Rugby now more popular than football AND GAA?!

[elroy]

it is beginning to make it very difficult to love the game anymore.

I feel like that at the moment, a bit like what was all that effort and hard work over the last 2 years for, nothing when you get screwed over like we have with the draw and T "handball" H. The poor I look at the incident the more sickening it is, not deliberate my ass.

Im sure, in time, the pain will pass for us as well and we'll soon be starting about the next campaign.

No sport can genuinely match the sheer scale of drama and interest that the Irish team generates. This debacle is almost on a similar scale to Saipan with the level of interest it has attracted nationally.

[The Fly]

Whatever about the popularity of the various sports, I hope the rugby team batter the ****e out of the French in the 6 nations!!!

I hope BOD got some extra motivation from last night for the match in Paris next spring - COM' ON CHAPS!!!

[backstothewall]

I think the fact that the country is ready to go to war this morning puts the rugby v soccer popularity guff to bed.

When you posted this I agreed completely. But as time goes by I'm not so sure. Now that the anger is fading the emotion I'm left with most is disillusion. Disillusion with everything to do with football except our national side. For the first time since i was a child I don't think i'll watch any football this weekend. I just don't think I could face watching a bunch of over paid primamadonnas kicking a ball around a park in England, and local football is a farce beyond watching.

I don't know if I'll watch much more until after the World Cup. the World Cup will be one big reminder of last night. Even watching us play friendly's against sides preparing for South Africa would be the same. Them in their new kits with their name and squad number for South Africa on the back. Us playing 1-11, people pulling out of the squad because they have a niggle and its not worth risking with an important club game coming up.

Think I might get most of my sport at Ravenhill for a while.

[Acornvilla]

When you posted this I agreed completely. But as time goes by I'm not so sure. Now that the anger is fading the emotion I'm left with most is disillusion. Disillusion with everything to do with football except our national side. For the first time since i was a child I don't think i'll watch any football this weekend. I just don't think I could face watching a bunch of over paid primamadonnas kicking a ball around a park in England, and local football is a farce beyond watching.

I don't know if I'll watch much more until after the World Cup. the World Cup will be one big reminder of last night. Even watching us play friendly's against sides preparing for South Africa would be the same. Them in their new kits with their name and squad number for South Africa on the back. Us playing 1-11, people pulling out of the squad because they have a niggle and its not worth risking with an important club game coming up.

Think I might get most of my sport at Ravenhill for a while.
kind of cant blame you :( (whats worse is im contemplating quitting the game i'm only 19 but collage work and travel is killing me cant do it anymore) and i have no loi now ah.......... what do i do!?

[Stuttgart88]

Rugby has its faults too - blatant thuggery going uncited, Irish players gouging other Irish players' eyes and so on. Bloodgate showed that too. Football can really stink at times but it pulls on the nation's heart strings like no other in my opinion.

[gspain]

How many will watch FAI Cup final on Saturday? Is there anything to compare it against rugby?

Won't bother but I'm going to sunday's.

The cup final won't get high viewing figures. It may get decent enough figures but the interest in football in this country is still mainly in the national team and in British club sides.

[SilkCut]

Rugby has its faults too - blatant thuggery going uncited, Irish players gouging other Irish players' eyes and so on. Bloodgate showed that too. Football can really stink at times but it pulls on the nation's heart strings like no other in my opinion.

Thats true Stuttgart, very true. However the RFU came down on those involved like a tonne of bricks. Life bans and huge fines. As for the gouging, those cases are almost always heavily punished. The IRB have not yet sacrificed their morality or undermined their own code of conduct. FIFA do so repeatedly.

[elroy]

I feel very similar to many above, i.e. what was the point of all the blood, sweat and tears of the last campaign only to be cheated out of our ultimate goal. Bad enough the play off seeding debacle but also the hand of henry.

The reality is though that in time, we'll start looking forward again. Once the draw is made for the Euros, we'll have something tangible to look at and it will only be about 6 months away until the campaign starts. Time will heal us etc but for now football in general just sucks.

[Splurge]

i tought the Euro draw would be soon, before xmas, it used to be that way didnt it? Waiting until Febuary, im hoping the return of the premiership on saturday will help get it out of my system. Im a Utd and even loosing horribly to Liverpool never stung this bad, not near.

[CarrickFan]

Dont understand some of your points there lads to be honest...i was/am as disappointed and heartbroken as anyone about Wednesday night..ive been going to Ireland matches for 20 years,rarely miss a home game,have travelled abroad and have been to a World Cup with them...and would have gone to SA next summer had we qualified...to say im gutted is an understatement...and i agree im disillusioned with certain aspects of the game(cheating) and it's governing body etc...but its still the game i love and always will..and the game itself is bigger than a few fifa/uefa bigwigs,its bigger than a few overpaid diving disgraces(yes Drogba,Ronaldo etc i mean you)..i wont let these things put me off my sport.....im not going to "quit the game" as one dramatic post said!!....my weekend will be as usual..football!!...playing tonight,coaching in the morning,will spend tomorrowafternoon/evening watching Spanish and English league football and then on to Tallaght on Sunday where hopefully some of the disappointment from Wednesday can be forgotten.

[paul_oshea]

Time heals nothing. Saipan is still ingrained in us.

Come on lads we are hurting but those lads gave too much for we fans and the country as a whole to start forgetting about them just like that.

[Doire Abu]

Thats true Stuttgart, very true. However the RFU came down on those involved like a tonne of bricks. Life bans and huge fines. As for the gouging, those cases are almost always heavily punished. The IRB have not yet sacrificed their morality or undermined their own code of conduct. FIFA do so repeatedly.

That and the fact the IRB headquarters are in St Stephen's Green. I can't imagine a rugby equivalent of Platini sitting behind a desk, stroking a white cat and plotting our downfall from Dublin 2.

[tetsujin1979]

Just to get an alternative view on this, an editorial from New Zealand on the increase in interest in football, now that the All Whites have qualified for the World Cup: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/all-whites/news/article.cfm?c_id=117&objectid=10610684

[an_ceannaire]

Never have I known so little buzz, anticipation and media/public interest in an Irish team.
We cant sell out stadiums for big internationals, yet Munster and Leinster sell out a league game....
we are playing a world giant this Friday and no one seems to notice.
There is no talk of it, no excitement in workplaces, pubs, homes etc etc
This game may as well not be taking place .....

I realise Rugby has overtaken soccer in Ireland, but this is ridiculous.

Why have the Irish people abandoned this team?

[paul_oshea]

Welcome back...

Even on here its been rather quite, i think the thierry henry incident has put a lot off people off to be honest, and i dont think its still a raw moment, but with the growth of rugby, the same thing occurred in australia after the 2006 world cup where they went out to italy and were undone by cheating etc...soccer was on its way up big time then, but it put the aussies off big time. I'm sure there is more than just that however, people are in the midst of a recession, soccer would generally be better received in lower class areas etc, places that are always worst hit in recessions and factories upping sticks etc, they just dont have the money to go and support like the good old days.

[Stuttgart88]

Yet another in your series of threads. Let's see what the crowd is on Friday.

Highest crowd in Europe (give or take 2k) against Andorra and at inflated prices hardly counts as abandoned. Over 2 million watched the second leg in Paris, versus a peak of only 1.1 or 1.2 million for the Grand Slam decider.

Irish fans have always been up for the big games and the big games only. Leinster v Munster is a big game and I doubt it was EUR 70 in.

Rugby crowds would typically have more disposable income than soccer crowds and almost every game is against a top 8 country. The rugby team still enjoys the halo effect from 2 years ago. The football team has no such luxury.

Straight after Italia 90 we got less than 20k for our next two internationals.

Football is far and away the most popular sport in Ireland, both participation and on TV. Sadly, it's English football that everyone seems most interested in. Last time I visited my parents in Rathfarnham I counted more Chelsea shirts than Leinster shirts which I thought was telling.

[geysir]

Much of a muchness really, between Leinster and Chelsea.

[IsMiseSean]

Alot of people are losing interest in International football, unless we're taking part in WC & EC. The majority of football fans in this country are more bothered about MU/Liverpool/Celtic/Arsenal winning than Ireland. Alot of my friends were looking forward to the Chelsea/Arsenal game at the weekend than they are to the game Friday night. Its nothing to do the Traps style of play or anything like that. We have to qualify for something to raise the profile of the team and then all the glory hunters will get on board....

[Noelys Guitar]

Only our third game in this group. And come Friday it will be huge game. The build up for these early in the group games usually only goes into overdrive when the opposing team arrives. Beat Russia at home then the build up for the Slovakia wil be bigger again. It always takes on a momentum of its own (providing we win).

[elroy]

Pretty much agree with all of Stutts comments above. Does no one forget the massive public interest/outrage/outcry/hurt less than one year ago?!?! Show me any other sport in Ireland that could even get close to that? Answer: None.

The most the gaa could is something akin to the Louth/Meath match earlier this year but that was a shadow of Parisgate.

In the main, Irish people follow winners, hence why there are so many Man U, Liverpool and now low and behold Chelsea fans. What happened all the Blackburn fans that emerged circa 1995 i wonder?!?! The early part of the campaign is generally quiet but media (and general public) interest will get higher towards to end of the week. I am only starting to look towards friday but it will be thursday before the nerves and nervous wreck syndrome takes over. Football is still the biggest sport in this country and attracts the most interest. You will have the bar stoolers than will say Ireland are sh*te etc etc, let them off, we dont need that sort of support. Heres to a packed LR and a massive win on friday night. Then you will see the general interest suddenly soar!!

[jbyrne]

You will have the bar stoolers than will say Ireland are sh*te etc etc, let them off, we dont need that sort of support.

thats the thing though. a lot of these kind of "fans" seem to have been allocated seats near me. constant moaning about the team and discussing the previous weekends premiership games. drove me mad v andorra.

[osarusan]

Armenia away and Andorra at home don't exactly set the pulses racing. Add in Trappatoni's pragmatic approach which means we're probably not going to score a bagful of goals, and it's not difficult to see why there's less buzz about. The FAI must have been terribly disappointed when the draw was made - they could hardly have picked less inspiring opposition from each seeding group. Still, the attendance against Andorra was decent given the prices and opposition.

All that said, football is still waaaaay more popular than rugby, and a win against Russia will see Irish people suddenly rediscover the team.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Why have the Irish people abandoned this team? That's funnier than the "Your Majesty Your People Need You" headline when Di, Dodi, Dido and the dodo died. Was that one of yours and all A_C? :-D


Never have I known so little buzz, anticipation.....? Is it time to crack open each others skulls and feast on the goo inside?




we are playing a world giant this Friday and no one seems to notice. World giant? I thought we were playing Russia ...that team who've won as many trophies as Greece and Denmark. One more than us for sure but come on like.



Why have the Irish people abandoned this team? It only gets funnier with the repetition!

[danonion]

I haven't posted much lately but I've been following the site as usual and it seems even the interest among our dedicated fans has waned. I for one am excited for the game, got some premium level seats and can't wait.

I think a win against Russia should we achieve it might do a bit to restore interest in the game. Many sports fans in this country are event junkies. If we were looking like qualifying for a tournament I'd say the buzz would come back. Although its a little sad that that is what it would take (there are countries who have never qualified for a tournament but there is always excitement when their national sides play), I would love to see the game I love restored to the place where I think it deserves to be.

[Closed Account]

Many sports fans in this country are event junkies. If we were looking like qualifying for a tournament I'd say the buzz would come back.
Very true.

I think people are being a bit premature about the Irish fans not being up for this game. Rightly or wrongly, a lot of the buzz is generated by the media, the tabloids, the news stations, broadsheets, everyone. Who, have been a little bit preoccupied with all things Ryder Cup at the moment. It'll crank up over the next few days, mark my words, I'm fricking nervous as hell already. It'll be a full house Friday despite the €90/Norway ticket price. Come on Ireland!

[Sullivinho]

Things are a bit autumnal at the moment. Wait until the fair weather returns.

[SkStu]

if such apathy exists in Ireland then it is just part of the global problem. People who are suffering from the recession are losing patience with the spoilt, overpaid, forgive my french, a*seholes who play the game today. National pride, in football terms, is disappearing too. It is a bother for players.

[Jinxy]

Pretty much agree with all of Stutts comments above. Does no one forget the massive public interest/outrage/outcry/hurt less than one year ago?!?! Show me any other sport in Ireland that could even get close to that? Answer: None.

The most the gaa could is something akin to the Louth/Meath match earlier this year but that was a shadow of Parisgate.

In the main, Irish people follow winners, hence why there are so many Man U, Liverpool and now low and behold Chelsea fans. What happened all the Blackburn fans that emerged circa 1995 i wonder?!?! The early part of the campaign is generally quiet but media (and general public) interest will get higher towards to end of the week. I am only starting to look towards friday but it will be thursday before the nerves and nervous wreck syndrome takes over. Football is still the biggest sport in this country and attracts the most interest. You will have the bar stoolers than will say Ireland are sh*te etc etc, let them off, we dont need that sort of support. Heres to a packed LR and a massive win on friday night. Then you will see the general interest suddenly soar!!

Tell that to the crowd in Drogheda that were burning Meath flags that night! :D

[elroy]

It will be interesting how the Friday night game works, should be good. I think its well the game is away, Friday isnt so good. Although the Armenia game was the exception rather than the rule, as it kicked off at a poor time for tv.

[drummerboy]

I guess at this moment in time, people have more pressing worries on their mind than who plays left full for ireland.

[Crosby87]

It all goes in cycles, they will create buzz by playing well.

That said, I was born in the US and I have friends that are both Irish born and Irish-AM and I have to tell you I know a ton of people taking off or leaving at 12 to get to a bar and watch the game. There is a bar in Times SQ that has had a big sign up since monday at 7AM and I know a lot of Irish working here who are excited and in to it, girls and guys alike. i actually think this game has been as talked about as any in recent memory from the ex pats I know who are here.... As for empty seats and all that it happens, If Liverpool goes a while without being good it will happen there. Its not going to happen over night missing 4 tourneys in a row.
You should see the Mets crowds, there were like a smattering of people there the last few weeks and their Stadium is barely 2 years old and cost $600 Million. You have to prove to the marginal fans that things are good to get people inside.

[EastTerracer]

there are countries who have never qualified for a tournament but there is always excitement when their national sides play

I think you're being a bit harsh here. Ireland have consistently had some of the highest crowds in Europe for even the most meaningless friendly games. The numbers attending Lansdowne Road for the Andorra game and for the Russia game this week will be very comparable with the crowds during the peak of the Charlton era. The Croke Park years were exceptional but it was clear from the atmosphere there that many of the people attending were not regular football fans.

Take the example of Slovakia who we play next week. When we played them in Bratislava in 2007 there were almost as many Irish fans in the stadium as there were Slovakians. However, now they have qualified for a World Cup and done well their team is attracting much more attention.

Every country will be able to attract crowds when they are doing well. There are very few teams who will maintain that level of support through the bad times. Ireland have managed to achieve that and our average attendance for competitive games since 1982 is around 38,000 (despite the 14 restricted capacity years in Lansdowne Road). Apart from the major football countries (England, Germany, Italy and Spain) I don't think you will find another European team that can match those kind of numbers over such a long period.

[bwagner]

This whole thing with Irish people of supporting English clubs way more then the Ireland Team does my head in.
I will never forget sitting in a bar in Dundalk when some fool booed Robbie Keane's goal in Amsterdam in a friendly in 2004 - the reason ...Rudd Van Nistohorseface was playing for Man Utd. He cheered every touch he made...Maddess

[jbyrne]

i have always thought there was about 25 - 30,000 proper Irish fans who deep down care about the team and will attend all the home games and what they can away. the rest who turn up have only a casual interest only and appear to sit near me at matches!

[BonnieShels]

if such apathy exists in Ireland then it is just part of the global problem. People who are suffering from the recession are losing patience with the spoilt, overpaid, forgive my french, a*seholes who play the game today. National pride, in football terms, is disappearing too. It is a bother for players.

Thankfully our team has the likes of Duffer, Killer Lawro and the rest.

Roll on Friday.

[DeLorean]

This whole thing with Irish people of supporting English clubs way more then the Ireland Team does my head in.
I will never forget sitting in a bar in Dundalk when some fool booed Robbie Keane's goal in Amsterdam in a friendly in 2004 - the reason ...Rudd Van Nistohorseface was playing for Man Utd. He cheered every touch he made...Maddess

I watched the Norway friendly in bar in Cork a couple of years back. We were one up. A guy walked in and asked "who scored?", some other chap answered "Robbie Keane". The guy that walked in replied "oh yeah typical, he can't score for Liverpool at all". Clearly his form for Liverpool was more important. I watch the PL too, don't get me wrong, but people over here couldn't possible have the same connection with an English club as their national side, even if they believe they do.

[Razors left peg]

I watched the Norway friendly in bar in Cork a couple of years back. We were one up. A guy walked in and asked "who scored?", some other chap answered "Robbie Keane". The guy that walked in replied "oh yeah typical, he can't score for Liverpool at all". Clearly his form for Liverpool was more important. I watch the PL too, don't get me wrong, but people over here couldn't possible have the same connection with an English club as their national side, even if they believe they do.

there are alot of idiots in the world.Simple as that really

[backstothewall]

We just need to qualify for a major finals. The buzz will come back. The 2m people watching the Paris match were watching because of the prospect of us qualifying for something. As soon as we do the nation will be spellbound by football for as long as we are in it, in a way it never is by rugby. Rugby is on the comedown from the grandslam, and they will have to do it again soon enough to keep the bandwagon rolling.

[Crosby87]

I prefer the Int'l game to the Prem any day of the week. Guess that's just me. I forget which game was on last saturday at 9 AM here but the stadium was half empty and the game so boring i almost fell asleep despite having just woken up...
Every Ireland game is 90 mins of being on the edge of my seat in my opinion. I'm sure Friday and Tues will be no different.

[DannyInvincible]

Can't believe this thread even got off the ground.

[Spudulika]

Whatever the atmosphere in Ireland is like, it can only be better than in Russia. Having booed the team off in the last match and completely turned on Arshavin, the public and media are actually hoping for a 0-0. If Russia lose on Friday Advocaat is a result in Zilina away from the sack. The squad he's selected is poor, the players he has at his disposal (as chosen by the 2 men behind the team) are weak, and the main headlines here are: psychics and fortune tellers cannot advertise on tv and radio anymore (it's a 2billion dollar a year business) and what will happen to the statues in Moscow. Yet 2 years ago the "whole country" was behind the red, white and blue machine - conveniently neglecting to remember that the public only want to see winners and effort, but not losing effort like in Ireland.

Going back to 1987/88 Ireland lucked out and went to Germany, the style of football suited Irish culture and brought in and GAA liberals (lump it up to the big full forward mentality), we've changed now to where we suck the life out of games and the natural Irish instinct of "fe&k it, let's go" is curbed. It'll take us a while to get the hang of it, though it's what eventually builds winning mentalities (just look at how absolute rotten our amateur boxers "box" yet win all around them). We just have to adapt.

[BonnieShels]

Bingo of a post.

[Lionel Ritchie]

psychics and fortune tellers cannot advertise on tv and radio anymore (it's a 2billion dollar a year business). Fair play to 'em! well done Russia! Seriously.

...and we now take you back to the (ridiculous) topic.

[elroy]

Whatever the atmosphere in Ireland is like, it can only be better than in Russia. Having booed the team off in the last match and completely turned on Arshavin, the public and media are actually hoping for a 0-0. If Russia lose on Friday Advocaat is a result in Zilina away from the sack. The squad he's selected is poor, the players he has at his disposal (as chosen by the 2 men behind the team) are weak, and the main headlines here are: psychics and fortune tellers cannot advertise on tv and radio anymore (it's a 2billion dollar a year business) and what will happen to the statues in Moscow. Yet 2 years ago the "whole country" was behind the red, white and blue machine - conveniently neglecting to remember that the public only want to see winners and effort, but not losing effort like in Ireland.

.

Even more reason why this game is a must win for us, if we really want to top the group, then we NEED to win.

[Supreme feet]

Was just chatting to a friend on facebook, discussing the match. Here's what he posted...


There really isn't anything in life that gets me as worked up as Ireland internationals. Any given game could be something monumental in a good or bad way. 0-0 draws with Liechtenstein, last second equalisers against Macedonia and Israel, disgraceful defeats to Cyprus, Thierry Henry, Patrick Kluivert, that night of misery in Lisbon, losing playoff after playoff... or Ray Houghton putting the ball in the English net, Kevin Sheedy shutting the English up again, Packie saving Timofte's penno, Alan McLoughlin's equaliser against the north, Glory in the Giant's stadium with Macca at his finest, Matty Holland's stunner in Lisbon, Keano's one man show against Portugal in Landsdowne, Jason McAteer's winner against the Dutch, Robbie's equaliser against Germany, Glen Whelan against the Italians, the entire performance in Paris, 6 points from 6 so far. COME...ON...YOU...BOYS IN GREEN!!!!

At least some of us aren't abandoning the team!

[IsMiseSean]

I prefer the Int'l game to the Prem any day of the week. Guess that's just me.

No I'm the same... I cant understand anyone supporting an English/Scottish club more than they're own country.
I feel no connection to any team other than TBIG. My country is my club, win, lose or draw.

[AlaskaFox]

I never get excited by a premiership match the same way as an Irish game. Even if Aston Villa got to the Champions League final, it wouldn't be as nervy as a 2-1 win over Macedonia.

[zero]

I never get excited by a premiership match the same way as an Irish game. Even if Aston Villa got to the Champions League final, it wouldn't be as nervy as a 2-1 win over Macedonia.

same here, league football is a diversion. it doesn't really bother me that we're not expansive, i'm so engrossed by the game i find it hard to be objective about it anyway. kicking every ball and all that.

there are people, irish people, who would take pleasure in ireland failing because they way we play. they say that's the reason, at least.

[jbyrne]

Can't believe this thread even got off the ground.

why? its a fair question. our biggest home group game not selling out, not the same hype in the media about a qualifier that there once was etc etc

[Noelys Guitar]

I have to say I much prefer it when there is less hype in the media. Hype usually means inside pages, wags, predict the result goldfish etc etc..Anyone who follows Irish football and can't get themselves riled up for a game like this (and not having a go at you JByrne who is a real fan) should stay away. Don't care about them. Personally I ****ing love these games.