Do you support any British sports teams?

Yag reuoY

I struggle to understand why so many Irish are interested in various British sporting teams.

The justification seems to be a close proximity, but this is hardly a valid reason. Look at mainland Europe: do they follow teams from neighbouring countries to such an extent?

Then there are those who point to the Irish players in the British leagues. Sure, this may be true, but this only happens because of the lack of interest in League of Ireland -- how can they compete when all their players are swallowed up?

I wouldn't really care if the same people who adore these teams addressed their bilateral hatred for British culture and core values.

As things currently stand it's more than a little hypocritical.

Biggins

No

Yes, I do.
Why not?

I support British teams as much as I support any other world teams (and sports) I like.

Yag reuoY

No

Biggins wrote: »

Yes, I do.
Why not?

It is a completely different country.

Do you support any Irish teams?

Biggins

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

It is a completely different country.

Do you support any Irish teams?

Most definately - even if they don't have much chance of getting far.
Support them for their efforts - not just when they are winning.

Mickeroo

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

I struggle to understand why so many Irish are interested in various British sporting teams.

The justification seems to be a close proximity, but this is hardly a valid reason. Look at mainland Europe: do they follow teams from neighbouring countries to such an extent?

Then there are those who point to the Irish players in the British leagues. Sure, this may be true, but this only happens because of the lack of interest in League of Ireland -- how can they compete when all their players are swallowed up?

I wouldn't really care if the same people who adore these teams addressed their bilateral hatred for British culture and core values.

As things currently stand it's more than a little hypocritical.

People in every continent on the planet support british soccer teams(spainish teams too,possibly italian).

Dangerous Man

Yag reuoY wrote: »

I struggle to understand why so many Irish are interested in various British sporting teams.

The justification seems to be a close proximity, but this is hardly a valid reason. Look at mainland Europe: do they follow teams from neighbouring countries to such an extent?

Then there are those who point to the Irish players in the British leagues. Sure, this may be true, but this only happens because of the lack of interest in League of Ireland -- how can they compete when all their players are swallowed up?

I wouldn't really care if the same people who adore these teams addressed their bilateral hatred for British culture and core values.

As things currently stand it's more than a little hypocritical.

Personally no - but I live in Canada and the English Premier League is extremely popular here. A lot of my Canadian friends support English soccer teams. I don't see a problem with it.

rounding tattenham Corner

its not just ireland, go to singapore on a saturday night and watch all those locals watching and supporting english football, also in norway there has always been a great love of english football.
so i'm not sure what you're on about

westendgirlie

The thing that made me laugh was when the queen visited. There were protesters with banners stating "Queenie Out" whilst wearing their Man Utd jerseys!!!!

Wolfe Tone

What aspects of British culture, and what "core values" do these people hate?

My name is URL

What a fresh and original topic!

Anyway, there's like 10 million Man Utd supporters in China, so it's not just something which applies to Ireland.

stovelid

No

Yes.

Big Nasty

I don't support any teams/not interested in sport

What angle are you coming from on this OP?

Are you talking about the hypocrite 'tiocfaidh ar la' heads wearing Manchester jerseys?

charlemont

No, I'm not British.

Yag reuoY

No

rounding tattenham Corner wrote: »

its not just ireland, go to singapore on a saturday night and watch all those locals watching and supporting english football, also in norway there has always been a great love of english football.
so i'm not sure what you're on about

There is a key difference: other nations don't harbour such bitterness towards the British.

It really is a pathetic spectacle.

Yag reuoY

No

My name is URL wrote: »

What a fresh and original topic!

Anyway, there's like 10 million Man Utd supporters in China, so it's not just something which applies to Ireland.

China doesn't hate Britain.

gooch2k9

Its the entertainment factor too? People support english soccer teams because they are amongst the best, and easily watched. Irish soccer is not.

Irish rugby provinces though are at the top, and are also easily watched so you don't see people supporting english rugby teams.

DazMarz

No

Yep, I'm a Chelsea fan through and through. Influence of a cousin got me into them, and I've just loved em since I was 6. Don't know why, particularly, but probably the high exposure of the English Premier League over here, wanting to belong to what was once a small and select group of football fans.

I love my little trips over to London (and beyond sometimes!) to see Chelsea playing. Either on my own, or with friends, you can always be guaranteed to have a bit of craic going over to the games. I love the whole atmosphere over there, and it's even better at away games. When you're in the minority, when it's us against them, hedged into a small area into the worst stand in the opponent's stadium... the roar of the crowd, the urging on of the players, the passion, the highs, the lows, the glory, the pain... it's all there. and it's just absolutely enthralling and addictive.

Yag reuoY

No

westendgirlie wrote: »

The thing that made me laugh was when the queen visited. There were protesters with banners stating "Queenie Out" whilst wearing their Man Utd jerseys!!!!

A great example of the sheer hypocrisy that I aim to highlight.

My name is URL

Yag reuoY wrote: »

China doesn't hate Britain.

Ireland doesn't hate Britain. I know you're suggesting that some bigotry exists here, and it does. But to hint that 'Ireland' hates Britain is fairly bigoted too.

Biggins

No

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

What aspects of British culture, and what "core values" do these people hate?

Why don't you start a thread on that - except make it about ALL countries - and not just pick on England again?

ottostreet

Red Bull Racing & McLaren in F1.

Both are British teams (well Red Bull are Austrian and British) but it has nothing to do with which country theyre from.

LordSutch

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

It is a completely different country.

'a completely different country' you say, but is it?

Therein lies the age old conundrum.

rounding tattenham Corner

Yag reuoY wrote: »

There is a key difference: other nations don't harbour such bitterness towards the British.

It really is a pathetic spectacle.

i agree with you on the hippocrates, but i never have had any bitterness to anything british (except Arsenal) so does not apply to me and i'd say i'm in the majority

Wolfe Tone

Biggins wrote: »

Why don't you start a thread on that - except make it about ALL countries - and not just pick on England again?

Hm?

I genuinely curious what "core values" and culture of the British he thinks Irish people hate.

What do you think they are Biggins? I'm at a loss.

dlofnep

I don't support any teams/not interested in sport

No - I'm not a fan of field sports, or team sports in general.

stovelid

No

You have valid points OP but you're wasting your time. People will argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin before admitting they eschew otherwisg fervent national feelings to glory hunt English teams.

Mickeroo

No

stovelid wrote: »

You have valid points OP but you're wasting your time. People will argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin before admitting they eschew otherwisg fervent national feelings to glory hunt English teams.

Way to tar everyone with the same brush.

cassi

Football fans like to watch good football, English teams play good football! I don't see any problem in that.

BASHIR

No

Yes I support English football teams, Irish ones too. I will be cheering for Ireland on Tuesday and if they unfortunately don't make it through to the European championships i will follow england and hope to see them do well, why not. They are our nearest neighbours.

Son Of A Vidic

My name is URL wrote: »

Anyway, there's like 10 million Man Utd supporters in China, so it's not just something which applies to Ireland.

The Manchester Evening News claims it's around the 70 million mark.

marco_polo

The PL is extremely popular in Scandanavia and many SE Asia countries to name but two other regions (I even met a Man United supporting Buddist monk on my travels :P).

Yag reuoY

No

Mickeroo wrote: »

Way to tar everyone with the same brush.

What are you complaining about?

Is it not the case that 99% of the Irish support the likes of Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and, when the cash came pouring in, Chelsea.

I wonder how many of you are Bristol Rovers fans? :rolleyes:

Biggins

No

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Hm?

I genuinely curious what "core values" and culture of the British he thinks Irish people hate.

What do you think they are Biggins? I'm at a loss.

I have me suspicions but to be totally honest, whom am I to cast the 'first stones' so I decline to start just listing things, to be see as possibly slagging off a neighbour.

Yag reuoY

No

BASHIR wrote: »

Yes I support English football teams, Irish ones too. I will be cheering for Ireland on Tuesday and if they unfortunately don't make it through to the European championships i will follow england and hope to see them do well, why not. They are our nearest neighbours.

Here's a very valid question: do you cheer England on when they play?

If not, why not?

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

RichT

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

Here's a very valid question: do you cheer England on when they play?

If not, why not?

I cheer on England when they play.

Biggins

No

Veles wrote: »

Oh! What a splendid original thread, the likes of which I have never ever laid eyes on before!

Welcome to boards.ie.

Yag reuoY

No

Veles wrote: »

Oh!what a splendid,original thread the likes of which i have never ever layed eyes on before!

Liverpool, right?

Wolfe Tone

Biggins wrote: »

I have me suspicions but to be totally honest, whom am I to cast the 'first stones' so I decline to start just listing things, to be see as possibly slagging off a neighbour.

Well, what I'm getting at Biggins is that any of the issues I have with Britain as a whole are certainly not about "cultural or core values" they have...

I would have cultural or core value objections against China, or Sharia law countries.

Yag reuoY

No

RichT wrote: »

I cheer on England when they play.

That's good to hear, but somehow I reckon you're in the minority.

westendgirlie

I'm a Millwall supporter. No one likes me, but I don't care.

Son Of A Vidic

People who might support an English PL team will do so for various reasons, like perhaps their history, the links with Ireland and the style of football they play ect, ect.

Yag reuoY wrote: »

I wonder how many of you are Bristol Rovers fans? :rolleyes:

Probably none because they are shyte who play shyte football.

My name is URL

Yag reuoY wrote: »

Here's a very valid question: do you cheer England on when they play?

If not, why not?

Is there some unwritten rule which states that you have to? If somebody buys goods made in China, or enjoys the cuisine, are they also somehow bound to support the politics of the country?

Biggins

No

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Well, what I'm getting at Biggins is that any of the issues I have with Britain as a whole are certainly not about "cultural or core values" they have...

I would have cultural or core value objections against China, or Sharia law countries.

...And thats quite fair enough - I suspect in that regard, we'd be thinking very much alike.

Probably something along the same lines as John Cleese?

See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2032956/John-Cleese-London-longer-English-city-thats-got-2012-Olympics.html

RichT

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

That's good to hear, but somehow I reckon you're in the minority.

Don't think so.........

Every fellow Englishman I know allways cheers England on. :P

Yag reuoY

No

My name is URL wrote: »

Is there some unwritten rule which states that you have to? If somebody buys goods made in China, or enjoys the cuisine, are they also somehow bound to support the politics of the country?

If you possess strong feelings of hatred and bitterness towards the Chinese yet simultaneously kit your house out in Chinese goods, you would look like a total moron.

BASHIR

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

Here's a very valid question: do you cheer England on when they play?

If not, why not?

No not particularly why because I dont watch English international games because more than likely Ireland will be playin too Friday night for example. But I was interested in how they do. I'd say plenty of people in Ireland have relatives and family in England. It is a sport and it interests me, no hidden agenda or bias just a sport that I enjoy. Now if was England v Ireland i'd hate the feckers

jive

God I hate this argument. Every other week some gob shíte on here thinks he's copped something genius and that all these lads supporting English teams are hypocrites. Let my rant begin

To kick things off, not all people who support English teams 'hate' England. The quality of football is much better in the premiership and thus makes it more entertaining to watch for the majority of people. I think everyone supports their local team to some extent but to be honest I don't want to pay to stand in the pissing rain in crap stadiums in the middle of an Irish winter.

The premiership is televised every weekend and matches that aren't televised can be found online. Not only that but Match of the Day is on every Saturday and Sunday night not to mention that Sky Sports News covers the premiership every day of the week. Do you get that level of coverage for any Irish teams? No and for a large number of reasons you never will. Premiership teams also get to play against other European teams in various cup competitions. The fact that you can get all these matches online means you don't even have to have a TV to follow English teams (or you can go down to the pub if you support one of the bigger teams). It actually works out cheaper to follow an English team than an Irish one.

TL;DR
English teams get more coverage, better coverage, more matches, play against other European teams, can be watched online, better standard of football and it's cheaper.

LeixlipRed

I don't support any teams/not interested in sport

Real fans go to games. Forza Shelbourne :pac:

Wolfe Tone

jive wrote: »

God I hate this argument. Every other week some gob shíte on here thinks he's copped something genius and that all these lads supporting English teams are hypocrites. Let my rant begin

To kick things off, not all people who support English teams 'hate' England. The quality of football is much better in the premiership and thus makes it more entertaining to watch for the majority of people. I think everyone supports their local team to some extent but to be honest I don't want to pay to stand in the pissing rain in crap stadiums in the middle of an Irish winter.

The premiership is televised every weekend and matches that aren't televised can be found online. Not only that but Match of the Day is on every Saturday and Sunday night not to mention that Sky Sports News covers the premiership every day of the week. Do you get that level of coverage for any Irish teams? No and for a large number of reasons you never will. Premiership teams also get to play against other European teams in various cup competitions. The fact that you can get all these matches online means you don't even have to have a TV to follow English teams (or you can go down to the pub if you support one of the bigger teams). It actually works out cheaper to follow an English team than an Irish one.

TL;DR
English teams get more coverage, better coverage, more matches, play against other European teams, can be watched online, better standard of football and it's cheaper.

Good post

Mickeroo

No

Yag reuoY wrote: »

What are you complaining about?

Is it not the case that 99% of the Irish support the likes of Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and, when the cash came pouring in, Chelsea.

I wonder how many of you are Bristol Rovers fans? :rolleyes:

I know a spurs fan, a blackburn fan, a west ham fan, a sheffield wednesday fan, I'm an arsenal fan myself. Who cares what team anyone supports though, it's a just a game I watch for entertainment.

That's not what I was complaining about if you read the post I was responding to. I was suggesting it's unfair to assume everyone who supports PL or other british team is eschewing "otherwise fervent national feelings to glory hunt English teams". I watched always watch Ireland play too as frustrating as that is but I have no bad feelings towards England whatsoever, in fact once Ireland are out of a tournament(or fail to qualify as is usually the case) I tend to follow the English team as they are our cloest neighbours.

I would also consider it hypocritical of people to be outspoken of their hatred for england but then turn around and support a british club every weekend, so I actually agree with you on that, it's just your original post seems to suggest that everyone who supports a team over there does that which is not the case. I watch british football because its entertaining and I enjoy it nothing more.