Could Kerry support an LoI First Division team?

An Ciarraioch

Between today's Kennedy Cup victory, Dynamos' run in the Munster Junior Cup and the recent development of Mounthawk Park, soccer in Kerry is on the up, with teams in most areas of the county. There will be a team in the U-17 League of Ireland, but could a Kerry County team thrive in the senior First Division, or would club rivalries work against the idea?

siblers

No doubt the talent is there for them to play in the league of Ireland, Tralee Dyanmos applied to play in the LOI in 2012 but were refused a licence. I'd imagine a lot of clubs would rather it not happen as they'd lose a lot of their key players but it would also help expand and improve soccer in Kerry. There is a senior county team that play in a Munster cup competition, they seem to hold their own in it but they only really train that week of the game so with more time playing together, they would probably would push on a lot further

dobman88

I would love to see Dynamos get a licence. I think the fan base is there too. I play myself for a team in the KDL and I go to see Killarney Celtic play when I can. They have good support and I know a lot of those fans would support a Kerry team.

Dynamos did play in the 2009 A championship but finishing fourth but nothing else came of it. Funnily enough, after I said the fan base would be there, this article says it wasn't. Scroll down to the 2009 review http://traleedynamos.com/Dynamos.htm

Boom__Boom

dobman88 wrote: »

I would love to see Dynamos get a licence. I think the fan base is there too. I play myself for a team in the KDL and I go to see Killarney Celtic play when I can. They have good support and I know a lot of those fans would support a Kerry team.

Dynamos did play in the 2009 A championship but finishing fourth but nothing else came of it. Funnily enough, after I said the fan base would be there, this article says it wasn't. Scroll down to the 2009 review http://traleedynamos.com/Dynamos.htm

Read this article during the week - good article on the state of play in the league

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/companies/struggle-continues-for-irish-soccer-clubs-both-on-and-off-the-pitch-1.2246118

A key thing that stuck out was the following

The latest accounts for Bohemians show revenue of €744,202 in 2013, and a loss of €72,738. The club had an average of 22 players during the year, five first team management and coaching staff, and four administration and ground staff. The players cost €138,773. In 2004, the club had an average of 28 players, and paid them a total of €1.18 million.

The difference in the amount paid to the players is massive - in 2004 it works out as an average of €42,142.86 while in 2013 the average was €6,307.86

Basically there's no way a Kerry team would be able to compete in 2004 but the 2013 figures, it becomes a whole lot more realistic for Kerry to have a team. However the main reason is the poor overall state of the league.

Wang King

Sean O'Keeffe broke his back trying to get a Kerry team into the LOI and was shot down at national level on more than one occasion.
I don't believe there are any current plans to apply again in the near future

The costs versus the money available, even if successful, is a huge deterrent. Taking a team around the country, paying travelling expenses, hotels, registration with the league, it's a massive commitment. Lots of talk about it 10 years back, didnt they join some sort of C league experiment a few years ago and also played at Munster level?

An Ciarraioch

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The costs versus the money available, even if successful, is a huge deterrent. Taking a team around the country, paying travelling expenses, hotels, registration with the league, it's a massive commitment. Lots of talk about it 10 years back, didnt they join some sort of C league experiment a few years ago and also played at Munster level?

Yes, both Dynamos and Killarney Celtic moved to the Munster Senior League in the late Nineties/early Naughties, but were mostly yo-yoing between promotion and relegation. The most successful experiment was the U-21 Kerry team that regularly reached the knockout stages of that League, but the FAI barred district teams from the new A Championship, which is why Dynamos went alone. When Salthill were in the First Division, their seasonal costs (even as a local, amateur team) were €100,000, so Kerry would probably have to form a supporters' trust, like Cork City, to break even in a national league.

dobman88

While we're on the subject of football in the county. The KDL Premier A final is on this Sunday at 2.30 in KDL HQ at Mounthawk.

Listowel Celtic v Tralee Dynamos. Should be a good game. I think entry is a fiver.

amdaley28

I would love to see a Kerry team in the LOI but it would need a lot of work especially on the financial side of things.
It would also need the full support of all the clubs in the county to make it work.

counterlock

dobman88 wrote: »

While we're on the subject of football in the county. The KDL Premier A final is on this Sunday at 2.30 in KDL HQ at Mounthawk.

Listowel Celtic v Tralee Dynamos. Should be a good game. I think entry is a fiver.

Is that going to be on the new pitch?

dobman88

counterlock wrote: »

Is that going to be on the new pitch?

I have no idea. I just saw the fixture on the KDL website. Would be fantastic to have the new pitch ready but I doubt it will be.

siblers

Don't think the new pitch is ready till Sunday week, games shouldn't be played on astro in the Summer, the top pitch has a lovely surface on it at the moment. If you asked any of the lads playing on Sunday to pick between the old grass pitch or the new astro one, they'd pick the astro pitch.

counterlock

siblers wrote: »

Don't think the new pitch is ready till Sunday week, games shouldn't be played on astro in the Summer, the top pitch has a lovely surface on it at the moment. If you asked any of the lads playing on Sunday to pick between the old grass pitch or the new astro one, they'd pick the astro pitch.

Calling the old one a 'grass pitch' is very flattering.

I haven't see the surface up close but its a great asset for the teams who use Mounthawk park as their home

dobman88

counterlock wrote: »

Calling the old one a 'grass pitch' is very flattering.

I haven't see the surface up close but its a great asset for the teams who use Mounthawk park as their home

Why is it flattering? I played on that surface loads of times and while it was poor it wasn't half as bad as people make out.

My team use Killarney Celtics facilities for games and the difference between grass and astro is unreal so kudos to the KDL for sticking with it but the old surface was grand to play on apart from November to January.

siblers

counterlock wrote: »

Calling the old one a 'grass pitch' is very flattering.

I haven't see the surface up close but its a great asset for the teams who use Mounthawk park as their home

Was on it last Thursday and it was in brilliant condition.

counterlock

dobman88 wrote: »

Why is it flattering? I played on that surface loads of times and while it was poor it wasn't half as bad as people make out.

The top pitch drains into it and it was shocking after the winter we had. As far as I know 18 teams this year used it as their home pitch, so you could be looking at probably one game friday night, then three games sunday on it.

dobman88

counterlock wrote: »

The top pitch drains into it and it was shocking after the winter we had. As far as I know 18 teams this year used it as their home pitch, so you could be looking at probably one game friday night, then three games sunday on it.

Yeah that was always a problem with so many teams using it as their base. Are they putting in good floodlights too? It will be some complex when it's finished. Looking forward to.playing there.

counterlock

dobman88 wrote: »

Yeah that was always a problem with so many teams using it as their base. Are they putting in good floodlights too? It will be some complex when it's finished. Looking forward to.playing there.

I'm not sure, I haven't been up there since they started work on it. I'm not crazy about playing on astro but this is the best decision the league ever made. It'll be interesting to see if they get the U19 international on it

dobman88

counterlock wrote: »

I'm not sure, I haven't been up there since they started work on it. I'm not crazy about playing on astro but this is the best decision the league ever made. It'll be interesting to see if they get the U19 international on it

Ah astro is far better. In my opinion anyway. It's safer because there's less lads flying into reckless tackles and are tackling properly. You can pass the ball 100% no matter what the weather is. The only thing is it takes some time to get used to the bounce. Astro is pretty flat that way.

siblers

It's very harsh on the legs though, you're leg gets cut to bits when you make a slide tackle, I've had a lot of difficulty with my groin and playing on astro is very punishing on it compared to grass. It's much safer than playing on a pitch where the ball can't roll but in cases like that, games should be called off. At least it will lead to less games being cancelled and will shorten the season, I'm still not finished mine!

As for floodlights, the old ones are still there which I've played under before and they are perfectly fine.

dobman88

siblers wrote: »

It's very harsh on the legs though, you're leg gets cut to bits when you make a slide tackle, I've had a lot of difficulty with my groin and playing on astro is very punishing on it compared to grass. It's much safer than playing on a pitch where the ball can't roll but in cases like that, games should be called off. At least it will lead to less games being cancelled and will shorten the season, I'm still not finished mine!

As for floodlights, the old ones are still there which I've played under before and they are perfectly fine.

That's what I meant about tackling properly. No reckless tackles like the ones some lads put in on grass. You know you're going to get cuts up your legs so you only go in if you're 100% sure. That can only be a good thing for Sunday league.

For your groins. Buy some tension ropes. Tie them together and stand inside them wrapping them round your ankles. Keep one foot on the ground and extend the other foot sideways. That will strengthen them over time.

I have the same problem and that method is working for me.

counterlock

dobman88 wrote: »

That's what I meant about tackling properly. No reckless tackles like the ones some lads put in on grass. You know you're going to get cuts up your legs so you only go in if you're 100% sure. That can only be a good thing for Sunday league.

For your groins. Buy some tension ropes. Tie them together and stand inside them wrapping them round your ankles. Keep one foot on the ground and extend the other foot sideways. That will strengthen them over time.

I have the same problem and that method is working for me.

I found the mitchels astro very tough on the knees whereas the complex and the IT are fine. That could be age catching up with me too though

It would be nice to get a bit of a better structure to the season alright though, we are halfway through June and you are really only looking at 8-10 weeks before the season starts again. Hopefully they will do Saturday night games in mounthawk

dobman88

counterlock wrote: »

I found the mitchels astro very tough on the knees whereas the complex and the IT are fine. That could be age catching up with me too though

It would be nice to get a bit of a better structure to the season alright though, we are halfway through June and you are really only looking at 8-10 weeks before the season starts again. Hopefully they will do Saturday night games in mounthawk

Yeah they can have games on Sunday from 11am until whatever time at night. I know a lot of lads would rather play Friday nights and Saturday nights so hopefully they make that happen. Should mean the season finishes on time too so we don't clash as much with the GAA and players get a nice rest.

siblers

Ah this season is dragging on for ages, league games still being played never mind the finals. It's the replays that really drag it on for the cups, some 2nd and 3rd round game still being played and if they got to a replay, it drags the season on for another week. Still have a 1/4 final of a cup and a league final to play myself.

An Ciarraioch

Dynamos surprisingly thrashed Listowel 6-0 in today's Premier A final - winning the title in their first top-flight season since climbing back up the divisions. Still, Castleisland, the Park, Killarney Celtic and (hopefully) Fenit will make next season far more competitive.