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I passed 5 parks on the way to Tallaght through public transport. You could probably name them yourself. All full, not just kids, mens teams too. It's sad.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
We can bleat on all we want about support, it's a notion. The FAI could do more too as I said above - surely they could have asked for the games to be thursday-sunday, or, make watching the senior match in Tallaght more accessible.
FWIW I bought four tickets for the 21s. Intended to leave work at 4.30, head home - watch the Ireland match and then drive to Tallaght.
Got stuck in work for a bit, ended up seeing the Armenia game on a delay and then wasn’t gonna make it to Tallaght - but fully intended to travel and paid to do so
I don't know whether or not they'd be allowed to have 7k in there for an international or not, but I'd be surprised if they didn't get a bigger crowd there than they got in Tallaght.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
I don't think you can compare it to Cork City games, there are a lot of people, kids, school groups etc that would go to an international that wouldn't go to a regular season league of Ireland game. An international game is always likely to draw a wider group of people in than a club game where it's more of a partisan local support. When they have played in Cork previously it's always looked like a good crowd on TV. When they play in Tallaght it always looks largely empty.
There were four games played at Turners Cross in the qualifiers for the 2025 Championships - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_U...roup_A#MatchesQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
3,754 v Turkey
3,826.v San Marino
6,157 v Italy
5,754 v Norway
Given the opposition, I'd say the attendance could have been around 4,000
FWIW the only game in the qualifiers played in Tallaght stadium was against Latvia, with 953 in attendance , but it was the same night that the senior team played Greece in Aviva stadium
I should point out that I'm not disagreeing with anyone that the game could have been held anywhere else other than Tallaght, just saying that the attendance was affected by the kick off of the Armenian game and would have been no matter where the U21 game was held
Yes, the FAI should use Cork and they should think outside the box a bit and head to Athlone or Longford, Galway or Sligo for the U21 games. A bit of promotion in advance for friendlies & competition games will attract decent attendances as has been proven with Turners Cross. It's only fair that these International games are spread around the country. Athlone with 2,500 v Andorra would have had a much better atmosphere then Tallaght last night. Just look at the response to the Athlone Town Women's team recently.
The FAI are slow on the uptake. They get it right, for instance with the opening league game at the AVIVA, a terrific promotion. They should really push the U21's games in these venues more often. The amount of interest in the international underage teams is huge. With the proper organisation and preparation there is a great marketing opportunity for the FAi to promote the underage support!
Can someone in the FAI's marketing & promotion team, please stand up and be counted on!
Interest might be huge, but support clearly is not. If I got contacted, then I assume all season ticket holders got contacted with free ticket offers for both last night and friday in Cork.Quote:
Originally Posted by nr637
Rovers have the biggest affiliate group of any club in Ireland, in the largest metropolitan area (D.24) in the country.
There should have been more people in Tallaght last night.
There can always be more done on marketing - the perfect example is the womens NT.
But I would be reluctant to take the 21s on a roadshow either. A team needs a base when playing at home. Getting use to the pitch the surroundings whatever. I've no issue if it's Cork or Sligo, or Tallaght but at least have a base.
i honestly think they didn't want to play against Andorra on a poor pitch and a better pitch would help them outplay them. they thought that the atmosphere and crowd shouldn't matter too much after given the opposition and less travel would be ideal. not sure to what extent we have any influence about fixture dates and times but personally, myself plus a friend and my two nieces would have been in tallaght if it were on either Monday or Wednesday night. Even if it started 45 minutes later, we would have been. Starting 35 minutes after an international game really makes no sense.
i think the england game should be in tallaght. should be a sellout. First, it's England, the old enemy. Second, the current squad has the likes of Ethan Nwanieri, Jamie Gittens, Archie Gray, Lewis Miley, Jobe Bellingham, Tyler Dibling, Tom Watson, Tyriek George, Jack Hinshelwood, Josh Acheampong etc. Also the likes of Adam Wharton, Rico Lewis, Lewis Hall, Nico O'Reilly have been in recent squads.
You'd also imagine the likes of the following would be in contention: Jayden Danns, Ayden Heaven (both current u20), Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, Max Dowman, Jeremy Monga (all current u19)
England game on in St. Andrews in Birmingham. Friday 14th November
Even though tickets can be purchased by away fans, you can't use Irish debit cardsQuote:
Originally Posted by pateen
Squad v Slovakia announced
Paperwork still being processed for Moorhouse, he will join the squad if his passport comes through
https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...579991961.html
Would be good if they put their clubs, next to each player, on these announcements. It's hard to keep up, I know most but not all their clubs.
Anyone ?
The clubs are included in the article on the fai's website
https://www.fai.ie/latest/under-21-s...ualifier-cork/
Quote:
Republic of Ireland Under-21s Squad
Goalkeepers: Noah Jauny (Stade Brestois), Aaron Maguire (Tottenham Hotspur), Conor Walsh (Sligo Rovers)
Defenders: James Abankwah (Watford), Jacob Devaney (Manchester United), Sean Grehan (Doncaster Rovers), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United), David Okagbue (Peterborough United), Jacob Slater (Harrogate United, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)
Midfielders: Romeo Akachukwu (Southampton), Darius Lipsiuc (Solihull Moors, on loan from Stoke City), Cathal McCarthy (Hull City), James McManus (Sligo Rovers, on loan from Bohemians), Jamie Mullins (Wycombe Wanderers), Adam Murphy (Swindon Town, on loan from Bristol City)
Forwards: Leon Ayinde (Ipswich Town), Jad Hakiki (Sligo Rovers), Trent Kone-Doherty (Liverpool), Mason Melia (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Michael Noonan (Shamrock Rovers), Mark O’Mahony (Reading, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Rocco Vata (Watford)
not a lot of talk about this one! I guess most of us have given up on qualifying under Jim Crawford (with what is I gather a weaker panel than the last couple of campaigns).
Assuming no Moorhouse, I'd go withQuote:
Originally Posted by zero
Jauny? (not sure tbh)
Devaney
Abankwah
Grehan
Alex Murphy
Adam Murphy
Mullins
Romeo
Kone-Doherty
Melia
Vata
//////
To me, the squad balance is all wrong, you're forced to play Devaney as a RB when he's naturally a defensive midfielder. The only other options at RB are centre-halves like Abankwah or Okagbue - to me it seems obvious to take someone like Curtis or O'Brien just to have an actual natural right-back in the squad. On the other side, Slater didn't look up to it against Moldova but he has looked better in other games, once again, probably the only natural left back in the squad.
They have Cathal McCarthy another centre-back as a midfielder. Not yet convinced that either Lipsiuc or McManus can do it at this level. So in terms of midfielders and full backs, it's a weak squad. Also not convinced by Hakiki as a winger or as a starting winger at least, he's a nice technical footballer with lovely feet but he's not exactly impactful there - whether that's cause he's playing as a 10 for Sligo or I dunno. Not a lot of wingers beyond TKD and Vata who are both good enough at the very least. I've only seen highlights of Ayinde so can't really comment. Melia and Noonan are both good striking options and O'Mahony is struggling on loan but in general, he's a good footballer and when confident, he'll be a useful option.
Jim will probably play a 5-3-2 with Hakiki, Slater, and McCarthy (in midfield) all playing
Was correct about those 3 but I think it's probably a 4-3-3 with sayQuote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
Okague
Abankwah
Grehan
Slater
McCarthy
Mullins
Ad Murphy
Hakiki
Melia
Vata
Bench: Maguire, Devaney, Al Murphy, Lipsiuc, Romeo, TKD, Ayinde, Noonan, O'Mahony.
Moorhouse, McManus and Walsh don't make the squad.
half an hour in 1-1... Melia and Mullins with the goals.
In fairness, Jim did go for it. Very unlucky with the goals conceded - two wicked deflections which gave Jauny no chance. Somewhere between deserving a point and deserving three.