Joey O'Brien

[lopez]

They grew up in the French football culture. They are part of the French football culture. They represent French football.

Footballing culture? What growing up and playing with people that aren't actually French. What the f*ck is French footballing culture when nearly every one of their best players emigrates. Great answer.

They didn't grow up in the Irish football culture. They are not part of the Irish football culture. They don't represent Irish football. When they retire they'll go back to coaching and spouting sh1t about the game in Britain, apart from the occasional detour to spout sh1t about the (British) game in Ireland.

And what exactly is so different from the Irish footballing 'culture' compared with any the football played in Britain. You'd make a more sensible argument if you were a GAA bigot banging on about foreign games. But then you are an expert spouting so much sh*t you must know when other people do the same.

Well tw*t is a very English word,so maybe you should follow them??In Ireland we would call you a c*nt.

Firstly, In Ireland you have your own language, which you seem reluctant or unable to use in normal discourse.

Secondly, I'd say you'd end up supporting England before me. Most people on this forum would, and don't think a half-wit like you would be any different.

Thirdly, when your b*llocks have finally dropped and you move into the more advanced school studies you might actually discover a couple of the heads of states of post independent Ireland who spoke with English accents. You might also discover a thing called emigration, which when you grown up, if the doomsayers are to be believed, you might be a participant in it. Still this won't come as big as a shock to you as when you discover babies come from ladies front bums, though?

[irishultra]

BOHEMIAN1890 is laughable, and even though this 'giving the LOI' a bad name is nonsense he is trying his best to do it.

[lopez]

I was born and raised in England to Irish parents and bear little if any affinity to any LOI club. This isn't particularly my choice, it is more of a result that I wasn't exposed to it in the same way with which I was exposed to English soccer teams, resulting in me supporting Nottingham Forest. Since I have been old enough to watch soccer, which is a considerable period of time I have always supported the Irish national side, I don't remember the last time I didn't watch any of their games (I would actually go to the live games if i wasn't stumping up unreal post-grad uni fees). Where do I, and others like me fit into your twisted logic?

You don't. If these people had their way you'd be put in a red cross van an taken on a one way ticket to the woods.

BOHEMIAN1890 is laughable, and even though this 'giving the LOI' a bad name is nonsense he is trying his best to do it.

Even someone as 'English' as me can see that he's a basket case in the minority of 1%.

[irishultra]

yeah well thats good lopez....

there is some absolute goons on this site.

[SkStu]

i have no problem with english born players playing for the national side at all. I believe in tradition and heritage and i believe in the right of 2nd and 3rd gen irish men and irish women to feel an affinity to Ireland.

However, I do think that BohSoGood made a very good and subtle point which i think a lot of you have missed/misinterpreted.

Why support a (lets face it) pretty sh1te national side who will never win a major championship? Using the main argument made by many on this site against supporting an irish club side (i.e. theyre all sh1te) why settle for second or third best when it comes to a national side? Why not pick the one that wins the trophies or that plays nice ball or employs the fanciest system?

[paul_oshea]

Who on this site doesn't support a LOI club because they are sh1te?

No one misundertood/missed/misinterpreted what he was trying to say, even if you would like to think we are all oblivious to it because we dont necessarily have an EL team.

You would be hard pressed to find ppl on this site, who don't support LOI teams because they are sh1te, in the public you are probably right but not on this site. I would say the majority of those who don't support EL teams that post on this site, is because they have no affiliation to any club and never grew up supporting an EL side(whether they are born in Ireland or wherever else or are expats), you cant just switch a lightbulb and decide "today I am a Pats fan, and for the rest of my life"

[DeLorean]

Why should S.Ireland play for Ireland,or JOB just because some idiot like yourself feels he should??

I don't feel that either of them should, O'Brien cos he's not good enough and Ireland cos he's a tosser. Terrible come back by the way, anybody would think that being told who and who not to support by some pretentious LOI 'fan' was the same thing as questioning whether or not a guy should play for his country.

[DeLorean]

To say that Ireland is a luxury we cant afford is an exercise in wishful thinking. I would suggest that Whelan, Gibson, Andrews et al are medoicrities that we cant afford. Ireland's work rate for City is outstanding. I suggest you watch him over 90 minutes and not just the highlights of his goals and killer passes. It's one thing saying that Ireland should not be welcomed back, but to argue that Whelan, Gibson and A.Reid are better players is ludicrous. I suppose that's why they are all warming the bench at their respective clubs whilst Ireland is winning plaudits from respected football journalists like Paddy Barclay week in week out.

Who's arguing that Gibson and co are better players?? Look I'm as impressed with Ireland's eye for goal as anybody but to suggest his workrate is outstanding is crazy talk. And I would have thought that if it was just highlights of goals and killer passes that I've seen then I would think he's top class....fair enough I don't see every City match as they are generally not on Sky or Setanta but I did see enough of them over the past 2 seasons to give an opinion on him, as being Irish he would be one of the players I would be most interested in. If you can't make a judgement for yourself on a player and need Mr Barclay to tell u if a player's good or not then fair enough but maybe it's him that's just watchin the highlights!!

[Billsthoughts]

Jaysus!!
Probably the bones of a decent debate lost in hail of insults and false indignation.

Firstly a different slant on the players retiring early. Leaving aside the individual cases. Does anyone here feel the fans share some of the blame for creating a situation were players hate playing for their country? Negative atmosphere at games? E.g 7 out of 9 points for Trapp and he is shipping loads of criticism? The criticism directed at Gibson/Whelan? Letting Delaney away with some of the cr*p he has pulled. Cause I do.

Secondly – Great post Sheridan.

Thirdly is anyone going to tell me(in a reasonable manner) the difference between supporting Man u etc over Irish clubs and supporting Italy over Ireland national team?

I wouldn’t consider myself to be anyway knowledgable about the EL but I like football so if I wanna go see a decent game I can just go down to inchicore for 15 euro. If people on here claim to love football so much why don’t they do the same for their local team? Whether that be nottingham forrest or Finn Harps?

[paul_oshea]

Jaysus!!
Probably the bones of a decent debate lost in hail of insults and false indignation.

Firstly a different slant on the players retiring early. Leaving aside the individual cases. Does anyone here feel the fans share some of the blame for creating a situation were players hate playing for their country? Negative atmosphere at games? E.g 7 out of 9 points for Trapp and he is shipping loads of criticism? The criticism directed at Gibson/Whelan? Letting Delaney away with some of the cr*p he has pulled. Cause I do.

Secondly – Great post Sheridan.

Thirdly is anyone going to tell me(in a reasonable manner) the difference between supporting Man u etc over Irish clubs and supporting Italy over Ireland national team?

I wouldn’t consider myself to be anyway knowledgable about the EL but I like football so if I wanna go see a decent game I can just go down to inchicore for 15 euro. If people on here claim to love football so much why don’t they do the same for their local team? Whether that be nottingham forrest or Finn Harps?

Bill, you still don't understand though, i made the point above. Name the people on here that have contributed that can do that and don't?!

You can just "go down to inchicore", what say 15 mins away? Thats not the case for a lot of people outside Dublin/ppl born outside of Ireland/expats etc.

[irishultra]

Just to add, there is no difference supporting Italy over Ireland, but doing it out of spite is.

[Billsthoughts]

Well in fairness I did say your local team. And come on, a lot of people on this site are Dublin based or Cork based. Both have clubs to choose from.

[Docboy]

Well in fairness I did say your local team. And come on, a lot of people on this site are Dublin based or Cork based. Both have clubs to choose from.

Surely it doesn't come down to choosing a club, do they not in a way choose you? Not trying to be cryptic but choosing is done by those who want success. And just for the record I'm a Spurs fan...

[Billsthoughts]

Surely it doesn't come down to choosing a club, do they not in a way choose you? Not trying to be cryptic but choosing is done by those who want success. And just for the record I'm a Spurs fan...

Do you like football?
Why not go down and watch it then if its readily available?
Ya dont have to buy all the merchandise and become an uber fan overnite. Live football different experience than watching on telly.

[SkStu]

Who on this site doesn't support a LOI club because they are sh1te?

No one misundertood/missed/misinterpreted what he was trying to say, even if you would like to think we are all oblivious to it because we dont necessarily have an EL team.

You would be hard pressed to find ppl on this site, who don't support LOI teams because they are sh1te, in the public you are probably right but not on this site. I would say the majority of those who don't support EL teams that post on this site, is because they have no affiliation to any club and never grew up supporting an EL side(whether they are born in Ireland or wherever else or are expats), you cant just switch a lightbulb and decide "today I am a Pats fan, and for the rest of my life"

dont pull that one POS - in my short time on this site i have seen it myself from many posters that the EL is sh1te, long ball, hoof etc etc. Do not deny that.

You say: "you cant just switch a lightbulb and decide "today I am a Pats fan, and for the rest of my life" - im sorry but why is that not possible yet it is possible to do it for a club that is based miles away, in a different country, with which you have no real affinity for the locality or the people? Just wondering where that difference lies Paul?

[NeilMcD]

I went back to supporting Bohs after a long abscence of living in Clare etc. Now it has been a slow process of really getting to the stage where I am nervous and it effects my mood etc but it is there now and the journey has been enjoyable too and as Billsthoughts said going to live football for 15 euro a month is great value. In many ways it was going to away games with Ireland that made me want to get that live football experience on a more regular basis that got me going to the LOI after been brought there as a little kid.

[lopez]

You say: "you cant just switch a lightbulb and decide "today I am a Pats fan, and for the rest of my life" - im sorry but why is that not possible yet it is possible to do it for a club that is based miles away, in a different country, with which you have no real affinity for the locality or the people? Just wondering where that difference lies Paul?

You can follow a team in a foreign country if it has a number of large Irish internationals playing for them. What I don't understand - and this sounds like I'm the Support Police - is the continuation of this 'love' when there are no longer any Irish players and the manager actually hates the Irish. I took a great interest in Arsenal in the late seventies, solely for the numbers of Irish - North and South - at the club. Once they left, I couldn't really be bothered any more, especially as following Ireland was such a far greater footballing experience as a fan - cr*p team at the time but I didn't realise I'd witness them in a World Cup quarter final.

I met Eddie McGoldrick once and he told me George Graham hated the Irish. He knew him better than me, but it sort of vindicated me never following them (and let's face it I've had ample chance to rejoin the bandwagon).

As for the LOI, I've watched Irish teams in Wales (Cork City), Belgium (Sligo) and the Olympic team in Dunkirk against France. That last game was perhaps the best performance of an Irish national team since the 2-2 draw away to Holland in 1981. What I've seen of it is far from sh*t.

[tetsujin1979]

I met Eddie McGoldrick once and he told me George Graham hated the Irish. He knew him better than me, but it sort of vindicated me never following them (and let's face it I've had ample chance to rejoin the bandwagon).

The same George Graham that had Dave O'Leary as his assistant at Leeds?

[lopez]

The same George Graham that had Dave O'Leary as his assistant at Leeds?

And the many misogynists that marry women?

[SkStu]

You can follow a team in a foreign country if it has a number of large Irish internationals playing for them. What I don't understand - and this sounds like I'm the Support Police - is the continuation of this 'love' when there are no longer any Irish players and the manager actually hates the Irish. I took a great interest in Arsenal in the late seventies, solely for the numbers of Irish - North and South - at the club. Once they left, I couldn't really be bothered any more, especially as following Ireland was such a far greater footballing experience as a fan - cr*p team at the time but I didn't realise I'd witness them in a World Cup quarter final.

I met Eddie McGoldrick once and he told me George Graham hated the Irish. He knew him better than me, but it sort of vindicated me never following them (and let's face it I've had ample chance to rejoin the bandwagon).

As for the LOI, I've watched Irish teams in Wales (Cork City), Belgium (Sligo) and the Olympic team in Dunkirk against France. That last game was perhaps the best performance of an Irish national team since the 2-2 draw away to Holland in 1981. What I've seen of it is far from sh*t.

absolutely Lopez, you can follow any team you like. I follow the fortunes of overseas Irish players too as i love the national team and want to see them do the best that we can expect.

My issue was with POS's statement. Thats absolute rubbish. Why can you (not you specifically) pick a foreign team to support for the rest of your life, as is the case of so so many Irish men, but to pick an Irish team is something where "you cant just switch a lightbulb and decide "today I am a Pats fan, and for the rest of my life". To me it is far easier to do that with an Irish team than with a foreign team with no affinity to the community/county/country of your birth? Pauls statement puzzles me beyond belief.