Cross-Border Tournament

Kone

This is nice to see.......

IFA/FAI

Big Ears

thats a great idea , and id love to watch that tournament .

Bateman

Never mind the Intertoto, this will be serious money, a €300,000 pot, and a real incentive to finish in a high league position. No reason why it can't be a massive success if promoted correctly. Most of our teams will beat the 6 county teams, they have not improved at as quick a pace as the top teams in our league. With big prizemoney and serious media coverage, it will be something to look forward to, and a couple of interesting away trips, given that the current makeup of the Premier Division is so top heavy with Dublin teams.

cournioni

This is one step towards an all-Ireland league, IMO. I would definately watch it. Hopefully it will get some tv coverage here.

Dub13

I think they should ask some welsh teams to enter....but it is a good idea.

Big Ears

Dub13 wrote:

I think they should ask some welsh teams to enter....but it is a good idea.

Welsh teams are quiet a bit behind Irish teams (North and South) in quality .

Dub13

Big Ears wrote:

Welsh teams are quiet a bit behind Irish teams (North and South) in quality .

I am sure teams like Wrexham and Chester would be well up to it.

Big Ears

Dub13 wrote:

I am sure teams like Wrexham and Chester would be well up to it.

oh you mean English Welsh teams .

I thought you meant Barry Town and TNS .

Dub13

I think a Shels Vs Wrexham game would have alot to offer and Cork Vs Chester.


On a side note and I dont want to be seeing to be knocking the idea of an all Ireland Cup as I said before I think its a great idea.But I wounder if the Garda and the PSNI were asked how they feel about this...?just a thought.

Big Ears

Id like an all-Ireland Cup .

as in all teams from the top 2 division of both associations .

you're not going to get Cardiff to enter no ? (or do you think the've got to much class for an Irish team to handle ?)

Swansea would be on par with Wrexham as well .

Chester would be the weak link , and I think an Irish side(top side that is) would probably despose of them 2-0 or 3-0 .

Dub13

If it were to happen IMO Cardiff would be way to strong for it,they could be a Premier League club in the next 5 years.Asking the Welsh teams to enter should be something the FAI/IFA keep in mind if this takes off.

Big Ears

Dub13 wrote:

If it were to happen IMO Cardiff would be way to strong for it,they could be a Premier League club in the next 5 years..

I agree I was just seeing how highly you rate Irish teams .

Cardiff have ambitions to be a Champions League team .
That says a lot about a team that is currently in the fir.............Championship .

The Rooster

Geography Lesson: Chester is in England, not in Wales.

I could well see it being extended to bring in Welsh or Scottish (other than the Big2) teams if its a success. Though as for Welsh teams it would probably be Welsh league teams rather than English league teams.

thejollyrodger

FAI tune in for new deal with Setanta


THE FAI is hoping to further strengthen its relationship with Setanta Sports following yesterday's announcement of a four-year deal with the new Irish sports channel for a competition between teams from both sides of the border.

The association are currently negotiating an agreement which could see Setanta covering up to 10 Eircom League matches 'live' every season, and they are also hoping to develop a range of promotional programmes, like the now defunct 'Soccer Show,' for broadcast on the station.

There was much back-slapping in Dublin's Fitzwilliam Hotel when representatives of the FAI and IFA gathered for the announcement of the new tournament which will give the game on both sides of the border a massive cash injection.

Setanta will provide €1.6m in sponsorship over a four-year period, with £1.3m of it to be used as prize money and the rest for marketing.

The Setanta Cup will feature the champions and runners-up from the premier division north and south of the border, plus the respective cup winners.

The long-term plan is to extend the competition to Wales and Scotland, so that it becomes a football version of rugby's Celtic League.

The tournament will consist of two three-team groups, which will be mixed, with the winners of each group advancing to the final. Setanta will have 13 cameras at each game and have committed themselves to broadcasting 10 of the 13 games 'live'.

By the time it commences, Setanta reckon that their channel will be available in almost 750,000 homes throughout the island on the NTL, Sky and Chorus platforms.

While it will mean more games for the participating teams, Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon believes that the Setanta Cup would be a tremendous addition to the football calendar. "It sounds like it will be a great tournament and I think everybody on both sides of the border will embrace it," he said.

The Setanta Cup will be the sixth all-Ireland football competition since the two associations went their separate ways in 1921 and the first since the demise of the Tyler Cup in 1981.

Setanta start broadcasting this weekend when they will show Aberdeen v Rangers and Celtic v Motherwell. They will show eight Scottish and English games 'live' over the next three weeks.

Gerry McDermott

thejollyrodger

It sounds like its properly set up and well financed. It should prove very sucessful when it is expanded to take in Scotland and Wales!!

Dub13

The Rooster wrote:

Geography Lesson: Chester is in England, not in Wales.

QUOTE]

You are wrong....I have stayed in Chester many times while going to see Liverpool games,It is in Wales....Maybe you need the Geography Lesson...

por

Dub13 wrote:

The Rooster wrote:

Geography Lesson: Chester is in England, not in Wales.

QUOTE]

You are wrong....I have stayed in Chester many times while going to see Liverpool games,It is in Wales....Maybe you need the Geography Lesson...

Seeing as this thread is going off topic with discussions on Welsh football, here is my 2c worth.

Most football grounds (and especially newer ones) have their offices and hospitality boxes in their west stands, so that their guest will not be facing the sun on winter Saturday afternoons. The exception being Chester. Chester have offices and boxes in the East stand cos if they put them in the west stand they would be across the border in Wales and have to play in the LOW.

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/chester.htm

The Rooster

Next time you're in Chester Dub13, ask a local if he's English or Welsh. You'll learn very quickly how wrong you are. But in any case you should clearly be able to tell by their accent that their English. I've been there too - a very nice city.

Chester is very close to the border, but it is in England (Cheshire, I believe).

Before the advent of the Welsh league, they used to run the Welsh FA Cup (maybe they still do) and for a number of years the winners got a place in the European Cup Winners Cup. A few English clubs were often invited to enter, Chester and Shrewsbury being two. However, when Chester or Shrewsbury won it there were not allowed to enter Europe as they are not Welsh. The best placed Welsh side got through instead.

Dub13

Both of us seem to be Right/wrong.

The Deva football ground is half and half.

Some of its suburbs like Saltney are also split across the border, but the city itself is in England

thejollyrodger

Is this thread about the Cross Border tournament or where Chester is : P

KdjaCL

This the best thing that has happened to the league in years, with he addition of cold hard cash it makes it worthwhile to play in it.

For a few reaosn this will be the one thing that moves the league forward, more money into it as a lot of people would like to see Rovers vs Linfield . I imagine no away fans for high risk games which would be anyone vs Linfield in Belfast.

When this idea was 1st mentioned around 98 (good friday thingy) Dolan asked the lotto in UK and here to pay for the security arrangements at each game and for UEFA to give aplace in uefa cup to winners. Uefa needed votes for somfin at the time and said yes and lottos also said yes, whether those deals will come tru i dont know.

But now we get to see that there is a ****ter league than ours

kdjac

Big Ears

But the winner would alreay have a European place .

KdjaCL

When this idea was 1st mentioned around 98

This year 3rd in EL dont get into europe ,no clue how it works in the north.

kdjac

_blank_

Big Ears wrote:

But the winner would alreay have a European place .

You're right you know!

The idea of having the Welsh Teams enter is very good, but not the ones who participate in the English Leagues. A Welsh friend of mine, who has been to a few Shels games with me compared his local team, Caernarvon, to some of the lower placed eircom Premier League, like Dublin City. They'd be a mid-table Welsh team, so the likes of T.N.S. or Rhyl could possibly compete on a par with the Northern Irish teams, possibly push the likes of Cork City, Shels or Drogheda too.

Also the addition of the Scottish teams, minus the Old Firm, would mean the ePL sides wouldn't be the strongest teams in the competition .

My 2c on the Chester in England or Wales, I say England.

Bateman

Security questions have been raised, and I believe security forces were consulted on both sides of the border.

As regards us going up there, Windsor Park and the approcach is safe as houses, Portadown and Glentoran will be nightmares though. :eek:

There could well be trouble when they come down here, as the Gardaí are completely clueless when it comes to policing football. But a few broken windows on a bus, and a bit of fighting (something that happens all around England every week) is a small price to pay for a tournament that should be the saviour of professional football in Ireland

KdjaCL

Bateman wrote:

a tournament that should be the saviour of professional football in Ireland

Damn straight, i would go up there if away fans were allowed and Pats not relegated.

kdjac

Johnny_the_fox

Bateman wrote:

As regards us going up there, Windsor Park and the approcach is safe as houses, Portadown and Glentoran will be nightmares though. :eek:

Views from the northern... <pointing out the facts>

You failed to *mention* -> Linfield.. <league champions> :: The rangers of the north.. bigots would be an under statement. Probably the worst club in the North, which the southern teams could face. Windsor Park is their home ground... it will be a worst atmosphere than facing the north there. Fans : an example..
Players to be scared of : Fitzroy Simpson (just joined.. played for Jamaica) and Glenn Ferguson (NI International)

Portadown <Second place in the league> -> blah i know feck all about them.. tbh
Players to be scared of : Michael Collins, Gary Hamilton
and Vinny Arkins (former Home Farm, Shelbourne player)

Glentoran <Irish Cup Champions>-> are not bad a club, although based in east belfast. a mixed team.. but mainly *?*. Their manager Roy coyle managed Derry City a number of years ago. Te defeat Linfield in the final to win the Irish Cup.
Players to be scared of : Tommy McCallion (former Derry City Player) Michael O'Neill (Former NI International)


I think this competition has came a couple years to early.. especially as Linfield will be playing at Windsor Park.. :eek: bring your halmets and bullet proof vests.. *us fenians* will probably not be welcome. sorry

Big Ears

are any of the Northern teams full-time ?

and in you're opinion(Johnny) how would the Northern sides fair up to the LOI ones ?

Johnny_the_fox

Big Ears wrote:

are any of the Northern teams full-time ?

nope

Big Ears wrote:

and in you're opinion(Johnny) how would the Northern sides fair up to the LOI ones ?

I dont know to be honest - LOI [full-time] clubs *should* have the advantage over them.. but you know yourself - when LOI teams play poor they have no chance. For example Bohs vs Rosenborg last year - bohs had the chance at home to win, but just couldnt 'eat the biscuit'. Away bohs just lost it…. Getting hammered 4 -0.

They can be good as we seen the other night with Shels, or St. Pats vs Celtic a few years back – St. Pats got the draw away. As for the northern teams – they really cant play aboard – no success at all.

The LOI standard of football is by far greater… but it all depends on the day like most things.

As for the competition - major disadvantage for the LOI teams is the competition will be played at the end of the season for them, but for the Northern teams it will be when they are just getting into a rhythm..