Post stolen from Shels message board

[Éanna]

Quality post from Mick Neville's hair over on Shels message board (http://shelbournefcchat.100megs12.com/chat/viewtopic.php?t=2481)

I just sent a message to another forum chastising them for their obsessions about English football that I thought I would share with some like minded souls.


............................

The problem with Irish people is that they are convinced that football is one big aesthetic spectacle and they forget the underlying social dynamics that people in the stadium come to love. This is simply because they rarely if ever go to games and when they do they tend to be one-offs, internationals, trips to England, whatever. The outcome is that they have this expectation of what football is all about which jars with the reality of people who are at games week in, week out. As such the idea of loving fast flowing, fast passing, dribbling, look Mum no hands football is all the rage in Ireland. But this is what happens when TV selects the best game to show, then normally they see the highlights and forget that while, as Brian Clough used to say, 'it only takes a second to score a goal', it takes 89 minutes and 59 seconds to do everything else. Whilst Real and Barce are playing beautiful football in Spain, what about Malaga versus Albacete? That's football too and whilst not very interesting for the likes of yourself is really just as important as every other Spanish league game.

For the vast majority of football fans, the quality of the football is besides the point. Most teams have cycles and rarely dominate over the long-term (unless its Celtic and Rangers and that's even more boring) so over the course of supporting a team, you eventually see them play bad football in some armpit of the country, desperately defending to earn a 0-0 draw, whilst it is raining and freezing cold. It isn't the football that keeps the fans warm, it is the love of being there. Then when your team does produce great football and achieves at the highest level, it is a glorious feeling that the people there will remember for the rest of their lives.

So yes football is being raped but not by negative tactics of Greece and co. but by the armchair brigade, the prawn sandwichers and the band wagoners who drive (or are driven by) the BSKYB agenda of football where it is all transcendent, all of the time. Well it isn't about that, its about being part of a club and a community of people with shared values and dreams, its about going to football matches on your wife's birthday, its about telling all your house guests to be quiet whilst you listen to the results on the radio, its about booting down motorways in a foul temper because you are about to miss the first five minutes of the game which is a mid-table clash, its about blowing all your money on traveling to games.

We believe in all this ****** that we are the best supporters in the world - let me tell you a truth - we are the worst. Why did Ireland exceed other countries in looking for World Cup match tickets? Because football supporters in other countries spend all their money to games week in, week out - traveling up and down their country watching bad football games but loving every second of it whilst we sit here and sneer at our own game which incidentally is getting better all the time despite the smug eliteness of the Anglophones who live in our little island.

So all of you Anglophones who are so worried about the state of English football and to a lesser extent the upper echelons of the Champions League participants, please remember that Shelbourne are playing Finn Harps this Friday. It will no doubt be a bad football game in the aesthetic spectacle idea that impresses you all but in the wider existence of football for those clued in to the spirit of supporting games, it is what the weekend is all about.

[Gareth]

Eanna, I think once we all support the league, we certainly have that post in common, greater than any rivalry is our united support for our league!!! :D
Class post. Real quality. Put it in for Post of the Month!!!

[Anto McC]

Definitly Post of the Month.Absolute class i'm going to print it out right now and ask all of my friends who are Premiersh*t to have a read,i don't expect to convert all of them but if i just convert 1 it will be a massive result.

Thank you Mickey Neville's Hair.

[wws]

im afraid you had me right up to the recommendation to take in shels and harps at the end......nice try buddy ..... but no dice :p

[dancinpants]

Post of the Month? You're havin' a laugh!!!!. That's the best post I've EVER read!!!!. The best description ever written of what it's all about. :)

[BohDiddley]

Wonderful post. Astonishing given the misguided choice of club. ;)
-- should go to a newspaper with it.

[Anto McC]

Lads lets not turn this into a rivalry thing, it doesn't matter who he supports were all fighting the common enemy on this one.

[Da Real Rover]

Brilliant post, one of the best ive ever seen here, should be printed on every national newspaper and TV channel.

[REVIP]

Excellent post.

Maybe someone should convince Malcolm Glazer and his like that this is what it's really about and not about making big bucks with a show biz enterprise.

PS I think he means Anglophiles; an Anglophone is someone who speaks English ;)

[skitz3]

That is fcuking excellent. That is by far the best that I've read here but here isn't adequate. Most people reading it won't be armchair supporters but real eL supporters. It should be posted somewhere where it can be viewed by the wider public - the other people.

[Gareth]

Agreed!!

[tiktok]

I've been posting links to it all over :cool:
POTM (though does that go to Eanna or Mick Neville's Hair?) :D

[Gareth]

Mick Nevilles Hair :) Especially as the work he puts into his avatars is nothing short of spectalar. Hope your posting links to the Shels original posting :) *plug board* :) hehe

[hamish]

Way to go, Eanna. Post has everything, intelligence/articulate etc but, most importantly HEART. Don't know you but your love/support/loyalty for OUR game here really gave me a buzz!!
Top man. :)

[Gareth]

I suggest mailing this post to your fellow premiership workers tomorrow and post teh reactions you get. Interesting social experiment.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Mickey Neville's hair bravo young man.....

[Kerry Blue]

Great post Mick Neville's Hair. Post of the month, year! Best post ever?

[tiktok]

Mick Nevilles Hair :) Especially as the work he puts into his avatars is nothing short of spectalar. Hope your posting links to the Shels original posting :) *plug board* :) hehe

I'm even telling them to click google ads :D :D

[Gareth]

tiktok, I think your my favouritest cork fan ever!! :) Your going to lose creditablity soon with the others :) hehe

[skitz3]

Excellent post.

Maybe someone should convince Malcolm Glazer and his like that this is what it's really about and not about making big bucks with a show biz enterprise.

There no amount of persuasion that would change the minds of money-hungry bsatards like Mr. Glazier or Abromavich. They don't give a sh!t about what's played on the pitch but more about whats played in the boardroom.
Looking at the extent money has grabbed the game recently it's an easy way to make money. Not that the bsatards need it anyway, hungry cnuts.

[Wiseguy]

What a quality post.Absolutely spot on on all points.All those who can should ensure that it appears in each clubs fanzine and that it makes a regular apperance in each clubs program.People should also try and have it appear in local media if at all possible.

[Gareth]

Best way to curtail the madness of money in soccer is to only allow players be paid a percentage of the total earnings from the club. I believe putting a cap on wages will not stand up in European court, is that true? Problem is money will spiral out of control, clubs fold, but in reality, we will always have local clubs etc etc. The money madness needs to stop. I dislike what Roman has done to Chelsea, as in not operating it as a business but as a plaything. I'm not sure if that level of investment into a club gives me a sense of achievement??? How do ye feel about it?

[Gareth]

Of course Mick Nevilles Hair needs to give permission first I imagine??? :D

[monutdfc]

Brilliant post my arse. What's the fun in racing up the motorway, missing the start, losing 5 flaming nil to your biggest rivals, driving back to Dublin in a foul temper for work in the morning. Face facts, it's ****e and we're mad. Give me an away trip with the Boys in Green anyday.

[monutdfc]

ps Gareth, can you get Mick Neville's Hair's permission for the post to be reproduced?

[rebs23]

Best way to curtail the madness of money in soccer is to only allow players be paid a percentage of the total earnings from the club. I believe putting a cap on wages will not stand up in European court, is that true? Problem is money will spiral out of control, clubs fold, but in reality, we will always have local clubs etc etc. The money madness needs to stop. I dislike what Roman has done to Chelsea, as in not operating it as a business but as a plaything. I'm not sure if that level of investment into a club gives me a sense of achievement??? How do ye feel about it?

Putting a cap is contrary to Competition Law and EU directives

[Gareth]

ps Gareth, can you get Mick Neville's Hair's permission for the post to be reproduced?

If you go to the Shelbourne FC Chatboard
http://shelbournefcchat.100megs12.com/chat/index.php
and PM Mick Neville's Hair then he can reply individually to requests to get it put in various places? Best way to do it I think???

[A face]

Definitely POTM !!

[sonofstan]

Great post - remember late february arriving just before half time at our friendly with Athlone after 3 hours driving and getting followed by the cops as I got lost looking for St. Mels, just in time to see our notional first team troop off to be replaced by a load of players none of us had ever seen before and shaking our heads at the absurdity of it all; at the same time feeling oddly like it was some kind of privilege - at least we can say we saw Domernack score this year!

[Gareth]

I got lost going to Athlone's St Mel's too for a friendly. Not the best place to get lost. Not at all. :)

[ThatGuy]

I have put it on the Danger Here message board, which is occupied by barstoolers.

Of course those geniuses will dismisss it.

I have the link to that thread and another one started by some geezer which is relevant to it...

http://dangerhere.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12931&sid=d2f5f5a9a461d74f9182d7f8db2b3311

http://dangerhere.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12929&sid=d2f5f5a9a461d74f9182d7f8db2b3311

[hamish]

Footiepersons, I know I'm from Culchieville and a bit slow but would somebody explain what the fcuk this Micky Neville hair thing is about!!! :confused: :o

[Slash/ED]

I have put it on the Danger Here message board, which is occupied by barstoolers.

Of course those geniuses will dismisss it.

I have the link to that thread and another one started by some geezer which is relevant to it...

http://dangerhere.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12931&sid=d2f5f5a9a461d74f9182d7f8db2b3311

http://dangerhere.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12929&sid=d2f5f5a9a461d74f9182d7f8db2b3311

Vintage Dangerhere replies, total crap.

[fosterdollar]

Barstoolers are an awful bunch to crack. I've had replies varying from "you are getting gayer by the week" to "yeah, but we call it the GAA not some crappy soccer match". Incidently the guy with the sexuality complex is going home this weekend to get blond highlights put in his hair :rolleyes: and the other comment is from a fella who nearly cried when he saw his liverpool go through to the CL final.

[monutdfc]

Vintage Dangerhere replies, total crap.
Actually, it's sort of funny watching them resort to "humour"/sarcasm to justify why they support ManU/Liverpool/whoever...
...helped while away Friday afternoon for me anyway.

[BohDiddley]

Poor old ThatGuy was taking a lone pasting from the silly brigade -- not on logic but on sheer weight of numbers. Usual dimwits claiming all EL supporters are scum/ I'll support who I like when I like nonsense.
I was tempted to wade in but couldn't get excited enough to register. But I really would like to know the answer to this:
Do real English supporters in real English cities and towns not really despise this bunch of pretenders? ManU is often talked down by rival fans for having 'supporters' from London and from China, as is Liverpool.
Do these people never get flak on this, or is it silent, patronising take-their-ticket-money contempt?

[Derek]

Good stuff, I put it on our club site.

http://www.stpaulsartanefc.com/StPaulsArtaneFC.asp?FileToDisplay=News/LatestHeadlinesStart.asp

[CollegeTillIDie]

Footiepersons, I know I'm from Culchieville and a bit slow but would somebody explain what the fcuk this Micky Neville hair thing is about!!! :confused: :o

Basically it is about the highs and lows of getting your football live and in person in the fresh air in Golden Pond or whatever venue in the EL you choose,in spite of the alleged lack of quality fare on view,
rather than "supporting" some foreign team that 97% of those who wear the shirts will never ever go near!
I will lay my cards on the table . The worst soccer game I have ever seen was shown on RTE one Saturday afternoon in the 1980's when they used to show them half an hour after they started in full.
It was in the Old First Division ( now called the Premiership) between
Luton Town and Sheffield Wednesday. It wasn't the fact that it was a 0-0 draw, some of them can be highly entertaining! It was mind-numbingly awful.

If that had been my very first exposure to football ( the real one) rather than the LOI game I was brought to back in 1972. I would not be a football fan at all today. I might have watched the odd World Cup game of European Cup Final but that would have been the size of it.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Barstoolers are an awful bunch to crack. I've had replies varying from "you are getting gayer by the week" to "yeah, but we call it the GAA not some crappy soccer match". Incidently the guy with the sexuality complex is going home this weekend to get blond highlights put in his hair :rolleyes: and the other comment is from a fella who nearly cried when he saw his liverpool go through to the CL final.

Magoo

Do you think this would work?
Me to barstooler: " Who is your favourite team then?"
Barstooler: Some old FA Premier muck does it matter FC
Me to barstooler:" How often have you seen them play in person?"
Me to barstooler: " I recently went to my 800th game following my team! :D

[Maz]

Classic post!! So well worded and point put across

[Gareth]

I wouldn't mind dangerhere or any other board like it. You will just get frustrated. Enjoy your league and if others odnt like it and are annoying about it, just ignore :)

[A face]

I wouldn't mind dangerhere or any other board like it. You will just get frustrated. Enjoy your league and if others odnt like it and are annoying about it, just ignore :)

That about the size of it right there !!

There is one thing though ... the eL clubs could do more to promote their own games locally. It is their own fault for not doing this and the buck doesn't stop with the bar stooler for this. It is all down to the clubs and how much value they put on getting new punters through the gates.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Shels have posters up all over the city and I am not sure it has significantly increased their gates, it certainly has increased awareness of the team though.

[Pauro 76]

fair play Mick Nevilles Hair, put it better than i ever could!

[fosterdollar]

One of my mates replied with this. Don't know where he got it but it's not his words anyway. I find it a particularly lazy and lame response.


The reason no one goes to soccer matches in Ireland is that in the national list of priorities in sport it is below gaelic, hurling, rugby and arguably horseracing. Professional sport is about being the best at something beating everybody else this is why we all watch the sports above and the Embassy World Championship Snooker and the cream of world sport events. The reason that professional soccer does so bad in this country is that it is a celebration of failure, an icon we can hold up to the world and say look we’re crap.



In my opinion there is no problem with supporting premiership teams, I grew up in Drogheda and used to go to the odd game as a kid but even by the time I was ten it felt like charity work. Any aspiring soccer player in Ireland is looking for a contract with an English club. How many players do you think there are in league of Ireland who drive home from training thinking “thanks be to god I never got sucked into the aesthetic spectacle that is the premiership I’m so happy being a third rate player in a league so poor that it can only get a player from it’s ranks on to the national team once every three or four years” and by the way the appearance on the national team (for a friendly) is the equivalent of throwing the giblets from the Christmas turkey to a mangy mongrel on the street.



By the way the AIL semi finals are on in this weekend and next weekend Armagh play Fermanagh in the first round of Ulster football for the All Ireland if you are still wondering why nobody bothers with Irish league soccer please attend these matches. But if you enjoy the soccer that’s fine and now you know why no body else does.

[Gareth]

I think we should stop communicating with the outside :) We are content in our love for the league. I have wasted too much of my tiem reading why I shouldn't support the league. It's just a fact of life that people will not support the league until it does something brilliant three seasons in a row. If we do well in Europe this year then I think people will start to sit further up. If we do bad, then it will undermine last year cos people will say it was a falsh in the pan!!

[BohDiddley]

the AIL semi finals are on in this weekend and next weekend Armagh play Fermanagh in the first round of Ulster football for the All Ireland if you are still wondering why nobody bothers with Irish league soccer please attend these matches.
I'd rather stick pins in my eyes.

[holidaysong]

Took a mate of mine from the north to his first eircom League game on friday (Shels vs. Finn Harps) and he commented that it was a better atmosphere, match and football feeling in general than when I took him to the Ireland vs. Portugal friendly in Lansdowne a few months ago although..

Put it this way - I think he will be more likely to go to Tolka Park again than to Lansdowne Road..

[Slash/ED]

Unfortunately Shels don't have another home game until the 17th of June, but there's a chance of making the Setanta cup final which will be in Tolka.

[holidaysong]

I want to introduce him to the eL... not make him a Shels fan!! :eek: :D ;)

Will you be able to pay at the gate as a neutral for the Setanta Cup final do you know?