French view of the game....

[TheOwl]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/171120...s-channel.html

Intertesting read.

[paul_oshea]

interesting owlie. I remember as a young fella every summer in france, and the frogs never had any interest in euro champs or world cups or any of that. Even when france 98 was on outisde of the host cities there was very little interest.

I hate to see countries like that getting to world cups and hosting them, especially when we as a nation are very passionate about any international success.

[ifk101]

... especially when we as a nation are very passionate about any international success.

... as it gives us an excuse to drink it up.

[pineapple stu]

France is not a country that is passionate about sport. Unfortunately, we are not like the English or Irish. Since the World Cup success in 1998, lots of people have become interested in football and lots of them go to the game thinking they are watching a show. I'm often horrified to see Mexican waves start after just 15 minutes of play when the score is still 0-0.

Hmm...

[dan o d]

fifa should host the world cups in countries that are passionate about football instead of trying to market the game like a brand by hosting it in countries with highly populated countries where the public have little or no interest in the game - usa, japan korea, south africa. im glad to see that brazil will host 2014 cup but its only a matter of time that dubai and uae will build massive stadiu in te middle of the deserts and pay fifa for the world cup

[Ozymandias]

interesting read..especially the comments posted where one guy believes that if we get two goals the french need to get 4...quality stuff

[boovidge]

fifa should host the world cups in countries that are passionate about football instead of trying to market the game like a brand by hosting it in countries with highly populated countries where the public have little or no interest in the game - usa, japan korea, south africa. im glad to see that brazil will host 2014 cup but its only a matter of time that dubai and uae will build massive stadiu in te middle of the deserts and pay fifa for the world cup

Theyre mad for football in Japan and Korea

[elroy]

Some less than nice comments by the french frogs, particularly under Paul Parkers column.

[geysir]

Plenty less than nice comment about the French here and this is a moderated forum whereas anything goes for imbeciles to post comments there.

[rebus2008]

I hate to see countries like that getting to world cups and hosting them, especially when we as a nation are very passionate about any international success.

on what basis are we more passionate that other countries. Apart from occasional where there is big **** up available in some foreign land.
For months last year, we had compalints about poor atmopshere and even attendances at home intl game. Doesn't strike me that we have huge number of passionate fans. Even in rugby last sunday, atmosphere was **** poor for first 60mins.
Compare with likes of koreans in 2002.
Finally, if we are so passionate about sport, how have managed to elect dail after dail of politicians who only pay lip service to investing in grass roots and olympic sports. Surely a nation passionate about sports would have us basking in australian standards and not the 3rd world facilities dotted all over the country for our supposed world representatives.

[endabob1]

fifa should host the world cups in countries that are passionate about football instead of trying to market the game like a brand by hosting it in countries with highly populated countries where the public have little or no interest in the game - usa, japan korea, south africa. im glad to see that brazil will host 2014 cup but its only a matter of time that dubai and uae will build massive stadiu in te middle of the deserts and pay fifa for the world cup

Have you been to South Africa? I take it you've never seen a Sowetto Derby match? Despite waht the Ruggers tell you Soccer is the #1 game here.

[DonnyG]

Have you been to South Africa? I take it you've never seen a Sowetto Derby match? Despite waht the Ruggers tell you Soccer is the #1 game here.

I assume that football is more the people's sport and rugby the more elitest sport in SA

[endabob1]

I assume that football is more the people's sport and rugby the more elitest sport in SA

Elitest is probably too strong a word but there are very few white professional footballers (Only one in the National set up at the moment) but white pro's make up 70/80% of the provincial sides in both rugby & Cricket.
For Rugby & Cricket Quotas were introduced post-apartheid to increase representation of non-white players. Rugby was quite slow to catch up but now there is a decent amount of non-white players making the Springbok squad on merit rather than to make up a quota. Habana, Pietersen, Beast would all be first choice regardless of colour, but the quota is (AFAIK) 4 players in the starting 15 which is why either Adi Jacobs or Zane Kirschner have been picked recently. Cricket was slightly faster off the mark helped by a large Indian population in Durban & Jhb. Both Sports are popular in the "coloured" (ie. Asian or Mixed Race) communities.

For most of the 75/80% Black population Soccer is still the main game, Pirates & Chiefs are the Old Firm of SA Soccer, but the league is far more open with Supersport Utd (Owned by the local version of Sky) current champions and heading for 3 in a row, Ruud Krol & Hristo Stoichkov are both coaching here at the moment as is Owen DaGama once of Derry City & Sammy Troughton once of Glentoran got the sack from his job at Black Aces last week.

[Stuttgart88]

It's simple: they are not a football crowd. Unfortunately, we are not like the...Irish. I'm often horrified to see Mexican waves start after just 15 minutes of play when the score is still 0-0.Hmm, he obviously didn't watch most of the other games at Croker.


I think we are a passionate country about sport, just not in the ways others are: GAA & horse racing are well supported. We don't have the same fan culture taht they do in the UK and I actually think YBIG have a very creditable support culture - it mightn't be as intensive as many like but when we do it well we do it very well.

I think a really genuine factor at football's underinvestment is that despite having the majority of the population, Dublin & area has only a fraction of the political representation. GAA therefore has a disproportionate political influence - based on numbers and the historical FF / DeValera view on Ireland's place in the world.

[irishultra]

Hmm...

Remember France has a population of 60 million and its not even in the best 5 leagues in europe. They have low attendances relative to population.

[jebus]

Remember France has a population of 60 million and its not even in the best 5 leagues in europe. They have low attendances relative to population.

I think he was hmmm about us casting stones about the French supporters starting Mexican waves after 20 minutes when, well when we do the same really

[pineapple stu]

Yep, although it was Domenech casting stones, not us. Domenech basically praised the Irish fans, dismissing French fans are bandwagoners because they do the exact same things as Irish fans do.