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

[Lim till i die]

Sticking this in the LoI forum because I don't think I've ever been in the schoolboy forum and what I'm driving at is relevant to league club (I think).

Anyway:

Clever Stuff Here. (http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/06/14/spain-4-0-ireland-whitewash/)

Interesting Fact:

The Republic Of Ireland made 178 successful passes tonight.

Xavi made 126.

:D


Hopefully there will be a quick think in Abbotstown after this national disgrace of a tournament.

Is it time to stop spunking silly money on the no hope national team?? Granted they have made the association quite a lot of debt relief money this time out but if players continue to be of this calibre then in the medium to long term the party is well and truly over.

Would Traps million quid be better spent on the grassroots of the game?? Not on actually giving it to league clubs, junior clubs and schoolboy clubs to do with as they see fit (ie widdle it up against a wall) but a million quid would pay for a lot of coaches to do a lot of B, A and Pro licences on the continent.

What do LoI clubs do in their own schoolboy/academy structures??

What's the standard of coaching like??

Is their an emphasis on technique and ball work or is it all "Get rid of it", "do him", "go yourself", "**** sake referee"

In Summary:

What's to be done?!?! :)

[bullit]

Sticking up a few tweets that i seen tonight and that i believe are true,i'm sure the authors would be vistoters here :


Niall C ‏@Nialler67 (https://twitter.com/#%21/Nialler67) Conflicting views tonight on the players,fans& Irish football in general.As usual it's the LOI people talking sense & the rest talking ****e



Alan Finn ‏@AlanF1994 (https://twitter.com/#%21/AlanF1994) If only some of these fans would support a LOI club. Great at a major tournament, but they'd be greatly appreciated back home as well!



Alan Finn ‏@AlanF1994 (https://twitter.com/#%21/AlanF1994) I wonder how many Irish fans calling for Hoolahan, Coleman, McClean & Long to be playing can even tell you which Irish club they came



Alan Finn ‏@AlanF1994 (https://twitter.com/#%21/AlanF1994) If only some of these fans would support a LOI club. Great at a major tournament, but they'd be greatly appreciated back home as well!



Underdeveloped youth system, ignored senior league...we're not **** by mistake. Still, at least the Premiership is back soon


Eoghan Rice ‏@rice_e (https://twitter.com/#%21/rice_e) Amazing how a country with no football infrastructure and no interest in developing one is surprised when they lose to countries who do


All bang on the button i reckon.Develop the LOI & bish,bang wollop,years down the line you reap what was sown.Too simple ??

[dancinpants]

The standard of football at a decent premier division match is so far beyond what the national team serve up...and I'm not even wearing the rose tinted glasses when I say that. But we're doomed to failure as long as we're a nation full of bar stoolers.

[Brusher]

Delighted this thread has started, as I was afraid to start off myself. One thing that also grates at me, we should be having this discussion in the wider public, instead of arguing whether or not the fans were right / wrong to sing.Personally I gave up supporting the Irish team in 1985, as I couldn't feel any affinity with players with no allegiance to Ireland, only through grannies, but that's another story !These days, it's great to see ex LOI players the team / squad. I would love to see a rule implemented by FIFA/UEFA, that says that an international squad must have a certain ratio of players in their own domestic league, maybe as low as 2/3.

[Macy]

I don't think it's quite as simple as all self proclaimed "best fans in the world" supporting the League of Ireland, but it would go a long way. It would have to be accompanied by more and better oversight from the FAI though, to stop the clubs peeing away any extra on overrated players.

What's needed is a total restructuring of the game - the schoolboy/ junior/ intermediate clubs should be feeding into the League of Ireland clubs, with the FAI overseeing the whole player development process. Everyone is a winner - the players are developed to a better standard, the clubs in Ireland (at all adult levels) gets a better standard of player, those that are good enough can still follow the dream of going to the UK (as many recent examples have shown), those that don't can earn a decent wage at home.

We can no longer rely on a failing UK system to produce our players - it's not even working for the bloody UK players. English clubs in particular, are going all over the world to pick up young players, so the Irish youngsters shipped off are inevitably being squeezed out of the academies. It's time to take responsibility for producing our own players, and the only way to do that effectively imo is by having the link between school boys and league of Ireland. Frankly, f**k the "nursery" clubs - they're actually doing more harm than good as it is with the numbers that go and don't make it and are thus lost to football. Time for Delaney to show some balls the size of his pay packet and stand up to all levels of the game for the greater good.

Lim Till I Die, you left off spunking silly money on a CEO off your list.

[Dave_SRFC]

Regarding our league nothing will happen while that chancer is in charge of the fai, they'll go back to the drawing board but the league wont be considered as a viable way of improving our senior international football team....

[Jofspring]

It's going to take someone with a lot of balls to change the structures and how we go about things because it will definitely upset the barstoolers and plastic hammer brigade in this country.

What should be done is more emphasis on getting as many coaches up to a high standard working at all levels and hold onto as many young players as possible.

What will happen is the FAI will just go about things as normal and hope to god we qualify for the world cup as it will be another money spinner towards the aviva.

The only way change will occur is if we get shown up in the world cup qualifiers and force change from there.

Edit: June 22nd can't come quick enough.

[passinginterest]

I actually think the FAI is doing some very good work with coaches and encouraging football to be played the right way, there seems to have been some huge improvements in the last decade or so. The problem, as has been pointed out, is the footballing structures in this country. It's been said a million times on here before but there's no "pyramid structure" for want of a better term. The National League should absolutely be the pinnacle of football in this country with all junior and intermediate leagues filtering players upwards. The junior leagues have far too much power within the FAI for a complete restructure of our football system and as a result we'll never see it happen. Macy had summed it up pretty well in his post.

[bennocelt]

I also find it hard to support an Ireland team that has little affinity to me, or shows any respect to the LOI. I do think there should be the odd LOI player called up for the odd friendly here and there. Forrester would be nice to see in an Irish shirt for example.

[nigel-harps1954]

Lost heart altogether in the Irish team. Sat there at 4-0 last night not even bothered by it in the slightest. How the likes of Paul Green and Aiden McGeady are still amongst that squad is beyond me.

[barney]

I also find it hard to support an Ireland team that has little affinity to me, or shows any respect to the LOI. I do think there should be the odd LOI player called up for the odd friendly here and there. Forrester would be nice to see in an Irish shirt for example.

Ah begorrah, a bit of tokenism. This is exactly the mentality Keane rails against and, as much as I hate to admit it, he's right. We shouldn't be handing out caps to players just so the LOI is represented, we should be trying to ensure that the league gets to a standard where it is producing and fully developing international class players.

[barney]

Lost heart altogether in the Irish team. Sat there at 4-0 last night not even bothered by it in the slightest. How the likes of Paul Green and Aiden McGeady are still amongst that squad is beyond me.

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

[bennocelt]

Ah begorrah, a bit of tokenism. This is exactly the mentality Keane rails against and, as much as I hate to admit it, he's right. We shouldn't be handing out caps to players just so the LOI is represented, we should be trying to ensure that the league gets to a standard where it is producing and fully developing international class players.

But its a start, cant keep ignoring the LOI, one way to bring up the level of the league is for more representation at all levels. I sincerely beleive that a player like Forrester is a better option than someone like Whelan who can barely run never mind do anything constrructive in a game. The LOI has already produced a few players on the team so there is not as big a gap as one would like to imagine, international football aint all that good IMHO. Not tokenism on my part, and I agree also with Keane, but when he himself had the chance to make a difference he went sulking off home

[barney]

But its a start, cant keep ignoring the LOI, one way to bring up the level of the league is for more representation at all levels. I sincerely beleive that a player like Forrester is a better option than someone like Whelan who can barely run never mind do anything constrructive in a game. The LOI has already produced a few players on the team so there is not as big a gap as one would like to imagine, international football aint all that good IMHO. Not tokenism on my part, and I agree also with Keane, but when he himself had the chance to make a difference he went sulking off home

I agree that there are, or can be, some LOI players with potential. Doyle, Long, Fahey, McLean all prove that and that's why I did say that we ideally need to fully develop players in this country. Not sure there are any at the moment to be honest.

I disagree on international football not being that good particularly a 16 team European Championship - the standard is fairly high. As for Keane - I can't stand the man but once in a while, he gets something right.

[nigel-harps1954]

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


Not a hope. Too many people rate McGeady so highly for the only reason that he lit up the SPL with Celtic. Rose coloured glasses and all that jazz. I don't rate him, against lesser opposition he seems grand, gets down and runs at a defender. But when he comes up against a decent side, he folds and is awful. Evident against Spain last night that every time he got the ball (bar one occasion where he put in a good cross), he ran straight into someone rather than look up and find a pass.
If we're to progress as a serious international team, he's the type of player we don't need. He wouldn't get near any other international team in the top 20 at the minute.

[Dodge]

To answer LTID's original question;

not a lot

[adamd164]

I was delighted, I backed Torres @ 9/2 first goalscorer when I saw the lineups. :)

On Roy Keane, he usually has good things to say about the LOI. Regularly attends our matches when home and is very complementary of the standard. Doesn't forget where he came from. Much and all as I detest the 'Only one Keano' brigade, and frankly couldn't give a tupenny feck about the whole Saipan affair, I think Keane respects the need to improve and support the LOI and if he was asked about what needs to happen in Irish football he'd support a pyramid structure as mentioned above with the LOI being fed by junior clubs.

[barney]

Not a hope. Too many people rate McGeady so highly for the only reason that he lit up the SPL with Celtic. Rose coloured glasses and all that jazz. I don't rate him, against lesser opposition he seems grand, gets down and runs at a defender. But when he comes up against a decent side, he folds and is awful. Evident against Spain last night that every time he got the ball (bar one occasion where he put in a good cross), he ran straight into someone rather than look up and find a pass.
If we're to progress as a serious international team, he's the type of player we don't need. He wouldn't get near any other international team in the top 20 at the minute.

I completely disagree but I suppose it's a game of opinions. One of our few players who can take someone on or make a bit of space. His end product is still wanting but I'd have him all day long to be honest. In a different league to the Stephen Hunts of this world.

[Brusher]

It may be a bit naive, but I honestly believe that there should be a position in a squad for a player who actually lives here over somebody that had a grandparent, and to hell with the fact he may not be up to International level.

[barney]

It may be a bit naive, but I honestly believe that there should be a position in a squad for a player who actually lives here over somebody that had a grandparent, and to hell with the fact he may not be up to International level.

Not being funny but would you be of the same opinion if your job and reputation relied on it?

[Dodge]

Not being funny but would you be of the same opinion if your job and reputation relied on it?

its nobody's job to be an international footballer. its a representative side.

Not that I agree with tokenism. No problem with 2g or 3g Irish playing. I've a big problem with mercenaries discovering they're irish when they're 23 and over though

None of which relates to the LOI BTW

[Charlie Darwin]

It's worth pointing out the work that is actually being done at underage level, spearheaded by Wim Koovermans.

Every side but the senior (Trapattoni) side is mandated to play variations of the 4-3-3 so that all of the players coming through the youth ranks will be familiar with it when the time does come to promote them to the national side. That way, if the likes of Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick, etc. are to break into the senior team in two years time, we will have players with years of experience playing in a more flexible formation. Presumably the manager that replaces Trapattoni in 2004 will adopt the same style as virtually 99% of managers in the world have. Whether it's as a result of better players coming through or a better tactical approach (probably both) we have experienced a very welcome upswing in fortunes at underage level over the past 2 years.

Things would be a lot better too if we had a national league that was well-supported by its own people, but we all know that will never happen.

[barney]

its nobody's job to be an international footballer. its a representative side.

Not that I agree with tokenism. No problem with 2g or 3g Irish playing. I've a big problem with mercenaries discovering they're irish when they're 23 and over though

None of which relates to the LOI BTW

Nope but it's Trap's (or someone's) job to be an international manager and him picking people because they're 'real' Irish or play in the LOI over someone better could have an effect on his employment status or his reputation. That was the point.

[Dublin Red]

VIA TWITTER:

Tommy Martin ‏@tommymartin77
(https://twitter.com/#!/tommymartin77)Distance between these two teams has grown so much since 2002. Our FA is broke, so forget a review of coaching. But we have a nice stadium.

The problem starts at grass roots. Look at our younger players and how they are picked... the youngsters who are athletes, quick and strong... and who can kick the ball the farthest get picked. Think of how the likes of Richard Dunne, etc were picked when they were younger. This hasn't changed, yet football is changing, and we seen last night how far behind we have fallen.

In Spain, the most technically gifted players are chosen from a young age, and coached how to play the game the right way. Never mind how big they are, how quick and strong. Pace, strength and fitness are focused on at a more advanced stage.


Take an under 12 soccer game here in Ireland in a local league. Young Johnny is 11 years old and starts up front for his local team in Co. Sligo under 12 district league. He scores a goal and Johnny celebrates with his friends and manager, it's brilliant! Johnny has scored and his team wins the game... but... WTF has Johnny learned? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Yet Johnny will go back to training during the week with friends so he will try and win his next game the next weekend.
In Spain, they don't compete until the ages of under 16/17. Up until then they are coached and guided how to play football the right way (and "winning" is disregarded). If we ever want to compete at this level a complete review of the way we coach at underage is needed.... but we all know this isn't going to happen when the FAI are more interested in forking out a couple of Million on a big name manager.
The sooner the investment at grass roots is made, the sooner it'll be when we'll be able to compete with these top nations once again, simple.

__
Recently we have seen the FA in England make changes to the way the game is coached. At underage levels pitch sizes will be smaller all the way to under 17s. Copying the system the Spanish have had in place for the last number of years. This encourages more technical skills, and keeping the ball as a main priority (not just kicking it the farthest). Yet we have yet to introduce anything similar.

[Macy]

It's worth pointing out the work that is actually being done at underage level, spearheaded by Wim Koovermans.

Every side but the senior (Trapattoni) side is mandated to play variations of the 4-3-3 so that all of the players coming through the youth ranks will be familiar with it when the time does come to promote them to the national side. That way, if the likes of Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick, etc. are to break into the senior team in two years time, we will have players with years of experience playing in a more flexible formation. Presumably the manager that replaces Trapattoni in 2004 will adopt the same style as virtually 99% of managers in the world have. Whether it's as a result of better players coming through or a better tactical approach (probably both) we have experienced a very welcome upswing in fortunes at underage level over the past 2 years.

Things would be a lot better too if we had a national league that was well-supported by its own people, but we all know that will never happen.
That's great and all, but the problem is before they're even picked for representative sides. Dublin Red outlines the problem. But Delaney and co are never going to have the balls to take on the schoolboy leagues to make them do what is necessary for the long term development of the game.

[Dodge]

Nope but it's Trap's (or someone's) job to be an international manager and him picking people because they're 'real' Irish or play in the LOI over someone better could have an effect on his employment status or his reputation. That was the point.

Thats because his role is seen to manage the team, rather than help develop irish football. You can see here the problems are, can't you?

There's no connection at all between irish football. Schoolboys despise the league, FAI spend mor eon the national side than anythng else. Nobody looking to integrate the whole thing

[barney]

Thats because his role is seen to manage the team, rather than help develop irish football. You can see here the problems are, can't you?

There's no connection at all between irish football. Schoolboys despise the league, FAI spend mor eon the national side than anythng else. Nobody looking to integrate the whole thing

I agree but I was making the point that it's easy for someone to say that they'd prefer a LOI player to Aidan McGeady (for example) because the LOI player is 'really' Irish.

It's a nice romatic notion but I don't think anyone in their right mind would pick a LOI player over McGeady if they were the manager and their €1.5million a year and reputation was at risk.

[bluewhitearmy]

Ah begorrah, a bit of tokenism. This is exactly the mentality Keane rails against and, as much as I hate to admit it, he's right. We shouldn't be handing out caps to players just so the LOI is represented, we should be trying to ensure that the league gets to a standard where it is producing and fully developing international class players.


I don't want that but in saying that this magic that seems to be at English clubs that make players like McClean,Doyle,Long,Coleman etc good enough for squads when they would never in a million years be picked having the exact same ability playing for a LOI team is a bit strange no?.

[Dodge]

I agree but I was making the point that it's easy for someone to say that they'd prefer a LOI player to Aidan McGeady (for example) because the LOI player is 'really' Irish.

It's a nice romatic notion but I don't think anyone in their right mind would pick a LOI player over McGeady if they were the manager and their €1.5million a year and reputation was at risk.

No one on this thread did say that. One said there should be LOI reps, and another said he wouldn't pick mcGeady. Two seperate arguments

For the record Chris Forrester is already better than McGeady ;)

[barney]

No one on this thread did say that. One said there should be LOI reps, and another said he wouldn't pick mcGeady. Two seperate arguments

For the record Chris Forrester is already better than McGeady ;)

Really??


It may be a bit naive, but I honestly believe that there should be a position in a squad for a player who actually lives here over somebody that had a grandparent, and to hell with the fact he may not be p to International level.

[pauliek]

Shams fans are still racist

[bennocelt]

Well I would have Forrester def ahead of G Whelan:D

[passerrby]

In fairness to the fai they have been pushing this development for a number of years and it is been done at emerging talent and areas where they have influence it is falling down at club and league level where they have no influence .

[Kiki Balboa]

League of Ireland dose not do enough for bringing through players, as if they want to or are able too. We cannot develop a 14, 15, 16 year old into a senior player on are own without shipping them off to England as one poster suggested. Its easy to blame it on the so called fans that do not go to the games, but that is the situation that the league is in, we have to work around that. Before we blame the FAI we have to remember that no club is taking the responsibility either and our hardly making a fuss about the youth structures. For example I am involved with two youth clubs in the mid louth region, neither drogheda or dundalk have met with the clubs. What they should do is send a coach to the clubs and tell them what they are looking for in players, and how and when to coach it.

For me, the league of Ireland shouldn't be competitive ( as in the focus shouldn't be on winning trophies ). We can have a professional league but the facilities have to be the focus of where the money should be spent. There is no point in (for example) drogheda style of football, all clubs should have an extensive emphasis on attacking play, no matter what.

But there is no appetite for change. Lay people dont care, FAI look after themselevs, and the league of Ireland whiffs of big fish small pond. Next year there will be no change, and someone else will start a thread about the structures of the league, more clubs will go bust, there will be less interest in the league and John Delaney will still be earning more than the his league does.

[eekers]

Thats because his role is seen to manage the team, rather than help develop irish football. You can see here the problems are, can't you?

There's no connection at all between irish football. Schoolboys despise the league, FAI spend mor eon the national side than anythng else. Nobody looking to integrate the whole thing

This is bang on.

Also the FAI are paying a man 250k a year (more than the League winners get) to buy lads pints out in Poland. So instead of the money going into Irish Football, its going on a **** up for the lads and a nice bit of PR for the FAI.

[Sam_Heggy]

It's worth pointing out the work that is actually being done at underage level, spearheaded by Wim Koovermans.



Nope, not anymore, he's got a better offer elsewhere. I think it might be Stephen McNutt taking that role from now on.

[cestlavie]

Nope, not anymore, he's got a better offer elsewhere. I think it might be Stephen McNutt taking that role from now on.

God help Irish Football if this is the case.

Plenty of talent in Donegal and its not down to the FAI coaches employed like McNutt.

At least they got rid of Packie Bonner as he hadnt a billy ocean.

[dong]

I did hear that Koovermans was no longer in that job.

[Guinney]

I laugh when hear that "Irish fans are the best in the World". Don't get me wrong it's great the amount of Irish fans that travelled to the Euro's and singing of Fields of Athenry showed good spirit, but anyone can go to a big tournament, jump on the bandwagon, have the craic and sing a few songs, but it seems to me the majority of the "best fans in the world" can't support their local teams. Excuse will be made - no local team, Dublin league, poor standard, can't afford it, etc., some valid enough, most just from a lazy football fan. What these people don't realise if they bother getting off their couches/barstools and support Irish club teams week in week out, the standard and atmosphere would improve greatly.

The facts stand for themselves, we are the only nation with no players from the national league. John Delany wage is higher than what is giving out in prize money to the league, Trapattoni's wage dwarf's it. The FAI need to start developing and putting more money into all sections of the league, firstly to entice more people to go and secondly to develop our own players. For the most part we are relying in English clubs to develop our own players, it seems it's getting more difficult for young Irish players for break into the first team with the influx of foreign players. We need to encourage more players to stay in Ireland, develop their game here - e.g. Coleman, Fahey, McClean, Doyle, etc. But the FAI need to start helping the league out more to do this, help clubs develop their infrastructures, and get proper coaching structures in place.

At grassroots the system is a joke. Young players often are burnt out. Good footballers usually are involved in a number of teams - school, local club and probably a GAA team. It's all about winning and not the development of the player. And the result of this showed last night, the way Spain held possession and the number of passes they completed was outstanding. The Irish players just don't have the technical ability to play anything near that level.

[DannyInvincible]

Thought this was a good read...

'Inferior tactics, inferior technique, inferior attitude - Euro 2012 embarrassment must bring forth a new Ireland': http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3284/euro-2012/2012/06/15/3175112/inferior-tactics-inferior-technique-inferior-attitude-euro


What is required now is a thorough post-mortem of, not only Euro 2012, but the slow disintegration of Irish football. We cannot be expected to hone a football identity while the collapse and neglect of clubs in the Airtricity League continues. Dundalk can barely submit a week-on-week budget and the list of defunct clubs stretches uncomfortably long in the recent past.

Ireland's fans have been praised for following their national team through the thick and thin of Euro 2012 but it is a conservative estimation that less than 5% of those present in Poland will be present at a League of Ireland ground next weekend when domestic action recommences. Instead, the Manchester United jerseys and the Liverpool colours will be back on and plans will be made for a trip to Old Trafford or Anfield.

Try explaining that to a Dinamo Zagreb fan or a Celta Vigo fan. I'm sure the reverence towards Ireland's fabled support would become dubious. The supporters were lauded for singing until the final whistle. Four-nil down and singing. Asking for more. Like the nation itself voting yes in the Fiscal Pact Referendum, asking for more punishment. Enough is enough. There should have been rebellion, distaste, disgust. People have spent money they simply don't have to go to Poland and watch that rubbish. It is an insult. But it won't change so long as the supporters are identified as the perfect football fan.

And while the shunning of domestic football continues, Ireland will lose its best talents, early, to England. Promising young players will have the football coached out of them, as has been the case for generations. The Irish national team was the only squad at Euro 2012 not to have a player supplied to it by its own domestic league. That must change.

[bullit]

http://soberpaddy.com/a-letter-to-roy-keane-after-his-reaction-to-the-spain-performance/

:rolleyes:

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/126/314/3cd8a33a.png

[SkStu]

http://soberpaddy.com/a-letter-to-roy-keane-after-his-reaction-to-the-spain-performance/

:rolleyes:

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/126/314/3cd8a33a.png

What a load of gash. If he put himself back in his role as a barstooling United fan and asked himself if united fans would react the way he seems to think is so honorable to a similar drubbing by Barca or Real? Minnow.

[Morginho]

People have used the excuse its the size of the population and comparing us to England for example. There are 8 players on the Spanish team from the region of Catalonia(Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Busquets, Fabregas, Pique, Puyol, Martinez) which is only a bit bigger than Ireland. They invest and use modern coaching methods and have far more qualified coaches than us. Big problem is not enough qualified coaches at grassroots levels. Although the FAI have updated and modernised there coaching courses it'll take more investment and much more time to reap the rewards.

[Morginho]

Take an under 12 soccer game here in Ireland in a local league. Young Johnny is 11 years old and starts up front for his local team in Co. Sligo under 12 district league. He scores a goal and Johnny celebrates with his friends and manager, it's brilliant! Johnny has scored and his team wins the game... but... WTF has Johnny learned? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Yet Johnny will go back to training during the week with friends so he will try and win his next game the next weekend.
In Spain, they don't compete until the ages of under 16/17. Up until then they are coached and guided how to play football the right way (and "winning" is disregarded). If we ever want to compete at this level a complete review of the way we coach at underage is needed.... but we all know this isn't going to happen when the FAI are more interested in forking out a couple of Million on a big name manager.
The sooner the investment at grass roots is made, the sooner it'll be when we'll be able to compete with these top nations once again, simple.

__
Recently we have seen the FA in England make changes to the way the game is coached. At underage levels pitch sizes will be smaller all the way to under 17s. Copying the system the Spanish have had in place for the last number of years. This encourages more technical skills, and keeping the ball as a main priority (not just kicking it the farthest). Yet we have yet to introduce anything similar.
Actually the way its going is U7+U8s 5-a-side. U9's-U-12's 9-a-side. Then starting @U14s they start playing 11 competitive football.
In Monaghan we already have such a system. U8s and U10s play a summer 7-a-side non-competitive league and then in september the U-12 9-a-side league runs until March this is also non-competitive.
Our Monaghan United side has only started playing competitively this season at U13's which isn't far off the status quo in Europe.

[bluewhitearmy]

Actually the way its going is U7+U8s 5-a-side. U9's-U-12's 9-a-side. Then starting @U14s they start playing 11 competitive football.
In Monaghan we already have such a system. U8s and U10s play a summer 7-a-side non-competitive league and then in september the U-12 9-a-side league runs until March this is also non-competitive.
Our Monaghan United side has only started playing competitively this season at U13's which isn't far off the status quo in Europe.


And when does your senior team plan on doing this :p

[eekers]

http://euro2012.irishexaminer.com/analysis/spanish-template-shows-the-way-forward-for-ireland-197692.html

"Interestingly, around the same time as Trapattoni took the Irish job, there was a superficial attempt to do the same within the FAI. One official was given a mandate to implement a clear pyramid coaching structure, the key to ensuring that young players are properly schooled and none fall through the gaps.

The key quote of the first meeting arranged to discuss it? “Why bother? It’s a political nightmare.”

This is the problem with Irish football. We have a situation where there is no pyramid. There are only vested interests, best illustrated in the fact that, rather than provide a link to each other and natural progression for young players, junior and senior clubs squabble over signatures because it might mean more money from his eventual departure to Britain. As that same foreign coach said, “I’ve never seen a football structure as crazy as Ireland. It’s like the wild west.”

And the players? Well, as one official explains, “the benefit of the young lads just doesn’t come into it.”

Until then, we will qualify for tournaments by coincidence rather than design. And there is every chance we will be just as insignificant in them again."

[placid casual]

I've been away for the past 10 days and missed all the euro's. seems to have panned out much as I had expected. trap is a $hit manager picking $hit players.

as for the reasons behind the 3rd world Irish football structure, and the best ways to solve it?
We need a coup detat (sp) of the FAIlures to overhaul the junior football scene here who have the countries football talent at their disposal.
I played schoolboy & junior football in dublin for nigh on 20 years and never met anyone in "authority" who was remotley interested in the benefits to the LOI.
None saw the progression of players from schoolboy/junior level to the League of Ireland as the natural order of things. instead they were after the financial gains , both for their clubs and ultimately themselves.

[CMcC]

I laugh when hear that "Irish fans are the best in the World". Don't get me wrong it's great the amount of Irish fans that travelled to the Euro's and singing of Fields of Athenry showed good spirit, but anyone can go to a big tournament, jump on the bandwagon, have the craic and sing a few songs, but it seems to me the majority of the "best fans in the world" can't support their local teams. Excuse will be made - no local team, Dublin league, poor standard, can't afford it, etc., some valid enough, most just from a lazy football fan. What these people don't realise if they bother getting off their couches/barstools and support Irish club teams week in week out, the standard and atmosphere would improve greatly.
.

Most Irish people dont have the stamina and committment to support a team for a season (30+ games) which is the norm all over the world. By support I mean actually go and activley particptate (not barstool). Every sport in Ireland suffers from this.

If they did, they certainly would not have disgraced the nation behaving like they did in the stands when we were getting the humping of humpings against Spain.

I was mortified and disgusted at what I saw both on and off the pitch. A point made elsewhere on this thread is very valid .... ask any fan of an English team, would they be jumping up and down, laughing and cheering, hands in the air singing, Blue Moon /I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles/Glory Glory Man United/Fields of Anfield Road or whatever, if their beloved club side was having the **** ripped out of them by Barca or Madrid or someone?

Like hell they would. But because they dont go every week, they wouldn't understand that, would they. We are a laughing stock, a joke among all real football supporters all over Europe and thats before they even comment on our players.

Can you imagine how the Italian supporters and Croatian supporters woud have reacted to their team if they put in two heartless, pathetic and inept performances like we did? And then ask ourselves this..Do you think our heros fear the reaction from the 'Best Supporters in the World'? Do they even care?

[athloneman]

Quote of the day from a lad I know that was in Gdansk ...
"The chants were class, I never heard them before ... they had this one about a fella called Gary Breen. He was a player or someone that played 1 game and scored a goal, so they sing about him like the yellow submarine"
Seen this on a mates facebook page, sums up the barstoolers!!! nothing beats the thrill of a live game and watching your local team win, bring me back to st mels park!!!

[bennocelt]

The best atmosphere I ever had at a game was the Shamrock rovers v Spurs game last year - 90 minutes of singing, standing and fun - have gone to ireland games and was at the 2002 world cup - fun and craic but not a real football supporting experience, and jesus I wish they would come up with some more songs than ole ole, u never beat the irish and TFOA

edit - that includes my usual 12/15 games a season here and back home

by the way - i always love the atmosphere at inchicore during big euro nights