EIRCOM LEAGUE PREVIEW

with Mark O'Shaughnessy-Cummings-Bono

 

MARK O'SHAUGHNESSY-CUMMINGS-BONO

EIRCOM PREVIEW 

 

1/3
It is now possible to bet on almost

any game.  The internet has been a

real force in all of this.  It adds a

bit of excitement to a match and there

is no harm in that I suppose. 

Sometimes your team might lose but you

might win some money so the evening is

saved.

On the other hand, there have been a few

betting scandals in Europe.  What about

our league?  Not every player is

professional and we all have bills to pay. 

Hopefully no Eircom League player will

succumb to an illegal betting ring.  We

need more positive stories from the league

I say.

2/3
The B internationals are to make a comeback,

specifically designed for Eircom League

players.  This is a great idea I think.  It

will give home based players the chance to

play for their country.  And who wouldn’t

want that?

Of course, the games will be played in Eircom

League stadiums in front of even smaller

crowds than normal so one has to wonder what

the benefit is.  If Staunton wants an Eircom

League player he should simply come to see a

few league games.  Nevertheless, it can’t be

easy being a manager with no managerial

experience and I for one wish him well.

3/3

The league still plays games on Good Friday. 

Now, regardless of your religion, there is

no getting around the fact that the pubs

are closed so some teams are missing out on

a lot of revenue.

Then again, without alcohol to fuel some

blackguards, the games pass off peacefully. 

Maybe this is something the league could

look at?  If an alcohol ban means families

can go to stadiums and feel safe, who

wouldn’t be in favour of that?

Of course the FAI would have to compensate

clubs for the lack of bar income at the

start but the increased attendances would

soon pay for this move alone!

I’m surprised this kind of forward looking

thinking wasn’t in the Genesis Report. 

The league would be in a much healthier

condition if so, and who wouldn’t want

that?