France and their great players

shane86 · 01-03-2008 09:41PM

Stekelly wrote: »

We're all "consumers", he's a "fan" , support the locals, Ireland would win the WC if we all started supporting Shes instead of evil English teams etc, etc, etc.:D

Indeed. The majority of French first team regulars play in England, Spain or Italy anyway. Very few stay in the French league, it aint all that. As for the Brazil point IMO most Brazillian stars are in Europe by their late teens. Ditto AAfricans. ffs Eduardo was over so early the Croats rushed through a passport for him.

As for the EL, done to death. English clubs have more money. Brilliant, great, good and even average to poor players will be snapped up by anyone with as much cash as Chelsea to as little as Leicester and Leeds. As for the Brits apparently stealing our teenagers plenty of players have been 19/20 and even older before going to England

DesF wrote: »

My argument, and others here I might add, is that a strong National League (like, say, Norway, Sweden (countries where the Premiership is equally as popular by the way)) would go some way to improving our national team.
.

Since when has the Norwegian national team set the world on fire?

KdjaCL · 01-03-2008 09:47PM

PHB wrote: »

Indeed, they are the New Zealand of football. That said, they do the same thing in football But it's fine for them, because their national identity isn't tied up with a geographical idea, it's more to do with an idea of citizenship. That's why they'd have no problem if Kaka declared for France, while people in Ireland would still question it.

How do you explain the weekly race riots? They just as racist as us and fickle will abuse black people but cheer black players.

The emergence of the african nations teams as decent teams will hurt france the most, Drogba could have played for France but chose ivory coast, more will do the same as they can be africans and still get the wage a top player gets.

Some players were forced by clubs to declare for france due to the foreigner rule and and non eu quotas.

Eto drogba essien etc: proving you dont need to declare for european teams anymore.

kdjac

Peyton Manning · 01-03-2008 11:31PM

France are fairly spoilt when it comes to exciting young talent.

Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema are obviously the two big ones right now. Plus if reports about Henri Saivet's potential are true (from both media and football manager lol) then we have another one coming through.

KdjaCL · 01-03-2008 11:35PM

Archimedes wrote: »

Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema are obviously the two big ones right now.

Such a shame Algeria are not very good. Nasri had to declare for france to get his pro contract at marseille and Benzema got a 10 year contract to declare for france.

Maybe Pats can get Ndo to declare for ireland by threatening his career*.

*sarcasm ndo has 22 caps for Cameroon and played vs ireland in 2002 WC.

kdjac

ziggy · 02-03-2008 05:53AM

This post has been deleted.

MIN2511 · 02-03-2008 11:13AM

It's all about growth, in Ireland we don't take soccer as seriously as France or England. We are more into Gaelic and Rugby, which is fair enough.

homerjay2005 · 02-03-2008 12:00PM

MIN2511 wrote: »

It's all about growth, in Ireland we don't take soccer as seriously as France or England. We are more into Gaelic and Rugby, which is fair enough.

Rugby, are we???????? soccer is played by more youngsters now than any other sport. The grassroots soccer over the past 10 years has grown immensly and will continue to grow. there is trojan work being done that we cant see, but i have seen it at local level. soccer is thriving in ireland. GAA is number one, and perhaps will be for years, but that is a part of our heritage.

Rugby, your having a laugh. Rugby is something that we are only interested in when there is some big game on, nothing else. Rugby in Ireland is followed by a select bunch fanatically and then the rest is only a passing interest. Personally, i hate rugby fans but that is only my opinion. We may support Ireland and the likes of Ulster, Munster and Leinster when there are big games on, but how many people will be at a League game between say Shannon and some team outside of Munster? very little i can guarantee ya. It may come as a surprise (cos it did to me) that Rugby is only the 5th most played game in Ireland, Adults and Kids.

Everybody on here im sure could name every Eircom League Soccer club for example, whereas, how many people would actually know the names of alot of the top Rugby club teams? not that it matters, but just pointing it out that as far as most people are concerned, Rugby is about Ireland and the heineken cup. In soccer,there is now a local club in every area of ireland, you cant say that for rugby.

1st - Gaa Football
2nd - Gaa Hurling.
3rd - Soccer.
4th - BASKETBALL:eek:
5th - Rugby.

DSB · 02-03-2008 12:32PM

dublindude wrote: »

Considering we all support English teams, watch English teams on TV, and have hundreds of Irish players in the English leagues, couldn't you say the English leagues are kind of our own leagues too?

They just happen to be in a different country, but all our best players play there...

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

PHB · 02-03-2008 01:38PM

KdjaCL wrote: »

How do you explain the weekly race riots? They just as racist as us and fickle will abuse black people but cheer black players.
kdjac

It depends if you see them as race riots, or riots because they don't have jobs and their government ignore them. It's not about race, in reality, they are never really about race. Race is just an excuse, and an easy way for the government to tarnish them without addressing the real issues.

AARRRGH · 02-03-2008 01:51PM

DSB wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Care to elaborate?

Harpy · 02-03-2008 02:25PM

DesF wrote: »

Well, allow me to clarify.

My argument, and others here I might add, is that a strong National League (like, say, Norway, Sweden (countries where the Premiership is equally as popular by the way)) would go some way to improving our national team. I'm not suggesting it would solve all problems, but would play a part.

What?

Fairynuff.

I agree here about sweden the support over there is very impressive but again sweden has double the population of ireland..also they have the facilities there.The teams have nice stadiums and good facilities.. I think these things have to be provided in ireland before people start taking a big interest..at the moment its to easy for us to just watch english football and because we are able to watch top class players play week in week out in premier league ,we just don't make the effort to go to the el matches..
I'm always saying to myself aw id love to start goin to watch my local team play but then im just like ah its windy or wet i couldn't be ar*ed i always just seem to make an excuse...

I agree with DesF and there's nothing more that id like to see then the EL develop more and all that but i think we're a long way off it and personally i don't know if we're going to see it happen at all.. people are happy to watch the premier league(myself included) so don't care about the EL that much

DSB · 02-03-2008 02:26PM

By your ridiculous, slanted and flawed logic, Fabregas and Ronaldo are Irish really. Since so many Irish fans support them. The Premiership is an English League, The League Of Ireland, is an Irish league. If you don't choose to support it, that's fair enough, but don't be so ignorant as to ignore its existence.

Edit: Directed at Dublindude.

AARRRGH · 02-03-2008 04:49PM

DSB wrote: »

By your ridiculous, slanted and flawed logic, Fabregas and Ronaldo are Irish really. Since so many Irish fans support them. The Premiership is an English League, The League Of Ireland, is an Irish league. If you don't choose to support it, that's fair enough, but don't be so ignorant as to ignore its existence.

Edit: Directed at Dublindude.

I never said anything like that.

DesF and others are saying the best solution to our national team is developing a strong national league.

I am saying this:

Most soccer fans in Ireland grow up watching English soccer and support English teams. They dream of playing for Liverpool, Man U, etc. They do not dream of playing for Shelbourne or Bohemians and in general have little interest in the Irish league.

Irish players who are good enough move to England at a young age and play in the English league. We have hundreds of players in England.

The English league just happens to be in England. If it was in Ireland, we'd still have the same players playing in the same league. I know this is hard to grasp. In simple terms, the location of the league is unimportant if it is strong and we have many players there.

As others have pointed out, the French league isn't particularly strong.

The problem is not where the players are playing, it's that we've a small population and we don't have a culture of nurturing soccer talent or encouraging creative play.

DSB · 02-03-2008 05:38PM

The location is definitely important, its far more stable for a young player to be living at home with his family and friends who will keep him with the right attitude to develop as a player.

Nunu · 02-03-2008 05:39PM

DesF wrote: »

Top Level : Serie A, La Liga, EPL
Second Level : Bundesliga, Portugal,
Third Level : Eredivisie, Ligue 1

The Portuguese league is definitely inferior to the French league.

Top Level : Serie A, La Liga, EPL
Second Level : Bundesliga, Ligue 1
Third Level : Eredivisie, Portugal

AARRRGH · 02-03-2008 05:39PM

You're probably right.

I would certainly love if we had a strong local league.

DSB · 02-03-2008 05:42PM

dublindude wrote: »

You're probably right.

I would certainly love if we had a strong local league.

It's developing slowly, but surely. The increased TV attention it's getting will only serve to help. And once peoples mindsets towards the league begin to change, who knows where the league can go?

LeixlipRed · 02-03-2008 06:51PM

I often wonder if when we have (if we ever have) 10k average attendances in the EL will people like me, DesF, KdjacL, etc, still bitch about how we were there first

Gavin "shels" · 02-03-2008 08:29PM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

1st - Gaa Football
2nd - Gaa Hurling.
3rd - Soccer.
4th - BASKETBALL:eek:
5th - Rugby.

Someresearch next time you want to back up an arguement. It's actually;

1st - Hurling
2nd - Soccer
3rd - Football

Mr. Presentable · 02-03-2008 08:46PM

dublindude wrote: »

Considering we all support English teams, watch English teams on TV, and have hundreds of Irish players in the English leagues, couldn't you say the English leagues are kind of our own leagues too?

They just happen to be in a different country, but all our best players play there...

Is this supposed to be a serious post? "We" don't all support English teams. No, you could not say the English league is "kind of" one of our own.

KdjaCL · 02-03-2008 08:55PM

so then ...france...

kdjac

Mr. Presentable · 02-03-2008 09:01PM

KdjaCL wrote: »

so then ...france...

kdjac

The world's best academy and training facilities. Mentioned early in the thread so I suppose the thread's done.

shane86 · 02-03-2008 09:23PM

DSB wrote: »

The location is definitely important, its far more stable for a young player to be living at home with his family and friends who will keep him with the right attitude to develop as a player.

So this is your basis for the France thing?

Ben Afra is from near Paris. He plays in Lyon, halfway down the country. I doubt the family came with him. In fact Id reckon its faster, cheaper and easier for an Irish player in Liverpool or London to see his family, so I dont know where this one comes from.

The basic difference is this: the best French players are only taken abroad around 22 because the likes of Lyon will hold out for their 5 million or whatever. EL clubs will happily sell a 17 year old for 70K.

gosplan · 02-03-2008 09:32PM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Rugby, are we???????? soccer is played by more youngsters now than any other sport. The grassroots soccer over the past 10 years has grown immensly and will continue to grow. there is trojan work being done that we cant see, but i have seen it at local level. soccer is thriving in ireland. GAA is number one, and perhaps will be for years, but that is a part of our heritage.

Rugby, your having a laugh. Rugby is something that we are only interested in when there is some big game on, nothing else. Rugby in Ireland is followed by a select bunch fanatically and then the rest is only a passing interest. Personally, i hate rugby fans but that is only my opinion. We may support Ireland and the likes of Ulster, Munster and Leinster when there are big games on, but how many people will be at a League game between say Shannon and some team outside of Munster? very little i can guarantee ya. It may come as a surprise (cos it did to me) that Rugby is only the 5th most played game in Ireland, Adults and Kids.

Everybody on here im sure could name every Eircom League Soccer club for example, whereas, how many people would actually know the names of alot of the top Rugby club teams? not that it matters, but just pointing it out that as far as most people are concerned, Rugby is about Ireland and the heineken cup. In soccer,there is now a local club in every area of ireland, you cant say that for rugby.

1st - Gaa Football
2nd - Gaa Hurling.
3rd - Soccer.
4th - BASKETBALL:eek:
5th - Rugby.

nice borderline racist signature.

homerjay2005 · 02-03-2008 09:32PM

Gavin shels wrote: »

Someresearch next time you want to back up an arguement. It's actually;

1st - Hurling
2nd - Soccer
3rd - Football

lol...hurling played more than football??? lol, thats gas. im afraid mate, its not possible. 31 counties play football and it number one game in about 23 of them. there is no way that hurling is played more. i would think that soccer aint far off overtaking hurling, making it second alright, but still, hurling is more widespread.

Gavin "shels" · 02-03-2008 09:46PM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

lol...hurling played more than football??? lol, thats gas. im afraid mate, its not possible. 31 counties play football and it number one game in about 23 of them. there is no way that hurling is played more. i would think that soccer aint far off overtaking hurling, making it second alright, but still, hurling is more widespread.

Egg on face incident here.:o I meant.

1st - Football
2nd - Soccer
3rd - Hurling

homerjay2005 · 02-03-2008 09:49PM

Gavin shels wrote: »

Egg on face incident here.:o I meant.

1st - Football
2nd - Soccer
3rd - Hurling

no problem, ya maybe soccer is now more popular than hurling, there aint much in it either way.....wonder where hurling lies in france?!

Mr. Presentable · 02-03-2008 09:52PM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

.....wonder where hurling lies in france?!

On the ditch?

Gavin "shels" · 02-03-2008 10:44PM

homerjay2005 wrote: »

wonder where hurling lies in france?!

They actually have several GAA clubs over there afaik.:cool:

DSB · 03-03-2008 12:40AM

shane86 wrote: »

So this is your basis for the France thing?

Ben Afra is from near Paris. He plays in Lyon, halfway down the country. I doubt the family came with him. In fact Id reckon its faster, cheaper and easier for an Irish player in Liverpool or London to see his family, so I dont know where this one comes from.

The basic difference is this: the best French players are only taken abroad around 22 because the likes of Lyon will hold out for their 5 million or whatever. EL clubs will happily sell a 17 year old for 70K.

I think you'll note that I didn't mention France once. So I had no basis for anything.

France and their great players

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