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#Post#: 10698--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 14, 2022, 5:57 am
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--- Quote from: eightball link ---
>
> Does this result for Linfield guarantee them a play-off for
the Conference League?
>
--- End Quote ---
Yes. Win one of those ties and it's the group stages.
#Post#: 10700--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: RichardM
Date: July 14, 2022, 6:11 am
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--- Quote from: exhausted link ---
>
> [quote author=RichardM link=topic=76.msg10692#msg10692
date=1657793982]
> Would Linfield ever consider leaving Windsor Park? They play
in a more or less empty stadium on League and European nights,
surely a state of the art 5 or 6000 stadium would be perfect for
them?
>
--- End Quote ---
In my opinion I would like them to look into it but I don't
think there is much appetite from the majority of fans or the
board , which is fair enough not many teams like the thought of
leaving their home. But league games with 2.5k people there
isn't great for the atmosphere usually especially against the
smaller clubs
I think it was a possibility during the rebuilding of Windsor
[/quote] Know what you mean but just thought playing in an echo
chamber every other Sat is pointless, bit like Leyton Orient
playing at Wembley every week.
#Post#: 10701--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 14, 2022, 6:13 am
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--- Quote from: exhausted link ---
>
> Just back from the game. In total honesty Linfield made it
hard work over the two legs, tns were not a very good side
although dangerous on the break and John's had to make a great
save at nil nil but i can't lie it was very sweet to equalise in
injury time after there was 6 minutes due to the amount of time
wasting and play acting from tns. Their keeper was booked for
time wasting after half an hour .
>
> Was a great equaliser from Mulgrew and Big Ethan Devine popped
up with another important goal.
>
> I think we will struggle against Bodo/Glimpt but always good
to get through
>
--- End Quote ---
Dour game up to Mulgrew's worldie. Linfield couldn't break down
TNS' defence. After the goal, TNS' heads dropped and they were
pretty much dead and buried when big Ethan Devine scored. As you
say, the keeper getting booked in the 33rd minute showed what
TNS were about on the night. The playacting of their number 11
took the biscuit though. Stretcher called for to carry him off,
only for him to get to his feet and sprint about 40 yards.
Surprised he didn't wait for the hearse to pull up before
getting up.
Great to get the result and it puts us winning a tie away from
the group stages. As I said before, it would have been a missed
opportunity had we not won and it did look that way for a very
long time.
Mulgrew's goal. Wow, just wow.
HTML https://twitter.com/Linfieldtv/status/1547332467245432835
--- Quote from: Good_Seasons_NI link ---
>
> Sounds like a hell of a game. Wish it had been on tv.
>
--- End Quote ---
It was on 247. As the next game will be I guess, unless
Norwegian TV come in for it. The other games are on there
tonight.
HTML https://www.247.tv/niprem
#Post#: 10704--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 14, 2022, 7:26 am
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Lengthy article from last week. Covers not just Linfield, but
also discusses the Our Wee League in greneral.
[b]World record-breaking Northern Irish club Linfield bid for
Champions League history[/b]
Northern Irish champions Linfield have won more domestic league
titles than any other football club and are confident their
switch to full-time football can push them on in Europe
In the corridors of Windsor Park, Linfield officials toasted
their success at the conclusion of a testing and demanding
campaign. The South Belfast club had just lifted their fourth
successive Irish Premiership title and the 56th in their history
– a world record that surpassed Scottish giants Rangers.
Yet nobody was getting carried away with the celebrations as
attention swiftly turned to the next challenge. Just 66 days
separated Linfield clinching the title – pipping Cliftonville by
a solitary point in a close-fought race – and the commencement
of their 2022/23 campaign with this week’s Champions League
qualification first-leg tie against Welsh champions The New
Saints.
In addition to their league title haul, the Blues have 44 Irish
Cup successes to their name and over 200 trophies in total. In
the 1921-22 and 1961-62 campaigns, the club remarkably completed
a ‘clean sweep’ of all seven domestic competitions on offer.
While the number of domestic cups has been drastically reduced
in recent decades, Linfield won all four trophies in the 2005-06
season – a campaign which sparked the winning of six league and
Irish Cup ‘doubles’ in seven seasons.
Speaking to Mirror Football , Blues chairman Roy McGivern
explained: “Winning trophies has been a key part of Linfield’s
fabric right back to its formation. That expectation is drilled
into anyone at the club, whether you’re a player, coach or part
of the boardroom.
“This current group of players has carried on that tradition
with four league titles in a row. As soon as you win the league
title, you immediately start planning ahead for the next season.
That brings a lot of pressure naturally but that makes being
part of the club even more rewarding.”
Linfield are Northern Ireland’s biggest club, yet their level of
their domestic dominance is far from a given. Between 2013 and
2018, five of the six league titles on offer were shared by
North Belfast duo Cliftonville and Crusaders.
Since then, two other domestic rivals have had takeovers which
altered the landscape of Northern Irish football; Kenny Bruce,
co-founder of online estate agents Purplebricks, has invested
heavily in his hometown club Larne while Glentoran – based in
East Belfast and historically Linfield’s closest challengers –
were taken over by a UK-based consortium led by British-Iranian
businessman Ali Shams Pour.
This new-found investment propelled Larne and Glentoran into
adapting full-time approaches into the historically
semi-professional league (a model subsequently followed by
Linfield and, partially, Crusaders) while both clubs also spent
transfer fees reportedly in excess of £100k – previously unheard
of in Northern Irish football – to raid domestic rivals for
their star players.
Linfield have the financial resources to compete with this
spending, but they have also adapted a more prudent approach to
building and maintaining their squad. McGivern adds: “Northern
Irish football has always seen clubs who receive investment that
allows them to challenge or surpass what Linfield can offer
individual players.
“It was not so long ago that Portadown were doing that, and more
recently there are other clubs who have received external
investment which presents a real challenge to us. But we have a
different approach as a members club.
“Winning the title last year in particular was a real
achievement with the number of players that we had lost and the
investment that other clubs had made it that bit more special.
Playing at Linfield is not for everyone; it comes with a lot of
pressure and expectations that not everyone is made out for, but
there are those who thrive under it and it was that winning
mentality that so often gets us over the line.”
Last summer, Linfield completed their adaptation into a
fully-fledged full-time club but it was a move that came at a
short-term cost. Several long-standing members of the squad were
unable to commit to the new approach while striker Shayne Lavery
– the league’s outstanding player and a starting Northern
Ireland international – joined Blackpool.
In January, the exodus of talent continued. Teenage right-back
Trai Hume, another to break through at international level, was
signed by Sunderland in a club-record deal believed to exceed
£200k. Striker Callum Marshall, 17, who had been involved in the
first-team squad, joined West Ham.
The departures were an inevitability for the club but the
difficulties in signing their replacements were not. The pool of
players available to sign for full-time clubs in Northern
Ireland is limited as the professional model is still relatively
new and players based in the Republic of Ireland or mainland UK
would have to commit to relocating.
The implications of Brexit have also restricted what Northern
Irish clubs can do, with red tape scuppering Linfield’s agreed
move to sign Malta international forward Kyrian Nwoko.
Brexit-related work permit regulations ensured that move fell
through, with Nwoko instead joining Dublin-based St. Patrick’s
Athletic on a loan deal.
Linfield’s General Manager Pat Fenlon explained: “Brexit caused
more confusion for the club and it is an issue when trying to
bring in players from further afield. We have spoken to the
relevant people within the Irish FA to look at alternative
options that make it slightly easier for clubs to recruit but at
the moment that process is there and we have to adhere to it.
“There have been two or three players that we believed we were
very close to signing and then realised it was impossible to do
it based on the criteria required. But our recruitment is second
to none and we have been as active as possible in the markets
that are open to us; we have a huge list of contacts and a
network which allows us to explore as many avenues as possible.”
Fenlon established himself as a cult hero among Linfield fans
during his playing days. The Dubliner joined the Blues in 1994
and amidst the backdrop of Northern Ireland’s volatile political
situation at the time, the move was a significant one. Within
months of his arrival, Fenlon netted goals in the decisive
matches as Linfield won another league and cup double.
The former midfielder went into management, winning five League
of Ireland titles and reaching two Scottish Cup finals with
Hibs. He re-joined Linfield in 2018 in the newly-created General
Manager position.
Chairman McGivern described the appointment as a ‘big step’ in
the club’s drive to modernise with their fresh approach, saying:
“Our goal has always been to professionalise the club on and off
the pitch.
“The full-time model was a key part of that but that did not
just apply to the first-team squad, but for an elite
apprenticeship scheme – for our top academy talents to receive
that training. The plan for them is either to turn professional
with Linfield or to earn a move across the water. We now have a
model, helped largely by Pat, in which we are being properly
compensated for our players who make that big step, whereas in
the past clubs from our league were taken advantage of because
of our status.”
McGivern continued: “It has been a challenge for us to bring in
players from European leagues because of the immigration rules.
“Our management and recruitment team have not panicked, as a
club we acknowledge that it is impossible to replace a player of
Shayne Lavery’s level within our league. The key is to identify
players who have that potential to improve and the desire to
grow and develop, so it's important to get that right profile of
player in.”
Fenlon and McGivern may be two key drivers of change behind the
scenes, but club boss David Healy has also played a key role.
Northern Ireland’s record international scorer has won the
league title in five of his six full seasons at the helm and
firmly re-established the club back on top domestically.
Healy – in his first managerial role - has been a vocal
supporter of the full-time approach but the former striker faces
greater scrutiny than any other figure in the domestic game due
to the expectation to constantly deliver results and titles.
“David had a track record of working well under pressure and his
record as a manager is incredible when you look at this as his
first job,” claims McGivern. “I think a lot of the great work
that he has done goes unnoticed because of those expectations of
always winning – that is the goal that it is set so when you do
win those leagues it maybe is not fully appreciated.”
Fenlon praised Healy for his willingness to embrace not only the
winning culture at the club, but their cohesive approach of
incorporating youngsters into the first-team squad and reaping
the rewards of the apprenticeship scheme and professionalisation
of youth stars.
“There is no point in us having an academy for boys and girls if
there is not a clear pathway to first-team football for them,”
said Fenlon. “Our manager deserves a lot of credit for bringing
so many young players into the team to continue their
development; it gives those players the opportunity to showcase
themselves and the club to reap the rewards of the development
process.”
A case in point of Healy’s faith in youth was demonstrated by
the remarkable role of January arrival Ethan Devine in the
club’s latest title. The 20-year-old striker had been playing
for second-tier Knockbreda but proved definitive in the title
race. As a substitute, he headed a late equaliser against
Cliftonville – resulting in a three-point swing that ultimately
proved decisive in the title race – while also netting two
winners against Crusaders and one against Warrenpoint, two of
which came in the last minute.
Fenlon added: “It would be very easy for David to argue that his
only objective is to win matches and trophies, but he does this
with an eye on giving the young players their opportunities.”
The first challenge for Linfield was to remain on top
domestically but the next is very clear: to taste success in
Europe. The club’s finest achievement on the continent was
reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup in 1967, being
edged out by one goal against Bulgarian outfit CSKA Sofia.
However, despite improving results across the board in recent
years, no Northern Irish side has ever reached the group stages
of the subsequently-reformatted European competitions. With the
introduction of the Europa Conference League, that may soon
change.
Speaking ahead of the tie against The New Saints, McGivern
added: “It is a huge opportunity for both clubs - European
progression is so central to our aims as a club and to be the
first Irish League club in the group stages of a European
competition. In 2019 we were within one goal of the Europa
League group stage but the changes that UEFA have brought in
mean that more group stage spaces are now available for our
leagues.
“Luck of the draw will always be a big factor in that but
preparation for these ties is key, especially when you are in
the Champions League qualification rounds. The prestige and
financial rewards that qualification for a group would bring
would be game-changing for the club, as is the case for any club
at this level.”
Linfield have worked hard to prepare for the tie; a warm-weather
training camp in Marbella was utilised ahead of the clash to
improve fitness levels – including an eye-catching 1-0 friendly
victory over World Cup hosts Qatar.
The club have also been proactive in the transfer market;
Northern Ireland Under-21 striker Chris McKee made his loan move
from Rangers permanent, while frontman Robbie McDaid joined
following the expiration of his contract at Glentoran and
Finnish forward Eetu Vertainen has re-joined on loan from St
Johnstone. Star winger Joel Cooper has returned to Windsor Park
following a spell at Oxford United and defender Daniel Finlayson
has been loaned from St Mirren.
Fenlon reiterated the importance of their European ventures,
adding: “The more successful we are as a league and a club will
mean there would be more funding opportunities through
sponsorship, ticket sales and TV revenue. The financial
incentives from progress alone are significant, but there is a
two-fold effect which makes it all the more important.
“There is a potential knock-on impact from European progress
that we can show the people outside our league that we are
serious clubs who are making huge strides, which will be a
win-win for everyone.
“That would allow us to build not just the strength of our
first-team squad but right throughout the club and those
resources are hard to come by for Northern Irish clubs. Europe
will bring us to the attention of the public and in the business
world to make us more attractive and allow us to grow.”
While Fenlon was speaking from a Linfield perspective, he
stressed the importance of all clubs in Northern Ireland having
a reliance on a strong league and solidarity in their approach.
“If we are serious about progress and improvement, we have got
to make it a full-time league,” added the former Hibs boss,
acknowledging how only three of the 12 Irish Premiership clubs
currently have such a model.
“I firmly believe there has to be an industry in Northern
Ireland for the game. All the clubs must strive to work together
on that front; there is a degree of scepticism on full-time
football but we have to be together to show there is employment
and growth around football in the country.
“At Linfield we are pulling together in the same direction with
everyone in the key positions at the club having the ethos to
drive the club forward and improve. We are driven and focused on
not resting our laurels. The investment that is being put into
other clubs in our league is driving us on and it is important
for the league to have that level raised.”
Linfield are now aiming to break the European barrier of
group-stage participation that has eluded Northern Irish clubs
to date as expectations once again reset with a fresh campaign.
That next challenge is always just around the corner.
#Post#: 10711--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 14, 2022, 4:00 pm
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Reids out (as expected I suppose), Larne out (oh ffs) and Crues
through and play Basel.
#Post#: 10714--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 14, 2022, 7:20 pm
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The progression routes explained
HTML https://i.redd.it/a3pug9biy4r81.png
#Post#: 10715--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: eightball
Date: July 15, 2022, 3:41 am
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Great result for Crusaders last night. Like Linfield the night
before I thought they were out, but they left it late to go
through. Tough ties in the next round for both clubs, but you
never know!
#Post#: 10716--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: Good_Seasons_NI
Date: July 15, 2022, 4:03 am
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Are all of Linfields players full time now?
#Post#: 10718--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: gpjim
Date: July 15, 2022, 4:12 am
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--- Quote from: Good_Seasons_NI link ---
>
> Are all of Linfields players full time now?
>
--- End Quote ---
Yes.
#Post#: 10743--------------------------------------------------
Re: Irish League clubs in Europe
DIR By: Good_Seasons_NI
Date: July 16, 2022, 10:28 am
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Just realising who Bodø/Glimt are. They beat Roma and Celtic
last season! Good luck all the same to Linfield.
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