Is this going to be the toughest job for John Russell yet?

Sligo looked poor all over the pitch on Friday, notwithstanding injuries to the likes of Blaney and Hakiki.

“I had a bet on Derry… I spoke to the ref…”

😬

(10/11) Chapter Seven: Connacht

I finish off in the north-west with visits to Galway Utd and Sligo Rovers

@juliancanny.bsky.social tells me all about the challenges Galway Utd has faced, while in Sligo, I cover Dixie Dean's time at the Showgrounds and Rovers' long quest for the FAI Cup

Also Atlantic 252 was broadcast on Long Wave so could have been listened to in space never mind rural East Galway!

Not to mention getting hung up about the pronunciation of “one”.

How many words in English that end in a single ‘e’ have it emphasised?

There’s no way it’s “On-Ee”

I’m still worried about our lack of signings but last season on the opening day we only started 2 new players from Div 1 squad and we had a great season.

Interesting. The lack of an increase in betting levy may see funding being reduced to Racing & Dogs.
Also the “philanthropic investment” suggests possibly giving tax breaks to the likes of JP and Comers if they fund facilities.

To be honest I’m still waiting you to come back on the figure of 60% of matches being postponed between December and January.

Hoban and Jamie Gullan linked with us.
Gullan seems fabricated to me.
Hoban might have to come to us with his tail between his legs a bit if Tiernan Lynch is looking to off load him.
The other likely targets have both signed for Bohs… Mountney and Morahan!

@chippie1974.bsky.social I assume you’ve seen this.

No, these are just problems that are likely to arise.

It’s fine to think the status quo is better but if you just dismiss every reason for change it just makes you look like a crank.

I think you’re taking that a bit too far but it will be interesting to see if anyone does challenge that.

Definitely not a good look from UEFA to sign up to a gambling sponsor.

UEFA have sold the CL rights to a betting company who now have ads displaying on all the pitchside advertising during games.
It’s probably going to need a very strict approach from government.

You asked for a benefit and I gave you one.

If you’re now in agreement that very little football gets played in December and January I fail to see any substantive reason you’d have against running the season from February to November.

60%

Is that ok for you to work with?

Where are the indoor facilities to train our kids?

Those countries are on a “summer” season in any case.

What would your solution be?

Move Ireland to the Southern hemisphere?

Even aside from playing matches it’s fairly obvious that kids will develop their skills more training in better weather conditions on better pitches than on a mud plane during a yellow weather warning!

There’s clearly an issue of, say an u15 player, joining a LoI Academy side to play a “summer season” but then if not being kept on when can he join up with his local schoolboy side who would already be mid-season in a “winter” league?

There are very obvious reasons why this change is necessary.

As the status quo is the season runs from August to May (*) but due to postponements December and January are very patchy in terms of fixtures.

* As per FAI’s presentation yesterday very few leagues are actually completed by May and some even run in to July.

What’s intangible about:

“There’s huge number of games postponed in winter months because of bad weather”?

What does money have to do with this plan?!

That doesn’t even make any sense.

Barry’s listed a couple of relevant points that you’ve chosen to ignore.

Not if he answered all 15 correctly!! 😂

I got 11. Happy with that.

Eternally in League B under a FF/FG led government!

25 more than he got in Wicklow!

“Fan of the podcast” 🤣

Definitely interesting to see how Rovers league form is next season. Virtually no off-season for their players.

Interestingly in the Conference League next season I would expect them to be seeded for every round based on the points they’ve gained this season.

When Russian clubs were in Europe and in a summer season they struggled at this stage in European competition and their league actually reverted back to the more traditional calendar with a winter break.

Yeah there’s no movement between competitions anymore thankfully.

I wasn’t sure myself so had looked earlier in the week and there is an advantage to finishing as high as possible in the league for seeding.

Rovers will definitely be at a disadvantage in the playoffs.

Absolutely. The Labour Party have led the way.

There’s a good chance they’ll be the smaller party supporting the government and likely will be able to implement these changes because in the grand scheme of priorities for the country this is low level stuff.

It’s kind of ‘seeded’ like US Sports playoffs, so the sides who finish 1st and 2nd in the league phase couldn’t possibly meet until the final.

9th - 16th are drawn against 17th - 24th with 2nd leg home advantage given to higher finishing teams.

There is a bit of a draw with 9th or 10th being drawn against 23rd or 24th and then the winner of these ties being drawn against the 7th and 8th finishers.