The future for Eircom League

patmac

Ok I mentioned a lot of this in a previous post but I feel this is vital for the future of the EL. If Irish teams keep progressing the way they are they might get easier draws and maybe even a bye into round 2 of Cl. For this years euro comps Ireland are seeded 40th, next year they will be seeded 37th but by 2010 could be 25th which would give a Cl bye into 2nd round, all can be found here:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/index.html
A bye into round 2 of CL means an easier draw and increases the chances of playing in the Group stages of the CL where the exposure will increase money which is vital to the game. Basically every game in Europe is important it increases our co-efficient (1 pt for a win, 0.5 pts for a draw qualifying round/ 2pts win 1 pt draw after that, total is divided by number of teams and then based over a 5 year period) so the idea to get behind our clubs in Europe is never more vital than now.

Ronan|Raven

All good and well getting behind teams in europe but what about the bread and butter that is the league?

CiaranC

TBH, only the cash injection from a successful run in Europe, a la Rosenborg, will allow for the exposure and facilities to bring our armchair friends onboard.

Every measure of doing it the other way around has failed.

johnos

CiaranC wrote:

TBH, only the cash injection from a successful run in Europe, a la Rosenborg, will allow for the exposure and facilities to bring our armchair friends onboard.

Every measure of doing it the other way around has failed.

Chasing European glory is a fine aim in itself, and the best of luck to any Irish team that goes on a run, but I don't think it translates into conversions to home football. Witness the previous Shels megahype, followed by a slump in support and still the struggle to pay players.
The only way to develop Irish football is to do it at home.

finnpark

10 coefficients points is the target to get into 2nd round qualifying. That is an average of 2pts per year. This year has been excellent and we still only have 1.16pts. The whole method of ranking is totally stupid and unfair towards leagues from Cyprus downwards. Summer football is excellent though.

Töpher

Erm, we have 1.666 this year. If Derry beat Gretna once, that's 2 points total this year - with a minimum of 4 more games to be played by Irish teams (Derry 1 more, Drogs 2, Cork 1), and maybe more to come!

finnpark

Einst&#252 wrote: »

Erm, we have 1.666 this year. If Derry beat Gretna once, that's 2 points total this year - with a minimum of 4 more games to be played by Irish teams (Derry 1 more, Drogs 2, Cork 1), and maybe more to come!

2pts+ would be very nice indeed. If one of the sides were to make it into the UEFA Cup group stages it would be excellent. 2pt for every win and 1pt for every draw. Think there is 6 matches ??

It would be incredible to see Drogs and Derry progress. We would have 2 chances of a team getting into group stages so fingers crossed. Derry and Drogs couldn't have got easier draws but that doesn't mean they will definitely get through of course.

If Cork can take the lead out in Belgrade we could get an upset there. They were real tired towrds the end with thir fitness levels showing up and I think if Cork put pressure on them they have half a chance.

CiaranC

Each team plays 4 matches in the group stages of the UEFA cup, 2 home & 2 away

KdjaCL

Ronan|Raven wrote:

All good and well getting behind teams in europe but what about the bread and butter that is the league?

Yeah whens our next fecking game?


Johnos is correct, support at home is needed in the league.

24k for Shels lucky to get 1k now and far and away the most entertaining team in the league.

kdjac

Ronan|Raven

No more games for pats sure dont ye love having a month off! One would hardly think it was the middle of the season.

Big Ears

This is fairly accurate(I think) and after looking at the teams from 41-33 provisional rankings are something like this :

33-Lithuania(7.666 , 3 teams left ) Ekranas 4-1 down to Dinamo Zagreb , playing away next . Kaunas v Randers(Denmark) , Suduva Marijampole v Club Brugge .

34-Moldova(6.998 , 2 teams left) Shiriff 1-1 with Spartak Moscow , playing away next . Zimbru Chisinau v Metalurg(Ukraine) .

35-Ireland(6.831 , 3 teams left) Cork 1-0 down to Red Star , playing away next. Derry City v Gretna , Drogheda United v Start(Norway) .

36-Iceland(5.833 , 1 team left) Hafnarfjardar 1-0 down to Legia Warsaw .

37-Georgia(5.665 , 2 teams left) Sioni Bolnisi 2-0 down to Leveski Sofia , playing at home next . Ameri Tbilisi v Hertha Berlin .

38-Macedonia(5.165 , 1 team left) Rabotnicki Skopje 1-1 with Debrechen , at home next .

39-Liechenstein(5.000 , 1 team left but they only have one team anyway) Vaduz v Basel

40-Belarus(4.499 , 2 teams left) Dinamo Minsk v FC Petrzalka(Slovakia) , BATE Borisov v Rubin Kazan(Russia)

41-Albania(3.999 , 1 team left) SK Tirana v Kayserispor(Turkey)

Teams which are likely to progress: Derry , Skopje .
Teams with an okay chance: Kaunas , Drogheda , Minsk , Tirana
Teams with a small chance: Shiriff , Chisinau , Cork(realisticly:( ) , BATE .

That leaves things in an even better condition for Ireland .

Zebra3

As has been said, European progress is useless if people don't turn up at league games.

A beautiful evening, great surface, Shels playing amazing football (Ndo in particular is a dream to watch), smashing goals, and only about 1,000 or so at Tolka.

Wtf more do people want? What's gonna make people turn up?

Facilities? Lansdowne (and most gah grounds are kips) yet people will turn up there.

Quality of football? Ireland sell out most games and are awful to watch.

Standard is poor? Shels 0 Depor 0. Shels 2 Lille 2. Shels knocking out Hajduk-unbeaten in last 8 home Euro games (W4 D4 L0 F13 A3). Cork knocking out Djurgarden + Malmo. + Dutch side. Derry knocking out IFK.

Ok, our clubs are never gonna win the CL or UEFA Cup, but then again our NT are never gonna win the EC or WC, are they?

Really fcking pissed off............................. :mad:

redspider

To the OP, its all well and good wanting the clubs to do well in Europe, that is important. However, the league itself is more important and things aren't going well in it at the moment and for a long time now. It has been discussed here several times before and possible solutions have been suggested. I'm in favour of going back to the Winter season, for example.

I think the clubs are realising too that it has to make changes to face up to its problems, what with dwindling gates, financial problems at each club, Dublin City gone bust, etc. Fans are also getting actively involved. It will be a long process, but it is doable. I just look at the success of Celtic/Rangers/Hearts, etc in Scotland and with a populaton of 5m, we could easily achieve 50% of that level here. The LOI/FAI 'merger' is a step in the right direction perhaps.

Zebra3 wrote:

As has been said, European progress is useless if people don't turn up at league games.

A beautiful evening, great surface, Shels playing amazing football (Ndo in particular is a dream to watch), smashing goals, and only about 1,000 or so at Tolka. Wtf more do people want? What's gonna make people turn up?

Play it in March instead like all the 'sane' leagues in Europe !
Dont compete head to head with the GAA.

Consolidate the Dublin clubs, there are too many, remove UCD from the league, remove Dublin City (done), lets 'select' two good top clubs in Dublin (North side, south side).

There's a lot more needed to discuss, and change .....

Redspider

_blank_

redspider wrote:

Consolidate the Dublin clubs, there are too many, remove UCD from the league, remove Dublin City (done), lets 'select' two good top clubs in Dublin (North side, south side).

There's a lot more needed to discuss, and change .....

Look, merging clubs is a step in the wrong direction, and has been discussed on this forum before with you.

What do you propose exactly? Get rid of Shelbourne or Bohemians (both located on the North Side now)? Get rid of Pat's or Rovers (Both on the South Side now)?

What happens to the fans of these clubs? I certainly wouldn't support Bohemians, Bohs fans wouldn't support Shels. Neither would support Shelhemians. The last franchise club in this league went out of business not two weeks ago.

What we need to do is attract new fans, not alienate existing ones.

Do you know anything about this league? Why get rid of UCD? They are one of the most professionally run clubs in the league. Their players are among the fittest.

redspider, I sometimes get the feeling you are trolling eL fans with your posts, is it that you are trolling, or coming here with ideas based on assumptions you hold out of ignorance? What was the last time you attended an eL game?

applehunter

i think Summer football has shown up the many failings of the league.

• Most important, the darkness is no longer there to mask the poor atendences!!

Lets not hide behind the darkness and try and make real progress.

By joining up with the FAI the league can face up to the huge problems that are evident.

Marketing really has to be done. I mean, I haven't heard one ad promoting the league on radio or TV since the season started. Look at the GAA's "Unrivalled" advertising campaign! Why couldn't the eircom League do the same?:(

Derry City beat Goteborg in both legs. These are former UEFA cup winners and they were playing the game in a run-down stadium with a dog track on its parameter.:(

There was only 2,500 at the game as this is all UEFA would allow.

Basic things like the toilet facilites. I mean Shels have a full time set up but there are no lights in their toilets.

We can't go back to "Winter football" IMO with its bad weather, bad pitches, poor training conditions".

_blank_

applehunter wrote:

I mean Shels have a full time set up but there are no lights in their toilets.

Can't afford the leccy bill, jaysis I suppose you want bog roll too.

applehunter

I could have mentioned any league club's toilet faciliites.

I can hardly throw stones with us using portaloos.

Ronan|Raven

Lights!? Bog roll?! A quick trip beind a mound of dirt and a nearby dock leafe! Make sure it isnt a nettle though....

KdjaCL

Zebra3 wrote:

Standard is poor? Shels 0 Depor 0. Shels 2 Lille 2. Shels knocking out Hajduk-unbeaten in last 8 home Euro games (W4 D4 L0 F13 A3). Cork knocking out Djurgarden + Malmo. + Dutch side. Derry knocking out IFK.

Why do most EL fans point to recent Euro wins as some sort of measurement to try prove a point to people who dont go/care for the EL.


Would last nights 3-0 win over a decent Sligo team not be a better game to point at? Put Shels top and killed any chance of anyone breaking the top 4.

There are people who go to games and there people who dont. Sadly im in the latter now for a few weeks

[qoute]Basic things like the toilet facilites.[/quote]

Woot we have the best toilet in the league a 2 storey toilet with the top floor for wheelchair bound people, theres a rope for them to shimmy up


kdjac

Zebra3

KdjaC wrote:

Why do most EL fans point to recent Euro wins as some sort of measurement to try prove a point to people who dont go/care for the EL.

I put it in because over the years the league's Euro record has been one of the sticks used to beat the league with.

KdjaCL

Zebra3 wrote:

I put it in because over the years the league's Euro record has been one of the sticks used to beat the league with.

But the people who beat base the beating on a pro team worth a billion or so vs a semi pro team worth a couple of pennies.

Its a retarded argument and best avoided as they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

I mean seriously how can anyone compare Man Utd with Pats and say Pats are ****e cos they watch Man utd

kdjac

John_C

Leagues are judged on their european results and the credability of the league rises when we beat foreign teams.

Zebra3

No-one is suggesting that a EL team is gonna start competing with Premiership sides but the aim has to be to get up to the rankings of the Norwegian, Danish and Swedish leagues.

johnos

To my knowledge, neither Denmark, nor Norway, nor Sweden, has 82,000 misguided souls going to watch GAA matches.

finnpark

johnos wrote:

To my knowledge, neither Denmark, nor Norway, nor Sweden, has 82,000 misguided souls going to watch GAA matches.

I wasn't aware that Ireland had either but i get your point and your quite right.

Zebra3

johnos wrote:

To my knowledge, neither Denmark, nor Norway, nor Sweden, has 82,000 misguided souls going to watch GAA matches.

No, they don't, but Sweden and Norway have to contend with hugely popular winter sports for people's money and affection. In all three of these countries, the game would have been nowhere near as popular as in Ireland in the 50s and 60s, yet they get far bigger crowds than us now.

You have to have some sort of target to aim for, and that would be mine.

For now....

johnos

finnpark wrote:

I wasn't aware that Ireland had either but i get your point and your quite right.

What was the attendance at the Leinster Final between some outfit in blue and a bunch of lads from the country?

KdjaCL

johnos wrote:

What was the attendance at the Leinster Final between some outfit in blue and a bunch of lads from the country?

I was at that game, so not sure of your point. Actually about 10 pats fans went one of them is our ticket man. We were still in Richmond on the friday tho or wherever we were.

kdjac

DerekD Goldfish

In all three of these countries, the game would have been nowhere near as popular as in Ireland in the 50s and 60s,

wasnt sweden one of the best sides around in the 40/50's Comming 3rd in 1950 and 2nd in 1958 and winning the olympics in 1948

gimmick

Disband the eircom league! Give all current eL followers (based on Ticket stubs/season tickets) a lucky dip then as to who to support in England and/or Scotland. Then we will all have teams who progress in Europe every year, and even if our new team gets eliminated early on to some Slovakians (Celtic) or Israelis (Chelsea), say thats its ok, there is always next year. Afterall, no Irish Celtic fan (:rolleyes:) got mocked too seriously, and derided etc etc etc after their heroic exit/glorious failure last season.

Its much easier to support a team with which you can never have any affinity. We should all realise this and give up. So should Pat Fenlon/ Damien Richardson/Stephen Kenny - afterall, what are they trying to do? Failures the lot of them.

Chucky the tree

ah, the anti EPL post. Always guranteed one in an EL thread.

gimmick

Aha, I knew the answer to the age ol d question lay somewhere in the dark recesses of this board. Pity this guy was banned, an outstanding poster, and certainly drew discussion from people. I know Seansouth will agree with me on this one

thejollyrodger wrote:

The best way to improve the league is for everyone to get behind Shels and support them. Were the only club that is landing Co-Efficient.

Improving on Co-Efficient is the best way to improve the league. More chance of playing in Champions League/UEFA Cup and thus attracting better players and more supporters

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2794109&postcount=18

KdjaCL

Lol yeh he was funny, still posts on foot.ie.


kdjac

Zebra3

DerekD Goldfish wrote:

wasnt sweden one of the best sides around in the 40/50's Comming 3rd in 1950 and 2nd in 1958 and winning the olympics in 1948

Maybe, but the game was purely amateur and was not taken anywhere near as serious as it was here.

Benedict XVI

johnos wrote:

To my knowledge, neither Denmark, nor Norway, nor Sweden, has 82,000 misguided souls going to watch GAA matches.

Ah, of course it’s the GAAs fault, should have know all along.

applehunter wrote:

Marketing really has to be done. I mean, I haven't heard one ad promoting the league on radio or TV since the season started. Look at the GAA's "Unrivalled" advertising campaign! Why couldn't the eircom League do the same?

Totally agree, marketing is a big factor.

The TV contract with TV3 does them no favours at all.
‘Eircom League Weekly’ usually airs at some crazy time like 11.30pm on a Monday night, even in summer time this is a ridiculous hour to be putting on a highlights show.

Kids should be a portion of the target audience but what kid can watch something that’s on at11.30pm

It should be on at 7 or 8 pm on a Monday or Tuesday night but it can’t cos TV3 are committed to showing that ‘Emmerdale’ or ‘Coronation Road’ drivel served up by it’s owners ITV.
Even a Saturday noon time would be a good time to show it, especially for kids, but TV3 usually have the ‘Emmerdale St’ or ‘Coronation Farm’ omnibus at that time.

Bateman

The to making big Euopean nights a success is that they be a regular occurence, and not just a one-off. We need to consolidate the situation where we EXPECT our teams to go to the last qualifying round and then put it up to the big boys and try to break into the group stage, in either competition. We need teams to be progressing to the stage of playing Deportivo / Sparta Prague / AC Milan EVERY year, and not just once every few seasons.