FAI are killing football

[OneRedArmy]

I'm saddened but unfortunately not shocked by tonights events in Dalymount which follow on as a consequence from Wenesday's disciplinary findings.

First we had a Bohs banner, which as far as I can remember said something along the lines of "EL disciplinary report = farce" being taken down by Bohs stewards before the match on the orders of the FAI match official.

Then to reinforce the fact that Eircom League football is now a police state, the Derry fans were warned about their "bad language" which aparently has been reported by the FAI official and the referee (Ian Stokes, UEFA official my hole) and the club is apparently to be sanctioned..........

What is going on? :confused:

[sullanefc]

Just one question? Which set of fans had the megaphone?? I'm not sure if it was Bohs fans or Derry fans but there was some foul language coming out of it that could be heard on the TV. It didn't sound well and the stewards should have confiscated it. Not a good advertisment for the league on the telly.

Game was good though. Dissapointed Bohs couldn't get something tho.

[dcfcsteve]

Loudspeaker was in the possession of the Derry fans.

How is foul-language from one person via a loudspeaker unacceptable, yet it's not so unacceptable when a crowd clearly sings "The referee's a b@st**d" etc etc ? Foul language in the form of terrace chants can often be heard on TV broadcasts of football. Will every club be warned/sanctioned over this ?

Where will it all end.......?

[A face]

The FAI might just be a bit worried that they look worse than normal lately and they are trying to counter act it .... instead of resolving the ACTUAL problems they have. Just a thought !! :(

[OneRedArmy]

I genuinely didn't hear bad language through the megaphone, unless there were a few swear words in the chants (a few verses of "the referee's a w*nker?")

There was a lot of abuse directed at the inept linesman, Stokes the referee and Fergal Harkin, but no more than the usual stuff that goes on at any game and delivered by the old fashioned method of shouting!

[bohs til i die]

have to agree with the Derry fans. I was sitting in Block B for the first half and Block C for the second and apart from the usual stuff you see [even in Cork] aimed at the linesman, and the "sheepshagger" stuff aimned at Harkin when taking corners there was nothing else that we should be bothered with. The FAI are trying to kill the EL so they can spend all their time on the national team of alco's [Robbie Keane etc].

Oneredarmy ..... were was this banner being put up?

[thejollyrodger]

there was a class picture of robbie keane in one of the tabloids (i think it was roddys column) after the France game. It had robbie on the pitch with his hand in the air (like you say to a barman - 1 beer) and his face was all groggy. He looked like a drunkard :D Picture of the month IMO.

The FAI havent a clue about football. All they want to do is **** of Eircom league supporters anyway they can.

[BohDiddley]

I'm saddened but unfortunately not shocked by tonights events in Dalymount which follow on as a consequence from Wenesday's disciplinary findings.

First we had a Bohs banner, which as far as I can remember said something along the lines of "EL disciplinary report = farce" being taken down by Bohs stewards before the match on the orders of the FAI match official.

Then to reinforce the fact that Eircom League football is now a police state, the Derry fans were warned about their "bad language" which aparently has been reported by the FAI official and the referee (Ian Stokes, UEFA official my hole) and the club is apparently to be sanctioned..........

What is going on? :confused:
I think this is a natural reaction of the part of the club/stewards, given that we were sactioned for being impolite to Nutsy, and Rovers were fined for saying rude things about Ollie. I suppose somehow the FAI will contrive to fine us for the megaphone.

For the record, in case the disciplinary committee is lurking (they'd hardly dare show their faces), it was more audible on telly: I didn't notice anything.

All of this seems to be part of that recently revived notion that EL fans are somehow less decorous than all the grand lads who follow GAA and suchlike.

[OwlsFan]

The FAI havent a clue about football. All they want to do is **** of Eircom league supporters anyway they can.

Typical ignorant statement. 95% of the membership of the FAI is made up from people involved in football, including the EL. Most of them put far more work into grassroots football in a week than you would in a life time. Have you seen the grants made to the EL by the FAI ? No, much easier to make an unfounded allegation that they know nothing about football. Easy target.

Because some foul mouth had his loudspeaker removed, the FAI are trying to kill the EL!! What a joke. I'm sure parents would love to bring their kids along again to an EL game if some idiot is sitting in their vicinity blaring off obscenities into a loud speaker. Yep, the FAI sure has it in for the EL :rolleyes:

[pete]

If the eL want to go down this road they should at least have some rules. How can clubs/supporters be sanctioned if no actual rules are broken.

I didn't see/hear the match on TG4 but taking down banners that in no way could be considered offensive to anyone is ludicrous.

[Cosmo]

In fairness I never thought megaphones should be allowed into a football ground. Even if they are, theere should be no cursing through it. FAI were right on this one imo.

As regards the banners, feck that, what ever happened to freedom of speech?

[thejollyrodger]

Typical ignorant statement. 95% of the membership of the FAI is made up from people involved in football, including the EL. Most of them put far more work into grassroots football in a week than you would in a life time. Have you seen the grants made to the EL by the FAI ? No, much easier to make an unfounded allegation that they know nothing about football. Easy target.

Because some foul mouth had his loudspeaker removed, the FAI are trying to kill the EL!! What a joke. I'm sure parents would love to bring their kids along again to an EL game if some idiot is sitting in their vicinity blaring off obscenities into a loud speaker. Yep, the FAI sure has it in for the EL :rolleyes:

The FAI has been the biggest failLURE in irish sport for the last 20 + years. Obviously your pretty ignorant yourself or you work for the FAIlure. Ever have any problems with ticket allocations and the FAIlure ? Do you know where the money comes from ?? its certainly not from Delaneys pockets, it comes from the government, sponsors and the taxpayer.

If the FAI had its way they would be flying first class to the world cup while the players sit in economy. So what if there is foul mouth language used in games, what do you expect ?? too many childern at the grounds can be troublesome too.

The FAI , the bastion of Irish soccer, whatever next :rolleyes:

[Colie]

In fairness I never thought megaphones should be allowed into a football ground. Even if they are, theere should be no cursing through it. FAI were right on this one imo.

As regards the banners, feck that, what ever happened to freedom of speech?
Yeah, megaphone? Freedom of speech. I think we should all bring megaphones to our next game & see what happens.

[thejollyrodger]

Yeah, megaphone? Freedom of speech. I think we should all bring megaphones to our next game & see what happens.

:D :D that would be funny

[superfrank]

In fairness I never thought megaphones should be allowed into a football ground. Even if they are, theere should be no cursing through it. FAI were right on this one imo.

As regards the banners, feck that, what ever happened to freedom of speech?
Precisely, so what if someone's cursing thorugh a megaphone?? If kids stay home on a Friday night and watch telly they're going to hear the same stuff.

Surely going to a football match and hearing swearing is better for a seven-year-old then watching telly with all the shaging and the violence there is nowadays.

Everybody swears so if the FAI are giving out about it, they must've had a very protective D4 upbringing!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

The whole banner ****e is ridiculous. Cosmo brought up freedom of speech and that's just what it is. People need to lighten up, myself included, and not take everything in football personally. :mad:

[ThatGuy]

First we had a Bohs banner, which as far as I can remember said something along the lines of "EL disciplinary report = farce" being taken down by Bohs stewards before the match on the orders of the FAI match official.

I didn't hear about that. Nobody has the right to do that, that is a disgrace. The FAI are dragging this league down the wrong path.

[MariborKev]

Yeah, megaphone? Freedom of speech. I think we should all bring megaphones to our next game & see what happens.


The way its going we could all be issued with duct tape to cover our mouths when we enter a ground, lest we happend to want to comment on the game

[Drumcondra Red]

Just one question? Which set of fans had the megaphone?? I'm not sure if it was Bohs fans or Derry fans but there was some foul language coming out of it that could be heard on the TV. It didn't sound well and the stewards should have confiscated it. Not a good advertisment for the league on the telly.

Game was good though. Dissapointed Bohs couldn't get something tho.

Crap post, pointless, I don't go to tolka every week to advertise my club to a bunch of w@nkers who slag me off for going in the first place!

We are football fans not advertisments, I go because I love it, and if I can vent a bit of anger by swearing **** it, I'll do that too, I really believe a lot of people on here will agree with this post (makes a change!!!)

[fbtn]

Serves you muckers right for giving our Fergal a touch :)

[sullanefc]

Crap post, pointless, I don't go to tolka every week to advertise my club to a bunch of w@nkers who slag me off for going in the first place!

We are football fans not advertisments, I go because I love it, and if I can vent a bit of anger by swearing **** it, I'll do that too, I really believe a lot of people on here will agree with this post (makes a change!!!)

Well, wouldn't it be in the interest of your club for more families to come to games with their kids? I think for EL matches to get higher attendances you need to create more of a family atmosphere that is welcoming to families and kids. I'm sure they could find a corner of the ground for the likes of you to "vent a bit of anger by swearing f*ck it".

[joeraki]

Megaphones are grad once they are used for what they are meant to be used for ie to get the crowd all singing a certain song. The person using it last night just seemed to be saying any oul stuff that came into his head

[superfrank]

Megaphones are grad once they are used for what they are meant to be used for ie to get the crowd all singing a certain song. The person using it last night just seemed to be saying any oul stuff that came into his head
It was funny when Farrelly (I think) was taking a free and your man just started screaming at him!

[Drumcondra Red]

Well, wouldn't it be in the interest of your club for more families to come to games with their kids? I think for EL matches to get higher attendances you need to create more of a family atmosphere that is welcoming to families and kids. I'm sure they could find a corner of the ground for the likes of you to "vent a bit of anger by swearing f*ck it".

What? You've never sweared at a game of football, no?

[Cosmo]

Precisely, so what if someone's cursing thorugh a megaphone??

To be honest its not the cursing that I have a problem with, its the megaphone been used in the ground without being too pc.

I reckon everyone should sneak in banners to the matches next week and unfold them all at the same time :D

[A face]

I can remember Waterford United fans calling Willie Bruton awful names altogether over the megaphone at the last game in the cross. Simply gastly names !! :eek: :p :D

[sonofstan]

was at the match last night but didn't see the banner or hear the megaphone - probably was drowned out by the guy behind me who spent the entire match - as he does every week - shouting 'Stokes, you're a f..king clown' or ' you useless Rovers c..t, Stokes' (or Kelly. or Mckeon or whoever). There were a load of kids in front, who were imitating him and giggling ..... terrible entirely

[bohs til i die]

are you lot for real with this no swearing in EL grounds?

Kids are exposed to bad language in school, at their football clubs, kicking a ball on the street were they live. Should they not go to school, or join a football club on that basis?

Its funny listening to Cork fans whinging about foul language when their own stewards are not shy about using foul language when dealing with paying punters at Turners Cross.

[pineapple stu]

Because some foul mouth had his loudspeaker removed, the FAI are trying to kill the EL!! What a joke. I'm sure parents would love to bring their kids along again to an EL game if some idiot is sitting in their vicinity blaring off obscenities into a loud speaker. Yep, the FAI sure has it in for the EL :rolleyes:
Bit of an overreaction, I think.

First of all, anybody with a megaphone is going to be in the middle of the away support. People bringing kids generally don't sit down beside the away fans, or if they do, they can move. (Incidentally, I do think bringing megaphones into grounds is stupid, because it makes it sound as if you have less fans than you do and you need a megaphone to make yourselves sound louder).

However, this isn't an isolated incident of late. Pressure has been put on people to remove posts from internet forums (at least two incidents of this in recent months). Clubs have been fined for abusive (yet in cases factually correct, in others honest opinion) banners. Cork City FC evidently had pressure placed on them to come down hard on any anti-Don Givens banners at the recent U-21 game in Cork. This all smacks of the FAI attempting to minimise any negative public comment. This is plain suppression of freedom of speech, and is disgraceful behaviour by the FAI. eL fans are right to be very p!ssed off at this, in my opinion.

[Da Real Rover]

Because some foul mouth had his loudspeaker removed, the FAI are trying to kill the EL!! What a joke. I'm sure parents would love to bring their kids along again to an EL game if some idiot is sitting in their vicinity blaring off obscenities into a loud speaker. Yep, the FAI sure has it in for the EL :rolleyes:
Such a load of bullsh!t, football grounds are not ment to be like in the Premiersh!t. There ment to be Couldrons of hostility and noise and passion, not a couple of chartered accountants sitting on there coushions nibbling on there prawn sandwiches discussing the financial times. Get a grip, the media in England have portrayed the Premiersh!t style fan as the norm when, thank god, they are very much not. Look at Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, anywhere that isnt the Premiersh!t. Family friendly, bollax to that, dya not remember your father bringing ya ta games when you were a kid and him releasing a torrent of language and gestures at the opposition. Whats more everyone around him was doing it, did i turn me into a crazed axe murderer, no it didnt. The language kids hear at football games isnt half as bad as the stuff your kids are saying on the playground, its what kids do. Dont buy into the Marketing campaign which has created a freak featis of the footballing world that is FrankenSHIP, no real fans, no real loyalty, no real club.

[MariborKev]

I have no problem admitting that I was in the centre of the "megaphone incident" last night.

I was in possession of the megaphone for part of the game, whilst at other times our harmonica player was using it. Between myself and the harmonica player, others had possession of the megaphone. I believe this is when the cursing occurred. I have the match recorded, but haven't had the chance to look at it again to listen to the incidents mentioned here.

The Bohemians security staff approached me whilst I was in possession of the megaphone and forcefully made me aware that the lanaguage used had been reported by the referee and the FAI match delegate.

The security staff intimated that I would be removed from the ground if this occurred again. I pointed out to the security that I wasn't the one using the bad lanaguage through the megaphone, but agreed with him that I would ensure that there was no repeat.

It was ironic, given that I had to use the megaphone to make the ground security aware of the fact that there were kids wrecking our flags at the back of Block A in the first half. Indeed some of them decided it would be good craic to urinate over the top of one of the flags. We also had to alert the security that kids from Bohemains youth side(in full Bohemians gear) were goading the away support and throwing drinks over them.

The removal of the Bohemians banner claiming that the Investigative Committee was a farce was a complete joke. The lad was putting it up on the Shopping Ground End(just below where the huge black and red flag was) and immediately a posse of stewards descended on it. Their excuse was "We didn't want to take it down but the FAI made us". My post regarding the "banner police" a few days ago wasn't too far off the mark.

[harpskid]

FFS we were asked not to sign tune from "The Great Escape" tonight as some Rovers fans were offended by it :rolleyes:

[Cosmo]

[QUOTE=pineapple stu] This is plain suppression of freedom of speech, and is disgraceful behaviour by the FAI. QUOTE]

Im following Eircom League football for nearly 20 years now (since I was 4). I have no time for this shower anymore over a good few things that have happened over the last couple of weeks and we cant let it go on any further -are we in a censor free country or not :confused: - time to stand up and be counted people :mad:

[BohsFans]

It's not often that I agree with stewards, but they were 100% right to tell you to stop with the magaphone. You can't pay in somewhere the same as everyone else and start cursing through a megaphone, not acceptable behaviour!
Derry fans are a joke anyway, you need a megaphone to make yourselves heard? pathetic, are youse football fans or what??

[thejollyrodger]

However, this isn't an isolated incident of late. Pressure has been put on people to remove posts from internet forums (at least two incidents of this in recent months). Clubs have been fined for abusive (yet in cases factually correct, in others honest opinion) banners. Cork City FC evidently had pressure placed on them to come down hard on any anti-Don Givens banners at the recent U-21 game in Cork. This all smacks of the FAI attempting to minimise any negative public comment. This is plain suppression of freedom of speech, and is disgraceful behaviour by the FAI. eL fans are right to be very p!ssed off at this, in my opinion.
Exactly !!!!!! Im sick to the back teeth of the FAIlure

[OwlsFan]

The FAI has been the biggest failLURE in irish sport for the last 20 + years. Obviously your pretty ignorant yourself or you work for the FAIlure. Ever have any problems with ticket allocations and the FAIlure ? Do you know where the money comes from ?? its certainly not from Delaneys pockets, it comes from the government, sponsors and the taxpayer.

If the FAI had its way they would be flying first class to the world cup while the players sit in economy. So what if there is foul mouth language used in games, what do you expect ?? too many childern at the grounds can be troublesome too.

The FAI , the bastion of Irish soccer, whatever next :rolleyes:

No, I'm not employed by "the FAI". I just get tired about every conceivable ill in Irish soccer being put at the door of "the FAI". Ever consider what "the FAI" is that everyone criticises. It's made up of numerous different people nearly all of whom are involved in soccer in Ireland and putting work into Junior, EL and International soccer. People sit at keyboards criticizing "the FAI" but what they are attacking is the people involved in all walks of Irish soccer because that's what the FAI is made up of.

Tell us what your solutions are other than condemning the FAI for taking a megaphone away from some idiot - to be any where in the vicinity of that guy would do my head in.

The main root of the problem with soccer in this country is that it can't compete with the GAA. For historical reasons the GAA became embedded in every parish in the country and soccer was regarded as a garrison sport and was played primarily by the working classes in the cities. Soccer never had the nationwide support or money it needed. The ban made sure that soccer would never spread beyond its narrow origins and by the time the ban was removed, TV had arrived and people preferred to spend their afternoons in front of the box rather than watching soccer played in run down grounds.

Even if "the FAI" was the best run organisation in the world, it would have found it impossible to compete with the GAA. They certainly would never have been able to afford a decent stadium on the money generated from soccer in this country. There has to be a reason why with the hundreds of different people who have served in the "the FAI" over the decades haven't been able to turn things round. The structures of course needed addressing but ther problems with soccer are much more deep rooted.

"The FAI" has done well in developing the Under age international teams but the international teams and the local teams are 2 different products and I'm not sure the EL will ever succeed on a mjor basis. There just isn't the culture to support your local side like there is in the GAA. If soccer could perhaps be county based there might be some hope.

[Troy.McClure]

Didnt see the match so I cant say one thing or the other for definite but IMO,

Megaphones are great, every club should have one!
Sometimes chants have curses in them, to be honest, this happens, like it or not (and not just in the eL)
However there is always a line that shouldnt be crossed
If a match is going out live on tv than the fans should take measures to ensure that what is shouted out is ok for the tv audience (sounds PC I know, but it should). If RTE or whoever dont like what is being broadcast (or get complaints) then they will be less likely to show more games.

Anyway, all that is just a generalisation and my 2 cents.

[Libero]

I was at the game and have to say the Derry fans were great....incessant in their singing throughout the game. I think the megaphone is not a bad idea per se, it just needs to be used more sparingly, perhaps just to get the chants going like in Italy rather than right throughout the game.
I liked the harmonica though...whisky in the jar has real potential as a football song I think.

[CollegeTillIDie]

have to agree with the Derry fans. I was sitting in Block B for the first half and Block C for the second and apart from the usual stuff you see [even in Cork] aimed at the linesman, and the "sheepshagger" stuff aimned at Harkin when taking corners there was nothing else that we should be bothered with. The FAI are trying to kill the EL so they can spend all their time on the national team of alco's [Robbie Keane etc].

Oneredarmy ..... were was this banner being put up?

Having the EL is necessary in order for us to have a National team.
Otherwise the whole Island would be represented by a team of Billy Boys from Belfast! :D

[A face]

Cork City FC evidently had pressure placed on them to come down hard on any anti-Don Givens banners at the recent U-21 game in Cork.

And still nothing done about it !! :eek:

He is still there and is still compromising his position, undermining the whole youth system. How is he being left away with this ???

[pineapple stu]

No, I'm not employed by "the FAI". I just get tired about every conceivable ill in Irish soccer being put at the door of "the FAI". Ever consider what "the FAI" is that everyone criticises. It's made up of numerous different people nearly all of whom are involved in soccer in Ireland and putting work into Junior, EL and International soccer.
OwlsFan, do you want to address my comments when defending the FAI? I'm sure they've done some good, but their actions of late have been disgraceful.

Incidentally, ask Waterford United fans about the superb work some current high-profile FAI members have done at club level. The FAI is a back-stabbing, back-scratching, looking-out-for-number-one organisation. Look at the travel and accommodation arrangements for the 1990 World Cup, the continual refusal to implement Genesis in full, the ousting of high-profile employees who were doing good for the league - e.g. Fran Rooney, Brendan Dillon, etc. - simply because they went against the grain.

[sullanefc]

What? You've never sweared at a game of football, no?


Of course I have, there is always the oul "Ah FFS" when your team misses a chance or if the ref gives a poor decision.


was at the match last night but didn't see the banner or hear the megaphone - probably was drowned out by the guy behind me who spent the entire match - as he does every week - shouting 'Stokes, you're a f..king clown' or ' you useless Rovers c..t, Stokes' (or Kelly. or Mckeon or whoever). There were a load of kids in front, who were imitating him and giggling ..... terrible entirely

It's this sort of carry on that I don't like. Can you imagine this guy with a mega phone? :eek:

And the Derry guy with the mega phone who just started screaming into it at one stage sounded like a complete idiot.

I have no problem with mega phones to start a chant going, and I know some chants have the odd swear word in them, but when the swearing goes over the top, that's when I have a problem with it.

[anto eile]

the fai are useless ****s
a co-ordinated susatained anti-fai banners in all EL grounds would be a good idea

[OneRedArmy]

No, I'm not employed by "the FAI". I just get tired about every conceivable ill in Irish soccer being put at the door of "the FAI". Ever consider what "the FAI" is that everyone criticises. It's made up of numerous different people nearly all of whom are involved in soccer in Ireland and putting work into Junior, EL and International soccer. People sit at keyboards criticizing "the FAI" but what they are attacking is the people involved in all walks of Irish soccer because that's what the FAI is made up of.
First question, are you an Eircom League fan?

Secondly you're absolutely wrong that by criticising the FAI we're somehow belittling the effort of every person involved in coaching, training under-age sides all around the country. Thats absolutely ridiculous.

The criticism is quite specific, its senior level FAI/EL administrators from John Delaney down. Within the space of a week the FAI/EL have decided that a whole range of behaviours that were previously encouraged or tolerated are no longer allowed, without any consultation, notice or the like. As I said, I didn't hear swearing through the megaphone but if it happened then a warning was probably correct, however the FAI ordering the taking down of the banner was absolutely, positively WRONG. If its someone's opinion that the disciplinary investigation was a farce, then in a free society they should be allowed to state this.

I'd much rather the FAI got on with putting together a decent long-term marketing plan to develop the EL rather than spending its time trying to root out criticism and protect its image.

Good article in the Sunday Times today on the mandarins of Merrion Square btw.

[A face]

a co-ordinated susatained anti-fai banners in all EL grounds would be a good idea


What are you saying ??


I mean .... if every club were to have anti-banners for the rest of the season, at every single game .... i mean ...... thats a crazy idea !?!?!!


Sooo crazy ... that it might actually work !! :p

[Mr_T]

Megaphones are grad once they are used for what they are meant to be used for ie to get the crowd all singing a certain song. The person using it last night just seemed to be saying any oul stuff that came into his head

As a fan I've always had mixed feelings about the magaphones. They seem a bit contrived, espcially if not in a very large crowd. Whatever about them, as joeraki says they should certainly only be used to start chants, and their use for shouting abuse is certainly out of order.

We've used one from time to time this sesaon and if the user starts shouting abuse or anything silly it was quickly taken off them and given to somebody more sensible/sober. ;)

[MariborKev]

We've used one from time to time this sesaon and if the user starts shouting abuse or anything silly it was quickly taken off them and given to somebody more sensible/sober. ;)

Exactly what happened on Friday night

[Troy.McClure]

I have no problem admitting that I was in the centre of the "megaphone incident" last night.


"Maribor is a football hooligan!" :D ;) :D

[thejollyrodger]

I agree, the day the Eircom League takes itself too serious in relation to banners and certain chants is a bad day for irish football

[rerun]

What are you saying ??
I mean .... if every club were to have anti-banners for the rest of the season, at every single game .... i mean ...... thats a crazy idea !?!?!!
Sooo crazy ... that it might actually work !! :p

Of course if I wanted a banner on telly and they were gonna take it down, I wouldn't put it up until during the game ;)

[Jaime]

the banner thing was started by rovers fans when they had this great big banner with huge writing on it saying CHEAP CIGS FOR SALE. CONTACT OLLIE..
which was aimed at oillie byrne over a conviction he was found guilty of for smuggling cigs a few years ago.

i mean whats wrong with that.
fair play rovers fans.
i thought it was class..

It started well before this season. Rovers had one a few seasons back having a go at Pat Scully over his bonus row, and Bohs fans had one for a game against Shels at the start of this season. It's nothing new, it's only the fascist clampdown that's new. :mad: