"Secret All-Ireland league talks at 'advanced' stage"

[Leo]

Those clubs that are serious about their survival will go for the all-Ireland league route but it will not happen unless there is a financial backer with sufficient clout to render the self-serving egos of both sets of officialdom irrelevant.
I am not a soccer fan but many people are and they deserve to be served by something more meaningful than the present poor fare played out to empty terraces by players for clubs which are nearly all bankrupt in grounds which are decrepit.

So a backer should set up minimum standards required in terms of :
financial plan and probity, basic spectator accommodation, security of tenure in grounds, community involvement of clubs, etc.

Clubs would also need to agree on a transfer system which would curtail the current situation where the make-up of some teams seems to change completely from one season to the next.

Good luck to them - this looks like a 10-year plan! But a 12-team all-Ireland premier league would be good, with the Irish League & league of Ireland being made up of regional second tier teams.

As for an all-Ireland team this may be a more distant prospect and the amalgamtion of the leagues makes no difference to that issue. Welsh clubs play in Englamd without affecting the respective national teams, and the prospect at one stage of Wimbledon playing in Dublin was never goiung to make a difference to national teams either. And Derry City etc. etc.

[nifan]

I can only hope that if the Irish League where to sign up for this the NI team would be guaranteed for as long as there is a northern ireland - which according to some of you shouldnt be that long anyway

[MW]

I was shot down by some OWC fans when I suggested that this would happen whenever the Setanta Cup was started.  It is the inevitable movement and should be good for the game in general on the island. If it happens though there will be some serious issues to look at in regards to the infrastructure outside of the games themselves.

Following on from what Heganboy started on the tax implications for GAA players under the grants scheme how can the finances of clubs in two different countries be audited under different revenue procedures.  This is a serious minefield as it stands unless there is some form of unification of the tax system.  These are businesses and therefore should be held up to the same standard.  If, for talk sake, a player can get more money after tax from a club on one side of the then surely they are getting an unfair advantage over clubs on the other side. This is a simple example I know but is a potential stumbling block, unless of course there is something going on between the two Revenue depts which will facilitate this joining of the two leagues.  If there is such an arrangement then this would also presumably be available to GAA players and therefore this might answer the question that Heganboy raised.

Therefore, this could be used as the first steps towrads having a single tax system both north and south, or at least some form of equivalency.

NIFan, I am sorry but I think this woyuld be the first baby step towards a unified team, and no matter how you try to avoid it, if you throw enough incentives before people, ie money they will eventually bite.

We will not amalgamate with the republic for any reason. The IFA is here to stay so get over it. I am opposed to any form of unification of the leagues because this is simplythe republics way of taking over the IFA and I for one will not stand for it.I dont think that our leaders are telling us the full story when it comes to unifying the leagues and we need to get to the bottom of what it is they are scheming. First we have the maze debacle and now this?

Spoken like you have all the authority there champ.

I am a member of Limavady and played for them, I have been a member of the NISC for many years and we will not lose our team to the south, I would rather lose it to an all british set up than lose it to those philistines down south, the FAI have proven time and time again they are inept and we dont need to amalgamate with anybody. I also know several high ranking IFA officials and they swear that we are not in any danger. I have to believe that for my own sanity and although I have no authority I do know those who are in authority and they tell me we are safe and that is good enough for me.

[T Fearon]

Good picture of Roy Millar (IFA) and Packie Bonnar (FAI) in to-day's Irish News with a joint IFA/FAI Banner announcing a joint coaching course to be sponsored by both associations and to be helf in Dundalk on January 25 to 27th 2008.

I reckon the IFA are a bit like the DUP...string their followers along before selling them down the swanee!

FFS Lads you know it makes sense. Soccer should be organised on an island wide basis, one league, one international team, playing in Dublin in a soon to be constructed ultra modern stadium.

[Gnevin]

Good picture of Roy Millar (IFA) and Packie Bonnar (FAI) in to-day's Irish News with a joint IFA/FAI Banner announcing a joint coaching course to be sponsored by both associations and to be helf in Dundalk on January 25 to 27th 2008.

I reckon the IFA are a bit like the DUP...string their followers along before selling them down the swanee!

FFS Lads you know it makes sense. Soccer should be organised on an island wide basis, one league, one international team, playing in Dublin in a soon to be constructed ultra modern stadium.

Under 1 neutral flag and song?

[T Fearon]

I would happily forego all flags, anthems and emblems to see one Irish international soccer team

[MW]

I would happily forego all flags, anthems and emblems to see one Irish international soccer team

[Evil Genius]

I would happily forego all flags, anthems and emblems to see one Irish international soccer team

Why limit yourself to just one team? Why not adopt the same attitude you take when selecting from the dessert menu: if one is good, two must be twice as good! 

[T Fearon]

I can see it all now. The Football Association of All Ireland. CEO John Delaney, Deputy CEO Howard Wells etc.

Its going to happen. The IFA are broke and they will be watching with envy as the real Ireland team takes on Brazil in front of 82,000 in one of Europe's finest stadia in Dublin in February. They are going to want to be part of it, as are loads of young players born in the 6 counties

[dublinfella]

this story was a kite from the Indo, who are piss weak at soccer coverage, on behalf of 6 LoI clubs who object to next seasons wage cap. threatning to breakaway with the bigger nordie sides. just a pity they forgot to tell the nordies. who promptly came out and rubbished the reports and pointed out no negotiations have taken place.

however, it seems that UEFA are ameniable to the leagues merging but the national sides remaining split for 'reconciliation'purposes.

a 16 team premier and regionalised divisions below this may well happen, but its years away.

[Solomon Kane]

I can see it all now. The Football Association of All Ireland. CEO John Delaney, Deputy CEO Howard Wells etc.

Dumb and dumber.

It's not going to happen. Come to terms with that - you're life will get easier.

[his holiness nb]

Would be a good laugh to see Shamrock Rovers "fans" up at Windsor Park...

Have they not been there yet in the setanta cup?

The "thomas david GAA, f**k off and die" banner would be appreciated by all I'm sure 

[Solomon Kane]

Would be a good laugh to see Shamrock Rovers "fans" up at Windsor Park...

As long as those bastards who tried to wreck the bar in Derry are never allowed north of the border again there wouldn't be much in the way of a problem. The peelers on both sides and the clubs know who the scumbags are and should be able to keep them away. We are sadly without a football offences act here which is long overdue.

[his holiness nb]

Would be a good laugh to see Shamrock Rovers "fans" up at Windsor Park...

As long as those bastards who tried to wreck the bar in Derry are never allowed north of the border again there wouldn't be much in the way of a problem. The peelers on both sides and the clubs know who the scumbags are and should be able to keep them away. We are sadly without a football offences act here which is long overdue.

In fairness that was Rovers arch enemies, Bohemians. They would deffo be in the top division of the new league, I presume.

[Gnevin]

Would be a good laugh to see Shamrock Rovers "fans" up at Windsor Park...

As long as those bastards who tried to wreck the bar in Derry are never allowed north of the border again there wouldn't be much in the way of a problem. The peelers on both sides and the clubs know who the scumbags are and should be able to keep them away. We are sadly without a football offences act here which is long overdue.

In fairness that was Rovers arch enemies, Bohemians. They would deffo be in the top division of the new league, I presume.

Don't rovers hate everyone?