Shamrock Rovers v Liverpool

[Ezeikial]

Nobody knows the exact circumstances of how the friendly came about and what how extensivsie a role the FAI had in its organisation so it's a bit much to be alleging favouritism.

Is that like an Al-Qaeda terrorist cell where no one person knows all the details?

Or like the late Ollie Byrne - where only one person knows all and tells no one else?

Either way it is a stroke of genius!

[Charlie Darwin]

Is that like an Al-Qaeda terrorist cell where no one person knows all the details?

Or like the late Ollie Byrne - where only one person knows all and tells no one else?

Either way it is a stroke of genius!

No, it's more like a business deal where all the details haven't been announced in the newspapers.

[Ezeikial]

No, it's more like a business deal where all the details haven't been announced in the newspapers.

Thats a relief - at least somebody knows the details!

[Dalymountrower]

I am not sure it was always Shamrock R who got special treatment; I remember Roddy Collins saying in his newspaper column a few years ago that Bohs were getting certain advantages when the money from Zurich Bank and the property developers was wining LoI titles for them. Everyone likes a winner so decisions from refs, blind eye turned to certain rule infringements often happen. The big Dublin clubs (whoever they may be at the time) also benefit, which again in natural. Other clubs just have to try harder and when it is blatant highlight it and fight it. There is a cost of fielding a B team this year for Rovers so this friendly income should go and cover that. We couldn't have a 7 team First Division.
But sometimes picking winners is not that easy and Fran Gavin and the FAI may get it wrong, which is why it would be better to have the clubs themselves in charge of running the league, rather than the FAI. Then there would be less chance of blatant unfairness happening.

Yep , a lot of clubs including mine know that spending money that you borrow gives you a short term advantage and then you reap the whirlwind. On the other hand your club getting thinly veiled handouts from the state and the governing body is a tad different , no?. Anyway congrats on the the April Fool jape of quoting Roddy to support an argument, any argument, priceless!

[Charlie Darwin]

Rovers, homeless, model club, etc. Can we skip all the tired arguments and leave this thread until some real facts come out?

[Ezeikial]

Rovers, homeless, model club, etc. Can we skip all the tired arguments and leave this thread until some real facts come out?

And go against all the time-honoured traditions of foot.ie ?

[GypsyBlackCat]

It could be true about Warrior arranging the game. Courtney is trying to get the Warrior brand into Ireland and Warrior are also trying to break the European market. Plus rumour has it Warrior are interesting in taken over from Umbro when the FAI's contract with them is up. Most clubs in England are at the mercy of their sponsors. That's why so many clubs travel to Asia, Africa or America for pre-season. Emirates did something similar with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain out in Qatar.

[Charlie Darwin]

The idea that the small Dublin office of a relatively minor kit manufacturer jumped over the heads of every event promoter in Ireland, some of which the FAI has contracts with, to arrange a fixture was always a bit fanciful. As Dodge says, Warrior in Ireland is just Jomathan Courtenay, I wouldn't be surprised if he had a role behind the scenes bringing the two sides together and bagged himself a consultancy fee, but this would be the first time I've ever heard of Warrior arranging a fixture. It would make far more sense that either one of the clubs, the FAI or a company like Platinum One made this happen.

[Dodge]

It could be true about Warrior arranging the game.

It's not

Plus rumour has it Warrior are interesting in taken over from Umbro when the FAI's contract with them is up

The current deal runs until 2020

[GypsyBlackCat]

The idea that the small Dublin office of a relatively minor kit manufacturer jumped over the heads of every event promoter in Ireland, some of which the FAI has contracts with, to arrange a fixture was always a bit fanciful. As Dodge says, Warrior in Ireland is just Jomathan Courtenay, I wouldn't be surprised if he had a role behind the scenes bringing the two sides together and bagged himself a consultancy fee, but this would be the first time I've ever heard of Warrior arranging a fixture. It would make far more sense that either one of the clubs, the FAI or a company like Platinum One made this happen.

Why not? Warrior might only have a 12x12 office in Dublin but they are a big brand in the US and are trying to break the European market. They signed a £300m deal with Liverpool and I'd imagine they have a few clause in there like playing friendlies. It would make sense for Warrior to arrange a match between two of it's clients in a country were Liverpool have a big fan base.

[Mr A]

Plus rumour has it Warrior are interesting in taken over from Umbro when the FAI's contract with them is up

The current deal runs until 2020

Whoever signed that deal was a visionary.

[BonnieShels]

Is the 2020 deal not just with TopLion? Given that Umbro has lost a rake of teams over the last year since the Nike divestment and we remain relatively in unscathed in Ireland with our LOI teams constantly churning out templates from them.

With a lot of international teams, WCQ and not changing kits from umbro this time round I wouldn't be surprised if we landed with Warrior.

Equally. They may not.

[Charlie Darwin]

TopLion was just Courtenay again I think. It's reverted to Umbro Ireland now.

[SkStu]

I support Bohs and Everton.

[wonder88]

This could be a good opportunity for LoI clubs if they could get the assistance of their kit suppliers in arranging glamour friendlies, which would bring in vital revenue. Warrior should get a spike in sales for the Liverpool jersey in Ireland as all their fans will want to look their best at the game in Lansdowne.

[Charlie Darwin]

Anybody know how this is selling? Rovers were making out like the tickets would be golddust and you'd have to hang onto your Sligo stub to buy one, but I've seen a few times over the past couple of weeks they're still pushing tickets on Facebook. Going by Ticketmaster, most of the cheap seats are gone and there seems to be a couple of thousand still on sale but you don't know how many they're holding back from that.

[vinnie]

Anybody know how this is selling? Rovers were making out like the tickets would be golddust and you'd have to hang onto your Sligo stub to buy one, but I've seen a few times over the past couple of weeks they're still pushing tickets on Facebook. Going by Ticketmaster, most of the cheap seats are gone and there seems to be a couple of thousand still on sale but you don't know how many they're holding back from that.

Kids tickets are sold out, only €30 tickets left from what I was told

[Charlie Darwin]

Just saw an ad on Setanta saying they'll be showing this game. It's not on their TV schedule so not sure what channel yet but presumably the free one.

[Martinho II]

Just saw an ad on Setanta saying they'll be showing this game. It's not on their TV schedule so not sure what channel yet but presumably the free one.

I saw some ad on BT earlier advertising the game so assume its them thats showin it!

[Charlie Darwin]

I saw some ad on BT earlier advertising the game so assume its them thats showin it!

Yeah it's on their site now. Annoying for those without subscriptions!