Irish obsession with English soccer

7 7 12

So I was out earlier in the local , not being a football I didn't realize there was some big match on with Manchester United playing. I'd say a good 60-70% of the people there had MU jerseys on (these are around €50 if I'm not wrong)) ?

Apart from that, we all know these types and they are usually the same ones going crazy shouting for Ireland soccer team in the Euro 2012 or other competitions and probably punch you in the face if you walked into the pub with an England jersey or cheered for England, called them English, etc.

It doesn't add up. They are also the same types who try to associate some Irish element with Manchester United/Liverpool/etc to make sense of their complete hypocrisy. (yes I know some Irish people play for those clubs but the clue is in the name of the club - MANCHESTER, which is in ENGLAND, in the UNITED KINGDOM) A LOT more Irish players play for IRISH clubs! (Shock horror!)

I know the skill level is much higher in English soccer and it's nicer to watch but the outright fanaticism demonstrated by swathes of Irish people tonight was overwhelming. Screaming passionately at the ref, hugging each other and roaring when Manchester United scored, etc. Like it was something incredibly important in their lives.

I have a friend who supports Bohemians in the Irish league, (who incidentally aren't paying their players £100,000+ a week) and could probably put the ticket/jersey sales to a lot better use.

Where does this hypocrisy stem from? Please no smart arse answers :pac:

uch

Sure it's Great altogether

skinny90

Closing thread in 5....4....3....2

vicwatson

It's Football not Soccer:mad:

7 7 12

skinny90 wrote: »

Closing thread in 5....4....3....2

Why? I think it's a valid point and could make an interesting discussion

SV

They don't like England but they like the English league because, as you've stated, it's a much higher standard.
Rare to see many actual English players on these teams anyway, it's multinational.



Personally not a fan of anyone but enjoy the game, makes for much more enjoyable viewing when you don't actually care what the result is.

barney 20v

Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very
disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more
important than that." Bill Shankly

uch

1

7 7 12

vicwatson wrote: »

It's Football not Soccer:mad:

What's that thing GAA players play, not hurling the other one... hmmm must be the same sport .... carry on!

Cookie_Monster

7 7 12 wrote: »

not being a football

Are you sure you're not a football?

vicwatson

7 7 12 wrote: »

What's that thing GAA players play, not hurling the other one... hmmm must be the same sport .... carry on!

Eh you mean Gaelic Football? Right

uch

7 7 12 wrote: »

What's that thing GAA players play, not hurling the other one... hmmm must be the same sport .... carry on!

Legal Murder

Lyaiera

All soccer fans are thugs.
All rugby fans are thick private school boys.
All hockey players are slutty private school girls.
All GAA fans are boggers.
All golf fans are old men.
All tennis fans are gold digging wives.

There's some more typical, lazy sports stereotyping for you.

PogMoThoin

You sound like a barrel of laughs OP

Mr Whirly

I'm assuming the op wrote his post on his Irish made laptop, drank Irish beer in his local, drives an Irish car, only listens to Irish bands etc etc...

People can consume whatever entertainment they want. It's ridiculous to say you can't be a fan of something because it's not irish

barney 20v

Lyaiera wrote: »

All soccer fans are thugs.
All rugby fans are thick private school boys.
All hockey players are slutty private school girls.
All GAA fans are boggers.
All golf fans are old men.
All tennis fans are gold digging wives.

There's some more typical, lazy sports stereotyping for you.

Mmmm...slutty private school girls....;)

vicwatson

7 7 12 wrote: »

Why? I think it's a valid point and could make an interesting discussion

Go to bed Wednesday pub night man:)

Jarrod

The thing about Arsenal is, they always try to walk it in.

7 7 12

Lyaiera wrote: »

All soccer fans are thugs.
All rugby fans are thick private school boys.
All hockey players are slutty private school girls.
All GAA fans are boggers.
All golf fans are old men.
All tennis fans are gold digging wives.

There's some more typical, lazy sports stereotyping for you.

How does some valid observations equate to stereotyping? Where did I insinuate they were all thugs? And if you want to challenge my argument, walk into a pub in Dublin wearing an England soccer jersey next time "Manchester United" are playing.

1ZRed

vicwatson wrote: »

It's Football not Soccer:mad:

What are you, English?

orestes

The premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

SV

orestes wrote: »

The premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

Sea.

Xavi6

7 7 12 wrote: »

What's that thing GAA players play, not hurling the other one... hmmm must be the same sport .... carry on!

Farm/bog ball. Take your pick.

Lyaiera

7 7 12 wrote: »

How does some valid observations equate to stereotyping? Where did I insinuate they were all thugs? And if you want to challenge my argument, walk into a pub in Dublin wearing an England soccer jersey next time "Manchester United" are playing.

Eh, your valid observations aren't valid observations they're stereotyping.

In fact you just said you weren't stereotyping then in the very next sentence you stereotyped.

dan1895

orestes wrote: »

The premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

Your not supposed to hate it but why would you support it?

7 7 12

Mr Whirly wrote: »

I'm assuming the op wrote his post on his Irish made laptop, drank Irish beer in his local, drives an Irish car, only listens to Irish bands etc etc...

People can consume whatever entertainment they want. It's ridiculous to say you can't be a fan of something because it's not irish

Yes but I don't drink French beer and then go on the warpath about how much I hate French beer.

Other people like something you don't OP, life's too short.

The Gibzilla

Unbelievable Jeff!

uch

orestes wrote: »

The Airtricity premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

FYP

7 7 12

orestes wrote: »

The premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

No ,, LISTEN TO ME!

I have no problem with these people liking Manchester United, but their hatred for the English soccer team while supporting an English soccer team doesn't add up... you can't argue with that one

They are usually staunch nationalists too

vicwatson

1ZRed wrote: »

What are you, English?

Certainly not American anyway :pac::pac:

You cant go changing the name of a game when it suits. The game is called football. Get over it

dan1895

Mr Whirly wrote: »

I'm assuming the op wrote his post on his Irish made laptop, drank Irish beer in his local, drives an Irish car, only listens to Irish bands etc etc...

People can consume whatever entertainment they want. It's ridiculous to say you can't be a fan of something because it's not irish

You obviously are unfamiliar with the concept of supporting a sports team.

twinQuins

7 7 12 wrote: »

So I was out earlier in the local , not being a football I didn't realize [...]

Perfect chance to derail the thread missed. I guess you could say you guys really dropped the ball on this one!

No? Fine, I'll get my coat...

uch

7 7 12 wrote: »

No ,, LISTEN TO ME!

I have no problem with these people liking Manchester United, but their hatred for the English soccer team while supporting an English soccer team doesn't add up... you can't argue with that one

I think you'll find quite a few that will argue that one with you,,, not me, but go figure

hunter164

orestes wrote: »

The premier league is the most watched football league in the world.

Are we just supposed to hate anything and everything just because it's English?

The point he's making is why are they cheering on lads one week and then the next week booing them because they're in an England jersey? Where's the logic in that? To them it's fine to go around in a jersey from an English team but at the same time they the English team.

7 7 12

hunter164 wrote: »

The point he's making is why are they cheering on lads one week and then the next week booing them because they're in an England jersey? Where's the logic in that? To them it's fine to go around in a jersey from an English team but at the same time they the English team.

Yes that's not what I was originally getting at but is my main point now ...

The Gibzilla

7 7 12 wrote: »

No ,, LISTEN TO ME!

I have no problem with these people liking Manchester United, but their hatred for the English soccer team while supporting an English soccer team doesn't add up... you can't argue with that one

They are usually staunch nationalists too

I think you'll find you can. The English team consistently under perform and are over-hyped by the English media when any major international tournament arises which can be quite irritating and frustrating for many football/soccer fans.

Mr Whirly

7 7 12 wrote: »

Yes but I don't drink French beer and then go on the warpath about how much I hate French beer.

That would be mental alright.

It doesn't really apply to your argument though.

orestes

dan1895 wrote: »

Your not supposed to hate it but why would you support it?

I find it entertaining and enjoy it, so why shouldn't I?

7 7 12 wrote: »

No ,, LISTEN TO ME!

I have no problem with these people liking Manchester United, but their hatred for the English soccer team while supporting an English soccer team doesn't add up... you can't argue with that one

OK THEN!!2121!!

Because the English national team is a representation of the English nation, which some people have a lot of issue with due to the history between England and Ireland as nations, added to the problems caused by English fans tearing apart the Irish national football stadium a while back still being a sore point with Irish fans when it comes to international games.

The premier league isn't a national institution, it's a collection of teams based in England, where not all of the players and not even all of the teams are English.

ejmaztec

It's a game of tree turds.

Mr Whirly

dan1895 wrote: »

You obviously are unfamiliar with the concept of supporting a sports team.

How so?

anncoates

Mr Whirly wrote: »

I'm assuming the op wrote his post on his Irish made laptop, drank Irish beer in his local, drives an Irish car, only listens to Irish bands etc etc...

People can consume whatever entertainment they want. It's ridiculous to say you can't be a fan of something because it's not irish

That doesn't explain why the very same people don't opt to support Spain or Engkand or the ones that also support GAA don't all just support Kilrenny.

7 7 12

orestes wrote: »

I find it entertaining and enjoy it, so why shouldn't I?



OK THEN!!2121!!

Because the English national team is a representation of the English nation, which some people have a lot of issue with due to the history between England and Ireland as nations.

Ok now we are getting somewhere (an intelligent argument on after hours what's going on!!) If these people feel so strongly about the history between Ireland and England - why do they devote such a large proportion of their time/money/etc to what are essentially English (or British) teams? There's only so much you can disassociate "Manchester United" from "Manchester" before it starts getting ridiculous.

dan1895

Mr Whirly wrote: »

How so?

Laptop manufacturers and car manufacturers are not the same as a local sports club. Comparing them as you have done is idiocy trying to defend an idiotic point of view that just so happens to be held by the idiotic majority of football "fans" in this country.

allthedoyles

do you watch Sky News ....They never talk about Irish News

Ever shopped in Dixons, Next, Debenhams, Topshop, Boots, Superdrug, Argos, hmv, JJB sports, Dorothy Perkins, Maplin, Currys, T.K. Maxx, PC World, Game Stop

They are all British .

deisedave

7 7 12 wrote: »

Yes that's not what I was originally getting at but is my main point now ...

This thread has been done to death and I would not be surprised if you got the idea for this thread by reading boards previously. But football is about having fun Manchester fans hate Liverpool fans but not really, same with international football the Irish fans want to see England destroyed but all in good fun.

7 7 12

anncoates wrote: »

That doesn't explain why the very same people don't opt to support Spain or Engkand or the ones that also support GAA don't all just support Kilrenny.

Exactly, despite having brilliant clubs of just as good skill levels (from what I've heard I don't watch soccer) in Spain/Italy/France/etc the Irish seem to fanatically support the English teams.

Micky Dolenz

/soccer related thread.

You made me say a dirty word.