Actually hard to picture the size of an AFL ground unless you've been to one. I was in the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a match there once, and the pitch looked enormous.
Have just done some Googling and some maths:
Basically, the AFL pitch is more than half as big again as Croke Park, for just three extra players per side.
By the way, Wembley is 105m x 69m - playing area just 7,245 sq. m. That oul' soccer lark seems easy. 😁
The 'Soccer' lark is played at an unfathomable pace compared to Gaelic Football (and at times Hurling). The small pitch leads to beyond ridiculous reactions from players in fairness!
I was out on the G after the 2016 Grand Final (they basically open the pitch up to anyone for a kick about the day after), it is **** enormous. It holds 100k I believe. I think Croker is probably taller/steeper but the G is so vast.
I'd love to see the Hill redevleoped in the style of Spurs south stand with the scoreboard/RTE gantry being above it similar to Lumen Field in Seattle.
Louth GAA Chairman is a TD. I wouldnt be believing a word from him around timelines on communication etc
Seen an article the other day that they have agreed with the GAA that they will build in in stages
I worked with a crowd there that done the turf for MCG, was installing the AFL pitch after the cricket season.
It’s absolutely enormous the size of it
went to Collingwood v Geelong once also, 85000 attendance & it looked almost empty!!
The UK Government are cancelling part of HS2 and they think the UK government are going to pay for Casement.
I can see a spanner in the 'full steam ahead' works given the current stalemate in NI.
Westminister will intervene. This needs to be built for the Euros, it will happen.
If casement does get the boot how long before TDs in cork & Kerry start putting forward PUC & Fitzgearld
Cant happen. needs to be a stadium in Northern Ireland if they are a joint host.
No it doesn't. It can just be reallocated to an English stadium.
The London centred government in charge couldn't give a shte about NI or any other regions. Just today they shafted Manchester with HS2.
People in England don't care if NI hosts. They will see that "Ireland" is a co-host and that will be enough in their minds.
They can talk all they want but it will go to England who have about 20 stadia better suited than Killarney that will be screaming to host.
I heard Leo on the news saying he is working with the Ulster Council and the british on funding for casement. He also told the kerry lads he would help them with Fitzgearld. He is someman for the soundbites
Its got nothing to do with what people in England think. UEFA will care. Northern Ireland are one of the hosts. You cant just not have a stadium there.
If that was the case, they would name them as hosts now....................and just not have a stadium there.
And they will step in because UEFA will force them to, if they want the Euros. It will take some wrangling and will take a while, but this stadium will be ready.
UEFA have no other option. No one else wants to host it. If Casement isnt available then they will happily accept another English stadium instead.
With no other bidder this close to the event, I don't think UEFA would have many options.
Personally I think the UK will stump up for Casement though. The only spanner would be political capital for certain elements in Unionism to kick against it. Not seeing much of that for Unionism (more likely to hurt them) other than success for bigots tbh.
And UEFA then tell the FA you will never get so much as a Europa League final to host from us again. It will be sorted.
And I agree Francie, there will be some opposition but that will be sorted with more money. The UK govt will give some extra money to the Unionists, this will be spun as needed for the Euros and all will be well
Do you honestly think the british will stump up the cash? I just cant see it happening considering all the problems in the UK.
I agree.
Tournament comes first.
FA would have as much and more influence in UEFA than anyone. What's best for UEFA and the tournament will fly, not local sensitivities.
For it to happen without opposition you have to hope the WF stuff gets sorted out. If there is a major fracture between Unionism and Westminster then anything might transpire.
Yes, if they can buy some heart and minds. Drop in the ocean etc etc.
UEFA couldn't give a flying fuk whether this happens in Belfast or Britain.
We pulled out of hosting the last Euros and they don't care.
Exactly. Money talks, particularly with UEFA, they won't be bothered about losing the smallest stadium when it can easily be replaced by a bigger one.
It would also mean accommodating one less host nation which likely wouldn't have qualified through the standard route which would otherwise be taking the place of another, potentially bigger, nation.
Dublin pulled out of hosting one game due to COVID. That Euros was already a pan-european hosted tournament. So its not the same at all really.
Dublin missed out on 4 games due to our leaders at the time not having any balls and letting NPHET control the country
It was a farce with us sitting there and stadiums around Europe full
PUC isnt up to the required standard, nevermind Killarney.
Ya pan European is so different to 5 different FAs hosting a tournament. UEFA won't give a shte if that becomes 4.
If the stadium gets built it will be because the local government and groups get their act together. Hoping Westminster or UEFA give a flying fuk about Belfast is a losing game.
Dublin was due to host four games at Euro2020, Belfast might only get three group games due to the size of the stadium.
It's worth noting that the UEFA itself removed Brussels as a host city on 7 December 2017 due to delays with the building of their stadium. Not hard to imagine Casement not being sufficienly advanced in December 2025 and UEFA also cutting it.
I made this point in the soccer forum too but for me it seems pretty pointless (for the tournament) including Dublin if Belfast is dropped.
Dublin will just feel too cut off from the remainder of the tournament IMO. I think you want at least 2 stadiums here, or it'd be better just staying entirely in GB.
If needed be London could host it on its own. We were only added in for PR reasons to the bid
I totally agree.
If Belfast is cut then cut Dublin as well.
It would be a political s***t show if Eire were included in what is essentially a British bid and NI was not.
Casement has the potential to be a massive GAA white elephant, and regardless who is paying for it that's not a good thing.
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