Ultras / Casuals / Commandos

[dahamsta]

Pardon my ignorance, but where did these come from? I associate them with yobbery to a certain extent and googling tends to support that (http://www.google.ie/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=soccer+casuals+ultras), but I'm sure some of the supporters groups weren't thinking along those lines when they set up. So where did they come from, and aren't supporters concerned with the association with hooligans?

adam

[aido_b]

I've done a load of research on this topic adam and I know that Bohemians have had a large casual following since the mid to late 90s. I know a few lads who I used to go to games with are now considered casuals. All the hooligan crews in England are called casuals because of the clothes they wear. They wear the likes of stone island etc ... all expensive brands. I aint too sure how the casual secene managed to come across the water but im fairly sure that one or two of the casuals who are regular posters on these boards will be able to fill in the blanks.

I recently interviewed the FAI Safety Officer for a thesis im doing and he informed me that there are no hooligans in Ireland. Basically a hooligan is like what one would see in a film like the football factory or ID. I for one have never seen scenes like these in years,so "hooligan" is a very strong word to use for them.

[Colie]

Don't casuals come over from the likes of Milwall for some Rovers games? Those guys are definite hooligans, so I think in a case like that it's more than just being concerned with the association with hooliganism, it is an association with hooliganism, but a the Rovers will have to confirm that this has happenned. I just heard it from someone.

[dahamsta]

I recently interviewed the FAI Safety Officer for a thesis im doing and he informed me that there are no hooligans in Ireland.A statement I'd expect from an FAI Safety Officer, and one I simply don't believe. I've never seen hooliganism in Ireland personally, but I've seen enough reports of "fan" violence inside and outside grounds to know that it exists, and that he's trying to minimise the issue with definitions. Like a politician.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying hooliganism is a major problem in Ireland, but to suggest that it doesn't exist isn't just silly, it's dangerous. If you're talking to him again you should tell him that doing his job is a lot like alcoholism: He needs to admit the problem before he can fix it.

adam

[Sheridan]

It's precisely because of those associations with the perceived violent glamour of continental (especially Italian) hooliganism that various deluded parties style themselves "casuals" and suchlike, but for the most part (specifically in this country, but also across much of Europe) their antics amount to little more than harmless posturing by fifteen-year-olds or middle-aged louts who are usually too corpulent or too strung out to so much as swing a punch, let alone organise a riot.

[Slash/ED]

The Rovers Ultras have a very unfair reputation imo. Anytime there's any trouble at a Rovers game they seem to link it to the Ultras as if they are purely a hooligan firm, all they do is organise the flags/flares and that, but every scumbag that follows Rovers seems to get immedtially associated with them in the press. Then there was that absolutley disgraceful nio-nazi bile printed in the Herald that spread all sorts of rubbish about the Ultras, and they're now seen as a hooligan group by many which isn't the case from what I've seen.

[pete]

I don't there is any organised fan violence in Irealnd which is waht i would associate hooligans with.

Casuals just seem to be idiots & as close to orgainsers of violence than we have in this country.

Ultras are not hooligans either - people who spend that much time organising flags etc... wouldn't have time for a scrap.

[liam88]

firm
That's another word people link with holliganism-when I hear 'firm' I normally think headhunters and the like

[soccerc]

Don't casuals come over from the likes of Milwall for some Rovers games? Those guys are definite hooligans, so I think in a case like that it's more than just being concerned with the association with hooliganism, it is an association with hooliganism, but a the Rovers will have to confirm that this has happenned. I just heard it from someone.

That story is absolute bullsh*t and is not deserving of taking up cyberspace never mind print which a certain organ did some years back.

I have been a fan of our League for many year sand while I've witnessed some handbagging I could assert that there is no "organised" element to it.

As for Ultras, they don't have time for anything other than supporting their teams.

Casuals, well from what I've seen of them, mainly associated with one northside Dublin club, are mindless numbskulls who seem to think "clobber" and the more expensive it is marks them out as hardmen.

[aido_b]

There was a case where 14 millwall fans were stopped from attending a Bohs vs Rovers game a couple of seasons ago. 3 of the Millwall fans ended up being arrested.I think in that case it was a couple of Millwall hooligans who got to know a Rovers fan on holiday, they only came over for a fight. I remember viewing the millwall message board after all this and they were bragging on how they bet the crap out of dubs and all that usual ****e

[Éanna]

Pardon my ignorance, but where did these come from? I associate them with yobbery to a certain extent and googling tends to support that (http://www.google.ie/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=soccer+casuals+ultras),
First of all, casuals and ultras are two separate things.
Ultras are basically organised fan groups, who try to create atmosphere- pyrotechnics, smoke, drums, banners, flags, till rolls etc. Some (especially in Italy and Spain) are involved in violence, indeed some clubs have more than one group of Ultras, in both Spain and Italy Ultras groups often have a political leaning too.
Casuals are people who don't wear any colours (no jersey, no scarf, no nuthin) to games- i.e. the direct opposite of above! AFAIK, there is more of an element of violence/hooliganism associated with casuals.



but I'm sure some of the supporters groups weren't thinking along those lines when they set up. So where did they come from, and aren't supporters concerned with the association with hooligans?

The Rovers Ultras (as Slash said) they have a very unfair rep. Mainly due to moronic reporting by the evening herald. They came from fans wanting to organise atmosphere and colour at matches. see interview (http://www.srfcultras.net/media/keito_interview/keito_interview.html)
As for the association with hooligans- the only people who associate the term Ultra with hooliganism are people who don't know what Ultras really are (no offence). Obviously with Ultras being the loudest, most extrovert (fr want of a better word) group of fans, they will attract the loudest, most extrovert trouble makers in some cases. Hence, its very easy for them to be labelled. The basic mission of Ultras is make noise and colour- simple as.


A statement I'd expect from an FAI Safety Officer, and one I simply don't believe. I've never seen hooliganism in Ireland personally, but I've seen enough reports of "fan" violence inside and outside grounds to know that it exists, and that he's trying to minimise the issue with definitions. Like a politician.
The problem is what do you define as hooliganism. IMO, hooliganism is when the violence is pre-meditated and organised, between two groups dedicated to violence- as with "firms" in England. IM, there is NO hooliganism as such in this league.
Fan violence is a different kettle of fish, and that exists everywhere, right from schoolboy football up. That is where people throw coins/bottles/punches on the spur of the moment, and it (sometimes) degenerates into a brawl between opposing fans. That is simply a case of people not being able to handle their drink, and/or the sort of moronic violence that plagues the streets of this country- i.e. if they didn't do it at a match, they'd do it outside a bar a few hours later.


ADon't get me wrong, I'm not saying hooliganism is a major problem in Ireland, but to suggest that it doesn't exist isn't just silly, it's dangerous. If you're talking to him again you should tell him that doing his job is a lot like alcoholism: He needs to admit the problem before he can fix it
as I said, depends what you define hooliganism as. If you take it as something organised, then he is spot on in saying it doesn't exist in Ireland.

[soccerc]

There was a case where 14 millwall fans were stopped from attending a Bohs vs Rovers game a couple of seasons ago. 3 of the Millwall fans ended up being arrested.I think in that case it was a couple of Millwall hooligans who got to know a Rovers fan on holiday, they only came over for a fight. I remember viewing the millwall message board after all this and they were bragging on how they bet the crap out of dubs and all that usual ****e

aido,

don't mean to disappoint you but that story is totally without foundation and never happened, and NO I am not a Rovers fan.

Amazing how as Hayser puts it, if it's on the internet it must be true, though in this case it patently isn't. Can you back up the assertion that it occured. Ok, it was reported in one paper but where was/is the evidence. IIRC, the journalist in question based it on something he was told on the day. I was at the game and saw nothing other than the usual tribal handbagging.

If you are going to base a thesis on Hooliganism in Irish Football I'd suggest you fully research and document your sources.

[lopez]

My understanding is this:

Casuals - derived from the dress scene of the early to mid eighties (basically starting from the day 'Lionels' went from being cooooool to ridiculous around 1981 in my part of England but 1986 in Liverpool :D ). Loads of us wore stuff like Fila, Sergio Tiocinni (spelling), Pringle, Aquascutum, Lecoste, etc. Personally anybody still wearing these items 20 years on is a bit of a sad tw*t let alone wearing them for a ruck, but they were deffo good gear in their day.

Ultras - Italian, Spanish and Yugoslavian demi-hooligans. Differ from the scum hooligans in that I'd doubt they'd miss the game in order to have a punch-up (Tans fighting with other tans outside a pub at Euro 2000 while the England game was being shown inside an example.)

[aido_b]

If you are going to base a thesis on Hooliganism in Irish Football I'd suggest you fully research and document your sources.

As i said in an earlier post I've researched this thoroughly. I was actually there when these fans were arrested outside tolka park, I wouldn't have said it other wise. I am not one for sensationalising stories so I wouldn't have commented on it had I not have seen it first hand. I have also seen an incident report form filed after the game and all of what I mentioned in my post is in the incident report.

[dahamsta]

Éanna (et al), I appreciate the definitions of the terms, but I'm afraid I have a problem with your assigning a conditional to the term "hooliganism". The word is clearly defined in the dictionary, and there's no mention of premeditation or organisation there. Hooligans are yobs, period, and although there's an awful lot less of them involved in Irish football, denying that a problem exists - as the FAI Safety Officer appears to have done - is disingenuous and dangerous. We're a lot better off in Ireland in that we don't appear to have organised mobs performing premeditated acts of violence and disruption, but there are issues, and they need to be dealt with swiftly and forcefully.

I also think it's very sad that the groups that have set up in Ireland don't show a little more intelligence and originality in choosing a name and image for themselves. The choice of a gothic font for the City Commandos alone shows crass naiveté imho. I'm not doubting their committment to the club when I say that btw, just that the name and the image are playing right into the hands of the aforementioned (admittedly poor) journalists. I think the odds of it backfiring are better than even.

EDIT: I should add that I'm thinking about the future here as much as the present. It appears that the eL is in a period of growth, and there's no doubt in my mind that these fan groups have had a substantial part to play in that, and should be applauded for their work. My concern would be that as local football grows it will become more attractive to the yob element, and they're going to make assumptions about these groups based on their names and images same as anyone else. I think they're going to need to keep a sharp eye on their membership.

adam

[Éanna]

I also think it's very sad that the groups that have set up in Ireland don't show a little more intelligence and originality in choosing a name and image for themselves. The choice of a gothic font for the City Commandos alone shows crass naiveté imho.

I'm not doubting their committment to the club when I say that btw, just that the name and the image are playing right into the hands of the aforementioned (admittedly poor) journalists. I think the odds of it backfiring are better than even.
Yeah, that is a fair point. With names like Ultras or Commandos, it does make a lazy journalists job very easy indeed. The important thing therefore is for these groups to make sure nobody associated with them involves themselves in this kind of crap, and AFAIK both have done this up to now, whatever the herald or anyone else says.

[anto eile]

There was a case where 14 millwall fans were stopped from attending a Bohs vs Rovers game a couple of seasons ago. 3 of the Millwall fans ended up being arrested.I think in that case it was a couple of Millwall hooligans who got to know a Rovers fan on holiday, they only came over for a fight. I remember viewing the millwall message board after all this and they were bragging on how they bet the crap out of dubs and all that usual ****e
[MOD EDIT: Don't call people liars on Foot.ie unless you've got evidence to back it up please --adam]

anyway how can yo ustop 3 hooligans from coming to dublin?did they say to the police at dublin airport, "hello we're here for a mill at the Rovers v boez game,how do i get to tolka?". absolute bullsh!t story

[soccerc]

As i said in an earlier post I've researched this thoroughly. I was actually there when these fans were arrested outside tolka park, I wouldn't have said it other wise. I am not one for sensationalising stories so I wouldn't have commented on it had I not have seen it first hand. I have also seen an incident report form filed after the game and all of what I mentioned in my post is in the incident report.

Strangely, the Gardaí denied any arrests in the vacinty of Tolka Park that Sunday afternoon and also denied that there were any incidents concerning the alleged involvement of Millwall fans. ( I had checked at the time).

If you observed someone being "arrested" are you 100% certain that
1. they were arrested and not just stopped and questioned?
2. That they were "Millwall" supporters from London?

As for the incident report was it from the Gardaí or FAI? It would be interesting to see if it was a Garda report as they are not normally made available under the Free Of Information Act as they are exempt under section 23.

[aido_b]

I have viewed a report and I'm sorry but I can't say where I got it from,

I did make a mistake however which I am sorry for, there were 3 English fans detained and 3 people arrested for public order offences. So apologies for my earlier posts but no English fans were arrested, 3 were detained. And yes I did see these scenes outside tolka park that day, they happened just before kick off.

[pete]

I would agree with Eannas definition of hooliganism although i think it doesn't always have to be premeditated but would also need sufficuient numbers to make up a group.

IMO Hooliganism tends to happen more when "supporters" travel as worst thing to happen is that will just deported e.g english hooligans. If people involved in football violence were jailed in the country they were fighting i think numbers would drop.

[dahamsta]

Call me pedantic if you want, but I don't see how you can agree with Éanna's definition when it's literally wrong by definition. What ye should be saying (imho) is that you don't believe that there's any organised or premeditated hooliganism in Ireland.

That's unless you believe there's a conspiracy in Collins, Oxford and Merriam-Webster of course, and have decided to forgoe dictionaries because of it. I take my dictionary's word for it, and it says there's soccer hooligans in Ireland.

adam

[Éanna]

Call me pedantic if you want, but I don't see how you can agree with Éanna's definition when it's literally wrong by definition. What ye should be saying (imho) is that you don't believe that there's any organised or premeditated hooliganism in Ireland.
Fair enough. But when I think of hooliganism, I think of people going out with the intention of looking for, if not actually causing, trouble. There is a big difference between that and any kind of spontaneous hassle which occurs.

One thing is for sure though- none of the organised groups (Ultras, commandos 84 etc) have any role to play in any form of violence in irish football. that one should be nailed on the head any time its mentioned

[pete]

That's unless you believe there's a conspiracy in Collins, Oxford and Merriam-Webster of course, and have decided to forgoe dictionaries because of it. I take my dictionary's word for it, and it says there's soccer hooligans in Ireland.

adam

By this definition could also say there are hooligans on the streets of irish cities (any fight on the street at night) & also GAA hooligans (when fans have attacked referees at county club games).

[Jim Smith]

By this definition could also say there are hooligans on the streets of irish cities (any fight on the street at night) & also GAA hooligans (when fans have attacked referees at county club games).
Not trying to be funny here Pete, but what would you call these people then?

[Éanna]

Not trying to be funny here Pete, but what would you call these people then?
Scumbags, thugs, gurriers, and plenty more besides. I always associate the word "hooligan" with some element of organisation/premeditation.

[dahamsta]

By this definition could also say there are hooligans on the streets of irish cities (any fight on the street at night) & also GAA hooligans (when fans have attacked referees at county club games).I could, I do. Seriously, I think you guys have been misled with this word somehow. But don't take my word for it, look it up.

adam

[Éanna]

I could, I do. Seriously, I think you guys have been misled with this word somehow. Look it up in the dictionary.
I just always associate the word hooligan with intent/pre-meditation, butI've looked at the dictionary and seen what it says:
"a violent young troublemaker, typically one of a gang"
Might just be me, but "one of a gang" suggests a level of organisation and intent to me.

[A face]

Scumbags, thugs, gurriers, and plenty more besides. I always associate the word "hooligan" with some element of organisation/premeditation.

I'd agree with that ... the word hooligan actually comes from a drunken Irish emigrant who, it seems caused a considerable amount of public disorder at some stage in London, around 200 years ago. The incident was so bad that is was referred to as a case study and other similar offenders were given the title hooligan to denote the level of their behavior.

Yes ... the word hooligan in the dictionary and else where would mean scum, thug, browl, idiot and fúckwit but i'd agree with Eanna. The word hooligan now has a more specific meaning, irrespective of its meaning in the dictionary and that would be of an guy looking for organised, premeditated violence and it is normally associated with football hooligans, guys that have no interest in football whatsoever, who have the IQ of a brick and are a bi-product of all the failings of society and community breakdown. A cancer in the community !!

[Macy]

The groups in this country that claim to be firms are laughable. They wouldn't last 2 minutes up against the English firms they try to emmulate.

To me the problem in this country is one of security and policing rather than anything else. If there were proper stewards and proper police the number of incidents would be non-existant in this country.

I'll use my favourite example - the whole of the eL community would know that Doyles Corner is the big flashpoint at Bohs v Rovers games. The policing there has ranged from the pathetic to the non-existant in recent years when there's been trouble at those games. One game (last season?) there were over 100 of the riot squad in the ground, and one gard on doyles corner - guess where the trouble was :rolleyes:

Just to correct the misconception - Casuals aren't necessarily into violence either (but most hooligans would be casuals).

[blobbyblob]

I thought they were all types of underpants

[WeAreRovers]

Incredible amount of misinformed rubbish lads. :(

Speical prize to Aido B for hysterical nonsense. Aido - soccerc and other journalists rang the Garda press ofiice and Whithall and Santry stations at the time, they all denied your story.

For some history on the Ultra movement try here - http://www.supertifo.it/
For some history on casual culture try this - www.terraceretro.com

As Macy says being into terrace culture and "casualism" doesn't mean you're into football violence. For instance I'm obsessed with terrace and casual culture from the early eighties onwards - clothes, music etc etc but I'm not a football hooligan. I'm also a member of the SRFC Ultras and again it doesn't mean that I'm into football violence.

A lot of people mistake hardcore fandom (both casual and ultra) for hooliganism. Not true, in fact you'll find at most clubs in the UK that a large proportion of travelling fans are casuals and in Italy they're ultras.

KOH

[noby]

The groups in this country that claim to be firms are laughable.


So, are there groups in this country that claim to be firms?

[dahamsta]

Due respect WAR, you're doing precisely what you're accusing others of now. Nobody here has even come close to suggesting that being a member of an Ultras or Casual group makes them "into" violence. What they have suggested - or rather I've suggested and some have agreed, or not agreed - is that there is an association between some groups and soccer violence, and that association can tarnish innocent groups.

Aido B gave just one example, however I've linked a couple of Google searches earlier on in the thread, follow those if you don't believe me. You may not like it, but the association exists.

adam

[A face]

You may not like it, but the association exists.


Cant argue with that !!

[WeAreRovers]

Aido B gave just one example, however I've linked a couple of Google searches earlier on in the thread, follow those if you don't believe me. You may not like it, but the association exists.



Don't disagree with your fisrt par but my point is that googling and listening to people like Aido B will just give you the wrong impression. Aido B's assertions are nonsense, they were back then and they are now. That's the problem with the internet - an innocent google will give you half of any story at best.

KOH

[dahamsta]

You won't get any argument from me on that point WAR. Fiver says I'm not the only one that has the wrong impression though...

adam

[soccerc]

Don't disagree with your fisrt par but my point is that googling and listening to people like Aido B will just give you the wrong impression. Aido B's assertions are nonsense, they were back then and they are now. That's the problem with the internet - an innocent google will give you half of any story at best.

KOH

The problem I have and I don't want to attack the poster is that his original "assertion" fully reseached and documented is untrue.

The poster then backtracked claiming a mistake. However, it is supposed to be from a thesis and yet one vital piece of "evidence" has been shown to be untrue at the least.

At then time I contacted as did others both the Garda Press office and the local stations who denied any arrests associated with the game or indeed if there had been any arrests in the area of Tolka Park that afternoon.

[WeAreRovers]

Fiver says I'm not the only one that has the wrong impression though...


My fiver's safe because I know you're right and won't be taking you up on your offer of a wager.

KOH

[paul_oshea]

I'll use my favourite example - the whole of the eL community would know that Doyles Corner is the big flashpoint at Bohs v Rovers games. The policing there has ranged from the pathetic to the non-existant in recent years when there's been trouble at those games. One game (last season?) there were over 100 of the riot squad in the ground, and one gard on doyles corner - guess where the trouble was

that is down to garda resourcing, and the simple fact is, if the garda siochalonie dont get enough money from the EL for policing they wont do it!!!!!!

all you have to do is look at a gaa match 200 yards down the road and you see that "yes" they can be organised....

[Bosco]

The point is that there were enough garda at the game but they were all in the wrong place

[Macy]

The point is that there were enough garda at the game but they were all in the wrong place
Exactly - there were plenty there, they were in the ground in their riot gear, whilst one or two were outside at the known flashpoint. That's not a question of resources, that's a question of them being thick (unless you think there's some conspiracy to hype up potential trouble, increasing the number of gardia needed on duty on match days, meaning more of them get a nice chunk of overtime).

[Macy]

So, are there groups in this country that claim to be firms?
Bohs Soccer Casuals for one. Really písses me off when Bohs always make out their whiter than white in any Bohs v Rovers trouble.

Not sure Rovers have a firm per se, but certainly have "handy lads". WAR can probably answer for certain.

Not forgetting the Pats IPF and the Longford Intercity Crew either - if anyone remembers that post on the old eL board, that one of the Dublin phone ins believed and did a show on :rolleyes: :D

[paul_oshea]

unless you think there's some conspiracy to hype up potential trouble, increasing the number of gardia needed on duty on match days, meaning more of them get a nice chunk of overtime

that wasnt the point i was making, but thats a given. i misread the statement, doh, sorry about that. 100 riot police inside the stadium, then quite correctly they werent properly organised, but that itself makes me think of any country town on a saturday night, when they wont go where there will be trouble.

[WeAreRovers]

Not sure Rovers have a firm per se, but certainly have "handy lads".


I'll just leave the above quote to answer for itself as I couldn't possibly comment. ;)

KOH

[Carlin]

At then time I contacted as did others both the Garda Press office and the local stations who denied any arrests associated with the game or indeed if there had been any arrests in the area of Tolka Park that afternoon.

Yes but the Gardai also claimed that there was only one arrest after the Bohs-Rovers match last November. Which is bóllocks seeing as I personally know of 4 people who were arrested after the match.

In other words, the Garda have been known to tell lies.

[anto eile]

ten arrests after Rovers v gypos last november. my mate was amongst them. he was aressted for loitering..as he was walking down the road a gard (2nd time in 2 minutes) stopped him.he got annoyed at the gard.gave a bit of cheek, and the gard arrested him.as for the 100 lads who battered each other before the game..well they got what could be described as a garda escort to the game, never mind any of them being arrested.gards are useless corrupt cowards

[aido_b]

The problem I have and I don't want to attack the poster is that his original "assertion" fully reseached and documented is untrue.

The poster then backtracked claiming a mistake. However, it is supposed to be from a thesis and yet one vital piece of "evidence" has been shown to be untrue at the least.

At then time I contacted as did others both the Garda Press office and the local stations who denied any arrests associated with the game or indeed if there had been any arrests in the area of Tolka Park that afternoon.


A thesis that is still a work in progress. As for you commenting that you contacted the Garda press office straight after the game, I've done this on a couple of occasions, not only in incidents relating to soccer games and I have rarely got any sort of coherent reply. Also when I started out in Journalism I made the mistake of contacting a Garda Station regarding violent scenes in Dublin City Centre one night, I was immeditely told to get in touch with their press office. No Garda station is allowed to release details such as arrests without first consulting with the press office.

This is the reason why the only time one ever gets info from the Guards is either in the form of a contact within the Guards or in the form of Statements.

I have no reason to make up these facts so please stop presuming that I am and try to accept that I have no reason to lie about this subject

Aido

[soccerc]

A thesis that is still a work in progress. As for you commenting that you contacted the Garda press office straight after the game, I've done this on a couple of occasions, not only in incidents relating to soccer games and I have rarely got any sort of coherent reply. Also when I started out in Journalism I made the mistake of contacting a Garda Station regarding violent scenes in Dublin City Centre one night, I was immeditely told to get in touch with their press office. No Garda station is allowed to release details such as arrests without first consulting with the press office.

This is the reason why the only time one ever gets info from the Guards is either in the form of a contact within the Guards or in the form of Statements.

I have no reason to make up these facts so please stop presuming that I am and try to accept that I have no reason to lie about this subject

Aido
Aido

Firstly, I never said I contacted the Garda Press office straight after the game. I waited at least 24 hours then made contact when certain alleged events were reported in a newspaper. Note I contacted both the press office and local stations and in that order and got very coherent replies. You need to know who to ask for and the questions to ask - that will come with experience, along with any contacts you can make.
I never said you lied did I?

I replied to your original post about 14 Millwall fans stopped with three of them being arrested outside the ground. That never happened. The three public order offences were nothing to do with those allegations and as the Gardaí told me at the time they were not associated with Tolka Park.

[hamish]

What worried me most was Adam's point re. the FAI Security Officer. Even if there NEVER was, NEVER is or NEVER likely to be soccer related violence at games in Ireland, surely, the FAI bloke would have a plan/scheme/whatever pre-organised IN THE EVENT of trouble. The English police have multiple practises which could be used/adopted, I presume the Gardai have public order strategies and there are many, many studies from (correct me on this) the Likes of Leicester University or some such institutions - all a wealth of information which should be immediately used by this Security officer.
Also, dialogue with clubs/supporters club, here, would help. The England v Ireland debacle should be a warning and if this FAI guy hasn't a clearly defined plan or even proposals to do something about even POTENTIAL trouble, he shouldn't be in his job, period. I'm open to correction on the above, but, when I used to organise even schools internationals in the 90's for God's sake, I made it a point to liaise with the cops in the vicinity of the game to arrange security elements, even if it was to avoid traffic dangers with a shower of excited schoolkids congregating at grounds.
It was also easy to liaise with School Principals etc to ensure that the, shall we say, more volatile students attending were well supervised or even barred from coming.
Now, a schools international would not be quite a potential problem BUT I felt it was my duty to at least be prepared in the eventuality. The FAI Security Officer has no excuses. There will always be clowns/hooligans/call-em-what-you-will at major events (music concerts/sports etc) and being prepared is the pre-requisite for any organisation organising such events.

[aido_b]

I came across some excellent research undertaken by the Social Issues Research Centre in Englnad on the topic of soccer hooliganism. Its a great read,

http://www.sirc.org/publik/fvexec.html#_VPID_1