League of Ireland Vs. Republic of Ireland

GuanYin

Article on RTE about promoting the League or Ireland talks about a regular LoI vs. RoI match.

Interesting idea, I'm not sure our current international team would come off too well from such an encounter.

Considering the number of players leaving LoI clubs for England, is it now just a case of money, rather than quality of football being the factor (the top half of the premiership aside)?


Article

PHB

I'd really enjoy that match, as I feel a real RoI team would destroy them

DaveH

I was at the last LOI v ROI match. It was Eoin Hand's testimonal in 1997. Republic team was made up of all Premiership players except
Kilbane(WBA)- was his first game for the republic senior team
Cascarino(nancy)
ROI won 3-0, LOI never even got close to the goal.
I dont see any benefit in this match. More benfit might be in getting some good european side to play a tour agaisnt 3 or 4 LOI clubs.

applehunter

What was the make up of the LOI team in 1997?

Presume it was Stephen Geaghean and Morley up front.

That team for starters would have been part-time so the lads this team would at least on par in one respect with their illustrious colleagues this time.

Chucky the tree

Th half-time entertainment can be a pie-eating contest between Glen Crowe and robbie Keane.

The Rooster

ROI B v LOI would be a far more worthwhile exercise

ronbyrne2005

I suggested this here back at time of 5-2 drubbing by Cyprus. The eircom league has come a long way since 1997 too. League of Ireland teams regularly achieve good results against visiting premiership/chamionship teams in pre season etc.

Steve_o

The Rooster wrote:

ROI B v LOI would be a far more worthwhile exercise

Maybe but it'd get feck all exposure for the LOI....i'd really enjoy watching a match between LOI and ROI.

In response to DaveH's comment above, in my opinion the standard of the LOI is far better than it was in '97, there are more professional clubs and better facilities....i think it'd be a very entertaining game!!!

Anyone any idea's for the LOI XI??

John_C

DaveH wrote:

I was at the last LOI v ROI match. It was Eoin Hand's testimonal in 1997. Republic team was made up of all Premiership players except
Kilbane(WBA)- was his first game for the republic senior team
Cascarino(nancy)

Are you sure about this? Was it the game in Tolka on St. Patrick's Day? That was 1-1 and I don't remember the teams but I do remember that Shays Given and Kelly played half a game each in nets.

super_furry

Chucky the tree wrote:

Th half-time entertainment can be a pie-eating contest between Glen Crowe and robbie Keane.

Crowe would destroy Keane. Then probably eat him.

DaveH

John_C wrote:

Are you sure about this? Was it the game in Tolka on St. Patrick's Day? That was 1-1 and I don't remember the teams but I do remember that Shays Given and Kelly played half a game each in nets.

Yeah Im sure about this one. It was played in September, a couple of days before we played Iceland in a WCQ game. I remember the ROI B vs LOI game too, that was a lot closer. That was paddy's day '97. Richard Dunne was excellent that day for ROI.

I agree with earlier posts the LOI has improved since '97. I dont think there is any real positives as the LOI team hasnt been popular since the inter league games in the 60's.

I always thought if a good european team could play say for this season, Derry, Cork and Drogheda in pre-season befoe the european games, this would be of more benefit. Maybe a French\Spanish\Italian\German team who have qualified for europe.

I think the irish players would get used to a different style of play. In 2000 Shels played Auxerre(sp) and then got a bit of a run in CL. The players though the auxerre game was a good experience...not one of the usual teams to paly.

Jonny Arson

psi wrote:

Article on RTE about promoting the League or Ireland talks about a regular LoI vs. RoI match.

Interesting idea, I'm not sure our current international team would come off too well from such an encounter.

Considering the number of players leaving LoI clubs for England, is it now just a case of money, rather than quality of football being the factor (the top half of the premiership aside)?


Article

In all honesty I think it would be quite pointless. It may gain the eL an extra 5 minutes of publicity from the mainstream media but it won't suddenly spark an increase in Irish football ''supporters'' attending matches in their own domestic league. From the players perspective it will gain little or nothing for the players of either side of the fence as it will be just a friendly match with no importance. Also, it would be somewhat degrading to see the likes of Roy O'Donovan slogging it out in LOI XI when they should be a banker for the international squad.

PHB

I think it'd be bad for LOI, because when the ROI team beat them, and show their class in comparision, it will only remind people of the low quality of the league.

SectionF

An LOI selection wouldn't gel for one match.
Bohs (Englishmen included of course) on a good day could beat the current ROI team, in a competitive match. So could Drogs or Cork.

John_C

SectionF wrote:

Bohs (Englishmen included of course) on a good day could beat the current ROI team, in a competitive match. So could Drogs or Cork.

I know Stan's not a great manager but I think it's a bit much to be putting him in the same class as Paul Doolin.

PHB

Bohs (Englishmen included of course) on a good day could beat the current ROI team, in a competitive match. So could Drogs or Cork.

That would be another advantage of the match, it would make some LOI fans realise just how deluded they are.

KdjaCL

PHB wrote:

I think it'd be bad for LOI, because when the ROI team beat them, and show their class in comparision, it will only remind people of the low quality of the league.

heheh thats funny

---

Ryan
Horgan Maguire Shelly Webb
Murphy Gamble Fahey Robinson

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O'Donovan Quigley

I would that EL team of the season so far would beat Cyprus and Ireland very easily. I mean its Ireland not like a some decent international side. So when the LOI side won would irish "supporters" finally realise Ireland are ****e?


kdjac

Chucky the tree

PHB wrote:

I think it'd be bad for LOI, because when the ROI team beat them, and show their class in comparision, it will only remind people of the low quality of the league.

11 electricians can nearly beat us, why do you think 11 professional EL players wouldnt have a chance?

GuanYin

Chucky the tree wrote:

11 electricians can nearly beat us, why do you think 11 professional EL players wouldnt have a chance?

1 carpenter, 9 electricians and one pro nearly drew with us. Lets not exaggerate.

tsk

PHB

Cause one performance doesn't make a team, especially when the LOI players would attempt to play against ROI, at which point, they would be destroyed. I'd love to see this happen just to show people the level the LOI really is.

KdjaCL

PHB wrote:

Cause one performance doesn't make a team, especially when the LOI players would attempt to play against ROI, at which point, they would be destroyed. I'd love to see this happen just to show people the level the LOI really is.

And LOI fans are deluded I hope to god we qualify/win national games. You expect it.


kdjac

Töpher

This thread made me laugh. People are stupid.

Chucky the tree

PHB wrote:

Cause one performance doesn't make a team, especially when the LOI players would attempt to play against ROI, at which point, they would be destroyed. I'd love to see this happen just to show people the level the LOI really is.

forgotten Cyprus already?

PHB

Nope, I remember it well. I'd still love to see this happen though, and I guess one of us would be proved right

Big Ears

PHB wrote:

Nope, I remember it well. I'd still love to see this happen though, and I guess one of us would be proved right

Not really , a once off game proves nothing .
The ROI obviously has more quality in it and would win the majority of the time and if on form could score a good few .
However if in San Marino/Cyprus form the LOI side could certainly win .

Also the chance that if the ROI side play relatively well but don't finish their chances that the LOI side could get one and win .

I'd find it interesting but in truth the game would be meaningless .

shane86

PHB wrote:

I'd really enjoy that match, as I feel a real RoI team would destroy them

PHB wrote:

Cause one performance doesn't make a team, especially when the LOI players would attempt to play against ROI, at which point, they would be destroyed. I'd love to see this happen just to show people the level the LOI really is.

Oh jesus christ. Exactly what league do you think most players in your beloved premiership started off in? You can only have leagues of exceptional quality in countries with a large population, because the better players from smaller nations are bought up early by clubs in those countries.

SectionF

PHB wrote:

That would be another advantage of the match, it would make some LOI fans realise just how deluded they are.

All football fans are deluded, not least the Boys in Green brigade.
If you want to talk about degrees of the condition, then I suppose you could argue that in a sense those who elect exclusively to follow English Premiership/G14 clubs are the least deluded. They have made a cold calculation that maximises the warm glow of success for them personally, and minimises exposure to football reality. Delusion management is a good thing, and it's important to choose carefully.

gustavo

SectionF wrote:

All football fans are deluded, not least the Boys in Green brigade.
If you want to talk about degrees of the condition, then I suppose you could argue that in a sense those who elect exclusively to follow English Premiership/G14 clubs are the least deluded. They have made a cold calculation that maximises the warm glow of success for them personally, and minimises exposure to football reality. Delusion management is a good thing, and it's important to choose carefully.

QFT

Steve_o

Einst&#252 wrote: »

This thread made me laugh. People are stupid.

Amazing contribution.....

eirebhoy

Chucky the tree wrote:

forgotten Cyprus already?

In fairness if we played Kilbane and S.Ireland in central midfield any half decent team would beat us.

PHB

Oh jesus christ. Exactly what league do you think most players in your beloved premiership started off in? You can only have leagues of exceptional quality in countries with a large population, because the better players from smaller nations are bought up early by clubs in those countries.

I'm aware of this, I know why the LOI can only progress so far, which is the entire point. I'm not blaming the LOI, just pointing out what is obvious to all.

All football fans are deluded, not least the Boys in Green brigade.
If you want to talk about degrees of the condition, then I suppose you could argue that in a sense those who elect exclusively to follow English Premiership/G14 clubs are the least deluded. They have made a cold calculation that maximises the warm glow of success for them personally, and minimises exposure to football reality. Delusion management is a good thing, and it's important to choose carefully.

That's cute, I like it

applehunter

PHB wrote:

I'm aware of this, I know why the LOI can only progress so far, which is the entire point. I'm not blaming the LOI, just pointing out what is obvious to all.



That's cute, I like it

Close match id going on recent results.

GuanYin

In fairness, I think a fully fit ROI team with the best players playing in their best positions and somebody with half a notion of tactic at the helm would give most teams a run.

That said, I don't think I've seen a fully fit ROI team with the best blayers playing in their best positions in about 5 years and the current set up gives me no confidence that such a situation could ever occur.

With that in mind, I don't think that the ROI would destroy a LOI team. I'd say they'd win by the odd goal, but I think there are quality players in LOI (a fact cemented by the performances of our current hot new player - Kevin Doyle, who by all accounts wasn't the highest rated of his generation in the LOI) and those players could play at EPL level - certainly at the level of most of our current internationals.

As for the benefits? Well more exposure to the LOI means more money, more advertising which is all good for the game from grass roots level up. We're seriously being outcompeted by the eastern and central europeans in terms of young players being scuted by big teams and we need something to put our best home talent on the big stage.

If it one day brought us to the stage where the LOI teams became big enough to keep the best players, well great, it's a bit of a pipe dream, but lets have it anyway.