Quite right, I can't understand how Ricco can select Danny Ventre -- who can't get into Sligo Rovers. Surely there are more able 'utility players'. Sad reflection on either Ricco's selection and/or FAI politics. When you consider that Quigley -- a wonderful player was short-listed, it really says it all. This is merely a Dublin Bord Failtesque football tourism package, a beer-sodden nostaglic trip with a view to beating the Paddys.
Celtic are a PLC who milk the "Paddy factor" because there's millions in it.
Galway United would do the exact same, if we thought that even 200 people from Scotland would come to our home matches, we would promote ourselves as "Irelands Scottish club". Lets not beat about the bush here.
So your position, as some kind of patriot, is that the fai should continue this, farce, and each year ireland should be represented by the only truly irish team - they are after all more irish than the national team.
As they're so keen to give back to irish society I'm sure they'd be willing to accept the same fee the loi representitives got this year.
Or, maybe as they harbour such affection in their hearts for the motherland they should petition for entry to the loi, instead of the epl.
I wouldn't consider myself a Celtic supporter or even an "apologist", but Irish people generally having a soft spot for Celtic doesn't really bother me a huge deal. The club certainly exploit the Irish card for the obvious profit potential therein, but their cultural and social roots are undeniably Irish at the same time and I suppose it's something, along with their long-term affiliation with the Glaswegian Irish immigrant community, they haven't been ashamed to celebrate in the face of significant animosity from dominant Scottish unionist society over the last century and a bit. They could easily have played down that aspect of their identity to better blend into dominant Scottish society. I'd be somewhat apprehensive about referring to Celtic as a "British club", for example. Such a tag doesn't really seem congruous for whatever reason. I wouldn't call Derry City or even Donegal Celtic "British clubs" either, for example. Just so long as those in Ireland who support Celtic are aware that supporting them is not necessarily somehow "more Irish" or more patriotic than supporting a team in Ireland - I dunno how it ever could be - I'm not overly bothered with it. Celebrating goals against our national league team whilst simultaneously waving tricolours and "Erin go Bragh" flags just seems a bit odd or bipolar to me, but whatever gives people their kicks...
On the fund-raising point, League of Ireland clubs raise funds for and contribute to plenty of Irish causes as well, I'm sure. The most prominent in the last season or two would probably have been Bohs and Rovers doing the pink jersey scheme to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society's "Action Breast Cancer" campaign. Derry City have raised money for Children in Crossfire in the past. I'd be stunned if other clubs all over the country weren't regularly raising money for Irish causes when possible. Irish causes don't necessarily have to be overtly political or politically emotive - like the Irish Famine Memorial fund - but then, these will naturally be the ones that appeal to Celtic and its fans in Ireland for obvious reasons; supporting Celtic often being viewed, whether erroneously or not, as a limb or essential offshoot of Irish republican patriotism.
After the incidents last week and lack of respect shown to the LoI squad, I went right off the competition and barely kept an ear out on how it went. Hopefully this week there will be good results in Europe to reflect well on the league.
https://foot.ie/forums/117-Kerry-FC
A Championship: 4 years - 8 first teams - 0 financially ruined.
First Division 2014: 7 first teams and a B team.
Opportunity lost for new clubs to join GLITW.
Danny, you more or less have it. But the main reason that there is anomosity towards Celtic mostly stems from the forceful nature of their supporters of why they support them and just how Irish they are.
We are all aware of their Irish heritage and there's no denying that. But there's a sizeable amount of people out there, including myself, who get a pain in their craw watching things like the game yesterday.
I know TA gets a bit of a hard time on here but he's not the worst, at least he supports an Irish club and at least lives in Glasgow!
Tied up the manager? As in Stokes' da? A hive of activity, certainly.
Yep. Seems like that. Used to actually enjoy watching the odd match there when I lived in Drumcondra.
There was an air that something like this may happen given the amount of cash that flowed through over this weekend.
Ya it was well thought out. A pity they didn't get their days wrong and did it with all the celtic fans in there.
I'm sure its related to all these other incidents that went before also.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Judging by the crowds there on Sat/Sun night, Players Lounge must have taken in a fortune over the weekend so no surprise it was a priime target for robbery. Usually heavy security there (3 on door on Sat night as I passed) so brave men that robbed it.
Not my type of spot, but at a time many pubs are having difficulty in surviving the PL is doing (or was doing) good business (even without the Queens shilling)
Depends on who the recepient of said boot is
"Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins."
"Homer Simpson, smiling politely."
TA,
Do you find it tiresome that people on this forum dont give you the credibility you clearly feel you deserve?
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