'What would a successful League of Ireland look like?' - Johnny, Kieran & Nathan on OTB Football

What would an ideal League of Ireland look like? Nathan Murphy put the question to Johnny Ward and Kieran Cunningham on Saturday afternoon's show.
@BoyleSports

[@dm18876]

Get a Belfast club into the LOI. There's whispers over a Belfast Celtic comeback. If so, get them into the LOI.

[@dazza4345]

Thats a nice idea.League got a boost when Derry city came in the mid eighties.

[@IrishFootyVlogs]

It would work as a 20 team prem division. The issue is 15 would probably be from the Republic. So political reasons would stop that. The Republic as a whole is miles ahead

[@jasondownes5366]

Living in America I’d much rather throw $20 into the hat for Boh’s than the GAA, no doubt I’d be a minority. That’s not a knock to the GAA just my own preference

[@IrishFootyVlogs]

great show lads

[@Fintanflaherty]

European qualification and clubs from outside of UK and Ireland signing league of ireland players on a regular enough basis. Say 3 or 4 a season

[@ProBren]

Not often I agree with Ward but my god the two other lads are seriously clueless about the league and its problems.

[@terosgaming4751]

My idea was that some Irish teams play with Scottish teams and English teams from the 3rd division all play in a league

[@deckyBWFC91]

First thing that would fix the appeal of the league, only players who play in league of Ireland can be selected for national team. Therefore the talent will stay here, and come back from UK... Second, get working contract with Irish rail and have affiliated clubs, eg my local team could be affiliated to Bohs, the next town over affiliated to Bray etc. I don't just mean players be snapped up, I'm talking the likes of local clubs being able to provide travel to league of Ireland games. Ireland has poor infrastructure and travel routes. Its the same for greyhound racing. If you live outside of Dublin and want to attend a match/race, u can get a train up, but there's no train home down the country, so u either have to drive up or pay out for hotel. Whereas in UK u can get a train/bus anytime so u can have a drink and enjoy the night

[@deckyBWFC91]

@@abhouston1 would show who cares about playing for country. If he hasn't put enough money away now that 800 a week would see him unable to cope.... Besides I'm sure there are plenty that would move back, strengthen the league. A midnight train would save the league

[@fraz6354]

You are mad if you think players would sacrifice becoming multi millionaires in England, to stop in Ireland and earn a small fraction of that amount, just to play a few games for Ireland every year. Also if all the players were playing in the LOI it would be a massive shock to them stepping up in class against the better teams who's players would be used to playing a much higher standard week in week out. You aren't being realistic.

[@shamr0ck]

Award for most moronic idea ever. Congratulations.

[@deckyBWFC91]

@@shamr0ck let's hear yours then

[@deckyBWFC91]

@@fraz6354 so the Irish players are better off sitting on bench in league 1&2 in UK than coming home, playing week in week put and perhaps earning a medal or trophy, getting to a final and playing for country vs the best of other countries???? If they loved the game more than money then they would move home...perhaps it is unrealistic, what with the crazy money about in UK, but that's what is ruining the game, particularly over here, and that's what needs to change

[@davidscanlon1696]

One guy spoke sense two bigots tried to silence him wankers

[@invernessfan3017]

Here is my idea for Irish soccer. I think there should be a Celtic Soccer Cup for club teams. The trophy would be between all Scottish Premier sides, plus selected sides from Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Cornwall. A cross border group stage trophy for all Scottish Premier sides would be fun. The trophy would help give the chance for Scottish football clubs to win more cross border trophies. It would also help soccer clubs in the other Celtic nations grow. It would provoke great cross border banter, and a great market for football spectators, TV and advertising revenue. It would help soccer grow in Wales, Ireland and Cornwall, by giving the sides big sides to play against. Imagine games like Glasgow Celtic v Shamrock Rovers, Aberdeen v Derry City, Hibernian of Edinburgh v Wrexham, Ross County v Connah’s Quay Nomads, Truro City v Holywell Town, Glasgow Rangers v Linfield, Dundee United v Cork City, The New Saints v Motherwell, and Bohemians v St Johnstone. I am not pretending it would rival the Champions League. But it would help soccer grow in the Celtic nations. Maybe even Brittany could enter sides. Cross border trophies happen in rugby union so why not cross border cups in football? In rugby they have had leagues with Scottish, Welsh, South African, Irish, and Italian sides. So travelling in the British Isles is not too much to ask. The Celtic trophy would be on top of domestic and European UEFA football matches.

[@shamr0ck]

Link in with Welsh and or Scottish football. Join their lower leagues. Build up financial muscle over time. The LOI in its current form is of no use to anybody.

[@deckyBWFC91]

So cobh ramblers will travel to north Scotland yeah?

[@shamr0ck]

@@deckyBWFC91 Connacht travel to South Africa. I imagine cobh wouldn't be good enough to be promoted out of the lower division, which would be Irish. Over time you would hope an Irish team like Dundalk or shamrock rovers would be promoted up the leagues and play at the equivalent of the SPL. Then over time a second Dublin team or Derry or Cork. Anything to get out of the purgatory that is Irish league football. Can you imagine the crowds if an Irish team ever got in to a league with Rangers or Hearts or anything like that? Obviously not a short journey but if we get there it would be a boost for Irish football unlike any other ever.

[@deckyBWFC91]

Good man yeah, that's a province., cobh aren't even the biggest club in cork. Can guarantee no more than 10 people would travel from scot or wales to see a Sligo, or longford, athlone, Finn harps etc. Dublin clubs probably would benefit, cork perhaps but not the rest Then you've the cost of getting the players to the far corners of wales and Scotland flights, buses, hotels....

[@shamr0ck]

@@deckyBWFC91 you barely get 10 currently. Something has to change.

[@deckyBWFC91]

@@shamr0ck that's why I also suggested working along side Irish rail. I live in tipp would go to see bohs shamrock and Dundalk even Limerick but no train home, don't fancy driving and hotel expense on top?? No thanks. Same reason attendance at greyhound racing dropped. Ordinary people out country can't get to events too easily, or at least back home. A mid night train would do the whole country good