View Full Version : Matthews calls for summer soccer to go as Longford show another lack of ambition
That pr!ck Alan Matthews is in the Mirror today saying he is leading a campaign to revert the league to a Winter season.
He says crowds are down and the players are unable to take holidays.
Another small club, Finn Harps, are backing Longford's proposal.
Matthews would want to take a look at the style of football he plays as to why crowds are down, it's nothing to do with the summer season.
Also, I wonder if Longford hadn't fcuked up in Europe so many times would he be calling for this. It's helped ourselves and Shels in Europe.
sullanefc
09/09/2005, 11:06 AM
Back to mucky pitches that doesn't help a passing game and teams reverting to long ball boring football.
Yeah, that would suit Longford.
Why's it lack of ambition to say you think something is wrong?
Not agreeing with cork = lack of ambition :rolleyes:
Back to mucky pitches that doesn't help a passing game and teams reverting to long ball boring football.
Yeah, that would suit Longford.
Cos we're doing so crap this season on the excellent summer pitches is it?
patsh
09/09/2005, 11:17 AM
ffs, this pr*ck is laughable.
Longford struggled to get a few hundred on a fine summer's night last Friday, but he thinks they will come flocking out to watch the sh*t he tries to pass off as football in the depths of winter?
We have never had so much media interest in the eL, so many games on TV, and such good results in Europe (guess whose team is the odd one out :rolleyes: ), largely due to summer soccer, and this arsewipe wants to f*ck all that away because he thinks he will get an extra 50 or 60 on the gate at Flancare?
He should p*ss off to the LSL. It's about his level. Football wise and ambition wise.
It'll either get support or it won't. If it doesn't nothing will change. Christ, agree with Rico or don't dare open you mouth. You're worse than fookin shels fans...
patsh
09/09/2005, 11:21 AM
It'll either get support or it won't. If it doesn't nothing will change. Christ, agree with Rico or don't dare open you mouth. You're worse than fookin shels fans...
And where exactly is Rico mouthing off about this?
Of course, nobody must disagree with the oracle of Flancare, how DARE anyone criticise him or his sh*tty tactics....:rolleyes:
Debate it without resorting to personal attacks the whole time. Criticise the idea with valid reasons, rather than the usual "lack of ambition" bull the whole time.
It'd be interesting to see what the other rural clubs think, rather than just the city clubs where there obviously isn't the same impact of going head to head with the GAA every weekend (training, junior matches, senior matches etc)
patsh
09/09/2005, 11:33 AM
Debate it without resorting to personal attacks the whole time. Criticise the idea with valid reasons, rather than the usual "lack of ambition" bull the whole time.
It'd be interesting to see what the other rural clubs think, rather than just the city clubs where there obviously isn't the same impact of going head to head with the GAA every weekend (training, junior matches, senior matches etc)
Oh, so sorry, it wouldn't do to call Mr. Matthews anything but Sir.:rolleyes:
What "valid reasons" has he put forward for changing it back?
That he thinks "crowds are down" because of summer soccer?
How about the improvement in European results for some of us?
How about the massive (comparatively) media interest in the eL now?
How about the fact that some of the sceptics realise that eL teams can play fast, attacking, passing football?
What does he want: to go back to mudbaths, postponed games, and early exits from Europe?
Why is their the exact opposite push going on in NI, where they realise that summer soccer may be what saves their league?
Actually, why isn't he coming out and calling for an All-Ireland league, that has a much better chance of increasing crowds than a return to bad weather games.
He is a part-time manager with a part-time attitude.
Not everybody wants to stand still, some clubs want to try and push on.
It'd be interesting to see what the other rural clubs think, rather than just the city clubs where there obviously isn't the same impact of going head to head with the GAA every weekend (training, junior matches, senior matches etc)
But those rural clubs never got the crowds in the winter either. Anyway, most GAA games are on Sunday afternoons and EL games on Friday nights.
A few small ambitionless clubs are going to try and make the whole league take a step backwards because they can't find a REAL solution to their problems.
Get some positive people on board who will actually help your club move forward with long term solutions that will actually work.
Cork City is the perfect example. Over the past few years we have people who are thinking big and so far it is paying off. The likes of Brian Lennox, Dolan, Rico and so many more fans and officials behind the scenes have made summer soccer work. We can't be punished just because a few small sh!tty clubs can't be bothered to be pro active.
Pablo
09/09/2005, 11:36 AM
perhaps the excuse for "football" longford play might be a reason crowds are down.
i dont blame people for not paying in to see that. Even the locals in longford cant be bothered judging by the televised game last week.
Jerry The Saint
09/09/2005, 11:37 AM
We've been through this before but
We have never had so much media interest in the eL, so many games on TV,
this is not largely due to summer soccer it is massively due to the entrance of a 7 days a week all-sport channel into the Irish market. A knock-on effect of Setanta has been a large increase in TG4's involvement in sport. There has never been as much tennis, cycling, motorsport coverage on Irish TV either....
Outside of TV, I don't believe that press coverage has improved. The GAA Championships take up a huge amount of media resources all through the summer. Even during the old winter season the eircom League hardly got any attention until after the All-Ireland finals. Part of the aim of this was to avoid competition with the fabulous English Premier League season ( :rolleyes: ) yet Irish papers soccer coverage during June/July was still full of rubbish speculation about possible transfers for Gerrard, etc. And we still don't know what's going to happen during the World Cup next year, whether Ireland qualify or not.
patsh
09/09/2005, 11:43 AM
We've been through this before but
this is not largely due to summer soccer it is massively due to the entrance of a 7 days a week all-sport channel into the Irish market. A knock-on effect of Setanta has been a large increase in TG4's involvement in sport. There has never been as much tennis, cycling, motorsport coverage on Irish TV either....
Outside of TV, I don't believe that press coverage has improved. The GAA Championships take up a huge amount of media resources all through the summer. Even during the old winter season the eircom League hardly got any attention until after the All-Ireland finals. Part of the aim of this was to avoid competition with the fabulous English Premier League season ( :rolleyes: ) yet Irish papers soccer coverage during June/July was still full of rubbish speculation about possible transfers for Gerrard, etc. And we still don't know what's going to happen during the World Cup next year, whether Ireland qualify or not.
The entrance of Setanta has made a difference, but surely th increased profile of the eL becuase of $hels CL run last year, and City's Inter-Toto run, as well as high profilegmaes this season has helped enormously as well.
I think media coverage has increased, especially newspapers, where all the national papers have daily stories, on eL topics.
Going back to winter football would be a disaster now, for the standard of foootball and our European campaigns. Like it or not, it willbe through European success that the profile and credibilty of the league is going to be raised. His argument against summer soccer is based on crowds, there are other ways of trying to increase crowds withot taking backward steps....
bohsmug
09/09/2005, 11:49 AM
Summer soccer hasn't worked for Bohs either. Dalymount is always better under the floodlights but having said that the league committed to trying out the summer season so we have to give it atleast ten years before considering changing it back.
harry crumb
09/09/2005, 11:58 AM
From now until the end of the season the days will be shorte so you can have your lights on in Dalymount.
Crowds were just a ****e during the winter.
WeAreRovers
09/09/2005, 12:02 PM
Summer soccer hasn't worked for Bohs either. Dalymount is always better under the floodlights but having said that the league committed to trying out the summer season so we have to give it atleast ten years before considering changing it back.
In case you hadn't noticed Bohs have been utter pants since the introduction of the summer season. Not suggesting that your current crapness has anything to do with the summer season but the pitiful crowds must be related to Bohs returning to their natural place - middle table plodders.
KOH
Éanna
09/09/2005, 12:03 PM
no harm in Matthews raising the issue, as its important that it be discussed, but I think going back to winter would be a disaster.
tiktok
09/09/2005, 12:04 PM
I personally don't believe that Summer soccer has added to or taken from the crowds at Eircom league grounds overall, playing football under lights does look better in the winter but when grounds around the country are largely open to the elements I think better weather generally balances this out.
What summer soccer, in combination with the move towards professionalism, has done is to improve the quality of results our clubs are getting in Europe. This in turn lends the league more credibility amongst the non-attending public and in the long run will lead to bigger crowds IMO.
The media interest around European runs is improved and while I agree Setanta getting into the market has been the main driving force behind the TV deal, were we to swtich back to winter soccer we'd go back to direct competition with other European leagues and Setanta and other stations would IMO be less inclined to put money into domestic football programming.
If Matthews is so concerned about player holidays why not push for a mid-season break rather than a switch back to winter football.
hoops1
09/09/2005, 12:05 PM
What would you expect from Matthews but to mirror exactly
what Keely says, sure wasnt he his yes man for years.
The positives for summer soccer far far outweigh the negatives.
Its just another example of why this league takes so long to progress
when you have 'the old school' with there, things were better in
the old days mentality trying to hold everyone else back.
This season we changed to 12 team league so maybe crowds are down because of that?
Its ludicrous to think of changing the season as need another interim changeover & its a lot harder to change time of year play games than the number of teams.
- There is no proof that crowds are down from a few years ago just as no proof they have increased.
- Changing season so players can take holidays is ludicrous & makes a joke of the league & attempts to become more professional.
When someone suggest a proper reason for changing i will listen. IMO the fans should have biggest say in any change.
Longfordian
09/09/2005, 12:12 PM
Im surprised he's said that as most of our players have been surveyed on the issue and have all said that it's much better but they would like a mid season break. Crowds are down but there's no proof they'd increase in winter football. Winter football coincided with the novelty value of us being in the Premier Division. Now that the novelty's worn off who's to say crowds wouldn't be more or less the same?
Cosmo
09/09/2005, 12:13 PM
While I prefer summer football I can see why alot of clubs want it changed back. Attendances arent significantly effected by summer football imo, but i do agree that there should be a 2 week break to let players (especially with families) go off on their holidays
Pablo
09/09/2005, 12:15 PM
While I prefer summer football I can see why alot of clubs want it changed back. Attendances arent significantly effected by summer football imo, but i do agree that there should be a 2 week break to let players (especially with families) go off on their holidays
amateur mentality. are we striving for a pro league or not?
Cosmo
09/09/2005, 12:19 PM
amateur mentality. are we striving for a pro league or not?
Jaysus some of your cork fans really take the biscuit :rolleyes: .
there's a handful of full time teams in the league. At present most clubs and the league in general doesnt have the resources to sustain 22 full time teams, majority are part time, so from a players point of view there should be a 2 week break to go off on holidays.
Hardly lack of ambition view is it? Realsit view maybe :rolleyes:
Typical. Typical. Typical. Matthews is such a negative, hoofball, $hitty, pathetic clueless manager I would expect nothing else of him. Ambitionless. Gutlesss. Spineless. He is an embarrasment to the league. He is an embarrasment to himself. He is an embarrassment to the good citizens of Longford who come out in droves to support him and his bull$hit team. The man has to go now - for the good of soccer in our county and in this country.
As for that pathetic three nil victory against Waterford last Friday night (not to mention the previous three nil down in the sunny South East, the miserable two goal defeat of Rovers in Dayler, etc., etc.), the sooner the league is rid of Longford, the better.
Longford have done nothing other than lower the NATIONAL PROFILE of the league for years now. Its time they gave up the beautiful game and went back to saving hay and turf cutting. They have a $hite 'ground', gammy pitch and pathetic money-grabbing officials who won't get up off their lazy asse$ unless they are paid vast sums of money.
MATTHEWS - in the name of god, please go NOW.
It's because of attitudes like yours that clubs like Longford will never progress.
I think the level of your ambition is summed up nicely when you give 2 wins over Waterford and win over Rovers as your highlights of the season. Pathetic.
Jaysus some of your cork fans really take the biscuit :rolleyes: .
there's a handful of full time teams in the league. At present most clubs and the league in general doesnt have the resources to sustain 22 full time teams, majority are part time, so from a players point of view there should be a 2 week break to go off on holidays.
Hardly lack of ambition view is it? Realsit view maybe :rolleyes:
I don't see any of our players looking for a holiday. in fact I was talking to Georgie the other night and he said he doesn't want the season to end at all. Our players don't want holidays, they're professionals and are enjoying their trips to Lithuania, Stockholm, Prague etc.
Pablo
09/09/2005, 12:26 PM
Absolutely. Amateurs. Sure what would you expect from a shower of unsophisticated bog men, good for nothing else but cutting turf and playing GAAh - You see these bogmen are used to voluntary pursuits. They are only amateurs, with amateur standards and amateur ambitions. Sure aren't they just glad to be there.
The sophisticated denziens of Choker land meanwhile, are so used to seeing 'Flynnie :p ' and 'Fennie :p ' score goals with regularity and ease that they simply cannot countenance how bogmen can be in the same competitions - never mind in the same league - as them that they should call for the expulsion of the bogmen from the league - with immediate effect.
here here. i second that.
baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Pablo
09/09/2005, 12:27 PM
I don't see any of our players looking for a holiday. in fact I was talking to Georgie the other night and he said he doesn't want the season to end at all. Our players don't want holidays, they're professionals and are enjoying their trips to Lithuania, Stockholm, Prague etc.
better than getting a spanking from a Munster senior League team in wales thats for sure!
Absolutely. Amateurs. Sure what would you expect from a shower of unsophisticated bog men, good for nothing else but cutting turf and playing GAAh - You see these bogmen are used to voluntary pursuits. They are only amateurs, with amateur standards and amateur ambitions. Sure aren't they just glad to be there.
The sophisticated denziens of Choker land meanwhile, are so used to seeing 'Flynnie :p ' and 'Fennie :p ' score goals with regularity and ease that they simply cannot countenance how bogmen can be in the same competitions - never mind in the same league - as them that they should call for the expulsion of the bogmen from the league - with immediate effect.
You're talking a lot more sense than you realise in that post.
I don't see any of our players looking for a holiday. in fact I was talking to Georgie the other night and he said he doesn't want the season to end at all. Our players don't want holidays, they're professionals and are enjoying their trips to Lithuania, Stockholm, Prague etc.
They're full time players though. Big difference.
Until we have a fully professional league, then issues like players holidays can't be just written off just because a few clubs are fully pro. In fact likely to be less full time teams next year - Rover's folly is over, Shels will be cutting it fine if no setanta or europe, bohs must be a doubt too unless again they qualify for setanta or europe. Drogs couldn't afford it based on their crowds...
Is the strive for a professional league or a (more) bankrupt one?
Éanna
09/09/2005, 12:29 PM
Absolutely. Amateurs. Sure what would you expect from a shower of unsophisticated bog men, good for nothing else but cutting turf and playing GAAh - You see these bogmen are used to voluntary pursuits. They are only amateurs, with amateur standards and amateur ambitions. Sure aren't they just glad to be there.
The sophisticated denziens of Choker land meanwhile, are so used to seeing 'Flynnie :p ' and 'Fennie :p ' score goals with regularity and ease that they simply cannot countenance how bogmen can be in the same competitions - never mind in the same league - as them that they should call for the expulsion of the bogmen from the league - with immediate effect.
you're really starting to give me a pain in the arse, ya know that :rolleyes: Some City fans don't like Longford/Alan Matthews. GET OVER IT! If you think they're being obnoxious, why are you stooping to the level of inane insults which just make you look like a fool? "Choker land" - who's choking? We're top, in case you haven't noticed. If you want examples of choking, I'm sure I could translate it from the Welsh for you, but I'm not going to be that petty. get over yourself
Cosmo
09/09/2005, 12:30 PM
'Our players don't want holidays, they're professionals'
Eh thats my point :rolleyes: - theres only a handful of teams who are professional teams. I cant see how its right to deprive part time players who some are on as low of 40 or 50e a week going on holiday.
mypost
09/09/2005, 12:30 PM
Back to mucky pitches that doesn't help a passing game and teams reverting to long ball boring football.
Yeah, that would suit Longford.
Want bigger crowds?? Change the kick off time, that's what you do.
Several hundred people paid 15 Euro last Friday to watch Bohs-Rovers, only to miss the first 20+ minutes, and 2 goals. :( That's just one example of crass kick-off times.
Also, reduce ticket prices. They're too expensive at most clubs. If your team is mediocre, only the die-hards will traipse up and down the country every week at considerable inconvenience and pay over the odds, to watch a sh-it game. Would you ask a neutral to pay 15 Euro to watch Longford, Drogheda, Waterford, Bohs, or UCD at home, clubs with nothing to play for?? Glamour sells in this country. Where's the glamour in playing Longford, and UCD? :confused:
Ditto the first division. I decided to go to a game at the Carlisle Grounds last season, as a neutral. It takes a lot for me to turn back from a match, but I said no when I was asked to pay 20 Euro into the game, having missed the first half hour. Madness. :mad:
If you want to see the league implode, by all means let's return to mudbaths, postponements, and NL sides losing more often to clubs from Liechtenstein, and you will still get crap attendances. If you want to see the league progressing, leave the summer season alone. It is working.
If you want to see the league implode, by all means let's return to mudbaths, postponements, and NL sides losing more often to clubs from Liechtenstein, and you will still get crap attendances. If you want to see the league progressing, leave the summer season alone. It is working.
It's the ridiculous push/rush for full time football that will cause the league to implode. Clubs spending more than they can afford, not helped if crowds are down.
The GAA have amateur players who play a summer season. Do they take holidays in the middle? A holiday break is ludicrous as fitness will drop considerably. Its a non-runner. Stick with summer season or move back to winter.
Players have to make a decision as the clubs still pay some of them good part-time wages. You continue with professional (includes part-time) football & no holidays in the summer or go back as amateur leagues.
Cosmo
09/09/2005, 12:43 PM
'The GAA have amateur players who play a summer season. Do they take holidays in the middle?'
In fairness GAA and football players have a different mentality - sure GAA players are playing for nothing, sums up the difference in mentality (btw thats obviously a praise for GAA players attitudes). Its not comparing like for like
patsh
09/09/2005, 12:47 PM
Actually, this is the first summer season where they will not be a break. There was a break for the Special Olympics last year.He is not giving it much of a chance, is he?
harry crumb
09/09/2005, 12:48 PM
How many of the players have "families"
The league is now made up of young players.
Take Cork City.
How many of the Cork City team have a family. ie. kids.
mypost
09/09/2005, 12:52 PM
It's the ridiculous push/rush for full time football that will cause the league to implode.
It's not ridiculous, it's called ambition. There are many NL people who are ambitious, and want the league to improve. For every Ollie, Rico, and Dolan, there is a Matthews and a Keely. Keely whinged for decades about the standard of the league. Now when something positive is happening, he wants it to revert to the old era of amateurism and incompetence.
Want to take holidays? Take them at Christmas.
Many players are young, with no families. You don't hear English players complaining of having no Christmas holidays like their European counterparts, do you? :confused: :mad:
It's not ridiculous, it's called ambition. There are many NL people who are ambitious, and want the league to improve.
It's ridiculous as it's putting the cart before the horse. For most clubs fully pro is unsustainable - a rovers fan should understand that better than most, or have you been asleep the last 10 years, never mind during the pre-400club part of the season???? :eek:
dublinred
09/09/2005, 12:55 PM
Reckon this should go to a vote , I personally do not like summer soccer as I miss the Christmas Matches and also the atmosphere is better under lights, the problem with pitches can be solved if everyone followed Dundalks lead, kick off times are also a problem reckon all matches should be on sat night to allowed visiting fans and fans travelling back from Dublin to get to the matches.
Jeez Harry, what're ya saying biy ?? That they're shooting BLANKS :D :D Will ye please stop talking about 'Flynnie :p ' and 'Fennie :p ' like that.
Cop On, don't fall for the trolls of Patsh, Colm and others. You know who'll be the one getting banned....
Cop On, don't fall for the trolls of Patsh, Colm and others. You know who'll be the one getting banned....
Amazing, we are trolls becuase we disagree with your "Matthews is god and can do not wrong" attitude...:rolleyes:
Only Longford fans have opinions, City fans are trolls.
Thats pretty much the same closed mind attitude of Matthews.
Guess he really is leaving his imprint on some of you lot....
mypost
09/09/2005, 1:19 PM
a rovers fan should understand that better than most, or have you been asleep the last 10 years, never mind during the pre-400club part of the season???? :eek:
Since when have I brought Rovers into the discussion??? :confused:
Summer soccer, leads to better pitches, generally better football, and better fitness levels. Better fitness levels = more success. More success = more money. The more money you have, the more full-time you are. The more full-time you are, the greater the chance of European success. More European success = more money, and a higher profile. More success, and more money = your rivals follow your example. They repeat the process over time, and so everyone benefits, from the average fan having better facilities at grounds, to the team boss who by being successful, has more chances to do his job better than before.
There is a right way and a wrong way to run this league. The league is improving, getting more exposure, and is building momentum. We cannot afford to go back to short-term solutions, just to get an extra 10 or 20 fans through the gate.
fosterdollar
09/09/2005, 1:27 PM
Summer soccer, leads to better pitches, generally better football, and better fitness levels. Better fitness levels = more success. More success = more money. The more money you have, the more full-time you are. The more full-time you are, the greater the chance of European success. More European success = more money, and a higher profile. More success, and more money = your rivals follow your example. They repeat the process over time, and so everyone benefits, from the average fan having better facilities at grounds, to the team boss who by being successful, has more chances to do his job better than before.
Hmmm...
What's goin on?
What's goin on?
I don't know what, they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see
Amazing, we are trolls becuase we disagree with your "Matthews is god and can do not wrong" attitude...:rolleyes:
Only Longford fans have opinions, City fans are trolls.
Thats pretty much the same closed mind attitude of Matthews.
Guess he really is leaving his imprint on some of you lot....
Congrats, you've managed to not call him a pr!ck this post.
I'm in the camp that believes that the timing of our football season is almost irrelevant - attendances will not improve - that is the bottom line. Its fantasy to suggest otherwise.
The league needs a cohesive and consistent strategy - changing ships in mid stream is part of the reason for the consistent failure of the league.
A tv driven, properly marketed and consistent league - with regard to fixtures would get modest increase in attendances
and modest attendances are the best that can be hoped for
Since when have I brought Rovers into the discussion???
Full time football is bankrupting the league. Rovers were the perfect example of this - going full time when they simply didn't have the revenue.
Since when have I brought Rovers into the discussion??? :confused:
Summer soccer, leads to better pitches, generally better football, and better fitness levels. Better fitness levels = more success. More success = more money. The more money you have, the more full-time you are. The more full-time you are, the greater the chance of European success. More European success = more money, and a higher profile. More success, and more money = your rivals follow your example. They repeat the process over time, and so everyone benefits, from the average fan having better facilities at grounds, to the team boss who by being successful, has more chances to do his job better than before.
There is a right way and a wrong way to run this league. The league is improving, getting more exposure, and is building momentum. We cannot afford to go back to short-term solutions, just to get an extra 10 or 20 fans through the gate.
that is the sort of waffle that has seduced idotic boards over the last 15 years - I've yet to see a reputable cost/benefit analysis that indicates
that any League of Ireland club has ever generated "more money" as you put it. The reality is "ambition" generally equates with mismanging funds and /or getting into serious debts
harry crumb
09/09/2005, 1:37 PM
I'm in the camp that believes that the timing of our football season is almost irrelevant - attendances will not improve - that is the bottom line. Its fantasy to suggest otherwise.
The league needs a cohesive and consistent strategy - changing ships in mid stream is part of the reason for the consistent failure of the league.
A tv driven, properly marketed and consistent league - with regard to fixtures would get modest increase in attendances
and modest attendances are the best that can be hoped for
Maybe for clubs in Longford and Cobh, but the Dublin clubs have massive potential if they got their acts together.
Longford has contraints of being a small county.
St. Pats have a market of over 1 million to try and target.
I agree with a lot of what you wrote though.
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