Croke Park last night

OPENROAD · 07-02-2008 09:30PM

cson wrote: »

Granted the seats in the Emirates are massive and comfy, its an absolute pain in the hole to get out of.

Not really hard to get out of, it really depends how much of a rush you are in,give it 30 mins after the match and I normally walk on the tube,no probs. True if you leave straight away you will have a wait.

homerjay2005 · 07-02-2008 11:57PM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I hope we get out of CP as quick as possible so the FAI can stop funding evil.

the new LR will be streets ahead of the 10 year old CP in terms of spectator comfort.

. croker is a stadium to be proud of and its now a national source of pride. LR as u call it, is a farce and will mean that we are building a stadium 30000 under potential capacity. get a life and take off your anti gaa bias.

croker is among the best stadium in europe and its the envy of many countries......uefa love it and want to use it, but they are not allowed.

Nunu · 08-02-2008 12:55AM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

you are an total f**king idiot. croker is a stadium to be proud of and its now a national source of pride. LR as u call it, is a farce and will mean that we are building a stadium 30000 under potential capacity. get a life and take off your anti gaa bias.

croker is among the best stadium in europe and its the envy of many countries......uefa love it and want to use it, but they are not allowed.

Yes it is, but not a top soccer stadium...i wouldn't even have it in the top 50 soccer stadiums.

ironictoaster · 08-02-2008 01:06AM

Croke Park is great stadium in general. So much history behind it, I love it. I was at the Ireland V Brazil match which was my 1st time watching Ireland play ever live. I didnt get same the sense of excitement like you get a Dublin gaelic football match. But, I'm glad soccer was allowed to use Croke Park while Landowne is being developed though.

Xavi6 · 08-02-2008 01:10AM

Great stadium..... three quarters of the way around. The Hill looks ridiculous and gives the ground an unfinished look. I'd love if it was possible to get rid of it.

stepbar · 08-02-2008 01:46AM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I hope we get out of CP as quick as possible so the FAI can stop funding evil.

Feck back to Dalymount Park so... O wait......

P_1 · 08-02-2008 01:54AM

They seem to have learned from last year and put the ad boards cloaser to the pitch. Unfortunatley a soccer pitch just looks lost on the massive plaving surface of Croker. Maybe in future they should put a tarp over the massive spaces behind each goal.

MrJoeSoap · 08-02-2008 02:13AM

darkman2 wrote: »

Anyone else last night find themselves having their attention taken off the match last night by the stunning site of Croke park in floodlights? It looked really really good. Like a canyon of supporters. I also got the impression that when the new Lansdowne is built the Irish team will be going back to very much the poorer cousin:( I hope the FAI can continue to rent Croker for the really big games. Any thoughts?

My first time there for a soccer game, though I was at the inter-provincials under floodlights a few months back and it looked spectacular. Amazing stadium.

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I hope we get out of CP as quick as possible so the FAI can stop funding evil.

You'll have a dig at anything GAA won't you. It just looks so sad. The FAI are hardly the most organised sporting association in the world.

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

compared to any other stadium of its size, there is nothing around it. there is nowhere to buy a scarf, have a beer and meet people outside like any other 80k stadium. compare it to the Olympico in Rome, a similar sized ground. there are parking spaces, stalls and loads of room for congregation and indeed even evacuation. CP is in the middle of houses.

Nowhere to have a beer? In Ireland? Hang on there a second! Quinns, the Big Tree, even the Porterhouse isn't far. Nowhere to buy scarves? Walk down Drumcondra Road and tell me you can't get a scarf there. There's an Elverys at the entrance to the Hogan Stand, did you miss that as well?

So what if its in the middle of houses? Its been there 125 years. We can't just magically make the houses disappear. You are nitpicking to suit your anti-GAA agenda yet again. It's getting to the stage where I really couldn't give a flying toss about Thomas Davis and Rovers, you are just having digs left, right and centre for no reason whatsoever.

creggy wrote: »

Croke Park is great stadium in general. So much history behind it, I love it. I was at the Ireland V Brazil match which was my 1st time watching Ireland play ever live. I didnt get same the sense of excitement like you get a Dublin gaelic football match. But, I'm glad soccer was allowed to use Croke Park while Landowne is being developed though.

Nice post, it's how I feel about it too. As a once-off during the development of Lansdowne it really is a great thing to be able to say "I saw Ireland play in Croke Park".

pithater1 wrote: »

They seem to have learned from last year and put the ad boards cloaser to the pitch. Unfortunatley a soccer pitch just looks lost on the massive plaving surface of Croker. Maybe in future they should put a tarp over the massive spaces behind each goal.

It really does look out of place, but theres little that can be done about it unfortunately.

OPENROAD · 08-02-2008 02:23AM

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Nowhere to have a beer? In Ireland? .

Can you not get a beer in cp?

homerjay2005 · 08-02-2008 02:25AM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Can you get a beer in cp?

yes u can. ever been? however, seems to me that uefa ban beer at international games. to the clown that said theres no place to drink before hand, i could name 30 pubs within 10 minutes walk. no other stadium in europe can boast that. i love reading such idiotic posts.

OPENROAD · 08-02-2008 02:30AM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

yes u can. ever been? however, seems to me that uefa ban beer at international games. to the clown that said theres no place to drink before hand, i could name 30 pubs within 10 minutes walk. no other stadium in europe can boast that. i love reading such idiotic posts.

Never been, it does look a great stadium apart from the terrace part.

Bit like the Champions league,can't get a beer in most part of stadiums but can in some parts, madness imo.

homerjay2005 · 08-02-2008 02:34AM

OPENROAD wrote: »

Bit like the Champions league,can't get a beer in most part of stadiums but can in some parts, madness imo.

errm, wat u on about? if u have never been, why you commenting?

OPENROAD · 08-02-2008 02:37AM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

errm, wat u on about? if u have never been, why you commenting?

what are you on about

Just asked if you could get a beer in cp

homerjay2005 · 08-02-2008 02:42AM

OPENROAD wrote: »

what are you on about

Just asked if you could get a beer in cp

u said that it can be got in some parts. there are bars all over croker, i assume the "some parts" are the hospitality and then the normal areas are not alcohol friendly.. this is not the case at gaa where you can buy alcohol all over the ground. it uefa that stop it, not the fai or croker. overall, YES, u can still get drink in croker!!!!

OPENROAD · 08-02-2008 02:50AM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

u said that it can be got in some parts. there are bars all over croker, i assume the "some parts" are the hospitality and then the normal areas are not alcohol friendly.. this is not the case at gaa where you can buy alcohol all over the ground. it uefa that stop it, not the fai or croker. overall, YES, u can still get drink in croker!!!!

Was talking about Champions league nights in soccer stadiums and UEFA having the same mad rule that you can't buy beer, but in some parts you can, not just hospitality, Highbury you used to be able to buy beer in North bank restaurant which was reserved for bondholders but almost anyone could get in. Didn't know the same rule applied for Internationals though.

An Citeog · 08-02-2008 02:55AM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

yes u can. ever been? however, seems to me that uefa ban beer at international games. to the clown that said theres no place to drink before hand, i could name 30 pubs within 10 minutes walk. no other stadium in europe can boast that. i love reading such idiotic posts.

Yeah, don't have a clue what ONYD was on about there. There's absolutely loads of pubs around Croker. I've often contemplated doing a pub crawl along the Ballybough Road/Summerhill, although you'd be lucky to make it past the Clonliffe House!:D

Reganio 2 · 08-02-2008 03:14AM

Nunu wrote: »

On a slightly off topic note something seriously has to be done about the stadium DJ(or whatever you'd call him?) The pre match build up is truly pathetic. The last three songs played before the players came out we're 'Big girls you are beautiful', Take Thats 'Rule the World' and I forgot the 3rd but it was equally crap...and what is with all the Eircom Ads on the screen during the game

If I was in charge of pre match build up I'd have a litany of the greatest international goals ever scored on the big screens, obviously with the odd sprinkling of important Ireland goals to get the crowd going, all accompanied by a kick ass soundtrack - simple really.

I agree with that I remember just as the players were in the tunnel so about 20 seconds before they come out (Cause they change to that kinda showdown music) they had Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love". Talk about trying to get the crowd hyped up. At least in Lansdowne they played Thin Lizzy and stuff like that. I am not saying that the new Lansdowne will be better than Croker cause lets face it who know's but they could at least play music that gets you slightly pumped up or something they can sing along to that will keep people happy but when your playing songs about braking up your boyfriend people aren't exactly going "Man I can't wait for this match" Like they should.

Also I prefer Lansdowne Road to Croker even though Croker is only down the road from me. Their was nothing like walking down to the train station and hoping on the train with loads of the other people heading to the match all talking about the last result and who their favourite player and who they think should play where. That for me was what going to Ireland matches was all about. Not going to the bus stop and hoping on a bus with skangers playing scooter on the back of the bus having a quiet little smoke behind the seat so the bus driver dosn't see. I know their are knackers on the Dart but they are alot easier to get away from on the Dart from my experiences.

_blank_ · 08-02-2008 10:17AM

creggy wrote: »

I was at the Ireland V Brazil match which was my 1st time watching Ireland play ever live. I didnt get same the sense of excitement like you get a Dublin gaelic football match.

What the hell did you expect for a friendly?

Jesus like, a meaningless game against a half arsed team.

Wow, I can hardly contain myself here.

stepbar wrote: »

Feck back to Dalymount Park so... O wait......

Er, Rovers don't play in Dalyer.

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

You'll have a dig at anything GAA won't you. It just looks so sad.

I think it's funny tbh

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

The FAI are hardly the most organised sporting association in the world.

er, you can hardly accuse eL folk of having some kind of pro-FAI Agenda, can you?

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Quinns, the Big Tree, even the Porterhouse isn't far.

You could have named some decent pubs, to be fair.

MrJoeSoap · 08-02-2008 10:37AM

DesF wrote: »

You could have named some decent pubs, to be fair.

So could you.

_blank_ · 08-02-2008 10:44AM

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

So could you.

The Bar @ Tolka

Benedict XVI · 08-02-2008 11:51AM

Right now Hill 16 is staying the way it is, which I think it quiet fine, I am sure in years to come the GAA and residents might come to an agreement so that it can be enclosed, and I am sure the stadium is designed in such a way that the change will be seamless.

But there is no hurry, the GAA are not under any pressure for a higher body to get their ground all seated or anything, plus keeping one side opens helps air movement and allows more light in which helps the playing surface.

I don’t think the historical aspect is as important as some wish to make it out, since 1986 alone Hill 16 has been redeveloped twice, so there is probably nothing from 1916 left at this stage, plus with soccer and rugby being played there the old school backward attitude regarding the history is no longer as relevant as it may have been 20 years ago.

On another note, why were there seats in the Hill on Wednesday, have FIFA\UEFA ruled that all games must be seated and not just competitive ones ?

Mint Sauce · 08-02-2008 08:53PM

redzerdrog wrote: »

it has nothing to do with dub GAA fans that the hill isnt all seated like the rest of it, it is because it is not possible. Something to do with the train tracks behind it afaik

the connelly/maynouth train line directly behind the hill, and the row of housees behind, is probably to costly to build over, yes it does some times look uncompleted, but have been to croke park about 6 to 7 times, mainly for GAA, and i do think its a magnificant venue and an example of what can be done here, yes it might be in the middle of a residential area, not fantastc transport links, and no parking, but beats the hell out of having to play our 'home' games in the UK, think fans coming to the place for the first time and seeing it highlighted on TV to a UK and european to people who never knew it exsisted, really means that the new lansdown road will have to be equally as impressive, only feel sorry that the approx 20k people that wont get a seat there due to its smaller capacity

CantGetNoSleep · 09-02-2008 12:38AM

Great GAA stadium, for soccer - my allocation is near the front of the Davin stand, great when the ball is down our end but you end up having to watch on the big screen otherwise

scruff321 · 09-02-2008 01:16AM

Nunu wrote: »

I have been to every Ireland game at Croke Park and to be honest I cannot wait to get back to the new and improved Lansdowne Road.

At Croke Pk you're too far away from the action so it's not a good soccer stadium...and despite the huge leap in attendence the proportion of apathetic supporters, who just don't seem to give a **** about the action taking place before their eyes, seems to have drastically increased.

On a slightly off topic note something seriously has to be done about the stadium DJ(or whatever you'd call him?) The pre match build up is truly pathetic. The last three songs played before the players came out we're 'Big girls you are beautiful', Take Thats 'Rule the World' and I forgot the 3rd but it was equally crap...and what is with all the Eircom Ads on the screen during the game

If I was in charge of pre match build up I'd have a litany of the greatest international goals ever scored on the big screens, obviously with the odd sprinkling of important Ireland goals to get the crowd going, all accompanied by a kick ass soundtrack - simple really.

i agree with nunu,ithink croker is a fabulous stadium and have also been to all the ireland games in the stadium but having said that it will be good when the new lansdowne rd is built croker isnt a soccer stadium,the amount of unenthused supporters seems to have dramtically increased cant say have been at a match yet in croker were the atmosphere has been electric.. fans to quick to look for the mexican wave instead of trying to get behind the team!
also your right about the music how do they expect to get the crowd going with these crappy pop songs and adverts for feckin eircom :rolleyes:

Grid. · 09-02-2008 03:20AM

The music they play at ice hockey games is great, at every stoppage of play the P.A blasts out stuff like AC/DC and Metallica! That would get the place buzzing and no doubt motivate the players!!:rolleyes:

Drag00n79 · 09-02-2008 04:03AM

grames_bond wrote: »

just so ya know mate, its the same security for all fai and irfu matches!

Well "mate", all I know is I brought a lot of kids to the match on Wednesday and the amount of drunk, aggressive knackers at almost every turn means I probably won't be doing so again. The security might be the same people as Lansdowne but I'm not sure there's enough of them for the increased capacity at Croker.

At the same time, the ones they have do nothing anyway, so maybe there's no point increasing the numbers of them. For example, one prick, off his head, was running around the Lower Cusack swinging a three foot flagstick. I saw him move around at least ten different seats in the one section during the ninety minutes including one in the first row, right in front of two security guys. They didn't even take the stick of him never mind fcuk the cnut out of the ground. They'd be a joke if it wasn't so serious.

super_furry · 09-02-2008 05:17AM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I hope we get out of CP as quick as possible so the FAI can stop funding evil.

Amen. Haven't been to an Ireland game in more than a year and I won't be while they're still playing there.

Badly Drunk Boy · 09-02-2008 05:43AM

Shamrok wrote: »

Well "mate", all I know is I brought a lot of kids to the match on Wednesday and the amount of drunk, aggressive knackers at almost every turn means I probably won't be doing so again. The security might be the same people as Lansdowne but I'm not sure there's enough of them for the increased capacity at Croker.

At the same time, the ones they have do nothing anyway, so maybe there's no point increasing the numbers of them. For example, one prick, off his head, was running around the Lower Cusack swinging a three foot flagstick. I saw him move around at least ten different seats in the one section during the ninety minutes including one in the first row, right in front of two security guys. They didn't even take the stick of him never mind fcuk the cnut out of the ground. They'd be a joke if it wasn't so serious.

Maybe the FAI/IRFU wouldn't have anticipated the increased dodginess either. (It's not as if the FAI have their finger on the pulse of the nation...}

Badly Drunk Boy · 09-02-2008 05:51AM

[Rhetorical]Who's our new manager? [/Rhetorical]

Jazzy · 09-02-2008 06:12AM

Yeah totally. barstoolers and such

anyhow Barstoolers

Croke Park last night

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