Con Murphy rant on Rte.ie

**Riddickcule** · 10/08/2010, 11:56 PM

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/mns/f...2010con21.html

It's been a week of contrasts for me.

From a massive low at the Aviva Stadium last Wednesday when the Airtricity XI took on Manchester United, to the high of the Stadio Alberto Braglia in Modena the following night, when Shamrock Rovers lifted the spirits with a tremendous performance against Juventus in the Europa League.

You might be saying, 'here he goes banging on about Shamrock Rovers again' and I suppose you'd be right. But it did my heart good to see so many supporters dipping deep into their pockets to travel to Italy to support a team from Ireland, having witnessed what I can only describe as the fiasco of the previous night at the Aviva, when so many thousands of Irish people turned up to cheer an English team playing against an Irish team in Dublin.

I genuinely felt very sad walking up to the stadium from Ringsend, watching the countless kids, families and adults all decked out in the Manchester United colours. If only even a percentage of that number would come out and support their local team we'd all be in a much better place.

It was a point echoed by my guests on RTÉ Radio that night, Pete Mahon and John Devine. Two great football men, steeped in the game, and both equally frustrated that these football fans, would shun their local teams in favour of supporting a foreign team.

Having said that, Pete did admit that the Red Devils were his team from years ago, when his peers, the likes of Gerry Daly and Mick Martin were playing for them. But they came second to his involvement in the game here at home.

I thought it was telling that the Airtricity selection had the word 'Ireland' printed on the back collar of their jerseys and yet we had Irish Manchester United supporters booing them. Not all of them were booing of course, but some of them were.

That's Irish fans, booing Irish players, in an Irish venue. The mind boggles.

Others like Eamon Sweeney in the Sunday Independent have written far more eloquently than I ever will about this issue, and if you missed Eamon's article this week, I'd recommend that you look it up online.

There's no doubting the gulf in class between the United team and the Airtricity League selection. Nobody would argue that point, although in fairness to Damien Richardson, who has received some stinging criticism for his team's performance, he only had two days to work with his players prior to the match and he was also without the Shamrock Rovers players who would surely have strengthened his squad.

I would defy anyone to get a bunch of players together for the first time, and try to mould them into a cohesive unit in just 48 hours, especially when facing the might of Rooney, Owen, Berbatov and Co.

All in all, I found it a totally dispiriting night. The false atmosphere in the stadium, the 12-inch extended remix of the bloody Mexican wave (always a sign that the match is not holding the crowds interest), the colour red everywhere.

I've never been as unhappy at a match in Lansdowne Road and that includes some bad nights for Ireland at the venue down through the years.

Compare the phoney atmosphere at the Aviva to the real atmosphere at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday for the meeting of Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians where both sets of supporters contributed to a super noisy and tense atmosphere in the ground.

Or the atmosphere in Modena, where 900 drenched Rovers supporters did a great impression of Gene Kelly, by singing in the rain and making lots of noise, something that didn't go unnoticed by the Italians around me in the stadium who were quick to praise the Hoops fans for the great support they gave the team.

I'm sure Manchester United fans will say 'get over yourself' as they're perfectly entitled to do, but in their heart of hearts, I hope they think deeply about what supporting a football team is all about.

What is it?

Why do we follow one team over another? Why does somebody in China, Canada, or Cabra don the red jersey of Manchester United?

Surely it should be about a sense of community. A feeling of pride about the group of players who take the field to represent your town, city, area, whatever.

That's why I've seen grown men shed tears when their team has won a trophy, or been promoted, or been relegated. Really.

Why should somebody in Cork care if Alex Ferguson's multi-millionaires add another league trophy to the cabinet? Why not support Northampton if you are going to pick a random English team to follow?

Is it all about the success and glory that ensues when one supports Man U?

If so, what is the need in people that they feel they have to follow a successful team to get their kicks?

I know I'm probably drifting into psychoanalysis that is above my understanding, but I also know for sure that I'd rather see someone from Cork support Cork City first, and if they want the thrill of following Man United second, well and good.

By the way, some of my best friends and workmates follow English teams, much to my chagrin, and my sister is a season ticket holder at Arsenal, but in her case she lives in Highbury, so I'll forgive her that one!

We had a good debate in studio this week about the merits or otherwise of the Airtricity Man United friendly, and as Roddy said, it was more of a money making exercise for the FAI than anything else, and there's no crime in the FAI putting on a match to raise much needed funds.

But there was disagreement between Dave Barry and Tony McDonnell about whether the game was damaging to the reputation of the game here in the long run.

I know its more of the same but still good to see. Nice poll aswell!

**poster** · 11/08/2010, 12:18 AM

Anyone know where Sweeney's piece can be found?

**Lim till i die** · 11/08/2010, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by poster

Anyone know where Sweeney's piece can be found?

Tis lining my birdcage.

I'll dig it out for you in morning if you like, not sure how legible twill be though.

**poster** · 11/08/2010, 12:41 AM

Cheers Boi!

**Ciaran W** · 11/08/2010, 12:52 AM

Excellent Con

if only all them fools that support the english teams could support real teams in the loi like Con and all of us on here, ahhh well.

**Riddickcule** · 11/08/2010, 1:21 AM

Originally Posted by poster

Anyone know where Sweeney's piece can be found?

I also tried to look for that. Couldn't find it. It was in the sunday indo I think, its not on their website though.

**bullit** · 11/08/2010, 1:36 AM

Con is defnitly going for the srfc PR job before his contract on MNS is over.

**monsexile** · 11/08/2010, 7:22 AM

Sweeney article. Not as good as Murphy's really but the final par and headline are well aimed.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...e-2288860.html

**danthesaint** · 11/08/2010, 7:48 AM

Quality rant from Con, was gonna call him a legend but remembered who he supports, hehe.

Hairs stood up on the back of my neck reading that.

**Rasputin** · 11/08/2010, 8:44 AM

Well said Con, about time the media in Ireland stood up and called it like it is with regaurds the mickey mouse Barstooler fans.

**Dave77** · 11/08/2010, 11:32 AM

Fair play to Con, always thought its great to have someone presenting MNS who has an actual interest in the league. Not some one who pretends to be intersted because he is paid to.

Made some great points, pity that very few Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea etc Irish fans will read it. Also the few that do would not care in the least about it or even get it.

**Straightstory** · 11/08/2010, 1:31 PM

Well said, Con. Definitely 'one of us'. Three cheers fro you!

**Straightstory** · 11/08/2010, 1:33 PM

... good piece by Sweeney two.

**Riddickcule** · 11/08/2010, 3:09 PM

I agree much rather have Con the MNS presenter then the guy with the glasses, can't remember his name.

**CuanaD** · 11/08/2010, 6:17 PM

Originally Posted by Dave77

Fair play to Con, always thought its great to have someone presenting MNS who has an actual interest in the league. Not some one who pretends to be interested because he is paid to.

Exactly,
great article Con, I feel the same pain every time I see an Irish kid in a foreign jersey.

I do feel though, that MNS is a large step forward for redressing the balance, but there is no quick fix; it will take a long time. The league here was well supported up till BBC started showing MOTD & their Saturday afternoon coverage - since then we have developed the presumption that if its on TV, then its worth watching, closely followed by 'if its NOT on TV, then its not worth watching'.

It took about a decade of TV (the 70s) to kill off the support here, hopefully a decade of quality TV coverage from MNS & regular weekly live TV games will help to turn things around again.

**Dunny** · 11/08/2010, 6:26 PM

Originally Posted by Riddickcule

I agree much rather have Con the MNS presenter then the guy with the glasses, can't remember his name.

**stamullendrog** · 11/08/2010, 7:37 PM

its all well and good giving out about them but the bottom line is it wont change.its much easier to sit at home/in the pub than to go to a game.i dont get up to the drogs games as much now with work and i miss the buzz.even standing there when the place is near empty actually watching a game out on a pitch is ten times better than watching it on the box.the problem with irish football "fans"(the majority) is that they think if a footballer isnt being paid tens of thousands a week and the games not on sky then its not football.i bet most on here would stand at the side of a council pitch and watch two junior teams play but to the majority that turned up at that game thats not football.