Airtiricity League XI v Manchester United confirmed for Aviva Stadium on August 4

[Real ale Madrid]

Fair enough, I might. Though I don't think I should be compelled to support them purely because of geography.

Please do - and post here on what you thought of it. And bring a few friends with you, you might even have a few scoops afterwards! Like many people supporting local soccer at all levels throughout the county can go hand in hand with an interest in premiership / european football.

If you have the same attitude to Irish football after a few nights watching a few games id be surprised.

Most of the people I go to Airtricity League games with are supporters of Everton, Spurs, Man Utd, Liverpool etc etc.
Not one of them thinks the League here is better than the Premiership. Yet no one slags it off, the common demoninator is the game itself, and taking an interest. Some follow more passonately than others. But all support the league in some shape or form.

Thats why its so depressing to read about last night and the seeing the league's reputation being dragged through the gutter by the very people who are charged to represent it. The FAI's primary concern should be participation in the game itself in all levels in this country, from playing to coaching to senior football. What exactly will last night have done for the game here, apart from turn people away from the league, and give them a valid excuse for doing so in the process. Sad.

[Murfinator]

The point in a nutshell is that the problem with the LoI isn't with the typical Irish persons attitude like a lot of people seem to believe here. The problem is with the league itself, the standard its at, their failure to ever qualify for Europe and embarrassing financial issues off the pitch. So its frustrating to see on this forum after the LoI's embarrassing showcase to see a lot of blaming towards the public and contempt for not supporting the league.

The league isn't attractive to the public but it requires a better PR strategy from the league itself. Its nothing unusual in other countries and a lot of them respond with investment, recruiting marquee players or just ensuring the youth facilities are there so the top starlets have a path to the top here and don't need to move abroad in their teens.

[OneRedArmy]

develop actual Irish internationals,

The League of Ireland has developed significantly more Irish internationals than Man U over the last decade.

[osarusan]

The point in a nutshell is that the problem with the LoI isn't with the typical Irish persons attitude like a lot of people seem to believe here. The problem is with the league itself, the standard its at, their failure to ever qualify for Europe and embarrassing financial issues off the pitch. So its frustrating to see on this forum after the LoI's embarrassing showcase to see a lot of blaming towards the public and contempt for not supporting the league.

Can you understand our frustration with a public who by and large either ignore or actively dislike our league, justifying this by complaining about its poor standard, while all the time they (and we LOI fans) are aware that their unwillingness to go to a game plays a part in stopping the standard improving?

The league isn't attractive to the public but it requires a better PR strategy from the league itself. Its nothing unusual in other countries and a lot of them respond with investment, recruiting marquee players or just ensuring the youth facilities are there so the top starlets have a path to the top here and don't need to move abroad in their teens.

Again, we need money to do it. One of the great untruths about LOI is that we neither know how to improve nor care about improving.

It's easy to talk about signing marquee players and investing in facilites, but you need money to do it, and the LOI's poor standard and attendances, and resulting lack of investment, makes this very very difficult.

[Dodge]

For the record I have no issue with any fans who simply don't care about the league. Its the people who actively hate the league, I have an issue with.

As osarusan states, most problems can be solved with money. Money thats now being spent on green & yellow scarves trying to force Americans out of a British club

[bullit]

Best afternoons craic since The BBC pulled Murder she wrote

[Macy]

If people can't be arsed, it's their lose. There's no point in getting worked up about that. However, last night was about our national association actively working for our biggest competitors to no benefit to the league.

The majority of people who try and justify supporting foreign clubs to the exclusion of our own league for other reasons are kidding themselves: Too far to travel within Ireland, but I'll travel to Manchester or Munich; Too expensive into games, but I'll spend hundreds on flights and accomodation; Standard of football is crap, but I can't wait for the next xxxxx v Bolton game. If they can't see it, it's their problem - and if it's so ingrained that they have to come on a LoI forum to argue the point, I'm happy they don't go to matches to be perfectly honest.

[MeathDrog]

The point in a nutshell is that the problem with the LoI isn't with the typical Irish persons attitude like a lot of people seem to believe here.

There was a 'game' on last night. Did you happen to see any of it???

The problem is with the league itself, the standard its at, their failure to ever qualify for Europe and embarrassing financial issues off the pitch. So its frustrating to see on this forum after the LoI's embarrassing showcase to see a lot of blaming towards the public and contempt for not supporting the league.

You're half right. The League doesn't help itself at the best of times but you have to wonder why the standard is poor.

The league isn't attractive to the public but it requires a better PR strategy from the league itself. Its nothing unusual in other countries and a lot of them respond with investment, recruiting marquee players or just ensuring the youth facilities are there so the top starlets have a path to the top here and don't need to move abroad in their teens.

The public need to get off their arse and do something about it if this is going to happen. Watching Man United on the box every week is the easier option and takes far less effort.

[Charlie Darwin]

A quote from Facebook that sums up the scale of the issue really;
"My god what a nyt we had last nyt!!!! We had a fab time!!!! The Aviva is som place, was fantastic. A nyt that will never be forgotten for a number of reasons, but most of all for the happiness & excitment that shone on my boys faces everytime united scored!!!"

The boy won't be so happy when he realises his father is illiterate and can't help him with his homework. But at least he'll always have 7-1

[WoodquayBoy]

The nearest team to me is in the first division. It's Limerick, a county and city I have no connection whatsoever with and is about an hour away.

Do you mind if I just cut to the chase here and call you a liar, and therefore give your argument no credibility? A couple of posts back you claim there is no league club within a two hour drive of you, now you say you are an hour from Limerick. You are contradicting yourself and showing yourself up to be a liar.

[CMcC]

The nearest team to me is in the first division. It's Limerick, a county and city I have no connection whatsoever with and is about an hour away. Are you suggesting I should support them because they're the nearest team to me? And by that logic shouldn't I support England in World Cups we're not at, they are the closest in Geographical proximity to me after all!

I have more of a connection with Munich than I have with Limerick and I've actually visited there more than times than Limerick too. Sure if Tipperary had a team I'd support that but they don't so I'm not going to scour the map for the nearest functioning team to me and support them on the basis of that. I'll support the team from a city I love who have a team I enjoy to watch. Sure not as much as I'd support Munster, Tipperary in hurling or the Irish national team but they are my chosen club side and I don't see a thing wrong with it being that way.

Bayern I assume. Surely not 1860.

[Fivesilver]

Save for a severely bruised ego/pride/reputation for one of them.......

As long as Peersy keeps on chewing up and spitting out LoI strikers, he can score a hat-trick of own goals with his arse when he lines out against X-Factor FC for all I care.

[Murfinator]

Do you mind if I just cut to the chase here and call you a liar, and therefore give your argument no credibility? A couple of posts back you claim there is no league club within a two hour drive of you, now you say you are an hour from Limerick. You are contradicting yourself and showing yourself up to be a liar.

I said there was no Airtricity League team within 2 hours and there um isn't. Limerick are division 1 I believe.

[dong]

Airtricity sponsored as well I believe.

[Lim till i die]

I said there was no Airtricity League team within 2 hours and there um isn't. Limerick are division 1 I believe.

They play in the Airtricity League First Division, much like the Derry City keeper that came on last night.

[WoodquayBoy]

I said there was no Airtricity League team within 2 hours and there um isn't. Limerick are division 1 I believe.

Slapped down like the lamearse - and incorrect - excuse it is. Next?

[ped_ped]

I said there was no Airtricity League team within 2 hours and there um isn't.

So now you, um, would only, um, support a top local Irish team? Quelle surprise!

[ndrog]

Brought my brother in law to a drogs v bohs game recently ( the one that one cancelled due to flood light failure ) . He enjoyed standing on the terrace in the lashing rain , watching mediocre football . Hes a season ticket holder and born and bred bolton wanderers fan . According to him to quality of football in the epl is majority muck with the exception of the top five . Hes actually thinking of moving to Ireland at some stage and says he will buy a season ticket . It reminds him of english football before it sold its soul i.e crap facilities , crapy burgers , crapy football ! but an atmosphere of honesty and some passion from the supporters .

[OneRedArmy]

Brought my brother in law to a drogs v bohs game recently ( the one that one cancelled due to flood light failure ) . He enjoyed standing on the terrace in the lashing rain , watching mediocre football . Hes a season ticket holder and born and bred bolton wanderers fan . According to him to quality of football in the epl is majority muck with the exception of the top five . Hes actually thinking of moving to Ireland at some stage and says he will buy a season ticket . It reminds him of english football before it sold its soul i.e crap facilities , crapy burgers , crapy football ! but an atmosphere of honesty and some passion from the supporters .

Absolutely.

I've bumped into quite a few English and the odd German and French fan at Derry games. Typically they've moved to Derry, and just go along, unconsciously, because they like football and its the local side. Its no more complicated than that. Try explaining that mindset to your average yahoo here who has owned Leeds, Chelsea, Sunderland and Man City merchadise over the last 15 years....

[ndrog]

In saying that he tells me about lads he went to school with in bolton that are man u and liverpool fans ! My uncle is from Bolton . horwich actually which is where the reebok is and he watches man u on telly rather than going 10 mins down the rd to Bolton gmaes .The mind really boggles !