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Child Item

Ireland is a pretend football country

Did you smash it

Reading on RTE.ie that the public purse will be used to fund a white water rafting complex in the ifsc to the tune of 25 million.

This while “the home of Irish football” Dalymount park is a half condemned ruin.

It amuses me that people think Ireland is a football country because it has the highest participation rate of any sport.

Truth is we have no football economy really beyond a really small time one and no matter what the FAI do they’ll never have the ability to upgrade it as there is no financial investment or wealth in football in the country.

The public’s investment in football amounts to sky sports subscriptions and trips cross channel.

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statesaver

Has planning permission been granted for that silly water thing ?

Das Reich

Did you smash it wrote: »

Portugal and Denmark are next door to far more successful countries than England and have similar populations to Ireland. Doesn’t stop them.

Our size is a convenient excuse that doesn’t quite explain why our league is similar in size to Malta and far inferior to Cyprus and many others.

Portugal have more than teice of Irish population, with many of its players coming from ex colonies.

FTA69

I remember reading an article before that laid the problem facing us. Irish soccer is still geared toward the English leagues, and we send over umpteen teenagers every year for trials. These teenagers are often far behind their counterparts in other countries in terms of training hours and physical development. Something ridiculous like 95% of these teenagers wash out after a year and the vast majority of them never play soccer again. On top of that the Premier League can now draw players from all over the world, Africa and the like, which just wasn’t the case in the 1990s to the same degree.

Where we should be cultivating our young papers in a domestic league we end up scrapheaping them in England at a very young age. On top of that the domestic league is poorly managed by the FAI and unfortunately poorly supported by the majority of Irish soccer “fans”.

I’m not an expert on soccer by any means but it’s an analysis that made a lot of sense to me.

dotsman

nullzero wrote: »

White water rafting is for the high paid foreign workers who all live in the docklands isn't it?

It has little to do with Ireland or the Irish people, just giving those mentioned above a reason to spend their weekends here and spend an extra few quid in our economy instead of going somewhere else in Europe for a couple of days.

It is the last thing the "high paid" people (Irish or foreign) living in the docklands want, and is, and has been for the past number of years, a disaster for the area.

I have no idea why you think this, nor how you think it somehow impacts what people do at the weekends or where they spend their money

This is epic stupidity on the part of DCC, nothing more, nothing less.

Hamsterchops

“Football, she’s a cruel mistress. She’s more than a mistress. She’s a wife, she’s a mother, she’s a daughter, she’s an errant child.”

“She can make you laugh, she can make you cry. She can bring tears to me eyes. She can bring blood to me shoulders. She can… bring the kettle to the boil.

“Cause football is about nothing, unless it’s about something and what it is about… is football.”

Alan Latchley (Peter Cook).

dxhound2005

Did you smash it wrote: »

Portugal and Denmark are next door to far more successful countries than England and have similar populations to Ireland. Doesn’t stop them.

Our size is a convenient excuse that doesn’t quite explain why our league is similar in size to Malta and far inferior to Cyprus and many others.

Just like in Scotland, it is a select few clubs in Portugal and Denmark which get decent crowds. Some average attendances are below that of Rovers and Bohs.

https://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/por-primeira-liga-2018-2019/1/

https://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/den-superliga-2018-2019/1/

cj maxx

As someone already said , the Jack Charlton years were a bit of a freak. A golden generation of Irish footballers, who all played in Britain, boosted by few good English/Scottish imports (the granny rule) boosted by good luck.
The same goes for NI.

Richard Hillman

Dalymount Park is to be redeveloped and will be a home for Bohs and Shelbournem.

I don't get the fuss against the potential white water rafting facility. We are allowed to have nice things too. I would love to have a go at it. I would be more focused in financial waste going to the inner circle at shady NGOs and Lobby groups. Only a select few get to benefit that.

Its also an Olympic sport in a sport that we could possibly compete in.

Did you smash it

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Dalymount Park is to be redeveloped and will be a home for Bohs and Shelbournem.

I don't get the fuss against the potential white water rafting facility. We are allowed to have nice things too. I would love to have a go at it. I would be more focused in financial waste going to the inner circle at shady NGOs and Lobby groups. Only a select few get to benefit that.

Its also an Olympic sport in a sport that we could possibly compete in.

It shouldn’t have a priority over dalymount

Did you smash it

Das Reich wrote: »

Portugal have more than teice of Irish population, with many of its players coming from ex colonies.

Twice I take it you mean?

Indeed, but Ireland isn’t exactly playing off the population of the country either. We take players off the north and “from” not off England.

Smee_Again

Shakey_jake wrote: »

All was going fine until the GAA banned everything for games no other country plays.

Hell cricket was f**king massive here until the gaa had to ruin it and im sure soccer would have been in a better place too had it not been frowned upon by the narrow minded

The biggest barrier to football succeeding in Ireland is the FAI, not the GAA.

Did you smash it

Smee_Again wrote: »

The biggest barrier to football succeeding in Ireland is the FAI, not the GAA.

A popular sentiment but not exactly sure it’s a true one.

Not sure it makes any difference who’s in charge. Ultimately There is no proof there is money in Irish football.

Smee_Again

Did you smash it wrote: »

A popular sentiment but not exactly sure it’s a true one.

Not sure it makes any difference who’s in charge. Ultimately There is no proof there is money in Irish football.

Of course it does, look at the difference in facilities between most GAA/Rugby clubs and soccer clubs, there’s money there but the FAI just squander it.

There may not be Premier League type money but there’s potential for more growth.

Dyr

TimL1974 wrote: »

Everyone wants to blame the likes of John Delaney, and they should, but Irish soccer is rotten to the core.

This is the correct answer.

Government should have cut the lifeline and let soccer start again from scratch if it wanted.

[Deleted User]

Just look at the Aviva.

IRFU had their share paid off long before the FAI (is it even paid off yet?)

Strumms

Zebra3 wrote: »

Mooted capacity of 6,000.

Game changer all right.

If it happens and in fairness it’s looking possible... Dalymount rebuilds have been talked about for 25 years.. plans, talking, designs, silence has been the repeated way...

If you have a comfortable facility to enjoy and watch the sport, more people will come and regularly... for that, investment needs to be forthcoming....should have been forthcoming a decade ago....

I think initially 6,000 would be ok, hopefully the design of the stadium will be such that expansion could happen should in 10 years, the fortunes of Bohemians and the league encourage more people to come, hopefully that’s the case.

super_furry

The biggest game in Irish football in on right now. No goals between Liverpool and United yet.

Did you smash it

Smee_Again wrote: »

There may not be Premier League type money but there’s potential for more growth.

There MAY not be?

Yes and I may not go to bed between scarlet Johansson and Jessica Alba tonight.

Breezin

super_furry wrote: »

The biggest game in Irish football in on right now. No goals between Liverpool and United yet.

True. And tragically pathetic.

Boomer Rant

Did you smash it wrote: »

There MAY not be?

Yes and I may not go to bed between scarlet Johansson and Jessica Alba tonight.

If you do you'll fairly smash it.

[Deleted User]

Smee_Again wrote: »

Of course it does, look at the difference in facilities between most GAA/Rugby clubs and soccer clubs, there’s money there but the FAI just squander it.

There may not be Premier League type money but there’s potential for more growth.

Soccer just doesn't generate the income the GAA can and nor does it have the ingrained wealth that rugby has.

The GAA generates income from gate receipts, merchandise, sponsorship, government grants, media rights etc, and at a local level fundraising.
All of this goes back into the association,cand it also does not pay players a salary, just expenses.

Rugby has fee paying schools to develop their players and as well as sponsorship and government grants has very wealthy benefactors, plus it has an international element to generate income from tournaments, tv rights etc.

Soccer has none of these.
Unlike the GAA or rugby the potential revenue from fans is going on sky subs, Premier league merchandise, trips to England etc etc.
For all the soccer fans in the land they are contributing feck all the the FAI, unlike GAA and rugby.

That's why soccer is so poor, it's cannot generate income.

Oh and by the way. The same soccer fans buying sky subs, EPL gear etc are probably playing 5 a side soccer on the local astro rented from the GAA club, the same club who's lotto they do and who's bus they get to intercounty matches in the summer.
The FAI have no chance.

LuasSimon

The GAA have a huge advantage in the fact players have to play for where they are from or work, it makes these people local heros embedded in their communities . The GAA really stumbled upon something with the county structures. People who mighnt be GAA but are from Kildare or Galway cant help but hear how their countys team is getting on and if your getting slagged by workmates from other counties without realizing it you get half interested.

Can you imagine if there was a Dublin v Cork All Ireland soccer final played by players only from those counties, it would pack a stadium like the GAA does , equally a Dublin v Antrim or Limerick semi final.

Did you smash it

Not everyone will agree but I’m not convinced Dublin Dons project would have been bad for Irish football.

Unfortunately the LOI hasn’t gone anywhere since. It’s fine blaming the FAI but no sponsor or tv deal is a sad indictment that goes beyond the FAI’s incompetence

pgj2015

Did you smash it wrote: »

Not everyone will agree but I’m not convinced Dublin Dons project would have been bad for Irish football.

Unfortunately the LOI hasn’t gone anywhere since. It’s fine blaming the FAI but no sponsor or tv deal is a sad indictment that goes beyond the FAI’s incompetence

Not true. The standard of football in the LOI has improved a lot in the last 5 years. Dundalk have been in the Europa league group stages twice in the last 4 years. its a pity the Irish man u and pool die hards cant go watch their own league.

Did you smash it

pgj2015 wrote: »

Not true. The standard of football in the LOI has improved a lot in the last 5 years. Dundalk have been in the Europa league group stages twice in the last 4 years. its a pity the Irish man u and pool die hards cant go watch their own league.

Last time I looked the co-efficient didn’t agree. Having Jack Byrne was a huge thing for the league. Now he’s gone for big money in ....Cyprus.

Is there anything that will make the casual supporter go to a game now? Dundalk are steady but workmanlike.

StupidLikeAFox

LuasSimon wrote: »

The GAA have a huge advantage in the fact players have to play for where they are from or work, it makes these people local heros embedded in their communities . The GAA really stumbled upon something with the county structures. People who mighnt be GAA but are from Kildare or Galway cant help but hear how their countys team is getting on and if your getting slagged by workmates from other counties without realizing it you get half interested.

Can you imagine if there was a Dublin v Cork All Ireland soccer final played by players only from those counties, it would pack a stadium like the GAA does , equally a Dublin v Antrim or Limerick semi final.

Couldn't agree more - if they had an amateur layer below the LOI based on county boundaries, you would get a lot of buy in from local people who are soccer fans, but can't really relate to any particular club in LOI, shouting for their own county. It could even act as a feeder to LOI, which would give you an interest if someone from your county made the cut

Good luck trying to dismantle all the little fiefdoms that JD created in the fai though

Strumms

Breezin wrote: »

True. And tragically pathetic.

If we had have had investment in the league and it’s facilities... you’d be getting people going to the games, more certainly... Considering the levels of interest in the sport that’s a no brainer. Look around the league... nothing approaching a modern, comfortable stadium, Tallaght being the nearest... you need to invest in the product, make it better, more comfortable, attract people...

twowheelsonly

Smee_Again wrote: »

Of course it does, look at the difference in facilities between most GAA/Rugby clubs and soccer clubs, there’s money there but the FAI just squander it.

There may not be Premier League type money but there’s potential for more growth.

The facilities in Soccer over the last 20 years have improved in leaps and bounds. To be fair to Delaney it's one of the things that he drove on. When I played we got changed in an old shipping container and we played on a pitch that was roughly as level as a skateboarding park. The same club now has dressing rooms, showers, 2 pitches with sprinklers and drainage and a half size astro. The same is true of many clubs.

I don't agree that the FAI don't care about LoI or local football in general. I deal with lads in the FAI and almost without exception every one of them has a LoI club that they follow or are involved with their own local clubs. There's a very strong LoI culture there and a good slagging between staff on a constant basis.

The problem as I see it is the overall structure. Too many Associations and divisions. All have their own structures (Chairman, Sec, Treasurer etc) and all want to protect what they have. The GAA structure is far better. Limerick for instance has two or three separate adult leagues. In Cork or Dublin you have the likes of the AUL, Munster/Leinster Senior leagues, Shipping Leagues etc. The same filters down at Schoolboys level - Dublin & District SL, North Dublin SL, Metropolitan Girls League etc.
In GAA all clubs are affiliated to their County Board. They in turn are affiliated to their Provincial Council and in turn to the National Council/Congress. Everything flows sweetly up and down (for the most part) and everyone is (again for the most part) working to promote GAA. FAI Council is trying to cater to too many sub-divisions which leads to the pie being too broken up too many times. There's 60 members of the FAI Council - all representing various Leagues or Associations. Why does a country of our size and population need 60 representatives ?

pgj2015

Did you smash it wrote: »

Last time I looked the co-efficient didn’t agree. Having Jack Byrne was a huge thing for the league. Now he’s gone for big money in ....Cyprus.

Is there anything that will make the casual supporter go to a game now? Dundalk are steady but workmanlike.

I think if the clubs could get more Irish internationals to finish their career in the LOI it would help. The first LOI game I went to was so I could see paddy mccourt play live, 12 euro in and it was well worth it, I caught the LOI bug after that game. most Irish man u or liverpool fans dont even know who mccourt is though.

I think brexit will mean Irish youngsters cant go play there until they are 18, that might help the game here as well if they stay here longer.

Dundalk are a great team to watch live as are shamrock rovers, same for bohs. 20 euro for a seat in the stand, 15 to stand, you couldnt go wrong.

Feenix

Strumms wrote: »

If we had have had investment in the league and it’s facilities... you’d be getting people going to the games, more certainly... Considering the levels of interest in the sport that’s a no brainer. Look around the league... nothing approaching a modern, comfortable stadium, Tallaght being the nearest... you need to invest in the product, make it better, more comfortable, attract people...

Crowds would increase but not considerably. It’s still a small league and certain areas are too far away to attend games.
Facilities are getting better but the comparison for the average Irish person isn’t just English football, it’s the top 4 of the Premier League. They’ll never get interested in it.