Read the next sentence too. There has always and will always be a wages "arms race" in football. If you want the best players available to play for you, then you pay what the market dictates. So going by your tin foil hat wearing idea clubs like Shams and Sligo Rovers should only spend the same amount on wages as Bray? Like I said if clubs over spend on more then they can afford they get what the deserve. On your other point of a gh to put together a concerted and "sustained national promotion plan for the league" can you elaborate on that one because it sounds like another moon man fantasy.
Tin foil hat? How have I demonstrated paranoia or a persecution complex at any point?
When have I ever suggested that all clubs pay their players the same wages? I was talking
Do you think that a well-organised and professional national promotion of the league, with cross-media advertising and large-scale exposure, wouldn't be of benefit to the LOI?
Did it work a few years ago when it was done, with all the radio ads (John Creedon is one that sticks in my memory for some reason)? Would it be of some benefit? Probably, but I'd seriously question the return on investment on such a promotion to be honest. Some slick advertising isn't going to get "the best fans in the world" off their arses.
Facilities (not necessarily seats/ new stands) are more important imo - once someone comes give them enough comfort to not be put off coming back.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Id imagine what you would do is let all current contracts expire. Say it takes 3 years max.
Then the clubs get together and say ok lads this isnt good enough for the next x amount of years nobody is paying any wages. Put your wages into schoolboy development, facilities whatever.
The FAI say we arent giving any prize money either.
Everybody is then forced to take a longer term look at things.
It really is that simple, all thats needed is desire, time and patience.
Sure you would lose most of the current players but lets be honest most of them are not very good either way
Crowds would not be as effected as you would think if younger players were given a chance instead.
Sure most LOI fans would still go even if you put cats out on the pitch playing in the teams colours
Last edited by hoops1; 17/05/2013 at 12:38 PM.
Champions 2010
Champions 2011
Dick Brush 1 Sligo 0
Bohs are going bust.
I agree. Advertising is a waste of money when the product isn't particularly attractive.
The main thing clubs can do is get their own houses in order, but I think there's plenty they could do with a little cooperation too. Some sort of coordinated approach to counter the industry of packing kids off to England and Scotland would be a good start, putting in place a system whereby 15-18 year olds are shown a clear and definable path to league football, training camps where the best players can audition for all the clubs, pool PR resources to promote the league in the media rather than individual clubs.
We're supposed to have a system that limits the amount that can be spent on wages, freeing up money for facilities/ community work etc. It's called Licencing. Only way I'd say no prize money, is no fees as well.
I actually think the product is alright, rather than not "particularly attractive". The problem is the punters - we're never going to compete with the EPL on quality, and too many just don't "get" going to a match rather than watching TV. At least one sub conference level english club has an irish supporters club ffs! We just have to accept that and live within our means and make it as comfortable as possible for those that do take a club up on a "free kids" promotion or whatever. This is something the club can control - facilities.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
I agree that facilities should be improved, but for the sake of those already attending. You're not going to attract the Great Irish Football Fan, no matter what you try. As Macy says, they just don't get it.
Maybe if all clubs could substitute the seating with barstools, install counters for punters to rest their elbows on, and then have idiotic commentators and half-baked half-time 'analysis' so they know what to think, we might get some of them in.
And you'd have to have SKY and the newspapers tell them beforehand too that they should be interested and that the game matters.
I've said this before, I think it all comes down to perception. From the top to the bottom in this country, from the FAI (witness John Delaneys comments after the Ireland/France playoff that "it's not Bohs v Waterford we're talking about here".) and the media, the whole message is that football here doesn't matter. It's not "real" football, that happens in England. When you start to think a game matters and is important, that's when it becomes so. The trick is to convince Irish people that Bohs v Rovers, Pats v Derry, etc etc, is a big game and is important.
Out for a spell, got neglected, lay on the bench unselected.
A Liverpool fans perspective on the atmosphere in the Bohs end at the derby on Friday. Barstoolers really don't know what they're missing.
Just going to copy and paste a comment from the justice in tallaght video on youtube. I think this lad was standing beside us and he was really getting into it. Everything he says is smack on the money
"I'm just home after coming from Ireland,I live in Liverpool born and bred,And I was in the Bohs end when that goal went in.I loved it,It's the 5th league of Ireland game I have ever been to and I thought it was amazing,And I will be coming back again,How Irish fans support our teams is beyond me when you have things like that on your doorstep.Amazing day,Great passion,I'd actually say you lads beat us in terms of passion even when we play Everton,Thanks for everything guys.You were fantastic."
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Glad to hear they enjoyed it. It was as big a Bohs support as I've seen in Tallaght for a couple of years - any reason for that? Not having a go, I'm genuinely glad Bohs are bringing more faces in.
Rovers gave us more tickets than last couple of years? Security reasons for past allocations i presume. There are a handful of Bohs fans who don't like the Tallaght experience but we have sold out our allocation or come very close each and every time.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Can you not pay in at the door?
Are you really asking me that?
Anyways, I'd rather keep using this thread for 'stooler bashing than analyzing attendance patterns for ding dong Dublin derbies.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Big enough crowd too for our 1-0 win last year. I think if you go to one of these games once ,you`ll go again, and that`s why the away numbers have steadily increased The Luas is handy from town, it is well policed ,there is a cracking atmosphere, it is a comfortable stadium and a good pitch. Why any Bohs fan in Ireland wouldn`t want to be there is beyond me
+1. Pretty much it. Always a cracking atmosphere and (whatever we both say) fans of both lookm forward to it. Shams V Bohs (or Bohs V Shams) is a game I would recomend to any barstooler - and the best chance of them seeing the light
LUAS and the fact the Gardai have the fixture well controlled have also encouraged a few more to attend, and in a time of declining attendances this is to be welcomed.
PS As Charlie says it was possible to pay in at the gate on Friday, which has also helped get fans out (late callers or people who find it difficult to get a ticket in advance)
Last edited by marinobohs; 20/05/2013 at 9:46 AM.
There's a discussion of the merits of EPL v LOI going on behind me in the office.
*must resist*
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Stay out of it - tempting, but unfair, to enter a battle of wits against the unarmed.
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