Newry City to join the League of Ireland.

[thewobbler]

Folks there is no reason why the LOI couldn't be on a par with the European leagues of Denmark, Sweden, Belgium etc  with the right emphasis on ground and academy development. A 10/12 team top tier league country wide is achievable but the FAI structures and incumbent blazers are the greatest impediment.
I've lost count of the amount of times I've had conversations on the subject. Its a bit like the  bank bail out - everyone knows its a scam but no one is willing to take on the powers that be

Well actually there's two good reasons; Gaelic Games and rugby.

[Declan]

Well actually there's two good reasons; Gaelic Games and rugby.

No reason why they are barriers to a well run 10/12 team league. Look at the success of Connacht and Leinster in attracting decent crowds to mickey mouse rabo direct games  - now I know their structures are different but there is a template for a succesful league just too many vested interests. There was about 750 people at the Leinster club QF in Mullingar at the weekend yet there was about 1000 people standing on hills in Ratoath looking at the Leinster Junior match against Castleknock.

There is an audience out there for a decent product notwithstanding the inherent lack of connection with the teams in a professional setup

[johnneycool]

The junior soccer scene is thriving North and South, so why cant this carry on into senior level.Clubs need to do an awful lot more to connect with their communities,though I don't buy the argument that people don't go because very few if any from their local communities appear in the teams.If that's the case why do they go to England and Scotland every weekend?

In the North, junior soccer and senior leagues are played on a saturday afternoon mostly at the same time.

Those with an interest in local soccer would go see the junior team first, but if one or the other moved to the sunday then possibly you'd get better attendances at the senior leagues and that isn't going to happen any time soon.

Newry did play a lot of home games on a friday night though!!