My favourite football competition is the league. Aside from the time of year that it takes place in, I think it offers the best challenge and scrutiny of credentials out there.

Some issues with it....
1- For an 8 team league I have always thought that a 2 up, 2 down system has too much fluctation. Yes, it keeps the league interesting right to the end but there's too much movement to create lasting rivalries down the leagues.
2- The constant undermining of it by media and fans. "Oh, county x weren't trying because they don't want a lague final".
3- The finals don't really feel like finals as the pinnacle is usually to get to the final and earn promotion rather than win the league.

To solve these I'd like to see the league being won by the team that finishes top of the league. Then, to maintain interest through to the later rounds, we should replace the league finals with promotion / relegation playoffs for the teams that finish 7th in the higher division versus 2nd in the lower division.

The team that wins the league would be promoted directly while the team finishing bottom would be relegated but it would create some really exciting matches with a lot on the line in the promotion / relegation play offs between 2 teams who have not been the best / worst in their leagues.

Any thoughts?

SallinsMan (Kildare) - Posts: 77 - 04/04/2022 17:56:46    2409624

Needs to change into the hurling format of a few years ago

Div 1A - Mayo, Kerry, Tyrone, Donegal, Monaghan, Armagh
Div 1B - Dublin, Kildare, Galway, Roscommon, Derry, Meath
Div 2A - Clare, Cork, Down, Offaly, Limerick, Louth
Div 2B - Antrim, Westmeath, Fermanagh, Laois, Cavan, Tipperary
Div 3 - Wicklow, Longford, Sligo, Leitrim, London, Wexford, Carlow, Waterford

Then have your top 4 in A play top 4 in B in q finals progressing to semis and finals

Bottom 2 in A and B enter relegation play offs

Div 3 teams play 7 matches and then a final

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 12/04/2022 07:16:38    2410600

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1419 - 12/04/2022 09:35:10    2410612

The football league is everyone's favourite format but then some try to change it!
The team finishing 2nd might have played a home game less. Top 2 into the final is fair.
From 2023, the Division winner will be ranked higher when it comes to championship qualification through the league.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7846 - 12/04/2022 09:54:06    2410619

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1911 - 12/04/2022 13:07:14    2410652

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 12/04/2022 13:21:36    2410658

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2842 - 12/04/2022 13:42:25    2410670

I love the league but the biggest problem with it is that no team bar Kerry, and Dublin in the past, actually want to win it. Ulster teams are happy staying up on 5 points. These teams target certain games and use other training blocks between other games to get mileage in the legs up. Even Mayo this year, while making the final, nearly got their by mistake.
I'd love to see a league type championship as a once off. A 12 team championship with the best teams playing each other week in and out. I don't understand why every rule change has to be for 3 years, why not trial a 12 team league style Sam Maguire championship and stick the rest in the Tailteann Cup. Teams like Kerry and Dublin would get a shock then, not having an easy path to the All Ireland semi every year. How many All Irelands would kerry and Dublin have if they had to get out of Ulster before even thinking about an all Ireland series?
Look at poor Fermanagh's route this year.
Tyrone, Derry, Monaghan and either Donegal or Armagh in the final after that slog.

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1142 - 12/04/2022 14:09:44    2410678