Rumour Mill

[Dave Cahill]

They can get rid of the embarrassingly inaccurate name of the national team for a start "Republic of Ireland". The name of the country is Ireland.

No choice in the matter there - FIFA edict to stop the FAI and the IFA acting the dick

It was in a different time when Ireland maintained a territorial claim over Northern Ireland in the constitution. While FIFA are an incredibly corrupt organisation they are capable of moving with the times and changing the names of countries and their teams when those countries and teams do.

Both the IFA and the FAI still claim to be the only legitimate football association on the Island and that their team is actually Ireland. Seeing as neither have ever been willing to change or compromise on this position, neither are allowed call their team Ireland whilst both are entered into UEFA competitions.

If the FAI does go into liquidation though, there will be nothing stopping the IFA selection calling itself Ireland.

[Oldschool]

This is where the lefties show themselves up.
How many homeless people would €55m help.
On your bikes Ruth and Mary Lou.
Mind you they'll probably want it both ways.
Raise taxes by €110m and divide it two ways.
F^ck the taxpayers, they're lucky to have jobs.

[Oldschoolsocks]

This is where the lefties show themselves up.
How many homeless people would €55m help.
On your bikes Ruth and Mary Lou.
Mind you they'll probably want it both ways.
Raise taxes by €110m and divide it two ways.
F^ck the taxpayers, they're lucky to have jobs.

You’re just getting weird now

[Ruckedtobits]

Bad governance in soccer in endemic. How many L of Ire. Clubs have been fined by Revenue or been wound up? The continual abuse of international ticket sales has been a common joke among football fans since 1994. The appointment and contractual reviews of Delaney were looked at aghast by other NGBs and many wondered what the Sports Council was doing in providing any funding to the organisation. There were serious questions raised previously about how close the Chairman of the Sports Council was to the CEO of the FAI.

Until the FAI puts forward a detailed business plan for all parts of their game from Schoolboy / girl Leagues through Age-Grade development to League of Ireland and senior International Teams, no Goverment Funding should be provided.

There are many templates around which they could copy e.g. Denmark's National Plan; Croatia's National Plan or Portugal's National Plan. None of these countries have to compete with a Nationwide amateur organisation like the GAA, but all have to compete with other sporrs.

This isn't rocket science, except to those football administrators who thought that getting onto the FAI was the whole point of their involvement. Being on a NGB in any sport is an arduous role and should always be a voluntary act based on passionate involvement. Nothing else and certainly not a gravy train.

[paddyor]

€55m.
Why should I (as a taxpayer) contribute one cent to bailing out the FAI.
Make the business case.
Too often bad behaviour is encouraged by bailouts.
Until people are brought to book and serve jail time or have to cough up their ill gotten gains then non.
Before you all start to feel compassion etc.
Think back who was brought to book for the 2008 crash that nobody saw coming, my b*%&!cks.
This FAI thing has been going on for a long time and nobody said stop.
Then what about the long term approach.
Regardless of an organisation's status, officers should not be allowed to hold office for a maximum number of years, 8 maybe. Trump haters at least have the comfort of knowing that he'll be gone in five years time at worst whereas Boris no limit.
This should apply to the Taoiseach's position also.
Yeah, I know, this should be in the rant thread

The headline 55m figure is for...well the likes of you. It's 28m long term debt (the stadium) considered current because of a breach of covenant(likely the going concern issue triggered the breach and an immediate claim from the bank). BOI is not about to hang the FAI.The bulk of the rest of the 55m is short and long term deferred income. This is stuff the FAI has been paid for but is yet to deliver like 10 year tickets or Broadcast income from UEFA(apaprently they pay for tournaments up front so we were paid in advance for the Euros qualification). So it's burned thru most of the cash it got upfront for sure. But it's not clear this is entirely a solvency problem as opposed to a liquidity problem. FOr all we know they're required by covenant to seek IRFU "bailout".

If for instance, a 5-10m grant or loan could see the FAI thru it's difficluty, would you object to that? I've no idea if it would btw.That might not be easy given the covenants on it's long term debt but then BOI isn't really one to dictate the terms of a govt bailout.

[Oldschool]

€55m.
Why should I (as a taxpayer) contribute one cent to bailing out the FAI.
Make the business case.
Too often bad behaviour is encouraged by bailouts.
Until people are brought to book and serve jail time or have to cough up their ill gotten gains then non.
Before you all start to feel compassion etc.
Think back who was brought to book for the 2008 crash that nobody saw coming, my b*%&!cks.
This FAI thing has been going on for a long time and nobody said stop.
Then what about the long term approach.
Regardless of an organisation's status, officers should not be allowed to hold office for a maximum number of years, 8 maybe. Trump haters at least have the comfort of knowing that he'll be gone in five years time at worst whereas Boris no limit.
This should apply to the Taoiseach's position also.
Yeah, I know, this should be in the rant thread

The headline 55m figure is for...well the likes of you. It's 28m long term debt (the stadium) considered current because of a breach of covenant(likely the going concern issue triggered the breach and an immediate claim from the bank). BOI is not about to hang the FAI.The bulk of the rest of the 55m is short and long term deferred income. This is stuff the FAI has been paid for but is yet to deliver like 10 year tickets or Broadcast income from UEFA(apaprently they pay for tournaments up front so we were paid in advance for the Euros qualification). So it's burned thru most of the cash it got upfront for sure. But it's not clear this is entirely a solvency problem as opposed to a liquidity problem. FOr all we know they're required by covenant to seek IRFU "bailout".

If for instance, a 5-10m grant or loan could see the FAI thru it's difficluty, would you object to that? I've no idea if it would btw.That might not be easy given the covenants on it's long term debt but then BOI isn't really one to dictate the terms of a govt bailout.

Interesting analysis.
What would the reported/rumoured €18m "injection" that the FAI be based on or used for if they were able to raise..
Might this be their estimate of your€5/10m estimate.
If it is what can you reduce from it?
Is there another few €m that we don't know about
Separately would it be possible to set up a holding organisation with two separate organisations.
One to handle the amatuer side.
The other to handle the league and international side of things.
Should it even be considered.

[elephantman]

Just waiting for this thread to be updated sometime soon with news of the annual Leinster pillage.

Frawley, Deegan, Connors and Penny are the most likely to be targeted by other provinces.

[Keith]

I've read Oisin Dowling is joining Connacht on another forum. Is this true?

[Twist]

Just waiting for this thread to be updated sometime soon with news of the annual Leinster pillage.

Frawley, Deegan, Connors and Penny are the most likely to be targeted by other provinces.

Id be raging if we lost any of those four, and I think it’d be a bad move for them too

[curates_egg]

Hard to see us keeping Connors and Penny. Along with Leavy and VDF.
Connors is having some season; just as Penny had some breakout season.

[Serb]

Hard to see us keeping Connors and Penny. Along with Leavy and VDF.
Connors is having some season; just as Penny had some breakout season.

There’s more than three and a half years between them, they’re at quite different stages of their careers. Penny only turned 20 two months ago Connors turns 24 in two months.

I think it’s reasonable to ask Penny to bide his time considering how young he is, coupled with the doubt that still surrounds Leavy and his ability to perform at the highest level again, and topped with the fact that he’s likely to receive better coaching here vs at Connacht (being the most likely destination for the back rows). It would be rash for Penny to jump ship at this point.

I think we’re far more likely to see Deegan or Doris being moved on. They’re both much closer to the finished product and it creates competition for the Ireland number 8 spot where there’s currently none.

We do have an absolute dearth of back row players however, and looking at the stock in other provinces, there’s really very little IQ quality bar maybe Coombes at Munster, so wouldn’t be surprised if we lose more than one player there tbh.

[carlow man]

Could make the same argument for our out halves. Cant keep all 4 and give them the minutes they will want. If we have to lose one, I would let ross go and have frawley as back up to Sexton with harry getting mins in the pro 14 games next year. Imo!! I'm sure others will disagree here!

[Serb]

Could make the same argument for our out halves. Cant keep all 4 and give them the minutes they will want. If we have to lose one, I would let ross go and have frawley as back up to Sexton with harry getting mins in the pro 14 games next year. Imo!! I'm sure others will disagree here!

Agreed, I think it’s inevitable we’ll lose another 10. We’re the only province that’s blooded an outhalf since probably Paddy Jackson or Jack Carty; basically 5+ years since anyone of quality came from outside Leinster.

We’ll be plugging the gaps across the board. It’s a question of who we lose at this point. Honestly, as solid as Ross Byrne is, I think he’s my least favourite of all the outhalves we have on the books, although he’s clearly worked very hard on the two weakest areas of his game this season — place kicking and carrying.

No matter who goes, I think we’ll be losing someone of real quality.

[ronk]

When Leavy is back we lose him for a lot of international time.

With Sexton and Byrne making international squads we need 4 outhalves.

There's also the issue of what province we'd lose them too. Carbury, Carty and Burns are sufficient quality that they won't be in the market. Madigan is available too. The IRFU don't need to move anyone because they'd upset development in other provinces. Oddly enough there are 3 guys who came through the Munster academy showing promise at the other provinces.

The player moving binge was before the RWC, we don't know yet if it's continuing.

[Ruckedtobits]

Harry Byrne is playing like the number 10 who's least likely to be let go. Frawley has looked good as a potential 12 option but Tomane and the O'Briens, alongside Henshaw and RO'L make us strong in this area with Ringer still leading the way for no 13 shirt.

No easy decisions.

[curates_egg]

I think it’s reasonable to ask Penny to bide his time considering how young he is, coupled with the doubt that still surrounds Leavy and his ability to perform at the highest level again, and topped with the fact that he’s likely to receive better coaching here vs at Connacht (being the most likely destination for the back rows). It would be rash for Penny to jump ship at this point.

I think it's totally reasonable for us to ask him to stay, and I definitely would like to keep them both, given the uncertainty around Leavy.
I could also see how a move to Heineken Cup quarter finalists Ulster would be attractive to him.

I would hate to lose either Deegan or Doris, but can see there is a lot of pressure there.
Given we have a bit more wiggle room at blindside, it's a pity neither has looked like being an option there. I think both are "better" prospects than Murphy.

I hope we lose none of the players listed above. But I really hope none of them is stupid enough to move/be moved to Munster. It would make no sense for any of the four players mentioned.
Connacht could probably do with an outhalf and a backrower. Ulster could do with a backrower.

[Leinsterimp]

I’d like to see a handful of lads sent to England or France on a year or two deal, maybe a couple to London Irish with a view to returning with more experience.

[Dexter]

Hard to see us keeping Connors and Penny. Along with Leavy and VDF.
Connors is having some season; just as Penny had some breakout season.

There’s more than three and a half years between them, they’re at quite different stages of their careers. Penny only turned 20 two months ago Connors turns 24 in two months.

I think it’s reasonable to ask Penny to bide his time considering how young he is, coupled with the doubt that still surrounds Leavy and his ability to perform at the highest level again, and topped with the fact that he’s likely to receive better coaching here vs at Connacht (being the most likely destination for the back rows). It would be rash for Penny to jump ship at this point.

I think we’re far more likely to see Deegan or Doris being moved on. They’re both much closer to the finished product and it creates competition for the Ireland number 8 spot where there’s currently none.

We do have an absolute dearth of back row players however, and looking at the stock in other provinces, there’s really very little IQ quality bar maybe Coombes at Munster, so wouldn’t be surprised if we lose more than one player there tbh.

Sorry to be pedantic, but "dearth" means scarcity...

[joooooe]

Hard to see us keeping Connors and Penny. Along with Leavy and VDF.
Connors is having some season; just as Penny had some breakout season.

There’s more than three and a half years between them, they’re at quite different stages of their careers. Penny only turned 20 two months ago Connors turns 24 in two months.

I think it’s reasonable to ask Penny to bide his time considering how young he is, coupled with the doubt that still surrounds Leavy and his ability to perform at the highest level again, and topped with the fact that he’s likely to receive better coaching here vs at Connacht (being the most likely destination for the back rows). It would be rash for Penny to jump ship at this point.

I think we’re far more likely to see Deegan or Doris being moved on. They’re both much closer to the finished product and it creates competition for the Ireland number 8 spot where there’s currently none.

We do have an absolute dearth of back row players however, and looking at the stock in other provinces, there’s really very little IQ quality bar maybe Coombes at Munster, so wouldn’t be surprised if we lose more than one player there tbh.

Sorry to be pedantic, but "dearth" means scarcity...

"Surfeit" is probably what he was going for.

[riocard911]

joooooe: "Surfeit" is probably what he was going for.

Or "plethora" perhaps?....