Anyone able to give an update on the current score, as i'm in Norway its impossible to get any results at the minute, also ILF is down for as its moving to a new server.
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Anyone able to give an update on the current score, as i'm in Norway its impossible to get any results at the minute, also ILF is down for as its moving to a new server.
Linfield (1) 0-3 Halmstads (1)
Thorvaldsson 10
Jonsson 33
Preko 45
Awful, i thought the Blues were in with a great chance, now they need 4 goals.
They have one, it's 1-3 now. Two more would take it to extra time. 20 mins left for a miracle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ifcp1
I think it finished 5-3 to Halmstad overall. :mad:
hard luck linfield HAHAHAHAHA:D:D:D:D:D
Shels fans are still bitter Linfield beat them in the Setanta final on their own patch! I say hard luck Linfield (and I mean it). I thought you's had about the same chance as Cork to progress against the Swedes.Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
All Irish clubs are in the same boat - whether we're north or south. We're all fans of local soccer battling against the evil barstoolers, and our futures lie together at some point.
So hard luck to Linfield.
It must be UCD's lack of experience of Europe, but you are obviously unfamiliar with the away goals rule :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
On the news before hand , some linfield manager was going on about how good northern irish football is and resented southern people critising it. He rated northern irish sides as good as the Eircom League technically and standard of play. Clearly the man is wrong. There is no substitute for full time football and Linfield had to eat humble pie.
Unfortunately UCD are all too aware of the away goals rule, stupid Velbazhd!Quote:
Originally Posted by manic da hoop
Hear Hear :ball:Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
Great night. City through and l*nfield out. Supporters who espouse sectarianism and don't deserve European success. UEFA should clamp down on it.
The Irish League is dying on its knees, and has been now for some years, pretty much coinciding with an upturn in fortunes south of the border. I genuinely feel that the only real way football on this island can make serious progress is by forming a 32 county league. However, clubs in the north would be reluctant to even consider it unless they see that joining forces with ourselves is beneficial to them. If IL football is to experience a resurgence in the coming years they will be, therefore, less likely to consider such a move. As a result I am glad that northern clubs are consistantly failing to make the same kind of progress as we are in Europe. In the event of such a proposal ever taking place it would also provide the eL with a stronger bargaining position, ie. We have more to offer you than you have to offer us. Having watched the Cork match live, and then to tune over to BBC to see highlights of Linfield made for quiet a contrast.
good post there manic. The way I see it, the northern clubs can join the EL not a merger.
So gracious of you...spirit of compromise and all that :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Sure try holding your breath for that to happen!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. They said Glentoran embarrassed the IL! At least we were not supposed to win! Linfield got a kickin' by an average side, the worst European side to come to the Windsewer ever!
Hell slap it into Linfield. I am glad they got beat. Their progression in Europe will make them finacially stronger and that would show on the field. Although they did well, and should be proud of themselves, I am glad it is over.
Some of their supporters were a good laugh too. They said, and I quote exactly here, that "all decent IL fans should support them" Aye, and just like they all supported Glentoran in their European encounters, for example, our second round clash last season!
i went to the game (and wasted 5 GBP on a LFC scarf as souvenir) ; really a pity. One world class goal, unfortunately at the wrong side (even the LFC fans applauded for that brilliant free kick - you cannot have it more precise in the cross)
So far my hopes of another Euro game next to my front door... Oh well, tomorrow is CIS Cup and I go to a Crusaders or Institute cup game with the same passion. Still have to pick a game for tomorrow, I am about to check the fixtures and make my choice.
And as a neutral when it comes to north-south: south is only better when you care about result only. The stands are fuller up here and I d say there is more of a soccer culture. i need good atmosphere, i don t need fulltimers and quality on the pitch, what happens next to the pitch is more important to me. And only when it comes to results the EL may have more future. IL is far from dead, tough luck for all bitter people who seem judge a league based on three single games (Shels-Glens and Lins-Halmstad) which is just as stupid as the northern fans who hoorayed their league over EL after that one Setanta Cup final game...
Don't let any Linfield fans know you've picked-up the proverbial 'cupla focal' and spell Belfast 'as Gaeilge' on this site, whatever you do Gerrit.
Otherwise, you'll be strung up from the stand by that £5 scarf of yours..... :eek: :D
Hehe :D
Afterwards I had a drink in my local, the NI football club at Shaftesbury Sq, and I was speaking about football as usual. Told one of them I was planning to go to games of Crusaders and Donegall Celtic in the coming weeks, as those were the only Belfast teams I hadn't paid a visit yet. They said that if I would be wearing that Linfield scarf at the Donegall Celtic game, I would not get out there alive :eek: :o
Ah, I'm no Linfield fan. I was hoping they'd win because it can only be good for the Irish League, and because it's convenient to have a European game at 5 minutes walking from your front door. But I'm not planning on picking a team here, during my time in Northern Ireland I hope to see all teams from Premiership and First Division at least once. Though who knows I meet some friends at one of these teams and roll in to it, just like it happened with Shelbourne when I lived in the Republic...
A wee PS: I am not trying to get into a North-South debate here. As a neutral who lived in the South and now lives in the North, I got to appreciate both the EL and the IL.
All I am saying is that comparing two leagues based on four games (Shels-Linfield, Shels-Glentoran, Glentoran-Shels, Linfield-Halmstads) is not fair to neither of both leagues. To make a comparison you need to see at least 10 games a season of both leagues, and go to both top teams and bottom-of-table teams.
Sure, the level in the EL will be a bit higher (not too spectacular, bit still a bit higher) but to say that IL is dying is a huge mistake.
IL will only be dead when the public interest is gone. And I can only say the number of spectators are higher here than in the ROI, because there is no big GAA culture to compete with here (the loyalist half of the population doesn't care about GAA, whereas in the ROI the GAA is very huge). As long as people come to the stadiums (which still is the case) Northern Irish football will survive. You don't need professional players to survive, several leagues of smaller countries have no professional players but still get the public interest. You can go to Carmarthen-Cwbran with the same excitement and passion as when you go to Liverpool-Man United. It all depends on what you expect I guess, but to say IL is dying is looking down on it, which IMO is wrong.
Financial troubles are there, indeed. Both isn't that everywhere. We have Omagh that folded, Coleraine very likely will fold as well, and several others are in bad circumstances financially. South of the border Bohs are in bad circumstances, Waterford may not survive, and Shamrock Rovers is also in doubts about its future. And don't think it's different on the mainland, in Belgium the number of mergers and bankruptcies is bigger than ever in football, and in Italy there's only one top flight team that is free of debts (Juventus)...
It's far from only the Northern Irish football that has these problems. No league gets spared of financial problems.
Bad choice for comparison there Gerrit - Carmarthen v Cwmbran in the Welsh Premier would get a crowd in the very, very low hundreds at best. Hardly evidence there of public interest, but I get what you're saying overall.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
You should take a trip over to the Brandywell for a game sometime - I've no doubt that you're just a City fan in-waiting..... :D
I know Cwbran and Carmarthen will not attract big crowds, but what I mean is that the few that are there will be just as excited (if they're true fans) as a Liverpool fan going to a 60000 crowded Anfield to see LFC-Chelsea... As long as your heart is with a team, you will have fun, and it doesn't matter then if you have professional players and trophies or just amateurs who never reach Europe.
Northern Ireland football gets good crowds in average (compared to the LOI it seems slightly more) and the people in the grounds have fun. As long as that's the case IL will survive.
I'd like a 32 county league, but then a true merger. With 8 teams from both sides of the border (and I count Derry as ROI side now because they're in the LOI).
The league should have a neutral name, so not Irish League and not Eircom League. That way people from both sides of the border won't have a reason to feel not welcome or not home. I'd say "United Ireland League" would be a good name.
Starting with the top-8 teams from the EL and the top-8 from the IL. Anything different would be an insult to whatever of both league has less representatives. After all it should not be about results in Europe only, if you really want to unite soccer fans on the island they should start off in equality. A merger of both leagues would be about bringing together two communities of soccer fans, not about trying to add 3 good teams to the EL and let down the rest of Northern Ireland. Some people watch only to improving the level of game and improving the results in Europe ; I disagree completely with this view, as I believe the social aspect of football is way more important than the results or level.
If the idea would be to just add Portadown, Linfield and Glentoran to the EL and let out the other NI teams because "not good enough", then that's looking down on the IL, which can in no way be accepted. The Irish FA should only negotiate with the FAI about a joint league if the people from the FAI are guaranteeing them equal rights. Which means that Northern Ireland would get as many teams in the new league's top division as the Republic.
And Steve, I will come to Derry within a few weeks. I was thinking of a citytrip of 3 days with included: sightseeing, a game of Derry City (Friday) and a game of Institute (Saturday). Sunday would be sightseeing-only.
mmmm .... a social experiment called the "United Ireland League". I presume all matches will be played on Sundays.
here, I dont think too many linfield fans would warm to the idea of playing in a "united Ireland league" :)
I think picking a better name for the league would be a good start. The priemership and championship is out for a start. The league is a bit dull. what could you call it ?
The ÉIRE 32 League :confused: :D :D
Nothing at all wrong with the name "Irish league".Quote:
Originally Posted by thejollyrodger
Does exactly what it says on the can. Can't see anyone in the south having any issues with it.
Same with the 'Irish Cup' - much better name than the FAI Carlsberg nonesense....
Cant argue with that ..... anyway .... who gives a toss about the name .... it would be the success of it that i'd be worried about.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfcsteve
A few options that would be perfectly accepted in both North and South:
- Island of Erinn League (correct spelling if needed)
- Green Island Championship
- 32 County League
Or another option: name it after a league sponsor that's active in both the Republic and the North. Example:
- Paddy Power League
(the IRA League is no longer possible as their Northern branch has no more intentions of doing business :D )
Gerrit - don't mean to be rude, but you still have a lot to learn about the political intricacies of life in Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
"32 county league" would most definitekly NOT be acceptable to Unionist fans, nor would anything including the Irish language like "island of Eireann' (which is just cheesy anyway, as is 'Green island league').
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with keeping the existing term 'Irish League'. No-one has any issues with it, and it precisely describes what it's
talking about. There is no need for any other makey-uppey names, full stop.
Cant see why the old "League of Ireland" couldnt be used?The Irish League is the name of the Northern Irish League so I dont think thats an option as it would offend eircom league clubs,similarly eircom league would offend northern clubs,from my point of view the "League of Ireland" is perfect for the job.
Cant understand why the Irish league is called that in the 1st place though,apparently the majority of the north feel they're not irish at all but british,in any case it should be called the Northern Irish league
Gerrit you either havent a clue or are taking the ****.
how about
The FA's name , Sponsors name , Premier League
so
FAI Eircom Premier League
Priemer league is used all over the world and it would be best.
The Irish League has been called that since 1890 when it started. That was long before partition or anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by daveh
Why exactly would clubs from the Republic be so "offended" by the term 'Irish league' ?? Shels and Bohs played in the Irish League before they decided to split-off and create a Free State version in 1921. I think you're reading waaaaaay too much into all of this. NO-ONE will have a problem with the term 'Irish League'.Quote:
Originally Posted by daveh
Other countries talk in terms of the 'Irish League' when they describe the Republic already. Just like you would talk about the French/Belgian/Spanish etc League - regardless of whetehr or not they have a different name.
League of Ireland / Irish League, one's as good as the other. No football fan, regardless of political stance, would have a problem with either name, even if they are ucrrently used up NOrth.
Afterall, whats the point in rallying for an All-Ireland league if we're going to get hung up on silly bits like names? Once its not the IRA Allstar League or something all names are good. If people are going to get so uptight over names, it doesn't bode well for how a league would be successfully implemented!