Premiership giants Chelsea are being touted as the Eircom League's next opponents.

This week's interleague game against the Irish League failed to fire the public imagination and just a few hundred fans turned out to see Dermot Keely's side lose 2-0 in Galway's Terryland.

Now Eircom League supremo Michael Hyland is determined to line up top-quality opposition to draw in the crowds.

"We have tried to interest the Nationwide League, but the idea never took off," Hyland said. "I think we must take a look at the list of clubs who are no longer involved in the Champions League or UEFA Cup for possible future opponents.

"That's what we did six years ago, when the National League took on Gothenburg at Tolka Park."

Chelsea, with their string of top internationals, easily head that list since Swiss minnows St. Gallen ended the London club's European involvement for another year.