Stephen Henderson and his appraisal of Irish football

Mec27

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/league-of-ireland-boss-goes-on-epic-rant-about-irish-football-culture/84666

He is right of course, it must be quite annoying to be involved in Irish football and hear the repeated calls of Irish fans as 'the best football fans in the world' in a country where nobody can get people through their gates.

But at the same time football in England and Spain and Germany is the exception rather than the rule. There is nothing that says a football league should look as refined and glamarous as they do, and what does it matter at the end of the day? Its just football.

Harry Palmr

The word bandwagoners was mentioned on the radio this morning, wondering about domestic attendances but then again a large number of those supporters are actually casuals who turn up for a mix of craic holiday sun and football. No one should expect them to be freezing their arses off at Turners Cross in gale.

Mec27

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The word bandwagoners was mentioned on the radio this morning, wondering about domestic attendances but then again a large number of those supporters are actually casuals who turn up for a mix of craic holiday sun and football. No one should expect them to be freezing their arses off at Turners Cross in gale.

Legit, it's just entertainment at the end of the day.

inforfun

I am not that man.
Just want to make that clear

Mec27

'dictating a plan not suited to our race'

Umaro

He doesn't really say anything about fans - I think he's got an axe to grind with the people at the top of the FAI and a certain Ruud Dokter. Its hardly the fans who are at fault for decisions made in Abbotstown.

The main reason there was such brilliant travelling support was because France is so accessible. Should we make it to Russia or Qatar in the next few years you won't have many "bandwagoners" making the trip.

Lovely Bloke

is he talking about the rude doctor?

The_Kew_Tour

In this case Yes

Joe_ Public

Fair play to him. Articulating the anger and frustration lots of people in Irish football feel. I wonder will he get slapped with a big fine now for his troubles.

inforfun

Yeah, you have a guy who once was the Dutch womens team coach and supervised several youth selections at the Dutch FA and before that the same job in the province of Groningen.

Now that sounds not too bad to have someone with that pedigree as the guy transforming your youth football. Problem in my opnion is that the real work at Dutch youth level is dont by the clubs.
And that is where he never worked.

Even Azerbaidjan understood that if you want to develop youth football, you go for the guy in charge at the club with the best youth academy so they picked up Stanley Brard at Feyenoord.

Oat23

He nails it here:
https://twitter.com/HOTSHOTZ2/status/747137758318198784?

After we were schooled by Belgium, there was some decent discussions on here, radio programs and in real life about the problems with Irish football and bleak outlook for the future. Then after the game against Italy B it was all sunshine and roses again. People went back to ignoring the problems.

We need to get absolutely destroyed in 2018 or 2020 qualifying for people to start giving a f*ck and try to force some real changes.

rob316

People like to follow big events they have no interest in the actual run up to it. I was out for the game yesterday and there was hoards of people wrapped in the tricolor who you knew had little interest in the game, just the occasion much like we saw across the media for the Euros. Not everyone obviously but you can pick them out.

While its true to use the word bandwagoners, I don't like it to use it as I want to see a huge support for Ireland, I want to see Turners Cross packed out every week. As a Cork City supporter I find it disheartening when 6/7k turn up to a full house when Dundalk are in town, the next week then half that will attend.

People complain about the quality of the LOI but if its not supported it can't improve. FAI have to rebuild football in this country but the population also needs to change their attitude towards it.

rob316

Oat23 wrote: »

He nails it here:
https://twitter.com/HOTSHOTZ2/status/747137758318198784?

After we were schooled by Belgium, there was some decent discussions on here, radio programs and in real life about the problems with Irish football and bleak outlook for the future. Then after the game against Italy B it was all sunshine and roses again. People went back to ignoring the problems.

We need to get absolutely destroyed in 2018 or 2020 qualifying for people to start giving a f*ck and try to force some real changes.

That's it, the FAI, Delaney will pat themselves on the back now and lap up all the praise for getting the an unfancied Irish side to the last 16 of European Championships for the first time ever.

It's awful to say but if were hammered to kingdom come by Italy, the real post mortem may have begun and benefited Irish football in the long run.

Joe_ Public

I don't remember the post mortems having much effect after 2012. Or for the 10 years before that when no Irish team could qualify for a finals. Or when the under 21s are seemingly going years without winning a decent match at all. If the political will isn't there to solve all the underlying issues that are hampering progress, it doesn't matter who you bring in as head of youth football. He hasn't a prayer of getting anything done.

Green Fella

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The word bandwagoners was mentioned on the radio this morning, wondering about domestic attendances but then again a large number of those supporters are actually casuals who turn up for a mix of craic holiday sun and football. No one should expect them to be freezing their arses off at Turners Cross in gale.

Maybe the shouldnt but when they are the self proclaimed best fans in the world, questions start getting raised how they only turn up once every 4 years

inforfun

It only makes it possible for Delaney to say: I am doing my best for Irish (youth) football. I even hired an experienced guy, all his life involved in youth football. In Holland no less.

Iang87

rob316 wrote: »

That's it, the FAI, Delaney will pat themselves on the back now and lap up all the praise for getting the an unfancied Irish side to the last 16 of European Championships for the first time ever.

It's awful to say but if were hammered to kingdom come by Italy, the real post mortem may have begun and benefited Irish football in the long run.

We were in the last 16 in 2012.

I understand the point you are making though. However had the Euros not changed format firstly we would not have qualified in the first place and would not have gotten out of the group either.

The media wont ask the real questions though and if it one breaks the mould and does he wont be answered because it'll mean delaney and his yes men will have to ask themselves real questions that they have piss all interest in answering.

Green Fella

inforfun wrote: »

Yeah, you have a guy who once was the Dutch womens team coach and supervised several youth selections at the Dutch FA and before that the same job in the province of Groningen.

Now that sounds not too bad to have someone with that pedigree as the guy transforming your youth football. Problem in my opnion is that the real work at Dutch youth level is dont by the clubs.
And that is where he never worked.

Even Azerbaidjan understood that if you want to develop youth football, you go for the guy in charge at the club with the best youth academy so they picked up Stanley Brard at Feyenoord.

So the great Ruud Dokter who will change the fortunes of Irish football, is in fact inferior to his Azerbaijan equivalent. I'm sure nobody is surprised.
Dutch football or the Eredivise is hardly in the best place right now either Im sure you'll agree.

HalloweenJack

Iang87 wrote: »

I understand the point you are making though. However had the Euros not changed format firstly we would not have qualified in the first place and would not have gotten out of the group either.

Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that didn't qualify for the Euros:
Holland and Bosnia
Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that did worse than us at the Euros:
Turkey, Russia, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Austria.

I hate seeing this point dragged up. It shouldn't take away from our achievements. There's more places at stake but I think it makes qualifying more competitive. Smaller nations feel they have a chance of qualifying while bigger nations might get complacent.

Then, the teams that qualify get big tournament experience. The likes of Iceland, Wales, NI, Hungary and Albania will have that experience now. I think it can only help the development of those countries' sides.

The_Kew_Tour

2012 was a disaster and nothing changed, sadly

rob316

Iang87 wrote: »

We were in the last 16 in 2012.

I understand the point you are making though. However had the Euros not changed format firstly we would not have qualified in the first place and would not have gotten out of the group either.

The media wont ask the real questions though and if it one breaks the mould and does he wont be answered because it'll mean delaney and his yes men will have to ask themselves real questions that they have piss all interest in answering.

I remember it being an absolute disaster.

El Horseboxo

The best fans in the world label is based on all the off field antics. Then there are some from inside the stadium where it is applied again because there was singing when Ireland lost. But Hungary done the same thing yesterday.

There are legit fans but I know a large part aren't and went to France for the craic and because it was so accessible. For the last Euros I went as part of a group about 20 strong. None of us go to Irish soccer gamed in Ireland, international or otherwise. And none of us went to a game in Poland. We went for the atmosphere and to drink. Nearly all this group had the jerseys on and during games you'd think they would follow the team to hell and back. But the reality was completely different.

Fast forward 4 years and of that group. About 12 went to France. And the same scenario unfolded. No international or domestic club games when at home. And no tickets for the matches over there. But they were part of the crowd for some of the videos.

I think a distinction needs to be made between being the best "fans" in the world, and the actual best fans in the world.

Joe_ Public

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that didn't qualify for the Euros:
Holland and Bosnia
Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that did worse than us at the Euros:
Turkey, Russia, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Austria.

I hate seeing this point dragged up. It shouldn't take away from our achievements. There's more places at stake but I think it makes qualifying more competitive. Smaller nations feel they have a chance of qualifying while bigger nations might get complacent.

Then, the teams that qualify get big tournament experience. The likes of Iceland, Wales, NI, Hungary and Albania will have that experience now. I think it can only help the development of those countries' sides.

What's helping the likes of those countries is having very efficient and well tailored development plans in place. Iceland have done extraordinary work over the past 15 years, Albania (with limited resources) has done well too and were unlucky and played well this tournament. Wales have a very smart set-up at association level and, it has to be said too, that N Ire do a lot of things better than us.

Iang87

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that didn't qualify for the Euros:
Holland and Bosnia
Teams ahead of us in the FIFA rankings that did worse than us at the Euros:
Turkey, Russia, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Austria.

I hate seeing this point dragged up. It shouldn't take away from our achievements. There's more places at stake but I think it makes qualifying more competitive. Smaller nations feel they have a chance of qualifying while bigger nations might get complacent.

Then, the teams that qualify get big tournament experience. The likes of Iceland, Wales, NI, Hungary and Albania will have that experience now. I think it can only help the development of those countries' sides.

The point being the criteria for being there was made easier shouldn't be brought against our achievements. That's like saying you couldn't pass the honours paper but now you're doing ordinary level and passed it so you should feel just as accomplished.

I'm not saying that Ireland shouldn't be proud and optimistic for the style they played against Italy and France. Its made me more optimistic for the future in terms of style than I have been in a long time. My point is that lets not overlook how we got there as opposed to what happened when we got there because if we are as lax in the world cup qualifying we wont be going

Green Fella

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

2012 was a disaster and nothing changed, sadly

The sad fact is, if we got that group in 2016 again it would have been the same result. We also technically didnt get any further. In saying that we were totally screwed with that group from the start, it was always going to be a disaster.

inforfun

Green Fella wrote: »

So the great Ruud Dokter who will change the fortunes of Irish football, is in fact inferior to his Azerbaijan equivalent. I'm sure nobody is surprised.
Dutch football or the Eredivise is hardly in the best place right now either Im sure you'll agree.

Well actually... he is inferior to the guy who was in charge at Qäbälä PFK ...
He left for Japan in the mean time.

Dutch national team is a matter of getting rid of Blind and things will be better again. But we have a mini Delaney in charge at the Dutch FA who knows he should leave his post when he kicks Blind to the kerbs.
So now they have appointed Dick Advocaat as his "assistent"

Eredivisie... well. Leave Twente out of it because that is comedy gold there. Other than that, stadiums are full apart from Vitesse who only have 66% capacity.
But there you have the fact they loan half of Chelsea every year so fans cant really warm to another new team every season.

Feyenoord had 9000 fans showing up for the 1st training of the season yesterday.

And well.... money talks so Dutch clubs competing for European cups is a thing from the past.
In the past players stayed in Holland till they were 25/26 before going abroad to real top teams. Nowadays they go to mediocrity at 20/21 or get robbed from the youth academies at age 15.

So the "problems" Dutch football is having, is all relative. Really depends if you expect a Dutch CL winner soon or are more realistic....

NIMAN

Oat23 wrote: »

After we were schooled by Belgium, there was some decent discussions on here, radio programs and in real life about the problems with Irish football and bleak outlook for the future. Then after the game against Italy B it was all sunshine and roses again. People went back to ignoring the problems.

This happens at all levels though.

When for example an EPL teams gets a spanking in the CL by Barca, TalkSport and the red top papers are full of "we need to rethink how we play the game" etc etc.

Then that spanked team goes and stuffs West Brom at the weekend and all is good in the world again.

Same thing has been said everytime England have been sent home early from every tournament since 1966. But they didn't change (well not that much).

I agree that we probably as a nation got too excited about beating an Italian B team. For a while everyone thought we were world beaters again.

The game against France showed that hard work, graft, passion, heart etc will take you so far in a football match, but it rarely wins out in the end over skill, class and ability. You might get the odd freak victory like the game v Germany in the Aviva, but its the exception.

If we want to do something about our future ability to compete I think we need to address how we teach youngsters to play the game. Forget how the British do it and try to become more European. Less physical and more skillful. It might be a very slow process but it can work in the long term.

As for a perfect example, look at Germany. One night in 2001 they got spanked at home 1-5 by England. Their team was underperforming. It hurt them. The next day the ball was started rolling. They decided it wasn't going to happen again and they looked into their coaching methods, number of qualified coaches, youth development etc.

From a Guardian piece from 2014:
Over the past 12 years, the Germans have not only built 52 centres of excellence to school the most promising talents, but also 366 regional coaching bases where 1,300 professional, full-time coaches teach youngsters the basics of the modern game.

Back in 2002, when this massive undertaking – known as the Extended Talent Promotion Programme – was launched, both the German FA (DFB) and the professional clubs spent an annual €48 million on this system. The figure gradually rose over the years; today it has almost doubled.

This enormous investment was basically a very expensive admission that the Germans had missed more or less every bus that left the station during the 1990s. Throughout that decade, then-national coach Berti Vogts warned the country again and again that no talents were coming through and that Germany was resting on its laurels and would soon be overtaken by other countries

Joe_ Public

Short-termism is endemic in all sports and walks of life. After the first rugby test in South Africa, Joe Schmidt was a hero. After the second I read threads on here where people were calling for him to be sacked. I don't really follow the sport all that closely, but that felt like a fairly remarkable case of blinkered short-termism to me.

Kobe248

Ireland should be run like the MLS

There shouldnt be any relegation

Were a small country using a format that doesnt suit us

Captain Havoc

Kobe248 wrote: »

Ireland should be run like the MLS

There shouldnt be any relegation

Were a small country using a format that doesnt suit us

UEFA demands a two tier system, so that isn't going to change. I hate all the negative talk, I love going to watch LOI, some of the stadiums are crap, some brilliant. Attendances aren't bad compared to other sports, I know someone will say All-Ireland final, or other one off rugby games etc.... but LOI has a consistent attendance level. I think too many people look across the water and think that's where it should be but I don't want to come across as saying that this sort of delusion should be confused with having a realistic ambition. Clubs that are at risk of falling away are badly run, you can blame the FAI, the lack of fans or whatever else but the clubs themselves are at fault for their own downfall, equally the clubs doing well deserve full credit for keeping their house in order and having creativity. I hope the clubs this week start on a successful European journey.

I don't agree with his point on the Euros, I think the LOI's success doesn't rely on the national team's. Again, I think it's up to the clubs to set up centres of excellence or links with colleges etc... Again, it's blame Ruud Dokter, it's never the club's fault.

I hope Stephen Henderson doesn't become disillusioned as he sounds like someone who works hard and we need people like that to stay in the game.

KingBrian2

We have to remember this country is an extremely passionate sporting country be it Athletics, GAA, Rugby, Tennis, Cycling, Boxing, Horse Racing, hell even Cricket so Football falls behind and concentrating on the one sport never works for us with all these games were are attracted to.

pablomakaveli

rob316 wrote: »

People complain about the quality of the LOI but if its not supported it can't improve. FAI have to rebuild football in this country but the population also needs to change their attitude towards it.

This is a big thing actually. I've no problem with people supporting English clubs or whatever but a lot of people have an utter disdain for the LOI. This attitude of "how dare they not be of the quality of Premiership clubs". Its an absolutely toxic mindset.

Grandeeod

All Im doing is thanking posts here and don't feel like offering ideas, because I am so despondent. I can think back to 20 years ago to debates I had about trying to link LOI to mainland Europe clubs and moving away from the dependency on the UK. I watched lots of schoolboy football at the weekends and then sat having lunch on a Monday with the "managers". It was never about the kids. It was always about them and the results and English football that had been embraced by SKY and was changing rapidly. They displayed nothing but Gung Ho BS. Poor kids.

price690

Ruud Dokhter has done the best administrative work thus far of any FAI official in his role. Very competent guy, and not at all confrontational like Koovermans was.

He is basically working to put together a structure in Irish youth football, not enforcing a style of play or coaching etc... rather he has been working towards standardising the youth leagues which he has done. Most are under the remit of FAI now, older heads at St Kevin's and St Joseph's FC of this world are also bring forced to come around to the way of thinking that shipping lads to England is no longer the barometer of success. Rather it's getting our best young player playing in underage national leagues with a direct line to a national senior side.

When the more well established schoolboy or junior clubs like it or not, they will have to give up some of their control.

In the next few years the best young talent in the country should be playing senior football in our national league.

Only when that important administrative change occurs, only then you can talk about coaching plans and youth philosophies etc...

As it stands our best ypungent talent prob sign for a junior club in Dublin, either go to England or else fall between the cracks and end up playing on the Junior scene.

Dockter has been trying to address this and for that he should be applauded.

Grandeeod

Didi Hamman calling it like it should be called. The EPL is a fraud. A brand and nothing more. Irish football should be running away from it faster than a bullit from a gun. Just look at Iceland. My first Ireland game was against them in 1982 when they were whipping boys.

But Delaney will probably think everything is Okay via pride and passion.

Green Fella

pablomakaveli wrote: »

This is a big thing actually. I've no problem with people supporting English clubs or whatever but a lot of people have an utter disdain for the LOI. This attitude of "how dare they not be of the quality of Premiership clubs". Its an absolutely toxic mindset.

Yep

And the Premier League is an awful load of overhyped crap as it is. Look at the state of England. Just goes to show what marketing can do.

RedemptionZ

pablomakaveli wrote: »

rob316 wrote: »

People complain about the quality of the LOI but if its not supported it can't improve. FAI have to rebuild football in this country but the population also needs to change their attitude towards it.

This is a big thing actually. I've no problem with people supporting English clubs or whatever but a lot of people have an utter disdain for the LOI. This attitude of "how dare they not be of the quality of Premiership clubs". Its an absolutely toxic mindset.

It's a disgrace. Best fans in the world my arse. I know far too many people who would genuinely laugh at the idea of supporting a local club. "I only watch top quality football" and have never seen an LOI match in their life. Don't know how you can change it though, too many people have their English team and address them by 'we' and 'us' and just don't have an interest in supporting their local club (although tbf outside of Dublin there's not always a local club). You don't have to support a local team but to have such a dismissive attitude I don't understand and it's very common.

Kidchameleon

Whats the Croatian league like? We should copy everything Croatia do. We would get to their level and slightlly beyond seeing as we have a few hundred thousand more population wise tham them.

kfallon

rob316 wrote: »

That's it, the FAI, Delaney will pat themselves on the back now and lap up all the praise for getting the an unfancied Irish side to the last 16 of European Championships for the first time ever.

Iang87 wrote: »

We were in the last 16 in 2012.

We were in the last 8 in '88

Kidchameleon

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Whats the Croatian league like? We should copy everything Croatia do. We would get to their level and slightlly beyond seeing as we have a few hundred thousand more population wise tham them.

A mess, though football is the most popular sport there. The club game seems to be dominated by shady officials behind clubs like Dinamo. I'd say clubs like Hajduk get less than 10k through the gates now

inforfun

Basketball might give football a run for their money in Croatia.
Definitely not a 1 sport country.

TheDoc

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I don't remember the post mortems having much effect after 2012. Or for the 10 years before that when no Irish team could qualify for a finals. Or when the under 21s are seemingly going years without winning a decent match at all. If the political will isn't there to solve all the underlying issues that are hampering progress, it doesn't matter who you bring in as head of youth football. He hasn't a prayer of getting anything done.

This.

It won't change until Delaney retires or gets found out with some scandal. A little victory here or there, a little success will cover all the blatant cracks.

My point of contention with the "best fans in the world" shtick is that it does feel like massive bandwagon jumping or whatever you want to call it. Croatia have a wretched FA filled with corruption, and their fans jeopardised one of their own games to make a protest.

It's unfathomable to me how our fanbase don't react with more protest or discent towards Delaney. This is a head of FA who on national radio washed his hands of Euro '12 by telling Pat Kenny the Senior team is "about one percent" of his overall responsibilities, and when the LOI was in tatters was also quoted on national radio stating "the national league is about 1 percent of my overall responsibilities".

Nothing will change if people don't force it. I drew a line under my support, in the only meaningful way I can, and its not much. I refuse to attend Ireland games in person, or take attendance at the Aviva, while Delaney is still involved. It's so minor its nothing, but atleast its something. I don't even care for the LOI, but I find it incredible how there isn't more noticeable descent. He is literally a miniature Blatter, consolidating his power by lining the pockets of his board members and friends, and abstaining all responsibility from the national game.

We have to wait for him to leave before being able to properly tackle the issues in our game, and that will be the guts of 10 years totally wasted on nothing. We'll spin a victory over Italy's reserves as some great sign of progression and promise, and forget about all the problems for another few years. Likely until we hit the World Cup, where the unchanged format puts us squarely back into the firing line.

TheDoc

RedemptionZ wrote: »

It's a disgrace. Best fans in the world my arse. I know far too many people who would genuinely laugh at the idea of supporting a local club. "I only watch top quality football" and have never seen an LOI match in their life. Don't know how you can change it though, too many people have their English team and address them by 'we' and 'us' and just don't have an interest in supporting their local club (although tbf outside of Dublin there's not always a local club). You don't have to support a local team but to have such a dismissive attitude I don't understand and it's very common.

I watch LOI every Friday on TV, and have been to my fair share of games. Its become a bit of a thing now between my father in law and me, that when I'm around there on a Friday evening we sit down and watch a game.

We watch this game though, as there is no other football on. There is no denying the standard is absolutely appalling at times, really dreary ****. You can't blame people for being more interested in the Premier League with its higher quality etc.

Even the TV schedule for LOI is an absolute farce. Friday gone no Euro matches, a set of LOI matches, nothing televised. If it was actually on TV more, I'd happily watch it.

But that is also an issue across the board, where fans in every country have more access then ever before. My weekend now consists of watching EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga and Erdesvise. I normally catch a live game from each, and then watching a MOTD style highlights pack on a Monday or Tuesday.

The LOI needs to entice people. It needs to get its **** in order. Its need to up the quality. It needs to improve the televised schedule. It can't expect and assume on viewership "because its Irish" and LOI fans can't keep throwing a stick at people who don't like it and question our patronage or national pride.

It's the FAI and LOI's problem to solve. I'm not going to wilfully go out of my way, or throw away my money to watch something I think is pants, just for the heck of it. And considering the administrators involved, its questionable in relation to where my money would be going anyway.

Bashing people for following an English team, for having the audacity to want to spend THEIR FREE TIME AND MONEY doing what they want, just adds to the little fan syndrome that goes on with the LOI, where anyone who supports an English team and doesn't like the LOI is a hun or something.

Like jesus christ, there is players in the LOI that were benchwarmers in my schoolboy teams or even now come down to some 5 aside we play and get run around. Quality is a big issue that no amount of fandome is going to change.

Captain Havoc

TheDoc wrote: »

Bashing people for following an English team, for having the audacity to want to spend THEIR FREE TIME AND MONEY doing what they want, just adds to the little fan syndrome that goes on with the LOI, where anyone who supports an English team and doesn't like the LOI is a hun or something.

I completely agree with this, I think this creates a them and us, "barstoolers" v LOI fans. We really shouldn't be creating any barriers that turn people off going to games. There's more than the football at a match, I know I watch Shamrock Rovers. We should be saying, yeah, it's not the premier league but we go for pints before, bit of a sing song or how ever you want to sell it. I know people will always find stupid excuses not to go.

Gael85

rob316 wrote: »

That's it, the FAI, Delaney will pat themselves on the back now and lap up all the praise for getting the an unfancied Irish side to the last 16 of European Championships for the first time ever.

It's awful to say but if were hammered to kingdom come by Italy, the real post mortem may have begun and benefited Irish football in the long run.

Delaney should be cutting his salary. This money should be pumped into our coaching/facilities. Our structures should be similar to the Iceland model which is remarkable considering they have a population of 300,000 .The days of taking decent English and Scottish players with Irish connections are gone. We need to develop our own young players


https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/09/22/coach-education-set-iceland-up-for-success/

Joe_ Public

TheDoc wrote: »

This.

It won't change until Delaney retires or gets found out with some scandal. A little victory here or there, a little success will cover all the blatant cracks.

My point of contention with the "best fans in the world" shtick is that it does feel like massive bandwagon jumping or whatever you want to call it. Croatia have a wretched FA filled with corruption, and their fans jeopardised one of their own games to make a protest.

It's unfathomable to me how our fanbase don't react with more protest or discent towards Delaney. This is a head of FA who on national radio washed his hands of Euro '12 by telling Pat Kenny the Senior team is "about one percent" of his overall responsibilities, and when the LOI was in tatters was also quoted on national radio stating "the national league is about 1 percent of my overall responsibilities".

Nothing will change if people don't force it. I drew a line under my support, in the only meaningful way I can, and its not much. I refuse to attend Ireland games in person, or take attendance at the Aviva, while Delaney is still involved. It's so minor its nothing, but atleast its something. I don't even care for the LOI, but I find it incredible how there isn't more noticeable descent. He is literally a miniature Blatter, consolidating his power by lining the pockets of his board members and friends, and abstaining all responsibility from the national game.

We have to wait for him to leave before being able to properly tackle the issues in our game, and that will be the guts of 10 years totally wasted on nothing. We'll spin a victory over Italy's reserves as some great sign of progression and promise, and forget about all the problems for another few years. Likely until we hit the World Cup, where the unchanged format puts us squarely back into the firing line.

Am with you here 100%. It's right too what you say about the Italy game, although I wouldn't fault people for overplaying the achievement a bit. They've been so starved of success.

I remember, god it must be 10-12 years ago now, attending a Brian Kerr seminar in Dublin. One thing he said really stuck with me. Can't recall if he mentioned Iceland, but it was places like that: Albania, Latvia, Finland etc. He talked about how himself and Noel O'Reilly would visit these places and be bowled over by the facilities and level of coaching they were implementing. If we weren't careful, he said, they'd be passing us out within a few years. Fairly prophetic words I always thought.

And think about that for a second. Kerr - bit of a cranky old goat to be fair - but still the most capable man in Irish football and I doubt he'd want to touch the FAI with a 40-foot pole the way it's currently set up. The FAI reminds me of the old FF party, ignore the wider issues while doling out the largesse around the country, greasing enough palms to ensure you stay in power. The football equivalent of parish pump politics. Sadly, they are all too good at it.

Joe_ Public

TheDoc wrote: »

I watch LOI every Friday on TV, and have been to my fair share of games. Its become a bit of a thing now between my father in law and me, that when I'm around there on a Friday evening we sit down and watch a game.

We watch this game though, as there is no other football on. There is no denying the standard is absolutely appalling at times, really dreary ****. You can't blame people for being more interested in the Premier League with its higher quality etc.

Even the TV schedule for LOI is an absolute farce. Friday gone no Euro matches, a set of LOI matches, nothing televised. If it was actually on TV more, I'd happily watch it.

But that is also an issue across the board, where fans in every country have more access then ever before. My weekend now consists of watching EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga and Erdesvise. I normally catch a live game from each, and then watching a MOTD style highlights pack on a Monday or Tuesday.

The LOI needs to entice people. It needs to get its **** in order. Its need to up the quality. It needs to improve the televised schedule. It can't expect and assume on viewership "because its Irish" and LOI fans can't keep throwing a stick at people who don't like it and question our patronage or national pride.

It's the FAI and LOI's problem to solve. I'm not going to wilfully go out of my way, or throw away my money to watch something I think is pants, just for the heck of it. And considering the administrators involved, its questionable in relation to where my money would be going anyway.

Bashing people for following an English team, for having the audacity to want to spend THEIR FREE TIME AND MONEY doing what they want, just adds to the little fan syndrome that goes on with the LOI, where anyone who supports an English team and doesn't like the LOI is a hun or something.

Like jesus christ, there is players in the LOI that were benchwarmers in my schoolboy teams or even now come down to some 5 aside we play and get run around. Quality is a big issue that no amount of fandome is going to change.

"The League of Ireland is our problem child"

- FAI chief executive, 2015

Gael85

TheDoc wrote: »

This.

It won't change until Delaney retires or gets found out with some scandal. A little victory here or there, a little success will cover all the blatant cracks.

My point of contention with the "best fans in the world" shtick is that it does feel like massive bandwagon jumping or whatever you want to call it. Croatia have a wretched FA filled with corruption, and their fans jeopardised one of their own games to make a protest.

It's unfathomable to me how our fanbase don't react with more protest or discent towards Delaney. This is a head of FA who on national radio washed his hands of Euro '12 by telling Pat Kenny the Senior team is "about one percent" of his overall responsibilities, and when the LOI was in tatters was also quoted on national radio stating "the national league is about 1 percent of my overall responsibilities".

Nothing will change if people don't force it. I drew a line under my support, in the only meaningful way I can, and its not much. I refuse to attend Ireland games in person, or take attendance at the Aviva, while Delaney is still involved. It's so minor its nothing, but atleast its something. I don't even care for the LOI, but I find it incredible how there isn't more noticeable descent. He is literally a miniature Blatter, consolidating his power by lining the pockets of his board members and friends, and abstaining all responsibility from the national game.

We have to wait for him to leave before being able to properly tackle the issues in our game, and that will be the guts of 10 years totally wasted on nothing. We'll spin a victory over Italy's reserves as some great sign of progression and promise, and forget about all the problems for another few years. Likely until we hit the World Cup, where the unchanged format puts us squarely back into the firing line.

Going by Rebel Song fiasco he is untouchable. He was more interesting in finding who took the video than apologising. No action taken against him.

Captain Havoc

Joe_ Public wrote: »

"The League of Ireland is our problem child"

- FAI chief executive, 2015

He is right though.

Joe_ Public

Captain Havoc wrote: »

He is right though.

He's not, though. Because the way he said it betrayed his true feelings about it, as if it was an unruly teenager they can't control, an irritant deep down he'd rather be shut of. Someone who really cared would at least try to forge a decent relationship with it, try to see it as a valuable asset, full of untapped potential, rather than portraying it as a boil on its backside that needs to be lanced. If the Conroy report is the best they can do, then I don't see much hope for it in the short term at least.

overshoot

Joe_ Public wrote: »

"The League of Ireland is our problem child"

- FAI chief executive, 2015

"The league is a shambles"
-Roddy Collins, Waterford Utd manager.

---> 6 match touchline ban and a fine from the FAI for arguably the same statement. Says it all about the dictatorship