Why do Irish people support English teams?

feargale

Omackeral wrote: »

As the GAA says, nothing beats being there. Getting involved in the displays, the chants, and the absolute scenes when a last minute goal against your rivals goes in... can't be replicated from your couch.

Off topic rugby is better read on tv than on the spot.

Deebles McBeebles

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Stick to your TV, doubt anyone in United Park misses you.

Some people just prefer live football!

And some on the couch with can in hand.

Each to their own.

Greyfox

D14Rugby wrote: »

Supporting one of the slightly less really successful teams doesn't in any way make you a real fan because of that.
The fact you even think watching a game on TV can be more enjoyable says everything.

Once you still support your team through bad times then your a real football fan. If someone has been following a team week in week out for 50 years and watched almost every match that can't be looked down on, its a lifetime of following a team through thick and thin with plenty of low points, there's also nothing wrong with them using the term "we".

Reality check for you, I'm not the only one, there's probably a few million people out there who'd rather watch a match on TV. I'm a barstooler and I'm very proud of it!. More comfortable surroundings, no travel involved, instant replays, commentator making sure your not missing anything, dont have to worry about the weather.. watching matches on TV has many advantages.

Omackeral

feargale wrote: »

Off topic rugby is better read on tv than on the spot.

I can't really comment on rugby but I'd have to laugh at someone who says watching on telly is better, especially when it comes to your own team, it absolutely cannot be. Imagine the sheer ecstasy of a 90th minute winner against your rivals or in a cup semi and you're surrounded by lunatics hopping all over you while the opposition stand there stunned. The players coming to you to share and revel in the moment. Can't get that from a tv screen. The highs are absolutely best enjoyed when actually there.

Tomw86

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

Not with all those orange order merchants for starters.

And a South African manager, English coach and New Zealand centre all starters.

D14Rugby

Greyfox wrote: »

Once you still support your team through bad times then your a real football fan. If someone has been following a team week in week out for 50 years and watched almost every match that can't be looked down on, its a lifetime of following a team through thick and thin with plenty of low points, there's also nothing wrong with them using the term "we".

Reality check for you, I'm not the only one, there's probably a few million people out there who'd rather watch a match on TV. I'm a barstooler and I'm very proud of it!. More comfortable surroundings, no travel involved, instant replays, commentator making sure your not missing anything, dont have to worry about the weather.. watching matches on TV has many advantages.

Coming top half in the English Premiership is in no way shape or form "bad times".

That's not football though, may aswell just watch a movie, or corrie or whatever. Nothing and I repeat nothing beats being at the live thing, go to Glasgow on old firm day and try get someone to swap their tickets for a place on your couch, or Madrid in a few weeks if you want a more topical if less accurate example. If you're not willing to travel or get a bit wet or stand for an hour and a half for your team no matter the division, their form, your comfort then I hate to be the one to break it to you they're not your team, you might be a fan of football but you don't support a team.


Some people here have never experienced the sheer ecstasy of watching your team score a 90th minute derby day winner and being in the stand falling over seats hugging complete strangers and it really shows. That is football, no matter where, who, or how "good" the quality, that is football.

Omackeral

Greyfox wrote: »

I'm a barstooler and I'm very proud of it!. More comfortable surroundings, no travel involved, instant replays, commentator making sure your not missing anything, dont have to worry about the weather.. watching matches on TV has many advantages.

If that's ''football mad'' then I'm a million miles away from that. No travel involved? Away days are the best of the lot. Great journeys and stories with mates. Commentators are grand but there's only so many cliches you can hear... time and time again. The best quips you'll hear are the ones whilst there. As far as missing things goes, when you're physically there you'll pick up on more off-the-ball runs and things like that.

As they say, don't let your kids grow up thinking football is just a tv show. Bring them.

Deebles McBeebles

This thread is gas. First it was people complaining about supporting English teams and now its people complaining about TV vs live. Both are preferences and judging either is ridiculous.

Greyfox

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

I support Liverpool because they were the first team I ever saw on television (The Big Match, Sunday afternoon) and because they won that match. IN fairness, though, I was 8 years old, and it;s kind of what 8 year old kids do.

I picked a team the same way when I was a kid... nothing wrong with adults doing the same thing.

Tomw86

Snickers Man wrote: »

The vast majority of the irish team are Irish born and raised. Most of those that aren't have lived and played here for many years. They're new Irish. Immigrants who have made a commitment to their current country of residence. Fair play to them.

I don't think you can compare that to the typical entity that comprises the football premiership at all.

Non-Irish manager, non-Irish Coaches, non-Irish players - basically a global brand so. Soccer is the same, but the representation rules at International level are different. If the same rules applied then Messi could play for Spain, De Gea for England and the list would go on.

Same with provinces that are signing non-Irish players. It's not Leinster, it's a global brand, multi-national version of a province.

This is feeding the Irish team.

Omackeral

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

This thread is gas. First it was people complaining about supporting English teams and now its people complaining about TV vs live. Both are preferences and judging either is ridiculous.

Why is it ridiculous? We're here to have a discussion. It's a discussion site. If everyone had your approach, no thread would go beyond a page. I might not agree with Greyfox but it's interesting to hear him say why he/she likes watching from a couch.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Who's going to win the Battle of Britain then?

Would there be many Spurs fans in Ireland today?

sbsquarepants

D14Rugby wrote: »

If you're not willing to travel or get a bit wet or stand for an hour and a half for your team no matter the division, their form, your comfort then I hate to be the one to break it to you they're not your team, you might be a fan of football but you don't support a team.

.

Bullshít of the highest order. What do you think pays all those quarter million a week paychecks, the gate receipts or the tv royalties / merchandise etc.
Fans in the stadium is a miniscule part of what keeps a big club going.

EmmetSpiceland

Omackeral wrote: »

I can't really comment on rugby but I'd have to laugh at someone who says watching on telly is better, especially when it comes to your own team, it absolutely cannot be.

It’s more to do with finding out why a penalty or infringement was called, a lot of people who follow rugby aren’t familiar with the signals the referee gives to signal a penalty.

They’ve started putting a clip of a ref on a screen in the Aviva to clarify a ref’s call.

One of the things TG4 did when they starting showing rugby with Irish commentary was to turn up the ref’s mic so you could hear what he was saying.

Personally, I would much rather go to a match than watch it on tv but there’s a lot to be said from enjoying a game from the comfort of your own couch. Probably an age thing.

D14Rugby

Tomw86 wrote: »

Non-Irish manager, non-Irish Coaches, non-Irish players - basically a global brand so. Soccer is the same, but the representation rules at International level are different. If the same rules applied then Messi could play for Spain, De Gea for England and the list would go on.

Same with provinces that are signing non-Irish players. It's not Leinster, it's a global brand, multi-national version of a province.

This is feeding the Irish team.

By manager I'm going to assume you mean Schmidt and not Paul Dean, Schmidt has Irish citizenship so could technically play for the Irish football team. 2/7 of the immediate Irish national management team do not have Irish citizenship to my knowledge. Terry Connor is very Irish isn't he... Leinster have 4 non Irish players out of the 57 to play this season.
The same rules do apply in football. Not remember England trying to cap Januzaj?

Omackeral

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Fans in the stadium is a miniscule part of what keeps a big club going.

That has truth in it but it's also pretty sad. It should be about things like the Roker Roar in Sunderland in years gone by and the Kop on European nights. The fans are football.

D14Rugby

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Bullshít of the highest order. What do you think pays all those quarter million a week paychecks, the gate receipts or the tv royalties / merchandise etc.
Fans in the stadium is a miniscule part of what keeps a big club going.

TV companies paying for rights and people who watch the matches being fans of the teams playing are two completely different things. I watched both the semi finals this week, I couldn't have cared less who won, go into any pub round the country and it'll be the same people watching equivalent games no matter who's playing.
Most of the time people watch the football, not the teams.

sbsquarepants

Omackeral wrote: »

That has truth in it but it's also pretty sad. It should be about things like the Roker Roar in Sunderland in years gone by and the Kop on European nights. The fans are football.

I do think the money has gone completely mental, but the globalisation of the game is a plus. I got to watch Liverpool comeback to win in Istanbul live as it happened for example, there was never any chance of me seeing it in the flesh.

Deebles McBeebles

Omackeral wrote: »

Why is it ridiculous? We're here to have a discussion. It's a discussion site. If everyone had your approach, no thread would go beyond a page. I might not agree with Greyfox but it's interesting to hear him say why he/she likes watching from a couch.

The discussion is fair enough but it started with an implication of people who watch LOI being more Irish than people supporting English teams and now its people who go to watch live are bigger fans than those who don't. That's what I find ridiculous.

Deebles McBeebles

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I do think the money has gone completely mental, but the globalisation of the game is a plus. I got to watch Liverpool comeback to win in Istanbul live as it happened for example, there was never any chance of me seeing it in the flesh.

I preferred the final from 2 years after Istanbul

D14Rugby

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I do think the money has gone completely mental, but the globalisation of the game is a plus. I got to watch Liverpool comeback to win in Istanbul live as it happened for example, there was never any chance of me seeing it in the flesh.

And so did people who like Man United, Juventus, Bohemian, you get the pattern? These events are televised no matter who you support you don't need to support Spurs or Liverpool to have enjoyed watching the matches the last two days just like football. If even.

Omackeral

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

The discussion is fair enough but it started with an implication of people who watch LOI being more Irish than people supporting English teams and now its people who go to watch live are bigger fans than those who don't. That's what I find ridiculous.

I'd say the person who goes to all the matches is probably a bigger fan then someone who has never been.

Deebles McBeebles

Omackeral wrote: »

I'd say the person who goes to all the matches is probably a bigger fan then someone who has never been.

I would say comparing them is childish TBH.

Omackeral

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I got to watch Liverpool comeback to win in Istanbul live as it happened for example, there was never any chance of me seeing it in the flesh.

Don't most clubs have loyalty schemes and offer tickets to members first? Things like that?

sbsquarepants

D14Rugby wrote: »

.
Most of the time people watch the football, not the teams.

That's true I suppose. I sometimes watch matches just because I expect them to be good, or because the outcome effects something else - I've been glued to the last 6 or 7 city games for example.

But through a mixture of finances, personal responsibilities and simple geography I can't trot along to Anfield every week to be a "real" supporter - what I have is the telly, and I'm damn glad that I do. Id much prefer to watch the game live on telly than to read about it in the paper or just hope to hear the result from someone who happened to be there!

Obviously I'd rather be there, but I'd also rather be on beach in Barbados than where I am now.

As Mick Jagger said "you don't always get what you want, but sometimes, you get what you need":D

Omackeral

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

I would say comparing them is childish TBH.

How? You're not making many points in your arguments. If a person goes to 30 matches, then they're pretty logically more dedicated to going than the person who has been to 0. How is saying that childish whatsoever?

D14Rugby

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

The discussion is fair enough but it started with an implication of people who watch LOI being more Irish than people supporting English teams and now its people who go to watch live are bigger fans than those who don't. That's what I find ridiculous.

Well that's probably something to do with the fact they are.

The conversation evolved onto that topic because its all part and parcel of the original topic. Support an Irish team and odds are you go every second week at a minimum. "support" an English team and odds are you've never even seen the ground. Exaggeration for effect before people jump down my throat.

sbsquarepants

Omackeral wrote: »

I'd say the person who goes to all the matches is probably a bigger fan then someone who has never been.

Or is just financially better off perhaps? Or lives that bit closer?

There could be any number of reasons people either don't or can't go to see a sporting event.

D14Rugby

sbsquarepants wrote: »

That's true I suppose. I sometimes watch matches just because I expect them to be good, or because the outcome effects something else - I've been glued to the last 6 or 7 city games for example.

But through a mixture of finances, personal responsibilities and simple geography I can't trot along to Anfield every week to be a "real" supporter - what I have is the telly, and I'm damn glad that I do. Id much prefer to watch the game live on telly than to read about it in the paper or just hope to hear the result from someone who happened to be there!

Obviously I'd rather be there, but I'd also rather be on beach in Barbados than where I am now.

As Mick Jagger said "you don't always get what you want, but sometimes, you get what you need":D

That's the point, you don't have an Anfield you can get to every week but you do have a Tallaght Stadium, a. Dalymount, a RSC, a Turners Cross, a showgrounds. And you can still do exactly the same as what you do now but you also get to experience what those scousers get to experience every time they get to go to Anfield.

Omackeral

sbsquarepants wrote: »

But through a mixture of finances, personal responsibilities and simple geography I can't trot along to Anfield every week

That's why most people in Southampton support Southampton and most people in Edinburgh support Hibs or Hearts. It makes sense. It's why we support Ireland or our own counties in GAA. Like it or not, geography is generally the major reason why people support who they do. That's why Elland road will be full of Leodensians* week in and week out.


*I only learned that word this year, isn't it fantastic?