Ireland v Spain - What does it mean to us??

[Mr A]

Jeepers lads- a bit of perspective here. This is only the second time we ever qualified for this tournament. If that counts as a crisis we'll not be seeing good times any time soon. Yeah the Spanish thrashed us but they're one of the best teams in recent years. They choose their players mostly from two of the best clubs in the world. Our highest finishing player was Duff with Fulham in 9th in the premiership. This is probably the weakest Ireland squad ever to make it to a tournament, an achievement in itself.

Yes there are big problems with the game in Ireland and the structure of the game needs reworked. As for the idea that the FAI should not focus resources on the national team- where do you think their income comes from? It's the senior side that pays for everything else the FAI does. But hey, because things in the league are bad we resent anyone else getting anything.

And on the singing in Gdansk- what do people want us to do? Riot? Boo? Have you never supported a team who were beaten in a big game and where the fans sang out of mournfulness, pride and undimmed allegiance? Have you never even seen it from the fans of a team that's relegated in the premiership?

[El-Pietro]

Jeepers lads- a bit of perspective here. This is only the second time we ever qualified for this tournament. If that counts as a crisis we'll not be seeing good times any time soon. Yeah the Spanish thrashed us but they're one of the best teams in recent years. They choose their players mostly from two of the best clubs in the world. Our highest finishing player was Duff with Fulham in 9th in the premiership. This is probably the weakest Ireland squad ever to make it to a tournament, an achievement in itself.

Isnt this the problem? We shouldnt say sure our players all play with crap clubs its grand, we should be questioning why we aren't producing players of a high enough standard any more

[CMcC]

As for fans singing at the end as a 'we're down but not broken' statement, thats fine and understandable.

But what I cannot understand is the shots of all the jumping up and down, laughing, partying that went on as we were in the middle of a humping of biblical proportions. As for the guy who did the mock crying gesture to the camera... sums it up.

[adamd164]

C'mon Italy, I've got them backed (-1) tonight... show no mercy!

[marinobohs]

So "superfan" John Delaney wants UEFA to make an award to the Irish supporters

Would that be the gallant/mad few that travel the lenght and breath of the country supporting our clubs and keeping senior football alive in Ireland ? No.

Would it be the thousands that give up time (and money) to sustain the junior/schoolboy ranks ? No.

It is of course for the Leprechaun clad, face painted hoardes who convert every finals into a week long stag party on the **** with their mates. Numpties that rush to the nearest camera to tell how they travelled "X thousand miles in a camper van" to support the lads.Unfortunately they have never managed to travel the 2/3 miles to see their local club play. Ole, Ole and sure if/when "we" lose at least the pubs over here are still open.


............ and the special UEFA award for the best ****ed up rendition of a song about the famine goes to ..........

[Morginho]

Best respone ive ever seen haha totally agree mate :D

[bennocelt]

agreed, top response, hope u dont mind if i repost that on my fbook page?

[Mr A]

There were loads of LOI fans out at the games. And if people want to go out for a bit of a party and support their country at the same time, what of it? I don't see why they're suddenly morally bound to go to LOI games. It would be great if they did of course. But I don't understand the massive level of resentment from some people on here.

[El-Pietro]

There were loads of LOI fans out at the games. And if people want to go out for a bit of a party and support their country at the same time, what of it? I don't see why they're suddenly morally bound to go to LOI games. It would be great if they did of course. But I don't understand the massive level of resentment from some people on here.
I just have an issue with people saying the irish are the best supporters in the world on Thursday and ANOTHER LOI club going bust on Monday.

[Macy]

There were loads of LOI fans out at the games. And if people want to go out for a bit of a party and support their country at the same time, what of it? I don't see why they're suddenly morally bound to go to LOI games. It would be great if they did of course. But I don't understand the massive level of resentment from some people on here.
They're not morally bound to go to LoI games. However, they can't expect to moan about the quality of players available, coaching, the lack of players coming through etc etc without having to face up their lack of support for football is a contributory factor. They can say "the fai should do this" and "LoI clubs should do that", but until they bother their hole supporting the domestic game they are very much part of the problem. Not the whole problem, but part of it nonetheless.

[Lim till i die]

Yeah the Spanish thrashed us but they're one of the best teams in recent years. They choose their players mostly from two of the best clubs in the world. Our highest finishing player was Duff with Fulham in 9th in the premiership.

Why the massive gulf??

Because Spain looked at their broken player development model and fixed it. Spanish people aren't naturally better football players than Irish people


But hey, because things in the league are bad we resent anyone else getting anything.

Are people involved in League clubs entitled to be resentful of the fact that €1,400,000 (plus expenses) comes out of the associations kitty to pay a manager and CEO??

Possibly.


And on the singing in Gdansk- what do people want us to do? Riot? Boo? Have you never supported a team who were beaten in a big game and where the fans sang out of mournfulness, pride and undimmed allegiance? Have you never even seen it from the fans of a team that's relegated in the premiership

The vast majority of people over there aren't football supporters.

They are consumers. This is their summer holiday for the year.

Mournfulness, pride and undimmed allegiance??

Are you for real?! In the majority of cases they're singing and dancing and acting the Paddy because they don't give a ****.

Do I think the genuine fans in Poland are worthy of sympathy?? Yes

Do I think most of the people over in Poland are genuine fans?? No

Your comparison to a Premiership team that's been relegated is silly beyond argument as well.

[bluewhitearmy]

Glad to see John is acting professionally over there earning his massive wage


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=affbvK4UZgc&feature=player_embedded#!..... .

[Real ale Madrid]

An absolute disgrace.

Delaney as well. €400k a year ? :(

[Charlie Darwin]

Am I mad or was Delaney not pulling a similar stunt in Estonia as the GUST were washing their hands of the old Galway United board? If so, we better hope to hell we don't get a result vs Italy or Dundalk/Bray/somebody else is ****ed.

[adamd164]

C'mon Italy, I've got them backed (-1) tonight... show no mercy!
Cheers John and co., I'll have one on you!:cool:

[Spudulika]

JD got carried away, so what. Better to have some suited twit who'll take the same pay home and still not give a damn.

LTID - please point out a difference between "fans" and "supporters", there is always a crossover and supporting your country is not inclusive of supporting your local team, especially if you live/were born abroad. The LOI self-pity whinge fest has gone on too long. Get out, back your local club and get the heads of it to change the league from the bottom up - force the FAI to change from the top down. It won't happen because, not too long ago, the clubs voted to back the FAI's running of the league. So the blame lies on the supporters of LOI clubs (in a round about way).

[bluewhitearmy]

JD got carried away, so what. Better to have some suited twit who'll take the same pay home and still not give a damn.

LTID - please point out a difference between "fans" and "supporters", there is always a crossover and supporting your country is not inclusive of supporting your local team, especially if you live/were born abroad. The LOI self-pity whinge fest has gone on too long. Get out, back your local club and get the heads of it to change the league from the bottom up - force the FAI to change from the top down. It won't happen because, not too long ago, the clubs voted to back the FAI's running of the league. So the blame lies on the supporters of LOI clubs (in a round about way).

How in any way does it?

[Spudulika]

How in any way does it?

The goons who went and signed up to more of the same head our clubs - if we didn't like how the FAI were running things, they should have been told not to rubber stamp it. It's simplistic thinking I know, but sometimes that's the best I can manage.

[Lim till i die]

LTID - please point out a difference between "fans" and "supporters"

You're a clever lad, I'll wager you definitely, definitely, know what I was getting at up there. So I'm not elaborating down here.

The rest of your post isn't aimed at me but I would like to say


So the blame lies on the supporters of LOI clubs (in a round about way).

Is pretty spurious twaddle to be honest, you're sort of extrapolating to a large degree to try make a point.

I'm typing this on a laptop.

Which is made of plastic.

Which is petrochemical based.

Which means I'm helping drive the demand for oil.

Which means I'm helping raise tensions in the Middle East.

Which means I'm helping to spread Islamic fundamentalism.

Which means I'm responsible for 9/11.

That kind of an argument.

[Acornvilla]

Which means I'm responsible for 9/11.


You framed ozzie you monster!

[Spudulika]

You're a clever lad, I'll wager you definitely, definitely, know what I was getting at up there. So I'm not elaborating down here.

The rest of your post isn't aimed at me but I would like to say



Is pretty spurious twaddle to be honest, you're sort of extrapolating to a large degree to try make a point.

I'm typing this on a laptop.

Which is made of plastic.

Which is petrochemical based.

Which means I'm helping drive the demand for oil.

Which means I'm helping raise tensions in the Middle East.

Which means I'm helping to spread Islamic fundamentalism.

Which means I'm responsible for 9/11.

That kind of an argument.

I know what you meant, but you should differentiate in those who follow football. It'd be like lumping all supporters of a club into one category which is unfair, unjust and takes away the gist of your point which is that there is a difference between supporters and fans.

Your "extrapolation" is way off key and I think you know that yourself. LOI club supporters have been taken for gillies for far too long and have to start standing up for what they believe in (if anything) and really make an impression. I do believe that it can be done on a smaller scale, Rovers showed they can band together to get things done, Drogheda have that appearance too. Supporters make their clubs, so make the clubs work for them

[Sam_Heggy]

Our highest finishing player was Duff with Fulham in 9th in the premiership.

Gibson and Coleman - Everton - 7th place :cool:

Couldn't resist.

[Lim till i die]

You framed ozzie you monster!

http://static.gigwise.com/gallery/ozzy-mugshot.jpg

[Lim till i die]

LOI club supporters have been taken for gillies for far too long and have to start standing up for what they believe in (if anything) and really make an impression.

I agree with you on this obviously.

But you know it's far easier said than done for the vast majority of clubs and fans at the moment, it's grand to get on the internet and pontificate (it's my fourth favourite hobby afterall) but the realities on the ground are somewhat different.

FWIW, the cynic in me genuinely believes there's some serious method behind the current LoI shambles. Honest John is many things but he's far from a fool.

[Spudulika]

I agree with your last point 100% LTID, JD might not have been the best businessman, but he's a clever politician (you have to be to make it to the top of a sports organisation) and there could be a plan set down to cull the herd, so to speak - or keep Roddy out of a job (sorry, not funny).

I know it's easy for me to say, the supporters should take control of their own clubs etc, I just don't understand how the clubs voted away what power they had again and we, as supporters, just took it.

[marinobohs]

You're a clever lad, I'll wager you definitely, definitely, know what I was getting at up there. So I'm not elaborating down here.

The rest of your post isn't aimed at me but I would like to say



Is pretty spurious twaddle to be honest, you're sort of extrapolating to a large degree to try make a point.

I'm typing this on a laptop.

Which is made of plastic.

Which is petrochemical based.

Which means I'm helping drive the demand for oil.

Which means I'm helping raise tensions in the Middle East.

Which means I'm helping to spread Islamic fundamentalism.

Which means I'm responsible for 9/11.

That kind of an argument.




NEWSFLASH Limerick in Al Queda link, FAI to issue press release from Poznan hotel - including sanctions against Limerick :o. Chief Executive Honest John Delaney quoted as saying "I was right about that crowd all along"

[Hairy Bowsie]

"Low lie, the crooks of Abbotstown
Where once you bought cans for green clad clowns.
Another club gone to the wall, while you’re in Poland having a ball,
Oh the hypocrisy of the crooks of Abbotstown"

That should be sang at every LoI ground in the country, this weekend

[marinobohs]

"Low lie, the crooks of Abbotstown
Where once you bought cans for green clad clowns.
Another club gone to the wall, while you’re in Poland having a ball,
Oh the hypocrisy of the crooks of Abbotstown"

That should be sang at every LoI ground in the country, this weekend



....... or we should all dress up in Leprechaun outfits and see if John Delaney recommends us for an award - or even notes our existence (and if I never hear that famine dirge again it will still be too soon)

[Pablo Escobar]

You wouldn't have McGeady in the squad? Seriously?

51 caps and 2 assists. I certainly wouldn't anyway.

[Charlie Darwin]

51 caps and 2 assists. I certainly wouldn't anyway.
I wouldn't have you on my stats team. McGeady has two assists in the past month alone. The only two goals we've scored in that time, incidentally.

[nigel-harps1954]

I wouldn't have you on my stats team. McGeady has two assists in the past month alone. The only two goals we've scored in that time, incidentally.

Mr.Stats man, tell us all about his stats in the final third of the field then. He's entirely frustrating to watch. Always has to beat 6 men and run into a corner before crossing a ball when all he needs to do is put his head up and look for a simple pass.

[Charlie Darwin]

He does have that problem, and yet he still sets up a large propotion of our goals and has begun to score his fair share too.

[Sam_Heggy]

http://ayetv1.com/2012/06/donegal-back-page-euro-2012-best-fans-in-the-world/

[BonnieShels]

Monaghan Town... so close...

[DannyInvincible]

'What can be done to establish a meaningful connection between Irish domestic football and the national team?': http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2012/07/02/3215209/what-can-be-done-to-establish-a-meaningful-connection

[Charlie Darwin]

Letter in today's Times. Did anyone here write it?


Sir, – According to figures in The Irish Times on Saturday, the overall attendance at five Airtricity League of Ireland games on Friday night last amounted to a meagre 7,754.The majority of the “wonderful” Irish supporters who caused so much merriment when celebrating the defeats at Euro 2012 obviously have not recovered from their exertions and long travelling to go out and support local soccer.But, no doubt, these dedicated fans will soon turn out in big numbers, as they did thousands of miles away, to boost crowds at League of Ireland matches. – Yours, etc,

[Real ale Madrid]

'What can be done to establish a meaningful connection between Irish domestic football and the national team?': http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2012/07/02/3215209/what-can-be-done-to-establish-a-meaningful-connection

I like the idea of each Premier team having 3 or 4 centrally contracted players, use some of the money we have earned at major championships to directly resource the league - would take some wage pressure off the clubs and give a long term viable professional football option to players. It might stop a lot of players playing in the lower leagues cross channel when a option is available at home.

[nigel-harps1954]

the overall attendance at five Airtricity League of Ireland games

*Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division games.


Jesus that annoys me when 99% of the time people just completely flat out ignore the First Division as if it doesn't exist.

[republican]

JD got carried away, so what. Better to have some suited twit who'll take the same pay home and still not give a damn.

LTID - please point out a difference between "fans" and "supporters", there is always a crossover and supporting your country is not inclusive of supporting your local team, especially if you live/were born abroad. The LOI self-pity whinge fest has gone on too long. Get out, back your local club and get the heads of it to change the league from the bottom up - force the FAI to change from the top down. It won't happen because, not too long ago, the clubs voted to back the FAI's running of the league. So the blame lies on the supporters of LOI clubs (in a round about way).
great post spudulka.

[republican]

so what your saying is the vast majority of the fans in poland are not football supporters? why because they dont support a loi team or go to matches that is a crazy judgement. i know loads of lads in my area that play junior soccer and got tickets through their junior club and went to the finals not just players but also committee members, managers, and supporters of those junior clubs. that is just in my area im sure it was the same all over the country so i would say the 'vast majority' of the supporters in poland actually play football every week in this country or are actively involved in the running of junior/intermediate/schoolboy clubs. football in ireland is not all about the loi, that makes up a small percentage of football people/supporters in this country.

[republican]

Why the massive gulf??

Because Spain looked at their broken player development model and fixed it. Spanish people aren't naturally better football players than Irish people



Are people involved in League clubs entitled to be resentful of the fact that €1,400,000 (plus expenses) comes out of the associations kitty to pay a manager and CEO??

Possibly.



The vast majority of people over there aren't football supporters.

They are consumers. This is their summer holiday for the year.

Mournfulness, pride and undimmed allegiance??

Are you for real?! In the majority of cases they're singing and dancing and acting the Paddy because they don't give a ****.

Do I think the genuine fans in Poland are worthy of sympathy?? Yes

Do I think most of the people over in Poland are genuine fans?? No

Your comparison to a Premiership team that's been relegated is silly beyond argument as well.
above post in response to this sorry :)

[Real ale Madrid]

so what your saying is the vast majority of the fans in poland are not football supporters? why because they dont support a loi team or go to matches that is a crazy judgement. i know loads of lads in my area that play junior soccer and got tickets through their junior club and went to the finals not just players but also committee members, managers, and supporters of those junior clubs. that is just in my area im sure it was the same all over the country so i would say the 'vast majority' of the supporters in poland actually play football every week in this country or are actively involved in the running of junior/intermediate/schoolboy clubs. football in ireland is not all about the loi, that makes up a small percentage of football people/supporters in this country.

I think the judgement more relates to people who "support" Man Yoo, the Gooners, Chelski etc rather than an Irish team. I don't think involvement in junior soccer is prohibitive to the LOI in the same way the Premiership is.

For example; I myself was involved in underage / junior soccer for years, (before work took me abroad) but the difference with me and other mentors / committee members etc was that I was a regular at Turners Cross on a Friday night - while the rest of the committee supported Liverpool.

[republican]

I think the judgement more relates to people who "support" Man Yoo, the Gooners, Chelski etc rather than an Irish team. I don't think involvement in junior soccer is prohibitive to the LOI in the same way the Premiership is.

For example; I myself was involved in underage / junior soccer for years, (before work took me abroad) but the difference with me and other mentors / committee members etc was that I was a regular at Turners Cross on a Friday night - while the rest of the committee supported Liverpool.
thats a fair point but he said the vast majority of people over there were not football supporters and going to poland was their holiday for the year which is incorrect from where i was looking. also on the junior/loi/premiership debate, every player and committee member in every loi club also support an english team ie united, liverpool, chelsea so its ok for them to follow an english team aswell as a loi team but not ok for me 'for example' to support an english team because my local club are a junior club and not loi, and because of this people like me are not football supporters??

[Charlie Darwin]

There are a lot of people here who support English teams as well as their domestic club - there is no one model of being a supporter. Your experience isn't really typical though - most people who follow football in Ireland do so via their Sky Sports subscription and don't get out to help the domestic game.

[DannyInvincible]

football in ireland is not all about the loi

It's all about the Premier League. :(


also on the junior/loi/premiership debate, every player and committee member in every loi club also support an english team ie united, liverpool, chelsea

Do they? Plenty of supporters of the League of Ireland have no interest whatsoever in the Premier League/SPL. Why would they?

[republican]

It's all about the Premier League. :(



Do they? Plenty of supporters of the League of Ireland have no interest whatsoever in the Premier League/SPL. Why would they?
no interest whatsoever :) yeah so they go to watch loi on fri and dont watch anything again until followin fri :)

[nigel-harps1954]

no interest whatsoever :) yeah so they go to watch loi on fri and dont watch anything again until followin fri :)

Well I don't know about anyone else, but that's exactly what I do. I have no interest whatsoever in the English football leagues, and have more interest in sticking needles in my eyes than watching Scottish football.

[Jofspring]

Well I don't know about anyone else, but that's exactly what I do. I have no interest whatsoever in the English football leagues, and have more interest in sticking needles in my eyes than watching Scottish football.

Yup similar here. I watch the odd game if nothing else on or if it possibly could be a decent game. Wouldn't go out of my way to watch a game and find myself turning games off fairly quick as I get bored more easily watching it on telly. I'd say I turned off or only half watched 90% of the euros as I found other things to occupy my mind when getting bored watching it.
Alot of my mates have gone the same way. I actually can't remember the last game on telly (Barr Ireland Croatia and Ireland Spain) that I watched start to finish without turning it off or going doing something else.

Can happen at live games too were you end up chatting amoungst each other more than watch the game if they are boring but that rarely happens.

[MagicMon]

If anyone is on Football365 forum, there is an interesting thread on there called 'FAO Irish' with a poll asking why people on there don't go to LoI games. Some interesting answers, the main reason is 'I've been to a few games but the standard is rubbish'. Other things brought up, but very rarely mentioned on here, are the lack of continuity in squads (I can sympathize with this, I swear one season Bobby Browne used over 50 players) and the lack of it being a 'social event'. That one got me thinking, is the root of the event junkie mentality that we're only really ever looking for a days craic and a few pints- the source or venue of the event is never important, because no-one will think badly or laugh at you if you're going on the lash?

(god I miss last season when worrying about the league meant wondering if Shels would win their game in hand :( )

[BonnieShels]

Ah sure what were you worried about. Don't you know about our inability to defend from the 88th min onwards.