New start to summer soccer

**jbrazil** · 05/12/2001, 2:51 PM

THE switch to summer soccer will be delayed until AFTER Ireland’s involvement at next year’s World Cup is over. Summer soccer was set to swing into action at the end of the second week in June, but Ireland’s football bosses will put their plans on hold while Mick McCarthy’s men are still competing at the World Cup. The 2002-03 season was due to start the week ending June 9, but Ireland’s group games against Cameroon, Germany and Saudi Arabia are on June 1, 5 and 11. inthenet.ie

Gerry Desmond · 05/12/2001, 3:11 PM

Well it's refreshing to know that the major tournaments won't impact on our well thought-out decision to switch to non-winter football...

Gerry

**pete** · 05/12/2001, 3:12 PM

I don't believe this is a done deal yet as clubs have to decide at meeting next monday for certain.

Some clubs may want to play 4 as opposed to 3 rounds of fixtures & this would be much harder if the start to the season delayed a few weeks. Any delay would effectively have to be for 3 weeks when the WC be into the 1/4 finals & a lot less games on tv.

Maybe some of the clubs should have big screens at their grounds & then try to get people to come back in a few weeks for live football? At least the $eltic wearing ireland "fans" might know where the grounds were then?

**A face** · 05/12/2001, 3:12 PM

Do they honestly expect us to believe that they didn't/couldn't anticipate this happening. I thought they were just going to go ahead with the new season, and advertise it while there was the added interest in footie this summer (the general public who normally wouldn't support football, ManUre or otherwise).

If they are now saying they didn't realise it was going to clash they are making a laughing stock of themselves. To be honest that was one of the things that alarmed me about the change over, that and the half-a rsed effort as in not the first div. as well. I really cant see the sence in that now anyway.

Cameroon played Spain in the last olympics, they got beaten but Spain nearly got their asses whooped by a very competent side, The gerry's will be hard anyway. and Saudi beat Iran to qualify. Ireland are by no means a force to be reakoned with, by the skin of their teeth i would imagine, but if they do go through .... just when are they going to start the league. What a farce !!

Gerry Desmond · 05/12/2001, 3:15 PM

Originally posted by A face
The gerry's will be hard anyway.

Careful now!

Gerry

**pete** · 05/12/2001, 4:42 PM

Summer (really non-winter anyway) football does not start next season as it starts in March 2003. Next season is a short transition season in order to move to the summer football schedule.

Remember the start of June was a provisional date set ages ago when Ireland still had to play Portugal & Holland at home. Now that Ireland have qualified the clubs will have to find a solution around the clash.

For once I don't know what else they could have done.....

**A face** · 05/12/2001, 9:39 PM

Sorry about that Gerry ..... Fot what it is worth, I always thought you would play them off the field.

**Bernie** · 06/12/2001, 7:49 AM

Given the early morning and lunchtime KO's in the World Cup so far, I don't see where any fixture clashes would occur?

Gerry Desmond · 06/12/2001, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by Bernie
Given the early morning and lunchtime KO's in the World Cup so far, I don't see where any fixture clashes would occur?

Careful, Bernie - you'll end up on a League Management Committee...

The WC next year is actually kicking off quite early, 31 May, and running through most of June. What about if Ireland qualify for the next Euro finals in Portugal 2004? It won't be starting that early and we'll have to assume the League season here will already be underway. Will we then have to take a break for a couple of weeks until 'the end of Ireland's involvement' and try to get interest going again by re-starting the league after the euphoria has died down...?

Gerry

Gerry Desmond · 06/12/2001, 10:15 AM

Of course, silly me!, the league season in 2004 will have begun in March...

Gerry

**James** · 06/12/2001, 1:04 PM

Originally posted by Bernie
Given the early morning and lunchtime KO's in the World Cup so far, I don't see where any fixture clashes would occur?

wow bernie well done
u just reposted what i posted yesterday in the cork forum..
my u are a smart one

**Bernie** · 07/12/2001, 3:03 PM

Cheeky git.

Just to remind you James, tomorrows the 8th so I guess you'll be heading for the City to do the Xmas shopping with the other culchies.

Even though your miles away you shouldn't break traditions.

**pete** · 07/12/2001, 3:53 PM

Originally posted by Bernie
Just to remind you James, tomorrows the 8th so I guess you'll be heading for the City to do the Xmas shopping with the other culchies.

hehe. good one

**A face** · 07/12/2001, 5:27 PM

Avoid town at all costs tomorrow, it brings all those men down from the mountains with all their strange habits and mannerisms. Makes you think if the evolution cycle was all that successful.

**Éanna** · 08/12/2001, 11:10 PM

Originally posted by A face
Avoid town at all costs tomorrow, it brings all those men down from the mountains with all their strange habits and mannerisms. Makes you think if the evolution cycle was all that successful.

Ouch!

**Schumi** · 10/12/2001, 4:07 PM

Originally posted by A face
Avoid town at all costs tomorrow, it brings all those men down from the mountains with all their strange habits and mannerisms. Makes you think if the evolution cycle was all that successful.

I think they must have got jobs as stewards in Turner's X.