ourkid
01-08-08, 02:43 PM
We know many years back we wouldn't have thought twice about joining with, then, an inferior (in football terms) league down south. Then they had less crowds, much less money and more financial issues than some IL clubs have nowadays. Even though these days, the only thing thats changed is a better quality of football due to some clubs participating in full-time set ups, however the financial risks are there to see with clubs selling their grounds to fund the team whilst others end up in the lower divisions after a financial collapse.
The Irish League however, whilst some clubs maintain a degree of financial stability, the football quality is hardly improving, old habits from the 90's are starting to creep in (sugar daddy clubs snapping up players for extortionate wages, consigned to eventually end up going bust).
The clubs need a financially viable, forward driven league set up, that takes us to full time football, with full time management and coaching, to stadiums capable of withstanding this. Eventual goals of giving the punter a better class of football to watch, more local players playing for their country, players moving on for better transfer fee's that can help sustain a club, stadiums improved and bringing the crowds back to provide a proper buzz on matchdays.
I believe the recent proposals by Jim Roddy goes a long way towards this, however needs to be balanced properly for each league, so there is no unfair bias towards one particular divide. The idea would bring major cash in for the winners of the league, something that is paramount to drive clubs to success. Hopefully it would be tied in with better TV coverage and thus more cash coming in per game.
Again the idea is being washed aside, due to the political ramifications for the IFA and FAI given their current UEFA seats and the future of the current National sides.
Some scenarios could be mooted:
a). AI Premier League fed by winners of FAI League and IFA League with promotion and relegation. However this presents problems, given if two NI or ROI teams are at the bottom, it will imbalance the feeder division when it receives two relegated teams and only gives away one promoted side. Also, it would be unfair to say, last placed ROI team and last placed NI team go down, if NI have 5 teams in the top 5 (unlikely) a 5th placed team getting relegated would not be fair! A knockout based solution would probably resolve it.
This would need to have heavy support from UEFA, with both leagues maintaining their national side and UEFA representation, and CL spots are wrestled from the associations so the top two in the Premier League go through, the 4 remaining UEFA spots go to the winners of the Irish, FAI Cup and winners of each National league or something like that...
Politcally tough to pull off...
What is paramount is if its 10 teams, its 5 from north, 5 from south.
b). Similar to above, but fuck the assocations, who cares, national teams are maintained, but leagues all merge similar to the old English set up of Div 2 north, Div 2 south etc.
c). who cares about national team ramifications or assocations, merge the lot, all-ireland the lot..
d). Open to the idea of an All-Ireland league as long as it suits every political persuasion and is agreed by both leagues, all teams and UEFA.
e). Dont want no AIL, new Irish League deserves a chance.
Vote as appropriate, keep your responses dignified as its a public poll ;)
The Irish League however, whilst some clubs maintain a degree of financial stability, the football quality is hardly improving, old habits from the 90's are starting to creep in (sugar daddy clubs snapping up players for extortionate wages, consigned to eventually end up going bust).
The clubs need a financially viable, forward driven league set up, that takes us to full time football, with full time management and coaching, to stadiums capable of withstanding this. Eventual goals of giving the punter a better class of football to watch, more local players playing for their country, players moving on for better transfer fee's that can help sustain a club, stadiums improved and bringing the crowds back to provide a proper buzz on matchdays.
I believe the recent proposals by Jim Roddy goes a long way towards this, however needs to be balanced properly for each league, so there is no unfair bias towards one particular divide. The idea would bring major cash in for the winners of the league, something that is paramount to drive clubs to success. Hopefully it would be tied in with better TV coverage and thus more cash coming in per game.
Again the idea is being washed aside, due to the political ramifications for the IFA and FAI given their current UEFA seats and the future of the current National sides.
Some scenarios could be mooted:
a). AI Premier League fed by winners of FAI League and IFA League with promotion and relegation. However this presents problems, given if two NI or ROI teams are at the bottom, it will imbalance the feeder division when it receives two relegated teams and only gives away one promoted side. Also, it would be unfair to say, last placed ROI team and last placed NI team go down, if NI have 5 teams in the top 5 (unlikely) a 5th placed team getting relegated would not be fair! A knockout based solution would probably resolve it.
This would need to have heavy support from UEFA, with both leagues maintaining their national side and UEFA representation, and CL spots are wrestled from the associations so the top two in the Premier League go through, the 4 remaining UEFA spots go to the winners of the Irish, FAI Cup and winners of each National league or something like that...
Politcally tough to pull off...
What is paramount is if its 10 teams, its 5 from north, 5 from south.
b). Similar to above, but fuck the assocations, who cares, national teams are maintained, but leagues all merge similar to the old English set up of Div 2 north, Div 2 south etc.
c). who cares about national team ramifications or assocations, merge the lot, all-ireland the lot..
d). Open to the idea of an All-Ireland league as long as it suits every political persuasion and is agreed by both leagues, all teams and UEFA.
e). Dont want no AIL, new Irish League deserves a chance.
Vote as appropriate, keep your responses dignified as its a public poll ;)