first round of European competition so whilst I believe the top LOI teams can beat Odense on the field, what Odense is doing off-field will make it harder and harder for LOI teams to compete in the future.

[Dodge]

I haven't a clue what Pats' turnover is as I haven't access to their accounts but Odense's turnover was approximately €6 million in 2005. I suspect this would be at least twice Pats' turnover?

Closer to 6 times our turnover. Odense signed a seven figure sponsorship deal with Carlsberg alone

[ifk101]

Odense signed a seven figure sponsorship deal with Carlsberg alone

Of the six million I mentioned about 55% of that is generated from sponsorship. 25% is from gates and TV.

So the 5-0 lost away was just about right in terms of turnover.

Closer to 6 times our turnover.

Just thinking if this is right. Surely Pats wage bill is higher than this and with the 65% salary cap (if this is being applied) turnover must be a lot closer to €2 million than €1 million.

[Dodge]

Just thinking if this is right. Surely Pats wage bill is higher than this and with the 65% salary cap (if this is being applied) turnover must be a lot closer to €2 million than €1 million.

Sssshhhhh!!!

Think our owner's donations keep us under the 65% but honestly couldn't tell you