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#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld LOI 2019 pt 2

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,999 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    The LOI is an FAI event. The home team, ie, Derry City, have responsibility for the safety and security of the supporters in the stadium.

    Exactly.

    In the stadium.

    No club can be expected to be responsible outside the stadium. That wouldn't happen anywhere in the world.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    NIMAN wrote: »
    Exactly.

    In the stadium.

    No club can be expected to be responsible outside the stadium. That wouldn't happen anywhere in the world.

    The PSNI have responsibility outside, but probably would be more trouble than it's worth to have them boys going down in the riot gear.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,249 ✭✭✭Irishmale0399


    The LOI is an FAI event. The home team, ie, Derry City, have responsibility for the safety and security of the supporters in the stadium.


    Exactly, and the FAI (Uhu Super McGlue) very often consult with local Gardai and clubs where high risk games take place....time, stewarding etc. should be taken into account. They passed the buck or Derry made mistakes...the game was seriously under stewarded, segregation was not present infront off or in the ground. Was clear from early on that something was brewing...too many young lads with too much alcohol in them.



    As for outside the ground....Derry cannot police the streets around the ground, however they should have been onto the PNSI insisiting on assistance, supported by the FAI and had a plan in place to ensure fans could safely enter and leave the ground. Politics probably won over safety in this case.....PSNI have other problems in Derry at the moment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,946 ✭✭✭✭Zebra3


    tastyt wrote: »
    Here's a question for ye ( apart from rovers fans )

    Would most here like to see bohs beaten tonight and have a shock or underdog story or do you prefer bohs to win so we won't be hearing ****e about amateur sides being as good as ' ****e ' league of Ireland ?

    Crumlin for the final!


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Zebra3 wrote: »
    Crumlin for the final!

    That would mean them beating Shamrock Rovers in the semi....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,471 ✭✭✭pgj2015


    I wonder will it be hard to hire buses to drive fans to game in Derry in the future? If I owned a bus company and was asked to drive fans up there I know what my answer would be.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Dublin Derby in the semi-final of the cup, at Dalymount Park.

    Will be mayhem.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    Statement from Dundalk.

    https://www.dundalkfc.com/club-statement-sep-2019/

    If Derry cannot guarantee policing outside the stadium (Including Derry stewards) for away fans busses and cars etc, then maybe a few matches at McGinn might be considered. Maybe that’s a bit hard but how do stop these scuts from doing this ?

    Genuine Derry and Dundalk fans get on really well. Still remember 2002 when we were facing relegation (we were relegated ). In one of our last home matches the Derry fans were singing ‘ and now your going to believe us, your going to win the cup (a real pick me up - we did). relegated and cup winners in a few weeks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    Dunno if it's been posted yet but ex monaghan United, Dundalk and Finn harps player Noel Melvin passed away this evening. Such a lovely guy.

    R.I.P.

    https://www.dundalkfc.com/noel-melvin-r-i-p/


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 505 ✭✭✭UnleashTheBeast


    A bit of a bizarre game in Terryland Park tonight. Obviously it doesn't mean much to either team in terms of league position but GUFC are appearing to finish the season strongly and will hope to give promotion a good rattle next year if rumours are to be believed. That's five wins from six.

    We beat Cobh 7-1 on Friday and I'd say we had a similar amount of efforts on goal tonight against Limerick. Their goalkeeper Jack Brady was outstanding, he must've made 3-4 top, top saves. He kept it respectable to be honest. Limerick were very young and game and worked hard to get back into the game, but they should've never had the avenue, if we were anyway clinical in front of goal.

    Hopefully things can be sorted out at Limerick over the off season, it would be a terrible scenario for a city of Limerick's size not to have a football team next year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    sugarman wrote: »
    Absolute state of Soccer Republics "coverage" of the EA Sport Cup Final, 3 mins inc the penos ..and not even all the penos.

    They showed those 3 minutes in bad grace. EIR had the match live and RTE barely covered it. Didn’t show the Waterford cup match at all. Now that their pal Delaney is gone (and hopefully the freebies will follow) they’re showing their true colours. Crying poverty on the licence front they paid €6m for the women’s World Cup. And tried to convince the gullible that it was great. It was ok, but not great.

    Anything they did show laughable. Is John Kenny like God now, everywhere at the same time?


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    joeysoap wrote: »
    They showed those 3 minutes in bad grace. EIR had the match live and RTE barely covered it. Didn’t show the Waterford cup match at all. Now that their pal Delaney is gone (and hopefully the freebies will follow) they’re showing their true colours. Crying poverty on the licence front they paid €6m for the women’s World Cup. And tried to convince the gullible that it was great. It was ok, but not great.

    Anything they did show laughable. Is John Kenny like God now, everywhere at the same time?

    Have you a source for this figure?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,999 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    joeysoap wrote: »
    Statement from Dundalk.

    https://www.dundalkfc.com/club-statement-sep-2019/

    If Derry cannot guarantee policing outside the stadium (Including Derry stewards) for away fans busses and cars etc, then maybe a few matches at McGinn might be considered. Maybe that’s a bit hard but how do stop these scuts from doing this ?

    As I said earlier, this is the big question that has had a lot of debate over recent years in the city. We appeared to be making progress, and when people said "Institute will never be able to play their games there, bringing Linfield, Portadown etc to the Brandywell, there'll be trouble", well there wasn't.

    And its been a while since there was any bother outside the Brandywell in the LoI too, until last Saturday night. I do think this only happened because of what happened inside the ground, it was the catalyst.

    You have to remember that the area is what it is. The PSNI are not welcome there, its not like they can police the matches the way the Gardai can do it on Galway or Dundalk. Doesn't work like that, thats why all the policing has to be done by stewards, local politicians, community workers etc, trying to keep any simmering tensions at bay. Its a thankless task. You can ask wee scumbags to not cause bother, but actually stopping them is a different matter. If the PSNI were there they would be a target for a riot probably, or even worse with the rise in dissident activity in the city.

    And then you have to ask how far away from the ground are Derry City responsible for? Is it 100 metres, 200 metres, a mile? It might sound harsh but trouble outside football grounds are not the responsibility of the football club, anywhere. Unfortunately we don't have a normal system of law and order in the north, especially in republican areas.

    I would have loved the new stadium to have been built elsewhere in the city, but it wasn't. We have to get on with it.

    And do we move the games to Maginn as a punishment if there is trouble? The trouble is more than likely caused by youngsters who don't go to the games but just live in the area. Why punish the 2500 Derry regulars for something a few scrotes do? That's hardly fair is it?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,266 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    A bit of a bizarre game in Terryland Park tonight. Obviously it doesn't mean much to either team in terms of league position but GUFC are appearing to finish the season strongly and will hope to give promotion a good rattle next year if rumours are to be believed. That's five wins from six.

    We beat Cobh 7-1 on Friday and I'd say we had a similar amount of efforts on goal tonight against Limerick. Their goalkeeper Jack Brady was outstanding, he must've made 3-4 top, top saves. He kept it respectable to be honest. Limerick were very young and game and worked hard to get back into the game, but they should've never had the avenue, if we were anyway clinical in front of goal.

    Hopefully things can be sorted out at Limerick over the off season, it would be a terrible scenario for a city of Limerick's size not to have a football team next year.
    The Limerick keeper Brady was superb. A fair scoreline would have been about 8-4. Great entertainment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,946 ✭✭✭✭Zebra3


    That would mean them beating Shamrock Rovers in the semi....

    Well, duh!!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭gwalk


    Gonna be a mad scramble for tickets for the semi,

    Would be great if the Rovers Bohs Semi was played in the RDS as it would be good to get a bigger crowd in

    Bohs would be mad to give up home advantage and rightly so, just the luck of the draw


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Would be terrible if played in RDS.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,421 ✭✭✭major bill


    It is a shame the way Dalymount has gone, sums up the ridiculous carry on by the club in the 00's when we were spending well above our means challenging titles.

    It is what it is now and the club have a pain in the hole with sorting tickets for the semi. This fixture could easily draw in 8 or 10,000 if the old capacity was there. We are hampered with what we can do, the council own the ground and won't put any money into it as long as the new Dalymount project is still in motion.

    No point dwelling on this, Rovers will be given their normal allocation in the shed while I'd say tickets in Jodi will be given to Members first, season ticket holders and then go on general sale, be surprised if these are put up online.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,029 ✭✭✭tastyt


    What is the absolute max dalymount can hold now?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    Good post by Niman. I know I threw it out there, but moving to Maginn is not the solution. Punishes regular fans and rewards the troublemakers, who will find another source to vent their poison on. Derry are a great club, one of the better LOI ones.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    tastyt wrote: »
    What is the absolute max dalymount can hold now?

    Tops out at around 3600. Main stand (Jodi) for home fans and school end (Des Kelly) for away. Connaught Street side and Tramway have both been out of use for years now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    I
    Have you a source for this figure?

    I’m struggling to find a source but I’m pretty sure I read about it at the time (in context of what they were paying for LOI matches)


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,694 Mod ✭✭✭✭dfx-


    joeysoap wrote: »
    Good post by Niman. I know I threw it out there, but moving to Maginn is not the solution. Punishes regular fans and rewards the troublemakers, who will find another source to vent their poison on. Derry are a great club, one of the better LOI ones.

    from experience, the stewards at Derry are more than likely to join in than stop anything. Of all the places to invade the pitch, the Brandywell is not the place...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,421 ✭✭✭major bill


    dfx- wrote: »
    from experience, the stewards at Derry are more than likely to join in than stop anything. Of all the places to invade the pitch*, the Brandywell is not the place...

    Some of the stewards are *****


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 779 ✭✭✭bot43


    The Sun have an article today saying a 8 team Premier league is being considered from 2021. Its the Sun so Im not giving them the click, but that is the worst idea I have ever come across for the LOI. 10 is already too few. 8 would kill any enthusiasm.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,166 ✭✭✭shanec1928


    bot43 wrote: »
    The Sun have an article today saying a 8 team Premier league is being considered from 2021. Its the Sun so Im not giving them the click, but that is the worst idea I have ever come across for the LOI. 10 is already too few. 8 would kill any enthusiasm.
    what ever drugs that person are on must be great:pac: a crazy idea, the no of teams should be going up not down.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,382 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    shanec1928 wrote: »
    what ever drugs that person are on must be great:pac: a crazy idea, the no of teams should be going up not down.

    No it shouldn't. Harps and UCDs contribution to the quality of the league this season is seriously questionable. I don't see Shels, Drogheda/Harps or any of the others doing much better next year. Ian Morris would take a play off if it was offered now.
    I think 10 teams is about right.
    If Shams and Dundalk have gotten a notion that 8 teams is the clearest way to a full-time professional league then I've no doubt it'll be 8 teams inside the next 3 or 4 seasons.
    Qarabag play out of an 8 team league and hasn't stopped them performing to a very high level in Europe.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    12 teams, with a top / bottom split after 22 matches. 32 matches in total. Even with Europe that should be do- able with minimum of cancellations.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,999 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    An all Ireland league is the only positive way forward for football on the island (imho).

    It might have it's issues to fix, but these are surmountable.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,550 ✭✭✭✭CSF


    NIMAN wrote: »
    An all Ireland league is the only positive way forward for football on the island (imho).

    It might have it's issues to fix, but these are surmountable.

    Why do you think it will improve things? Is it actually going to improve attendances? There are no real existing rivalries to speak of.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,999 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    CSF wrote: »
    Why do you think it will improve things? Is it actually going to improve attendances? There are no real existing rivalries to speak of.

    I just think the LOI has got stale, it isn't going to get any more exciting for the would-be or potential fan.

    Introducing the best from the Irish league, would hopefully inject a bit of excitement, something different. Ok so it might not catch on, but it has to be worth a punt in my opinion.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,166 ✭✭✭shanec1928


    No it shouldn't. Harps and UCDs contribution to the quality of the league this season is seriously questionable. I don't see Shels, Drogheda/Harps or any of the others doing much better next year. Ian Morris would take a play off if it was offered now.
    I think 10 teams is about right.
    If Shams and Dundalk have gotten a notion that 8 teams is the clearest way to a full-time professional league then I've no doubt it'll be 8 teams inside the next 3 or 4 seasons.
    Qarabag play out of an 8 team league and hasn't stopped them performing to a very high level in Europe.
    Harsh on harps they have taken points off all the top sides bar shams. I can agree with ucd
    https://www.extratime.ie/fixtures/club/13/finn-harps/

    I think the fixtures are too repetitive at 10 teams when you add in the two cups etc. 8 would be mental imo basically becoming two groups.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭diusmr8a504cvk


    The league has been awful this year, I don't know how anyone could say otherwise.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,471 ✭✭✭pgj2015


    I disagree on UCD not offering anything this year, they played some nice football, no long ball football with them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,550 ✭✭✭✭CSF


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I just think the LOI has got stale, it isn't going to get any more exciting for the would-be or potential fan.

    Introducing the best from the Irish league, would hopefully inject a bit of excitement, something different. Ok so it might not catch on, but it has to be worth a punt in my opinion.

    I just don’t think there is huge potential there. I don’t see a trip to Linfield or Cliftonville as any more exciting than Sligo, Derry, Galway etc.

    I don’t believe there to be an interest from the outside looking in among LOI fans towards the Irish League. Myself, I couldn’t name you a single player, although I’m sure I’d know a few if told they were playing there.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,421 ✭✭✭major bill


    CSF wrote: »
    I just don’t think there is huge potential there. I don’t see a trip to Linfield or Cliftonville as any more exciting than Sligo, Derry, Galway etc.

    I don’t believe there to be an interest from the outside looking in among LOI fans towards the Irish League. Myself, I couldn’t name you a single player, although I’m sure I’d know a few if told they were playing there.

    If an All-Ireland League came about, there would be more money, and therefore I think you would get the players we don't normally hear about playing in England and Scotland coming home. Standard as a result would be better and I think a Linfield Dundalk game would be more appealing to the Neutral than say a Dundalk Bohs game, just look at the influx of football fans for the Dublin Derby in recent years.

    Look at Australia when they set up the A-League and the success that came with it, population difference aside, another nation that has their own sport Aussie Rules and others to compete with Football.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,168 ✭✭✭Christy Browne


    pgj2015 wrote: »
    I disagree on UCD not offering anything this year, they played some nice football, no long ball football with them.

    Yeah and they have 5 wins and 3 draws from 31 games as a result, nice football means sweet **** all at the end of the day. They shouldn't be left get promoted imo, half their squad leaving halfway through the season was a farce.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,167 ✭✭✭Fan of Netflix


    An All Ireland league would be more trouble than it was worth. I don't think it would attract bigger attendances. It probably would be a mess with crowd trouble on a regular basis.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,981 ✭✭✭johnnyryan89


    shanec1928 wrote: »
    what ever drugs that person are on must be great:pac: a crazy idea, the no of teams should be going up not down.

    Well these ideas are coming from the clubs apparently.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,252 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    Yeah and they have 5 wins and 3 draws from 31 games as a result, nice football means sweet **** all at the end of the day. They shouldn't be left get promoted imo, half their squad leaving halfway through the season was a farce.

    They were promoted on merit, and played some in nice football when promoted. However as they are a University club, it comes with the territory that the vultures circle as the University year ends, which coincides with the signing window.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    UCD have no business being in the top division. Wouldn't get it in any other country and just shows how underfunded the league is.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    Ticket info for FAI Cup Semi Final

    We are aware that demand for tickets for the upcoming Extra.ie FAI Cup semi-final between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers will far outweigh supply.
    We look forward to the future redevelopment of Dalymount Park when we will be able to accommodate more supporters.
    But in its current reduced capacity, Bohemian FC wishes to ensure, as much as we can, that our members, season ticket holders and Dalymount regulars get priority for a game of this magnitude and that tickets do not fall into the hands of touts.
    With that in mind, no tickets will be sold online. We understand that no online sales is an inconvenience to some, but we feel in this instance it is the fairest way of making sure as many Dalymount regulars get to see the game as possible.

    BOHEMIANS MEMBERS
    Members do not need to buy a ticket in advance.
    Members just pay €10 on stile on match-night on production of 2019 membership card as is normal for split gate cup fixtures.
    Before tickets go on general sale, members can purchase a maximum of TWO additional tickets from Dalymount Park between 10am and 1pm this Saturday.

    BOHEMIANS SEASON TICKETS AND JUNIOR GYPSIES
    Season tickets and Junior Gypsies do not apply for FAI Cup games.
    However, tickets will go on sale for season ticket holders and Junior Gypsies from Dalymount between 10am and 1pm on Saturday before they go on general sale.
    Again there is a limit of two tickets per season ticket holder or Junior Gypsy.
    Note: Do not attempt to buy a ticket during the 10am to 1pm window if you are not a member, season ticket holder or Junior Gypsy. Membership card numbers and season tickets will be checked.

    BOHEMIANS FANS – GENERAL SALE
    In the unlikely event of the game not selling out on Saturday, the remainder of tickets will go on general sale from Dalymount after 1pm

    SHAMROCK ROVERS FANS
    Ticket information for Shamrock Rovers will follow from the their end


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,946 ✭✭✭✭Zebra3


    That is bizarre that Bohs members don’t need to buy a ticket in advance. Surely there will be some who can’t make the game and therefore a ticket goes unsold.

    Mind boggling.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,029 ✭✭✭tastyt


    Lads, the problem with our league is money. We need an injection of it and loads of it. The fai have consistently shown they have not and will not invest , the derisory sum given to league champions just shows this.

    Money improves everything. It improves pitches, which improves standard of football. It improves acadamies and coaching which improves standard of football. It allows all teams to be fully professional which improves standard of football.

    This rise in standard, maybe having an international or two playing and more inviting atmosphere for families will then improve attendance and the whole thing snowballs.

    Add to that money invested in proper Nationwide marketing and slick tv coverage and your laughing.

    So it doesn't matter if you have 8/10/12 in the top league. 8 quality teams is fine but absolute overkill for fans and any tv audience.

    Bottom line is it's all pie in the sky without a huge investment of cash and whatever structure or idea is more attractive to investors should be tried. The all Ireland league deserves a go if there is money behind it, why not?? The league is going nowhere as it is, we have a huge cup semi final that less than 4 k tickets can be sold for because our facilities are a joke.

    Take the money, give it a shot. We can always go back to where we are, swimming against the tide going nowhere. And I guarantee within a couple of years if linfield or cliftonville are challenging at the top of the league it won't be long until they have a huge rivalry with rovers / Dundalk / Cork.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    I suppose it's a loyalty thing, save them an additional trip. I'm confident that 99% of tickets will be taken up. It's a cup semi at home against our fiercest rivals with an Aviva day on the line at the very least. I know a few lads who are away at the moment and they're giving their tickets to regulars and semi regulars. Even if 1 out of 100 doesn't take up the seat, I'm happy that genuine regulars are getting looked after first.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,421 ✭✭✭major bill


    Zebra3 wrote: »
    That is bizarre that Bohs members don’t need to buy a ticket in advance. Surely there will be some who can’t make the game and therefore a ticket goes unsold.

    Mind boggling.

    You can guarantee if members can’t make it someone will use the card! A trip over Saturday for an additional 2


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,382 ✭✭✭topmanamillion


    The problem with 12,10,8 team league's, an all island league, splits and whatever else is the same.
    It's all rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.

    The image of the league is atrocious.
    Take an opinion pool on the streets of the biggest cities in the country tommorow, the likes of Cork, Galway and Dublin and ask them to describe the league of Ireland.

    I guarantee you the answers will range from "what's the league of Ireland?"
    To
    "I couldn't watch that it's awful"

    The vast majority won't know who won the Premier Division. Even less the First Division.

    The league had a massive image problem. It could take lessons from the likes of Ladies Football and greyhound racing which had poor images in the past. Greyhound racing used to be for degenerates in trench coats and Ladies football was something you commended women for having a crack at playing but you wouldn't bother going to Croke Park to watch.
    They've put serious effort into changing their images so it's possible for the LOI to do the same. But I see no signs of anyone being bothered to do it.

    The FAI cup should be on tour around the country with the likes of Roy Keane, Mick McCarthy, Stephen Kenny and anyone else with appeal doing interviews and flogging free tickets for it to schools and clubs. The goal should be to get 40 or 50,000 people into Landsdowne Road. Fill the place for the cameras and watch sponsors fall over themselves to be part of it next year.
    I think it's about 50k clubs get for playing in it in front of 20 or 25,000 people. Get the right sponsors on board with a family friendly image and that prize money will multiply.
    Every sport in this country has their showcase event and promotes them. Meanwhile, the LOI is wondering if having Shels, Drogheda, UCD and Harps in a 12 team league could be the game changer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,550 ✭✭✭✭CSF


    major bill wrote: »
    If an All-Ireland League came about, there would be more money, and therefore I think you would get the players we don't normally hear about playing in England and Scotland coming home. Standard as a result would be better and I think a Linfield Dundalk game would be more appealing to the Neutral than say a Dundalk Bohs game, just look at the influx of football fans for the Dublin Derby in recent years.

    Look at Australia when they set up the A-League and the success that came with it, population difference aside, another nation that has their own sport Aussie Rules and others to compete with Football.

    Would there be actually much more money though?

    Don’t you worry at all that this is just another one of those things, where it’s like the South Park episode with the underpants gnomes?

    3 step plan
    1) Bring in Northern teams
    2) ????
    3) Profit

    If someone is realistically going to put some money into the league, how do they expect to get it back? The ‘if you build it they will come’ approach hasn’t worked hugely upto now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,029 ✭✭✭tastyt


    The problem with 12,10,8 team league's, an all island league, splits and whatever else is the same.
    It's all rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.

    The image of the league is atrocious.
    Take an opinion pool on the streets of the biggest cities in the country tommorow, the likes of Cork, Galway and Dublin and ask them to describe the league of Ireland.

    I guarantee you the answers will range from "what's the league of Ireland?"
    To
    "I couldn't watch that it's awful"

    The vast majority won't know who won the Premier Division. Even less the First Division.

    The league had a massive image problem. It could take lessons from the likes of Ladies Football and greyhound racing which had poor images in the past. Greyhound racing used to be for degenerates in trench coats and Ladies football was something you commended women for having a crack at playing but you wouldn't bother going to Croke Park to watch.
    They've put serious effort into changing their images so it's possible for the LOI to do the same. But I see no signs of anyone being bothered to do it.

    The FAI cup should be on tour around the country with the likes of Roy Keane, Mick McCarthy, Stephen Kenny and anyone else with appeal doing interviews and flogging free tickets for it to schools and clubs. The goal should be to get 40 or 50,000 people into Landsdowne Road. Fill the place for the cameras and watch sponsors fall over themselves to be part of it next year.
    I think it's about 50k clubs get for playing in it in front of 20 or 25,000 people. Get the right sponsors on board with a family friendly image and that prize money will multiply.
    Every sport in this country has their showcase event and promotes them. Meanwhile, the LOI is wondering if having Shels, Drogheda, UCD and Harps in a 12 team league could be the game changer.


    Do you know what really annoys me, about half the full international squad hs come through the league of Ireland.

    The fai should be using these guys every chance they get to promote the bloody league. For the likes of the fai semi finals and finals the palyers should be on adds on TV for it in their former teams jerseys bigging up the occasion and making it cool.

    And those players would have no problem doing it. You know well McLean, Coleman, Maguire, Doherty , Stephens etc all still feel a connection to their former clubs, I reckon they'd love the craic and banter of it too. It's so ****ing simple but the pricks at the fai don't give a flying ****


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,795 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Zebra3 wrote: »
    That is bizarre that Bohs members don’t need to buy a ticket in advance. Surely there will be some who can’t make the game and therefore a ticket goes unsold.

    Mind boggling.

    If they didn't do it, I wouldn't get a ticket as I'm away for the couple of hour window that tickets are on sale.

    Club is owned by the members, it's only right that I should just be able to turn up on the night and be able to get in. I would say the vast, vast majority of members will attend, I don't see any empty seats


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