Keith Wood

Not sure where this should go but thought maybe the Ireland forum was the place for it but did anybody see Keith Wood on BBC before the game on Sunday. He also said the same thing on Marian Finucane on Saturday also.

He said that when he was growing up Kids dreamed of playing Rugby for Ireland playing in an All Ireland and playing in an FA Cup Final.

I was struck by this in the same way that I was by Bertie saying he was a huge Sports fan who supports the Dubs and Utd on national TV.

The very leat Wood should have said was dreaming of playing for the Irish Football team.

I believe he grew up in Ennis.
Chances are, he'd have known little or nothing about the LoI, as a kid.
I'm a few years younger than him and I struggled to find results & fixtures for most LoI clubs. You could go weeks without seeing a league table.

He grew up in Killaloe I think, I grew up in West Clare for a large part of my childhood and I dreamed of playing in a World Cup Final for Ireland. Why would he dream of playing for Ireland in rugby and not dream of playing for Ireland in football.

At least he did not say kids dreamed of playing for Leinster or Rugby.

As someone with family history in rugby & I got to a few games every now & then I can say rubgy is a minority sport & thats even after the hype in recent years. When the ireland football team playing in the WC 99% of the country watch but when the rugby team play theirs at most 50% of people will watch.

I am already sick of the Croke Park hype. Hopefully it just for the first game...

But he did say he dreamed of playing rugby for Ireland.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

But he did say he dreamed of playing rugby for Ireland.

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He knew he'd never be good enough to play for an LoI side but dreamed of playing in the FA Cup Final, with shock finalists, Accrington Stanley. :D

with a head like his i'm sure he had a lot of nightmares

If the FAI and the current crop (aside from Given and some of the youngsters) had a shred of the dedication, organisation and professionalism of the Irish rugby team and IRFU, you would not see a mess like Cyprus or San Marino, nor supporters ripped off like last week, nor cynical cover ups, nor the growing national apathy towards our team.

Who are the better role models for young people? Our soccer team? Kids are not stupid and are many are more interested in the current rugby side or their GAA intercounty teams. I live in the centre of Dublin, and see more and more local kids are kicking rugby balls around, fact. It's not a bit surprising, after the undignified mess of last week and its aftermath.

What has that got to do with Keith Wood growing up in 1970s Clare.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

What has that got to do with Keith Wood growing up in 1970s Clare.

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Lets face it, if Woods said that he dreamed of playing in the FAI Cup Final for Rovers, you'd be a lot more wound up now. :p

No I would say fair play to him. Lets face it he is more likely to play in an FAI Cup Final for Rovers as they have a better record in the cup than anybody over the years.

Maybe he was just into rugby....

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Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

Maybe he was just into rugby....

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There have been some heavy tackles in many FA Cup Finals but the sport certainly isn't rugby. ;)

Exactly he thought the higlight of any young Irish boys life would be An All Ireland Final , playing rugby for Ireland and playing in the Final of a Cup Competition in England.

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Originally Posted by Peadar

There have been some heavy tackles in many FA Cup Finals but the sport certainly isn't rugby. ;)

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True. :) I was just meaning that if he had little football knowledge then it is not unreasonable for him to assume that most young boys would dream about playing in a FA Cup final first and foremost rather than playing for Ireland. Misguided but understandable if he's not into football. It wasn't that long ago that the FA Cup final was a huge, huge game.

Btw Neil, other sports would probably have been the place for this seeing as you were unsure.

Ok no prob if anybody wants to move it.

Hardly doing any harm though.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

.... Why would he dream of playing for Ireland in rugby and not dream of playing for Ireland in football.

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Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

Maybe he was just into rugby....

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Could be something to do with the fact that his father, Gordon, a tight-head prop, played 29 times for Ireland and was on the 1959 Lions tour to New Zealand.

neil, i think you are more concerned because of the fact he is from west clare and he didnt say playing soccer for ireland, than him actually saying he didnt think of playing for ireland....am i right?

more importantly does it really matter.

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

more importantly does it really matter.

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No it doesnt. Maybe he doesnt like the sport. Maybe he never wanted to play it. He shouldnt be expected to lie about it to be PC.