Ireland is a pretend football country

Thelonious Monk · 18-01-2021 10:33am

CorkRed93 wrote: »

On LOI. I'm obviously bias as a fan/season ticket holder but there is definitely potential to grow the league here but calling out "bar stoolers" and the likes needs to stop.

Yeah it's silly really calling people out for being particular types of football fans, I mean it's only a stupid game at the end of the day. During a normal season I go to maybe 4 Bohs games a year, and have done most of my life when I've been living in Ireland. If we could even get a few more like me going to a few games a season it would make a big difference.
There really is nothing like it though on a Friday night.

irelandrover · 18-01-2021 10:34am

Did you smash it wrote: »

Correct. It’s better than nothing but it’s unambitious

A 6000 seater stadium is perfect. In huge stadiums the atmosphere is terrible with a small attendance.. With a small stadium the atmosphere can be fantastic, and with a great atmosphere people can accept a lower standard of football. They start coming regularly and then you can look into expanding.

Thelonious Monk · 18-01-2021 10:41am

irelandrover wrote: »

A 6000 seater stadium is perfect. In huge stadiums the atmosphere is terrible with a small attendance.. With a small stadium the atmosphere can be fantastic, and with a great atmosphere people can accept a lower standard of football. They start coming regularly and then you can look into expanding.

I remember hearing about this bloody stadium upgrade in the 90s, it will never happen.

cms88 · 18-01-2021 10:48am

While it's easy to blame the FAI etc, and must of it is warranted, for everything they can't be fully blamed.

It's not the FAIs fault Irish people would rather support teams in England rather than Ireland. Now there's nothing wrong with it but if the same popele complain about the LOI being where it is because if the FAI they really can't.

The whole thing of Irish people who support teams in England always interests me. Why do people think it is the case? In some cases people don;t have a LOI club near to them and there's not much they can do. But for example i know of people from Cork who would live no more than 5 minutes from Turners Cross yet would never have been to a Cork City game bar when they might be playing the Liverpool U23 team or something like that.

landofthetree · 18-01-2021 10:49am

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

The FAI had no interest in domestic soccer. They only seemed to look after themselves and the National side, one a lot more than the other.

With the state of their finances now it will be a long time before they can focus on the League of Ireland, that’s if they haven’t got the same type of people running it.

No excuse for following English teams.

irelandrover · 18-01-2021 10:55am

I live in Holland and the model of the first division is one the league of Ireland should follow. They don't really want to compete with the Eredivise so all games are on a Friday night. Fans turn out because a few beers at live soccer with friends is a great Friday night. its not competing with the main games from the Premier league or the Eredivisie.

The team I support has a 5000 seater stadium and gets about 2000 at every game but they are competing with a much bigger club in the city. A lot of teh clubs would get a lot more. Quite a lot of my friends come to 4 or 5 games a season which would never happen if they were competing with United/Liverpool games.

fryup · 18-01-2021 10:56am

landofthetree wrote: »

No excuse for following English teams.

how about scottish teams?

Thelonious Monk · 18-01-2021 11:00am

fryup wrote: »

how about scottish teams?

Do Irish people still support Celtic? I remember it was a huge thing in the late 90s and early 2000s, during the time of MON and Larsson.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:00am

Strumms wrote: »

The are clubs in most major population centers though.

Dublin : Bohs, Shels, Rovers, Pats,

Cork : Cork City

Limerick : Limerick FC

Kilkenny : Kilkenny City

Donegal : Finn Harps

Louth : Dundalk, Drogheda

Galway : Galway United

Waterford : Waterford United

Sligo : Sligo Rovers

The cities or population centers you’ve mentioned, should it be up to the FAI ? Or people on the ground... to sort out teams and be successful.

About 15 years too late there friend. They died.

bocaman · 18-01-2021 11:00am

How many players on the international team are there in the LOI? None. Thats part of the problem. A second one is horrendous facilities. I'll believe the Dalymount redevelopment when I see it. However its no good complaining about the standard of the LOI then headding off to Old Tafford or Anfield or London to catch a game.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:04am

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Massive support here in Ireland for English Premiership football, cuz that's where the stars play and that's where the social media buzz is at. It's a long tradition to support English football teams here, usually picking out a team where there's Irish interest, in the 70s it was Liverpool or Leeds, then it was Newcastle, nowadays it's mostly ManU, not so much for any Irish interest but for the bling, the man buns, the tats and the kudos

I find that the Irish connection line gets much kudos. Reading had a big Irish contingent a decade ago, Wolves more recently. If we’re talking about “oh my uncle went there in the 70’s”, where are the Birmingham City fans? The Crystal Palace fans? People picked successful teams.

Hamsterchops wrote: »

We love football in this country.

Love watching it on telly. Maybe going once or twice a year. Week in and week out though? Nah we don’t.

Samsonsmasher · 18-01-2021 11:06am

Did you smash it wrote: »

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.

Until there is the same passion for soccer as there is for hurling and Gaelic football in rural Ireland we are never going to be able compete with other countries or European clubs.
The best athletes in the country are wasted playing GAA.
Not just potential soccer players but potential Olympic athletes.
There is just no other sporting outlet.
It's as simple as that.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:09am

cms88 wrote: »

It's not the FAIs fault Irish people would rather support teams in England rather than Ireland.

All the while hating De Brits and singing Ole Ole Ole. You couldn’t make it up.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:10am

landofthetree wrote: »

No excuse for following English teams.

There is. They’re in one of the top leagues in the world. No reason you can’t follow both. They seldom clash.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:12am

irelandrover wrote: »

I live in Holland and the model of the first division is one the league of Ireland should follow. They don't really want to compete with the Eredivise so all games are on a Friday night. Fans turn out because a few beers at live soccer with friends is a great Friday night. its not competing with the main games from the Premier league or the Eredivisie.

That literally is League of Ireland. All our games are on Friday nights. You can easily watch Man U/Liverpool/whoever else in Sat and Sun.

Do both.

irelandrover · 18-01-2021 11:15am

Omackeral wrote: »

That literally is League of Ireland. All our games are on Friday nights. You can easily watch Man U/Liverpool/whoever else in Sat and Sun.

Do both.

I did look at the fixtures for last year before my post and saw quite a few other days. But maybe that was due to Covid.

I cant attend LoI games as i don't live in the country but do have a season ticket here for my club.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:15am

bocaman wrote: »

How many players on the international team are there in the LOI? None. Thats part of the problem. A second one is horrendous facilities. I'll believe the Dalymount redevelopment when I see it. However its no good complaining about the standard of the LOI then headding off to Old Tafford or Anfield or London to catch a game.

Turners Cross, Tallaght Stadium. Sligo Showgrounds are all perfect. People will still find an excuse. I remember on here a few years ago someone gave the facilities and standard reasons for not giving things a chance and it was pointed to them that Hannover96 were coming to Tallaght to play Europa League football. Good stadium with Bundesliga opposition.

“Ah no Phelps is competing in the swimming tonight.”

fryup · 18-01-2021 11:16am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Do Irish people still support Celtic?

:rolleyes:

no they've change allegiances to Rangers

Thelonious Monk · 18-01-2021 11:17am

fryup wrote: »

:rolleyes:

no they've change allegiances to Rangers

It's a serious question. Used to be a big thing. I don't hear about it any more or see Celtic jerseys like I used to.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:18am

irelandrover wrote: »

I did look at the fixtures for last year before my post and saw quite a few other days. But maybe that was due to Covid.

I cant attend LoI games as i don't live in the country but do have a season ticket here for my club.

Friday night is football night in our league and has been like that for at least the last 20 years. Sligo play on Saturday night but they’re the exception. Yes, Covid season was a one-off. All kickoffs are 7:45 on a Friday night. It’s a perfect start to a weekend.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:20am

fryup wrote: »

:rolleyes:

no they've change allegiances to Rangers

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

It's a serious question. Used to be a big thing. I don't hear about it any more or see Celtic jerseys like I used to.

They support Celtic in the same way they are Catholics on a census form. That’s my experience of it. I probably know 2 actual fans of the club. The rest say they like them but they don’t really give a toss outside of maybe the Old Firm or Knockout European games. Same as Xmas mass for the a la carte bunch!

maccored · 18-01-2021 11:30am

pretend soccer country surely?

irelandrover · 18-01-2021 11:34am

Omackeral wrote: »

Friday night is football night in our league and has been like that for at least the last 20 years. Sligo play on Saturday night but they’re the exception. Yes, Covid season was a one-off. All kickoffs are 7:45 on a Friday night. It’s a perfect start to a weekend.

Fair enough.

Omackeral · 18-01-2021 11:34am

maccored wrote: »

pretend soccer country surely?

Football Association of Ireland

Shamrock Rovers FC
Cork City FC
Dundalk FC.
Longford Town FC

Have a guess as to what the F might stand for in the above.

cms88 · 18-01-2021 11:35am

Omackeral wrote: »

Turners Cross, Tallaght Stadium. Sligo Showgrounds are all perfect. People will still find an excuse. I remember on here a few years ago someone gave the facilities and standard reasons for not giving things a chance and it was pointed to them that Hannover96 were coming to Tallaght to play Europa League football. Good stadium with Bundesliga opposition.

“Ah no Phelps is competing in the swimming tonight.”

Anytime i hear the line about facilities etc i alway think of this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FeGm0MQ2iQ

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 11:50am

My own idea is Irish football needs a fans trust. Pay an annual sub, get a sticker for the back window of your car and every cent raised goes towards improving facilities across the country. Every trustee is a complete amateur volunteer.

The FAI will never have the financial means to substantially improve the state of football here and the government doesn’t care.

If that doesn’t happen, Irish football will still be pleading poverty 100 years from now.

LuasSimon · 18-01-2021 12:02pm

Omackeral wrote: »

They support Celtic in the same way they are Catholics on a census form. That’s my experience of it. I probably know 2 actual fans of the club. The rest say they like them but they don’t really give a toss outside of maybe the Old Firm or Knockout European games. Same as Xmas mass for the a la carte bunch!

My son wanted to go to a celtic match so last year just before covid we got over to see them play St Mirren. Flew out of Dublin saturday morning and there was two flights at circa 7am ryanair and aerlingus, both full of celtic supporters.
What i couldnt get over near the ground was there was 15 or 16 buses with southern irish regs from Donegal in particular and a couple from louth and dublin . Huge amount of buses from Northern Ireland , Belfast, Derry, newry etc as well. All travelling Larne-Stranear route .

ahnowbrowncow · 18-01-2021 12:39pm

twowheelsonly wrote: »

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 ?

John Delaney making a fool of you there, giving him credit for spending taxpayers money, despite everything that has happened in the last couple of years.

Clones Town named their new facilties John Delaney Park because he got them funding.
All €1.2M of it was state funding. He just decided who it should go too and idiots applauded him for his shameless PR stunts. No mention of the other teams/areas that missed out.

Edgware · 18-01-2021 12:41pm

I know a local "coach" who collects 3 euro from the kids each training session to
"cover me lost overtime"

irish_goat · 18-01-2021 12:44pm

We'll never be a football country until a signficant amount of the country starts supporting football. Part of me would love to know what figure Irish people spend on British football in a given year. Another part of me thinks we're better off not knowing.

Ireland is a pretend football country

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