how to fix our league! - Mod Warning in OP

Henlars67

That's just noise.

dundalkfc10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN4ugpJQ5xw

Thats atmosphere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TcRxvFEYi4

So is that on a smaller scale

dundalkfc10

Prop Joe wrote: »

Then how is it that league games in the "bogball" have by far superior attendances?

Thats not true, I know some games will be an exception, Dublin games etc... have large crowds usually, maybe the odd other game aswell such as Tyrone, Kerry, Donegal etc.. if they were playing each other.

I was at many Louth games this year and there wasnt more than 1000 at any of their home games, in fact against Galway there wasnt 300 there

14,210 were in Thurles for the League Hurling semi finals this year (4 teams) thats less than 4,000 people from whole counties and not just towns.

If 4 of the LOI teams played in a FAI semi final day in the Aviva there would be alot more than 14,000 at it

Prop Joe

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Thats atmosphere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TcRxvFEYi4

Oh my.....Oh my........Goooooooodddd!!!! Don't show that to anyone in conjunction with promoting the league,jaysus!!!!!

Amirani

Prop Joe wrote: »

Oh my.....Oh my........Goooooooodddd!!!! Don't show that to anyone in conjunction with promoting the league,jaysus!!!!!

That looks a far better atmosphere than the exhibit you posted.

Zebra3

Prop Joe wrote: »

Could you please refrain from calling gaelic football "bogball" it's disrespectful.

Not as long as people call "football" "soccer".

Very disrespectful to the world's most popular sport as it's known home and abroad.

major bill

Unless it's Dublin playing the atmosphere does be cack and even then the Boggers are giving out that Dublin fans are bringing an english aspect (singing) into the game.

BOHtox

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

"Get your hair out of your eyes"

A classic!

Toilets aren't good? Well the toilets aren't exactly great in my local, not having a go.

Cursing? If I'm watching on Celtic or Unireh with my mates they'd be shouting at the tv if the ref or a player made a mistake.

Lawrence1895

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN4ugpJQ5xw

Thats atmosphere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TcRxvFEYi4

So is that on a smaller scale

Have you got any clips from you last visit to Tolka? You had some fun there, as far as I remember

dundalkfc10

Lars1916 wrote: »

Have you got any clips from you last visit to Tolka? You had some fun there, as far as I remember

Could only find the one, not very long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHNEOJXqaFM

Lawrence1895

Lars1916 wrote: »

Have you got any clips from you last visit to Tolka? You had some fun there, as far as I remember

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Could only find the one, not very long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHNEOJXqaFM

You can find another clip there

For some reason, the steward, who was standing at the ladder, was hiding though

dundalkfc10

Lars1916 wrote: »

You can find another clip there

For some reason, the steward, who was standing at the ladder, was hiding though

I just seen it there, Theres a few on facebook but I cant find them either

Should be an interesting last few months anyway with all to play for at top and bottom with the cup to be decided aswell.

The GAA can have there big stadiums with no atmosphere, but the LOI will have dedication and passion

Lawrence1895

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

I just seen it there, Theres a few on facebook but I cant find them either

Should be an interesting last few months anyway with all to play for at top and bottom with the cup to be decided aswell.

The GAA can have there big stadiums with no atmosphere, but the LOI will have dedication and passion

Let's put it this way, I hope, Shels will stay up, and you'll win the league

SantryRed

It's never gonna improve. It'll stay this way for good. It's a battle not worth fighting anymore. Just time to accept it for what it is tbh.

Prop Joe

SantryRed wrote: »

It's never gonna improve. It'll stay this way for good. It's a battle not worth fighting anymore. Just time to accept it for what it is tbh.

I don't beleive this for one second,Yeah we are never going to have 10,000 sell outs for LOI but we can have a decent league here.

I like the idea of centrally contracting the majority of players,Full - Time and part time and get these guys into schools,local junior clubs etc.. to develop and coach skills.

dan1895

For the record, when I said about allowing drinking at the games I didn't mean a free for all. More like a block or two of seats that drinking was permitted in with a few stewarts to kick out trouble makers. Plastic glasses too obviously.

- bo -

gimmick wrote: »

Again, speaking only for CCFC, if a fella is seen to be hammered going in the gate, he will not be allowed in. I have seen other clubs do this as well, but cannot say how strict they are.

Too right, you just brought back some memories there you did. I remember having a one or two scoops too many on the bus to TC about 6 years ago and they wouldn't let me in. Rightly so, it's the only time I've been refused in to a LOI ground. Steward told me to get a coffee and sober up and I sat in some housing estate near the ground drinking it before being let in shortly before half-time. The match is a blur, Glen Crowe scored to give us a 0-1 win and we went on to win the league. Still get slagged about it the odd time

Henlars67

SantryRed wrote: »

It's never gonna improve. It'll stay this way for good. It's a battle not worth fighting anymore. Just time to accept it for what it is tbh.

No club delegate to my knowledge has ever raised the apathy from the FAI towards the league at the association's AGM.

Most people in the country don't care and those of us who do aren't really in a position to do anything about it.

Clubs can't criticise the FAI publicly or they'll be fined, but they can raise the matter at an AGM, but none of them ever do.

So, yes I think it's just time to accept it as it is.

Zebra3

dan1895 wrote: »

For the record, when I said about allowing drinking at the games I didn't mean a free for all. More like a block or two of seats that drinking was permitted in with a few stewarts to kick out trouble makers. Plastic glasses too obviously.

€2 pints served in Hoegaarden glasses.

Compulsory to drink for all fans over 14.

That'll get the league back on the front pages. :pac:

Captain Havoc

Trap says we've no league, I assume he means a league that doesn't have any players under consideration for the national side and even if there was, they wouldn't be selected as the step up would be too great. Niall Quinn reckons we need an academy. Would setting up an academy and having an academy team in the LOI be a crazy idea? The academy would hopefully sign the brightest young players and train them up to a maximum age of 23. The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. As the national team coach would be involved, it should attract some interest from above average players. The players wages would be capped but they'd know they're getting the best possible opportunity to get noticed. The league would have an extra team that it needs. The salaries could be funded partly by Trap's wages and hopefully some sponsorship. Any prize money would be divided out amongst the rest of the LOI teams.

CSF

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Trap says we've no league, I assume he means a league that doesn't have any players under consideration for the national side and even if there was, they wouldn't be selected as the step up would be too great. Niall Quinn reckons we need an academy. Would setting up an academy and having an academy team in the LOI be a crazy idea? The academy would hopefully sign the brightest young players and train them up to a maximum age of 23. The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. As the national team coach would be involved, it should attract some interest from above average players. The players wages would be capped but they'd know they're getting the best possible opportunity to get noticed. The league would have an extra team that it needs. The salaries could be funded partly by Trap's wages and hopefully some sponsorship. Any prize money would be divided out amongst the rest of the LOI teams.

Having the academy team in the LOI would be counterproductive IMO. The academy should be run like the national academy in France although obviously relatively speaking.

That_Guy

Cork have the right idea anyway. :pac:

kksaints

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Trap says we've no league, I assume he means a league that doesn't have any players under consideration for the national side and even if there was, they wouldn't be selected as the step up would be too great. Niall Quinn reckons we need an academy. Would setting up an academy and having an academy team in the LOI be a crazy idea? The academy would hopefully sign the brightest young players and train them up to a maximum age of 23. The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. As the national team coach would be involved, it should attract some interest from above average players. The players wages would be capped but they'd know they're getting the best possible opportunity to get noticed. The league would have an extra team that it needs. The salaries could be funded partly by Trap's wages and hopefully some sponsorship. Any prize money would be divided out amongst the rest of the LOI teams.

Would people go and watch a team like that though? UCD have had very good teams of talented youngsters who play an attractive attacking style of football in the last few years and still have awful crowds.

Pighead

Last year Dundalk were rubbish and their average attendance was 650.
This year Dundalk are great and their average attendance is over 2000.

Therefore the solution to league of Ireland woes seems to be success. People love success. We need all the teams to be successful. Twelve way tie for 1st place next year= twelve happy teams=lots of happy supporters=happy league=happy trap=national team success.

CSF

Pighead wrote: »

Last year Dundalk were rubbish and their average attendance was 650.
This year Dundalk are great and their average attendance is over 2000.

Therefore the solution to league of Ireland woes seems to be success. People love success. We need all the teams to be successful. Twelve way tie for 1st place next year= twelve happy teams=lots of happy supporters=happy league=happy trap=national team success.

We'd also have a twelve way for 12th place though and you know how us LOI fans feel about the quantity contained in the glass..

Pighead

CSF wrote: »

We'd also have a twelve way for 12th place though and you know how us LOI fans feel about the quantity contained in the glass..

Ha! Fair point. Hadn't thought about the relegation aspect. Hmmm, maybe we need more optimistic fans. Maybe hand out free Prozac at the gates or something.

Collibosher

Captain Havoc wrote: »

....The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. ....

The FAI made staff redundant only last year who were involved in coaching and training.

simongurnick

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Trap says we've no league, I assume he means a league that doesn't have any players under consideration for the national side and even if there was, they wouldn't be selected as the step up would be too great. Niall Quinn reckons we need an academy. Would setting up an academy and having an academy team in the LOI be a crazy idea? The academy would hopefully sign the brightest young players and train them up to a maximum age of 23. The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. As the national team coach would be involved, it should attract some interest from above average players. The players wages would be capped but they'd know they're getting the best possible opportunity to get noticed. The league would have an extra team that it needs. The salaries could be funded partly by Trap's wages and hopefully some sponsorship. Any prize money would be divided out amongst the rest of the LOI teams.

I like the idea of an academy but would foresee it as a feeder to the current LOI teams. Quinn made a good point that the Premier league clubs aren't picking up Irish kids like they used to.It's global now, scouts are recruiting kids from every corner of the world.
We have too many kids getting churned up in the lower leagues of England, where the football philosophy is ****e anyway. I would much prefer to see them protected at home and given time to develop and adding quality to out domestic league and ultimately the national team...like every other proper football nation on the planet!

SantryRed

That_Guy wrote: »

Cork have the right idea anyway. :pac:

They do until I saw the 13 euro entrance fee.

That's enough drink for the night. Need to reduce it.

Richard Hillman

SantryRed wrote: »

They do until I saw the 13 euro entrance fee.

That's enough drink for the night. Need to reduce it.

You could drink 3-4 pints for that in a pub and it would probably last longer than the match. And you are probably more likely to see the hot blonde girl in the short-shorts in a pub than at a Cork City match

Saying that, at least they are trying and trying something different. I just cannot see football matches being attractive to young adults on a Friday night when there are so many other options. When you are 18-22, you wanna get hammered and ride stuff.

Henlars67

Cork charge€13 for students? It's only a tenner with every other club

Prop Joe

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Trap says we've no league, I assume he means a league that doesn't have any players under consideration for the national side and even if there was, they wouldn't be selected as the step up would be too great. Niall Quinn reckons we need an academy. Would setting up an academy and having an academy team in the LOI be a crazy idea? The academy would hopefully sign the brightest young players and train them up to a maximum age of 23. The academy would be funded by the FAI and would have some top notch coaches, who would be involved in the international set-up also. As the national team coach would be involved, it should attract some interest from above average players. The players wages would be capped but they'd know they're getting the best possible opportunity to get noticed. The league would have an extra team that it needs. The salaries could be funded partly by Trap's wages and hopefully some sponsorship. Any prize money would be divided out amongst the rest of the LOI teams.

I think that would be a super idea

Mushy

Date Posted: 10/09/2013 18:04:25

Earlier today we at THE LOI BLOG were forwarded an email addressed to League of Ireland director Fran Gavin in which a potentially groundbreaking National League structure was suggested to Mr.Gavin. This new league system is based on recent changes made by the Belgian FA to their domestic set up while it is also designed to target the "event junkie" we often hear about in the sporting public. However, Mr.Gavin has unsurprisingly declined as of yet to get back to the young man who took time out to put together the email and as a result he has asked us at THE LOI BLOG to post it on our site in the hope it will get the League of Ireland public discussing a new approach to our league in Ireland and that it may also put some pressure on the FAI to implement the changes that life long Irish football fans demand!

Without further introduction here is the email and new league structure proposal in question:

Mr. Gavin,

Although I am sure you are a busy man I would appreciate if you took the time to read over my attached document and review some of my ideas. I believe that under its current structure the League of Ireland is unsustainable and the best that can be hoped for is to maintain our low attendances and public apathy. Irish sports followers rarely commit to drawn out league series as can be seen by much lower attendance in RaboPro 12 matches and the GAA. A radical change needs to be made similar to the new system introduced in Belgium. Such a system would increase interest towards the end of the season while avoiding as much as possible dead heat games. I also believe that a unification of the two leagues into one division is crucial to ensure the ongoing participation of smaller clubs. To adjust for cost the league would be split into two conferences similar to American sport. For more information please read the attached document.

Kind Regards, Seán Ó Murchú

Format: I propose a switch to a split league based on geographical location and football pedigree. This split insures that even the poorest team can afford to compete in the top tier of Irish football without fear of travelling expenses hindering their progress. For example a team like Wexford Youths would only have to travel to Derry once every 2 years. By unifying the Premier and the First Divisions stability can be brought to struggling teams while my proposed playoff system below will make up for any projected fall in home attendances for when the likes of Mervue United are playing away in Tallaght Stadium. I also believe that the reduction in repeat fixtures will increase attendances in derby games and matches between teams close in the table. Crucial to this system being implemented is the reintroduction of the A Championship or even better a solid pyramid formed below the top tier linking in the intermediate leagues. Such an introduction would make a single tiered Senior football system such as I am suggesting conform to UEFA regulations.

Northern League: Finn Harps Derry City Athlone Town Sligo Rovers Longford Town SD Galway Shelbourne Dundalk Drogheda United St. Patricks Athletic

Southern League: Cork City Waterford United Limerick FC Wexford Youths Bray Wanderers Mervue United Shamrock Rovers Bohemian FC UCD Cobh Ramblers

System: Each team plays every team in their own conference twice, once at home and once away. In between these games there is an interleague series. Each team plays every team in the other league once, either home or away. These matches rotate venues every year. This leads to a total of 28 games with every team having 14 games at home and 14 games away.

Playoffs: As has been seen on countless occasions in the past the sporting public in Ireland are huge event-junkies. This has been proven true of domestic supporters with recent FAI Cup finals having very impressive crowds. That is why I believe that a playoff system is the way forward for domestic football. When developing this system I tried to put a lot of emphasis on regular season performance while also trying to maintain interest for as many clubs as possible for as long as possible in order to battle dwindling attendances towards the end of the season. My playoff system would be three tiered.

Championship Play-Off (Reward: Championship, Champions League, 1 Europa League)

Wild Card Round: 1. 2nd Northern League Vs. 3rd Southern League 2. 2nd Southern League Vs. 3rd Northern League

Semi Final: 1. Northern League Champion Vs. Winner Wild Card Game 2 2. Southern League Champion Vs. Winner Wild Card Game 1

Final (Ideally in the Aviva): Winner Semi Final 1 Vs. Winner Semi Final 2

League Cup (Reward: 1 Europa League)

Quarter Final: 1. Loser Wild Card Game 1 Vs. 6th Southern League 2. 4th Northern League Vs. 5th Southern League 3. 4th Southern League Vs. 5th Northern League 4. Loser Wild Card Game 2 Vs. 6th Northern League

Semi Final: 1. Winner QF 1 Vs Winner QF 3 2. Winner QF 2 Vs Winner QF 4

Final (Double Header with Championship Final): Winner SF1 Vs. Winner SF 2

Relegation Playoff: Same as Championship Playoff in Reverse 1 Auto Relegation

This is I know the hardest part having a club ready to come up but I believe that if this system was implemented clubs would find Senior football much more enticing as they can straight away play with the big guns and their travel expenses are greatly diminished.

Thank you for your time.

---

_

---

This was an email sent to Fran Gavin according to the LOI blog site. What ye think of it?

mikeym

To make the league more appealing to premier league fans, players on the verge of retirement should be encouraged to play in the Airtricty League.

This would boost attendances if a well known former Irish international came back to his hometown club.

Maybe the Fai could contribute to a percentage of his wages?

dan1895

mikeym wrote: »

To make the league more appealing to premier league fans, players on the verge of retirement should be encouraged to play in the Airtricty League.

This would boost attendances if a well known former Irish international came back to his hometown club.

Maybe the Fai could contribute to a percentage of his wages?

I know where your coming from and I'd like to see the likes off, Duff, Dunne, Given and Keane finish their careers here but the FAI is broke and not going to contribute a cent.

Omackeral

Event junkie will not give a single f*ck.

He has Bohs and Pats in the wrong conferences too. They should switch

Kerrydude1981

Could be a great idea,could give my own county or a club side a chance to get into the LOI proper,by keeping travel costs down.

Ebbs

Structure is good in theory, I wonder would it meet UEFA requirements though.

Really not the centre of the debate though. A simple league reformat is not what is going to change what is wrong with the league.

-We have a youth structure that is completely separate to the league and even the national team. Their main aims is to get players across the water and get the money from that.
- The national side overlooks the league as the junior clubs do too.
- Marketing is non exisitant and the league make no use of social networking or the highlights.
-Poorly run clubs up and down the country, from junior right the way through to senior.
- No common goal or coaching strategy. Clubs have the mentality of winning at all costs. Even top junior clubs will only have a team in the top two divisions purely so reputation is not tarnished.


Small incremental changes wont work for the league and the national squad, dramatic change is the only way forward.

Gavin "shels"

Pighead wrote: »

Last year Dundalk were rubbish and their average attendance was 650.
This year Dundalk are great and their average attendance is over 2000.

Therefore the solution to league of Ireland woes seems to be success. People love success. We need all the teams to be successful. Twelve way tie for 1st place next year= twelve happy teams=lots of happy supporters=happy league=happy trap=national team success.

Money = success for the most part, we'll take Dundalk as the example again. Doubt they'd be in this position if FastFix lads weren't on board pumping money. Therefore all clubs need some local fans who have money to invest...

major bill

Personally I'd love to see the league go fully amateur so money can be spent elsewhere on Facilties. It kills me that Bohs are still paying wages each week, scrap the first division so there's no pressure on clubs to spend to avoid the drop.

Prop Joe

20 team Division

Play each other once - (19 games)

Split top 10 & bottom 10 play once - (9 games)

Top 4 - Semi's + Final for League title - Winner - Champs Lge - Runner Up - Europa - 3rd & 4th - Setanta

Next 4 - Semi's + Final for last Europa Spot - Other 3 runner ups get Setanta


Bottom 10

Top 4 play off - Semi's + Final for last Setanta Spot

IrishIrish

Prop Joe wrote: »

20 team Division

Play each other once - (19 games)

Split top 10 & bottom 10 play once - (9 games)

Top 4 - Semi's + Final for League title - Winner - Champs Lge - Runner Up - Europa - 3rd & 4th - Setanta

Next 4 - Semi's + Final for last Europa Spot - Other 3 runner ups get Setanta


Bottom 10

Top 4 play off - Semi's + Final for last Setanta Spot

Wouldn't you be better off throwing your games at the end of the season and coming 11th instead of 10th so you have better chance of getting the Setanta spot..?

Prop Joe

IrishIrish wrote: »

Wouldn't you be better off throwing your games at the end of the season and coming 11th instead of 10th so you have better chance of getting the Setanta spot..?

And give up your chance to have a cut at the league or a Europa spot?

kksaints

Prop Joe wrote: »

20 team Division

Play each other once - (19 games)

Split top 10 & bottom 10 play once - (9 games)

Top 4 - Semi's + Final for League title - Winner - Champs Lge - Runner Up - Europa - 3rd & 4th - Setanta

Next 4 - Semi's + Final for last Europa Spot - Other 3 runner ups get Setanta


Bottom 10

Top 4 play off - Semi's + Final for last Setanta Spot

Not a fan of playoff for the winner devalues the cup competition even further and isnt fair if a team finishes 1st by a long way. Also in that case the 3rd or 4th wont get to Europe but one of the teams between 5th and 8th does. Remember LOI only gets 4 european places

Pighead

Gavin shels wrote: »

Money = success for the most part, we'll take Dundalk as the example again. Doubt they'd be in this position if FastFix lads weren't on board pumping money. Therefore all clubs need some local fans who have money to invest...

Pumping money? Our weekly budget is €12000. We are outside the top four spenders in the league of Pats, Shams, Sligo and Derry. Don't know exactly how much the rest of the teams are spending but I'm guessing we're on a par and possibly lower than Limerick, Drogheda and Cork. We are very much middle of the road when it comes to budgets.

Prop Joe

kksaints wrote: »

Not a fan of playoff for the winner devalues the cup competition even further and isnt fair if a team finishes 1st by a long way. Also in that case the 3rd or 4th wont get to Europe but one of the teams between 5th and 8th does. Remember LOI only gets 4 european places

Sorry should of mentioned when the split happens teams go back to zero points then are allocated points on there position before the split.

1st 10 points
2nd 9
etc..

Should keep the league competitive for longer..All games would be of importance,Plus teams wouldnt be playing each other as regularly..Just an idea anyway

CSF

Gavin shels wrote: »

Money = success for the most part, we'll take Dundalk as the example again. Doubt they'd be in this position if FastFix lads weren't on board pumping money. Therefore all clubs need some local fans who have money to invest...

A few clubs being able to hoover up the best players in the country doesn't make the players in the country any better though.

Gavin "shels"

Pighead wrote: »

Pumping money? Our weekly budget is €12000. We are outside the top four spenders in the league of Pats, Shams, Sligo and Derry. Don't know exactly how much the rest of the teams are spending but I'm guessing we're on a par and possibly lower than Limerick, Drogheda and Cork. We are very much middle of the road when it comes to budgets.

I'd be shocked if Drogs were near €12,000, I'd expect them at around €7,000 max. If I remember correctly our's is €5,500. Derry couldn't be higher than €12,000 either.

Lawrence1895

CSF wrote: »

A few clubs being able to hoover up the best players in the country doesn't make the players in the country any better though.

It makes them just a bunch of mercenaries, imo

But you have that in Germany as well, I only say Mario G. :mad:

Richard Hillman

kksaints wrote: »

Not a fan of playoff for the winner devalues the cup competition even further and isnt fair if a team finishes 1st by a long way. Also in that case the 3rd or 4th wont get to Europe but one of the teams between 5th and 8th does. Remember LOI only gets 4 european places

I think entertainment should be the key rather than fairness. There are not many other sports that do the straight league system. The problem with the straight league system is that it is too drawn out and the intensity of the games are not as strong. The League/Play Off system means that games mean more earlier and then we have the win or die play-off games. The chase for the Play Offs and the play-offs become an event and us Irish love an event.

A league final at Lansdowne Road would be a decent seller and would probably get more in terms of attendance than the FAI Cup final.