Quote:
Originally Posted by Keltoi
The only way to make comparisons between different league's quality is on European record and the SPL's is miles better than the Irish leagues (both of them). Not sure of stats but SPL teams have made it to at last 6 European finals in the last 40 years with a good few semi-final appearances in the European cup too. Two of the finals have been in the last 6 years so its not all ancient history. Its not just the Old Firm either. Aberdeen and Dundee United have been in Euripean finals. People forget that as well as getting to a Uefa final, Dundee UNited also got to the European cup final around the same time. Sorry but there is simply no comparison between the top Scottish and top Irish leagues. Not sure about the League of Ireland but I have seen some Irish League games (northern Ireland) and the standard is absolutely laughable. It always looks like pinball, shots never go in cleanly and its all argy bargy.
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I don't see how going back 40 years has any relevance to today Keltoi.Obviously Celtic and Rangers are a class above anything in the Eircom League but your standard SPL team like Aberdeen or Kilmarnock are not that much better than Drogheda or Cork City anymore.
This is largely down to most of the Eircom League teams going proffesional.Looking at recent European results[e.g in the last 5 years] Eircom League teams have knocked out teams of the calibre of Hajduk Split[Then Croation champions],Djungardens,Gothenburg,Malmo and NEC Nijmegen as well as achieving creditable draws against Steau Bucharest,Lille,Deportivo La Coruna and PSG.Derry City also easily knocked Gretna out of the UEFA Cup a couple of years ago.
I'd wager that there is about the same number of former Eircom League players in the EPL than there is former SPL ones.
The Northeren Irish League is a different league to the Eircom League and is not at a good standard at all as you have seen.Most,if not all the teams,are still only semi-pro.You can't judge the Eircom League by watching the Northern Irish League.