2019 Season - Preview, Fixtures & Attendances

[seand]

https://www.dundalkfc.com/fixture-updates-2/
So.... if we beat Qarabag it's....
Tue 6 APOEL/Sutjeska away
Tue 13 APOEL/Sutjeska home

if we lose to Qarabag it's....
Wed 7 Slovan away OR Thu 8 Feronikeli away
Tue 13 Slovan/Feronikeli home

Playing the FAI Cup at Cobh as scheduled on Saturday probably makes sense if it's APOEL/Sutjeska/Slovan. It's only really a problem in the unlikely circumstance it's Feronikeli and we've to play them twice in 6 days. Do we take a chance on sending a skeleton squad to Cobh on Sunday?

[Sneachta]

I'd say almost a full squad reversal for the game against cobh. I know we got stung down there before but I think the quality of players available should be strong enough and they are not as good as they were when pushing for promotion a couple of seasons back.

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[oldfogey]

https://www.dundalkfc.com/fixture-updates-2/
So.... if we beat Qarabag it's....
Tue 6 APOEL/Sutjeska away
Tue 13 APOEL/Sutjeska home

if we lose to Qarabag it's....
Wed 7 Slovan away OR Thu 8 Feronikeli away
Tue 13 Slovan/Feronikeli home

Playing the FAI Cup at Cobh as scheduled on Saturday probably makes sense if it's APOEL/Sutjeska/Slovan. It's only really a problem in the unlikely circumstance it's Feronikeli and we've to play them twice in 6 days. Do we take a chance on sending a skeleton squad to Cobh on Sunday?

If we ended up playing Feronikeli on the Thursday I think they might fly back to Cork on Friday and stay down there. If you come back to Dublin in the early hours, nobody will be fit to do much on Friday, and then you are on a bus for a long spin on Saturday. The alternative gives you the chance of recovery on Friday afternoon and an analysis session Saturday morning.

[oldfogey]

There are 3 options

Make European qualified clubs play their games as listed but schedule nothing for the weeks of qualifying round 1.

Have no fixtures for anyone during qualifying round 1

List fixtures but move/cancel on an ad hoc basis.

Option 1 does nothing for clubs who are hoping to progress. Friday nights are an issue for anyone in the Europa League.

Option 2 Everyone except those in Europe suffers as they have no games or income.

Option 3 is what is currently happening, and nobody is happy.

I think it's safe to say we would like a repeat of 2016. That's 8 straight weeks of qualifiers, a 3 week break, then 3 group stages games in Sep/Oct. No matter how you look at it, there is no solution to suit everybody.

[magarnagle]

I think the postponement is very unfair on Sligo. They’ve no home game until mud September. It’s not our fault, it’s the League’s bullshit scheduling. Nonetheless it’s not on. We should play the game.

Strange stance, so we should potentially hinder our chances of progression in Europe to accommodate another club?

[dundalkfc1903]

16 team premier with 2 rounds. Reducing current number of league games by 6 per season. Minimises need for midweek league games. Cups can start earlier in the season.

[Sneachta]

I think in fairness, he's looking at it from Sligo's point of view and in the interest of fairness. If it was ourselves, we'd be aggrieved and as stated, is the poxy scheduling of the league with an unnecessary summer break and ridiculous nature of cramming two thirds of the season in before the summer begins.

Whether or not, it should be just flippantly be played is another question. Some one in the FAI fixtures committee needs to make an executive decision that's fair for all parties but we know that's not their strong point.

Now that the date for upcoming European fixtures are known, the powers that be should have a contingency plan in place and devise when games are to be played. But as I said already, the FAI are too busy throwing 50th birthday bashes and scratching each others backs withexpense vouchers, than actually deciding on when games should be played ie, doing their jobs!

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[magarnagle]

I think the postponement is very unfair on Sligo. They’ve no home game until mud September. It’s not our fault, it’s the League’s bullshit scheduling. Nonetheless it’s not on. We should play the game.

Strange stance, so we should potentially hinder our chances of progression in Europe to accommodate another club?

It’s clearly not accommodating another club! We’re the ones being accommodated by having the already scheduled matches postponed!

Your concern for Sligo is admirable. But why should we play the game? The management have clearly decided that a postponement is in our best interests, therefore the club have done what they are entitled to do and requested that the game be postponed. The issue is with the scheduling of the fixtures which is out of our control. Just because it is unfair on Sligo doesn't mean we should put ourselves at a disadvantage

[Ezeikial]

There are 3 options

Make European qualified clubs play their games as listed but schedule nothing for the weeks of qualifying round 1.

Have no fixtures for anyone during qualifying round 1

List fixtures but move/cancel on an ad hoc basis.

Option 1 does nothing for clubs who are hoping to progress. Friday nights are an issue for anyone in the Europa League.

Option 2 Everyone except those in Europe suffers as they have no games or income.

Option 3 is what is currently happening, and nobody is happy.

I think it's safe to say we would like a repeat of 2016. That's 8 straight weeks of qualifiers, a 3 week break, then 3 group stages games in Sep/Oct. No matter how you look at it, there is no solution to suit everybody.

It is almost impossible to find a solution to suit all clubs, but it is certainly possible to improve the current situation.

1) As others have suggested having the remaining LoI teams play each other during QR1 would be a start.

2) Scrapping the mid season break would allow for another set of fixtures

3) Extending the season by two weeks (at either end) would also create two more sets of fixtures

4) Starting the FAI Cup earlier might create some difficulties for non-league teams, but would create more scope for refixing league matches around later rounds (this could still happen regardless of re-fixing earlier rounds)

5) In addition to the above, introducing a compensation protocol with a fixed payment to club who lose gate receipts because of euro related postponements should also be explored

[Ezeikial]

Ruaidhri Higgins.says Vinny Perth has not received the credit he is due since replacing Stephen Kenny

https://www.the42.ie/vinny-perth-dundal ... =shortlink

[Louth4sam]

Ruaidhri Higgins.says Vinny Perth has not received the credit he is due since replacing Stephen Kenny

https://www.the42.ie/vinny-perth-dundal ... =shortlink

Given enough credit by whom? Most fans feel he's doing a fantastic job and managed a very sticky injury crisis quite well. Look at the reaction he's getting after games from the support. If anything I think it is louder than Kenny ever got due to fans mirroring the passion he's displaying.

[oldfogey]

Hope they do something about the fixtures after this season that doesn’t negatively impact on us, because this is the last year the other clubs are going to tolerate having their games moved around so we can have a better shot at earning more money from Europe.

The total income to UEFA for both competitions is €3.25 bn. 4% of that is allocated to clubs who have NOT qualified for Europe. That €130m spread across 50 odd leagues. If that was distributed to LOI clubs the way it is in other countries there wouldn't be such a commotion.

[Ezeikial]

Headline says John Gill saying clubs should be compensated for euro postponements

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer ... s-18796821

[Ezeikial]

Headline says John Gill saying clubs should be compensated for euro postponements

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer ... s-18796821

Not so obvious from the body of the article that he actually said that, but mentions that he read a tweet suggesting it.

Stick to the cliches John

[Ezeikial]

Vinny Perth talks about temperatures, the Spanish training camp preparations and the again addresses the tedious issue of his managerial experience

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer ... u-18796822