how to fix our league! - Mod Warning in OP

dfx-

dreamers75 wrote: »

yes but expectation isnt being delivered upon. 4 clubs this year....

First of all you have to have the expectation. Then over long term it can deliver. Walking before running..

League....Hammered in Europe....In Europe each year...better results.

Derry would arguably have had a better go at Europe than Bohs had they been let in (see step 1), Sligo are only in Europe a couple of seasons and it's the worst Rovers team in 5 years, yet they were the better side than Ekranas. Rovers are only in Europe for three seasons and this is the only time they haven't won a round.

Give a better Rovers side 5-6 years of facing Ekranas-like sides or a better Sligo team 3-4 years of facing Vlaznia or whoever last year..

It's why Shels or Cork for example need Europe this year like a bullet.

dreamers75

dfx- wrote: »

First of all you have to have the expectation. Then over long term it can deliver. Walking before running..

League....Hammered in Europe....In Europe each year...better results.

Derry would arguably have had a better go at Europe than Bohs had they been let in (see step 1), Sligo are only in Europe a couple of seasons and it's the worst Rovers team in 5 years, yet they were the better side than Ekranas. Rovers are only in Europe for three seasons and this is the only time they haven't won a round.

Give a better Rovers side 5-6 years of facing Ekranas-like sides or a better Sligo team 3-4 years of facing Vlaznia or whoever last year..

It's why Shels or Cork for example need Europe this year like a bullet.

That makes no sense at all in the slightest, Rovers have the best 11 plus 8 assembled right now. I have no clue what your point is.

We should have beaten every team out of sight in our 1st games, none of us did.


Thing is 5-6 years isnt going to happen cos we be unseeded in every round and that fcuks us up bigtime.

Ebbs

dreamers75 wrote: »

Taking the last 5 years into account, we have been rubbish in Europe. Rovers last year possibly the worst culprit they got the the groups and did not gain a single point for the league from the group games.

Do you mean the highest co-efficient an Irish team has got in Europe in the last 5 years is the worst culprit?

We gained 2.3 points last year, and have 1.2 this year. Pats gained 1.3 last year and so far have 1.2 this year.

dreamers75 wrote: »

That makes no sense at all in the slightest, Rovers have the best 11 plus 8 assembled right now. I have no clue what your point is.

Rovers are worse than they were in the last 5 seasons, our starting 11 is far far below what it was last year. We havnt replaced the likes of Manus, Sheppard, Stevens, and only just got Sullivan back. We've even had a downgrade on Dan Murray.

No idea where you're getting this stuff from dreamers, you've replaced OhNoYouDidnt at this stage.

Ireland's Most Successful Club.

dfx-

It's the worst Rovers side since Tallaght. It's not unexpected that they do worse than last year or the year before. Don't know either where you're coming from dreamers..

bohsman

dfx- wrote: »

It's the worst Rovers side since Tallaght. It's not unexpected that they do worse than last year or the year before. Don't know either where you're coming from dreamers..

It was a step up from that Rovers teams hammering against TNS though.

dreamers75

Ebbs wrote: »

Do you mean the highest co-efficient an Irish team has got in Europe in the last 5 years is the worst culprit?

We gained 2.3 points last year, and have 1.2 this year. Pats gained 1.3 last year and so far have 1.2 this year.



Rovers are worse than they were in the last 5 seasons, our starting 11 is far far below what it was last year. We havnt replaced the likes of Manus, Sheppard, Stevens, and only just got Sullivan back. We've even had a downgrade on Dan Murray.

No idea where you're getting this stuff from dreamers, you've replaced OhNoYouDidnt at this stage.

Ireland's Most Successful Club.

In fairness to rovers your so far up your own holes, you fail to realise your 11 is better than everyone elses and your subs are better than everyone elses.

Be it by choice or whatever, but thats a fcukin crackin team you have.

how did you gain points like that? its 0.25 for a draw and 0 for a win? and 2.3 last year??? how?

Ebbs

dreamers75 wrote: »

In fairness to rovers your so far up your own holes, you fail to realise your 11 is better than everyone elses and your subs are better than everyone elses.

Be it by choice or whatever, but thats a fcukin crackin team you have.

how did you gain points like that? its 0.25 for a draw and 0 for a win? and 2.3 last year??? how?

It's worse than last years, and we only barely managed to beat them to the league last year. They strengthened there team, we were weakened (Along with Derry). No idea why people think we're amazing, we watch the team every week and probably in the best position to judge the players. We havnt got in one player that strenghted a position this season.

So you have no idea how co-efficents work yet you're arguing? Points for qualifying are also awarded. Infact if we had won on tuesday we'd be miles ahead of Pats in terms of points. Pity we're so awful.

AgileMyth

dfx- wrote: »

Give a better Rovers side 5-6 years of facing Ekranas-like sides or a better Sligo team 3-4 years of facing Vlaznia or whoever last year..

That Poltava team last year were different class. No Irish team would ever have gotten through against them.

dfx-

dreamers75 wrote: »

In fairness to rovers your so far up your own holes, you fail to realise your 11 is better than everyone elses and your subs are better than everyone elses.

Be it by choice or whatever, but thats a fcukin crackin team you have.

As a start, an inebriated Bermingham is better than Gilbert, probably Powell and indeed he'd probably be a better centre half than Gartland. Would you like to swap Russell for Brennan?

AgileMyth wrote: »

That Poltava team last year were different class. No Irish team would ever have gotten through against them.

I remember the first leg being described as Sligo being wasteful..

AgileMyth

dfx- wrote: »

I remember the first leg being described as Sligo being wasteful..

Kirby missed a sitter but Clark kept us in it for the most part. They underestimated us hugely and we put in possibly the best performance in the clubs history but could only come out with a draw. I really don't think any Irish team, ever, would have troubled them.

Oat23

The didn't take us seriously in the first leg and we gave them a scare. They upped it a few gears in the return leg and they were the best team I have seen in the Showgrounds.

As AgileMyth said, no team in our league would have had a chance.

celtictiger32

dfx- wrote: »

It's the worst Rovers side since Tallaght. It's not unexpected that they do worse than last year or the year before. Don't know either where you're coming from dreamers..

i dont think its neccesarily a bad rovers team i actually think its quite a good side i just dont thinkstephen kenny is working out for them, nothing against kenny either just sometimes certain managers dont fit in with certain teams

celtictiger32

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
and he didnt lets see how brian laws gets on:D

Pat D. Almighty

As someone said at the beginning of the thread, getting kids interested is the way forward. That, coupled with pressurizing the media to prioritize LOI news over the Premiership.
Clubs should be giving at least 100 free schoolboy tickets away per week. Going to a different school in the area each week and bring them down, give them a tour of the ground before kick off.

Pedro K

It's interesting. A lot of people cite facilities and price as a primary reason for not going to loi games. Yesterday there was a match in the aviva stadium with tickets for €10 and there was still a relatively poor turnout.

Ashbourne hoop

Pedro K wrote: »

It's interesting. A lot of people cite facilities and price as a primary reason for not going to loi games. Yesterday there was a match in the aviva stadium with tickets for €10 and there was still a relatively poor turnout.

That's exactly it, you could give the tickets away with cushioned and heated seats and most Irish people wouldn't be interested. I enjoyed the game yesterday, the Aviva is a fantastic stadium, but most people prefered to watch a poor Liverpool team on tv. I've long given up on them, **** them to be honest.

Kerrydude1981

Id love to see Kerry in the LOI,they have played in the League Cup a few times and done well,been competitive anyway,It would be better to have county team rather then a club team like Tralee Dynamos or Killarney Celtic as the cost would be spread out,the facilities we have in Kerry are fairly good,Mounthawk Park in Tralee will soon have a full size FIFA spec astro turf pitch like Dundalk have,stand is already there,press box and the dressing rooms have been upgraded in the past few years,In Killarney the Killarney Celtic club have put in a pile of work in the past few years upgrading their ground,they got a full size FIFA spec astro turf pitch built a new stand and is really a fine ground now.The money that has been spent by the clubs down here has been massive,but still not good enough

All is needed is for the FAI to get rid of the "red tape" that is stopping the likes of Kerry getting into the LOI,this is a sport mad county and im sure if Kerry were left into the LOI they would get the support of all the county behind them.

Pat D. Almighty

In an ideal world, we should follow the Australian way. A brand new 16/18 team top tier with existing clubs and some new regional clubs. Ideally, there should be at least one semi-pro team from each county. There are far too many top level clubs in Dublin.

G.U.S.T., Salthill Devon and Mervue should amalgamate. There is absolutely no need for 3 semi-pro clubs in Galway.

Finn Harps to become a united Donegal team, representing the whole county. (Donegal Harps maybe).

A team from Kerry is definitely viable.

What are peoples thoughts on a team from Belfast entering the LOI? (permission pending of course). A brand new team to attract the Nationalist community. Belfast Celtic maybe?

Gavin "shels"

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

A team from Kerry is definitely viable.

Were do you drag this from? Look at Kilkenny City and Kildare County for example.

Kerrydude1981

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

In an ideal world, we should follow the Australian way. A brand new 16/18 team top tier with existing clubs and some new regional clubs. Ideally, there should be at least one semi-pro team from each county. There are far too many top level clubs in Dublin.

G.U.S.T., Salthill Devon and Mervue should amalgamate. There is absolutely no need for 3 semi-pro clubs in Galway.

Finn Harps to become a united Donegal team, representing the whole county. (Donegal Harps maybe).

A team from Kerry is definitely viable.

What are peoples thoughts on a team from Belfast entering the LOI? (permission pending of course). A brand new team to attract the Nationalist community. Belfast Celtic maybe?

Gavin shels wrote: »

Were do you drag this from? Look at Kilkenny City and Kildare County for example.

Everything is place for a Kerry team to enter the league,Im sure it would work
Tralee Dynamos were playing in the A Championship until that league was scraped,also Kerry had a team in the U21 League a few years back as well,there is a big pick of players down here with 60 clubs making up the KDL and nearly the same in the underage section of the league,so that could be the base of a LOI Kerry side.


What Pat is saying that a Kerry team that would represent the Kerry District League would be viable and I have to agree with him but of course its all easier said then done.

Fr Tod Umptious

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

In an ideal world, we should follow the Australian way. A brand new 16/18 team top tier with existing clubs and some new regional clubs. Ideally, there should be at least one semi-pro team from each county. There are far too many top level clubs in Dublin.

G.U.S.T., Salthill Devon and Mervue should amalgamate. There is absolutely no need for 3 semi-pro clubs in Galway.

Finn Harps to become a united Donegal team, representing the whole county. (Donegal Harps maybe).

A team from Kerry is definitely viable.

What are peoples thoughts on a team from Belfast entering the LOI? (permission pending of course). A brand new team to attract the Nationalist community. Belfast Celtic maybe?

There is no way there is a market in this country to support a team in every county.

If you are going to go down that route then it should look something like this.

3 teams in Dublin - North, South and west
1. In Cork
1 more in Muster
1. in Galway
1. in North West
1 in the Midlands
1 in the North East
1 in the South East

No relegation or promotion

A feeder league with teams in places like Castlebar, Tralee, Carlow etc could develop players for the above teams

It will not happen but if you were to take a top down franchised look at it that is the way it should be structured IMO

Jayob10

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

There is no way there is a market in this country to support a team in every county.

If you are going to go down that route then it should look something like this.

3 teams in Dublin - North, South and west
1. In Cork
1 more in Muster
1. in Galway
1. in North West
1 in the Midlands
1 in the North East
1 in the South East

No relegation or promotion

A feeder league with teams in places like Castlebar, Tralee, Carlow etc could develop players for the above teams

It will not happen but if you were to take a top down franchised look at it that is the way it should be structured IMO

this would be quite revoultionary, but doing it half arsed would kill the domestic game in ireland altogether. With a major backer in each of the regions it would be a fresh start.

A pool of players and a draft from the Universities would also be brilliant but thats pie in the sky, you would want to be professional clubs for that.

applehunter

http://www.corkcityfc.net/home/2012/10/30/doing-it-for-themselves-irish-football-fans-to-gather-in-cork/

Could be productive?

Jayob10

applehunter wrote: »

http://www.corkcityfc.net/home/2012/10/30/doing-it-for-themselves-irish-football-fans-to-gather-in-cork/

Could be productive?

Thats brilliant, fair play to the organisers of that. I'll definately be going along to that for a look

Pat D. Almighty

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

There is no way there is a market in this country to support a team in every county.

If you are going to go down that route then it should look something like this.

3 teams in Dublin - North, South and west
1. In Cork
1 more in Muster
1. in Galway
1. in North West
1 in the Midlands
1 in the North East
1 in the South East

No relegation or promotion

A feeder league with teams in places like Castlebar, Tralee, Carlow etc could develop players for the above teams

It will not happen but if you were to take a top down franchised look at it that is the way it should be structured IMO

Clubs need to get their house in order as well. Giving free tickets away to schools, in my opinion, is the only way forward.

Jayob10

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

Clubs need to get their house in order as well. Giving free tickets away to schools, in my opinion, is the only way forward.

it has been done

Pat D. Almighty

Jayob10 wrote: »

it has been done

Week in week out? I've only seen 1 small group of schoolboys at Richmond Park, and they were a schoolboy football team, and that was last season.

bohsman

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

Week in week out? I've only seen 1 small group of schoolboys at Richmond Park, and they were a schoolboy football team, and that was last season.

We did it for a couple of seasons. Still agree that any marketing budget that teams have should be going on getting the kids in and ensuring they have a good time.

BOHtox

Gavin shels wrote: »

Were do you drag this from? Look at Kilkenny City and Kildare County for example.

I agree with you. I think he means that if people supported the LOI a team could be sustainable from Kerry. But that day won't come for a long, long time if it happens at all.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

There is no way there is a market in this country to support a team in every county.

If you are going to go down that route then it should look something like this.

3 teams in Dublin - North, South and west
1. In Cork
1 more in Muster
1. in Galway
1. in North West
1 in the Midlands
1 in the North East
1 in the South East

No relegation or promotion

A feeder league with teams in places like Castlebar, Tralee, Carlow etc could develop players for the above teams

It will not happen but if you were to take a top down franchised look at it that is the way it should be structured IMO

I don't think there is enough teams in Dublin to be honest, never mind too many. Dublin has a population of over 1.1 million people. It is not sporadically populated, there is a high density everywhere. I don't think people in Blanch have a team to support, nor do people in Swords. The Fingal project was interesting and I was one of the few people who thought it could work with a few more years of backing. Alas that day never came. There are large areas in Dublin even with no representation.

Also, Bagsy not telling Bohs fans that they're merging with Shels and Pat's fans that they're merging with Rovers and as if that wasn't enough that there will be a new franchised team in the west of Dublin They'll love that

born2bwild

AgileMyth wrote: »

That Poltava team last year were different class. No Irish team would ever have gotten through against them.

A few months late in reacting but I remember Sligo played Vorskla off the park in the first leg -Ndo was superb and Kirby missed an opener at the end.

Second leg was different.

AgileMyth

We did in spells. Clarke played a blinder at the other end too. We played so far above ourselves that day though. Joey was reeling back the years, he showed that day that hes a million miles above the level of league of Ireland.

Still don't think they really hit their stride in the second leg, just did enough to beat us.

Xavi6

BOHtox wrote: »

I don't think there is enough teams in Dublin to be honest, never mind too many. Dublin has a population of over 1.1 million people. It is not sporadically populated, there is a high density everywhere. I don't think people in Blanch have a team to support, nor do people in Swords. The Fingal project was interesting and I was one of the few people who thought it could work with a few more years of backing. Alas that day never came. There are large areas in Dublin even with no representation.

Also, Bagsy not telling Bohs fans that they're merging with Shels and Pat's fans that they're merging with Rovers and as if that wasn't enough that there will be a new franchised team in the west of Dublin They'll love that

Disagree completely. There are too many teams in Dublin definitely.

Even if the league was more successful you would still only get average attendances because the fans are spread out over too many clubs. If you had three clubs for example, you would get better attendances, more momentum behind teams, and sustained growth.

The Australian model has been mentioned and, ideally, it is the way to go. Take Melbourne for example. Victory get about 20,000 for a game while Heart, in their third season, average around 9,000. Now of course Melbourne has a far larger population than Dublin, but the idea is the same in the sense that they are competing with other sports, indigenous and otherwise.

The old National Soccer League had clubs with decades of history but that was pretty much wiped with the start of the A-League. There was opposition to it, there still is in fact, but the FFA (governing body) did what they felt was best and revamped the league.

And it's working, so if Melbourne with its 4 million can work with two teams then there's no way three teams is two few for 1.1 million Dublin.

Unfortunately though a revamp like that won't happen in Ireland, whether it's best for the league of not. I can understand why with all the history of the clubs but there's a greater good at stake if people want a better national league.

I guess it's a case of which is more important - a better model or a hundred years of history.

monkey9

Football fans in this country aren't football fans! It's ridiculous!!

Every excuse went out of the window yesterday. Great game. Great stadium. But most sat in on their arses watching tv soaps!

Xavi6

monkey9 wrote: »

Football fans in this country aren't football fans! It's ridiculous!!

Every excuse went out of the window yesterday. Great game. Great stadium. But most sat in on their arses watching tv soaps!

Probably a fair summation of things at Anfield these days :pac:

_blank_

Xavi6 wrote: »

Victory get about 20,000 for a game while Heart, in their third season, average around 9,000. Now of course Melbourne has a far larger population than Dublin

And it's working, so if Melbourne with its 4 million can work with two teams then there's no way three teams is two few for 1.1 million Dublin.

So, SPA, Shamrock, Bohs and Shels get approximately 6-7k through the gates, all up, on a regular basis. (basing this on 2.5k Rovers, 1.5k each Bohs Pats, 1k Shels on average).

Multiply that by 4, and you have about 28k regular attendees, so per capita, Dublin is doing about as well as Melbourne really. Maybe slightly worse, but we won't argue over ~5%.

Now, you want to disenfranchise the already football attending people, by removing their team, then try to appeal to the already apathetic rest of the population by setting up new teams?

I don't buy it.

How many Melbourne teams were in the old NSL? What were attendances like in that?

Kerrydude1981

Just out of interest do the FAI allocate tickets to other clubs in the LOI for big games like the FAI Cup final?

Xavi6

_blank_ wrote: »

So, SPA, Shamrock, Bohs and Shels get approximately 6-7k through the gates, all up, on a regular basis. (basing this on 2.5k Rovers, 1.5k each Bohs Pats, 1k Shels on average).

Multiply that by 4, and you have about 28k regular attendees, so per capita, Dublin is doing about as well as Melbourne really. Maybe slightly worse, but we won't argue over ~5%.

Now, you want to disenfranchise the already football attending people, by removing their team, then try to appeal to the already apathetic rest of the population by setting up new teams?

I don't buy it.

I know you don't, you're a firm believer in the traditional model, history etc. And so am I. I don't want Shels to disappear or be eaten up by a franchise.

BUT

If the league is to get to a level where Irish internationals want to come home rather than seeing out their days at lower level English clubs then there has to be something to entice them.

Once you get a few of them joining the LoI, it'll raise the profile of the league and attract those aforementioned apathetic people. It's happened here with Kewell and Emerton which then turned in to Del Piero and Heskey this year.

How many Melbourne teams were in the old NSL? What were attendances like in that?

From what I can see, at its height there were four or five Melbourne teams in the NSL, though only two were left in the final season - South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights. They'd have had crowds around 5k and 8k respectively.

Sydney had five teams from either the city or surrounding area in the last season who now play in the New South Wales Premier League so maybe that's a better comparison.

Either way the point is that history and tradition were done away with for a 'greater good' (although I expect that definition to be argued against).

_blank_

You haven't addressed my point about attendences though.

Xavi6

_blank_ wrote: »

You haven't addressed my point about attendences though.

Which part? About the total or how they're going up?

For me it's about perception - 28k split amongst five clubs *looks* worse than if divided two ways. I'm talking about to your average Joe barstooler who watches games on the tv and gets their impressions from that.

Dublin is doing quite well but it hasn't got a chance of growing to the level needed to attract the impressionable people out there. Now I know you're going to say feck them if that's all they're interested in but new fans have to come from somewhere.

I'd be interested to hear what model you would propose for the league, or should it just keep plodding along as it is with small increases to small attendances?

_blank_

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'd be interested to hear what model you would propose for the league, or should it just keep plodding along as it is with small increases to small attendances?

I'd love it to stay as is - small local football for local football minded people.

I, and every other Irish person, get my "glamour football" fix from Britain - that's enough for me.

I'd actually hate to see Tolka full every week, if it's going to be goons dressed up in wacky costumes, people only there "to be seen", people not actually interested in the football, just the "day out".

It's plastic, and that plasticity is pandered to by the EPL/SPL obsession prevalent on this island already.

so yeah, small increases to small numbers for me.

Is our league broken? Yes it is, but if it was run properly by the FAI, the actual issues addressed then we may see attendances increase, and that's cool.

But I would HATE to see the current set up disbanded for the sake of setting up a plastic franchised league.

overshoot

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Just out of interest do the FAI allocate tickets to other clubs in the LOI for big games like the FAI Cup final?

i know the Harps schools program brought 160 kids but i dont know if they got the tickets through the FAI or just bought them themselves. i cant really see a point to it with the current attendances, with tickets 10e from ticketmaster and the umbro stores anyone who wants to go can buy one. would be easier to just buy it online than go to the club.

Zebra3

Pat D. Almighty wrote: »

There are far too many top level clubs in Dublin.

Yeah, so let's kick a few of them out and give Waterford and Finn Harps guaranteed spots in the top flight ever.

Problem solved. :rolleyes:

Fr Tod Umptious

_blank_ wrote: »

I'd love it to stay as is - small local football for local football minded people.

I, and every other Irish person, get my "glamour football" fix from Britain - that's enough for me.

I'd actually hate to see Tolka full every week, if it's going to be goons dressed up in wacky costumes, people only there "to be seen", people not actually interested in the football, just the "day out".

It's plastic, and that plasticity is pandered to by the EPL/SPL obsession prevalent on this island already.

so yeah, small increases to small numbers for me.

Is our league broken? Yes it is, but if it was run properly by the FAI, the actual issues addressed then we may see attendances increase, and that's cool.

But I would HATE to see the current set up disbanded for the sake of setting up a plastic franchised league.

What if someone who came along for the 'day out' actually liked what they saw and became interested ?

Would you be OK with that ?

What if it took them a few 'days out' to realize that they enjoyed going ?

What would they have to do to prove to people like you that they were now interested in the football ?

Would they have to pass a test ?

You see people like you want it both ways.

You complain about no one being interested, then look on anyone new who turns up with a certain amount of suspicion

_blank_

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

What if someone who came along for the 'day out' actually liked what they saw and became interested ?

`
If someone turns up at a LoI game for the "day out" I'd question their sanity, and move seat.

On the other hand, if they arrived to have a look, see what it's all about, then yeah, welcome on in, have a pint with me in the bar, sit beside me, ask me questions about the players, do whatever you want.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

What if it took them a few 'days out' to realize that they enjoyed going ?

Took me six or seven games, so that's cool

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

What would they have to do to prove to people like you that they were now interested in the football ?

No-one has to prove anything to me, wtf are you on about even?

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Would they have to pass a test ?

Yeah, 100 questions, multiple choice with negative marking, and a six page essay on the last time Pat's won the cup.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

You see people like you want it both ways.

I want it only one way, as i stated above.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

You complain about no one being interested,

Show me the last time I complained about no one being interested

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

then look on anyone new who turns up with a certain amount of suspicion

I am suspicious of new people going to LoI games, I think they are complete weirdos.

Strongbow10

_blank_ wrote: »

I'd love it to stay as is - small local football for local football minded people.

I, and every other Irish person, get my "glamour football" fix from Britain - that's enough for me.

I'd actually hate to see Tolka full every week, if it's going to be goons dressed up in wacky costumes, people only there "to be seen", people not actually interested in the football, just the "day out".

It's plastic, and that plasticity is pandered to by the EPL/SPL obsession prevalent on this island already.

so yeah, small increases to small numbers for me.

Is our league broken? Yes it is, but if it was run properly by the FAI, the actual issues addressed then we may see attendances increase, and that's cool.

But I would HATE to see the current set up disbanded for the sake of setting up a plastic franchised league.

as a LOI goer myself i'd have absolutely no problem with these "plastics" coming along to be seen if it meant sold out stadiums and their hard earned money being spent on domestic irish football.

Staggered at that mindset you have outlined though.

In your opinion, what are the issues the FAI need to address? and explain how this will lead to a more popular and better functioning league, more so than full stadium with paying "plastic" customers would?

Its catch 22, some of the LOI brigade (of which I am one btw) want people to take an interest but they will scoff at the idea of new fans showing up with the wrong intentions, in this case to seemingly spend money they would be spending elsewhere.

Crazy post.

celtictiger32

_blank_ wrote: »

I'd love it to stay as is - small local football for local football minded people.

I, and every other Irish person, get my "glamour football" fix from Britain - that's enough for me.

I'd actually hate to see Tolka full every week, if it's going to be goons dressed up in wacky costumes, people only there "to be seen", people not actually interested in the football, just the "day out".

It's plastic, and that plasticity is pandered to by the EPL/SPL obsession prevalent on this island already.

so yeah, small increases to small numbers for me.

Is our league broken? Yes it is, but if it was run properly by the FAI, the actual issues addressed then we may see attendances increase, and that's cool.

But I would HATE to see the current set up disbanded for the sake of setting up a plastic franchised league.

why do you even bother posting on this thread?

celtictiger32

league in profit for 2012, step in the right direction??

Lovely Bloke

celtictiger32 wrote: »

league in profit for 2012, step in the right direction??

I'd love to see the figures behind that tbh.

I mean Shels have been "profitable" the last couple of seasons, but if our debtors decided to call in their money we'd be rightly fúcked.

LiamMc

Strongbow10 wrote: »

as a LOI goer myself i'd have absolutely no problem with these "plastics" coming along to be seen if it meant sold out stadiums and their hard earned money being spent on domestic irish football.

Staggered at that mindset you have outlined though.

In your opinion, what are the issues the FAI need to address? and explain how this will lead to a more popular and better functioning league, more so than full stadium with paying "plastic" customers would?

Its catch 22, some of the LOI brigade (of which I am one btw) want people to take an interest but they will scoff at the idea of new fans showing up with the wrong intentions, in this case to seemingly spend money they would be spending elsewhere.

Crazy post.

I have come across this attitude far more on Message Boards than at League of Ireland grounds. But if people's first introduction to LoI is through MB's,at least for info on fixtures. Then they would have a very poor opinion of LoI supporters and I wouldn't blame them.

SantryRed

TheNinthGate wrote: »

I'd love to see the figures behind that tbh.

I mean Shels have been "profitable" the last couple of seasons, but if our debtors decided to call in their money we'd be rightly fúcked.

There is no way we were profitable last season.