Irish clubs and the champions league

**elroy** · 14/11/2002, 1:42 PM

Im just after reading the genesis report and also watching basle, a swiss team qualify for the second phase of the champions league and wonder if ever an eircom league side can do the same.
In the report there are some very positive aspects about the league and recommendations to help it to expand and become more professional. In truth whether this will happen is very much up top the fai and the changes they make.
The premiership is much bigger than the el here no one can deny and i think certain people in the league need to recognise this and stop day dreaming that some of the top irish teams could compete in the premiership. However, i think irish teams have badly underperformed in europe of late espeically in recent years and i think this needs to be addressed.
I honestly believe irish teams could perform, well in the uefa cup and maybe one day repeat basle's achievements in the champ league with a bit more support from the public and the government.

**pete** · 14/11/2002, 2:10 PM

Earllier his year with the launch (i mean mis-launch) of thre summer football season Menton/FAI were saying they hoped an eL club would make the CL group stages within 5 years.

However they offered no plan or ideas as to how this would be achieved.

I can't see an irish team make it past the 3rd qualifying round in the next 5 years.

btw Liverpoll were IMO lucky to draw with Basle/Basel.

**UCD_4_Life** · 14/11/2002, 7:00 PM

If say Bohs got to the Group phase of the CL then the effects on Irish football would be great but there would also be downsides.

Between TV money and ground receipts Bohs would bring in at least E5m which would make Bohs the best team in the country by a mile. Can you imagine them being able to just buy anyone they wanted in Ireland?

**Éanna** · 15/11/2002, 1:26 PM

Originally posted by UCD_4_Life
Can you imagine them being able to just buy anyone they wanted in Ireland?

They´re more or less doing that anyway! I think an Irish club can easily reach the group stage within 3 years if we keep up the progress of the last few years.

**Xlex** · 15/11/2002, 2:09 PM

Be it Bohs or Shels... In terms of finance they're miles ahead... Personally, I think Bohs will get there and if Shels don't win the league every fews years they'll be dead in 10 years... Then the rest of the league gets dragged up to a standard...

I think we can achieve something within 6 to 7 years.... The recent boom may also have given a false sence of financial well being...

**pete** · 15/11/2002, 2:17 PM

Reason i think an eL will not make it for many years to come is cos they'd have to beat a big big club in the 3rd qualifying round.

The on;ly way i see it likely to have any chance of happening is if eL club flukes it past seeded team in 2nd round. Then cos of the way they draw the 3rd round before the 2nd round finishes the eL is a virtual seeded team in the 3rd round.

**Éanna** · 15/11/2002, 2:26 PM

Originally posted by pete
The on;ly way i see it likely to have any chance of happening is if eL club flukes it past seeded team in 2nd round. Then cos of the way they draw the 3rd round before the 2nd round finishes the eL is a virtual seeded team in the 3rd round.

Yeah thats the way to do it, and IMO not by any means impossible.