Greatest League in the World 2024 [new thread available]

artanevilla

He was over at xxxxx believe.

Edit: apparently spoiler tags don't work on this disaster.

artanevilla

We are still well in this, playing well enough and creating chances but at the same time these could score another two.

chopperbyrne

Gaffney with another lovely goal.

Rovers well in command now.

joeysoap

-TIME QUIZ

 Dundalk FC

1. Name the Jamaican international defender who signed for the club on loan in 2011.

2. Which Scottish forward spent a season at Oriel Park but has now scored more goals against Dundalk (and, this summer, Sligo) than he did when he was in the league?

3. From which club did Dundalk sign Greg Sloggett?

4. Where in Europe did Ciarán Kilduff score his last European goal for the club?

 5. Keith Long signed for Dundalk from which English club?

 Dutch Football

6. Name the Dutch goalkeeper who spent time in England at both Stoke City and Chelsea at the tail end of his career and was the starting goalkeeper for The Netherlands in USA 94.

7. Dennis Bergkamp became a legend at Arsenal. From which Italian club did they sign him?

8. Which well travelled ex Barcelona and Manchester United manager is the new manager of The Netherlands?

 70 | DFC MAGAZINE

9. Which squad number is Johann Cruyff most associated with?

 10. Which Dutch club is Philips most associated as the main shirt sponsor?

Mixed European Bag

11. Who scored a brace for Bohemians at the Aviva Stadium last week?

12. Which side knocked Sligo Rovers out of Europe this season?

13. Where was Euro 2004 held?

14. Which German club won the Champions

 

League in 1997?

15. Fulham were managed to the Europa League

 Final in 2010. Who was their manager?

 

Ferris_Bueller

Just half time in Albania now. Rovers 1-0 up and 2-0 on aggregate. It's been a fairly even game though and arguably Teuta have had the two best chances. I think there will be at least another goal in this in the second half, not sure which direction. Gaffney leading the line well and it was a lovely finish for his goal.

Looks like Bohs are gone, anyone watching that able to summarize how the second half went?

Did you smash it

Bohs should have taken it to ET. Open goal after great work on the wing. Finisher got his timing wrong. Bohs didn’t have much of a say in front of goal up until then. Georgie kelly did miss a presentable chance from his head off a cross.

joeysoap

Shard luck Bohs.

joeysoap

Hard

Dr. Bre

big ask for Dundalk coming up

joeysoap

that would have some start!

Gareth Keenan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117739860#Comment_117739860

no word on whether it was Albanian hackers just yet.

Gareth Keenan

2-0 Rovers. ANother for Gaffney

chopperbyrne

Gaffney again.

Easily our player of the season so far.

joeysoap

The Vitesse goal was pure luck or more accurately pure bad luck.but Dundalk could have been 1 up by then

chopperbyrne

Dundalk 2-0 down now.

Looking like it's up to Rovers to fly the Irish flag in Europe in the next round.

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744592#Comment_117744592

Graham Carey says hello.

PTH2009

Massive chance for Rovers to get to the group stages

BlazingSaddler

Bohs have been just fantastic, an absolute credit to the League of Ireland, tough on them tonight but they’ll have learnt a huge amount from this run

dfx-

It's important for Rovers to go and win the game out there after the antics in the first leg and to get used to going and winning away in Europe as favourites...

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744664#Comment_117744664

Huge opportunity. At the start of the year if you offered any Irish team a playoff tie vs Flora Tallinn for group stage football they'd have bitten the hand off you.

Rovers haven't been at their best this season but have generally managed to scrape the results without hammering teams. You'd hope they've enough to beat Flora. At least the heat won't be an issue there!

Pawwed Rig

An obvious question to most here but why aren't Rovers in the Europa League rather than conference league?

Francie Barrett

Dundalk played well it has to be said, Duffy probably their best player on the night, he caused Vitesse all sorts of problems. Ultimately though and as Bohs found earlier, these teams have some real quality players, it only took momentary lapses of concentration and the opposition were in.

dfx-

Dundalk lose by the odd goal in seven against a Dutch side and put them under pressure at the end and Bohs lose by the odd goal in five to PAOK in the heat with chances.

We're well able to compete....

joeysoap

on another night Dundalk would have scored many more. Opposite of last week, Vitesse had 3 chances, took 2. Dundalk had numerous ,took 1. Even in the last 5 minutes had numerous chances but that’s way it goes. Vinny Perth deserves credit

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744834#Comment_117744834

If you lose in the first CL qualifying round you go down to the Conference League (this is what happened Rovers). If they had of made it through one CL round and lost in the 2nd, then they would have gone down to the Europa League 3rd qualifying round.

Made a little more confusing by the fact Rovers were drawn to get a bye so didn't actually have to play a Conference League 2nd round game.

Gareth Keenan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744834#Comment_117744834

Losing in the first round of the CL sends you to the conference. If they'd got past Slovan Bratislava and lost in the second round, they'd be sent to the Europa League. Until they got knocked out of that...

joeysoap

That first offside must have been marginal. Took it well too.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744937#Comment_117744937

Cheers. I must have missed the Slovan game when it happened. Reading the process on wikipedia and seems complicated enough. Good idea tbf for smaller federations. Seems more unlikely that a LOI club will see Europa league group stages though

Ferris_Bueller

Yeah it is less likely we will see our clubs in the Europa League but our league champions could have a serious chance of getting to the group stages every year if they can build a bit of momentum.

If Rovers win the league again this year I'd say there's a decent chance they'd be seeded for the CL 1st qualifying round next year. Win that, and they would be guaranteed of getting to the Conference League playoff round at worst.

Francie Barrett

Prize money is distributed as follows (I think).

Sligo Rovers first round knockout means they get a €100k round appearance fee + €150k 1st round knock out bonus. Total €250k.

Dundalk/Bohs third round knockout gets them 3x the €100k round appearance fee + €550k 3rd round knock out bonus. Total €850k each.

The least Shamrock Rovers can get now is 4x the €100k round appearance fee + €750k play-off knockout bonus + €260k bonus for domestic champions that fail to make the group stage of any European competition. Total €1.41m guaranteed.

If they qualify for the group stages, they get the €2.94m qualification fee + 5x the €100k round appearance fee. Total €3.44m.

Raoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117744957#Comment_117744957

Is there any highlights? I was right in line with it and thought it was on.

The_Kew_Tour

Well done to the 3 LOI clubs tonight. No shame in those performances.

Imagine what the league could be like with bit of support and backing.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117745207#Comment_117745207

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

ben.schlomo

Great stuff from all the sides tonight. Well done to all concerned. Did the league proud.

Alan30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117745362#Comment_117745362

https://mobile.twitter.com/jamesrogersie/status/1425951380632649729?s=08

Alan30

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vOQBjbVJeGc&feature=youtu.be

joeysoap

3rd class officials. Clearly onside.

joeysoap

Benelux compromises of 3 countries; Belgium Luxembourg and the Nederlands ,

and yet yet the officials were from Luxembourg ? And the Dutch play a Belgian side in the next round. It stinks 🤧

Raoul

I don't know if I would read much into where the refs were from.

I was 100% sure it was on.

That second half performance from Dundalk was one of the best performances I have seen from us in nearly any of the European games. So unfortunate not to go through.

Being there was fantastic!!

If Dundalk could perform like that with any sort of consistency they would walk the league.

GLaDOS

Fully expecting PAOK to smash us over the two legs, so feels strange to be so disappointment after yesterday. 2 sloppy goals to give away and a few chances we should have done much better with.

Focus shifts now to the cup and ensuring we get europe again for next season. Bohs are a strange side this year, equally capable of serving up excellence or rubbish.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746632#Comment_117746632

I suspect the timing of the next 2 games (both v Rovers) will suit Bohs perfectly, with both those fixtures the weekend after a Thursday european game for Rovers Bohs have a great chance to get something. Suspect Rovers will look at the cup game as being the one they prioritise least in that run of 4 games so the cup could open up nicely for Bohs if they advance.

hardybuck

Thoughts on Liam Scales being the subject of interest from not only Celtic but Premier League sides also?

I didn't think he was at that level, but I've only had an opportunity to watch him play a handful of times.

Wouldn't be surprised if a deal to Celtic has been agreed in principle but is pending the outcome of the playoff against Flora. They might be amenable to him being loaned back until January so he can play in Europe if they qualify.

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746867#Comment_117746867

I think he is the type of player who could slot into almost any team and do well, for example I think Kenny could throw him into the upcoming qualifiers and he would do a job (now that Stevens is injured). He is technically excellent for a defender, comfortable on the ball, can play a pass and has a bit of skill in him to get him out of tight situations and produce a bit of magic further up the pitch. Defensively he is rock solid, brave, can read the game.

The problem I think he will encounter is if he was to sign for Celtic or a PL side, will they throw him in? I'm sure if he was being signed for 5m from a team in Croatia or Belgium teams wouldn't hesitate to throw him in, but because he will be seen as a 'cheap' option and coming from the LoI I think the bigger clubs will be hesitant to give him a run of games.

Gareth Keenan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746765#Comment_117746765

I'd guess that next weekend's league game will be punted into September. I'm not sure that a date for the FAI Cup game has been announced yet, but it now looks like it will have to be the Sunday. Rovers are away to Flora first leg next week and home the week of the cup tie.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747058#Comment_117747058

Bradley has said previously he'd prefer to not postpone domestic fixtures between European games but those 4 games could be season defining so that 'may' change. For now my understanding is that no postponements will be sought though. With bohs being out of Europe there's no incentive for them to want them postponed either so suspect they'll proceed as planned on the 2 Sundays after the European games.

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746867#Comment_117746867

Celtic have been hoovering up Irish players lately with the likes of Connell, Afolobi and O'Connor in the U23s. Most likely because they're cheap and low risk. They don't seem to be giving any of them game time.

If Scales gets a squad number at Celtic he'd have to jump at that. If its a case of going into the reserves and proving himself, he's better than that.

The Celtic fans don't seem over the moon with it either. They just see Scales as another cheap option from a board that won't spend any money.

As for the Premier league interest I'd take that with a pinch of salt. Sounds like paper talk or it's very luke warm interest if its there.

Gareth Keenan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747139#Comment_117747139

Rovers/Bohs league game has just been confirmed as postponed (and I'm now guessing October - there's a league game at Sligo from back in July that has to be rearranged as well).

The cup game will go ahead in Dalymount on Sunday 29th at 4pm.

https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/extraie-fai-cup-second-round-fixture-schedule-confirmed/id-3862

The away game vs Flora is a 5pm kick off (Irish time), the home leg on the 26th is 8pm in tallaght.

joeysoap

dont tell Alan Cawley (he thinks it’s one leg ) 😀

Rovers don’t appear to be getting 100k for the bye

ole mitskogen gone from Dundalk

now if could just get shut of Zahibo easily....( and maybe Abibi, though he had the odd good game)

prodsc

Horrible looking finish at the end of Pats game...hope all is good...stream finished for me!

.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117749925#Comment_117749925

Same for me. Didn't look good.