This coming from a team that look like failing to qualify yet again this year and have been unable to beat Linfield in four attempts and have been beaten twice by a poor Glentoran team.Quote:
Originally Posted by City till I Die
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This coming from a team that look like failing to qualify yet again this year and have been unable to beat Linfield in four attempts and have been beaten twice by a poor Glentoran team.Quote:
Originally Posted by City till I Die
I'll state the reasons why your league isn't in a lull and why our league is.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
1) The support of the IL is shrinking on average
2) The league has 16 teams in a country that should have 10 teams - too many amatuerish setups.
3) The amount of quality players being produced in Northern Ireland has been reduced
4) Coverage of IL football is shrinking by the season
5) Facilities are crumbling
6) Only one club has any credibility in our league now.
Compare that to the LOI
1) Crowds are on the up on average
2) Fewer teams in the top division, makes competition a lot better
3) A lot of good players being produced by the LOI hence the amount going to Scotland and England
4) Coverage of LOI is getting better and better
5) Facilities are getting better
6) More clubs with credibility and pulling power
The fact that Scottish clubs and English clubs are signing your players is a testement of how well your league is going. Unfortunately few players in IL football get interest from across the water because the standard by and large is poor, even in comparison with the LOI. With Only Linfield being able to play and beat the top teams in the LOI.
Also on the 3 years to catch up thing.
I accept that the LOI will get better, but I do not and I think you would be foolish to believe that you will continue to get better at the same rate as you have in the last 5 years. Let's make no mistake about it, your standard has increased at a very rapid and steep rate. You will still get better I believe(and hope) but not at the same rate as you have been.
The IL however are even further behind than you where 5 years ago. But we seem to have good brains now at the top(Howard Wells) and I believe the IL will see a dramatic change in infrustructure and in 3 years the gap between us will be a lot closer. Whether we close the gap all together I don't know and probably say no, but I do believe we will have 3 or 4 teams in the IL that would be able to compete in the Setanta cup to a point where we could possibly have more than 1 qualify to the Semi's each year.
The Setanta cup has been a good exercise for IL football because it shows us how far we need to go to achieve a modest standard of football. Linfield aside the standard we have shown has been very limited.
It's also a good exercise for LOI teams because it's decent money and you get to have the likes of Linfield coming and achieving a bit of buzz about the towns.
How dare you question the European Giants of Irish football:p :DQuote:
Originally Posted by David
Laugh you may, but at least our players manage to avoid scheduling a fortnight in the sun at the same time as European ties.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Your lot should try it some time (awaits reminder of Linfield qualifying for European Cup quarter finals back in God knows when).
Your minnowism was shown clearly in the Brandywell a few weeks back. Never has a draw been celebrated so uproariously.
Pathetic.
Not until last Friday night at Richmond anyway :)Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Everybody celebrates coming from 2 goals down away to gain a draw. Everybody
Exactly. 15 minutes left, 2-0 down. Imagine celebrating a draw. They have had one good run in Europe when they got to the first round proper and you would think they won the fecking Champions League. Yet again though they finish well behind Linfield in a Setanta group, will probably fail to qualify and were beat at home against the reserve team of a club who are only placed third in a league they continually ridicule.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Yeah how dare we celebrate from coming from 2 nil behind against full-time opposition who are from a superior league and more or less assuring that we qualified into the next round of the Setanta. Still undefeated by the European giants in 4 games.Quote:
Originally Posted by OneRedArmy
Still hurting then:D
DCFC aha aha aha, aha aha aha, aha aha aha
Oh and enjoy your struggle in the league this year whilst I enjoy our 47th league triumph. :cool:
I can imagine the pride of such a record would be equivalent to that of Cork City's Munster Senior Cup triumphs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Aye that would be right. :rolleyes: How did you do against Dungannon at Stangmore, a mid table team this season? By the way we beat them five down there.Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
Pal one thing is for sure, your lot wouldn't win our league. Actually there is probably only 2 or 3 teams in your league that would challange. Drogs, St Pats and Derry City. Even then would they show the same consistancy as Linfield? Hardly think so.Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
We drew 1-1 with them in our first game in 3 months. Telling me how easily you beat them only emphasises my point.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
As I've said before we need to have the competition at a different time. Our sides are shattered half way through just when the EL sides get full fitness and it's pointless and the last 2 seasons we've really struggled at this stage of the season mainly in the last few league games with it.
Ourselves this season we haven't been good enough bar a few games and we've almost thrown parts of our side together because we didn't have a good enough squad at the start and because of injuries it's been even more difficult. I think we've did decent enough in the competition although I think we should and will do better.
:rolleyes: yes, name the other 3 teams in the setanta cup, it shows how much you know. face it, the league you're in is a joke, and you're happy to wallow in it because a challenge might mean you can't brag about beating some of the worst footballing teams this side of georgia.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
What point? That you could not beat a mid table Irish League team at the same venue that we won 5-1 at?Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
Teams like Portadown that have went to Turners Cross and got a win? Is that the sort of teams you are talking about?Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
No, teams like Portadown that have embarrassed themselves by being hockied this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
No, my point is that they are supposedly regulars in the top four of your league, and you're beating them 5-1 away. Our little preseason kick about hardly constitutes a comparison to your lot taking pride/pleasure out of beating 15 rubbish teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
****hole of a league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Ye can stick yer Irish League up yer hole!! We're now playing with the big boys of Irish football, a challenging match every week, unlike pathetic easy victories at Loughgall, Limavady etc...Aye sure you bask in your 47th Mickey Mouse league win and we'll continue to face European giants of football:p
In fairness that was our season in one and it was complete ****e. We did get a draw up at WP if you can remember.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
And win feck all good one pal:DQuote:
Originally Posted by City till I Die
You where a small fish in our pond and your a small fish in the LOI pond. Your just a small fish:p
You can only beat whats in front of us and we do it very well. In fact when we are playing so called big LOI clubs, we manage to beat them to. So really does it matter? We have beaten both of your league favourites already this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
Our league is bad we accept that, but your league is hardly La liga now is it?Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
I accept your league has more depth. But your top teams are certainly no better than Linfield. I don't think any of your teams would find it easy to beat Coleraine, Ballymena or Portadown(just to name but a few) on a cold winters night in November on a heavy pitch.
Nor would we want to. But the attitude of the average linfield fan, they you're happy as a pig in muck being a football team in, well, muck... it both confuses and frustrates me. If you are as good as you say you are, would facing our greater depth not be beneficial to linfield as you would gain greater experience, face better quality of football, and not have to play in ballymena on a heavy pitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Continue? It was a one off. You will win no more than one game this year I would say. As for this pathetic league, how have you fared against playing teams in it. Let me seeQuote:
Originally Posted by City till I Die
Played 8
Won 2
Lost 3
Drawn 3
If our league is pathetic what does that make Derry City. Surely with two "pathetic" Irish League teams in your Setanta group you will have qualified comfortably both seasons.
Why do you not aspire to playing in the English Premiership?Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
we'd get slaughtered? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by David
The SPL then? Or the French league? No because you are playing in the league of your country just like we are.Quote:
Originally Posted by GavinZac
When did i ever call Linfield pathetic? Everyone knows Linfield are the only good team in that league. What i dont get is that Linfield fans know this but still refuse to accept that they are winning a competition that is amateur at best. Linfield had 2 games against each team in the Il to prove that they are better. We've had eight, lost 3 deservedly, drawn 3 we maybe should have won and won 2 we did deserve. Now, should Derry City be playing in the IL (or any of the top LOI teams for that matter), then over a season, i'm sure we'd show that we could do what Linfield can. From my point of view, jelousy reeks from Linfield fans. The fact that we Derry City had a magnificent European run and the fact that the BBC covered us in our magnificent European run and not Linfields abysmal European run. Ever since Linfield fans have had a grudge against Derry City and our fans because of this. The fact is Linfield fans know the truth, and it seems the truth hurts by their reaction.Quote:
Originally Posted by David
Enjoy your squabble in YOUR(;) ) amateur league!!
http://www.stpatsfc.com/watch_video.php?id=55
goals from pats port
kdjac
Quote:
Originally Posted by City till I Die
Once again Linfield shows the superiority we have even over the best LOI teams by topping the group with the supposed 2 best teams in the LOI.
That's 3 tournements in a row we have topped our group.
Also why would we be jealous? Sure you had a good run, well done. We would like to replicate that but jealous? Na. We win trophies every season, even when you where in our league and even when we had Belfast Celtic and even when the IL was streets ahead of the LOI. We always win trophies.
The IL will eventually close the gap between the two nations that is certain. But it's going to take some time. If the LOI experiances a massive lull in the next 5 years are Cork or any LOI team going to jump ship? Of course not.
definitely going to head up for the Linfield game.
More importantly than all that sh!te, have youse got a spare keeper?Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
What a God-awful game of football tonight. Two teams who are supposedly among the best in the league, and they can't string two passes together for the most part, can't control the ball, can't take it down, can't give it to a defender without him hoofing aimlessly up the pitch... Derry couldn't even manage a back-pass properly - Oman's headed attempt where he injured himself and Rogers' suicidal pass for the goal were comical.
Thank God Zayed won be twenty quid at the death, or I'd be asking for that last 90 minutes back...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Bruce
Havent played us yet and in our 1st seaosn we have nearly scored as many goals as you in all 3 of yours.
How is Jennings a professional keeper, fair enough one or 2 mistakes a season are acceptable even Ryan makes mistakes but 2 every game is shocking.
kdjac
Drogheda didnt come to play.
At least Derry tried.:ball:
Our reserve keepers a good keeper but you cant have him:p :DQuote:
Originally Posted by dancinpants
Dont know what game you were watching but i thought we played quite well up until the mistakes by PJ. Pizza was excellent and Molloy looked steady when he came on. I was happy with our performanceQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
In Jennings' defence, I'd have to say the first took a deflection and was possibly a free out (though he should have held the ball having gotten that much on it), and the second was a hospital pass from Rogers that Jennings had to run out of his box to try and clear, and the ball bounced badly for him. Could have done better for both, but I'd be looking at Rogers for the second goal way before Jennings.Quote:
Originally Posted by kdjaC
Trust me CTID - it's one tihng when you're involved in the game, quite another as a neutral! That was a shocking 90 minutes of football. Seriously.
Linfield arn't a good team but they can still win the 'group of death' two seasons in a row,so much for the galactico's of la eircom liga.
Shall we get t the final please dont insult us with Galacticos....we`re patselona!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by blueman1886
kdjac