while its great to see el clubs do well in europe and i would support them all some people seem to be think this is the cure for all or ills. its like painting the upper decks of a sinking ship.
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while its great to see el clubs do well in europe and i would support them all some people seem to be think this is the cure for all or ills. its like painting the upper decks of a sinking ship.
I would like to categorically state now that I do not think that clubs doing well in Europe is a cure all for our woes as a national league.Quote:
Originally Posted by passerrby
I do think that it is a step in the right direction for a more credible league in the eyes of those that diss the league and those that are passive to it. I would also like to state categorically that the FAI should target the 'passive' interest i.e. those that would say they have a team in the eL, but just look out for their results or haven't been in years brigade. They are looking for something to be sympathetic to and an excuse to get back. In essence they need the motivation to come back. I think that positive results in Europe will only help to attract these people to our grounds.
I have actively supported the following EL teams playing in Europe:-
Bohemians, Cork City, Dundalk, St.Patrick's Athletic, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne and U.C.D. only things like work and ill health have prevented me supporting others. I wish Derry City and Drogheda all the best in the UEFA Cup and I was in Turner's Cross for the game with Red Star Belgrade.
I make no apology for wanting EL clubs to do well in Europe and to improve the coefficient , because it makes it easier the following season for other teams and on two occasions even U.C.D. can qualify for Europe !
The fact that many teams at the business end of the Premier Division are full time professional nowadays has made it possible for results to improve in Europe, as has the change to summer soccer. However that is the only aspect of summer soccer which I believe to have been a success.
Another reason to support your rivals, outside European football is this;- If their winning against other opposition, makes it easier for your team to achieve something in the EL, then why not support them when it is to your club's advantage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesThompson
agree with that.
though id add bohez and pats to the el clubs i dont "support"/wish well in europe
There's a healthy "we're a bigger club than ye" rivalry going on between Galway United and Sligo Rovers fot the last few decades but when they played in Europe in the 1990's, I wished them well. When Sligo beat some Maltese club, I know 2 GUFC fans who travelled to the Showgrounds to support them.
Also, when St Pat's played in Parkhead, I was roaring at the TV in support of St Pat's when they drew with Celtic. Any other time, I'd be leaning towards Celtic.
Likewise, I hoped Gretna would win the 2006 Scottish Cup Final. A few weeks later, I was hoping Derry City would kick the $h!t out of them anf they did.
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This is what's wrong with our league,we're already a relatively small and struggling organisation that gets stick and abuse that we all rightfully complain about and defend against and then you hear loi fans wishing other teams lose in europe?What the f*ck?Can you people above this not see the stupidity in hoping bohs or pats or whoever lose in europe?We're too small a league to go on with that sh*te.When we're a giant force in european football and get 50-60 thousand at games we can start that maybe,sure even in england most teams support eachother in europe.I can't understand anyone who hopes for an loi team to lose in europe.
Do you honestly believe "the ship is sinking" as you put it?Quote:
Originally Posted by passerrby
Most would agree with you that the EL's problems are broader and more wide-ranging than simple Euro success will address. However, I believe most would disagree with you that the EL is a sinking ship. The league is in a better state now than it has been for 15-20 years. I can't help but feel that you've shoe-horned the 'sinking ship' phrase/cliche in just to find an excuse to use it...!Quote:
Originally Posted by passerrby
But at the same time, Euro results are the only available yard stick with which to measure our league. One of the big sticks that those who don't follow Irish football use to beat us with is the fact that they don't think we're any better than their local pub league. When they see us consistently putting in good results against teams from leagues they thought were way better than us, then their perceptions will have to change. I'm not just talking about those who are pathologically anti-EL, as we'll never persuade them no matter what. But there are large swathes of the population for whom the idea of sampling an EL game has simply never crossed their mind, largely because they have a perception of it as being muck. Nicer stadiums will be of some use in coaxing them out. More TV coverage might help them pick a preferred team and keep a closer eye on the clubs. But it's a fundamental step-change in both mentality and beahviour that would be required to get them along. The only thing I can see capable of kick-starting such a step-change in the short-to-medium term are European results.
It's not the answer in itself - but it is a key piece in solving the puzzle.
City's experiences in recent weeks back this up. There is what can only be described as Candystriped fever in Derry at the moment. Even with our 3,000 most ardent fans at the game in Motherwel llast Thursday, there were still cars driving round Derry after the game, horns tooting with red n' white flags out the window. The town has gone loopy over the club, and this is almost entirely down to the results against Gothenburg and Gretna.Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesThompson
It's just like the late 1980's/early 90's again in the City, with the club top of everyone's thoughts. Back in those days we were attracting 10,000 to every home game and taking up to 4,000 away. At the start of this season our home crowds were c. 2,500. Perhaps uniquely in Irish football, there is a very large chunk of our town who are lapsed City fans. Nothing had reignited most of their interests in the club in the intervening years. Until now.
Our game against Pats on Sunday had a crowd of 3,000 - 500 (20%) up on our league average this season, so it's having some immediate impact on our appeal. Will we keep these extra 500 fans as Euro glory fades and the season plods on ? Certainly not all - but I'd like to think we'll definitely keep some. Needless to say, there are now more Derry City relica tops kicking round Derry, Strabane etc than there have been for 15 or so years. And that's all down to European results.
good to hear
Harps were very unlucky in that game.Ref was a homer.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
There's at leaast 1,000 things more wrong (sic) about this league than ans not wanting their rivals to do wellQuote:
Originally Posted by nshoop
I won't actively cheer teams on but I would be dissapointed if they were to lose.
We should just give up now so, if you don't want an Irish team other than Bohs to qualify for a group stage in Europe... We could be waiting a while.Quote:
Originally Posted by chippie0001