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Neither do I. I do however believe that supporting the eircom League is good for football in this country. I take your point though- what I was getting at is the people who spend hundreds on trips to england every few weeks- if that money was going into Irish football at any level it would improve things massively- plus if it all went to eircom League clubs, then maybe there'd be more youth academies etcQuote:
Originally Posted by KarlosIRL
But again it comes back to people's freedom to chose. You cannot force anything on people. Its like saying that if we all stayed and took our holidays in Ireland tourism would be great!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Éanna
Way too simplistic.
You should watch the Green and Red TV series, where he says that he still looks for Scotlands results first, and how he was píssed off at not getting called up for Scotland so when Charlton asked him to play for Ireland he thought sod it, might as well. Sure sounds like a committed Irishman to me. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by smallbrownman
I'm sort of with you here Macy although I find it hard to criticise Houghton because of those 2 goals :) . You are right though, theres a massive difference between say Kilbane and Breen against the likes of Aldridge and McAteer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
When they put on the Green shirt though I'm behind them all.
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Originally Posted by Macy
that is fair enough but I doubt he regrets for a second choosing Ireland. Also I remember when he was at palace, morrrison saying how houghton was always onto him to declare for Ireland. There has being a few plastic paddies whose irishness has being very questionable but overall their impact has being positive and as such a small nation we need them.
Even mighty France need a regular helping hand from the likes of senegalese born players etc
Why does he keep on saying it? Especially to an RTE production. Someone's lying....Quote:
Originally Posted by smallbrownman
I'm well aware that people have the right to do what they want, I was just making the point about what a difference it could make. Also, I have no problem whatsoever with people who like to go aborad and take in a game- I've done it myself- its the people who ONLY watch games abroad and wouldn't go near a game in this country (Landsdowne being the possible exception) that **** me offQuote:
Originally Posted by The Dublin Red
I cannot for the life of me see any problem in people chosing to support whatever clubs they wish to support. I have nothing in common with someone who follows a team like Man Utd from a bar stool but I respect their right to. Nor do I think any EL supporter is anyway better than us who happen to support a club in a different country.Quote:
Originally Posted by Éanna
There is a big difference between people who go abroad and take in a game to those of us who actively support a club in a different country. I make no apologies for my support for Nottingham Forest. I have the greatest respect for the EL and the people who travel the country with their clubs. I think people like yourself should respect diversity and people's right to support other teams in different countries.
For the record I am involved in grass roots football in this country, I set up and founded a club 5 years ago and we're still going strong. Just because I have done that does not make my superior to any football fan or supporter, its just I'm more into it.
By the way Eana, if you so wish, send me a pm and i'll email you a copy of our last newsletter. At least then you'll see what kind of stuff we do in the Ireland Branch of the Nottinghma Forest Supporters Club.
Must be a different Ray Houghton then.Quote:
Originally Posted by smallbrownman
The Ray Houghton I'm thinking of has always maintained that he wanted to play for Scotland but never thought he would, so jumped at the chance of international football when approached by Jack Charlton.
Why would he state this time and time again? Out of sympathy? I doubt it.... I know the state the Scottish football is in, believe me but if Ray Houghton started to patronise Scottish football fans like you suggest, I suspect that he knows the reaction he would get...
What I'm getting at is the people who support clubs from a bar stool, but DON'T involve themselves at any level in this country- they are the ones I have no time for. I know of many dedicated football people who don't support the eL because it's very difficult to combine that with their involvement at other levels, that I can understand. People sitting on a barstool and doing absolutely nothing- thats what I hateQuote:
Originally Posted by The Dublin Red
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Originally Posted by Éanna
I agree wholeheartedly on your point here! :)
The EL would still be the same as it is today even if no fans went across to the UK to support their teams. I doubt if they'd go to EL games because they're played in poor stadia for the most part and the product is poor and always will be because gaelic football and hurling, based upon county loyalties, is the national and predominant sport here. Local soccer cannot compete and never could. The best we could hope for is two Dublin, 1 Cork, 1 Derry and maybe 1 team from the west competing in the Scottish leagues if Celtic and Rangers bugg*r off to the PL.
Sorry but that's the truth of it - the EL will never be anything of substance.
Sorry there chief, but besides maybe 12 decent stadia, the Scottish Leagues aren't exactly the most glamorous place to ply your trade...its a bullsh*t argument anyway, coz its a crap idea!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Yes, but most of them grew up in France and feel French (a few exceptions though).Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Morrisson refused the Irish jersey at first as he was hoping for an English call. No insult to him (why should I blame him for loving England, if that's the way he feels...) but if I were Kerr the door was locked now. It makes the national team look like England's waste bin.
Belgium also had a few players naturalised to call them for the national team. Some criticised it, some didn't care. But the truth is they blocked the road for a few Belgian talented ones and apart from Luis Oliveira the "new Belgians" didn't bring that much to the national team. No one wanted Steev Malbranque to play for Belgium even though he was allowed to and though he was playing in the Premiership ; but no one (or hardly anyone) accepted him as being Belgian.
thank you. nice to see someone agrees with me on thatQuote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
There are many. I've talked to someone who even stopped supporting the national team because of the few players in it who just chose Ireland for the sake of their careers, and it seems the guy was mainly pointing towards Morrisson.
Now let's not blacklist the guy, from his point of view it may be understandable. I just think Brian Kerr should not just let him in when he comes crawling back because England doesn't call him.
It's one of the reasons I stopped going to Landsdowne to support the FAIreland team, and one of the main reasons I don't really support that team much nowQuote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
Ah now head EL football is way better than Irish weather ! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by The Dublin Red
Come off it Eanna, lots of us agree with that. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Éanna
Players should be asked once and once only - anything other than a straight yes, fook em off for ever.
Something definitely nees to be done to stomp this sort of thing out of the game. Can't these people just simply make their minds up where a sense of loyalty stands.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
Over here in Germany, Ailton - a Brazilian playing for Schalke and before that Werder Bremen - caused a load of problems. He had been here long enough to play for Germany and had never played for Brazil - not a chance if that happeneing, but a good striker. Not too many were happy about that over here, as it was just because he wanted to play in the World Cup. So he get's all narky and sounds out the possibility of signing up for an Arab nation (can't think who right now), until FIFA blocked it. What a joker.
No way would I want such a character representing my team. And should such a person do so, and be even successful, there will still be problems from supporters.
We have several. Morrison being one - "no I want to play for England, or Jamaica, okay England aren't going to pick me, so yes I'll for "the Republic""Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Blue
And how lucky we are we didn't get stuck with Zat Knight :eek: ,Englands mickey mouse centre half,will he play for them again?,doubt it very much.The cheek of the cnut to even consider thinking he could play for our national team :mad:
Bit harsh Macy - several? I agree generally with what yourself, Eanna and Frank Blue are saying but I don't think its thats big a problem. This team is definitely a lot more "Irish" than some of the Charlton teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
I'd single out Morrison and Holland as Opportunists and only Morrison is really a vital player for us. Macken won't get a kick again. Am I missing anyone out?
Eanna, you say that this issue is one of the reasons why you can't follow the Irish team anymore, what are the others?
Without going into too much detail: the FAI, Matt Holland, Jon Macken, Roy Keane, the premiership/celtic fans in Landsdowne.Quote:
Originally Posted by davey
:rolleyes: How little ye know...Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
I doubt there's a person here who couldn't agree with that. Sometimes, i wonder why people bother, why i buy the jerseys, etc., but it's just the fact that they represent the nation that spurs me on. Players come and go, as do administrations within the FAI. One day hopefully, we'll have a progressive Chief there, with a dedicated side and a united crowd drawn from many eL clubs, coming together to support the national side. Hopefully... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Éanna