how to fix our league! - Mod Warning in OP

GLaDOS

Tenner says they'll rearrange it all again within 7 or 8 years.

Deckchairs on the titanic.

Frogdog

Some ideas:

1. The FAI should create and maintain a portfolio of every young Irish player that is transferred out of Ireland, be that to a UK club or farther afield. At present, the FAI have to sign off on a player's transfer form when leaving Ireland - this is the stage at where the FAI must capture the player's/family's contact details. Data Protection requirements to be taken into consideration. With these contact details, the FAI should keep in touch with the players and monitor their progress. Should they fail to make the grade abroad, the FAI should ensure that the players are aware that they have options in the LOI, and at the same time, alert LOI clubs in the player's local area as to their availability. Too many young players are lost to the game when they come back unsuccessful from UK clubs. Essentially, they believe they have failed in the game and give up. This idea gives young players a sense of direction and a route back into the game at a relatively high level. If the players are good enough to get a trial/academy contract/youth contract abroad in the first place, then they should be good enough for the LOI U17/U19/Senior leagues.
2. In the Conroy Report survey, when people were asked what their reason was for not supporting a LOI side, the majority response was that there was no club in their area, eg. someone from Meath isn't going to support a Dublin club, someone from Kerry isn't going to support Cork City, etc. Therefore, more clubs need to be created, along the lines of GAA boundaries, to start. Counties that don't have a LOI club should form one. Start by enticing more counties to enter the underage LOI (U15, U17, U19). Counties that don't have a club include Mayo, Tipperary, Meath, Clare, Roscommon, Leitrim, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Carlow and Kildare. While some of these counties have had clubs in the past, perhaps two neighbouring counties should amalgamate to start with. These counties should follow the examples set by Kerry and Cavan/Monaghan recently. Perhaps even invite counties from Northern Ireland to enter, such as Derry City.
3. The FAI should petition RTE to move Soccer Republic to an earlier time-slot. It should start no later than 9pm on any given night. The programme should primarily focus on the LOI, but also include sections on the international teams (of all age grades) and also feature a section on any Irish player playing abroad. having recognised Irish internationals/ex-internationals on the programme would also help. This will interest the casual Irish soccer fan. In the Conroy Report survey, when asked what are your reasons for not watching Soccer Republic, the majority answered that it's on too late.
4. Centralised Contracts. The FAI should agree contracts with, say for example, the top 10 LOI players. Granted, the "top 10 players" is very subjective, but create criteria for selecting this list, to be decided by the clubs/FAI. This was mentioned in the Genesis II report as a huge plus for the IRFU. This would help create improved finances for the FAI and the LOI clubs. Foreign clubs who want to buy any of these top 10 players will have to enter into transfer negotiations with the FAI and would have to pay their market value. The FAI would create a profit on this, and the LOI clubs should get a certain percentage for developing these players. LOI players also benefit from a steady income and security in employment. In time, once the FAI starts to make a profit from this, they can increase it to the top 15 or top 20 players, should it prove feasible. No longer will we see the likes of Richie Towell, Daryl Horgan or Andy Boyle go to UK clubs for free.
5. LOI clubs should give out free tickets to schoolboy/underage teams, to entice younger fans to come to the games, or packages of discounted tickets that these clubs could sell on to their members for a profit. Everyone's a winner - small clubs make money, LOI clubs get higher attendances.
6. LOI clubs should hold training, strength & conditioning and physio sessions with Intermediate, Junior and Schoolboy clubs around Ireland. Create bonds and links between these clubs and the LOI. This helps clubs improve, and gives LOI clubs a chance to identify talent in their area.
7. Ongoing and continued active recruitment of more ex-internationals, either as playing or coaching staff. This helps attract new fans and young players.
8. The FAI should conduct an annual anonymous survey of managers/staff/players on what can be done to improve the league.
9. Host more friendlies with "League of Ireland XIs", against the national side or foreign club sides.
10. LOI players should be incentivised to attain coaching badges. Maybe the FAI could subsidise them. Who better to coach young players in Ireland than players that have played at a high level in Ireland?
11. Include 3-5 LOI players (in all age grades) in the extended international training squads. This will increase the standard of the LOI, as well as promote these players to the general public.
12. Link senior Republic of Ireland season tickets to the LOI. For example, a ROI season ticket entitles the holder to a discounted entry to LOI games. Perhaps include more than just the FAI Cup final for free into the season ticket. Perhaps include a joint season ticket for the international team and a LOI club of your choice.
13. Get the B internationals up and running again, with the squad possibly made up of only LOI players. Organise a Celtic Nations tournament with players from the Welsh league, Northern Ireland league, and Scottish league (but not any player playing in their Premier division). Hold the games in LOI stadiums - Dalymount, Tallaght, etc.
14. Give Brian Kerr a job in the FAI. Something to do with the LOI.
15. Increase prize money for the LOI, the FAI cup and the EA Sports cup.

MD1990

I wonder will a 10 team premier have 36 games playing each team home & away twice or just 27 games?

AgileMyth

Well it worked so well last time..

Richard Hillman

It only lasted 3 season's the last time. It's only being done to deflect attention from Division 1

It's been covered over and over but sticking with summer league football places a low ceiling on progression I think.

SteelyDanJalapeno

We really need to be looking at the format and infrastructure Iceland have managed to put in place with 6% of our population they have over 70 competitive teams across 4 tiers and 7 leagues. It's outright laughable we can't coax the junior/senior clubs into the LOI.

gimmick

Richard Hillman wrote: »

It only lasted 3 season's the last time. It's only being done to deflect attention from Division 1

Is this the 3rd or 4th attempt at the 10 team league?

Kingp35

Frogdog wrote: »

Some ideas:...................

All excellent points in my opinion. Most could be implemented without too high a cost but the FAI need to have to drive to see the LOI improve which I don't think they have at the moment.

The Lost Sheep

Frogdog wrote: »

Some ideas:
1. The FAI should create and maintain a portfolio of every young Irish player that is transferred out of Ireland, be that to a UK club or farther afield. At present, the FAI have to sign off on a player's transfer form when leaving Ireland - this is the stage at where the FAI must capture the player's/family's contact details. Data Protection requirements to be taken into consideration. With these contact details, the FAI should keep in touch with the players and monitor their progress. Should they fail to make the grade abroad, the FAI should ensure that the players are aware that they have options in the LOI, and at the same time, alert LOI clubs in the player's local area as to their availability. Too many young players are lost to the game when they come back unsuccessful from UK clubs. Essentially, they believe they have failed in the game and give up. This idea gives young players a sense of direction and a route back into the game at a relatively high level. If the players are good enough to get a trial/academy contract/youth contract abroad in the first place, then they should be good enough for the LOI U17/U19/Senior leagues.

But how many are burnt out as such after trying the UK and don't want to play here? Do players want to play? A lot are lost but aren't they more fed up with whole process if they've tried

2. In the Conroy Report survey, when people were asked what their reason was for not supporting a LOI side, the majority response was that there was no club in their area, eg. someone from Meath isn't going to support a Dublin club, someone from Kerry isn't going to support Cork City, etc. Therefore, more clubs need to be created, along the lines of GAA boundaries, to start. Counties that don't have a LOI club should form one. Start by enticing more counties to enter the underage LOI (U15, U17, U19). Counties that don't have a club include Mayo, Tipperary, Meath, Clare, Roscommon, Leitrim, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Carlow and Kildare. While some of these counties have had clubs in the past, perhaps two
neighbouring counties should amalgamate to start with. These counties should follow the examples set by Kerry and Cavan/Monaghan recently. Perhaps even invite counties from Northern Ireland to enter, such as Derry City.

But are many of these counties suitable for a LOI side. I know South Tipp and it has a great history of football but it isn't anyway suitable for hosting a LOI side. Base isn't there for support or funding.

Centralised Contracts. The FAI should agree contracts with, say for example, the top 10 LOI players. Granted, the "top 10 players" is very subjective, but create criteria for selecting this list, to be decided by the clubs/FAI. This was mentioned in the Genesis II report as a huge plus for the IRFU. This would help create improved finances for the FAI and the LOI clubs. Foreign clubs who want to buy any of these top 10 players will have to enter into transfer negotiations with the FAI and would have to pay their market value. The FAI would create a profit on this, and the LOI clubs should get a certain percentage for developing these players. LOI players also benefit from a steady income and security in employment. In time, once the FAI starts to make a profit from this, they can increase it to the top 15 or top 20 players, should it prove feasible. No longer will we see the likes of Richie Towell, Daryl Horgan or Andy Boyle go to UK clubs for free.

Centralised contracts in rugby works completely differently. Provinces are owned by IRFU and it simply isn't feasible. Deciding 10 players is very subjective and what would be the criteria and would this generate enough finance for it to work?

LOI clubs should give out free tickets to schoolboy/underage teams, to entice younger fans to come to the games, or packages of discounted tickets that these clubs could sell on to their members for a profit. Everyone's a winner - small clubs make money, LOI clubs get higher attendances.

Don't many clubs do these sort of promotions already?

LOI clubs should hold training, strength & conditioning and physio sessions with Intermediate, Junior and Schoolboy clubs around Ireland. Create bonds and links between these clubs and the LOI. This helps clubs improve, and gives LOI clubs a chance to identify talent in their area.

This is the role of development/coaching officers within the FAI not individual clubs?

Ongoing and continued active recruitment of more ex-internationals, either as playing or coaching staff. This helps attract new fans and young players.

There is attempts to recruit ex players but that doesn't mean these guys will be suitable or any good at coaching and it wont necessarily help attract new fans

Omackeral

John Delaney not just ''out'' but out out.