Premiership football support.....I just don't understand the point?

30-11-2018 11:35AM

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Isn't it quite obvious ?

People who love soccer and the closest big league is in England, Its only semi professional here , so England is the closest professional league ,

If it's solely about standard, why not support Spain over Ireland?

Strumms · 30-11-2018 11:35AM

valoren wrote: »

It's all about the hype and the atmosphere.

Take any football game and remove the hype, the build up, the impressive stadia, the passionate commentators, the 24/7 media coverage and the chants and cheers of thousands of spectators and you reduce it to it's essence. 22 players kicking a ball around a field. Without the smoke and mirrors it's equivalent to watching a sitcom without the laugh track. It will not have the same psychological impact. Imagine watching Seinfeld without a laugh track? Quality writing delivered by well honed comedians but while being incredibly funny it would just seem weird and off without the implied laughter cues that a laugh track/live audience reaction provides. Go and watch youtube videos of The Big Bang Theory without the canned laughter. It's an awful turgid watch. In football matches, the smoke and mirrors are football's laugh track.

If you took LOI level squads and had them play their matches with the same smoke and mirrors invested in and afforded to PL and Champions League games then the subjective quality of the players themselves become moot but the subjective quality of the football increases psychologically. You'd have a prim and proper host and endless talk with pundits beforehand conveying a sense of importance to the upcoming Cork City v Dundalk match, you'd have Martin Tyler delivering his slick commentary, you'd have dedicated TV channels to Cork City FC and you'd have thousands of fans generating an "event" like atmosphere in an Old Trafford type arena for what is in reality a bunch of full time footballers running around a pitch trying to win a match.

There is some truth and essence to the spirit of your argument, but I’ve been to games in both the Premiership and La Liga where despite the multi million euro player valuations on show, great stadia, media hype pre game.. it just ended up being a **** game. So for all the ‘smoke and mirrors’ if the game isn’t good...that’s just it.

30-11-2018 11:42AM

farmchoice wrote: »

I was once in the pub with a mate of mine who claims to be a big Liverpool fan ( never been to liverpool) he shouted at another fella in the pub that he was ''manc filth'' , the other chap was also from mayo, in turn called my friend a ''scouse ****''. they then started chanting at each other in bad put on english accents

Been there, done that. Absolutely off the wall weird. Idiots that grew up on the same road in Ballymun calling each other ''Manc scum'' or ''Scouse bin-dippers'', when neither could locate either city on a map. It makes your mind boggle.

Gas how it's nearly always Man United and Liverpool owing to the Irish connection or an uncle that lived there in the 70's but you'll never really see that many Everton or Man City fans... or Crystal Palace or Birmingham City fans floating around for that matter and we emigrated to those place in our droves.

We're the best fans in the world once or twice a decade internationally and maybe once a season or two for English teams, if that. Week to week it's a foreign concept to most. For people that love to hate England and their football, we sure as hell like consuming it as if it's ours. ''We beat you''. Translation, some English team beat another English team. You couldn't make it up yet it's just the norm here.

If standard is the be all and end all, how come you never get lads from Louth support Kerry GAA or Dublin?

enricoh · 30-11-2018 11:42AM

I support Heathrow united - its the place i have the most connection with in England!

30-11-2018 11:46AM

Billy Mays wrote: »

There's few things cringier than Irish people referring to themselves or others as scousers or mancs.

True.

Billy Mays wrote: »

Irish Liverpool fans are an odd breed..

They're no different to the Manchester United supporters, as much as they'd like to think it I'm sure. Both sets think of themselves as inherently opposite but they're the exact same. Both like a team that wears red from the the NE of England and have historically been successful. There's f*ck all difference between them.

30-11-2018 11:48AM

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

But if they were calling each other abusive slurs and being disparaging because their local parish teams were playing each other, that would be ok though right?

Wouldn't be alright but would be at least a bit more logical than aping someone else's accent.

Greyfox · 30-11-2018 11:59AM

Football is an entertainment product and despite the cancer of overpaid players it's still a great product. It doesn't matter what country the team you support is from as long as you enjoy watching. For me watching a game at home or the pub it better than going to the actual home ground. Football is about entertainment 1st, I don't have time to support a team from my own country as there not on tv often enough. I consider myself a real as I've been following my team for 27 years

Irish Guitarist · 30-11-2018 12:03PM

I find it stranger when someone who claims to have no interest in football cares about Ireland beating some other country. Why would anyone give a shite how well their country does at something that doesn't interest them?

murpho999 · 30-11-2018 12:06PM

Billy Mays wrote: »

There's few things cringier than Irish people referring to themselves or others as scousers or mancs.

Irish Liverpool fans are an odd breed. If you slag off the city of London to an Arsenal/Spurs fan or the city of Manchester to a United fan they tend to just shrug their shoulders. Say anything negative about the city of Liverpool to an LFC fan and they're on the defensive straight away. A lot of them genuinely think that supporting Liverpool makes them different to other football fans and that they're part of some sort of special football family.

Well if you're not a Liverpool supporter then you clearly won't get it.

Salvation Tambourine · 30-11-2018 12:07PM

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

I find it stranger when someone who claims to have no interest in football cares about Ireland beating some other country. Why would anyone give a shite how well their country does at something that doesn't interest them?

I wanted the Irish hockey team to win the World Cup despite having only watched one hockey match before that. It's national pride/interest, I would have thought that was easy to get?

A lot of people that had never watched snooker I'm sure watched Ken Doherty in 1997

30-11-2018 12:09PM

Greyfox wrote: »

Football is an entertainment product and despite the cancer of overpaid players it's still a great product. It doesn't matter what country the team you support is from as long as you enjoy watching. For me watching a game at home or the pub it better than going to the actual home ground. Football is about entertainment 1st, I don't have time to support a team from my own country as there not on tv often enough. I consider myself a real as I've been following my team for 27 years

Could not disagree more. Nothing beats being there. Think the GAA came up with that slogan and they're spot on. Whether it's taking the kids to a game or meeting the lads for an away day on the beer, it can't be topped. Creating witty chants, being part of displays and whipping up rousing atmospheres is what it's all about. I watch my team every Friday night and wouldn't trade it for anything. Great thing is, you can then watch any Premiership football on a Saturday and have the best of both.

dulux99 · 30-11-2018 12:11PM

People start supporting teams at a young age. If you're supporting United and Liverpool through your young life and teenage years you can feel like you have an affinity for that city. I don't think you'll find any passionate fans in Ireland who didn't support these clubs from a young age.

People's character are a product of their youth. I was lucky enough to be brought to United games once or twice a year from a young age and have continued that into my adulthood. It's hard to shake these things! From my years going to Manchester I've made buddies from Manchester and they visit Ireland once a year for a jolly up. Great fun.

dulux99 · 30-11-2018 12:12PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No big deal, it's just a hobby that makes people feel like they are part of something, even if that something is just a corporation machine designed to suck out their money.

Re the OP, but, I have never seen something in fans as strange as Man Ut fans in the pub chanting with the Manchester accent. That's a whole new level of pathetics. I never heard Barcelona fans down the local chanting with Catelan accent.

I do think this is weird. I go to a couple of cork city games every year and even the local fans chant in an English accent. It's odd.

Chips Lovell · 30-11-2018 12:18PM

Why do people take it so seriously? Where watching foreign teams as seen as something akin to treason? It's just a game. A bit of entertainment.

Bunny Colvin · 30-11-2018 12:20PM

farmchoice wrote: »

i dont think the point was about watching it and enjoying it it was about following one particular team with a great passion.

i love watching the premiership as a product but i would not be able to passionately support a team from Liverpool any more than i could one from barcalona or new york, because i'm not from any of those places, i dont have any connection to them as such.

mind you good luck to them each to their own and all that.

i was once in the pub with a mate of mine who claims to be a big Liverpool fan ( never been to liverpool) he shouted at another fella in the pub that he was ''manc filth'' , the other chap was also from mayo, in turn called my friend a ''scouse ****''. they then started chanting at each other in bad put on english accents which were both more cockney then northern.
the chants were all grossly offensive.
this is the kind of carry on that i feel is taking it too far.

I witnessed the same thing myself (also in Mayo) about 10/15 Liverpool and Utd fans chanting songs at each other. I was embarrassed for them.

ancapailldorcha · 30-11-2018 12:24PM

I live quite close to Wembley stadium and it's a little sad that I have no interest in it given my location.

30-11-2018 12:30PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I live quite close to Wembley stadium and it's a little sad that I have no interest in it given my location.

You've described the majority of people in this country there tbh.

How Soon Is Now · 30-11-2018 12:38PM

Always been into sport played football non stop when was younger soccer and gaa. Followed Manchester United since i was like 7 or 8 Dublin gaa probably about the same amount of time as well.

Id put Dublin ahead of United im from Dublin and im a proud dub and i get to as many games as meself and me da can.

Ive no interest in the Irish league used to go to the odd pats game years ago cause family from Inchicore but never found it very entertaining so ya!

Thats what its about really entertainment and enjoyment!! Obviously my support for Dublin goes deeper cause im from there.

Ya id class myself as a big united fan but soccer has become a little bit more stale to me over last few years with the game becoming more about off the pitch then on!

As for following the premier league for a lot of people id imagine its because its one the biggest and most followed leagues in the world of course its going to be more attractive to people!

This bull**** of ahh ya have to follow your local team if your a football fan..... Ya do in your hole. I have no reason to support any League of Ireland team i find the whole thing a loada ****e. The standard of Irish football from International level to club is muck. You dont just follow something because you happen to be from that city or country!!

Frunchy · 30-11-2018 12:39PM

It hasn't been called the Premiership in 10 years.....

30-11-2018 12:40PM

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

This bull**** of ahh ya have to follow your local team if your a football fan..... Ya do in your hole. You dont just follow something because you happen to be from that city or country!!

But then you say this

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

Id put Dublin ahead of United im from Dublin and im a proud dub. Obviously my support for Dublin goes deeper cause im from there.

Bit hypocritical, no?

ancapailldorcha · 30-11-2018 12:40PM

Omackeral wrote: »

You've described the majority of people in this country there tbh.

UK or Ireland?

30-11-2018 12:42PM

I find the rugby hipsters/barstoolers and Gaa cultchie more irritating and they seem to get more whingy than the soccer fans when they lose

How Soon Is Now · 30-11-2018 12:43PM

Omackeral wrote: »

But then you say this

Bit hypocritical, no?

No i dont just follow Dublin because im from Dublin i support them because i feel attached to the team and love Dublin im more proud to say im a Dub then an Irish man.

I dont follow Dublin gaa club football for example.

mikemac2 · 30-11-2018 12:44PM

When these barstoolers actually attend a game in their beloved English city the locals will view them as what they are - tourists

30-11-2018 12:45PM

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

You dont just follow something because you happen to be from that city or country!!

Except most people the world over do. Nearly everyone at a Bolton Wanderers match is going to be from Bolton. The people at a Hamburg match are gonna be from Hamburg. A world cup match featuring Mexico is probably gonna be full of Mexican people. Likewise for GAA, someone from Ennis will follow Clare and not Cork. We do this little mental gymnastic in this country for club soccer though, don't we?

Billy Mays · 30-11-2018 12:46PM

murpho999 wrote: »

Well if you're not a Liverpool supporter then you clearly won't get it.

What makes you think supporting Liverpool is different to supporting any other team?

Genuinely curious

30-11-2018 12:46PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

UK or Ireland?

This country. Ireland.

30-11-2018 12:49PM

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

No i dont just follow Dublin because im from Dublin i support them because i feel attached to the team and love Dublin im more proud to say im a Dub then an Irish man.

Right but it's because you're from Dublin that you've formed this bond with the team in the first place. That goes for people that go to any team week in and week out. Logic would dictate that going to the one in your vicinity is easier than going to one miles away or oversees. Then you build your bond and feel like you belong and that's what happens and you become part of it. Location is a major factor in that usually I'd suggest.

How Soon Is Now · 30-11-2018 12:49PM

Omackeral wrote: »

Except most people the world over do. Nearly everyone at a Bolton Wanderers match is going to be from Bolton. The people at a Hamburg match are gonna be from Hamburg. A world cup match featuring Mexico is probably gonna be full of Mexican people. Likewise for GAA, someone from Ennis will follow Clare and not Cork. We do this little mental gymnastic in this country for club soccer though, don't we?

Ya but are those people following there country just because they where born there? No most of it is due to there passion for there country and there love for it. Not everyone has that some people just follow trends. I mean look at all the new fans the Rugby in Ireland has attracted over last few years strangely around the same time the football team has gotten even worse.....

I love Dublin because its a part of me and who i am. I cant really say as much for Ireland.

Chips Lovell · 30-11-2018 12:50PM

The notion of "following" a team too is pretty daft.

Premiership football support.....I just don't understand the point?

Comments