Irish people supporting English football teams

odyssey06

Omackeral wrote: »

Who's gonna support these teams?!!? I would certainly not get into bed with a Shamrock Rovers fan. They'd be the same I'm sure. Why would you support a Dublin United but not give Bohs or Rovers a shot?

Already been done. The mighty Dublin City. They even had the county colours! Got about 60 to their games.

It seemed to work for Leinster rugby but probably at soccer would need to be a Dublin team in a european league not LOI.

demanufactured

physioman wrote: »

I just don't get it. Why are Irish people so fanatical about English football teams. I particularly laugh at the way they talk about individual players being loyal to particular teams. Do they really care about the fans or the 100k they are getting a week. 😂

And calling them "we" and "us"...."our team"

The same people are brit hating gobshytes who havnt a clue about anything.
Hypocrites.

L1011

I'm a shareholder in a LOI club (co-op based one, not one of the few sort-of commercially owned ones). Substantial enough money pit between lotto, draws, tickets, travel and so on.

I still support and attend matches of a UK team, one which was exceptionally low-ranked at the time I started but had an Irish manager - no, not Sunderland; earlier and vastly lower. The standard of football is different; definitely wasn't better in the depths of League 1 vs LOI Premier but would be now; the atmosphere is different. I see no problems with it but maybe others do

The one thing I do hate, however, is people complaining about those who support UK teams while themselves supporting Celtic.

citytillidie

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

The Moores family were big donators to Thatchers Conservative party

Someone who supports Man City with their current owners trying to take pop shots :pac::D

WesternZulu

The standard arguement is a funny one as well. Is what those Liverpool and United fans are saying that if their beloved club got relegated to League One that they'd suddenly stop supporting them because the standard is crap?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

L1011 wrote: »

I'm a shareholder in a LOI club (co-op based one, not one of the few sort-of commercially owned ones). Substantial enough money pit between lotto, draws, tickets, travel and so on.

I still support and attend matches of a UK team, one which was exceptionally low-ranked at the time I started but had an Irish manager - no, not Sunderland; earlier and vastly lower. The standard of football is different; definitely wasn't better in the depths of League 1 vs LOI Premier but would be now; the atmosphere is different. I see no problems with it but maybe others do

The one thing I do hate, however, is people complaining about those who support UK teams while themselves supporting Celtic.

Always remember my favourite pub football incident when Man United when 1-0 up against Rangers and someone shouted, "take that you Brittish bastards!"

odyssey06

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Always remember my favourite pub football incident when Man United when 1-0 up against Rangers and someone shouted, "take that you Brittish bastards!"

Hah. If it was the 2003 game I could be generous and say they were probably confused by the presence of Roy Keane for Utd and the general lack of Brits on the pitch... but its a stretch.

odyssey06

WesternZulu wrote: »

The standard arguement is a funny one as well. Is what those Liverpool and United fans are saying that if their beloved club got relegated to League One that they'd suddenly stop supporting them because the standard is crap?

Nope. You gotta keep dancing with who you brung.

Your favourite music act always has a few weak albums.

Billy Mays

WesternZulu wrote: »

I love soccer but can't for the life of me understand how people can get so invested in teams that they have no links to.

If the people of Bournemouth and Huddersfield adopted the same attitude towards their teams as Irish people and supported Liverpool or Man United instead of the club in their own city where would they be?
More than likely they'd be in the Conference rather than the Premier League.

People complain about the standard of the LOI but without support it can never progress.

Agree with this. I know lads heading over to Liverpool next weekend on the off chance that they win the league so they can see them parade the trophy around the city. It's a bit sad when you think about it.

odyssey06

Billy Mays wrote: »

Agree with this. I know lads heading over to Liverpool next weekend on the off chance that they win the league so they can see them parade the trophy around the city. It's a bit sad when you think about it.

Some people would say its a bit sad to get so worked up about 22 men and a ball even if you were from Liverpool.
Why not 30 men and an oval ball. What difference does it make one way or another if the enthusiasm is for local success or other reasons.

Its all arbitrary. If you like a sport it takes you to strange places. Roll with it.

False Prophet

Billy Mays wrote: »

Agree with this. I know lads heading over to Liverpool next weekend on the off chance that they win the league so they can see them parade the trophy around the city. It's a bit sad when you think about it.

Do you feel the same sadness if they were going to watch formula 1 race? Or going to watch American football game? Or say a UFC match or boxing match with no Irish fighters? Or hell a wwe match.

EmmetSpiceland

False Prophet wrote: »

Do you feel the same sadness if they were going to watch formula 1 race? Or going to watch American football game? Or say a UFC match or boxing match with no Irish fighters? Or hell a wwe match.

Certainly for WWE.

Billy Mays

False Prophet wrote: »

Do you feel the same sadness if they were going to watch formula 1 race? Or going to watch American football game? Or say a UFC match or boxing match with no Irish fighters? Or hell a wwe match.

No cos those are actual sporting events, apart from wwe obviously. If you've a ticket for a game fair enough but I'm talking about going over to a city in another country to watch a match in a pub and maybe get to see an open top bus parade by a team that you've no actual connection with.


If you were going over to Boston to watch the Patriots parade the Vince Lombardi trophy through the streets of Boston I'd say the same.

partyguinness

Edgware wrote: »

You can always stay in England if you find it so embarassing or let us know when you are on the way and we will organise some ceili dancers to welcome you.
Do you like buttermilk with your spuds?

Anymore cliches you wish to toss out or is that as mature as it gets for you?

partyguinness

Happened in my home town back in the mid 90s i.e. a rural backwater.

The fledgling soccer club decided to start up an u-12 team. The local GAA Taliban did everything they could to stop it even telling the U-12s that they would never play for the GAA again if they turned up for the soccer team.

"foreign game rabble rabble". Now the main GAA gob****es were fanatical ManU fans and went over the Old Trafford a few times a year. You couldn't make it up.

odyssey06

Billy Mays wrote: »

If you were going over to Boston to watch the Patriots parade the Vince Lombardi trophy through the streets of Boston I'd say the same.

I'd say Boston would be jumping for that. Lads in work here who were on site at the time said the atmosphere in Philadelphia was electric after the Superbowl win.

If you like that sort of thing, it's the sort of thing you'll like. Hundred thousand people come to Dublin for the St Patrick's Day parade, the crazy fools. And Irish people go to Boston & Chicago for the ones there. Some people go skiing on hols, for some people it's about the beach, for some people the atmosphere of a city on a night like that works for them.

I don't see what the fuss is about one way or another.

bullpost

WesternZulu wrote: »

The standard arguement is a funny one as well. Is what those Liverpool and United fans are saying that if their beloved club got relegated to League One that they'd suddenly stop supporting them because the standard is crap?

No you just wont hear so much from them

I couldnt believe the number of people who I had known for a long time and discovered were Liverpool supporters after the 2005 Champions league win.

Also you'll find that for any generation its generally the successful English clubs of their era who are the best supported , and I include myself in that group
e.g All my Leeds supporting friends are well into their 40s and older.

odyssey06

The 'standards' argument works both ways, why even support a League of Ireland team, and not just your even more local district team e.g. Fairview CY versus Shelbourne.

For some people the standard is set by the League of Ireland as the highest league of the domestic game, for others their horizon is the standard they see week in week out on Match of the Day, and the leagues in which the 99% of Irish international players of the last 40 years have played in and aspire to play in, the First Division\Premier League\SPL\Championship.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

odyssey06 wrote: »

The 'standards' argument works both ways, why even support a League of Ireland team, and not just your even more local district team e.g. Fairview CY versus Shelbourne.

For some people the standard is set by the League of Ireland as the highest league of the domestic game, for others their horizon is the standard they see week in week out on Match of the Day, and the leagues in which the 99% of Irish international players of the last 40 years have played in and aspire to play in, the First Division\Premier League\SPL\Championship.

What's the range for "local" anyway? If you live in a city that has no team, are you oblighed so support the nearest geographically? I know a couple of people grew up close to Renelagh, live in Tallaght, but support Bray (no idea why)?

odyssey06

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

What's the range for "local" anyway? If you live in a city that has no team, are you oblighed so support the nearest geographically? I know a couple of people grew up close to Renelagh, live in Tallaght, but support Bray (no idea why)?

Exactly, the whole thing is arbitrary it's ridiculous to get worked up about what teams someone is a fan of and for what reasons.
Even if there was an obvious local team from the area you grew up in, you didn't choose to be born there, so you're following a team because of an accident of birth you had zero input into.
A kid who starts following Man Utd because they like their jersey or some of their current players is at least making a choice, maybe a childish one.

Deebles McBeebles

Looks like sense has prevailed on this thread!

Annd9

odyssey06 wrote: »

Exactly, the whole thing is arbitrary it's ridiculous to get worked up about what teams someone is a fan of and for what reasons.
Even if there was an obvious local team from the area you grew up in, you didn't choose to be born there, so you're following a team because of an accident of birth you had zero input into.
A kid who starts following Man Utd because they like their jersey or some of their current players is at least making a choice, maybe a childish one.

Why is it such an Irish phenomenon though ? It comes across as so hypocritical when the general feeling in the country is one of slight distain for England (people argue different ,but sit in a pub when any English national side are playing) . Yet these same players they hate one week are legends the next .
Add to that 80% of the country have a soft spot for Celtic , a club who embrace anti Britishness.
Saturday -Love Celtic - Hate the Brits
Sunday - Love Chelsea - Hate the Mancs ,scousers, Irish ?

If you have paid any attention to the plight of Irish kids trying to make it in England you would see the need for people supporting the game here . Hence why we continue to hold out the begging bowl for players with minimal Irish connections , it's embarrassing.

If you can randomly pick a foreign team to support I find it hard why you can't pick an Irish one . That's if you love football of course as opposed to the entertainment value , if you are the latter fair enough , just don't get so emotional over a TV show .

begbysback

Annd9 wrote: »

If you can randomly pick a foreign team to support I find it hard why you can't pick an Irish one.

A foreign Irish team?

partyguinness

I think if you are an adult with more than a passing interest in English/French/Spanish football (follow it by all means) then I think you are a bit sad and really need to grow up. You are not 16 anymore.

Is there anything more pathetic than the sight of grown men in football shirts.

Deebles McBeebles

partyguinness wrote: »

Is there anything more pathetic than the sight of grown men in football shirts.

Watching a LOI game :pac:

Greyfox

Annd9 wrote: »

If you can randomly pick a foreign team to support I find it hard why you can't pick an Irish one . That's if you love football of course as opposed to the entertainment value , if you are the latter fair enough , just don't get so emotional over a TV show .

Compeditive sport and getting emotional go together even if your watching it on tv, if you dont get emotional over a football game your not really enjoying it

odyssey06

Annd9 wrote: »

Why is it such an Irish phenomenon though ? It comes across as so hypocritical when the general feeling in the country is one of slight distain for England (people argue different ,but sit in a pub when any English national side are playing) . Yet these same players they hate one week are legends the next .
Add to that 80% of the country have a soft spot for Celtic , a club who embrace anti Britishness.
Saturday -Love Celtic - Hate the Brits
Sunday - Love Chelsea - Hate the Mancs ,scousers, Irish ?

If you have paid any attention to the plight of Irish kids trying to make it in England you would see the need for people supporting the game here . Hence why we continue to hold out the begging bowl for players with minimal Irish connections , it's embarrassing.

If you can randomly pick a foreign team to support I find it hard why you can't pick an Irish one . That's if you love football of course as opposed to the entertainment value , if you are the latter fair enough , just don't get so emotional over a TV show .

The following an English club but hating the English team (not just when playing Ireland) is a whole other topic. It's not a phenomenon I'm a part of, but yep it's there.

It's based on personal whim. I guess the reason why they don't pick an Irish team has something to do with the fact that when they pick a non-Irish team it is Man Utd, Liverpool, Celtic, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan rather than Plymouth Argyle or Stenhousemuir or Real Betis or Foggia.

Why pick Shelbourne and not an even more local team if all that matters is the sport? Why watch adults and not just U12s in your local park?
When Shelbourne were challenging for the LOI title, were their attendances higher or lower than versus when they were languishing in the second tier?
What does that say about domestic fans?

Given that virtually all Irish internationals for last 40 years play in British leagues, there is a sense that there is where the action is, that's where the games that matter are being played. It's why people show more interest in crunch games and competitive games than in friendlies or secondary cup competitions. That's my reasoning at least as to why the LOI doesn't grab the attention the way the British leagues have done.
For some people, what they love about the game is a Friday night LOI game, couple of thousands, being there in person.
For others, it's watching the best players of the sport, yes on TV, but with the atmosphere of a full 50,000 stadium behind it.
I'm not trashing the Friday night fans, but when they start slagging off the other fans, I don't like the bitterness or negativity behind it.

You can love a TV show, you can love a sport you can love a band, nowhere is it written you can only do so if you have seen it 'live'. It's the difference between a play and a film.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

begbysback wrote: »

A foreign Irish team?

Some people will tell you Celtic.

Greyfox wrote: »

Compeditive sport and getting emotional go together even if your watching it on tv, if you dont get emotional over a football game your not really enjoying it

Depends on how much money I have one the outcome!

Greyfox

partyguinness wrote: »

I think if you are an adult with more than a passing interest in English/French/Spanish football (follow it by all means) then I think you are a bit sad and really need to grow up. You are not 16 anymore.

This post shows a lack of understanding of what football is, real football fans dont just take a passing interest in football..its simply not possible

Church on Tuesday

Annd9 wrote: »

Why is it such an Irish phenomenon though ? It comes across as so hypocritical when the general feeling in the country is one of slight distain for England (people argue different ,but sit in a pub when any English national side are playing) . Yet these same players they hate one week are legends the next .
Add to that 80% of the country have a soft spot for Celtic , a club who embrace anti Britishness.
Saturday -Love Celtic - Hate the Brits
Sunday - Love Chelsea - Hate the Mancs ,scousers, Irish ?

If you have paid any attention to the plight of Irish kids trying to make it in England you would see the need for people supporting the game here . Hence why we continue to hold out the begging bowl for players with minimal Irish connections , it's embarrassing.

If you can randomly pick a foreign team to support I find it hard why you can't pick an Irish one . That's if you love football of course as opposed to the entertainment value , if you are the latter fair enough , just don't get so emotional over a TV show .

It's not just an Irish phenomenon. English football teams are well supported around the world with the exception of Italy and Spain.

I don't think there's much disdain for English folk. Irish people want to see the English national team fail because they're our neighbors and one time rivals - it's a like a derby kinda thing. Also, the English media go mental over the England team and build them up only for them to fail. Which is hilarious.

Celtic has a big following in this country because of it's Irish roots and heritage.

A lot of Irish kids get spotted at a young age by English clubs. They want to play for them. The FAI needs to invest more in the infrastructure and coaching of Kids and not giving bloated salaries to CEOs.

The talent pool of domestic players that can compete at an international level is pretty scarce, hence the Granny rule craic which in fairness has served the National team well.

That depends. If you live beside or near a LoI club, that should be your main focus. I'm from the west of Ireland, there is no LoI club near me, hence why I am an Arsenal fan.