Why do Irish people support English teams?

8-10

Omackeral wrote: »

Not at all. They live here now so why not both? Blue in the face saying this but most people that support football in this country would be delighted if people had a team from here as well as one abroad. You can do both. It's been said umpteen times.

Would you want the LOI to have the same popularity as the EPL out of interest? I think it would be great if it was as big as it.

Omackeral

8-10 wrote: »

Where have I said that it's not a personal choice and everybody is allowed support whomever they want at any point in time?

That's my feeling on it. You are free to be a fan of any team or any sport and who am I to judge the reasons why?

This thread is about what the reasons are for supporting English clubs, we've gone through many reasons. It's gone off on some LOI tangents but at heart it's about English clubs and why we support them.

Personally I don't think the reasons matter, but if people want to know I'll tell them - I enjoy supporting my team and I get to see every game they play with ease. I feel pride when they do well, disappointment when they don't, but overall a sense of joy having something like a favourite sports team as an emotional outlet. It's an English team probably because of multiple reasons - family, advertising, glory, consumerism, Irish players, ease of watching games etc etc. As reasons don't matter that much to me I haven't really thought all that much about it before this thread.

But I don't expect my reasons to be the same as someone else's. And I don't expect everybody to think the same as me or to also support teams from England, or expect everybody to support a local team out of patriotism, or expect everybody to be true fans of the sport, or expect everybody to buy into the consumerism or productisation of leagues like the EPL.

I think it's each to their own, whatever brings you joy is a good thing to do.

Ha ok that's all fantastic, just saying the "to each their own" is ironic given the topic. It's pretty much the opposite is all I'm saying! It's somewhat funny. That's all.

D14Rugby

Necro wrote: »

D14Rugby wrote: »

How is pointing out that LOI fans were the first ones the be anti Delaney condescending?

If by the gombeens in charge you mean the FAI, than you supporting the LOI is giving them the finger if anything.

Yeah because that's not exactly what the likes of Kevin's, Joeys, etc have been doing for decades already. I know a guy who traveled from sligo to play for a DDSL club for god sake, if anything the LOI underage structure stops what you're complaining about a bit. Most LOI clubs have partnerships with local clubs too to allow players to play with their mates for longer too.

Not where I'm from.

Playing for DDSL does not stop that lad from Sligo playing for his local club, they're a development squad - it's not the same thing. A young 13 year old has to sign with Dundalk to play with them as I've been led to believe, barring him from playing with his local club - that's stupid imo.

8-10 wrote: »

I thought it was a mistake when he started doing that with me but it's clearly his argument tactic.

There's one person misrepresenting someone here and it's not me. God knows how you can in any way shape of form think that someone from Sligo can somehow play for a club in the DDSL or even the DDSL representative team and play for a club in Sligo.

Omackeral

8-10 wrote: »

Would you want the LOI to have the same popularity as the EPL out of interest? I think it would be great if it was as big as it.

Short term I'd love to see spots like Tallaght and Turners Cross being filled every week because the facilities at those venues are perfect.

Long term I'd like to see our league treated the way League One fans treat teams from their areas, from an attendance point of view. So 6-10k or so would be the dream but 3-5 would be great.

8-10

Omackeral wrote: »

Short term I'd love to see spots like Tallaght and Turners Cross being filled every week because the facilities at those venues are perfect.

Long term I'd like to see our league treated the way League One fans treat teams from their areas, from an attendance point of view. So 6-10k or so would be the dream but 3-5 would be great.

Is there a tipping point though or would you be happy if it continued to increase, 50k+ stadia and massive TV deals, global support and weekly football tourism?

Or is this 6-10k the sweet spot?

Omackeral

Already told you, I'd be happy if more people simply got out and supported their teams like they do in other towns and cities like they do in Luton, Dundee and Walsall. Their football isn't any better or worse than ours yet their attendances are a lot more solid. That's what I'd like to see. People can still enjoy EPL in addition to it, most do. Nobody expects 50k a week

8-10

Omackeral wrote: »

That's what I'd like to see. People can still enjoy EPL in addition to it, most do. Nobody expects 50k a week

But if it got to 50k per week that would also be great was my point. Imagine having one of the top leagues in Europe here. You'd have fans flying over for games and everything.

Unlikely, but if you want it to get better I'd say you'd want the sky to be the limit

The Moldy Gowl

8-10 wrote: »

But if it got to 50k per week that would also be great was my point. Imagine having one of the top leagues in Europe here. You'd have fans flying over for games and everything.

Unlikely, but if you want it to get better I'd say you'd want the sky to be the limit

Ya obviously. But its not. What country in the world has had that kind of turnaround?

But hypothecially, would be more interesting to see all the liverpool/utd supporters switch teams rather than the loi head give about tourists.

dundalkfc10

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Another one, if our Polish friends who have moved here started to support, say Dundalk, would they be told to go support Wisla Krakow instead?

Loads Polish lads go to Oriel, and ask the next polish football fan you know what they make of Irish people supporting English teams and they think its laughable

8-10

The Moldy Gowl wrote: »

Ya obviously. But its not. What country in the world has had that kind of turnaround?

But hypothecially, would be more interesting to see all the liverpool/utd supporters switch teams rather than the loi head give about tourists.

Yeah I don't think I would change teams personally but have no problems if others want to - sure why not!

For me accessibility is a big factor. And that's not just with soccer it applies to other sports too. If I can't see every game my team plays I have less of an interest. So that naturally gravitates to the larger better covered teams. If Irish teams start getting better coverage I think it will help it a lot.

But English teams will still be well supported from here (and elsewhere...Norway I'm talking about you!) while the EPL remains so strong globally as a standard and as a brand.

8-10

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Loads Polish lads go to Oriel, and ask the next polish football fan you know what they make of Irish people supporting English teams and they think its laughable

Do you think they just don't understand the reasons why we support English teams or do you think it's a cultural difference that they just aren't as familiar with?

The Moldy Gowl

8-10 wrote: »

Yeah I don't think I would change teams personally but have no problems if others want to - sure why not!

For me accessibility is a big factor. And that's not just with soccer it applies to other sports too. If I can't see every game my team plays I have less of an interest. So that naturally gravitates to the larger better covered teams. If Irish teams start getting better coverage I think it will help it a lot.

But English teams will still be well supported from here (and elsewhere...Norway I'm talking about you!) while the EPL remains so strong globally as a standard and as a brand.

Ya i probably meant casual fans more so. Probably not ones who post in forums or follow every transfer rumour to find out if the journalist is a spoofer or not.

Think that's why Dublin is a big loi place. Its very easy to get to games and have a few pints.
Luas gets to the door of dalymount and tallaght and close to Richmond.
Just makes it easy to get to and have a good night

8-10

sugarman wrote: »

Because its absolutely alien to them and the vast majority of mainland Europeans to be supporting another countries teams simply because they are deemed more successful.

The Polish are extremely patriotic people, they wouldn't dream of supporting the Bundesliga which is right on their doorstep and ten fold a better standard than the Ekstraklasa. They could literally hop in a car and drive to any top flights Bundesliga team in a couple of hours unlike here where you've to pay an arm and a leg for flights or ferries and/or trains to mainland UK. But they dont.

Theres also historical similarities between our 2 countries between the German occupation of Poland and the British occupation of Ireland ...and a lot of it it is down to that too. The Poles I know cant phantom the idea of supporting the Germans or anything German. Theres still a massive dislike and almost hatred against them. Yet funnily enough, you have the hardcore republicans here lambasting the Queen with Sinn Fein tattoos on one arm and Manchester United on the other, wearing a Celtic jersey :pac:

Yeah it's a cultural thing for sure. There are similarities but we're different in this regard, I don't think prior colonialism comes into it for us, it's simply a choice on what we want to watch and who we choose to support.

I'd suggest we're closer to the Norwegians who are huge EPL supporters.

D14Rugby

8-10 wrote: »

Yeah it's a cultural thing for sure. There are similarities but we're different in this regard, I don't think prior colonialism comes into it for us, it's simply a choice on what we want to watch and who we choose to support.

I'd suggest we're closer to the Norwegians who are huge EPL supporters.

The Norwegians are also big followers of their domestic league is the difference.

8-10

D14Rugby wrote: »

The Norwegians are also big followers of their domestic league is the difference.

Right, but this thread isn't about supporting domestic leagues it's about why we support a foreign one. What I'm saying is the reasons Irish people support EPL teams probably has a similarity as to why Norwegian people support EPL teams.

Honestly I think people put too much importance on the level of the LOI, I don't think it's as big a factor as people think. If it's made significantly better you'll still have a good level of support here for English teams.

Ultimate Seduction

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Loads Polish lads go to Oriel, and ask the next polish football fan you know what they make of Irish people supporting English teams and they think its laughable

A Polish fan supporting an Irish team thinks an Irish person supporting an English team is laughable? Gotcha

Omackeral

8-10 wrote: »

Right, but this thread isn't about supporting domestic leagues it's about why we support a foreign one.

One is intrinsically linked to the other.

8-10

Omackeral wrote: »

One is intrinsically linked to the other.

Sure but is I say I don't believe it's that strong a factor of the many reasons people have.

I may be wrong

Omackeral

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

A Polish fan supporting an Irish team thinks an Irish person supporting an English team is laughable? Gotcha

A- He more than likely also still supports his own team at home.
B- He lives here now, supports his new home team.
C- Most likely referring to people who don't support their own team but do support an English one. Probably finds that a bit hypocritical as the same type of people often are anti-English in other footballing senses.

Omackeral

8-10 wrote: »

Sure but is I say I don't believe it's that strong a factor of the many reasons people have.

I may be wrong

Right well games here used to get crowds in the 10's of thousands until TV's became commonplace in Ireland. If you don't think that's relevant then I dunno.

D14Rugby

8-10 wrote: »

Right, but this thread isn't about supporting domestic leagues it's about why we support a foreign one. What I'm saying is the reasons Irish people support EPL teams probably has a similarity as to why Norwegian people support EPL teams.

Honestly I think people put too much importance on the level of the LOI, I don't think it's as big a factor as people think. If it's made significantly better you'll still have a good level of support here for English teams.

The thread is about why Irish people support EPL clubs as opposed to LOI clubs. The Norwegians support them as well as their local club.

You've stated this before and it has been pointed out to you many many times why you're way off the mark.

8-10

Omackeral wrote: »

Right well games here used to get crowds in the 10's of thousands until TV's became commonplace in Ireland. If you don't think that's relevant then I dunno.

That's my point, TV and accessibility of the English league was the bigger factor for people supporting English teams. You're proving my point that it's not just the quality of the league.

English clubs are global these days and you only have to look at RTE who prioritise Liverpool and Spurs group games in the Champions League over teams like Real Madrid or Bayern is examples of where it's not simply about quality. It's specifically the English clubs that get advertised and promoted everywhere.

If it was purely on quality and success we'd all support the big clubs in Spain but you don't see that nearly as much here

8-10

D14Rugby wrote: »

The thread is about why Irish people support EPL clubs as opposed to LOI clubs. The Norwegians support them as well as their local club.

You've stated this before and it has been pointed out to you many many times why you're way off the mark.

Malaysia, India, Australia there's plenty of examples of EPL support greater than their national league.

The Premier League is global in support, it's a worldwide thing these days.

It's not like nobody goes to the LOI games and nobody who supports English clubs go to LOI games, that happens every week. They still go.

Also Norway's attendances have steadily and significantly declined in the past decade to circa 5,000 on average so local football support in Norway has fallen dramatically, agreed?

8-10

sugarman wrote: »

Because the Malaysian Super League and A League were only established about a decade ago! The Indian Super League 3 or 4 years ago!

Fair point. I just don't see this as being uniquely Irish. Maybe it's just the breath of global support that I see from Liverpool. Just seems from my point of view that there's a huge amount of international support and many from countries with small leagues. It's not like it's all Liverpudlians and some Irish tourists, it's literally people flying from New Zealand and Canada and South Africa and South East Asia everyweek.

You could make the same argument for those dollars being spent on their local clubs, but it doesn't really matter at they've chosen to support Liverpool instead so more power to them, who are we to judge?

D14Rugby

8-10 wrote: »

Malaysia, India, Australia there's plenty of examples of EPL support greater than their national league.

The Premier League is global in support, it's a worldwide thing these days.

It's not like nobody goes to the LOI games and nobody who supports English clubs go to LOI games, that happens every week. They still go.

Also Norway's attendances have steadily and significantly declined in the past decade to circa 5,000 on average so local football support in Norway has fallen dramatically, agreed?

Nobody is saying that none go, just the vast vast majority don't.

Yeah it's dropped after it rose dramatically for a few years. Around 6k is the norm for it it just climbed to 10k for a few years before dropping back to normal levels and it's still multiples of our domestic attendances despite that.

8-10

D14Rugby wrote: »

Nobody is saying that none go, just the vast vast majority don't.

Yeah it's dropped after it rose dramatically for a few years. Around 6k is the norm for it it just climbed to 10k for a few years before dropping back to normal levels and it's still multiples of our domestic attendances despite that.

I reckon their TV stations don't promote EPL as much as ours do then. Maybe it's more our geographical and cultural closeness to the UK?

D14Rugby

8-10 wrote: »

I reckon their TV stations don't promote EPL as much as ours do then. Maybe it's more our geographical and cultural closeness to the UK?

So the country that you chose to use as an example as similar to us is now no longer similar enough for you since it no longer suits your narrative

Greentopia

Cultural cringe?

8-10

D14Rugby wrote: »

So the country that you chose to use as an example as similar to us is now no longer similar enough for you since it no longer suits your narrative

I said we're more similar to them than Poland but I don't expect you to interpret my posts correctly anymore given you maintain that I want the EPL to succeed at the expense of the LOI despite me not actually saying that.

In any case I do think it's similar for sure in the same way that I think the advertising and brand of the EPL makes it widely popular throughout many countries. Whether we're similar in domestic league support, probably not having now learned more.

But is I say over and over again there are many many reasons why we support English teams. Some of those might be uniquely Irish reasons but they can't all be because we're not the only ones who do it.

The overarching point though is it doesn't and shouldn't matter why we do it, the important thing is that we get enjoyment out of the teams we choose to support. I know I do. Especially when we're the Champions of Europe!!

jcorr

Why do Irish people support English teams?

Because we've got no bloody self respect in this country.

We have no leadership either.

If the FAI were any use they would be trying to join up with the football association in the Northern Ireland and have a cross border model like the rugby team.

Some of the LOI clubs have great tradition but that needs to be expanded to others and we need to make it attractive for young people to stay in Irish clubs, rather than go to England.