Proposed All Irish League

Gelio

Has anyone got any more details.
As far as i can gather its a league made up of 8 Republic teams and 2 northern and after 3 years 1 more from northt and republic are added.
I could be wrong.
It sounds like a great idea but I cant see it happening.


Oh yeah, the prize money for the winning team over €1,000,000

Pigman II

I'd like to see an 8 team All-Ireland league with 28 games per season. I think this country can only support 8 really decent teams maximum.

bohsman

Think its 7 and 3 handpicked teams with no relegation/promotion for the first few years. Platinum 1 havent outlined many details about where the money will come from and its a definite no from Linfield and the IFA with the FAI copping out saying theres no point having an opinion as the IFA say no.

Gelio

bohsman wrote: »

Think its 7 and 3 handpicked teams with no relegation/promotion for the first few years. Platinum 1 havent outlined many details about where the money will come from and its a definite no from Linfield and the IFA with the FAI copping out saying theres no point having an opinion as the IFA say no.

Ok thanks. It was a nice thought all the same

bohsman

Pigman II wrote: »

I'd like to see an 8 team All-Ireland league with 28 games per season. I think this country can only support 8 really decent teams maximum.

Id prefer a 16 team league, hate playing the same teams 4 times a year plus cup. 16 teams would also create a mid table meaning more teams wouldnt need to overspend to avoid relegation.

bohsman

ajeffares wrote: »

Ok thanks. It was a nice thought all the same

Theyre still fighting for it and you can be fairly sure a lot of the negative stories around at the moment are being spread by platinum1.

leninbenjamin

bohsman wrote: »

Id prefer a 16 team league, hate playing the same teams 4 times a year plus cup. 16 teams would also create a mid table meaning more teams wouldnt need to overspend to avoid relegation.

our Island simply can't support this. 12 teams max.

secondly while it would be better for the game as a whole here, it would seriously undermine the IFA imo and i think it's unrealistic to ever expect them to agree to it in the near future.

and finally from what i've read the proposal reads like opportunistic crap. full of false promises imo.

Dub13

bohsman wrote: »

its a definite no from Linfield and the IFA with the FAI copping out saying theres no point having an opinion as the IFA say no.

I am surprised Linfield are against this as bad as the finances must be for clubs down here they must be much worse off up north.

citytillidie

Dub13

Linfield get lots of money off the IFA from hosting the Northern Ireland games at Windsor Park then there is winning the league all the time, so their finances are one of the best.

gimmick

It sounds nice in theory, but I cannot see it happening for a long time yet.

Firstly, both the FAI and IFA need to give up some power, which we know will not happen.

Secondly, 2 poorly supported league merged, does not equals one well supported league.

Thirdly, with all the speculation at present about CCFC, Drogs and Bohs financial situations, I am not sure even the handpicked few could actually get involved.

Publin

citytillidie wrote: »

Dub13

Linfield get lots of money off the IFA from hosting the Northern Ireland games at Windsor Park then there is winning the league all the time, so their finances are one of the best.

Linfield are virtually guaranteed Champions League football (or at least UEFA) every year as things stand, and the money that goes with that. If they joined an all Ireland league, they'd have far less chance of getting thie European spot and the cash that comes along with qualification.

I can't see an all-Ireland league happening any time soon. The Setanta Cup is a great idea though, and I think it has been successful.

ArmaniJeanss

I think Platinum1 are being very optimistic in thinking that UEFA will allow the top2 in this AIL to enter the Champions League.

djpbarry

gimmick wrote: »

Secondly, 2 poorly supported league merged, does not equals one well supported league.

Absolutely. I think it makes far more sense for the FAI to concentrate on their own league for the time being and secure the future of professional football in this country. The only way this is going to happen is with increased attendances. There's no point talking about a "bigger, better" league when the present league is having so many problems; it's all a bit fanciful.

Publin wrote: »

I can't see an all-Ireland league happening any time soon. The Setanta Cup is a great idea though, and I think it has been successful.

Agreed. The Setanta Cup has been a success, more-or-less. The big problem of course is the poor showings from the Northern sides, Linfield excepted. I don't think the change in format this year will make much of a difference - semi-finalists this year will be Cork, Drogheda, Linfield and Pats/Derry.

There was talk some time ago of inviting teams from Scotland to participate, but I can't imagine they'd be interested. Not much point asking the Welsh...

OhNoYouDidn't

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I think Platinum1 are being very optimistic in thinking that UEFA will allow the top2 in this AIL to enter the Champions League.

Just that bit?

gimmick

Publin wrote: »

Linfield are virtually guaranteed Champions League football (or at least UEFA) every year as things stand, and the money that goes with that.

This is true, but when did Linfield make any sort of progress? The fact they are in a crap league does not prepare them playing tougher opposition, Setanta Cup aside. A more competitive league can only be on benefit to the more ambitious of teams. But again, that is not to say that the public will accept it by actually going to games more often.

Re Setanta Cup. I actually think this competition is going backwards. Attendances are brutal across the board, and in the group stages, the better teams, ie Linfield and the eL teams are starting to play weakened sides when playing the other IL sides.

Pure Cork

Publin wrote: »

Linfield are virtually guaranteed Champions League football (or at least UEFA) every year as things stand, and the money that goes with that. If they joined an all Ireland league, they'd have far less chance of getting thie European spot and the cash that comes along with qualification.

I can't see an all-Ireland league happening any time soon. The Setanta Cup is a great idea though, and I think it has been successful.

I wouldn't agree. I'm not sure about other clubs, but Cork City fans have certainly voted with their feet. Attendances at our Setanta Cup games are far lower than our league games (but similar to Bohs and better than Pats get at league games ). I imagine it is the same for the other LOI clubs, not sure about the IL clubs.

However, Setanta do deserve some credit for putting money into the game.

I think we will see the LOI rebranded at some stage, whether or not it will be an All-Ireland league remains to be seen. I could see the Setanta Cup being expanded or restructured before any AIL would be introduced.

gimmick

^ Has the LOI not just been re branded last season with the FAI taking a more hands on approach etc?

bohsman

With a further change next year, 10 team league and probably new sponsor.