APOEL Nicosia - An example for LOI teams to follow?

**gustavo** · 12/03/2012, 1:40 PM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

Apoel are a great role model.
Personally, I HATE the fact that the LOI is a 'minority pursuit'. The problem is that the typical football 'fan' in this country is lazy, unimaginative and child-like.
Bring on the millionaire investors!

People that have no interest in LoI football call it a "minority pursuit" out of guilt. They like to file it seperately to other football as if they are two different sports.

**A face** · 13/03/2012, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

People that have no interest in LoI football call it a "minority pursuit" out of guilt. They like to file it seperately to other football as if they are two different sports.

Thats it really, its like a means of dealing with the guilt or something, as if they know they are wrong but feel they need to justify it or something. Then when you have to explain that to a Spanish, Scottish or English league fan they think its completely nuts, its so braindead and laughable its best just to step around it and ignore. Only in Ireland.

**outspoken** · 14/03/2012, 5:35 PM

I honestly dont think a LOI team will ever make the last 8 of the Champions League. There just isn't any interest in football in THIS COUNTRY. Even when the LOI has a great success at home or abroad it is looked down upon and laughed at by the Barstoolers who would rather invest money in a ticket to see Manure one a year than support their local team or league.

Competition with the GAH and ruggers dont help either.

**nigel-harps1954** · 14/03/2012, 6:32 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

I honestly dont think a LOI team will ever make the last 8 of the Champions League. There just isn't any interest in football in THIS COUNTRY. Even when the LOI has a great success at home or abroad it is looked down upon and laughed at by the Barstoolers who would rather invest money in a ticket to see Manure one a year than support their local team or league.

Competition with the GAH and ruggers dont help either.

In fairness, if two LOI teams qualified for the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League respectively then there would be a lot more people sitting up and taking notice. Not to mention the fact the CL qualifiers could easily put 15,000 to 20,000 in their ground for their games and the Europa team could get about 8,000 to 10,000 per game.

It's very common knowledge amongst league teams that success brings the crowds. Shamrock Rovers didn't have 4,000 attendances per game when they were battling relegation a couple of years ago or in the first division. It's only happened since Tallaght stadium opened and league success came.

Success on a higher level for LOI would bring more fans. Better infrastructure would bring more people through the gates too as Rovers have proven too.

There's no point comparing LOI to Cyprus in footballing terms until the infrastructure and finances can compare.

**mypost** · 15/03/2012, 1:57 AM

Originally Posted by outspoken

I honestly dont think a LOI team will ever make the last 8 of the Champions League. There just isn't any interest in football in THIS COUNTRY. Even when the LOI has a great success at home or abroad it is looked down upon and laughed at by the Barstoolers who would rather invest money in a ticket to see Manure one a year than support their local team or league.

Competition with the GAH and ruggers dont help either.

A couple of years ago, most people didn't honestly think a LOI team would make a European group stage.

We're not the only league with small crowds, and not the only small country in Europe. The main problem in this country is lack of ambition. Clubs and fans in Europe give up as soon as the draw is made, when the opposition are anyway semi-decent, instead of trying to take on the challenge. Some people last year wrote us off as soon as Copenhagen came out of the hat. We matched them for 2 hours of the tie, and were unlucky to come away with nothing. Our own coach said he thought the Partizan return leg was "a step too far". But we more than matched them too. Despite their millions, Copenhagen were humiliated in their CL play-off, didn't do much better in the UEFA Group phase, and sacked their coach. Partizan Belgrade went out of 2 European competitions at home, and their coach was sacked at Christmas. All that cash poured in was wasted.

I believed we could win 2 qualifying rounds in Europe, and we showed everyone why. We knew if we won two rounds, that we would break new ground for the LOI in Europe, and we did. We got the toughest group in the group phase, but we didn't disgrace ourselves. Everyone has to start somewhere. Apoel had to, Copenhagen had to, and we have to. You can't throw the towel in, regardless of the opposition's qualities. Most of the time they will progress, but make them earn it, not hand it to them before you kick a ball.

**outspoken** · 15/03/2012, 9:33 PM

You say that attebdances will go up with better infrastructure and european success and your right however out of the 20,000 you mention the sad fact is a very large majority of that 20,000 would come to support the away team if it was a united chelsea even madrid or barca so as soon as the big european draw is over that 20,000 woukd drop to around 10,000 and while that would still be a good result its no where near enough for a team that wants to play CL football.

As said above I think success for the loi would be new infrastructure, healty attendances and europa league qualification on a regular basis.....for more than 1 team, the last thing we need the baratoolers labbeling us is a 1 team league.