how to fix our league! - Mod Warning in OP

tastyt

I don't think summer soccer has worked. Yes it has a few advantages but you always have the gaa to go up against, not to mention the euros or world cup every couple of years.

Is the small pick up in European results really as a result of summer football or has it more to do with increased professionalism?

For me, even for tv purposes, a floodlit dalymount or inchicore has a proper football feel and atmosphere. Half empty in the summer sun just doesn't do it as a real football experience.

tastyt

I don't think summer soccer has worked. Yes it has a few advantages but you always have the gaa to go up against, not to mention the euros or world cup every couple of years.

Is the small pick up in European results really as a result of summer football or has it more to do with increased professionalism?

For me, even for tv purposes, a floodlit dalymount or inchicore has a proper football feel and atmosphere. Half empty in the summer sun just doesn't do it as a real football experience.

Captain Havoc

I was at Limerick and Bohs on Friday and I'll be at Kilkenny and Dublin tomorrow, it's not really up against the GAA, you can attend both.

CSF

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I was at Limerick and Bohs on Friday and I'll be at Kilkenny and Dublin tomorrow, it's not really up against the GAA, you can attend both.

There is definitely a competition there. Not everyone will do both. Most people won't.

Omackeral

In fairness BOHtox, last nights games were competing with not one but two World Cup quarter final matches. Attendances were expected to be down. Having said that, I was at the FAI Cup match down there last month and there wasn't even 800 there. In Thomond Park, state of the art!

civis_liberalis

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

can I ask what different problems Galway has over other areas?

You wouldn't believe me and boards would get a solicitor's letter quicker than you can say corruption.

BOHtox

Omackeral wrote: »

In fairness BOHtox, last nights games were competing with not one but two World Cup quarter final matches. Attendances were expected to be down. Having said that, I was at the FAI Cup match down there last month and there wasn't even 800 there. In Thomond Park, state of the art!

The World Cup is massively affecting the attendances, obviously. But Limerick's average attendance is less than 1,000, as per Foot.ie. Something has to be done to get punters through the gates after the world cup. Perhaps targeting people's desire for football. "The WC may be over, the Premiership not back till August so why not enjoy some LOI" or something like that.

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I would greatly disagree with extending the season. The usual cycle of a LOI season in terms of attendances are high attendances at the start of the season, a mid-season dip and then a bump at the end if the team is involved in something.

I think lengthening out the fixtures would prolongue the nothingness in the middle of the season. Most of the games are absolutly meaningless until the last round of games. I would like to see it condensed more, preferably with less games.

The first few games and the last few games always have a different factor about them but I don't think there's a nothingness about the middle of the season. Try doing two home games in the space of 7 days and a trip to Limerick on the bank holiday monday though. Financially that's tough. And it could be argued that if there is a nothingness it's because games come thick and fast. I remember Bohs playing Sligo in one season, Dundalk in another and I think UCD last year several times in the space of a few weeks between league and cup games. I think the monotony of it all adds to the decling fixtures more than the fact that there's nothing to play for or it's not the business end. And I'm not saying that attendances don't decline in the middle I just don't think it's as big as you're making it out to be.

The_Kew_Tour

civis_liberalis wrote: »

You wouldn't believe me and boards would get a solicitor's letter quicker than you can say corruption.

Honestly I would believe anything in Irish football, sadly

dundalkfc10

CSF wrote: »

That option exists. Those who wanted to play Saturdays do. When Dundalk wanted to play Thursdays, they did.

When we got promoted, we were made switch from a Thursday to a Friday, Ive no doubt if we were not forced we would still play on a Thursday

Henlars67

In my opinion all games (with the exception of a few midweek fixtures) would be played at the weekends.

Friday is a weekday, and it can be very hard for working people to make away games on the other side of the country on a working day.

djpbarry

tastyt wrote: »

I don't think summer soccer has worked. Yes it has a few advantages but you always have the gaa to go up against, not to mention the euros or world cup every couple of years.

There's always going to be something to go up against - at least every second summer there's no World Cup or Euros to compete with, but you've always got the Premiership.

miroslavklose

BOHtox wrote: »

200 people, maybe 300, at Limerick vs Bohs last night. I couldn't make it as my Da works late every second friday and tonight was one. I think it completely discredits two arguments. Firstly the "Build it and they will come" and secondly that Friday is the best day for a game.

A start to the changes I'd make to the league are firstly, extending the season. March-October is simply too short. Mid-Feb to mid/early-Nov is a change I'd make. There's too many occasions where there's 2/3 games in a week or 4 in 10 days or something like that. A lot of average punters would not be able to spend a whole lot of money on travel/tickets and everything else that goes with going to a match when you have games too frequently.

Secondly, I'd move matches to Saturday evenings. Travelling down to Limerick is difficult if you're working 9-5. I think 17:30 games on a Saturday could work and I'd like to see it experimented with for a fair amount of time. I'd say Bohs would have had at least twice, maybe three times, as many fans down in Limerick if the game was today. It makes it easier in terms of travelling down and back if the KO is earlier and the day is more suited.

Not everyone's cup of tea I know but there league does have to change something as it's not sustainable for too much longer at this rate I'm afraid

Saturday evening in Hunky Dory's Park > Friday Night in Limerick :pac:

This is what the clubs want. The shorter the season, the cheaper it is for clubs. They can offer higher wages and players can go on the dole for four months. That won't change unless we can move to full time football for most of the clubs.

nice_guy80

Whole island league

It would certainly produce some tasty matches.

How long would interest in it last?

Omackeral

Bray Wanderers vs Dungannon Swifts. Can't see that being a massive box office draw to be honest.

civis_liberalis

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Whole island league

It would certainly produce some tasty matches.

How long would interest in it last?

Have you seen the Setanta Cup?

on the river

Changes.need to happen from the top.

Fai officials wages need to be cut.

Clubs need to improve their infrastructure and invest in youth especially rural areas where soccer may not be that popular.

Bigger names need to be signed from England to draw crowds say from championship sides or retiring players.

A all ireland league is a must. More competition brings more crowds thus more income.

tastyt

Mad as it sounds I think thomond park has been detrimental to limericks cause. Fantastic stadium but you need around fifteen thousand for a good atmosphere. Anyone that has brought somebody to watch a limerick game for the first time this season ( myself included ) have been left embarrassed by the empty feeling and total lack of football atmosphere. A big empty stadium , no matter how good the game makes the league as a ' product ' unattractive.

miroslavklose

on the river wrote: »

Changes.need to happen from the top.

Fai officials wages need to be cut.

Clubs need to improve their infrastructure and invest in youth especially rural areas where soccer may not be that popular.

Bigger names need to be signed from England to draw crowds say from championship sides or retiring players.

A all ireland league is a must. More competition brings more crowds thus more income.

I doubt anybody would disagree that top level wages need to be cut but there is no chance the savings would be invested in the domestic game - they're cutting costs as it is and the money would all disappear.

Some clubs are trying to invest in youth but there is only so much you can do when you have limited funds and the best players all go to England.

We can't afford to sign bigger names from England. The money and the interest isn't there.

An all-Ireland league isn't looking likely and it's questionable whether bringing in poor opposition would do anything to improve the league.

djpbarry

miroslavklose wrote: »

I doubt anybody would disagree that top level wages need to be cut but there is no chance the savings would be invested in the domestic game - they're cutting costs as it is and the money would all disappear.

Yeah, the fact that the FAI's finances are in a pretty poor state severely limits their ability to invest anything in the league. But, just a little effort, in terms of promotion, wouldn't kill them.

miroslavklose wrote: »

An all-Ireland league isn't looking likely and it's questionable whether bringing in poor opposition would do anything to improve the league.

I'm not sure I'd agree with that. Sure, most teams up North aren't going to be at the same level as the LOI, but the big four in Belfast would definitely add something.

miroslavklose

djpbarry wrote: »

Yeah, the fact that the FAI's finances are in a pretty poor state severely limits their ability to invest anything in the league. But, just a little effort, in terms of promotion, wouldn't kill them.

Oh I agree they could invest, I'm just saying they won't. The league has always been an inconvenience for them and, to be fair, the clubs have often validated that point of view.

Their social media people seem to be copping on a bit but I'm guessing it's probably more down to the clubs being a bit more clever about how they seek promotion from the FAI.

I'm not sure I'd agree with that. Sure, most teams up North aren't going to be at the same level as the LOI, but the big four in Belfast would definitely add something.

Perhaps, but it would still be like adding four Droghedas to the league. It's not like any of them would increase the overall quality of the league by challenging the top teams.

djpbarry

miroslavklose wrote: »

Perhaps, but it would still be like adding four Droghedas to the league. It's not like any of them would increase the overall quality of the league by challenging the top teams.

Again, I wouldn't agree with that. I think Linfield would certainly be challenging (for European places at least) and possibly Crusaders too. But the point is that if you were to remove the four weakest teams in the LOI Premier and replace them with the four Belfast clubs (or even just two or three of them), it's difficult to argue that the overall quality of the league would not increase.

miroslavklose

We'll have to disagree so. Three or four years ago you'd have been right but the gap is increasing in my opinion.

Richard Hillman

Shorten the league season to roughly 15-20 games and then have play offs for the winner.

Give a UEFA Cup slot for the League Cup and FAI Cup.

Play the League, League Cup and FAI Cup after each other and not all at the same time during the league season.
For example the league can run from March-July, League cup can be August-September and the FAI cup can run from October and November.

In doing this, it keeps the football constantly competitive and meaningful. The League cup will be taken seriously because of the UEFA cup slot and there is no other football on.

In general, it has much more exitement. Most LOI clubs have a solid supporter base but struggle to keep the floating fan going to games. Because of the intensity and meaning of the games, the floating fans will be less likely to miss games and it would be more TV friendly.

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Shorten the league season to roughly 15-20 games and then have play offs for the winner.

Give a UEFA Cup slot for the League Cup and FAI Cup.

Play the League, League Cup and FAI Cup after each other and not all at the same time during the league season.
For example the league can run from March-July, League cup can be August-September and the FAI cup can run from October and November.

In doing this, it keeps the football constantly competitive and meaningful. The League cup will be taken seriously because of the UEFA cup slot and there is no other football on.

In general, it has much more exitement. Most LOI clubs have a solid supporter base but struggle to keep the floating fan going to games. Because of the intensity and meaning of the games, the floating fans will be less likely to miss games and it would be more TV friendly.

So if you lose in the 1st round of the League Cup in 1st week of August, you have no game for 2 months untill the FAI Cup (which you could also go out of in 1st round) but would still have to have players on contracts untill Novermeber as you wouldnt know when your season was going to end.

1 game in 4 months, You do realise most clubs rely on money from the gate to survive!

Richard Hillman

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

So if you lose in the 1st round of the League Cup in 1st week of August, you have no game for 2 months untill the FAI Cup (which you could also go out of in 1st round) but would still have to have players on contracts untill Novermeber as you wouldnt know when your season was going to end.

1 game in 4 months, You do realise most clubs rely on money from the gate to survive!

The League Cup could be worked in a group stage and then knock out (It used to be like that)

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The League Cup could be worked in a group stage and then knock out (It used to be like that)

Clubs get 2/300 max at any League Cup game. There was about 200 in the Brandywell when we played Derry in it a while back. (4 yes 4 away fans)

Dundalk are in the semi final of it now Bank Holiday Monday in Oriel, and there wont be 500 at it

Clubs couldnt survive on attendances like that, plus add in fact you could get drawn away in every round of knockout stages and away in all FAI Cup games and have no income into the club

Richard Hillman

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Clubs get 2/300 max at any League Cup game. There was about 200 in the Brandywell when we played Derry in it a while back. (4 yes 4 away fans)

Dundalk are in the semi final of it now Bank Holiday Monday in Oriel, and there wont be 500 at it

Clubs couldnt survive on attendances like that, plus add in fact you could get drawn away in every round of knockout stages and away in all FAI Cup games and have no income into the club

Read my post again. Currently nobody cares about the League Cup until its a final. It is treated like an inconvenience (and it is really). If it is played how I am proposing it and with a Europa League spot, then in that month(s) it will be the premier competition.

Attendances would be a lot higher than they normally are. Its very easy as a fan to say "I'll give that game a miss" when it is a midweek game in the middle of the season with a weakened team out and sandwiched in between 2 league games. If it takes place as a stand alone tournament in just say August and September, there wont be many fans saying "I'll give that game a miss" and wait until the FAI Cup.

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Read my post again. Currently nobody cares about the League Cup until its a final. It is treated like an inconvenience (and it is really). If it is played how I am proposing it and with a Europa League spot, then in that month(s) it will be the premier competition.

Attendances would be a lot higher than they normally are. Its very easy as a fan to say "I'll give that game a miss" when it is a midweek game in the middle of the season with a weakened team out and sandwiched in between 2 league games. If it takes place as a stand alone tournament in just say August and September, there wont be many fans saying "I'll give that game a miss" and wait until the FAI Cup.

Il put it like this

This season Dundalk will play 17 Home League games, 2 Europa (including Thursday night) 1 League Cup Semi, and possibly 2/3 FAI Cup games if we get home draws
Thats 23 games max

If you were to cut the league to 20 games we would only have a possible 15 home games (assuming we were in Europe)

We would have to cut our budget thus resulting in lesser quality players thats why I dont think it would work

Richard Hillman

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Il put it like this

This season Dundalk will play 17 Home League games, 2 Europa (including Thursday night) 1 League Cup Semi, and possibly 2/3 FAI Cup games if we get home draws
Thats 23 games max

If you were to cut the league to 20 games we would only have a possible 15 home games (assuming we were in Europe)

We would have to cut our budget thus resulting in lesser quality players thats why I dont think it would work

I think short term it will reduce overall annual attendance but in the long term the interest in Irish football will increase due to how the competitions are formated. It will be a lot more exciting and floating fans will be less likely to miss matches. Plus it would be a lot more TV friendly.

To be honest, I dont think I have ever been to a league cup match. Under how I am proposing it (A group stage of 4 teams, home and away) if my club were to offer a 3 match home season ticket for the League Cup, Id probably buy it. I wouldnt miss as many home league games either because the games would become unmissable. I would 100% go to any home FAI Cup match because I know that could be the season over if the team slips up.

What I am trying to say is that all clubs have a hardcore support that will go to nearly every game but most clubs have more floating fans than hardcore support. I think the key to improving the league is getting more floating fans into the grounds on a regular basis. You just have to look at big FAI Cup games (Semi's and Finals) to see how many people are actually interested in the respective clubs.

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I think short term it will reduce overall annual attendance but in the long term the interest in Irish football will increase due to how the competitions are formated. It will be a lot more exciting and floating fans will be less likely to miss matches. Plus it would be a lot more TV friendly.

To be honest, I dont think I have ever been to a league cup match. Under how I am proposing it (A group stage of 4 teams, home and away) if my club were to offer a 3 match home season ticket for the League Cup, Id probably buy it. I wouldnt miss as many home league games either because the games would become unmissable. I would 100% go to any home FAI Cup match because I know that could be the season over if the team slips up.

What I am trying to say is that all clubs have a hardcore support that will go to nearly every game but most clubs have more floating fans than hardcore support. I think the key to improving the league is getting more floating fans into the grounds on a regular basis. You just have to look at big FAI Cup games (Semi's and Finals) to see how many people are actually interested in the respective clubs.

Any time a club are on TV its reduces both home and away crowds. Example we play Cork now down in Cork in a few weeks. We will bring 300 odd, if it was on TV we would bring less than 100. Anytime we play in Dublin on TV it reduces our away crowd, even reduces it when the Drogheda games are on TV.
Of course this is not helped by stupid TV times (usually RTE)

BOHtox

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Il put it like this

This season Dundalk will play 17 Home League games, 2 Europa (including Thursday night) 1 League Cup Semi, and possibly 2/3 FAI Cup games if we get home draws
Thats 23 games max

If you were to cut the league to 20 games we would only have a possible 15 home games (assuming we were in Europe)

We would have to cut our budget thus resulting in lesser quality players thats why I dont think it would work

It wouldn't work full stop!

Richard Hillman

BOHtox wrote: »

It wouldn't work full stop!

Why not?

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Why not?

Financial reasons, Clubs need as many home gates as possible

17 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 17
10 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 10

You do the maths?

djpbarry

Richard Hillman wrote: »

In doing this, it keeps the football constantly competitive and meaningful. The League cup will be taken seriously because of the UEFA cup slot and there is no other football on.

You mean the way the LOI is taken seriously when the Premiership is not on?

Prop Joe

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Financial reasons, Clubs need as many home gates as possible

17 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 17
10 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 10

You do the maths?

The FAI would badly want to increase prize money in the league

dundalkfc10

Prop Joe wrote: »

The FAI would badly want to increase prize money in the league

Thats not going to happen, Only reason we have a League is because we need one to have an International team. IMO if we didnt need one, The FAI wouldnt care if every club folded

uch

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Clubs get 2/300 max at any League Cup game. There was about 200 in the Brandywell when we played Derry in it a while back. (4 yes 4 away fans)

Dundalk are in the semi final of it now Bank Holiday Monday in Oriel, and there wont be 500 at it

Clubs couldnt survive on attendances like that, plus add in fact you could get drawn away in every round of knockout stages and away in all FAI Cup games and have no income into the club

Cup gates are split, so there would be some income.

dundalkfc10

uch wrote: »

Cup gates are split, so there would be some income.

40% of the gate, which at Cup games is always (unless local derby etc) lower attended than League games!

Travel costs, players meals etc would barely covered by 40% of a gate at Wexford Youths etc never mind if it was a non league side away you were playing

uch

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

40% of the gate, which at Cup games is always (unless local derby etc) lower attended than League games!

Travel costs, players meals etc would barely covered by 40% of a gate at Wexford Youths etc never mind if it was a non league side away you were playing

Ah listen, I agree with everything you are saying, I just wanted to point out that Cup gates are split

Richard Hillman

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Financial reasons, Clubs need as many home gates as possible

17 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 17
10 home league games with 2000 paying €10 each is €20,000 X 10

You do the maths?

Attendances per game should rise with the increased intensity and meaning of the games.

Higher attendances lead to a better atmosphere and overall match day experience. It can turn floating fans to regular attendees and would also attract more non fans.

As I said previously, short term it may be negative on the overall annual attendance but I think in the long term it would improve with a much more fan friendly product on the pitch

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Attendances per game should rise with the increased intensity and meaning of the games.

Higher attendances lead to a better atmosphere and overall match day experience. It can turn floating fans to regular attendees and would also attract more non fans.

As I said previously, short term it may be negative on the overall annual attendance but I think in the long term it would improve with a much more fan friendly product on the pitch

Why would attendances rise though? What intensity and meaning of games would increase apart from taking a league positions Europa League spot away and giving it to the League Cup winners?

Well how are the clubs going to survive in the short term with less money to spend on players, facilities etc...? They would have to let go their higher earners (obvs there better players) thus resulting in a worse product than we have at the minute

The fact is Irish people have grew up disregarding the LOI. The thing that needs to be done, is all clubs should be in schools giving kids free tickets (i.e in Dundalk all primary school kids get a free season ticket, but cant attend the game alone) as they are the ones we need to be getting on board and not that 30 odd year old Liverpool fan who wouldnt even know how to get to Anfield from Lime Street in Liverpool

Richard Hillman

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Why would attendances rise though? What intensity and meaning of games would increase apart from taking a league positions Europa League spot away and giving it to the League Cup winners?

Each game will mean more in a shorter season. The magnitude of wins and dropping points increases. It makes pretty much every game a big game rather than a drawn out 33 game marathon where we all just wait for a champion to crowned in a procession mathematically.

If we used a play off system to determine the league champions, more teams are playing big games during the season to A) get into the play offs and determine your seed for the play offs.

When the league is over, we go again in an even shorter format for the league cup.

After that the straight knock out of the FAI cup in a weekly format.


Overall there are more must win games and floating fans will get out more.

djpbarry

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Attendances per game should rise with the increased intensity and meaning of the games.

Why would attendances go up though? Apart from anything else, the teams that qualified for Europe through the league are still not going to give a toss about the EA Cup, so they’ll field second-string or youth teams, diminishing the competition’s “prestige” even further.

I can see your idea resulting in clubs giving players contracts that are only a few months long – that kind of instability is not going to be good for anyone. Or players becoming unemployed as soon as their club’s involvement in a cup competition ends. Good luck attracting players to the league with those kind of employment conditions – it’s already hard enough as it is.

djpbarry

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Each game will mean more in a shorter season. The magnitude of wins and dropping points increases. It makes pretty much every game a big game rather than a drawn out 33 game marathon where we all just wait for a champion to crowned in a procession mathematically.

We do? How often has the league been won by more than a few points over the last ten years?

Richard Hillman

djpbarry wrote: »

Why would attendances go up though? Apart from anything else, the teams that qualified for Europe through the league are still not going to give a toss about the EA Cup, so they’ll field second-string or youth teams, diminishing the competition’s “prestige” even further.

I can see your idea resulting in clubs giving players contracts that are only a few months long – that kind of instability is not going to be good for anyone. Or players becoming unemployed as soon as their club’s involvement in a cup competition ends. Good luck attracting players to the league with those kind of employment conditions – it’s already hard enough as it is.

Most Irish teams that play in Europe only play 2-4 games in the comp and still manage to put out full teams in the league in those few weeks.

Only the Champions League slot for the following league season and 1 Europa league would have been decided for the following year by the time the league cup kicks off. There would be 2 slots still remaining for the next year in the 2 cup comps.

The type of clubs that win a league would be under pressure to win more competitions, so unless they have a massive squad they are going to be playing hard on the League Cup. They'll probably be already out of Europe by then anyway.

overshoot

just wondering but how are clubs going to pay players during these 2 end of season cups? most smaller teams will be out in no time and have to sit on their ass waiting for the next cup. Even with a group stage there will be a delay between competitions. Where do they end players contracts? the bigger teams could also be up **** creek if they were put out first round and have to pay their much larger wage bill with no gates.

repeated history lesson, gambling for europe... hasnt served LOI teams well in the past. even if this would be a smaller scale.

You can at least plan your clubs finances around a stable league with a set number of games. At the minute cup runs are bonuses which is the way to have it with regards finances. The league needs a huge overhaul, but this isnt the way imo.

Richard Hillman

Overall I think it is a fantastic idea that I spent 5 minutes thinking of one morning. I'll be emailing my proposal to the FAI

overshoot wrote: »

just wondering but how are clubs going to pay players during these 2 end of season cups? most smaller teams will be out in no time and have to sit on their ass waiting for the next cup. Even with a group stage there will be a delay between competitions. Where do they end players contracts? the bigger teams could also be up **** creek if they were put out first round and have to pay their much larger wage bill with no gates.

repeated history lesson, gambling for europe... hasnt served LOI teams well in the past. even if this would be a smaller scale.

You can at least plan your clubs finances around a stable league with a set number of games. At the minute cup runs are bonuses which is the way to have it with regards finances. The league needs a huge overhaul, but this isnt the way imo.

The regular league season ends and the play offs should take 2-3 weeks. The league cup will be a group stage of just say 4 teams per group, home and away. So they will get at least 6 games. It will take 2 weeks for the semis and final to be done with before the LOI clubs join the FAI cup with the non league teams.

Overall, the poor teams will have about 4 weeks of non play. They can use the league to league cup gap to play friendlies against English teams who are on their per seasons.

dundalkfc10

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Overall I think it is a fantastic idea that I spent 5 minutes thinking of one morning. I'll be emailing my proposal to the FAI




The regular league season ends and the play offs should take 2-3 weeks. The league cup will be a group stage of just say 4 teams per group, home and away. So they will get at least 6 games. It will take 2 weeks for the semis and final to be done with before the LOI clubs join the FAI cup with the non league teams.

Overall, the poor teams will have about 4 weeks of non play. They can use the league to league cup gap to play friendlies against English teams who are on their per seasons.

How do they know they wont be in the play offs (eg Dundalk last year would have been in unexpectednely)so wouldnt be able to even arrange friendlies. Also Have you seen the crowds teams get against English sides these days. Your Man Utd, Liverpool, Celtics of this world are not going to bring their 1st teams over here when there is millions to be made in America, Asia etc... We get their U-19s and feck all turn up. Pats played someone a few weeks back, might have been Aberdeen and their wasnt 200 there, Id imagine Tallaght was the same against Wolves the other night.

Again how would clubs give out contracts? A clubs wage bill of 8000 a week Until Oct, What happens if they are knocked out of league, and both cups 1st round. Thats 2 weeks play offs, 2 weeks semi/final League Cup, 3/4 weeks of rest of FAI Cup 7 weeks X 8000= 56,000 with no gate receipts and basically no income! Whos gonna pay all this?

djpbarry

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Only the Champions League slot for the following league season and 1 Europa league would have been decided for the following year by the time the league cup kicks off. There would be 2 slots still remaining for the next year in the 2 cup comps.

Which still means that the top two clubs would have as little interest in the League Cup as they do now.

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The type of clubs that win a league would be under pressure to win more competitions, so unless they have a massive squad they are going to be playing hard on the League Cup.

But that doesn’t happen. Pats won the league last year but fielded second string teams in the League Cup this year.

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The regular league season ends and the play offs should take 2-3 weeks. The league cup will be a group stage of just say 4 teams per group, home and away. So they will get at least 6 games.

So you want to cut the league season short so that teams can compete in another league format competition, only with less at stake? That doesn’t make sense.

djpbarry

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Also Have you seen the crowds teams get against English sides these days. Your Man Utd, Liverpool, Celtics of this world are not going to bring their 1st teams over here when there is millions to be made in America, Asia etc... We get their U-19s and feck all turn up.

Ah, come on now. The Aviva was full a couple of months ago to watch a second string Liverpool side.

I agree that most British clubs won’t attract big crowds these days and clubs can't rely on such friendlies for income. But, the bigger clubs could field any old side and tens of thousands will show up to see them.