Greatest League in the World 2024 [LOI Thread]

Randomfriend

After they are likely knocked out of the CL rnd 2, every subsequent tie will be against another champion that has also lost at least one Round. The odds are decent.

Would Rovers coefficient be decent enough that they might even get seeded in Conference playoff round if it came to that? I imagine that ends up being filled with weaker nations that won in CL round 1, and Rovers would be ranked favorable to most.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122393139#Comment_122393139

Look at their annual budget/turnover compared to anyone on this island, they are 100% a step up and Rovers will be huge underdogs for that reason alone. No one from the LOI would match them and that's a fact. I'd hope we'll give them a rattle at home & not give them too much respect though, something I feel Bradley has been guilty of previously, bt i'd be expecting a tie similar to the Ferencvaros ones of the last 2 years being honest.

No expectations at this stage, the key was to win the first round to give ourselves the opportunities in the Europa league & conference. The way the competition is set up now its extremely difficult for anyone playing in R1 to actually make the CL groups, its set up for them to drop into the other competitions, hence the CL route being the real prize for winning the league, not the pathetic amount of prizemoney associated with it.

There's something about winning a tie in europe that gives a real buzz, Tuesday was one of the most emotionally nerve wracking nights I've had in over 40 years of watching Rovers and the win gives us a chance of group stage again, fingers crossed the draws are kind now.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122393103#Comment_122393103

It's boomtime wages again for top LOI players so some players are happy to come back home to settle at a career ceiling instead of digging it in over in the UK for a few extra years while on similar or not much more money

No brainer decisions for the likes of Amond, Keohane and now Cunningham hitting mid-thirties with possibly a couple of decent years left in them but at the other end it's not a positive representation of the quality of the LOI when increasing numbers of hyped young players the likes of Burns, Kenny, Devoy, Tierney, McGinty returning to the LOI so soon because they straight away were not cutting it at low levels in the UK

topmanamillion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122394417#Comment_122394417

Players coming back quickly is bad news for the league. The big pay days are from players doing well and LOI clubs cashing in on sell on clauses as happened this week with Armstrong's move where Shams pocketed 700k.

The European results are not outstanding either. Fair enough Shams went through but a fortunate 2-1 win at home to an Icelandic side, Shels 2-1 win at home to a Gibraltar side and Derrys 2-0 loss away to a Gibraltar side are not results which show a league brimming with quality.

Red Silurian

Might sound like a mad idea but could anybody ever see Irish clubs merging and forming provincial teams akin to how the rugby works? Combined resources and all that

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395164#Comment_122395164

yep, its a mad idea

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395164#Comment_122395164

Not in a million years. This isn't rugby where the professional structures are new enough and bar France professional leagues in one country seem unviable. Also the bitterness and rivalries between the clubs are far too strong.

Annd9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395164#Comment_122395164

A 3 and a half team league wouldn't be the greatest id imagine

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395206#Comment_122395206

Yeah of course we would need to jump in with other countries similar to how we did after rugby professionalism. Wales already have a shoe in with the English system and Scotland are already professional (I think?) so we'd be unlikely to tempt them

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395183#Comment_122395183

Hey, that's my line Mr copycat!

Guffy

Many shels fans travel to Gibraltar?

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395327#Comment_122395327

Think there’s around 7-900 over here depending on estimates

chopperbyrne

Hopefully Shels deal with the heat better than Derry did.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395402#Comment_122395402

It’s not crazy warm at the moment. A bit overcast (still humid enough), but due to be around 26 degrees by the time we kick off.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395164#Comment_122395164

No.

Also combining zero resources is still zero resources.

chopperbyrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395164#Comment_122395164

It's one that gets brought up every so often here, and is shot down very quickly. You can't just merge clubs that are ~100 years old with rivalries going back as long.

We often get gah heads in saying all clubs should be scrapped and it should be county teams instead.

Again, a complete non runner.

What's needed is for every team to get full houses every week, so they can improve facilities, to get more bums on seats, which increases revenues, which can be put towards better coaching, and academies. This will increase the quality of the league. Players will get paid more, so the league will be attractive for good players from other countries outside of the big leagues.

Only then will the league ever be able to get a proper TV deal that is actually lucrative for clubs.

But it all has to start with the FAI and clubs promoting the league, and themselves better.

Ohmeha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122394607#Comment_122394607

If players returning from the UK are making a positive impact for the LOI teams then there it's not all bad for the league despite the clear overall quality issues with the league. Amond showing at Waterford he still has goals in him, Burns has done well with Rovers so far, Kenny is having a better 2nd season and McGinty has had some blinders for Sligo

It's the players returning from the UK not making an impact on a big salaries that could be turn into a problem for the LOI, best seen with Bohs current state and signings like O'Sullivan, Connolly and Grant

Hodors Appletart

Audio only stream on the Shels youtube channel for anyone interested

Hodors Appletart

Sounds like some early pressure by Joesphs, Paddy Barrett has already had to clear off the line, and one other shot from them

Guffy

Jesus that's a terrible stream 😂😂

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122395536#Comment_122395536

It's one that gets brought up every so often here, and is shot down very quickly. You can't just merge clubs that are ~100 years old with rivalries going back as long.

What if instead of merging clubs the teams created provincial outfits that the LOI clubs (and NI league clubs potentially) would take an equal stake in? The LOI would still exist but as a Tier 2 league feeding the provincial sides with players

Hodors Appletart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396846#Comment_122396846

what else can they do when Josephs are acting the b/ollix

Hodors Appletart

Shels one down

Ohmeha

Yesss Sam Bone 1-1

Hodors Appletart

YESSS!

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396856#Comment_122396856

Can we not just acknowledge that rugby in Ireland was helped on its way to being as successful as it is because of the massively disproportionate sponsorships and media coverage it received compared to its size and popularity, especially throughout the 00s and early 10s, which helped it grow? The LOI isn't going to become more popular just because it changes its format.

Give the LOI the same type of sponsorship money and media coverage rugby was getting 20 years ago when Ulster vs Munster was attracting crowds of 3k and it'll do a lot more for the league than any of these other silly suggestions like making county teams or provincial teams.

Hodors Appletart

HT 1-1, Josephs have hit the woodwork twice as far as I can make out, and had one off the line too

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396856#Comment_122396856

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396856#Comment_122396856

And where would these provincial teams be playing? As in what league? Assume you don’t watch LOI football?

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396856#Comment_122396856

Why would clubs that can't afford to run themselves pay for another club?

Big Ears

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122396964#Comment_122396964

Mad to think it now, but in the early 00's Cork City got more for league games than Munster did !

Hodors Appletart

Gannon sent off for Shels

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397196#Comment_122397196

How many times have Joseph's hit the post/bar at this point?! Madness. Almost home now.

Hodors Appletart

4 time I think, and a fairly ugly incident it seems like

Boyd took an elbow to the nose

Hodors Appletart

GET IN!!!!!

ENJOYING OURSELVES

Did you smash it

sounds like Joseph’s were far from saints

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397249#Comment_122397249

Absolutely the most sh*thouse team I’ve ever seen, and ref allowed a lot of it; but we got the job done.

Randomfriend

Huge result, given it was their first year in Europe in so long. I'm sure Zurich will be a step too far but at least they get to give it a go. I expect Derry will win, but will they get the margin they need is another question entirely. I still lean towards thinking they'll do it!

Oat23

I wouldn't be surprised if Derry hammer Magpies by 3 or 4, or draw nil all. They're that type of side.

If they lose it will be one of the worst results the league has ever had in Europe.

VillaMad

Derry halve the deficit. A nice header from a corner from Connolly.

Had what looked like a good goal disallowed 10 minutes earlier too, but after an average start to this game, they have finally upped the tempo and deservedly lead on the night.

Randomfriend

Red card could kill them, a stupid one too, I think he was fouled, but he flopped flamboyantly enough to give the ref a decision, ref probably could have just played on instead, no need to send someone off in the 1st half for so little.

Ohmeha

Gibraltar es Shels!

Delighted for so many reasons but mostly for some of the Shels fans to get their trip to Zurich who didn't get tickets in lottery for the Gibraltar match who were the ones who travelled to almost every away match in the Discover Ireland First Division years

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397552#Comment_122397552

Largely everyone who didn’t get a ticket in the lottery, but showed up, managed to find a way in which was great.

The Golden Miller

Shelbourne, the European giants, into the next round. From what I hear, Jarvis looks very comfortable on the European stage. No surprise, for a man of his quality!

chopperbyrne

This is going to be a very long 30 minutes for Derry.

Hopefully they pull through.

Ferris_Bueller

Anywhere to watch the last few mins of the Derry game?

dfx-

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397356#Comment_122397356

I wouldn't have it in the top ten. Pats losing 10-0 to Zimbru, Rovers 7-0 against Gornik, Sligo losing to the Albanians trying to lose, Bohs at TNS, probably Longford in there too.

Everyone contributes...

BonnieSituation

That's still an absolutely shocking result over 2 legs.

DellyBelly

It's up there as one of the worst results in Europe for an Irish side....

deisedude

Higgins deserves the sack after that

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122398082#Comment_122398082

I'd love to hear the other 5 in your top 10 if this isn't included. Magpies were one of the weakest opponents I've seen go up against a LOI side when they played Dundalk, and considering Derry's resources this is undoubtedly one of the worst LOI results in Europe.

Magpies are so far off the pace domestically they are essentially a mid table Gibraltarian side when you consider their points totals. They play in Europe because they manage to be slightly less sh*te than the other sides.