Why do we support English teams??

[Kamikaze_Drog]

People in Ireland suffer from an identity crisis. With the FA cup final last week I witnessed people trying to show their Irishness by changing the channel when the English national anthem was played before the match but yet had no problem supporting the two English clubs playing.

If you asked the vast majority of people in Ireland what team they supported, 9 times out of ten the answer would be an English team. I lived in Denmark for over a year. English football has a large following there, but if you asked the same question in Copenhagen, most people would say that they supported FC Copenhagen or Brondby.
English football has still a large following in Copenhagen but the Danes would put their own teams first. The same should be done here but sadly some Irish people don’t even know the EL exists!

[Speranza]

I don;t understand how a supporter of a Premier****e team can be as emotinally involved who supports a team becuase it is theirs. I hate watching football on t.v because it doesn't compare at all to live football.

I hate the hypocrisy of people e.g England play and Rooney is branded "a fat British *******" then the same person will be roaring their lungs out the next week as he plays for ManUre.

[ger121]

Interesting poem by Pete, sums it all up really :(

The Loneliness of the Eircom League Fan



The Loneliness of the Eircom League Fan
(Champions League Final)


Surprised at my own lack of grace,
I supped my pint quite unperturbed,
And sat there with a placid face,
That great events had not disturbed.

I watched the scene as from afar –
These wild-eyed men bedecked in red
Who leapt around the tiny bar
With veins protruding from their head.

Fists clenched in joy, with raucous chants,
All self-control and balance gone,
They acted a crazy dance
For me, their audience of one.

They doubtless viewed me as a fool,
No int’rest in the wondrous game,
Who’d never heard of Liverpool,
Who’d not been touched by football’s flame.

And, as I sat, I pondered why
I could not share their great delight.
Was mine a surly, jealous eye
Upon this most amazing night?

I bear no ill to Liverpool,
They well deserved to win the match.
Also-rans now, as a rule,
They’ll revel in this purple patch.

I’m saddened by this Irish mass
Who wear the red and kiss the crest
Such declarations I find crass
And utterly bizarre at best.

When England play, they’ll mock and jeer,
And laugh whenever things go wrong.
And should they lose, they’ll raise a cheer
And sing a heartfelt rebel song.

But do they follow Bohs or Cork
And help to raise the standards here?
Or will the season’s football talk
Revolve ‘round Sky and pints of beer?

Throughout their native land, in pubs
Our trophy-seeking young men give
Allegiance to their English clubs,
Notwithstanding where they live.

Eggs and chickens, chickens, eggs…
Will we ever get success
If they regard us as the dregs,
Despite our native Irishness?

I sit here in my Shelbourne shirt,
Surveying scenes of utter glee,
Yet feeling all the righteous hurt
Of dreams that have eluded me.

[Emmet]

If RTE, or anyone, set aside serious money to advertise, hype up and promote our league, we would get an audience soon enough.

In England a few years back didn't On Digital try something along those lines with the English Football League (ie all of the teams outside of the Premiership) - they wanted to try and get people in England paying to watch more Football League games on TV so they invested heavily in marketing advertising etc etc ... in the end they attracted nowhere near enough customers to pay for it all and On Digital itself went out of business as a result! I'm not saying that it wouldn't work with EL clubs because that isn't exactly the same but I'm not sure that blindly throwing money at it is the solution either.

I think that the best solution would be to take the long-term view and focus on kids instead of adults. Stuff like giving free tickets to schools to get kids in watching EL football. They won't get any money off them now but when they have grown up and left school some of them will want to come back and will be happy to pay to do it.

[Duncan Gardner]

I don't like Eircom League football, it's too partisan

He possibly means parochial (small-time, inward-looking)?

Not that I agree, like :(

[The Dublin Red]

I don;t understand how a supporter of a Premier****e team can be as emotinally involved who supports a team becuase it is theirs. I hate watching football on t.v because it doesn't compare at all to live football.

I hate the hypocrisy of people e.g England play and Rooney is branded "a fat British *******" then the same person will be roaring their lungs out the next week as he plays for ManUre.

Well those of us who attend matches in England on a regular basis are as emotionally attached to our clubs as you are with yours.

I've been to see Forest 8 times this season and have enjoyed every minute of it.

[anto eile]

Is that discussion still on????

Yeah loads of glamour following Nottingham Forest :D :D :D

20,000 people in a modern stadium, it would be totally different if nottingham were playing somewhere like the carlisle grounds,with no decent facilities and crowds in their hundreds
whether you like it or not the fact that its a modern stadium with 20000 people are there is a glamourous aspect regardless of the team or standard of football

[anto eile]

There is a pre season tour of Denmark coming up in July and I am considering going, its not for the football but for the craic with the lads who are going.


you get the same craic at every EL team.i for one love the craic being a Rovers fan, the away trips, overnighters etc. you dont have to go to england to get that

[holidaysong]

I think that the best solution would be to take the long-term view and focus on kids instead of adults. Stuff like giving free tickets to schools to get kids in watching EL football. They won't get any money off them now but when they have grown up and left school some of them will want to come back and will be happy to pay to do it.

Dundalk FC did that when I was in primary school. :ball:

[The Dublin Red]

you get the same craic at every EL team.i for one love the craic being a Rovers fan, the away trips, overnighters etc. you dont have to go to england to get that

I agree my friend and no doubt there is a great craic but I've been a supporter for years now and I've made some great friends out of it so I couldn't change it!! It's a very enjoyable past time, even if the football is poor at times.

I take the earlier point about 20,000 in the stadium, the match day build up is something special and the atmosphere is unique especially when we travel with 5,000 fellow away supporters.