Over the next couple of weeks there will be plenty of talk about the National League's proposals to reorganise the senior game here, which are currently being considered by the clubs prior to being voted on early in the new year.
In the longer term, though, it still looks certain that a more far-reaching reorganisation of the game here will be required and that the formation with the IFA of an all-Ireland league represents one key way in which the domestic scene could be revitalised.
There are still widely voiced fears about how practical it would be to have the bigger Belfast clubs coming up against their counterparts from the south but it seems increasing remarkable that, given the political developments in the North, that the football clubs on the island cannot manage to do the same.
In fact, the relationship between the IFA and FAI appears to have been warming for some time. There have been regular meetings in order to discuss points of common interest and continuing efforts to build bridges.
There is, of course, no shortage of common ground. Clubs on both sides of the Border face precisely the same threats to their survival. The increasingly overwhelming coverage of English, continental and international football, the spiralling costs of the game (wages, provision of facilities and investment in youth development), as well as an inability to attract sufficient interest from the commercial sector, television or even ordinary punters to make the books balance are all issues of equal importance no matter which league you choose to watch.
A merger between the two leagues would not be without its problems, notably from a security point of view. Neither would such a merger be a ready-made solution to all of the game's difficulties here. However, it would be a platform on which to generate new interest in the domestic product and a basis on which to move it forward.
Derry City's broadening appeal to all of the people of the club's locality, the (slow) normalisation of Cliftonville's position within the Irish League and even the suggestion by IFA president Morton McKnight over the Christmas that Northern clubs should consider playing their matches on Sundays are small but significant signals that things are moving in the right direction.
The finer points of the format are open to debate and everybody will have an opinion on what is desirable. Ideally, clubs wishing to participate would have to meet certain conditions in terms of their finances and facilities, but a 20-team league, with 10 clubs being drawn initially from each association, would look like an attractive prospect to start with.
In addition to 38 league games, there could be one all-Ireland cup competition as well, perhaps, as well as the old FAI and IFA competitions. The rest of the clubs could, given the scenario of a 20-club premier division, either compete for promotion in a regionalised league or, if the top flight were smaller, possibly compete in a second all-Ireland grouping.
The current wrangling in the National League over whether our own Premier Division should be expanded or reduced would also be side-stepped once and for all.
Assuming sufficient interest could be generated in the initial phase, the launch of the new league could be used as catalyst for a new era of professionalism. A minimum number of full-time players could be a requirement, something which may in turn start to improve the fortunes of clubs from both sides of the Border in UEFA competitions.
The prospect of losing places in European competitions has always, of course, been one of the arguments against attempting just this sort of merger. But this, now more than ever, is an issue on which UEFA could probably be persuaded to look more favourably.
If such a joint venture could be launched soon there would almost certainly be very considerable funding available to support it during the early stages. In addition to the British and Irish governments, the international football authorities, the EU and the various bodies in the US that have been supporting the peace process over recent years could probably all be counted on for support. At present, political events in Belfast have worldwide attention, but that won't be the case for long and to delay now could well mean missing the boat.
(Emmet Malone may be contacted at emalone@irish-times.ie).
The Dublin Film Office are putting together an hour-long documentary about Drumcondra FC to be titled Rosie and Sheila were Footballers. Research is still being carried out and the Producers are keen to hear from anybody who might be able to help them by lending them old photographs, programmes, film footage or anything which might be of significance.
Contact the Dublin Film Office at 4 Great Strand Street, Dublin 1, or phone/fax at 873 4084.
