Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk

[A face]

Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk ..... brutal stuff (http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast//63971/popup), completely undermining what work is being done in the league.

Any chance we could send him out after Sean O'Connor?

[marinobohs]

Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk ..... brutal stuff, completely undermining what work is being done in the league.

Any chance we could send him out after Sean O'Connor?

Given his own record, involvement with Dublin City, Shams, Cork, Mons, perhaps Roddy should have a long look at himself :rolleyes:

[A face]

Given his own record, involvement with Dublin City, Shams, Cork, Mons, perhaps Roddy should have a long look at himself :rolleyes:

Can you leave out Cork, he never managed a game, friendly or competitive so really can we be excused from that list? Please?

[Longfordian]

He managed Cork City against Longford in a friendly, so no!

[GalwayRed]

Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk ..... brutal stuff (http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast//63971/popup), completely undermining what work is being done in the league.

Any chance we could send him out after Sean O'Connor?
You can't blame him for being disillusioned with the league. He's just lost his job through no fault of his own. I know it's fun to have a go at Roddy and all but on this occasion I can see where he is coming from.

[redobit]

You can't blame him for being disillusioned with the league. He's just lost his job through no fault of his own. I know it's fun to have a go at Roddy and all but on this occasion I can see where he is coming from.

The league didnt loose him is job though. Mons did.

[sullanefc]

Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk ..... brutal stuff (http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast//63971/popup), completely undermining what work is being done in the league.

Any chance we could send him out after Sean O'Connor?
Most of what he said was right though.

- "We have accepted defeat by the Spanish too easily, without trying to understand why".
Now in my opinion, there are loads of posters on here talking about national academies, changing our coaching structure, avoiding the UK system, the neglect of LOI etc. These posters understand the problems, I don't think the vast majority of the 20-30,000 who were singing the FOA in Gdansk understand the problems in Irish football because most of them are holiday-makers/****-heads/event junkies/barstoolers who were there for the craic. Which is fine, but most of them won't understand the game in Ireland. If you asked any of them why Ireland are so sh*t they would probably say, ah sure we're a small country playing against bigger nations, but we're happy to be here. Others will blame the manager but without seeing the bigger picture. These people think that the players produced in Ireland come out of thin air, and the quality of the players is a correlation to our population size.

- "The league here is a necessary evil for the Association, who don't care about it and don't look after it".
Hard to disagree with that.

- "The entertainment value isn't there in the league, fans want to be entertained, some of them by a sing-song" (dig at the FOA singers)
Ok, some games are not as entertaining as others, but you get substandard games in the PL too. The point about the LOI being a non-event for the event-junkies is valid though.

- "Hard to attract fans when the facilities are crap"
No complaints here.

The next point I disagree with though:

- "The entertainment value is low because the players are those that could not make it in england and not the top players, whereas in the RDS you will see Sexton, O'Driscoll etc"
I would disagree here. Some players are players that did not make it in england, but others are high quality players on their way to england. Look at Coleman, Mclean etc.

[sullanefc]

The league didnt loose him is job though. Mons did.

Absolutely right. But at the same time, if the league was more popular and making more money, then maybe mons might be ok, and he might still be working. But then again, the cretins in monaghan might still have f*cked up. As GalwayRed said, I can understand his frustration.

[barney]

Most of what he said was right though.

- "We have accepted defeat by the Spanish too easily, without trying to understand why".
Now in my opinion, there are loads of posters on here talking about national academies, changing our coaching structure, avoiding the UK system, the neglect of LOI etc. These posters understand the problems, I don't think the vast majority of the 20-30,000 who were singing the FOA in Gdansk understand the problems in Irish football because most of them are holiday-makers/****-heads/event junkies/barstoolers who were there for the craic. Which is fine, but most of them won't understand the game in Ireland. If you asked any of them why Ireland are so sh*t they would probably say, ah sure we're a small country playing against bigger nations, but we're happy to be here. Others will blame the manager but without seeing the bigger picture. These people think that the players produced in Ireland come out of thin air, and the quality of the players is a correlation to our population size.

- "The league here is a necessary evil for the Association, who don't care about it and don't look after it".
Hard to disagree with that.

- "The entertainment value isn't there in the league, fans want to be entertained, some of them by a sing-song" (dig at the FOA singers)
Ok, some games are not as entertaining as others, but you get substandard games in the PL too. The point about the LOI being a non-event for the event-junkies is valid though.

- "Hard to attract fans when the facilities are crap"
No complaints here.

The next point I disagree with though:

- "The entertainment value is low because the players are those that could not make it in england and not the top players, whereas in the RDS you will see Sexton, O'Driscoll etc"
I would disagree here. Some players are players that did not make it in england, but others are high quality players on their way to england. Look at Coleman, Mclean etc.

Don't disagree with him on any point to be honest. Sadly, the league as it is is failing and has been for a long time. Might be time for revolution rather than evolution?

[DannyInvincible]

Roddy Collins running down the league on NewsTalk ..... brutal stuff (http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast//63971/popup), completely undermining what work is being done in the league.

He's giving his honest opinion on the league. I didn't get the impression he was going out of his way to be insulting. It's clear he's disillusioned and he's only "undermining" the league in the sense that he's exposing/highlighting existing problems. If they didn't exist, there'd be nothing to talk about.

In fact, the most offensive thing in the segment for me was Roddy's description of himself as "a more in-depth thinker of the game and of the future of the game"!

[joeSoap]

Sadly, no matter what he says, I find it very hard to have any sympathy for him. He alienated a lot of people over the years, and I can go back to his Carlisle days ten years ago and he was trash talking the league back then too in his attempts to lure players to Carlisle. I hate to see anybody out of work, but thats football!! As for the damage he talks about that has been done to the League over the years, then surely it would be more in line for him to hold his own hand up and admit his part in it all because he certainly has never been a poster boy for the League of Ireland himself.

Roddy Collins is a self serving, arrogant, smug man. Of that I have no doubt. His attitude towards success is that if you cant buy it, then you move somewhere you think it can be bought. I was personally amazed that he took the Monaghan job in the first place as it always seemed beneath him. He won't be moaning for long surely...didn't he say he turned down a whole host of offers to take the Monaghan job. I'm sure theres a whole host of clubs out there clambering after his signature!! If not, stick to the plastering mate... and stay away from our game if it appals you that much!!

[barney]

Sadly, no matter what he says, I find it very hard to have any sympathy for him. He alienated a lot of people over the years, and I can go back to his Carlisle days ten years ago and he was trash talking the league back then too in his attempts to lure players to Carlisle. I hate to see anybody out of work, but thats football!! As for the damage he talks about that has been done to the League over the years, then surely it would be more in line for him to hold his own hand up and admit his part in it all because he certainly has never been a poster boy for the League of Ireland himself.

Roddy Collins is a self serving, arrogant, smug man. Of that I have no doubt. His attitude towards success is that if you cant buy it, then you move somewhere you think it can be bought. I was personally amazed that he took the Monaghan job in the first place as it always seemed beneath him. He won't be moaning for long surely...didn't he say he turned down a whole host of offers to take the Monaghan job. I'm sure theres a whole host of clubs out there clambering after his signature!! If not, stick to the plastering mate... and stay away from our game if it appals you that much!!

Not disagreeing with your assessment of Roddy but what actual damage has he done to the league?

[Dodge]

Not disagreeing with your assessment of Roddy but what actual damage has he done to the league?

None at all. He's probably helped as there's people who know Roddy who wouldn't be regular match goers. I like Roddy. I think he's a mefeiner, and I don't rate him as a manager, but I think he's a good person to have in the league.

Don't see anything above to criticise him about

[marinobohs]

Most of what he said was right though.

- "We have accepted defeat by the Spanish too easily, without trying to understand why".
Now in my opinion, there are loads of posters on here talking about national academies, changing our coaching structure, avoiding the UK system, the neglect of LOI etc. These posters understand the problems, I don't think the vast majority of the 20-30,000 who were singing the FOA in Gdansk understand the problems in Irish football because most of them are holiday-makers/****-heads/event junkies/barstoolers who were there for the craic. Which is fine, but most of them won't understand the game in Ireland. If you asked any of them why Ireland are so sh*t they would probably say, ah sure we're a small country playing against bigger nations, but we're happy to be here. Others will blame the manager but without seeing the bigger picture. These people think that the players produced in Ireland come out of thin air, and the quality of the players is a correlation to our population size.

- "The league here is a necessary evil for the Association, who don't care about it and don't look after it".
Hard to disagree with that.

- "The entertainment value isn't there in the league, fans want to be entertained, some of them by a sing-song" (dig at the FOA singers)
Ok, some games are not as entertaining as others, but you get substandard games in the PL too. The point about the LOI being a non-event for the event-junkies is valid though.

- "Hard to attract fans when the facilities are crap"
No complaints here.

The next point I disagree with though:

- "The entertainment value is low because the players are those that could not make it in england and not the top players, whereas in the RDS you will see Sexton, O'Driscoll etc"
I would disagree here. Some players are players that did not make it in england, but others are high quality players on their way to england. Look at Coleman, Mclean etc.

Some of the worst excuses for entertainment I have seen have been English premier matches or European ties. Never quite "get" this excuse (heading to Richmond tonight for the game that defines non entertainment, but looking forward to it:confused:). Entertainment can as likely be seen between two good well matched junior sides as two ill matched or nervous International sides. It is widely accepted that Jack Charltons team(s) were the nadir of entertaining football yet it is seen as the "Golden Era" of Irish football and played to sell out crowds. Entertainment value is lower than it was in 50's/60's (era of bigger crowds) smply because there are numerous options now that did not exist then (T.V. football most notably)


Fully concur with him on League/FAI " relationship". A national disgrace.


Facilities are poor but again this is often an excuse. Cant imagine people go to a ground because "the toilets are great". Yes, improved facilities would help but not the panacea to LOI problems some like to think.


Argument about players also holds for managers - entertainment is low because all the best managers have gone to England/Scotland/N Ireland - although you wont hear Roddy say that.


The Leagues biggest selling point is it offers a unique Irish Football identity. No other League in the world (despite the tricolours with Everton/Spurs written on or the Celtic gombeen Irishness) can you support and (hopefully) become involved in an IRISH football club.

[Sam_Heggy]

Some of the worst excuses for entertainment I have seen have been English premier matches or European ties. Never quite "get" this excuse (heading to Richmond tonight for the game that defines non entertainment, but looking forward to it:confused:). Entertainment can as likely be seen between two good well matched junior sides as two ill matched or nervous International sides. It is widely accepted that Jack Charltons team(s) were the nadir of entertaining football yet it is seen as the "Golden Era" of Irish football and played to sell out crowds. Entertainment value is lower than it was in 50's/60's (era of bigger crowds) smply because there are numerous options now that did not exist then (T.V. football most notably) .

I once went to a Sunderland v Wigan game in Sunderland. 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.
In saying that, there has been far worse games in Finn park but with the emotional attachment involved you just keep going back and get hooked. I don't know if I'd ever get hooked to the EPL.

Come to think of it, 5 or 6 of us stood out in the hall at the back of the stand and watched the Liverpool-Man U game. Event Junkie right here :(

[redobit]

None at all. He's probably helped as there's people who know Roddy who wouldn't be regular match goers. I like Roddy. I think he's a mefeiner, and I don't rate him as a manager, but I think he's a good person to have in the league.



Ya, I think people have the old 'not in my back garden' attitude with Roddy. Dont mind him in the league as long as he's not managing my team.

Suppose he will be back on the couch now so!

[sullanefc]

Some of the worst excuses for entertainment I have seen have been English premier matches or European ties. Never quite "get" this excuse (heading to Richmond tonight for the game that defines non entertainment, but looking forward to it:confused:). Entertainment can as likely be seen between two good well matched junior sides as two ill matched or nervous International sides. It is widely accepted that Jack Charltons team(s) were the nadir of entertaining football yet it is seen as the "Golden Era" of Irish football and played to sell out crowds. Entertainment value is lower than it was in 50's/60's (era of bigger crowds) smply because there are numerous options now that did not exist then (T.V. football most notably)


Fully concur with him on League/FAI " relationship". A national disgrace.


Facilities are poor but again this is often an excuse. Cant imagine people go to a ground because "the toilets are great". Yes, improved facilities would help but not the panacea to LOI problems some like to think.


Argument about players also holds for managers - entertainment is low because all the best managers have gone to England/Scotland/N Ireland - although you wont hear Roddy say that.


The Leagues biggest selling point is it offers a unique Irish Football identity. No other League in the world (despite the tricolours with Everton/Spurs written on or the Celtic gombeen Irishness) can you support and (hopefully) become involved in an IRISH football club.

Agree with this. I'm looking forward to going to the drab affair that will be City V Derry tonight. Bring it on.

[White Horse]

All that station does is run down the league. They should call it Barstoolers FM.

[outspoken]

Will Roddy take another job in LOI football? Dont think he's welcome back in Malta tbh :)

[marinobohs]

Will Roddy take another job in LOI football? Dont think he's welcome back in Malta tbh :)

Not too welcome at most LOI clubs either :o Roddy has great enthusism and self opinion second to none (by a long, long way) and in time his enthusism will convince someone to give him another job in LOI.

Never been relegated you know :rolleyes:

[Bawnville Hoop]

Will Roddy take another job in LOI football? Dont think he's welcome back in Malta tbh :)

He'll get his front door kicked in again.

[marinobohs]

He'll get his front door kicked in again.

..........think that fate is more likely to befall Stephen Kenny ;)

[A face]

He'll get his front door kicked in again.

What happened there?

[passerrby]

Absolutely right. But at the same time, if the league was more popular and making more money, then maybe mons might be ok, and he might still be working. But then again, the cretins in monaghan might still have f*cked up. As GalwayRed said, I can understand his frustration.

Not to detract from the thread but the people of Monaghan united for over thirty years tried in vein to build a league of Ireland club ,they did not always get things right and never claimed to be all knowing, they fell short when they did not get the money in that they hoped or expected , that along with a number of other factors caused the demise of Monaghan united and yes they mazy have made mistakes but they are not cretins and it's insulting to anybody who have worked the backsides off while spending their own money to establish football in a gaa heartland.
I note that your club has changed hands a number of times through its lifetime and with the exception of tnb they were not cretins either.

[Stuttgart88]

- "The entertainment value is low because the players are those that could not make it in england and not the top players, whereas in the RDS you will see Sexton, O'Driscoll etc"
I would disagree here. Some players are players that did not make it in england, but others are high quality players on their way to england. Look at Coleman, Mclean etc.That's splitting hairs and taking him too literally. We can watch European champions and genuine international class rugby players and teams in the RDS, we can't get anywhere near a football product like that. The FAI and clubs might be able to improve things somewhat but basic understanding of European football politics and economics means we'll never have a top drawer pro football product on our doorstep.

[Spudulika]

Roddy tried to be Roy Keane light, he spoke sense (he often does) and the only odd thing was describing himself - as noted earlier - as being a deep thinker of the game. I agree with him for the most part, even being a thinker. He's not dumb, he's a strange, damaged person who many people find it hard to stomach for a sustained period of time. He's not a bad coach, he's a decent motivator, can speak well at times but he just cannot see something through. It was a matter of time before he walked out on Mons or they went bust, time will tell the real background story. I know 2 people who he literally sent around the twist just with his behaviour and neediness. I'm dreading, absolutely dreading, if he comes near Dundalk.

[SkStu]

He'll get his front door kicked in again.

i wanted to smash Pippa Middleton's back door in last year. Is this something similar?

[sullanefc]

That's splitting hairs and taking him too literally. We can watch European champions and genuine international class rugby players and teams in the RDS, we can't get anywhere near a football product like that. The FAI and clubs might be able to improve things somewhat but basic understanding of European football politics and economics means we'll never have a top drawer pro football product on our doorstep.

Oh I know we will never get European champions and international class players in the LOI, but to say that the league is nothing but england rejects is misleading IMO.

[Guinney]

I'm dreading, absolutely dreading, if he comes near Dundalk.
Roddy wouldn't be my first choice, but I don't think Dundalk will have a selection of quality managers come the end of the year (if we survive that long). If it was a choice between McCaffrey or Roddy, there would be a clear winner for me. I don't think I am alone in saying this but McCaffrey doesn't have a clue. At least Roddy knows the league inside out, the type of players needed and to be fair he is a good motivator. But the record of the clubs he manage going broke is worrying, but that's hardly his fault rather those who run the club.

[wonder88]

Roddy is one of the best half-dozen managers who has been around the LoI in recent times and getting Monaghan promoted last year was a real achievement. He also speaks a lot of sense when talking about the entertainment value of teams managed by Fenlon, that guy who was at drogheda, and O Neill's Shamrock Rovers, all those teams where made up of highly paid full-timers yet were awful to watch.

[Magicme]

Will Roddy take another job in LOI football? Dont think he's welcome back in Malta tbh :)

Why do people still believe this bullsh**? Go to Malta and talk to the club chairman and you will hear the real story as some mons fans did last summer. He is very welcome there.

[A face]

Roddy wouldn't be my first choice, but I don't think Dundalk will have a selection of quality managers come the end of the year (if we survive that long). If it was a choice between McCaffrey or Roddy, there would be a clear winner for me. I don't think I am alone in saying this but McCaffrey doesn't have a clue. At least Roddy knows the league inside out, the type of players needed and to be fair he is a good motivator. But the record of the clubs he manage going broke is worrying, but that's hardly his fault rather those who run the club.

But didn't half the players at Mons last year scarper to Dundalk this year to get away from him? What makes you think he'll motivate then at the Oriel?

Look, i know he is a character, and he's mad-cap and all that, probably great if you're out for a pint but then guy is a train wreck at the best of times and he's not far off the gombeem 'ahh sure what will he say next' type person we hear about. You cant take the guy seriously, and if he is the poster boy for the league then we should all throw the towel in now, along with Mons.

[Magicme]

Wrong A Face.....a few of them went to Drogheda to go to their home town where Mick Cooke was managing them again. A few others ended up there when Roddy made it clear they didnt figure in his plans.

Wish you would all get your facts straight before posting.

[Spudulika]

Why do people still believe this bullsh**? Go to Malta and talk to the club chairman and you will hear the real story as some mons fans did last summer. He is very welcome there.

Magicme, you should get your facts straight before posting, and not just buy Roddy's lies and self-deception. He's NOT welcome back in Malta - even his application for the Sliema job in March this year was laughed out of hand. Can you name the club chairman? The club didn't have a chairman! Roddy disgraced himself and made it nearly impossible for an Irish coach to get work in the country. One person who knows the full story and who spoke (very eloquently) about it on Radio 1 is someone UCD fans know quite well (former employee). He went to Malta (if I remember right he's got family from there) and interviewed the main people. So the lies Roddy spun last summer have long been found out as just that.

[MagicMon]

Interesting how fans of every club apart from Monaghan are blaming Roddy for the club resigning from the league. He did a great job getting the team promoted on a shoestring budget last year, with no preseason, against very strong competition from Cork, Shels and Limerick. And his teams produced some of the nicest football I've ever seen at Gortakeegan. The players that left this year either went for more money and/or already lived in Drogheda. Whatever hope there was of getting more sponsorship/ticket sales in the top division under Roddy, there would be f*ck all chance in the first division under someone else and this situation would have only happened sooner.

[Spudulika]

MagicMon, nobody is blaming Roddy for the club resigning, at least not solely. And while it's nice to think that he drew in many sponsors etc, it's a statement of fact that he has alienated far too many people and too much goodwill for him to be a real benefit to the club. He is a good coach, a good motivator and got the lucky breaks that Mick Cooke didn't, credit to Roddy for getting the club up, but that's that.

[MagicMon]

MagicMon, nobody is blaming Roddy for the club resigning, at least not solely. And while it's nice to think that he drew in many sponsors etc, it's a statement of fact that he has alienated far too many people and too much goodwill for him to be a real benefit to the club. He is a good coach, a good motivator and got the lucky breaks that Mick Cooke didn't, credit to Roddy for getting the club up, but that's that.

Well it seemed to me that some posters thought that Roddy has snapped Michael Schlingermann up on a 500k a year contract or something... but maybe I'm just grouchy because I had sh*t Friday evening. I know Roddy didn't bring in sponsorship, but I also know that I heard Monaghan United mentioned more times on the radio, or on MNS, or on the internet, because of Roddy Collins and I don't see how that could have harmed sponsorship appeals. In my time supporting MUFC I've seen a lot of c*nts turn up, play sh*t and then f*ck off with their money but to give him full credit Roddy would do things like turn up at the Christmas shop or do interviews for Northern Sound, and guys like Alan Byrne and Aidan Collins actually played like they cared about the club and the fans. IMO its just a pity its those sorts of guys that are in this situation, and I hope they can go on to better things.

[dong]

Roddy is one of the best half-dozen managers who has been around the LoI in recent times and getting Monaghan promoted last year was a real achievement. He also speaks a lot of sense when talking about the entertainment value of teams managed by Fenlon, that guy who was at drogheda, and O Neill's Shamrock Rovers, all those teams where made up of highly paid full-timers yet were awful to watch.

Fenlons League winning Bohs team were hardly "awful to watch".
For a good period they were the best league of Ireland team I have ever seen.

[Spudulika]

Well it seemed to me that some posters thought that Roddy has snapped Michael Schlingermann up on a 500k a year contract or something... but maybe I'm just grouchy because I had sh*t Friday evening. I know Roddy didn't bring in sponsorship, but I also know that I heard Monaghan United mentioned more times on the radio, or on MNS, or on the internet, because of Roddy Collins and I don't see how that could have harmed sponsorship appeals. In my time supporting MUFC I've seen a lot of c*nts turn up, play sh*t and then f*ck off with their money but to give him full credit Roddy would do things like turn up at the Christmas shop or do interviews for Northern Sound, and guys like Alan Byrne and Aidan Collins actually played like they cared about the club and the fans. IMO its just a pity its those sorts of guys that are in this situation, and I hope they can go on to better things.

MagicMon, your club will rise again, it'll take a short time but it will, because there is a hard core of support there and it was a perfect storm of calamities that caused the club to go, not just one thing, one person or one moment. Roddy did well to build on the previous year and get you up, it might have been better to have let him go at the end of the season and blood someone else, though that's just supposition. It's sad, in a way, for Roddy as the blame will build up on him for this, as well as his reputation being destroyed further. He messed up at each club he's been with except Monaghan, I just hope that stands to him somewhere down the line.

[Martinho II]

Spudlika from reading Monaghan Utd's press release I dont think they will ever come back to loi football.. What is your take on it?

[Charlie Darwin]

Roddy is one of the best half-dozen managers who has been around the LoI in recent times and getting Monaghan promoted last year was a real achievement. He also speaks a lot of sense when talking about the entertainment value of teams managed by Fenlon, that guy who was at drogheda, and O Neill's Shamrock Rovers, all those teams where made up of highly paid full-timers yet were awful to watch.
I take it Roddy hasn't bothered looking back on the videotapes of his Bohs side. Clubs that win this league tend to play more direct football. It's a simple fact that in semi-professional leagues, the stronger and more athletic sides tend to triumph, and Roddy's winning sides were no exception. Sligo may buck the trend this year.

[Spudulika]

Spudlika from reading Monaghan Utd's press release I dont think they will ever come back to loi football.. What is your take on it?

I'm not 100% sure either way, but they have a strong community base and if they continue to bring through young players it's a matter of time (4-5 years) until they get a solid group to re-enter the league.

[Mr A]

Getting the players isn't the issue. It's massively expensive to be an LOI club even before you pay a player or any staff, and I think more and more clubs are struggling to keep the show on the road.

Monaghan hadn't the support to appeal to like other clubs have been able to to muddle on after a crisis and that was probably a big factor in their demise, but they'll not be the last club to fold.

Indeed we probably won't have to wait long for the next to go belly up.

[A face]

Roddy doesn't think much of the show grounds anyway, if his comments on MNS last night are anything to go on .... and being honest, its a great ground, when the new stand is done it'll be as good as Turner Cross imo

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Yeah I thought that was strange as well. Suppose he didn't want to admit anyone had a decent ground unless the council were paying for it which is what he was trying to pull Fran Gavin up over

[MagicMon]

Getting the players isn't the issue. It's massively expensive to be an LOI club even before you pay a player or any staff, and I think more and more clubs are struggling to keep the show on the road.

Monaghan hadn't the support to appeal to like other clubs have been able to to muddle on after a crisis and that was probably a big factor in their demise, but they'll not be the last club to fold.

Indeed we probably won't have to wait long for the next to go belly up.

I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see a Monaghan team coming back to the league for a long time, if ever. There was a fair bit of schadenfreude about the club resigning from the league, mainly from local players with an inflated opinion of themselves... if the team played locals they'd lose and people wouldn't support MUFC because they were crap, if the team was winning then they were only a bunch of mercenary Dubs... I'd say that if 11 players from the town won the league then people would complain that they wore the wrong shade of blue or something. Plus the elements in the GAA would work hard to prevent a 'soccer' club gaining a good foothold in the region- this is a big barrier to getting an LoI club access to some of the schools in the town for example. But the main reason is that until the economy picks up significantly there just won't be the money around to support a league side, and potential supporters will be leaving Monaghan to get jobs.

[Jofspring]

I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see a Monaghan team coming back to the league for a long time, if ever. There was a fair bit of schadenfreude about the club resigning from the league, mainly from local players with an inflated opinion of themselves... if the team played locals they'd lose and people wouldn't support MUFC because they were crap, if the team was winning then they were only a bunch of mercenary Dubs... I'd say that if 11 players from the town won the league then people would complain that they wore the wrong shade of blue or something. Plus the elements in the GAA would work hard to prevent a 'soccer' club gaining a good foothold in the region- this is a big barrier to getting an LoI club access to some of the schools in the town for example. But the main reason is that until the economy picks up significantly there just won't be the money around to support a league side, and potential supporters will be leaving Monaghan to get jobs.

Precisely what goes on in Limerick. I must have heard hundreds of excuses not to support the league. Some people will just always have something to complain about. In saying that though despite our crowds not increasing much the attitude towards the club in the city at the moment is 100 times better than it was over the last 20 years.