Is a great opportunity being passed up to promote the League of Ireland?

legendary.xix

With Ireland's success in qualifying for Euro 2012 and the involvement of ex-LoI players in this success. The FAI should be running a promotion campaign for the LoI using ex-LoI players who are part of the Euro 2012 qualifying success. There is no better way to promote the talent that has come through the league.

Many supporters of the leagues across the water have been scrambling and asking for McClean's exclusion. Many could've see that player in action in Ireland but missed that opportunity.

dan1895

FAI promoting the League of Ireland? Sure why would they do that?
They don't give a sh*t!

bohsman

Thought most people wanted to see McClean called up?

Made the point in an earlier thread that 7 players in the squad are ex LOI. Yes, they were good enough to move on, the point I was making is that there could easily be 7 future internationals in the league at the moment.

Gavin "shels"

Could be an idea, but never going to happen. The few million the FAI have got from qualifying is probably already sent on loan replayments, and cans for the people travelling over.:rolleyes:

dan1895

The Fai are too concerned about the short-term anyway. If they bothered promoting the league properly, got more bums on seats, got players staying here longer before going abroad, had a proper support for those told "not good enough" in England and built bridges between the different factions in football in this country where everyone is out for themselves then football in this country from the top down would benefit. But because those benefits wouldn't be seen for a number of years and the debts need to be paid now, the FAI, as I said above, don't give a sh*t.

Pinturicchio

The FAI could not give a flying fuck about the League of Ireland. That has become clearer to me than ever in recent months.

Orando Broom

Pinturicchio wrote: »

The FAI could not give a flying fuck about the League of Ireland. That has become clearer to me than ever in recent months.

Not one f**K. Look at the DFB's (Germany) relationship with the clubs there. Each and every club producing young German superstars, each club contributing to the future of the National side. If the FAI really cared they would be doing thier level best to ensure the LOI clubs are holding on to as many young fellas as possible, nurturing then for a few years and thwen selling them on.

It is criminal that players are allowed to leave these shores to a future of uncertaintity and a present that is pretty grim living when all is said and done. The FAI should be acting ion concert with all LOi clubs to enusre the liks of Robbie Brady and others are at least starting thier senior careers in Ireland. There is ample evidence to show that the LOI is not an impediment to success and nor is there a lead in time required for making the step up. however clubs in Ireland have to also accept that they could be run better. Look at the farce with Sligo Rovers and Paul Cook.

There is work to be done by all concerned. I would think academies linked strongly with education would be a start. Follow the Dutch and German model. Let clubs take ownership of the lads' lives when they are younger, mentor them not just in football skills but in life skills. For every James McClean there are thirty bitter, washed up 19 year olds who are hardly kicking a ball due to their not so positive experiences. The League of Ireland is every bit as good a training ground for lads as living in rented digs in some ****hole plying your trade in League One.

Yakult

Local club (Pop. 20k+) got refused entry into the LOI due to a shitty stadium or "inadequate" as they put it. Yet theirs 3 or 4 class GAA stadiums within a few miles of each other with unreal pitches/stands etc. It's a joke how overshadowed the league is and under funded.

losthorizon

Its a mistake to link the EC and the LOI.

The LOI in the last ten years has progressed a massive amount in playing standards and i mean a massive amount. Its fallen back a bit in the last season or two. Read somewhere in Wikipedia that the LOI holds the record for the greatest climb in europe of any league up the UEFA co-efficiency tables.

The thing is as most people have pointed out the FAI dont care mostly because its not glamorous enough for them imo. The problem is though they are the governing body who wont govern and wont take charge.

It kills me to see young fellows being lost by clubs in Ireland for a packet of wine gums. The FAI should should have someone for negotiations with cross channel clubs and for all contracts in the LOI. IT would result in the odd big transfer or sell on clause.

The question is when do you see the the top brass of the FAI at games in Ireland. Imagine if the head of the Romanian FA was really into Bulgarian Football

Iang87

I think you're right OP however I also think everyone else is right that the FAI wont bother. Sad really but the league is improving without much help from them

cson

Yakult wrote: »

Local club (Pop. 20k+) got refused entry into the LOI due to a shitty stadium or "inadequate" as they put it. Yet theirs 3 or 4 class GAA stadiums within a few miles of each other with unreal pitches/stands etc. It's a joke how overshadowed the league is and under funded.

Re the stadium thing; Ireland must surely be one of the worst countries in the world for under utilising sporting infrastructure?

A lot to be said for municipal stadiums like a lot of cities on the continent have that cater for all sports.

dan1895

cson wrote: »

Re the stadium thing; Ireland must surely be one of the worst countries in the world for under utilising sporting infrastructure?

A lot to be said for municipal stadiums like a lot of cities on the continent have that cater for all sports.

Agreed. Have you seen some of the smaller stadia built in Europe of the last couple of years? Here's Zimbru Chisnau's in Moldova

http://http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/moldova/chisinau_zimbru.shtml

The_Kew_Tour

The league has improved in the last 10 years though without the help of the FAI. Results in Europe have proven that, gone are the days when champions would get beat home and away to a team from Macedonia 5-0.

The FAI could do so much more for the league if they wanted too, but I would not be holding my breath anytime soon to see them change that.

Their short term objective to to get rid of the debt on new Lansdowne and until then FAI wont be worried about how any club in Ireland is doing. Sad, but true.

legendary.xix

dan1895 wrote: »

Agreed. Have you seen some of the smaller stadia built in Europe of the last couple of years? Here's Zimbru Chisnau's in Moldova

http://http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/moldova/chisinau_zimbru.shtml

Decent stadium alright, about the size realistically any club in Ireland would aspire to.

legendary.xix

RTÉ have announced details of increased coverage of Irish soccer:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2012/0223/airtricity_rte.html

Confirmed live broadcasts:
2 March: Drogheda United v Shamrock Rovers live from Hunk Dory Park at 7.00pm on RTÉ Two
16 March: Cork City v Shamrock Rovers live from Turners Cross at 7.00pm on RTÉ Two
25 March: Bohemians v St Patrick's Athletic live from Dalymount Park at 3:45pm on RTÉ Two
30 March: Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians live from Tallaght Stadium at 7.00pm on RTÉ Two
6 April: St Patrick's Athletic v Shamrock Rovers live from Richmond Park at 7.00pm on RTÉ Two

eire4

cson wrote: »

Re the stadium thing; Ireland must surely be one of the worst countries in the world for under utilising sporting infrastructure?

A lot to be said for municipal stadiums like a lot of cities on the continent have that cater for all sports.

I would agree with that in the western world at least. Ireland's general sports facilities are dreadful to put it mildly.

dan1895

eire4 wrote: »

I would agree with that in the western world at least. Ireland's general sports facilities are dreadful to put it mildly.

Even outside of the Western world football stadia are miles ahead of what we have in this country. Did you see any of the grounds used at this years African Nations or in Mali a few years back?

EdenHazard

FAI is a joke full stop but it'll never change, but who cares, **** the haters! LOI4LYFE

LuckyLloyd

I almost hate posting it because it will likely cause a tiresome debate - but the FAI are far from the only ones to blame regarding our inability to keep players developing at home for longer before they cross the Irish Sea.

LOI clubs have consistently ignored youth football in this country and make virtually zero effort to try and sheperd top teenage talent towards their senior teams. Indeed, the creation of a national U19 league is probably the biggest stride in the right direction, and the FAI are to thank for that. Indeed, if a national U17 league follows, the clubs are going to be blessed that the FAI allows them the right to field teams in it as opposed to the elite schoolboy clubs.

The clubs are a disgrace in this regard, and the any work being done to rectify things falls upon the FAI.

LuckyLloyd

Iang87 wrote: »

I think you're right OP however I also think everyone else is right that the FAI wont bother. Sad really but the league is improving without much help from them

The league improved in a lot of respects during a 10 year or so period up until, hmmm, maybe 2007 or so (probably could debate the year on that one)? At best it has plateued since then. Too many clubs have had to start from scratch the past few years to really claim the league has improved. Shamrock Rovers have made huge strides, but the mean level is not progressing imo.

LuckyLloyd

cson wrote: »

Re the stadium thing; Ireland must surely be one of the worst countries in the world for under utilising sporting infrastructure?

A lot to be said for municipal stadiums like a lot of cities on the continent have that cater for all sports.

The GAA don't like to share nice things on a community level.

stovelid

The FAI do help but could definitely do more to help keep players here but as Lloyd said, LOI clubs has consistently neglected youth setups in favour of building senior teams at inflated cost (although that's changing now: Rovers, for one, are putting a lot of time and money into developing youth facilities and teams) and you also have a huge, rival power structure to LOI in junior football in this counry where the big junior clubs have a monopoly on the 'buckshot' approach to shipping kids over to England.

Where the FAI could help is provide some vision and financial help in helping LOI clubs improve youth structures so LOI clubs offer an alternative to being lashed over to England and then falling through the cracks when they don;t make it.

bohsman

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I almost hate posting it because it will likely cause a tiresome debate - but the FAI are far from the only ones to blame regarding our inability to keep players developing at home for longer before they cross the Irish Sea.

LOI clubs have consistently ignored youth football in this country and make virtually zero effort to try and sheperd top teenage talent towards their senior teams. Indeed, the creation of a national U19 league is probably the biggest stride in the right direction, and the FAI are to thank for that. Indeed, if a national U17 league follows, the clubs are going to be blessed that the FAI allows them the right to field teams in it as opposed to the elite schoolboy clubs.

The clubs are a disgrace in this regard, and the any work being done to rectify things falls upon the FAI.

The FAI can take plenty of blame for this too, they've been more than happy for the Junior club to England cattle mart to continue for years on end destroying many potential careers as 18/19 year olds end up back in Ireland feeling bitter about how they were treated. Why help get good coaching infrastructure set up here when the English can do it for us and help turn one or two players into superstars every now and then?

LuckyLloyd

bohsman wrote: »

The FAI can take plenty of blame for this too, they've been more than happy for the Junior club to England cattle mart to continue for years on end destroying many potential careers as 18/19 year olds end up back in Ireland feeling bitter about how they were treated. Why help get good coaching infrastructure set up here when the English can do it for us and help turn one or two players into superstars every now and then?

Your former Grosvenor Lane coach (;)) is currently working with Cherry Orchard. He tells me that so many of the kids and their parents are fixated with becoming a professional footballer. All over the country, families position their kids so that they can stand out at the Kennedy Cup, consequently get a move to the likes of Kevin's or The Orchard, and therefore put themselves in the shop window for Irish squads and a move to England.

What needs to happen is the likes of Shamrock Rovers developing their youth setups to a level where they compete with top DDSL clubs in youth football. Rovers have made efforts in this area over the past 18 months, but they remain mainly a second tier force. But the likes of St Pat's are a ****ing disgrace in this regard and should be utterly ashamed of their youth section. However, if Rovers could keep going and become DDSL challengers in the next few years, then they could get in the mix for top 11 - 14 year old players, and start having really competetive U13 - U16 sides.

What you could sell then would become really powerful: the English access route is still available in this scenario, but you supplement that with a powerful alternative - IF an English club doesn't come in for a player with the right deal and he stays with Rovers through to U19, he will be on a direct route to the National League first team, shots at European football, etc. You will also be putting together squads of strongly talented youngsters and giving yourself every opportunity to strike lucky - player X may be touted as a future pro from 12, 13 and be over and back to England on trial and partner player Y at the back on an U15 team where player Y is considered a good young player but not a prospective pro. That player Y may just take a huge technical and physical development spurt when he turns 16 and end up as a serious 18 year old prospect on your hands. The current landscape sees player Y finish up at his DDSL U17 team and have to go looking himself to continue on (clubs like UCD concentrate on such players, but don't have the resources to scout nationwide effectively).

As such, because the LOI clubs have done little or nothing to bridge the gap between top level DDSL and the National League, if a player has dreams he has to go over to England to try and fulfill them.

As I said earlier, there is serious talk of a national U17 league being created soon, and LOI clubs will be asked to field teams in it. This will immensely help the clubs, as it will keep top players not picked up by England in the game and on a path to the National League, and consequently create a clear alternative route to the pro game. That will automatically mean that the English route suffers more serious scrutiny from desperate parents, which can only be a good thing.

stovelid

Spot-on.

In the Tallaght context, Rovers need to be snapping up the next Keane and Dunner instead of Crumlin United and Home Farm respectively.

The son of one of my neighbours is a great little footballer for his age - really stands out - and I've been trying and trying to get my neighbour to bring him down to Rovers but Cherry Orchard, among others, want him so he wants him to go there.

LuckyLloyd

stovelid wrote: »

Spot-on.

In the Tallaght context, Rovers need to be snapping up the next Keane and Dunner instead of Crumlin United and Home Farm respectively.

The son of one of my neighbours is a great little footballer for his age - really stands out - and I've been trying and trying to get my neighbour to bring him down to Rovers but Cherry Orchard, among others, want him so he wants him to go there.

Even having players like that at your setup for a few years would make a difference. They may still go over to England at 15, but if it wasn't working out so well there would be a line of communication and contacts to maybe get them back in your development pipeline at 17.

Not being in the mixer at all for talented players is simply awful, just shambolic really.

noodler

Ward
Doyle
Hunt
Long
McClean (maybe)
Fahey

Who am I missing to make that 7?

(or should there be an extra 2 missing since McClean isn't guaranteed to be on the plane?)

stovelid

noodler wrote: »

Ward
Doyle
Hunt
Long
McClean (maybe)
Fahey

Who am I missing to make that 7?

(or should there be an extra 2 missing since McClean isn't guaranteed to be on the plane?)

You mean just players that came from our league?

Noel Hunt

Wes Hoolihan

noodler

stovelid wrote: »

You mean just players that came from our league?

Noel Hunt

Wes Hoolihan

Hoel Hunt has no chance of being in the squad though I think it is fair to say

(I was referring to the '7' in the OP).

EDIT: I'd say poor Wes has no chance either while we're at it.

EDIT 2: My fault, it wasn't the OP it was this post

bohsman wrote: »

Thought most people wanted to see McClean called up?

Made the point in an earlier thread that 7 players in the squad are ex LOI. Yes, they were good enough to move on, the point I was making is that there could easily be 7 future internationals in the league at the moment.

stovelid

Coleman makes it seven.

gustavo

David Forde has a reasonable chance of going too.

bohsman

noodler wrote: »

Hoel Hunt has no chance of being in the squad though I think it is fair to say

(I was referring to the '7' in the OP).

EDIT: I'd say poor Wes has no chance either while we're at it.

EDIT 2: My fault, it wasn't the OP it was this post

Current squad to face Czech-Republic
David Forde
Stephen Ward
Seamus Coleman
Keith Fahey
Kevin Doyle
Shane Long
James McClean

cson

It's interesting though to see that the latest wave of Irish players coming through have all at some point or another started for an LOI side before making the jump across the pond. All the players above plus Doyle and Long off the top of my head.

I think that has to be the template for the future; its a concept that has to be sold to parents. A kind of "Kevin Doyle learned his trade at CCFC and look at him now" type of thing.

The more players making it over there the more clubs that will start to look at the LOI for talent.

I'd think you're much better off playing week in week out and featuring in the shop window of Europe than starting intermittantly for a LEague 1 or less side.

cson

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The GAA don't like to share nice things on a community level.

On that point; its quite a shame Ireland is so parochial in this respect. With some cooperation and a bit of investment the country wouldn't be a million miles away from having the ability to host a European Championships. Certainly it'd be well on with a joint Scotland-Wales-Ireland bid.

Kerrydude1981

Nearest clubs to me Tralee Dynamos applied to enter Division 1 but didnt get the licence,which is a pity ground wasnt good enough,I think they should have gone the St Pats route from the early 90s and play in the middle of the local greyhound track.