Down memory lane with Roddy Doyle

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12/05/2006, 7:39 AM
OwlsFan

Down memory lane with Roddy Doyle

Found this article in the Observer dating back to Italia 90 (a great read if you've time):

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/irela...586469,00.html

Extracts I particularly like:

"I was a Charlton man. I liked him; I loved the team - McGrath, Houghton, Bonner - they were all marvellous. They'd been dreadful on Sunday against Egypt, but so what?"

"For me, Dunphy represented those miserable little fu*kers. That wasn't fair on Dunphy, but tough. I'd waited all my life to see Ireland in the World Cup. As far as I was concerned, Jack Charlton had got them there. He had style, humour; he was honest. Dunphy hated Charlton; Dunphy hated lots of things." :D
12/05/2006, 9:49 AM
NY Hoop

Doyle's a tosser

KOH
12/05/2006, 11:10 AM
NeilMcD

Owls fan you really do seem to have issues with Dunphy. He cant have that much of an effect on you thinking can he?
12/05/2006, 12:30 PM
geysir

Dunphy's a tosser.
12/05/2006, 1:44 PM
as_i_say

he's a stuttering goon that can't sting 2 words together. dunphy that is. a lot like staunton but then staunton isnt a di ck head
12/05/2006, 3:44 PM
Fergie's Son

This was an interesting quote:

Quote:

Dunphy had said that he was ashamed to be Irish; he'd thrown his pen across the studio. He hadn't said that at all; what he'd said was that if Ireland were going to play like that all the time then he'd be ashamed to be Irish; he'd only thrown his pen on to the desk, hadn't really thrown it.

I remember that. I was working at the Yacht on the Coast Road and I saw it live while rolling kegs out the back.

Not a bad article.
12/05/2006, 9:21 PM
Block G Raptor

Ive Goose Bumps and a lump in my throat reading that. Bring's Back some memories. roll on 2010
13/05/2006, 12:27 AM
Karlos

:)
I actually read this piece every couple of weeks when I pick up the book 'My Favourite Year' in my local 'Chapters' here in Toronto on my lunch break. Always puts a little lump in the throat when I read it.

There's also a really good peice from a Boro fan/writer in the book. Great read. :)
14/05/2006, 7:39 PM
LeixlipRed

I was only 5 at the time but i remember every minute of it. makes me tearful i have to say. I remember waiting hours leaning against the green fence on the Drumcondra Road to see them go past. im so upset we're not in this world cup. the leaving cert ruined the last one. haha and i cried when schillaci scored. ah memories
14/05/2006, 7:48 PM
eirebhoy

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

I was only 5 at the time but i remember every minute of it. makes me tearful i have to say. I remember waiting hours leaning against the green fence on the Drumcondra Road to see them go past. im so upset we're not in this world cup. the leaving cert ruined the last one. haha and i cried when schillaci scored. ah memories

Memories is right... you can remember when you were 5? :eek: I can hardly remember anything before the age of 12.
14/05/2006, 8:20 PM
Roverstillidie

that book was full of guys who followed garbage sides up and down england and beyond, blood sweat and tears.

roddy sat in a pub watching the WC and he is an authority? he represents all that is wrong with the ole ole brigade.
15/05/2006, 2:27 AM
Fergie's Son

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roverstillidie

that book was full of guys who followed garbage sides up and down england and beyond, blood sweat and tears.

roddy sat in a pub watching the WC and he is an authority? he represents all that is wrong with the ole ole brigade.

No, he doesn't. He didn't have the money to follow Ireland. Ireland in 1990 was a lot different than the Ireland of 2006. The disposable income just wasn't there. Unemployment was significant and no-one had heard even a meow from the Celtic Tiger. He was actually doing the responsible thing for his wife and family. He was a school-teacher after all.

I remember watching the Romania games with my Granddad in Raheny. He died in December of 2005 :(
15/05/2006, 7:09 AM
CollegeTillIDie

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Doyle's a tosser

KOH

What about Dunphy? He dissed the League of Ireland in the Sunday World for years. Disses it every chance he gets in other outlets. Wanted to bring Wimbledon to Dublin and backed Kilcoyne? If that doesn't make him a tosser I don't know what does!
15/05/2006, 9:05 AM
OwlsFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Owls fan you really do seem to have issues with Dunphy. He cant have that much of an effect on you thinking can he?

The poison dwarf started his campaign against everything I loved in Irish football by attacking Liam Brady when he was a player for not putting it in when he played for Ireland.

He then continued with a virulent personal and tabloidish campaign, aided by Laughing Bill, against Jack Charlton whom I'll never be able to thank enough for what he did for Ireland and Sheffied Wednesday.

He openly supported the Kilcoynes in the sale of Milltown where I spent many many Sundays over decades supporting the Hoops.

Because his mate Joe Kinnear didn't get the Irish job, he launched into personal and tabloidish attacks on Mick McCarthy and did his best to undermine him.

I was on the opposite side to him on the Saipan affair.

WHy should I have an issue with him :eek: ?
16/05/2006, 7:39 AM
Stuttgart88

Pedantic I know, but this is an extract from the article:

Packie Bonner dived to the left and saved Romania's last penalty. He dived to the left and parried the ball and got up quickly and jumped into the air, his arms up, one leg slightly lifted. I was in the air too. It was unbelievable. - He's saved it!

He wrote the same in The Van.

He dived to the RIGHT!! OK, so he dived to the left of the telly screen but nobody ever describes it that way.
16/05/2006, 10:38 AM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

No, he doesn't. He didn't have the money to follow Ireland. Ireland in 1990 was a lot different than the Ireland of 2006. The disposable income just wasn't there. Unemployment was significant and no-one had heard even a meow from the Celtic Tiger. He was actually doing the responsible thing for his wife and family. He was a school-teacher after all.

I remember watching the Romania games with my Granddad in Raheny. He died in December of 2005 :(

Eh a lot of us who were there in Italy werent exactly loaded either. RTID is spot on. He does represent the morons you saw cheering on one english team against another on saturday. Christ one of the lads was in kilkenny and these idiots were buying champagne because an english team beat another one.:eek:

Anyone ever see doyle on Fantasy Football? Idiot.

CTID the thread is about doyle. What Owlsfan says about dummy is spot on. The guy's a joke.

KOH
16/05/2006, 12:32 PM
Junior

For me the WC experience is different to all people and you don't have to be a die hard, travelling to games to be a part of it in the true sense.

My mum could name about one player on the Irish team, but during '94 and '02 she'd quite happily wear a green shirt and watch the matches at home and enjoy the whole experience of it all. This happens to Irish people the world over in pubs, homes, internet cafe's or at the games themselves. Each takes part in whatever way they see fit to enjoy the occasion.

For me, whats wrong with fans is not this approach but the amount of tossers banging on about 'barstoolers' EPL, SPL supporters 'never been to agame in their life' blah blah blah.

World Cups are just about having the craic and hoping above hope that your team can pull off the impossible......
16/05/2006, 12:34 PM
OwlsFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junior

World Cups are just about having the craic and hoping above hope that your team can pull off the impossible......

The other way round for me.
16/05/2006, 12:39 PM
Junior

Quote:

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

The other way round for me.

It wasn't meant to be in any particular order.
16/05/2006, 3:44 PM
Fergie's Son

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Eh a lot of us who were there in Italy werent exactly loaded either. RTID is spot on. He does represent the morons you saw cheering on one english team against another on saturday. Christ one of the lads was in kilkenny and these idiots were buying champagne because an english team beat another one.:eek:

So a lot of people were irresponsible and spent money that they didn't have? That doesn't make you more of a fan. It makes you more of a risk-taker. Two different things.

Now you're creating a different argument. Fact is, a country like Ireland is always going to look to the larger sporting leagues of England for entertainment. There is a natural affinity to the big English clubs because they are culturally similar to ourselves. Not saying it's right or wrong but to ignore the powerful pull of the English leagues is misguided. It isn't fair to criticize how someone else gets their jollies. Buying champange for an English is, imho, over the top but then each to their own.
16/05/2006, 3:50 PM
NeilMcD

I am a bit confused here I thought it was argued that anybody who supports the National team is only an event junkie and an Ole Ole fan.
16/05/2006, 3:50 PM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

So a lot of people were irresponsible and spent money that they didn't have? That doesn't make you more of a fan. It makes you more of a risk-taker. Two different things.

Now you're creating a different argument. Fact is, a country like Ireland is always going to look to the larger sporting leagues of England for entertainment. There is a natural affinity to the big English clubs because they are culturally similar to ourselves. Not saying it's right or wrong but to ignore the powerful pull of the English leagues is misguided. It isn't fair to criticize how someone else gets their jollies. Buying champange for an English is, imho, over the top but then each to their own.

I had saved for that WC! Doyle represents the ole ole merchant all the way. You know "the best fans in the world" crap?

Acknowledge the pull of the english league. The premiership is also very popular in Scandinavia but their fans do not ignore their own domestic leagues. Their journalists dont have a sneering attitude to their leagues either.

KOH
16/05/2006, 4:03 PM
NeilMcD

As I said before Roddy Doyel and others are entitled to do what ever they want to do and they are not breaking the law or harming anybody else. Not sure how that qualifies them as idiots and people hate Doyle so much. He is just a journalist who was asked to write about football for a book and he picked the world cup in 1990. I am sure he is not saying he is a hardcore fan, in fact in the piece he spells out that he never supported Ireland beyond the home games.
16/05/2006, 4:33 PM
TheJamaicanP.M.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

As I said before Roddy Doyel and others are entitled to do what ever they want to do and they are not breaking the law or harming anybody else. Not sure how that qualifies them as idiots and people hate Doyle so much. He is just a journalist who was asked to write about football for a book and he picked the world cup in 1990. I am sure he is not saying he is a hardcore fan, in fact in the piece he spells out that he never supported Ireland beyond the home games.

Good post.
I can't see why people are picking on Doyle. As Neil said, he simply provided his recollection of the tournament for a book. He's not claiming to be the team's number one fan.
I'm not a fan of Doyle's writing style but I have to say, he summed up the incredible emotions of the World Cup in that piece. Indeed, that piece is in contrast to a documentary RTE made about the Irish fans who went to Italia 90. A number of fans were interviewed for the programme and while some of them provided interesting stories, a number of them kept referring to how "we was locked. We was hammered. It was mad craic."
16/05/2006, 4:37 PM
NeilMcD

I think Doyles piece summed up what it was like for a lot of Irish people to watch the games in Ireland. A huge proportion of the population did this and therefore it should be treated as a social history. There are many hardcore fans who I am sure could equally write up a brilliant piece on what it was like to be in Italy supporting the team and that would make for great reading also. Just cause Doyle did not go to Italy does not mean he is a tosser or an idiot etc.
16/05/2006, 7:42 PM
Fergie's Son

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

I had saved for that WC! Doyle represents the ole ole merchant all the way. You know "the best fans in the world" crap?

Acknowledge the pull of the english league. The premiership is also very popular in Scandinavia but their fans do not ignore their own domestic leagues. Their journalists dont have a sneering attitude to their leagues either.

So you made your choices and he made his. I regularly fly from America to Ireland matches (France, Israel, Dublin etc. for the last campaign). Does that make me any more of a fan than someone who watches the games in a pub? I certainly don't think so.

I've go to Tolka Park about 50+ times in my life to support Shels, does that make me more of a fan of the Irish team?

You've appointed yourself as the "pure" fan when you are anything but. I'm delighted that you follow Ireland and the LOI but that does not mean other people should. Journalists write about what people want to read in order to sell their product (newspapers etc.). They need to make a living as well. And the LOI does get some good coverage and the Setanta Cup is a good way forward. That does not mean, however, that a Dublin-born Liverpool supporter is any less of a fan of the national team.
17/05/2006, 9:56 AM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

So you made your choices and he made his. I regularly fly from America to Ireland matches (France, Israel, Dublin etc. for the last campaign). Does that make me any more of a fan than someone who watches the games in a pub? I certainly don't think so.

I've go to Tolka Park about 50+ times in my life to support Shels, does that make me more of a fan of the Irish team?

You've appointed yourself as the "pure" fan when you are anything but. I'm delighted that you follow Ireland and the LOI but that does not mean other people should. Journalists write about what people want to read in order to sell their product (newspapers etc.). They need to make a living as well. And the LOI does get some good coverage and the Setanta Cup is a good way forward. That does not mean, however, that a Dublin-born Liverpool supporter is any less of a fan of the national team.

Dont know what your problem is with me pal. I havent appointed anyone as anything. We'll have to disagree on what constitutes a supporter. Shouting at a tv screen in a pub does not and never will qualify. When I was living in the states I came home for our European games so I know the sacrifices involved.

My original point was that doyle is a tosser. I thought the reason why was well known. Obviously not. Here's why league fans here can dismiss him:

He was on Fantasy Football years ago and when asked by Baddiel why someone from Dublin would "support" chelsea he gleefully announced that the "League of Ireland is ****":mad:

Hope that clears it up for you.

KOH
17/05/2006, 10:41 AM
Dodge

Goor writer though.

Wouldn't call him a tosser for that opinion. I usually agree with it (although I think anybody who supports/doesn't support a team because they're good/bad has something wrong with them.)

While we're here, and speaking as a mod, can people quit calling everybody they disagree witha tosser; it just sounds childish...
17/05/2006, 10:44 AM
OwlsFan

I think the last few posts sum it up. Doyle is not a fan of the EL but wrote an evocative piece about Italia 90.
17/05/2006, 11:06 AM
geysir

To add to Doyle's list of tosser stuff, he was also a supporter of Wimbledon to Dublin and claims that Pat Dolan is a visionary :) http://indigo.ie/~benildus/RDoyle.htm
I think he should leave the fantasy behind when he finishes his writing, he stretches it too far.
17/05/2006, 4:23 PM
Roverstillidie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

So you made your choices and he made his. I regularly fly from America to Ireland matches (France, Israel, Dublin etc. for the last campaign). Does that make me any more of a fan than someone who watches the games in a pub?

of course it does.

i started this, and it was meant in the context of a book of lunatics who supported the likes of exeter and hereford town up and down the country, getting hammered and having to travel all the way home after in despair. pure, dyed in the wool fans.

roddy sits in the boozer and watches the national sidea and is somehow in the book with these fans. he typifies the ole ole brigade who follow a british side but boo their 'own' players when they wear three lions. he couldnt name the u21 manager if you put a gun to his head. fans who do down el supporters whenever they can in a smug manner because their 'team' and 'league' is better. roddy put himself forward as an expert by appearing on these shows so he can live with it.

i believe that fans who only watch their sides in the pub are inferior in quality to those who travel and make sacrifices to see them live. its illogical to suggest otherwise. thats why they are called barstool fans.
17/05/2006, 4:27 PM
NeilMcD

So what about someone who does not do down the EL but did not grow up near an EL team so therefore has no affinity to an EL club. They also dont have any affinity to any other club around the world except maybe for taking an interested in all football but they would not support any club. However they go to all the home and away games for the national side and they can name the U21 manager and also the u19 manager of the national side.
17/05/2006, 4:42 PM
Roverstillidie

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

So what about someone who does not do down the EL but did not grow up near an EL team so therefore has no affinity to an EL club. They also dont have any affinity to any other club around the world except maybe for taking an interested in all football but they would not support any club. However they go to all the home and away games for the national side and they can name the U21 manager and also the u19 manager of the national side.

preciscely what has that football fan got to do with roddy doyle? who said you have to be an EL fan?

would they abuse people who do have a club?
17/05/2006, 4:46 PM
NeilMcD

Its got nothing to do with Roddy Doyle really just asking a question. This person would not abuse anybody for supporting or not supporting whatever a team.
17/05/2006, 4:53 PM
Roverstillidie

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Its got nothing to do with Roddy Doyle really just asking a question. This person would not abuse anybody for supporting or not supporting whatever a team.

hold on. roddy doyle sits in the pub to watch the national team. thats fine, no-one has a problem with that, but people do have a problem with him appointing himself an expert, doing the domestic game down and supporting wimbledon for dublin.

lets call a spade a spade, he is a bar stool ole oler. and his opinion on football should be treated as such.
17/05/2006, 5:00 PM
NeilMcD

I agree with you , I did not realised that Doyle had said those things about the EL and the bringing of Wimbledon to Dublin. I think there are a lot of contradictions in his head if he supports Chelsea and Ireland and wants to bring Wimbledon to Dublin.
17/05/2006, 10:25 PM
Karlos

I think some of this guff aimed at Doyle is merited and some is grossly unfair. Doyle has been a regular at Lansdowne Road for Donkey's years now so I'm not sure how that classify's him as a barstooler. He was going long before the ole ole buzz kicked off. A relation of mine has close business ties with Doyle and I know this as fact. I've met him in Searsons on Baggot Street before many a game down through the years.

As he says in the piece itself "remember nothing about the '86 qualifying games even though I went to all the home ones."

His opinions are of course open to debate and I disagree with some of them but I don't believe because he watched a major tournament at home like so many of us for many reasons that he should be labelled a barstooler. :)
18/05/2006, 11:43 AM
NY Hoop

Its very easy to put on a green scarf and go to Lansdowne once a month or once every two months.

There are people who follow Ireland everywhere but who wouldnt spend a penny to watch their local EL side. I've met some of them...........

KOH
18/05/2006, 11:46 AM
NeilMcD

There are people who follow their Local EL side everywhere but would not watch their national team also. I have met some of them.

There are people who follower their local EL side but would not follower their local amateur league team also I have met some of them

There are people who follow a foreign team but do not support their local EL side I know I have met some of them

THere are some people who do not follow any team I know I have met some of them
18/05/2006, 12:42 PM
NY Hoop

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

There are people who follow their Local EL side everywhere but would not watch their national team also. I have met some of them.

There are people who follower their local EL side but would not follower their local amateur league team also I have met some of them

There are people who follow a foreign team but do not support their local EL side I know I have met some of them

THere are some people who do not follow any team I know I have met some of them

You a politican?!

KOH

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