Why Ireland Must Bid for Euro 2016.

Nostradamus

Nice idea. Never happen.

The reason is simple. Irish people are the only nation on earth which thinks that their national soccer league is the one in the country next door.

As a result it has seriously damaged the development of the LOI and with it any chance of Ireland ever hosting a major tourament.

So blame it on all them eh the proud patriotic citizens of the eh "Great Little Sporting Nation" in Dublin Airport every saturday morning wearing Hull City and QPR jerseys going "we" and "us".

Gruffalo

Nostradamus wrote: »

Nice idea. Never happen.

The reason is simple. Irish people are the only nation on earth which thinks that their national soccer league is the one in the country next door.

As a result it has seriously damaged the development of the LOI and with it any chance of Ireland ever hosting a major tourament.

So blame it on all them eh the proud patriotic citizens of the eh "Great Little Sporting Nation" in Dublin Airport every saturday morning wearing Hull City and QPR jerseys going "we" and "us".

Very good point.

As an aside do you support a league of Ireland team yourself?

Nostradamus

Gruffalo wrote: »

Very good point.

As an aside do you support a league of Ireland team yourself?

Bohs, but I go to see Sligo Rovers a good few times a year since I moved up here to support Bohs when they come to the Showgrounds and to slag off Shamrock Rovers when they come up as well. I also go to Terryland, the Brandywell and Finn Harps when I get a chance.

Gruffalo

Nostradamus wrote: »

Bohs, but I go to see Sligo Rovers a good few times a year since I moved up here to support Bohs when they come to the Showgrounds and to slag off Shamrock Rovers when they come up as well. I also go to Terryland, the Brandywell and Finn Harps when I get a chance.

Fair play. It is always good to hear of people supporting the league. Used to go to Athlone Town for years. Have been living mainly out of the country so have not been in a few years, havent even seen the new stadium. Have been watching the league on RTÉ website. The quality is improving greatly from what I have seen. Hopefully, more people will get interested and support their local team.

Koloman

Nostradamus wrote: »

Nice idea. Never happen.

The reason is simple. Irish people are the only nation on earth which thinks that their national soccer league is the one in the country next door.

As a result it has seriously damaged the development of the LOI and with it any chance of Ireland ever hosting a major tourament.

So blame it on all them eh the proud patriotic citizens of the eh "Great Little Sporting Nation" in Dublin Airport every saturday morning wearing Hull City and QPR jerseys going "we" and "us".

Totally agree. It also doesn't help when the national broadcaster promotes the premier league as well.

live2thewire

lol like in the bundesliga thread in the soccer forum, some guy wrote

''murdoch has ruined the game here'' :rolleyes:

loyatemu

BTW - The Euro finals are being expanded from 16 teams to 24 from 2016 onwards - this means there will be 6 groups rather than 4. Poland\Ukraine (assuming they get their acts together in time) will be using 8 stadia for the 16-team finals in 2012.

Nostradamus

live2thewire wrote: »

lol like in the bundesliga thread in the soccer forum, some guy wrote

''murdoch has ruined the game here'' :rolleyes:

That's the best one I think I have come across yet. Incredible.

This surreal national/social identity crisis Irish soccer "supporters" have is completely unique in the entire world. They simply have no idea how big a shower of freaks they are to the rest of the soccer world.

I had some Spanish students staying with me and they were amazing that Irish people support British clubs against their own local side. They refused to beleive me when I told them that until I brought them to a few pubs in around Dalymount and they got talking to the "great little sporting nation" and they were flabberghasted and could not believe what they were hearing.

There is a guy in Waterford who flies over to Exeter every two weeks to support "his" club. When asked on RTE radio why he did not support either Man U or Liverpool he says in the thickest Waterford accent and without a hint of irony. "well the Premiership is not about the real fans, it's about the money and the glamour, I support Exeter because WE are a real football club in the community".

A poster on foot.ie said he knew this muppet and he lives literally across the road from the RSC were Waterford United play. And here was RTE celebrating him like a hero of the people's game and football in the community...as long as it wasn't the local LOI club within his real community.

D.L.R.

Ireland isn't unique in following another higher profile league abroad. Happens all over scandanavia, and any small country neighbouring big leagues. And EVERYONE outside Europe who likes their footy follows European soccer leagues. Even in South America.

Bottom line, people like their football, and want to watch the best teams and best players, not Micky O'Dowd toebogging it over t stand on a windy night in Turners Cross. Sadly the Premier League acts as a vortex for the Irish soccer community.

Ireland is unique regarding soccer when you consider history, culture and politics. Its not exactly a game that has been celebrated and promoted here, and it only became popular here due to its worldwide success.

For years Ireland suppressed this "garrison game" in favour of gaelic games. So its no wonder our league is crap. Not enough tlc. 2 crap leagues sorry, forgot the north.

As for hosting the Euros, not a chance. ROI or All Ireland. We have very little to offer, and the north has nothing to offer.

live2thewire

Uefa Cup semi final-Dynamo Kyiv vs Donetsk

CL qualification rounds- Dynamo Kyiv 2-Drogheda United 2

St.Pat's 0-Hertha Berlin 0- Should have won this game about 3-1, fahey hit the post.

St.Pat's beat Elfsbourg in the Uefa Cup this year.


That thing about the Exeter story is absolutely pathetic.

And yeah its true in Scandanavian countries especially norway english football is popular and many support their teams but they also support their national club teams.

Nostradamus

live2thewire wrote: »

And yeah its true in Scandanavian countries especially norway english football is popular and many support their teams but they also support their national club teams.

And they would NEVER support a foreign team over their hometown club.

Some More LOI Europe Results

UEFA CUP

Abeedeen 1 Bohs 2


Kaiserslautren 0 Bohs 1

Champions League

Bohs 3 BATE Borisov 0


Cork and Derry have very impressive victories in Europe in recent years which the "sporting mad Irish public" seem to have ignored as well. But ya know..."it's a crap league and all that...bloke down the pub in a Sunderland jersey told me so..."

Anyone who says the LOI is crap in 2009 is really just a braindead moron or hasn't a clue about soccer. The only people I ever hear saying the LOI is crap are Irish people and all they know about soccer is that box of flashing lights in the corner of the living room for which they develop a deep emotional and cultural connection too.

There are plenty of leagues all over Europe which are mush worse in standard than LOI and the clubs are well supported by the locals. You see, the Irish are a simple folk and are easily led by media and mass marketing. Whoever presented them with the most flashing lights, wins their hearts.

Nostradamus

D.L.R. wrote: »

Bottom line, people like their football, and want to watch the best teams and best players, not Micky O'Dowd toebogging it over t stand on a windy night in Turners Cross.

So using that line of logic you'll be supporting England over Ireland whenever they meet in a soccer international?

and no doubt they'll be cheering for Italy as well when they come to Croker.

live2thewire

and surely then everyone in ireland should support either manchester united or barcelona and not teams like tottenham, aston villa everton etc if they want the best quality.

Gruffalo

Nostradamus wrote: »

And they would NEVER support a foreign team over their hometown club.

Cork and Derry have very impressive victories in Europe in recent years which the "sporting mad Irish public" seem to have ignored as well. But ya know..."it's a crap league and all that...bloke down the pub in a Sunderland jersey told me so..."

Anyone who says the LOI is crap in 2009 is really just a braindead moron or hasn't a clue about soccer. The only people I ever hear saying the LOI is crap are Irish people and all they know about soccer is that box of flashing lights in the corner of the living room for which they develop a deep emotional and cultural connection too.

There are plenty of leagues all over Europe which are mush worse in standard than LOI and the clubs are well supported by the locals. You see, the Irish are a simple folk and are easily led by media and mass marketing. Whoever presented them with the most flashing lights, wins their hearts.

I could not have put it better myself.

I remember there was a league of Ireland player, whom I will not name, that I thought was class as a kid. I later worked with him and was delighted to find that he was the nicest fellow you could ever meet. Absolute gent.

live2thewire

Nostradamus wrote: »

And they would NEVER support a foreign team over their hometown club.

Some More LOI Europe Results

UEFA CUP

Abeedeen 1 Bohs 2


Kaiserslautren 0 Bohs 1

Champions League

Bohs 3 BATE Borisov 0


Cork and Derry have very impressive victories in Europe in recent years which the "sporting mad Irish public" seem to have ignored as well. But ya know..."it's a crap league and all that...bloke down the pub in a Sunderland jersey told me so..."

Anyone who says the LOI is crap in 2009 is really just a braindead moron or hasn't a clue about soccer. The only people I ever hear saying the LOI is crap are Irish people and all they know about soccer is that box of flashing lights in the corner of the living room for which they develop a deep emotional and cultural connection too.

There are plenty of leagues all over Europe which are mush worse in standard than LOI and the clubs are well supported by the locals. You see, the Irish are a simple folk and are easily led by media and mass marketing. Whoever presented them with the most flashing lights, wins their hearts.

lol exactly. i mean i like bayern munich, they're a big team with great history with some great players and as well i was born in the city but i wouldn't fool myself into thinking that bayern are 'we' or anything rubbish like that.

its just at least if people knew they were fooling themselves but people like that guy who commented about murdoch ruining football here are away with the birds and embarassing in so many ways.

Padman

Danno wrote: »

Nice idea, but not practical. The pitches are too big, the grounds are not suited to crowd segregation and police handling of these crowds would be some task.

Pitches are never "too" big.Just move the nets closer..Simple.Thats how its done in Croker.But This wont happen anyway becauce the gards are stretched enough as it is.The wont be able to handle at least 15k fans from each qualifying country plus the riots between Irish/English fans would be immense.

curious guy

Good idea if da stadiums were mproved good play premership matches and the likes after da tournament generating more money..and would be amazing for soccer in Ireland ...if its profitable it shud be done...are the capacities of the stadiums big enough?

Koloman

curious guy wrote: »

Good idea if da stadiums were mproved good play premership matches and the likes after da tournament generating more money..and would be amazing for soccer in Ireland ...if its profitable it shud be done...are the capacities of the stadiums big enough?

Why would they want to play premiership games in Ireland?

curious guy

Shur dont a load of Irish people go over to support premership teams... dont have much respect for it myself like Irish lads getting upset when their soccer team get bet is a bit sad if ya ask me ...but like thats just the way it is might as well play it over here and generate some profit in my opinion...

Pisser Dignam

curious guy wrote: »

Shur dont a load of Irish people go over to support premership teams... dont have much respect for it myself like Irish lads getting upset when their soccer team get bet is a bit sad if ya ask me ...but like thats just the way it is might as well play it over here and generate some profit in my opinion...

But Ryanair would lose millions

Koloman

curious guy wrote: »

Shur dont a load of Irish people go over to support premership teams... dont have much respect for it myself like Irish lads getting upset when their soccer team get bet is a bit sad if ya ask me ...but like thats just the way it is might as well play it over here and generate some profit in my opinion...

Unfortunately you are right. There are a lot of sad people who fly over to watch the premier league.

The last thing I would want is those people turning up here to watch those matches!