All Ireland Soccer proposal -Platinum One

[An Fear Rua]

pinched from Slugger

http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/irishdoc.pdf

summation as follows:

The Sunday Times has published Platinum One's report on how to transform the fortunes of domestic football on this island and, not surprisingly, it involves the creation of an All-Ireland Premier League. The plan would see the league run along the lines of the English and Scottish Premier Leagues which would have a prize money of nearly €4m (£3.2m) a year, this at a time when many clubs on both sides of the border are struggling to remain in existence,not least Sligo Rovers and Galway United. The document makes for some sobering reading.


It is hoped that the league could be running as early as August of next year with seven clubs from south of the border and three from north of it, including Derry City. The teams from the Republic invited to join are Bohemians, Drogheda United, St Patrick's Athletic, Galway United, Limerick 37, Cork City and Shamrock Rovers. They would join Linfield, Glentoran and Derry City.

The man behind the idea, Fintan Drury, is hoping to remove the running of the domestic game at the highest level from the two football associations, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) as soon as possible.

"Those charged with the stewardship of the game have failed in their responsibility to clubs despite the dire warnings of the Genesis report in September 2005," he said.

"It is our belief that circa 80% of the clubs in the domestic leagues are in dire financial difficulties and the majority are technically insolvent."

The report states that football is up against a very professionally run GAA as well as an ever-improving IRFU in the battle for fans, sponsorship and media rights, a battle football is currently losing. Without a professional all-island league in place, Drury believes domestic football will never be able to compete. The report lists all those clubs that have struggled in recent years:

- Examiner appointed to Shamrock Rovers
- Omagh folded after 43 years' existence
- Crisis club Waterford prepare fire sale to secure future
- Coleraine given survival chance
- Bohemians confirms financial difficulties
- Athlone Town reveals "frightening losses"
- High Court petition to wind up Cork City football club
- Dublin City Football Club goes bust with debts of almost €1.5 million.
- Debts cost Shelbourne dear
- Mathews may quit as Longford woes mount
- Ards pull out of running for new league
- Law moves on directors of bust club Coleraine FC

The Executive Summary highlights the plight of football here and how it believes the league will work:

- Domestic football in Ireland is beset by grave financial difficulties. The prospects
for the game are completely hopeless. Without an urgent and radical overhaul the
game on both parts of the island will continue to fail.

- Clubs are haemorrhaging money. Those clubs at the top of the game, which
aspire to improving standards, cannot lift income levels to match their
commitment. Most of the smaller clubs are similarly "stretched".

- Initiatives to improve matters already taken or planned by the two Associations
have had little or no effect.

- The game can only support one professional league on the island combining the
best run and supported clubs from the Irish League with the appropriate mix of
clubs in the Republic in an all island league.

- The proposed All Ireland Premier League would start in August 2009 with 10 full
time professional clubs invited to participate.

- In year three two more clubs – one from each jurisdiction - would join the AIPL.

- This league would be the top of the professional game in Ireland. The remaining
clubs would compete in the League of Ireland and the Irish League and could, as
and from year three, qualify to play in the AIPL.

- The new league would provide a full-time professional competition for players,
spectators, sponsors and broadcasters.

- Most critically the new league would attract many of our better players to stay in
Ireland even if the very best talent continued to go to big clubs in Britain.

- It would also mean that more of the better players who are good enough to play at
the top level would go to Britain later than they do currently.

- The AIPL would be an independent entity run by a private company under licence
from the FAI and IFA each of which would have a representative on its board.
The independence of the AIPL would mean the autonomy of the two associations
would be protected. No other aspect of the game in Ireland – North or South -would
be affected by this move. All revenues generated by the AIPL would be put back into the clubs

- Clubs would need to meet very strict Licensing criteria as set by UEFA through
the Associations Club Licensing Departments, to qualify for the AIPL including
meeting financial demands that would protect the League against unanticipated
difficulties.

- Four European places would go the League.

- The AIPL clubs would remain affiliated to their respective associations and would
play in their annual Cup competitions.

- Players would be registered with their Association and approved to play in AIPL

- AIPL clubs would be obliged to play in an AIPL underage league that would
provide the natural link between the schoolboy and the professional games.

- The critical determinant of success with any professional sporting endeavour is
the reaction of fans, broadcasters and sponsors. We know that the current
offering is failing to generate enthusiasm with any and all of these audiences and
without radical and speedy change the professional game here is doomed to fail.

Note: Drury's plan involves the continuation of both national teams, the League of Ireland and the Irish League. 

[Billys Boots]

It's a better idea than what's in place at present, but they really need to get bums on seats (and I can't see how this will improve matters, in that regard).

[Tankie]

as BB said the problem is getting people into the ground, i really dont see how this will improve things except a financial backer is gonna advertise more. the big worry would be when it al goes wrong and the backers pull out where will that leave these soccer clubs?

[his holiness nb]

as BB said the problem is getting people into the ground, i really dont see how this will improve things except a financial backer is gonna advertise more. the big worry would be when it al goes wrong and the backers pull out where will that leave these soccer clubs?

As long as every half decent player is whisked off to England, attendances will always be paltry.
From the handful of games I've seen lately the standards are appaling.

[Rossfan]

which would have a prize money of nearly €4m (£3.2m) a year,

The man behind the idea, Fintan Drury, is hoping to remove the running of the domestic game at the highest level from the two football associations, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) as soon as possible.

Firstly where would they get that sort of prize money.
Secondly can you see the IFA/FAI letting go control?

This pie in the sky has been floated by the "Irish" Independent for some months now - I presume Tony O'Reilly must be going to back it.
One report I read talked about the "great interest" among 6 Co clubs and then a month later reports of "Linfield/Glentoran" didnt say no".
The sooner all the Irish Soccer clubs stop wasting money paying €3-4000 a week to very limited players the better for themselves .
Crowds of 6 or 700 will not support even the most basic semi professional set ups .
But as a GAA man sure I'm happy to let them get on with self delusion.

[An Fear Rua]

The Associations
The FAI and IFA have privately and, in the case of the FAI, publicly acknowledged that
the establishment of an all island league represents the logical way forward for the
domestic game.

Im asuming this must be true, or it wouldnt be in the document....., why havent/cant the IFA voice this publically?

[feetofflames]

Secondly can you see the IFA/FAI letting go control?
Can they realistically stop them going.  Its quite a threat to the GAA this document.  A business ran league would present a serious challenge to the Intercounty teams.

[Rossfan]

Secondly can you see the IFA/FAI letting go control?
Can they realistically stop them going.  Its quite a threat to the GAA this document. 

Of course they can- an unofficial League with no entry into Europe as UEFA will not allow them in if the two FAs dont agree. Players banned from International teams.
As for a threat to the GAA ....... surely you're on a wind up....

[Solomon Kane]

Re-arrange these words Platinum One - fcuk yourself Go! two Irish League teams compared to eight Eircom teams? I can't for the life of me see how any combination of two shite leagues will make a decent league and pull the punters in. Linfield and the Glens leaving the Irish League would cause it a lot of harm as they have the biggest following. One ray of hope for the Irish and Eircom leagues is the probable ending of budget flights which would stem the weekend exedous of football fans to Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow etc. That said, they still have to compete with Sky and Setanta.

[fred the red]

Looks like a good idea.

Football in the north is on its knees, if something isnt done soon then it may be goodnite sweetheart for alot of clubs.

[magickingdom]

Re-arrange these words Platinum One - fcuk yourself Go! two Irish League teams compared to eight Eircom teams? I can't for the life of me see how any combination of two shite leagues will make a decent league and pull the punters in. Linfield and the Glens leaving the Irish League would cause it a lot of harm as they have the biggest following. One ray of hope for the Irish and Eircom leagues is the probable ending of budget flights which would stem the weekend exedous of football fans to Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow etc. That said, they still have to compete with Sky and Setanta.

so you think they might turn up instead at turners cross or winsor park?! not a chance...