for all the reasons outlined earlier in the thread, a crap decision.
for any ManU fans reading this - the LOI fans will be the ones there 15 minutes early, in their designer gear and talking on their mobile phones...
for all the reasons outlined earlier in the thread, a crap decision.
for any ManU fans reading this - the LOI fans will be the ones there 15 minutes early, in their designer gear and talking on their mobile phones...
Have to say I had mixed feelings about this one at first.
My first thought was Man Utd will attract a good crowd to the game, where hopefully the League of Ireland players show the 'event junkies' that our league is the one they should follow.
Second thought is that what the FAI have done is insulting to us ordinary League of Ireland supporters, with the prospect that the majority of the Irish attending will be wearing Man Utd jerseys, cheering on the English team in our new 'national' stadium. The Rovers/ Madrid game last year had an overwhelming number of fans cheering on Rovers, I doubt that will be the case here.
My third thought is that the FAI only really care about their own finances, ie the National Team and Aviva Stadium, with the League of Ireland trailing some way behind. I was hoping that the FAI would make a gesture to LOI supporters such as the first game being a friendly/ League game, which LOI season ticket holders would be given free access to the stadium. I'm embarrassed I was so naive.
So when does the mass production of the ant-FAI banners start.
What sweetness it would be embarass them on their big night!
Fair enough the timing mightnt be great so thats a good reason for complaint. But would people be complaining if the opposition was Real Madrid instead of Man United? Were the same complaints made when Rovers had the offical opening of Tallaght against Madrid? I would have liked to have seen a league select team playing against the National team personally but Im just glad that league of Ireland is involved in the first game of the stadium and that some people are getting a bit too precious about the opposition.
It will be brilliant, like that time everybody went to Croke Park on an anti-Delaney protest and manged to get rid of him!!
How many fans actively select not to go to the LOI to watch/attend La Liga?Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Not one LoI club will benefit a red cent from this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
It's pure tokenism designed to placate...........well, people like you to be honest.
I watch LOI football and Premiership football. Does that mean Im not a proper Galway United fan?Quote:
Originally Posted by MariborKev
People like me? Im going to Terryland for 30 years watching LOI footballQuote:
Originally Posted by Lim till i die
The official opening of Tallaght Stadium was a League of Ireland game between Rovers and Sligo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
The Real Madrid game was a glamour friendly almost half way through the season.
Where did I say that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
yes when i heard about it i asked a barstooler united "fan", united playing away in ireland, will you go? reply i got was "no not against that league of ireland ****e"Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
what a tool!!!!
Fair enoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Cold Night
I meant easily led, not that you weren't the bestest Galway fan in the world.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Why didn't the English FA open Wembley with a game with a Premiership XI v Barcelona??
"Oh isn't Mr. Delaney lovely to even involve the likes of us in his part owned shiny new bowl" :rolleyes:
I repeat, not one LoI club will gain a red cent from this nonsense
Ok I made a poor reply there. Yes there are idiots who write off LOI football and say its sh1te but there are also alot of die hard LOI fans that enjoy English football too. I just hate this attitude that if anyone doesnt hate the Premiership that automatically they seem to be labled a barstooler... and I know u didnt call me one, but it just seems to be that some people have the attitude that u must hate English football to be a proper LOI fanQuote:
Originally Posted by MariborKev
Why am I easily led? Is it just because I dare to enjoy football from outside my own county and wouldnt mind seeing a League of Ireland 11 playing against one of the best sides in European football?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lim till i die
It's nothing personal, just this whole "i'm just glad to be involved" attitude, it's minnowism, plain and simple.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Not one LoI club will benefit a red cent from this nonsense.
RLP,
No harm done. However I would say that the % of "sinn fein" attitude you speak is nothing in comparison to the % of people who seem to revel in talking down the domestic game. No one here has any illusions about it(how can a player than cost €10k compared with one that cost €40m) but there is nothing wrong in standing up for the domestic product. Decisions like this one just appear to be a slap in face for people.
Look, our main problems are
1: We are next door to the 'biggest/ richest' league in the world
2: We also have to compete with the GAA and now the Rugby.
3: We only have a population of 4 million.
Positives:
1: Despite the above, we are ranked 30th out of 54 European leagues, which means we bat above our weight population wise.
2: Irish people love football, we need to figure out how to make the domestic game more attractive to punters here
3: Once you get the League of Ireland bug, watching foreign leagues on TV is a poor second.
We need to encourage people to love Irish football, rather than pretending we're British.
Fair enough the clubs probably wont benefit from it financially, but do you not think that the league could use all the positive publicity it can get? I know one friendly isnt gonna make feck all difference but everything helps. I dont think its minnowism to play against United in a friendly because most LOI clubs will probably play against one british team or another over their preseason and those games will be in the middle of our season too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lim till i die
At the end of the day its a friendly that might generate a bit of good publicity for the league for a change, and I think instead of crappin all over the idea of it and saying it'll be rubbish coz it will be full of United fans, as many league of ireland fans as possible should go to the game in their own teams colours and make a bit of atmostphere and maybe a few "barstoolers" might get it into their heads that maybe the league isnt crap
RLP,
The League cup semis are on the start of that week. Here is my five point marketing plan.
1. Spend the money that the FAI spent on bringing United over to publicise it
2. Play the two games on the one night
3. Charge a €5 or a €10 in
4. Offer every affliated club in Ireland the chance to buy two tickets to the game(Same way the GAA did for Dubs v Tyrone last year)
5. Have a shed load of promotions at the game
I could go on, but there in 30 seconds is more creativity than the FAI have shown.
Couldnt agree more that the % of people that talk the domestic game down is much higher, we are struggling to get crowds of a thousand in Terryland in a city whos pubs are full to the rafters every sunday for premiership games. But we need to find ways of changing peoples minds and I think games like these dont hurt at all and instead of dismissing them out of hand as just a bullsh1t money maker for the FAI we should just try to look on the positive side a bit more.Quote:
Originally Posted by MariborKev
Cant argue with anything u said there really bar the first one. I think games like this should be used in conjuction with those and other ideas to get people through the gates.Quote:
Originally Posted by MariborKev
There is ZERO positive publicity to be gained from watching a team of players their clubs aren't using being managed by an eccentric clown during a walk about against yawning Man United players infront of a crowd of plastic hammer wavin Antos.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I said nothing of the kind, Face it, if every LoI regular in the country went they wouldn't even half fill the placeQuote:
I think instead of crappin all over the idea of it and saying it'll be rubbish coz it will be full of United fans,
I wouldn't give the FAI a euro of my hard earned jobseekers allowance personally.Quote:
as many league of ireland fans as possible should go to the game in their own teams colours
In no way does this game help anyone except the FAI.Quote:
I know one friendly isnt gonna make feck all difference but everything helps.
It's minnowism to be grateful that the governing body of our game sees fit to arrange a Mickey Mouse friendly in the middle of a raft of important domestic and European fixtures and expects clubs to hand over players for it.Quote:
I dont think its minnowism to play against United in a friendly
So you thik the FAi will charge only enough to cover costs? Or do you think every penny they make will be put back into marketing the leagueQuote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Or do you think they'll make a bit a cash and pay off some of the money they borrowed to pay for the stadium?
Lim Til I die, how is this friendly any different to any other the other friendlies that all LOI clubs will play against british clubs over the summer? As I said Im glad that the LOI will be involved in the first game in the stadium and they have to play against someone. no point in saying it should have been 2 loi teams when we can even fill our own stadiums
Of course they will make money from it and yeah they will probably pay off some of the loans, I dont have a problem with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
I'll asnwer that if you don't mind LTID...Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
The difference is that LOI clubs make money from their own games.
Erm, mainly the fact that if a LoI club arranges a friendly against foreign opposition and runs it properly the LoI club benefits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Whereas all this does is keep the wolves away from the FAI's doors for another few months.
EDIT: Well played, mr Dodge
ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, oleQuote:
Originally Posted by razors left peg
But then why are you trying to claim its anything but a money maker? its not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
The ONLY reason a LOI side is involved is because it costs the FAI NOTHING to use them. Irish Club sides would expect a cut. Foreign sides would expect a fee. even international players get fees
Listen to the Dodge, he knows what's up ;)
Lads ye are entitled to yer opinions, its after 1 and Im wrecked so this will my last word on it. Yes the FAI will make money on it and like I said I dont mind that,the loans on the stadium have to be paid so money does have to be made somehow.If u of the opinion that u hate the national team and dont want anything to do with the FAI paying for a stadium well then thats a whole different arguement.
I still think that a game like this will be good publicity for the league and I think more games like this should happen,but of course other things need to be done too. The timing of the game could be better but if the main reason people think its a bad idea is because it will make money for the big bad men of the FAI then theres not alot I can say to change their minds.
If it gets 10 extra people through the gates of Terryland from the publicity then I will be happy enough
Minnowism ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Not one person gave that reason. Some are against it because the ONLY people to make money are the FAi and Man U. But if clubs were to benefit, I think most would be happy enough to see the FAi coveer their costs...Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
Again, you've missed the point entirely. How will a game between a LOI selection (which should have no representations from galway if it was done on merit) and Man utd get one person through the gate at terryland? Everybody who's interested in football in galway is already aware of Galway United's existence, and they choose not to go. How will this game change their mind?Quote:
If it gets 10 extra people through the gates of Terryland from the publicity then I will be happy enough
It will be on Sky Sports and that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Can you imagine if the English FA asked for a Premier League selection to play midweek in Wembley on a Champions League night?!
No, Neither could I.
Correct me if I'm wrong (I was in the States at the time so I'm relying on second hand information), but weren't Rovers' home games sold out for the few weeks after the Real fixture? If this fixture boosts the profile of the AL even a small bit, it should be viewed in a positive light, and if the Airtricity XI do well then that's an added bonus. Plus, it should be a good opportunity to see Gibson, Evans and, possibly, O'Shea in action.
Basically this game puts us on a par with Thailand and Malaysia and other such countries which invite Man Utd/Liverpool etc over to beat an invitational XI.
Perhaps I'm wrong but I don't know of Austria, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Cyprus, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland and other countries with teams that aren't likely to dominate Europe, but have teams in direct competition with television audiences in Spain/Italy/England/Germany, lowering themselves to such an embarrassing degree.
The FAI, our national footballing governing body, basically ignore the fact we have a very competitive UEFA co-efficient league (good enough to put out teams from Russia, Scandinavia etc.) and embarass fans of football in Ireland in favour of selling 50,000 tickets to barstoolers, instead of selling 30,000 tickets by having a LoI game, or even an XI versus a team that isn't in direct comptetition with the FAI's market (i.e. not Man Utd/Liverpool/Celtic and play a prestigous foreign side, something a "small" "irrelevant" team like Shamrock Rovers were able to be a part of with huge success, to the point of being broadcast in just about every football playing country in the world....how many of you remember Thaliand XI losing by a cricket score to Spurs or whoever last yeah?)
I'm not an economics scholar, but at some stage someone at the FAI must have considered that hey, we're comparing the dregs of our product to the barstoolers wet dream that is Man Utd. If they were serious about promoting the league in this country that is suicide.
But we all know they're not. They're serious about doing whatever they possible can to get cash in the bank, even if it is to the detriment of football in this country. Just look at John Delaney is so mornonic that he thought football in Ireland would have been best served by getting our least glamrous fixtures out of the way first, to fill Lansdowne Road early on, instead of having the common sense to see that Irish football would be better served by having us qualify instead of having an extra 5,000 fans watch us beat Andorra 3-0.
In a normal country this would be enough to have Delaney's head on a platter.
Instead we should all look forward to Delaney talk about how he promoted the game in Ireland by standing behind Platini this evening in Hamburg. The pathetic Irish media will also gleefully report on the superstars like a crippled Owen Hargreaves and Fulham youth team prosepect Smalling opening the new Lansdowne Road, and focus the majority of their reports on how cool John Delaney's scarf looked on the telly, for fear of losing their press accreditation and losing the chance of asking Thomas Kuzkack what he thinks of the new stadium.
Does anyone else ever wonder what the f.c.king point is in having a League of Ireland?
As has already been mentioned before in this thread, I'd be delighted if this led to some sort of protest from Irish football fans. It's certainly the only way I'd ever consider going to such a cringeworthy game, it'd be great if Ultras groups could put aside rivalry for a night to embarass the FAI, and confessed Man Utd super fan John Delaney, in any way.
I think the FAI has to have one so they can keep going on the oul international junkets??Quote:
Originally Posted by Jicked
The point of the LOI is so we can look down on the type of saps who are looking forward to this
obviously