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Football Format Changes Discussion

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Replying To omahant: "In my AILC, league position is the only way to advance, so it's based on merit. Could awarding match pts for Prov ties (own tier) be the sweet spot for making both the league and Provs valuable? In 2025, if Donegal wins Ulster (4 tough wins) and Clare beats the Tipp/Waterford winners and lose to Kerry or Cork (1 soft win) - both start the AIC group phase at ground zero (I would award Donegal for their hard work, well on their way to qualify from my AILC league phase)." I think you could change your system to include those 12 teams. Ulster and Leinster semi-finalists, Connacht and Munster. With a seeded championship a team winning their way through will have to have gotten through a part of the draw that included a top tier team. Should 4 Leinster teams be guaranteed a spot? There'd still be 16 spots available between 21 other teams, I don't think it'd be a big stress to have 4 Leinster have a place. The competition itself would have 20 teams playing 10 rounds and games counting for qualifying for the following season. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4377 - 22/01/2025 17:24:57 2587007 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "I think you could change your system to include those 12 teams. Ulster and Leinster semi-finalists, Connacht and Munster. With a seeded championship a team winning their way through will have to have gotten through a part of the draw that included a top tier team. Should 4 Leinster teams be guaranteed a spot? There'd still be 16 spots available between 21 other teams, I don't think it'd be a big stress to have 4 Leinster have a place. The competition itself would have 20 teams playing 10 rounds and games counting for qualifying for the following season." Sorry, I didn't follow much of this. "those 12 teams" ? "Ulster and Leinster semi-finalists, Connacht and Munster" Is this your U4 + L4 + C2 + M2 = 12 ? "16 spots" ? "21 other teams" - presumably, non-Leinster, but with regards to what ? Send me Colombo :) omahant (USA) - Posts: 2997 - 23/01/2025 00:31:06 2587063 Link
Replying To omahant: "Sorry, I didn't follow much of this. "those 12 teams" ? "Ulster and Leinster semi-finalists, Connacht and Munster" Is this your U4 + L4 + C2 + M2 = 12 ? "16 spots" ? "21 other teams" - presumably, non-Leinster, but with regards to what ? Send me Colombo :)" So I'm saying there'd be 20 teams in the All Ireland. Ulster and Leinster guaranteed 4 each, Connacht and Munster 2 each. People could complain about 4 Leinster teams having guaranteed places but if you have 20 teams in the All Ireland the 21 non-Leinster teams would have 16 places available to them still. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4377 - 23/01/2025 10:12:56 2587086 Link
This has to be the most futile thread on this forum. eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2001 - 23/01/2025 10:30:47 2587089 Link
Replying To eoinog: "This has to be the most futile thread on this forum." Been saying that for months . The 2 main lads need to take a break for a few years. As I said recently there is the current 2023 to 2025 system and the only other system being proposed is the "Jarlath Burns" double elimination system. The latter maintains the same qualification system as the current one. Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2031 - 23/01/2025 11:02:15 2587096 Link
Replying To eoinog: "This has to be the most futile thread on this forum." You know what you are right. Some of the stuff I've suggested at times are complete pie in the sky ideas. At the same time the current formats don't make a lot of sense either and there actually should be a rethink that's a lot more substantive than tinkering around the edges. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4377 - 23/01/2025 11:59:31 2587108 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "You know what you are right. Some of the stuff I've suggested at times are complete pie in the sky ideas. At the same time the current formats don't make a lot of sense either and there actually should be a rethink that's a lot more substantive than tinkering around the edges." Nothing wrong with thinking up new ideas, even if we expect nothing to come of it. There are those among us who enjoy painting or writing poems, solely for personal pleasure. Even in an echo chamber, isn't it fun? Nothing would ever change if all thought is shut down. (possibly America's future?) omahant (USA) - Posts: 2997 - 23/01/2025 17:12:40 2587178 Link
Replying To Seanfanbocht: "Been saying that for months . The 2 main lads need to take a break for a few years. As I said recently there is the current 2023 to 2025 system and the only other system being proposed is the "Jarlath Burns" double elimination system. The latter maintains the same qualification system as the current one." Why months - to repeat the same mistake, hoping for a different result - Einstein's definition of "°^". More like a three-legged stool there, I'd say. omahant (USA)* - Posts: 2997 - 23/01/2025 17:30:44 2587185 Link
Amusing that some are hot and bothered by discussion on the format. If the championship wasn't providing so many meaningless games, there wouldn't be any discussion. The lopsided nature of Sligo beating London and New York, Clare beating Tipperary or Waterford doesn't help matters either. Counties aren't ready for a Third Tier yet. There'll be another iteration or two yet probably. If the hurling league format is successful, hurling league and championship is probably sorted, despite imperfections. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8434 - 23/01/2025 19:16:21 2587212 Link
@legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8434 - 23/01/2025 19:16:21 Well said - and if the GAA ever get the format right, what am I going to do - as painting and poems don't appeal to me? omahant (USA) - Posts: 2997 - 23/01/2025 22:13:14 2587241 Link
Replying To omahant: "@legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8434 - 23/01/2025 19:16:21 Well said - and if the GAA ever get the format right, what am I going to do - as painting and poems don't appeal to me?" Don't worry - for any GAA championship format to to work properly there'd need to be about another 3 months in the year so there'll always be work to do on this thread! brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 372 - 24/01/2025 13:44:58 2587323 Link
What is everyone's thoughts on how the UEFA Swiss style league is working? There is certainly a lot of intrigue coming into the last week - and matches have increased in importance as the weeks rolled on. I still think a format like that would add so much flexibility to the football competitions and allow for a ramp up of importance in games. brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 372 - 24/01/2025 13:53:39 2587324 Link
Replying To brianb: "What is everyone's thoughts on how the UEFA Swiss style league is working? There is certainly a lot of intrigue coming into the last week - and matches have increased in importance as the weeks rolled on. I still think a format like that would add so much flexibility to the football competitions and allow for a ramp up of importance in games." My AILC is my best shot ! I think UEFA's Swiss System is working better than expected, with each win sending teams up multiple places in the table (and nom-winning others down as well). While an argument can be made against each team's assymmetric match schedule, the quantity of teams advancing substantially neutralises any imbalance. One change I'd like to see though - as I don't think there's enough jeopardy on missing out on a Playoff Rd bye - In lieu of one two-legged Playoff Rd for 9-24, I'd prefer two one-legged Playoff Rds for 14-25 (no change in workload). This way, only a quarter of 12 playoff teams would advance to the Rd of 16 (along with bye teams, i.e. the 'top 13). omahant (USA) - Posts: 2997 - 24/01/2025 15:21:43 2587350 Link
Swiss Systems are very flexible. The FRC talks about reducing player workload and went for elimination of the pre-season competitions. In any sport, teams need a 2-3 match warm up - so I say, keep that, but reduce the league instead. Given the success and popularity of the '4 divisions of 8', those could be retained, but teams play only 5 of 7 opponents (say, teams ranked 1&8 avoid 4&5; and 2&7 avoid 3&6). Given this Swiss match schedule, league finals would probably need to be retained as well. omahant (USA) - Posts: 2997 - 24/01/2025 15:35:58 2587355 Link