League of Ireland in Europe 2016

**legendz** · 08/11/2016, 8:13 PM

LoI teams qualifying for the UEFA Cup first round in 4 out of 9 years from '00 to '08 was good going.

LoI champions have only gotten through CLQ2 in 2 of the last 8 years from '09 to the current season.

**JDsJocks** · 08/11/2016, 10:29 PM

No disrespect to that Shels side who had some excellent players, as a unit no LOI team past or present can match Dundalk's ability to play the ball on the ground against top European opposition.

Technically they are light-years ahead of anything that went before them. Kick and rush as they say Dundalk are not.

**sbgawa** · 08/11/2016, 11:01 PM

They are the best team ever . Yes they are. No they aren't yes they are no they aren't ......YAWN

**Nesta99** · 08/11/2016, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

They are the best team ever . Yes they are. No they aren't yes they are no they aren't ......YAWN

Rovers fan that bores when his club isnt centre of attention!

**sbgawa** · 09/11/2016, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Rovers fan that bores when his club isnt centre of attention!

Nope I'm very consistent I don't go on about past rovers teams and you can call me out on it in the future when I start doing it when we have a bit of success in the future if I start saying the rovers team of 2017 or 18 or 19 is the best in league history

**disgruntled** · 09/11/2016, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by sbgawa

They are the best team ever . Yes they are. No they aren't yes they are no they aren't ......YAWN

Then what are you doing still here if you're so bored ?

This Dundalk team are an excellent side, no doubt about it.
They've proved that over the last three seasons.
This can only be good for the League in pushing up standards.
I think Cork City are the only club to come close to them over that period.

Whether this Dundalk squad are the best ever is a matter of opinion.
Different era's, different standards etc.
Its up to other clubs to catch up.

I look forward to Dundalk's next match in Europe.
I hope they can continue their quest for European success & bring more honor to the League of Ireland.

**sbgawa** · 09/11/2016, 1:49 PM

I'm not bored at all I hope they do well to and always encourage people to support loi any talk about europe or t he team or anything I find interesting....it's just the comparisons to other eras I find boring as people on both sides are getting completely carried away

**legendz** · 09/11/2016, 2:27 PM

If Dundalk finish second in their group, it will be a better result than LoI teams who were knocked out of the UEFA Cup first round. If Dundalk finish third or fourth, while they've had a good run so far and played great football, it won't be a better achievement than the teams mentioned. The EL group stage is a great platform to promote the league. Dundalk have been fantastic in that respect, as they were in their efforts to qualify for the Champions League.

**GCdfc** · 09/11/2016, 2:32 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

If Dundalk finish second in their group, it will be a better result than LoI teams who were knocked out of the UEFA Cup first round. If Dundalk finish third or fourth, while they've had a good run so far and played great football, it won't be a better achievement than the teams mentioned. The EL group stage is a great platform to promote the league. Dundalk have been fantastic in that respect, as they were in their efforts to qualify for the Champions League.

Well that's just your opinion.

**seand** · 09/11/2016, 2:51 PM

Just because the UEFA Cup first round is roughly equivalent to current group phase doesn't mean that qualifying for it is an equal achievement. By that definition every Irish team from 60s-70s-80s achieved as much as Dundalk 16, Rovers 11 and Shels 05 just by losing home and away in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

**jinxy lilywhite** · 09/11/2016, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

If Dundalk finish second in their group, it will be a better result than LoI teams who were knocked out of the UEFA Cup first round. If Dundalk finish third or fourth, while they've had a good run so far and played great football, it won't be a better achievement than the teams mentioned. The EL group stage is a great platform to promote the league. Dundalk have been fantastic in that respect, as they were in their efforts to qualify for the Champions League.

In your opinion

**legendz** · 09/11/2016, 6:44 PM

Originally Posted by seand

Just because the UEFA Cup first round is roughly equivalent to current group phase doesn't mean that qualifying for it is an equal achievement. By that definition every Irish team from 60s-70s-80s achieved as much as Dundalk 16, Rovers 11 and Shels 05 just by losing home and away in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

Shelbourne 04 had 3 similar Champions League qualifying rounds to Dundalk 16. Shelbourne entered the UEFA Cup first round after their Champions League playoff defeat. Dundalk entered the Europa League group stage after their Champions League playoff defeat. That's a fair enough barometer for gauging progress in the current group stage to the old first round.

**seand** · 10/11/2016, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

Shelbourne 04 had 3 similar Champions League qualifying rounds to Dundalk 16. Shelbourne entered the UEFA Cup first round after their Champions League playoff defeat. Dundalk entered the Europa League group stage after their Champions League playoff defeat. That's a fair enough barometer for gauging progress in the current group stage to the old first round.

Dundalk 16 v Shels 04, agreed absolutely. Shels achievement was just as good. Bohs beating a midtable Aberdeen to reach the same stage was not.

**legendz** · 10/11/2016, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by seand

Dundalk 16 v Shels 04, agreed absolutely. Shels achievement was just as good. Bohs beating a midtable Aberdeen to reach the same stage was not.

It's a fair point that Bohs didn't have to go through as many hurdles as Shels, Derry, Pat's and Dundalk. They still played awesome football against the Germans at home in the first leg prior to the sending off. To their credit they won away. Dundalk's achievement within the group can only better Bohs performance within that first round if they finish in the top 2.

**pineapple stu** · 10/11/2016, 6:01 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Dundalk's achievement within the group can only better Bohs performance within that first round if they finish in the top 2.

What utter drivel.

Stop it legendz, please.

Your opinion on such subjective matters cannot be put across as fact.

**legendz** · 10/11/2016, 6:28 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Your opinion on such subjective matters...

Winter well this LoI off season and have a nice evening!

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 10/11/2016, 7:35 PM

Can you block posters on certain threads?!

**patrickccfc** · 10/11/2016, 7:57 PM

Will someone just get this guy a football team? Tralee Dynamos, pull the finger out yeah

**ToberonaTornado** · 10/11/2016, 9:55 PM

Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Can you block posters on certain threads?!

http://foot.ie/profile.php?do=ignorelist

Have never used it or have had the excuse to use it so don't know if it will work or not!?

**legendz** · 10/11/2016, 10:23 PM

To date Dundalk have beaten a team who would have been unseeded in the old UEFA Cup first round.

Dundalk have picked up one point from 3 games against teams who would have been seeded in the old UEFA Cup first round.

Bohemians beat a seeded opponent in Germany in the old UEFA Cup first round in 2000.

If Dundalk take the place of a seeded opponent in the next round they'll be doing better than the teams mentioned who did not take the place of a seeded opponent in the next round.

People can scoff all they want. Full credit to Dundalk for their European adventure to date and the way it has captured the imagination of the public.

It does not mean their performances in the EL group to date and when they are finished the group phase cannot be compared to teams who performed admirably at a similar level only in knockout format.