Matthews calls for summer soccer to go as Longford show another lack of ambition

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Originally Posted by Pablo

I'd love to ambitionless clubs like Longford get relegated. Sligo or Limerick would bring much more to the premier division.

Not just an empty ground and hoof ball like Longford

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How can you justify what you have just said.
Ambitionless? We are in the top four of the league, our aim to remain there. Since we were promoted, we've gone from strength to strength, both on and off the pitch. Fair enough, our performance in the UEFA Cup was disapointing but the lads never went out to lose the way they did. Our cup run was bound to come to an end and it's no reflection of the team - it's a Cup afterall and anything can happen.

However, if you think the club - officials, players and fans included have no ambitions (whether they are securing a higher place in the league or even winning the league) then you're wrong.

It's one of the most progressive clubs in the country and given time, will progress even further.

With regard to support it's obvious that it's levelled off and without the cup runs of recent years, it's hard to attract larger crowds at this time of year.

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Originally Posted by Pablo

I'd love to ambitionless clubs like Longford get relegated. Sligo or Limerick would bring much more to the premier division.

Not just an empty ground and hoof ball like Longford

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Agreed.

The only thing Longford have going for them these days is a decent enough stadium. No fans, sh!te football, a pr!ck of a manager and no ambition. If clubs like Longford want to hold the rest of us back let them move to the LSL where they can play all the winter football they want.

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Originally Posted by Colm

The only thing Longford have going for them these days is a decent enough stadium.

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It is one of the best stadiums in the country, unless you happen to be a visiting fan watching a game there in the rain. Then it transforms itself, into one of the most unpleasant, miserable grounds in the country to watch a match, and has the potential to make you endure a 2-hour long soaking, whatever the time of year. A bit like watching a game at Lansdowne in the rain behind the goal.

IMO summer soccer has affected crowds in the EL.With long evenings and good weather people can find 100 other things to do that they couldn't do in the winter.It clashes with summer holidays for everyone.I think Cork & Shels progress in Europe is mainly down to them going full time.Look across all the other clubs in Europe who don't play summer soccer and how well they do.Atmospheres are defo better at floodlit matches and that goes for all the grounds bar 1 or 2.What really needs to be done to bring crowds through the gates is find out the exact thing that is keeping them away.I think all games should be played on a Saturday night.It gives away fans a chance to go to games without taking time off work and so on.Prices should be reduced in all grounds and kids U12 acc. by an adult should be free into every ground.The FAI really need to get the finger out and push this league in the right direction.The way it stands there really is no time for full time football here for all teams as the crowds just aren't there and a league of 2 or 3 full time teams and the rest part timers just won't work.Crowds aren't big enough for it to work,there can't be much or a return for sponsors who will stop investing unless that changes,it dosen't look attractive enough for potential sponsors to invest big money and full time players will never be able to retire off what they earn in the EL so it makes much more sence to play part time and have a career on the go aswell.

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Originally Posted by Wiseguy

IMO summer soccer has affected crowds in the EL.

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No they haven't, and in Longfords case frankly it's obvious why crowds are so poor and the man calling for summer soccer to end is the one you need to be looking at for that.

Some teams have gotten bigger crowds some worse, that's football, nothing to do with the change. A change back would not get bigger crowds, you're living in fantasy land if you expect that.

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Originally Posted by Cop on

Ah yeah, sure you would. You'd love 'em. Adore them. Have a love-in for a while & then you'd be happy for them to toddle back to the first division.

You see, you boys are fine with us so long as we know our place. You don't mind us - in fact you're delighted that the old hegemony is broken. New bog to go & visit. You can have an old laugh at their 'ground', 'lack of facilities', old-style chip van & quaint little old dears serving cups of tea. In fact, if you're 'in the know', you'll even get brought into the bowels of the stand for a cup of tea & sandwiches at half time.

But, as soon as Sligo or Limerick start winning anything - or as soon as your 'prolific :p ' strikers fail to score against them - then you'll be pi$$ed off with them & you'll want them relegated. You'll spew your spite & your begrudgery & your hatred. How dare anyone ever not roll over for the 'total footballers' from Chokeland.

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my god you've some inferiority complex! i do enjoy your public break downs

you should see a doctor about that chip on you shoulder!

Just ignore all Longford fans its the only way
I was just on there site and they are all bitching about
how much they hate each other!
Pure inbred comedy!

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Originally Posted by Pablo

you should see a doctor about that chip on you shoulder!

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The one's with the chip seem to be you Corkies who constantly have to do us down at every opportunity. You were much more fun when you didn't take yourselves so fookin seriously. Dolan inflatted your ego's, and unfortunately you still believe the hype. It's a genuine shame....

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Originally Posted by harry crumb

How many of the players have "families"

The league is now made up of young players.

Take Cork City.

How many of the Cork City team have a family. ie. kids.

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I know what you mean, but don't forget that there's plans to change the adoption laws to allow same-sex couples become parents so this could become a problem for Cork players in the future.

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Originally Posted by hoops1

Just ignore all Longford fans its the only way
I was just on there site and they are all bitching about
how much they hate each other!
Pure inbred comedy!

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its probably for the best. i don't see the point arguing with social and intellectual inferiors

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Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

I know what you mean, but don't forget that there's plans to change the adoption laws to allow same-sex couples become parents so this could become a problem for Cork players in the future.

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Post of the month :D

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Originally Posted by Macy

The one's with the chip seem to be you Corkies who constantly have to do us down at every opportunity. You were much more fun when you didn't take yourselves so fookin seriously. Dolan inflatted your ego's, and unfortunately you still believe the hype. It's a genuine shame....

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Hard to disagree with this, but there's no need to tar everyone.
Matthews is wrong for the reasons I outlined earlier, it's nothing to do with who he manages.

In the end WWS is spot on. When the games are on doesn't affect attendances, the standards and exposure do, but grounds are more welcoming and pitches are better in summer.

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Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

I know what you mean, but don't forget that there's plans to change the adoption laws to allow same-sex couples become parents so this could become a problem for Cork players in the future.

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:D Priceless

Cork are flying high so naturally they don't want to change anything and I would suggest that is the reason behind all the anti-Longford posts rather than any reasoned arguments for or against summer soccer.

I utterly dismiss Mathews players-need-a-holiday rubbish they get nearly as many day off as teachers for god sake. Minnowism.

There is a good point made that Irelands reletive success in Europe has more to do with the move to Fully Professional Football teams than having a summer league. And there does seem to be some circumstantial evidence to support this in Longfords less than glorious European runs also Bohs best form in Europe was when we had gone professional and were in a winter league.

The crowds arguement doesn't wash with me. Crowds are up in teams that are doing well and down in teams that are not - nothing new there.

What i find the most laughable of all is idiots coming on here and calling LTFC an ambitionless club.What do these fools know about our club and it's ambitions.They clearly have no idea about the club,it's ambitions or it's history for that matter.What do they think has got the club to where it is today.It was a mess until Adrian Duncan and Stephen Kenny got involved.Duncan had the ambition to build an all seater stadium which he did.Kenny wanted promotion which he got.When Matthews took over he wanted to move us up the table and win a trophy along the way.We are now forth and have 3 trophies under our belt.Each year the club strives to improve but also to stay within it's means.It will be interesting to see how the "big" clubs will cope if the money ever dries up.Maybe we should all step out of the way for these huge clubs so they can have their own super league with just 2 or 3 teams playing a handful of matches each season.Maybe we'd all be better off without them.

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Originally Posted by Vitruvian Man

Crowds are up in teams that are doing well and down in teams that are not - nothing new there.

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Longford are doing well though while their crowds are dropping

We had a poll here on this a couple of months back & i think summer football won 4:1 or 3:1. If someone can find i will merge.

I think Longford are doing very well for club with small fanbase. Ok so their football not pretty recently but thats the manager & not the club. Sure Longford fans were moaning about it earlier in the season becuase crowds were suffering because of it.

There are many grounds in the league & i would be slow to travel to duting January or February - Harps, Longford, Monaghan etc...

Crowds go up & down for different teams depending on success. I don't think European success is the main reason to continue summer football but you can guarantee Shels & City would not have beaten teams in european duting the eL pre-season.

Can we forgot about Cork and Longford and have a poll , I heard that the general opinion at Rovers was that the regional clubs would get bigger crowds in winter as there is less competiton where as the better weather tends to attract more floating fans in Dublin.

Couldn't find old poll. So new one.

2 choices, simple.

Oh I best be nice or fear the wrath of khan.