Airtiricity League XI v Manchester United confirmed for Aviva Stadium on August 4

[pineapple stu]

Except I was talking about the 12-team division where you have 16 or 17 home games and 16 or 17 away games, adding up to 33 in total...

Also, the rest of ye don't pay grants; students get grants.

Anything else you want to get wrong today? ;)

[bennocelt]

The FAI subsidises the league to the tune of millions every year - the money IS re-directed into the league.

Doh..................thats what they should be doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rolleyes:

[WoodquayBoy]

Except I was talking about the 12-team division where you have 16 or 17 home games and 16 or 17 away games, adding up to 33 in total...

Also, the rest of ye don't pay grants; students get grants.

Anything else you want to get wrong today? ;)
And whwere does the grant money come from, thin air?!?! Taxes my man, taxes. Fair enough, take your clarificaiton on the 12 team division thing

[peadar1987]

Here's a bit of a crazy idea: an LOI XI play Rangers during the SPL's winter break. It doesn't clash with any league fixtures, the LOI side have plenty of time to train together and put in a decent performance, the barstoolers will actually rally behind the LOI side as opposed to firmly against them, Rangers get a cut of the gate receipts to help pay off their massive debts, and keep the team in match practice for the second half of the SPL season. Everybody happy!

[Lim till i die]

Question: Does Uefa have any set guidelines for how your league should be structured??

[marinobohs]

Here's a bit of a crazy idea: an LOI XI play Rangers during the SPL's winter break. It doesn't clash with any league fixtures, the LOI side have plenty of time to train together and put in a decent performance, the barstoolers will actually rally behind the LOI side as opposed to firmly against them, Rangers get a cut of the gate receipts to help pay off their massive debts, and keep the team in match practice for the second half of the SPL season. Everybody happy!

Emmmmmm as someone who attended the Bohs/Rangers match in dalymount all those years ago I would happily wait as long again before "welcoming" them back (think Manchester may share similar view)

[dcfcsteve]

Here's a bit of a crazy idea: an LOI XI play Rangers during the SPL's winter break. It doesn't clash with any league fixtures, the LOI side have plenty of time to train together and put in a decent performance, the barstoolers will actually rally behind the LOI side as opposed to firmly against them, Rangers get a cut of the gate receipts to help pay off their massive debts, and keep the team in match practice for the second half of the SPL season. Everybody happy!

So we're now stooping to arranging fixtures against opposition primarily on the basis of how much the Irish people dislike them...?

We may as well play a Fianna Fail or Paedophiles XI.......:eek:

[Réiteoir]

So we're now stooping to arranging fixtures against opposition primarily on the basis of how much the Irish people dislike them...?

We may as well play a Fianna Fail or Paedophiles XI.......:eek:

The away side can have Hooperman as their mascot if that game ever came about

[pixiehead]

Here's a bit of a crazy idea: an LOI XI play Rangers during the SPL's winter break. It doesn't clash with any league fixtures, the LOI side have plenty of time to train together and put in a decent performance, the barstoolers will actually rally behind the LOI side as opposed to firmly against them, Rangers get a cut of the gate receipts to help pay off their massive debts, and keep the team in match practice for the second half of the SPL season. Everybody happy!

I actually think you have a good idea there

[sligo23]

We may as well play a Fianna Fail or Paedophiles XI.......:eek:
Get the Vantican City football team over so?

[Charlie Darwin]

So we're now stooping to arranging fixtures against opposition primarily on the basis of how much the Irish people dislike them...?

We may as well play a Fianna Fail or Paedophiles XI.......:eek:
Gary Glitter could perform at half time!

[dcfcsteve]

A paedophile Vatican Select XI should take on Young Boys (of Berne).....

[Lim till i die]

The away side can have Hooperman as their mascot if that game ever came about

Paedo The Limerick Lion would have a thing or two to say about that.

[peadar1987]

So we're now stooping to arranging fixtures against opposition primarily on the basis of how much the Irish people dislike them...?

We may as well play a Fianna Fail or Paedophiles XI.......:eek:

Well the fact is that the money the friendlies generate is needed by the FAI, and I'd prefer it if they also gave exposure to the domestic game. Obviously I'd love it if Europe's biggest clubs were lining up to play our domestic sides and league select, but the fact is they're not, so if we're going to have to find teams to play us, they might as well be teams the Irish public are still going to pay to see, but who wouldn't generate the kind of sick spectacle we saw last week.

[Dodge]

Obviously I'd love it if Europe's biggest clubs were lining up to play our domestic sides and league select, but the fact is they're not,

Eveyr one of them would play if they got the srt of money Man Utd did. Do you think they did for the love of Irish football?

[peadar1987]

Eveyr one of them would play if they got the srt of money Man Utd did. Do you think they did for the love of Irish football?

Ah Dodge, you're putting words into my mouth now. We have to fill Lansdowne Road for friendlies, we have to pay teams to do it, and if we're going to do that, I'd prefer the crowd were cheering the Irish side instead of the foreign one.

[dcfcsteve]

Obviously I'd love it if Europe's biggest clubs were lining up to play our domestic sides and league select, but the fact is they're not,

So Real Madrid didn't play Shamrock Rovers last season, and that whole Limerick-Barcelona furore recently was just a bad dream.....?

[peadar1987]

So Real Madrid didn't play Shamrock Rovers last season, and that whole Limerick-Barcelona furore recently was just a bad dream.....?

Touché. But the point still stands that the FAI need to make the money back for Lansdowne, and that the cheapest team that will fill the ground for a friendly is going to make the most money. Also, the less likely that team is to leech support away from the domestic league the better. I think Rangers tick all those boxes.

[Lim till i die]

I think Rangers tick all those boxes.

Security issues alone mean this is nonsense.

Also you could give away tickets for free and you wouldn't fill the Aviva for Rangers v Rico XI.

You'll see some big big clubs in the Aviva over the next few years. Rangers wont be one of them and the LoI wont benefit a jot from it.

[DannyInvincible]

I think Rangers tick all those boxes.

I can't believe you're repeating this in seriousness. Are you aware of the negative publicity such a fixture would generate for the FAI; inviting a team over on sectarian undertones with the expectation that the Irish public would come out in their droves to support the Irish side merely as a convenient by-product of offloading their much stronger hatred of Rangers? I mean, seriously? That's assuming that the Irish public would even care enough about the exploits of Glasgow Rangers to come out in numbers and unleash this supposed "hate".

I read the Northern Ireland fan forum, OWC, now and again, generally to follow what the latest is in the line of ignorance and bile being spouted from that side of the fence regarding the whole international eligibility saga that went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently, and the FAI are lambasted as a sectarian organisation day in and day out there for simply calling up northern-born Irish nationals. Whilst I don't see such a practice as sectarian in the slightest, for the FAI to organise a fixture like what you're suggesting would have these types creaming themselves as they'd actually have a serious point to make; that being the shameful sectarianisation of a "friendly" fixture. Not that I'm even suggesting the FAI would entertain your idea anyway; it's an outrageous proposal all round.

Besides, as 'dcfcsteve' says above, stooping to arrange a game against opposition based on how much Irish people are perceived to dislike them would be altogether more farcical than the sorry Manchester United affair we witnessed last week.

[Macy]

Ah Dodge, you're putting words into my mouth now. We have to fill Lansdowne Road for friendlies, we have to pay teams to do it, and if we're going to do that, I'd prefer the crowd were cheering the Irish side instead of the foreign one.
The ground wasn't full for either United, or Argentina last night. All the national association organising glamour friendlies does is take potential money from domestic clubs that could organise games themselves. Well, they could, if the FAI hadn't signed a contract saying they wouldn't sanction them.

And just to point out, Lansdowne could've been virtually paid for if the FAI had taken up the offer of selling the vantage club seats up front. They decided not to, so now they have to pimp out the league to pay for the ground.

[Rasputin]

I can't believe you're repeating this in seriousness. Are you aware of the negative publicity such a fixture would generate for the FAI; inviting a team over on sectarian undertones with the expectation that the Irish public would come out in their droves to support the Irish side merely as a convenient by-product of offloading their much stronger hatred of Rangers? I mean, seriously? That's assuming that the Irish public would even care enough about the exploits of Glasgow Rangers to come out in numbers and unleash this supposed "hate".

I read the Northern Ireland fan forum, OWC, now and again, generally to follow what the latest is in the line of ignorance and bile being spouted from that side of the fence regarding the whole international eligibility saga that went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently, and the FAI are lambasted as a sectarian organisation day in and day out there for simply calling up northern-born Irish nationals. Whilst I don't see such a practice as sectarian in the slightest, for the FAI to organise a fixture like what you're suggesting would have these types creaming themselves as they'd actually have a serious point to make; that being the shameful sectarianisation of a "friendly" fixture. Not that I'm even suggesting the FAI would entertain your idea anyway; it's an outrageous proposal all round.

Besides, as 'dcfcsteve' says above, stooping to arrange a game against opposition based on how much Irish people are perceived to dislike them would be altogether more farcical than the sorry Manchester United affair we witnessed last week.
What Danny said.

[marinobohs]

What Danny said.

+ 1 more

[Ciaran W]

Still cant get over irish people going to support man united, Eamonn Zayed's column on Extratime made me want to kill one of them fans !

[Straightstory]

I believe there were more people at the League v Man U than Ireland v Argentina.
I can only deduct that the League of Ireland is more popular than the national team...

[Martinho II]

I believe there were more people at the League v Man U than Ireland v Argentina.
I can only deduct that the League of Ireland is more popular than the national team...



I wasnt at the game last night but from going to the man utd game last week and seeing the highlights on rte no way was last nights crowd less than the week before!

[monkey9]

I wasnt at the game last night but from going to the man utd game last week and seeing the highlights on rte no way was last nights crowd less than the week before!

There were big gaps in the crowd last night, especially behind the goal to the right of whatever the end is called that isn't the glass end. There were 45,000 thousand there last night, 49,000 thousand the LOI - Utd match last week

[monkey9]

The thought came to me last night when i was in Lansdowne for the Irish match and the anthems were being played that it would have been brilliant and interesting to see the reaction if, at the match last week before kick off, God Save The Queen was played for Utd and Amhrán na bhFiann played for the LOI team.

[Ciaran W]

Or how about just ''god save the queen'' as everyone there is or wants to be english. .

[John83]

Or how about just ''god save the queen'' as everyone there is or wants to be english. .
Hey! There were dozens of LoI fans at that game.

[peadar1987]

I can't believe you're repeating this in seriousness. Are you aware of the negative publicity such a fixture would generate for the FAI; inviting a team over on sectarian undertones with the expectation that the Irish public would come out in their droves to support the Irish side merely as a convenient by-product of offloading their much stronger hatred of Rangers? I mean, seriously? That's assuming that the Irish public would even care enough about the exploits of Glasgow Rangers to come out in numbers and unleash this supposed "hate".

I read the Northern Ireland fan forum, OWC, now and again, generally to follow what the latest is in the line of ignorance and bile being spouted from that side of the fence regarding the whole international eligibility saga that went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently, and the FAI are lambasted as a sectarian organisation day in and day out there for simply calling up northern-born Irish nationals. Whilst I don't see such a practice as sectarian in the slightest, for the FAI to organise a fixture like what you're suggesting would have these types creaming themselves as they'd actually have a serious point to make; that being the shameful sectarianisation of a "friendly" fixture. Not that I'm even suggesting the FAI would entertain your idea anyway; it's an outrageous proposal all round.

Besides, as 'dcfcsteve' says above, stooping to arrange a game against opposition based on how much Irish people are perceived to dislike them would be altogether more farcical than the sorry Manchester United affair we witnessed last week.

Alright, it was just a suggestion, and on the strength of what people have said, not a very good one.

Still, which teams out there would be get a significant attendance, without the arse-licking fest that accompanied "United", and would doubtless follow Celtic, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal as well? I reckon even Barcelona or Inter Milan would get a significant proportion of the crowd cheering them on because they play football the right way instead of those overweight pub team players from the LOI who every barstooler is supposedly better than.

[PartySaint]

Did you say overweight pub team??

1679

[DannyInvincible]

Did you say overweight pub team??

1679

Who on earth is that/ate all the pies?!

[dcfcsteve]

Alright, it was just a suggestion, and on the strength of what people have said, not a very good one.

Still, which teams out there would be get a significant attendance, without the arse-licking fest that accompanied "United", and would doubtless follow Celtic, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal as well? I reckon even Barcelona or Inter Milan would get a significant proportion of the crowd cheering them on because they play football the right way instead of those overweight pub team players from the LOI who every barstooler is supposedly better than.

Who cares ??

I really can't see any sycophantic orge at the Aviva stadium involving a 'glamour' overseas team that would benefit the domestic game, so I just don't care.

So in the words of Dragons Den : "I'm out..."

[Straightstory]

Who on earth is that/ate all the pies?!
Yes - who IS that?>

[Rasputin]

Did you say overweight pub team??

1679
I thought Lester had left Galway?

[Schumi]

I assume it's a Galway fan who won a draw or something to play a few minutes against Liverpool. Is it anyone on here?

[passinginterest]

I thought Michael Keane was making a comeback... Looks fitter than he did at Pat's.

[SupaJon]

Or how about just ''god save the queen'' as everyone there is or wants to be english. .

The Sex Pistols song?

[Saint_Charlie]

ON THE same weekend as 80,000 crammed into the Oxegen festival, several Irish musicians were playing to loyal followers, and curious onlookers, in smaller venues throughout the country.
Most of the attendance at the lesser gigs probably enjoyed themselves, but resisted the temptation to ram the message down the throat of the Punchestown partyers: that they should have been supporting their own.


http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/plastic-fans-should-be-wooed-not-slated-2298606.html

[peadar1987]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/plastic-fans-should-be-wooed-not-slated-2298606.html

He does make some good points amongst all the rubbish.

"Those who denigrate the ability of players in the league ought to try training with them for a day and see how long they last."

"Perhaps free entry to a League of Ireland game with an international ticket stub might encourage a few more to come through the turnstiles. Even a reduced rate for an adult bringing a child, or a free bag of chips from Burdocks in Dalymount, might help the situation, where the same people go to the same games season-in, season-out while the teams they watch go from one crisis to another."

For the rest of it, he sounds like a barstooler trying to justify his support for a foreign team to the detriment of our own league, even though he knows it's unfounded and plastic. "Ah sure, I'd go and watch Bohs, only 'United' have always had Irish connections, and my family were also barstoolers, and they don't even give you free chips in the grounds..."

[dcfcsteve]

I thought we weren't allowed to post on that link any more, but I'll fire ahead :D

In amongst the usual defensive stuff, he is right to state that the FAI should have made at least some effort to attract their beloved 95,000 along to an LOI game. Even if 0.5% of that attendance had been persuaded to take in an LOI game - statistically not infeasible - it would still have had a noticeable impact around the grounds.

A missed opportunity.

[danthesaint]

the point about free entry into a LOI ground with international stub, it should be purchase an international ticket at a LOI ground.

[WoodquayBoy]

In relation to the 'pies photo' the guy is the Galway United fan who won the draw to join the squad for the Liverpool XI game, and he got a run for a few minutes at the end, don't know if he is a poster here

[peadar1987]

I thought we weren't allowed to post on that link any more, but I'll fire ahead :D

That was in a different thread. I think this one's okay with Stu!

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, it's actually relevant here.

[bennocelt]

Loved this line................."Watching a team lose a game in the flesh or via teletext or its modern equivalent still brings on the same level of misery"
NO NOT REALLY, jesus is this man for real?
Barstooler who obviously knows he is doing wrong and has to convince himself that following a British team from Dublin makes sense

Also Irish people should be supporting Irish bands/acts too - not because of patriotism but they are bloody good. Criminal that acts like Scary Eire and Ri Ra are virtually unknown in Ireland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pineapple stu]

There's a difference between music and football. Music is just about the music; football is about more than just the football.

[Fivesilver]

Nice, though, to see one of them finally make a tacit admission of what I always think - to me, these people being 'fans' of United, Liverpool or whoever is pretty much equivalent to being fans of Oasis or Jedward.

[paul_oshea]

There's a difference between music and football. Music is just about the music; football is about more than just the football.

Not at all, if you were to actually ask people of certain genres of music.