LOI in Europe 2022

**ontheotherhand** · 09/08/2022, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by ger121

Nobody tell the FAI but we are up to 36th in the Co-efficient rankings

Visualize, (leave all the hard work to other people), Actualize.

**legendz** · 09/08/2022, 10:23 PM

Virgin Media have escaped criticism so far for their zero interest in Irish football. With the TV rights kicking in for the playoff round, they will have to trouble themselves to actually show an interest.
RTÉ previously sublet games to Virgin Media. I think it was for Euro 2020, held in 2021. Maybe Virgin Media could sublet the Rovers games to RTÉ if possible?

**Nesta99** · 09/08/2022, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by placid casual

You seem to have inherited the mantle of my post as chief begrudger on this site.
They were woeful up front and we looked disinterested in playing any football until Burkey came on. Suddenly we play ball and coast into the group stages. Thank you and goodnight.

Bit premature for that call PC, wait untill Dundalk are back in Europe!!

While there will always be some help needed from the draw, we are now at what should be the minimum target for our champions. Get through rounds where seeded and mix it up well in subsequent ties especially when dropping through the competitions. Free hit to make EL groups but ECL groups on a regular basis if not every single year. I think there is room for better optimism and expectation from our clubs. It will take those who are not on the champions path to make inroads too and that has happened 2 years at least on the spin with Pats still to go this year. Sligo made progress as the least expected to do so and Derry...well just not good. It was a chance for all clubs to progress one round minimum so the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down for next year within reason and reasonable opposition.

**Nesta99** · 09/08/2022, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Virgin Media have escaped criticism so far for their zero interest in Irish football. With the TV rights kicking in for the playoff round, they will have to trouble themselves to actually show an interest.
RTÉ previously sublet games to Virgin Media. I think it was for Euro 2020, held in 2021. Maybe Virgin Media could sublet the Rovers games to RTÉ if possible?

Anyone know what Rovers had to do to get the Mad Macedonians to allow the stream go ahead, Delivery of a few kitchen sinks?

**legendz** · 09/08/2022, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

While there will always be some help needed from the draw, we are now at what should be the minimum target for our champions. Get through rounds where seeded and mix it up well in subsequent ties especially when dropping through the competitions. Free hit to make EL groups but ECL groups on a regular basis if not every single year.

Agreed. Qualifying rounds are fraught with danger but getting to the Europa Conference group stage should be a reasonable grounded expectation. It is a case of losing 2 rounds and winning 2 rounds. An achievable target.

Originally Posted by Nesta99

I think there is room for better optimism and expectation from our clubs. It will take those who are not on the champions path to make inroads too and that has happened 2 years at least on the spin with Pats still to go this year. Sligo made progress as the least expected to do so and Derry...well just not good. It was a chance for all clubs to progress one round minimum so the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down for next year within reason and reasonable opposition.

The non champions path is difficult. No wiggle room or second chances. Two years in a row getting 2 teams to round 3. Getting 2 non champions to the playoffs consistently will be great progression.
When a LoI team gets to the playoff round, that's essentially their European final. It should be embraced as such and also respected by the wider supposed football community who are more caught up in football matters across the water.

**sbgawa** · 09/08/2022, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by joey B

How much did that win guarantee for Rovers?

AFAIK rovers were guaranteed 1.4 million if they didn't make groups and now get minimum 3.3m

**Knocklyonhoop** · 09/08/2022, 10:54 PM

That’s gross. 4 more away trips and you’d be sure the lads have good bonuses too. But 4 full houses at home, tv money potentially and perhaps sponsors bonus might cover a good bit of that

**Knocklyonhoop** · 09/08/2022, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Bit premature for that call PC, wait untill Dundalk are back in Europe!!

While there will always be some help needed from the draw, we are now at what should be the minimum target for our champions. Get through rounds where seeded and mix it up well in subsequent ties especially when dropping through the competitions. Free hit to make EL groups but ECL groups on a regular basis if not every single year. I think there is room for better optimism and expectation from our clubs. It will take those who are not on the champions path to make inroads too and that has happened 2 years at least on the spin with Pats still to go this year. Sligo made progress as the least expected to do so and Derry...well just not good. It was a chance for all clubs to progress one round minimum so the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down for next year within reason and reasonable opposition.

has to be the minimum target alright but co efficient has a big impact?

**ger121** · 09/08/2022, 11:23 PM

Is that 18 wins over the last two seasons in Europe and still a minimum of 10 games to go this year.

**2 Year Contract** · 09/08/2022, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Knocklyonhoop

That’s gross. 4 more away trips and you’d be sure the lads have good bonuses too. But 4 full houses at home, tv money potentially and perhaps sponsors bonus might cover a good bit of that

Could be wrong but I think TV money is included in the UEFA prize money as the rights are already settled (clubs can’t sell individual match rights to the highest bidder as they can in qualifying rounds).

**Nesta99** · 10/08/2022, 1:42 AM

Originally Posted by Knocklyonhoop

has to be the minimum target alright but co efficient has a big impact?

I think we are at a point were the contenders for Europe all have a recent record and some certainly would be seeded early on or could be in a position to push closer to seeding. Dundalk obviously would still be seeded if we qualify even with the year out. Collectively though we should be losing the real fear factor in the early rounds bar a stinker of a draw and we are finding that clubs that on paper should be well able for us, turn out to be beatable, not half as scary as pre match assessments. To use Dundalk again as an example, with a proper keeper and not having a spoofer as a defender we could well have reached a playoff round after Vitesse (the perfectly good early Duffy goal chalked off and the clatter of chances in the home leg showed it and with our poor domestic form) was possible with some common sense recruitment and team selection. We all just have to be better at believing the possibilities. Stu above has suggested the Ferencvaros could be pushed by Rovers and I think he is right and that is symptomatic of some sort of sea change in LoI attitudes to European opposition.

Say Rovers, Derry, Dundalk, and St Pats qualify next season, each are either seeded or have improved their coeff and maybe seeding, and a lot of experience in managing the games and intensity of the schedule is happening. I dont think it is happening on a boom and bust cycle so there is a good chance that bar the odd other club, there will be those that qualify regularly and accumulate what is needed to progress. We will have bad seasons but I think a general improvement over a period of time will become evident.

Build a consistent platform and we might even justify sports funding to regenerate some of the grounds and their vicinity. I think improvement in Europe and how it can develop teams can rub off on domestic opposition - even if it just makes things a bit more attractive for players coming in, players being retained from youth ranks, justifying better transfer fees well a rising tide lifts all boats imo. It is where LoI can grow new support bases as LoI bashing gets less. In 10/11 years there have or will be 4 group stage participants and others pushing in that direction to and that is so much more benefit that one offs be they good or bad.

**legendz** · 10/08/2022, 8:00 AM

Riga were a tough draw for Derry. They drew with Gil Vicente in the first leg. The Viking result from last week. Noone is taking CSKA Sofia for granted ahead of the second leg. The qualifiers really are fraught with danger. The two safety nets give the league's champion a great opportunity. Well done to Shamrock Rovers for availing of it.
If the two safety nets were in use when Dundalk and Cork were consistently the top 2, Dundalk would have enjoyed a few more group stage campaigns. I don't think Cork would have taken advantage of the double safety net however.

**2 Year Contract** · 10/08/2022, 9:19 AM

I’m looking forward to Shkupi's next statement after this

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soc...ublin-27702097

**pineapple stu** · 10/08/2022, 9:35 AM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

Visualize, (leave all the hard work to other people), Actualize.

Hey - the FAI created the environment for this success.

Or something.

The money is mental - triple what Rovers got the first time they reached the EL groups (and much easier to earn too), and is the money for reaching the ECL groups more than Dundalk got for reaching the EL groups two years ago?

Anyone know what this means for the UEFA Solidarity payments? Or is it only CL group qualification that really ramps that up?

**LOI101** · 10/08/2022, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Could be wrong but I think TV money is included in the UEFA prize money as the rights are already settled (clubs can’t sell individual match rights to the highest bidder as they can in qualifying rounds).

You're right. The prize money is a distribution of the competition's commercial income such as TV rights, competition sponsors etc.

**nr637** · 10/08/2022, 9:50 AM

Any news on ticket sales for St. Pats, Europa Conference League Qualification return leg in Tallaght on Thursday?

**2 Year Contract** · 10/08/2022, 9:53 AM

Originally Posted by nr637

Any news on ticket sales for St. Pats, Europa Conference League Qualification return leg in Tallaght on Thursday?

Close to 6,000 tickets sold. With continued positive ticket sales today and potential walk ups on the day I reckon it could be a bigger crowd than the 6,400 that were at rovers vs Shkupi last week

**Kiki Balboa** · 10/08/2022, 9:55 AM

As far as I can tell, Aidomo Emakhu has scored more goals in Europe than Domestic. Bit strange stat.

**2 Year Contract** · 10/08/2022, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

As far as I can tell, Aidomo Emakhu has scored more goals in Europe than Domestic. Bit strange stat.

Yep, 3 European goals vs 2 league goals. There can’t be too many players like that at clubs. Off the top of my head Fabio O'Brien with Pats was one, 4 euro goals vs 2 league goals (all massively important goals!) although he was only on loan for half a season

**Bunny Kelly** · 10/08/2022, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

As far as I can tell, Aidomo Emakhu has scored more goals in Europe than Domestic. Bit strange stat.

Curious if he sees out this window at Rovers, Leece's bid would suggest he is on some Europeans clubs radar & goals in europe probably a greater selling point than domestic for someone to pull the trigger.

As an aside you'd like to hope Irish sides doing better in Europe will open the door for more of these European transfers where we can get more money than from Lge 1 in England