FAI's disregard for Irish fans

WoollyRedHat

This is something obvious to most and has been an ongoing thing for years and years about how the top at FAI run things and how they treat their fans

Irish football fans for the most part are very patient and while at times frustrated with the team, still follow them, despite their failings at times

However, the way FAI have acted and continue to act, with a clear disregard for fans is evident for everyone to see

Firstly, the new kit that they have brought out is nothing short of ridicolous for two reasons. For one, their continuing insistance of only offering fans jerseys with the sponsor, which makes it look very unappealing, and Ireland uniquely being one of the very few teams to have the sponsor plastered across the jersey with no option

And as well as this, the jersey which is still being used has been barely used, been worn 12 times, this combined to when they changed from Eircom and 3 and thus released the same jersey with the different sponsor, have now decided that yet another jersey is due. Why are FAI releasing jerseys for such a short period of time? Their money-making tactics on this front, show an insistance to do as they please and show contempt to the fans

Finally, the FAI continue to overcharge for tickets with the madness of seeking €45 for a friendly shocking and an insult to the fans once again

But the problem remains, the fans to some extent put up with FAI's tactics and no manager or player seems willing to speak up about it.

Irish fans need to show the FAI that it is we who pays them and to actually to us for a change.

18 months for a jersey and a new one is released? I mean come on, it's a joke.

Kidchameleon

Ticket prices are bloody savage I agree, selling TV rights of friendly's to Sky was a horrible move. Id never trade my WC2002 jersey for anything though!

Pinturicchio

Don't buy the new jerseys if you don't want to.

UglyBolloxFace

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

This is something obvious to most and has been an ongoing thing for years and years about how the top at FAI run things and how they treat their fans

Irish football fans for the most part are very patient and while at times frustrated with the team, still follow them, despite their failings at times

However, the way FAI have acted and continue to act, with a clear disregard for fans is evident for everyone to see

Firstly, the new kit that they have brought out is nothing short of ridicolous for two reasons. For one, their continuing insistance of only offering fans jerseys with the sponsor, which makes it look very unappealing, and Ireland uniquely being one of the very few teams to have the sponsor plastered across the jersey with no option

And as well as this, the jersey which is still being used has been barely used, been worn 12 times, this combined to when they changed from Eircom and 3 and thus released the same jersey with the different sponsor, have now decided that yet another jersey is due. Why are FAI releasing jerseys for such a short period of time? Their money-making tactics on this front, show an insistance to do as they please and show contempt to the fans

Finally, the FAI continue to overcharge for tickets with the madness of seeking €45 for a friendly shocking and an insult to the fans once again

But the problem remains, the fans to some extent put up with FAI's tactics and no manager or player seems willing to speak up about it.

Irish fans need to show the FAI that it is we who pays them and to actually to us for a change.

18 months for a jersey and a new one is released? I mean come on, it's a joke.

Here's how we lazy Irish bastards should change it:

(1) Write/email/contact in anyway possible Delaney and his cronies and outline your disgust.

(2) Stop gong to the matches. Yes, it is as simple as that... Just think about it - if we all stopped buying tickets (even for one game) then these cúnts would quickly cop onto themselves and lower the prices; I guarantee it. So instead of rushing out to buy tickets for the next game, don't buy any at all. Watch it in your local pub (if it's on TV), or don't watch it at all.

(3) Stop buying the jersies. Full stop. Why, if you already have a jersey, would you go out and buy a new jersey 18 months later? Cop on, don't be trying to 'keep up with the Jones''.

And don't get me started on the way the FAI have treated our LOI players with regard to this poxy Dublin Cup. How dare they have to go without a dressing room, just because the other three teams are internationally renowned? I'm sick of it.

WoollyRedHat

UglyBolloxFace wrote: »

Here's how we lazy Irish bastards should change it:

(1) Write/email/contact in anyway possible Delaney and his cronies and outline your disgust.

(2) Stop gong to the matches. Yes, it is as simple as that... Just think about it - if we all stopped buying tickets (even for one game) then these cúnts would quickly cop onto themselves and lower the prices; I guarantee it. So instead of rushing out to buy tickets for the next game, don't buy any at all. Watch it in your local pub (if it's on TV), or don't watch it at all.

(3) Stop buying the jersies. Full stop. Why, if you already have a jersey, would you go out and buy a new jersey 18 months later? Cop on, don't be trying to 'keep up with the Jones''.

And don't get me started on the way the FAI have treated our LOI players with regard to this poxy Dublin Cup. How dare they have to go without a dressing room, just because the other three teams are internationally renowned? I'm sick of it.

Yes, there needs to be people willing to stand up to the organisation.

To be honest I was shocked and amazed to learn that John Delaney earns a staggering €400,000, having once been paid €450,000. This all the while, when our manager's wages are subsidised by a wealthy businessman.. it's madness.
It is typical of FAI that they have also not looked after the LOI players for the Super Cup, seems they are much more concerned about themselves than those lower down.. hardly any surprise though, considering the 2002 incident with the national team. FAI won't listen to anybody and is a self-serving organisation which only looks after itself and does not take criticism well.

In regard to the matches, this is already happening, the numbers are dropping, but FAI continue to set high prices for games, with a much of a nothing reduction that they brought out recently



People are very right that you don't have to buy the new jersey, but of course there will unfortunately always be those who do and FAI can continue to get away with it. In saying this, I am sure a lot of fans with the soon to be old jerseys are going to feel fairly pissed off, having bought it at around €60.


Very good article in the Independent about how" Nothing changes at the FAI"- http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/nothing-changes-at-the-fai-2834709.html

Mr. Denton

The FAI remind me of that episode of the Simpsons where Bart got an Elephant and Homer charged kids 50c to ride it. Everyone was happy with the product and the price. But when it was pointed out to him that that money raised wouldn't even pay for the elephants food he started charging $50 and was met only with scorn and incredulity.

Likewise the FAI are basically up to their necks in it and now they're trying every ridiculous angle to try pay the bills (new jersies, the Unity Cup, the Atrocity Cup, endless friendlies that are helping to only wreck our FIFA ranking etc). Homer Simpson could run the FAI better than Delaney (or at least as well).

WoollyRedHat

They don't care though, and will continue to manage the organisation uselessly and inefficently, to the detriment of fans


Things like The Genesis report which accused the FAI of corruption and cronyism were ignored and the full report was suppresed for "legal reasons". Some information on the report here:http://www.rte.ie/sport/2002/1112/fai.html

When you have people like that in charge, nothing will change, as the independent article so aptly states. Why won't they release the full report of Genesis. People don't seem to care about corruption and over paid exceutives who have long been on ridicolous salaries.. all rumblings and then it comes to nothing.

stovelid

If you're annoyed about this, don't ever support a team in the league they manage. Not a smart comment. Just mean that I think their stewardship there is worse.

dannydiamond

Get Roy Keane onto them.

holidaysong

Having the '3' logo on the front of your replica jersey is indeed the biggest problem in Irish football.

Mr. Denton

holidaysong wrote: »

Having the '3' logo on the front of your replica jersey is indeed the biggest problem in Irish football.

Could be worse. You could spill a few drops on it from your complimentary can of carlsberg.

WoollyRedHat

holidaysong wrote: »

Having the '3' logo on the front of your replica jersey is indeed the biggest problem in Irish football.

I didn't say that, I was citing it as an example however of how the FAI are money-grabbing basterds who don't care about the fans and wanted to mention how we are one of the only clubs that insists on having our sponsor on the replica jerseys

ynwa_17

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

I didn't say that, I was citing it as an example however of how the FAI are money-grabbing basterds who don't care about the fans and wanted to mention how we are one of the only clubs that insists on having our sponsor on the replica jerseys

Do you have a problem with Liverpool/Barcelona/Man United etc having a sponsor on their jersey?

homerjay2005

and fai bashing thread, how original.

ticket prices have come down and watching the irish national team is cheaper than watching the rugby against the likes of western somoa and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

Paully D

I'm not the biggest fan of the FAI, but regarding the jerseys, a lot of clubs/national FA's have a clause in their contracts stipulating that they have to release a new home and away jersey each season. Perhaps this is the case with the FAI too?

homerjay2005

Paully D wrote: »

I'm not the biggest fan of the FAI, but regarding the jerseys, a lot of clubs/national FA's have a clause in their contracts stipulating that they have to release a new home and away jersey each season. Perhaps this is the case with the FAI too?

I am pretty sure also that the dubs for example and the irish rugby team have jerseys every year or 18 months.

but sure, lets ignore that and bash the FAI. they are muppets at times and do alot to p*ss people off, but i think its been a better year for the FAI that previous years and right now, things are looking ok for them. theyve made mistakes, but they have improved.

DH2K9

homerjay2005 wrote: »

I am pretty sure also that the dubs for example and the irish rugby team have jerseys every year or 18 months.

but sure, lets ignore that and bash the FAI. they are muppets at times and do alot to p*ss people off, but i think its been a better year for the FAI that previous years and right now, things are looking ok for them. theyve made mistakes, but they have improved.

Dublin have a jersey every 2 years sometimes 3. They play more games than the Irish football team and to have a jersey for about 12 games is just a joke.

DH2K9

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and fai bashing thread, how original.

ticket prices have come down and watching the irish national team is cheaper than watching the rugby against the likes of western somoa and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

So you're happy paying 40 odd quid for a friendly?

Banjaxed82

Also, with Germany and Sweden in our group, watch out for the return of "double header" ticket bookings. I'm sure when the FAI negotiates our fixture list, the priority is to faciliate this joke.

WoollyRedHat

ynwa_17 wrote: »

Do you have a problem with Liverpool/Barcelona/Man United etc having a sponsor on their jersey?

That is different. National jerseys of other nations don't have a sponsor on the jersey and look a lot nicer

Fans should be given the choice to purchase a jersey without a big 3 imprinted on it, it makes the jersey look ugly.

And I hate the lazily applied phrase of " Oh, not another bashing thread" when someone tries to raise a debate about something, in a civilised way.

Rather than simply labelling it a bashing thread, which is all too easily applied, why not think about the criticisms of the organisation. They are all legitimate and it is not one or two things, but running problems which continue to hang over it and which are happily ignored.

This complaceny of, oh, well they're grand, they've ****ed up, but it could be worse, is all too typical of complacent people who really will settle for mediocricty. No wonder the F.A.I continue to operate in the way they do when there is no interest to question them or care about what they do.

I also don't get comparisions to it being cheaper now than the Rugby or GAA... so bloodly what, it's still a rip off... €45 for a friendly, get off it

Does anyone not have a problem of paying people like Delaney €430,000, while meanwhile you have a good bit of Trap's wage being paid by someone outside the organisation?

The fiasco of no showers for the LOI players is proof that the FAI have not learned from their mistakes and continue to not give a ****... and why should they, right?

ynwa_17

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Does anyone not have a problem of paying people like Delaney €430,000

And how much is David Bernstein paid at the FA? Scudamore is on over £800,000. I'm not sure why his wage keeps getting brought up, its not like he's demanded that much.

Paparazzo

UglyBolloxFace wrote: »

Here's how we lazy Irish bastards should change it:

(1) Write/email/contact in anyway possible Delaney and his cronies and outline your disgust.

(2) Stop gong to the matches. Yes, it is as simple as that... Just think about it - if we all stopped buying tickets (even for one game) then these cúnts would quickly cop onto themselves and lower the prices; I guarantee it. So instead of rushing out to buy tickets for the next game, don't buy any at all. Watch it in your local pub (if it's on TV), or don't watch it at all.

(3) Stop buying the jersies. Full stop. Why, if you already have a jersey, would you go out and buy a new jersey 18 months later? Cop on, don't be trying to 'keep up with the Jones''.

And don't get me started on the way the FAI have treated our LOI players with regard to this poxy Dublin Cup. How dare they have to go without a dressing room, just because the other three teams are internationally renowned? I'm sick of it.

I've done all 3. I remember an email going around about 6 or 7 years ago about the incompetency of the FAI. Not sure how real it was, but stuff like not voting for someone to become chief exec because they threw a bun at the christmas party.

flahavaj

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

That is different. National jerseys of other nations don't have a sponsor on the jersey and look a lot nicer

Fans should be given the choice to purchase a jersey without a big 3 imprinted on it, it makes the jersey look ugly.

Who gives a sh*t what the jersey look like? If they're getting a good sponsorship deal then good luck to them.

You sound like a ten year old tbh when the aesthetics of a jersey you're under no compunction to buy in the first place is one of your chief criticisms of the FAI.

Paparazzo

Of course the jersey isn't of vital importance. But it's just another way the FAI píss off fans.

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Very good article in the Independent about how" Nothing changes at the FAI"- http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/nothing-changes-at-the-fai-2834709.html

Reminds me of a story a mate was saying. He was a physio to an under age ireland team. They were playing away at a tournament in europe. He said a load of FAI officials went over, most didn't even attend a game or even know who Ireland were playing, they just used it as a big píss up and spent the entire time going on the lock.

WoollyRedHat

flahavaj wrote: »

Who gives a sh*t what the jersey look like? If they're getting a good sponsorship deal then good luck to them.

You sound like a ten year old tbh when the aesthetics of a jersey you're under no compunction to buy in the first place is one of your chief criticisms of the FAI.

If you look through my posts, it was something I had brought up and it is not one of my chief critiscisms at all, if you bothered to read my post.

The management at FAI is rotten and doesn't give a **** about football
and I would well believe Paparazzo in what your saying.. treatment of fans, treatment of its own staff for Gods sakes... contempt is the word.

homerjay2005

DH2K9 wrote: »

So you're happy paying 40 odd quid for a friendly?

Of course the cheaper the better, but I've had a season ticket for 4 years and renewed again...we get screwed over for everything cost wise in ireland, sport is the one thing I don't mind paying a few quid every now and then.

ynwa_17

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

If you look through my posts, it was something I had brought up and it is not one of my chief critiscisms at all, if you bothered to read my post.

The management at FAI is rotten and doesn't give a **** about football
and I would well believe Paparazzo in what your saying.. treatment of fans, treatment of its own staff for Gods sake.

And so what if they dont give a **** about football. Football is a business. I'm not saying they've done a good job but the idea that the people are the top of the organisation should:

1. Give a fúck about football and;
2. Give a fúck about the fans

is complete bollox. Their job is to run an efficient organisation to the best of their abilities.

They bring out new jerseys and charge €x for matches is because people are willing to buy the jersey and pay that price.

WoollyRedHat

ynwa_17 wrote: »

And so what if they dont give a **** about football. Football is a business. I'm not saying they've done a good job but the idea that the people are the top of the organisation should:

1. Give a fúck about football and;
2. Give a fúck about the fans

is complete bollox. Their job is to run an efficient organisation to the best of their abilities.

They bring out new jerseys and charge €x for matches is because people are willing to buy the jersey and pay that price.

If you look at any other football organisation, they're miles ahead of the likes of the FAI... if you're saying that so long as they rake in the money , surprise surprise they're not doing that very well because they're inefficent, inept morons

No one ever seems to care, why a report, which cost €30,000, was then suppressed, so that the FAI could bring out their own report Genesis II, meanwhile ignoring any incovenient truths about the way things were run by them, and listening to what they wanted to.

As a business it should be professional and show some respect, it does neither.

Paparazzo

ynwa_17 wrote: »

And so what if they dont give a **** about football. Football is a business. I'm not saying they've done a good job but the idea that the people are the top of the organisation should:

1. Give a fúck about football and;
2. Give a fúck about the fans

is complete bollox. Their job is to run an efficient organisation to the best of their abilities.

They bring out new jerseys and charge €x for matches is because people are willing to buy the jersey and pay that price.

There's a happy medium. Make money, and be good to the fans that pay that money. Look at the balls the fai make at everything. Read the article about the genesis reports. They couldn't organise a píss up in a brewery.

wandatowell

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

How much are the gaa charging if I may ask???

Gavin "shels"

What? John Delaney and the FAI are great!

homerjay2005

wandatowell wrote: »

How much are the gaa charging if I may ask???

€30 yesterday for the 1/4 finals. i assume its €45 for the semi and €80 for the final..

Spud83

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and fai bashing thread, how original.

ticket prices have come down and watching the irish national team is cheaper than watching the rugby against the likes of western somoa and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

That may have been true but unlike the FAI when the IRFU seen crap attendances they done something about it.

ROI v Croatia (next soccer friendly) tickets 30 or 45 euro

Ireland v England or France (next rugby friendlies) tickets 10 to 50 euro.

So the most expensive tickets are a fiver more, but there are plenty more cheap tickets available

Just to add I looked at the next competitive game for soccer v the last rugby game. 45 to 110 euro for soccer, 25 to 90 for rugby. Seriously over 100 euro for a qualifier, that is f*ckin insane.

Although I do find people complaining about the sponsorship and the ticket prices a bit weird you can't have your cake and eat it. In order for the FAI to reduce ticket prices they would probably need to "sell out" even more to the corporate world.

Dub13

They also very rarely play away friendlies,as that would mean less $$$$.

joshrogan

I haven't bought an Irish football jersey since the green and orange lined one.

Mr. Denton

Gavin shels wrote: »

What? John Delaney and the FAI are great!

That's also what the scene will be like immediately before Delaney is locked in the Wicker Man.

Why don't they put some effort into Landesdowne Road?

By this I mean, for example:
1) cheaper tickets. People are saying, people are prepared to pay for them, so why reduce them? I was at the games on Saturday, for the City game there was barely anyone there, for the celtic game it was maybe 40% full (at a rough guess). Now, the bars were open, doing a roaring trade, but if the tickets were cheaper (say, €10) there would have been an awful lot more people there. That would be more people buying programmes, buying beer, buying hot dogs. By reducing the cost of entry, they would make more money.
2) Do up Lansdowne Road. Celebrate the teams from the past using photo's, jerseys, programmes through the years, that sort of thing. This could be done with the IRFU and make it feel more like a "home" for Irish Rugby and Football.
3) I understand about season tickets, but at a poor selling match, why are they putting everyone up in the third level? They should move everyone down to the lower stands to create more of an atmosphere in the stadium. It's bizarre when the upper stands are full(ish) and downstairs is empty. I don't understand this at all. But I'd say it'd be pretty difficult to sort that out with the season ticket holders at the ground level.

On that, does anyone know what percentage of seats are held for season ticket holders?

Leejo

homerjay2005 wrote: »

€30 yesterday for the 1/4 finals. i assume its €45 for the semi and €80 for the final..

€30 yesterday for a minor match, Kerry-v-Limerick and Cork -v- Mayo. Don't see how anyone can say that's worse value than a meaningless friendly against Croatia for €40.

€45 and €80 is wide of the mark too. €40 tops for the better tickets for the semi's and final won't be anywhere near €80.

Hard Worker

Deleted User wrote: »

Why don't they put some effort into Landesdowne Road?

By this I mean, for example:
1) cheaper tickets. People are saying, people are prepared to pay for them, so why reduce them? I was at the games on Saturday, for the City game there was barely anyone there, for the celtic game it was maybe 40% full (at a rough guess). Now, the bars were open, doing a roaring trade, but if the tickets were cheaper (say, €10) there would have been an awful lot more people there. That would be more people buying programmes, buying beer, buying hot dogs. By reducing the cost of entry, they would make more money.

It wasn't an FAI gig.

Also, there were plenty of tickets available for Saturday for 30 euro. That's not bad for two games.

micks

Leejo wrote: »

€30 yesterday for a minor match, Kerry-v-Limerick and Cork -v- Mayo. Don't see how anyone can say that's worse value than a meaningless friendly against Croatia for €40.

€45 and €80 is wide of the mark too. €40 tops for the better tickets for the semi's and final won't be anywhere near €80.

Must have sold out with 6 teams' supporters?

homerjay2005

micks wrote: »

Must have sold out with 6 teams' supporters?

22,000 there, so people who blame it all on the fai, are a little off the mark when the gaa cant even get 4 big sporting counties to get more than 6,000 each to go to croke park.

stovelid

Maybe an obvious point but it's disingenuous and lazy to suggest that people's criticism of the FAI is not imaginative. People clearly have gripes and should be allowed to vent them and have them addressed without sarcasm.

K-9

homerjay2005 wrote: »

22,000 there, so people who blame it all on the fai, are a little off the mark when the gaa cant even get 4 big sporting counties to get more than 6,000 each to go to croke park.

40,000 on Saturday though, Kerry and Cork have traditionally terrible support at that stage. €30 is fantastic value.

flahavaj

K-9 wrote: »

40,000 on Saturday though, Kerry and Cork have traditionally terrible support at that stage. €30 is fantastic value.

Defininitely, wasn't there a minor game as well before it, which makes it 3 games for 30 quid.

K-9

flahavaj wrote: »

Defininitely, wasn't there a minor game as well before it, which makes it 3 games for 30 quid.

Yeah. The Q/F's have always been good value though because of a double header. Attendances are up over all from last year so they are doing something right.

Third_Echelon

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and fai bashing thread, how original.

ticket prices have come down and watching the irish national team is cheaper than watching the rugby against the likes of western somoa and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

Spud83 wrote: »

That may have been true but unlike the FAI when the IRFU seen crap attendances they done something about it.

ROI v Croatia (next soccer friendly) tickets 30 or 45 euro

Ireland v England or France (next rugby friendlies) tickets 10 to 50 euro.

So the most expensive tickets are a fiver more, but there are plenty more cheap tickets available

Just to add I looked at the next competitive game for soccer v the last rugby game. 45 to 110 euro for soccer, 25 to 90 for rugby. Seriously over 100 euro for a qualifier, that is f*ckin insane.

Although I do find people complaining about the sponsorship and the ticket prices a bit weird you can't have your cake and eat it. In order for the FAI to reduce ticket prices they would probably need to "sell out" even more to the corporate world.

Very true Spud, I picked up a ticket for Ireland vs France and Ireland vs England in the rugby this month for 25 euro a ticket... Fantastic value. That is for the upper west stand.

For the November internationals at the end of last year, people spoke with their feet and stayed away because of the high prices. First Irish rugby game back at Lansdowne against South Africa (would normally be a sell out) and 35,000 turned up. 15,000 empty seats. It looked a disgrace and in fairness to the IRFU, they did something about it.

Coillte_Bhoy

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and fai bashing thread, how original.

ticket prices have come down and watching the irish national team is cheaper than watching the rugby against the likes of western somoa and the gaa for roscommon v leitrim.

stiffler123

Tickets for the Armenia match are 45 which is a huge improvement from the 90 I paid for the Russia match. 90 is disgraceful but 45 I think is a fair price for a competitive game. At least they copped on a bit in that regard.

Coillte_Bhoy

stiffler123 wrote: »

Tickets for the Armenia match are 45 which is a huge improvement from the 90 I paid for the Russia match. 90 is disgraceful but 45 I think is a fair price for a competitive game. At least they copped on a bit in that regard.

Differnt tickets i'd imagine?

stiffler123

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Differnt tickets i'd imagine?

Ya the cheaper tickets were sold out but even the cheap tickets were around the 60 - 70 euro mark iirc so it's still a significant improvement. 45 is pretty good for a competitive game.

ilovelamp2000

ynwa_17 wrote: »

And so what if they dont give a **** about football. Football is a business. I'm not saying they've done a good job but the idea that the people are the top of the organisation should:

1. Give a fúck about football and;
2. Give a fúck about the fans

is complete bollox. Their job is to run an efficient organisation to the best of their abilities.

They bring out new jerseys and charge €x for matches is because people are willing to buy the jersey and pay that price.

I take it you're not running a business yourself.

Why should they give a **** about the product they're trying to sell or the people they want to sell it to is essentially what you're asking.

I would say the answer is fairly obvious.