Off The Ball Official Thread <Mod Note - Post #1, #533, #6651>

applehunter wrote: »

Newspaper review with Joe, Eoin Butler & Luke Fitzgerald.

Joe Molloy brings up Stephen Kenny's ability to improve players based on Eamon Sweeney's piece in the SINDO.

Butler & Fitzgerald can't comment as they know nothing on about the league.

In the same article Sweeney talks about Ireland support at the Euros. He makes the point going that you don't have to serenade a nun or change a tyre to be a good supporter. Heading to a LOI game is just as laudable in his eyes.

Butler admits he is guilty of this, but goes on to give his 2 cents on the league based on never attending a game. Based on this he tells us that the quality is poor and the fans are full of louts.

In fairness Joe Molloy pulled him up on this but it shows what clubs are up against in attracting new supporters.

Well said, I found it quite bizarre that in almost the same breath he expressed the disdain he had for LOI fans and their loutish behaviour as a reason for not going to games when moments before he said he had never been to a game.

On the other hand I think Sweenys cheap shots at the admittedly tiresome green army fans banter brigade is also fairly unnecessary and irelevant. I was born into a GAA obsessed household in the 70's and never had much exposure to any LOI and therefore never had that crucial early childhood passion any for soccer club Irish or English, but at the same time Irish international football exploded into a golden era and I am hooked ever since, I will get to Irish internationals when I can, 2 world cups, 2 European championships and qualifiers when the stadium was a third full in the not so long ago dark days. I think there's a hell of a lot of supporters like me who earn the right not tone regarded as fair weather or whatever you might call it. That said, I would have nothing but the utmost respect for those that attend and support LOI...what is not mentioned very often is that a lot of LOI fans have a very valid disdain for the FAI legacy issues and Delaney and his father in particular and a lot of them do not attend Irish internationals out of protest which is fair enough, but Sweeny should acknowledge this much also. The divide is very obvious when at internationals not one LOI club flag is represented on the tricolour or elsewhere.

Butler should also note, as a GAA fan I have seen a lot more disgraceful behaviour from GAA fans in grounds than I have ever seen at a soccer match, his holier than thou GAA fan image that he was trying to put across was pathetic.