Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

though you lose the money from the extra group games, which no doubt has a bearing on the thinking.

I wonder though would straight knockout attract bigger crowds per game and there mightn't be much in it revenue wise.
Nevertheless, deciding the right format should be based on what is best for football in the county, not revenue streams.

Whether it's revenue streams or not, what's best for the county in terms of players getting exposure to more championship level games is straight knockout?

I doubt the league will ever produce a level of competitiveness to 'bring' players to a level

Yip, just my opinion, but group games are 'championship' in name only.  If you're looking to raise the bar, only knockout games really up the ante.

In Kerry clubs get championship with their clubs at their level and then with the divisional teams at senior .. they seem to do ok

[Hectic]

Scrap the bast**d groups would make it easier.

-Straight knockout
-start the championship later (Like Tyrone)
-start the leagues later / county players miss less league games
-relegate both teams from the league
-1 team promoted from Div 2 league and 1 team from Intermediate championship

Also make 4 leagues, division 1, division 2, division 3A and division 3B

D1 plays senior championship
D2 plays intermediate championship
D3A & 3B plays junior championship

Winners of championship get promoted with league winners

Bottom 2 in league are relegated.

Sprinkle in some strong reserve teams to Div 3B and you have got yourself a tidy league set up and a cracking championship.

So this proposal sees 2 getting relegated from Div 1 with Div 1 participation determining who plays in Senior Championship?

Good luck to the new county manager trying to put a panel together if this structure implemented.

This ^ happens in the current structure and what has it got to do with a county manager picking a squad?

And the relegation playoffs at the end of the league gives teams the opportunity to save themselves when county players return.

By putting 2 straight down from the league, and with it out of the Senior Championship, you will find clubs more likely to try to discourage lads to play for county.

Scrap the bast**d groups would make it easier.

-Straight knockout
-start the championship later (Like Tyrone)
-start the leagues later / county players miss less league games
-relegate both teams from the league
-1 team promoted from Div 2 league and 1 team from Intermediate championship

Also make 4 leagues, division 1, division 2, division 3A and division 3B

D1 plays senior championship
D2 plays intermediate championship
D3A & 3B plays junior championship

Winners of championship get promoted with league winners

Bottom 2 in league are relegated.

Sprinkle in some strong reserve teams to Div 3B and you have got yourself a tidy league set up and a cracking championship.

So this proposal sees 2 getting relegated from Div 1 with Div 1 participation determining who plays in Senior Championship?

Good luck to the new county manager trying to put a panel together if this structure implemented.

This ^ happens in the current structure and what has it got to do with a county manager picking a squad?

Current structure has playoffs when county players return safety net.

[AllStar15]

If you read the proposal you would see it suggested starting the leagues much later so all county players are available, Tyrone had played 4/5 league games before they were dumped out on 12th July. That weekend was the Tailteann cup final so that's the furthest Antrim can get. I would argue it would make the county more attractive because the leagues aren't being wrapped up before the county players get a chance to play any.

It would allow time (April May June) for the regional comps to be played and make them more competitive too, Beringer/O'Cahan/McCormick etc just like the Devlin in Tyrone.

Straight knockout championship cannot be replicated, it's where it's at. Give each game its each its own time slot over a long weekend Fri-Mon and the crowds will get bigger.

[Milltown Row2]

If you read the proposal you would see it suggested starting the leagues much later so all county players are available, Tyrone had played 4/5 league games before they were dumped out on 12th July. That weekend was the Tailteann cup final so that's the furthest Antrim can get. I would argue it would make the county more attractive because the leagues aren't being wrapped up before the county players get a chance to play any.

It would allow time (April May June) for the regional comps to be played and make them more competitive too, Beringer/O'Cahan/McCormick etc just like the Devlin in Tyrone.

Straight knockout championship cannot be replicated, it's where it's at. Give each game its each its own time slot over a long weekend Fri-Mon and the crowds will get bigger.

Put it to your committee/club sec/club county delegate.. If it gets the required majority it will pass 

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

If you read the proposal you would see it suggested starting the leagues much later so all county players are available, Tyrone had played 4/5 league games before they were dumped out on 12th July. That weekend was the Tailteann cup final so that's the furthest Antrim can get. I would argue it would make the county more attractive because the leagues aren't being wrapped up before the county players get a chance to play any.

It would allow time (April May June) for the regional comps to be played and make them more competitive too, Beringer/O'Cahan/McCormick etc just like the Devlin in Tyrone.

Straight knockout championship cannot be replicated, it's where it's at. Give each game its each its own time slot over a long weekend Fri-Mon and the crowds will get bigger.

Tyrone don't have a hurling league and need to have 2 football games a week* at times to get their league finished, and it's late finishing even with it. With hurling, we couldn't replicate what they do.
However, there is a happy medium to be found. As a county with more fixture congestion than others, playing group games before the real championship starts doesn't make a lot of sense.

* I appreciate the irony that we are now having double weeks in "championship".

[Take the Mark]

The fact that SFC starts tonight and the chat on here is about structuring tells you all you need to know really.

Anyway, here are my predictions -

Portglenone by 10+
Creggan by 8+
Aghagallon by 8+
Cargin by 12+
Aldergrove by 1
St Brigids by 15+
Dunloy by 2
St Galls by 1

[Hectic]

If you read the proposal you would see it suggested starting the leagues much later so all county players are available, Tyrone had played 4/5 league games before they were dumped out on 12th July. That weekend was the Tailteann cup final so that's the furthest Antrim can get. I would argue it would make the county more attractive because the leagues aren't being wrapped up before the county players get a chance to play any.

It would allow time (April May June) for the regional comps to be played and make them more competitive too, Beringer/O'Cahan/McCormick etc just like the Devlin in Tyrone.

Straight knockout championship cannot be replicated, it's where it's at. Give each game its each its own time slot over a long weekend Fri-Mon and the crowds will get bigger.

Fair enough then - I thought you were still proposing part of the league overlapping.

It's a difficult one no matter how you try to cut a way through.

[Caesar]

One could argue that an open-draw, straight-knockout championship would increase the level of jeopardy for the bigger teams over a longer period. As it stands, the top teams can afford a poor performance early in the championship without facing serious consequences as long as they get out of the group. They've all have suffered meaningless defeats in the group stages in recent years.

Raising the stakes and introducing the possibility of big teams clashing early on could shake things up which can only be a good thing. It might also raise overall standards and ambition, especially if lower-ranked teams had the chance of knocking out one of the big guns with a big performance on the day.

[Milltown Row2]

One could argue that an open-draw, straight-knockout championship would increase the level of jeopardy for the bigger teams over a longer period. As it stands, the top teams can afford a poor performance early in the championship without facing serious consequences as long as they get out of the group. They've all have suffered meaningless defeats in the group stages in recent years.

Raising the stakes and introducing the possibility of big teams clashing early on could shake things up which can only be a good thing. It might also raise overall standards and ambition, especially if lower-ranked teams had the chance of knocking out one of the big guns with a big performance on the day.

I'm all for straight knockout, I'm just not convinced it raises the standards for the clubs and thus the county teams benefit from it..

Remember we have had straight knockout for many years before and no real surprises as both Cargin and St Galls generally got to the final and won them

[Gael-in-exile]

Reading some of the views on here the issues seem to stem from worries about relegation from league when forced to play without county players.
Also the championship has some fixtures that become meaningless or have the feeling of warm up games until knockout or qualification for that phase is on the line.

I think Derrys approach this year is good. Up until the 3rd set of fixtures all 16 teams have one second chance.

As for relegation the idea of 1 up 1 down from each league and championship could be managed and gives a chance for underperforming league teams to play with county players.

Could the league even be split into 8 teams in 1&2 or 1a & 1b that all play senior??

They are just ideas but my own view would be to split competitions into 3/4 even enough sets.
Senior, intermediate, junior and junior b if required.
That's a 12/10/10 split as it stands without incorporating seconds and thirds teams.

[AllStar15]

I'm all for straight knockout, I'm just not convinced it raises the standards for the clubs and thus the county teams benefit from it..

Remember we have had straight knockout for many years before and no real surprises as both Cargin and St Galls generally got to the final and won them
[/quote]

No championship set up will effect the county team, outside of a dramatic introduction of the Kerry regional system which would be too hard to set up, fund and integrate.

[Around the glens]

Were they chancing there arm with the ticketing pricing there. They had it £7 quid for a ticket £10 cash/card at the gate. See that's now changed.

In my opinion no group game should be more than £5.

[Milltown Row2]

Were they chancing there arm with the ticketing pricing there. They had it £7 quid for a ticket £10 cash/card at the gate. See that's now changed.

In my opinion no group game should be more than £5.

Is that the going rate for a soccer game? It's a fiver for a normal club league game

[Around the glens]

Were they chancing there arm with the ticketing pricing there. They had it £7 quid for a ticket £10 cash/card at the gate. See that's now changed.

In my opinion no group game should be more than £5.

Is that the going rate for a soccer game? It's a fiver for a normal club league game

What's soccer got to do with it? £5 quid would be plenty for group games. Group games = more matches so still at £5 a game is plentyful

[Milltown Row2]

Were they chancing there arm with the ticketing pricing there. They had it £7 quid for a ticket £10 cash/card at the gate. See that's now changed.

In my opinion no group game should be more than £5.

Is that the going rate for a soccer game? It's a fiver for a normal club league game

What's soccer got to do with it? £5 quid would be plenty for group games. Group games = more matches so still at £5 a game is plentyful

Are you saying its expensive? £7 is cheap, the soccer comparison is they pay a lot more for a their games for less action