I'd love to see the games played in Celtic Park, but the possiblity of the games clashing with the scottish home fixtures, my second choice would be Anfield or Goodison.
Not Old Trafford
We haven't been drawn with a British team in years and since all 4 UK countries are a different seeding to us it must be odds on that we'll draw one for the EC08 qualifiers. Maybe we'll have to wait until the draw takes place before making a choice otherwise we could be playing the same team away twice. Imagine Northern Ireland were in this situation before the 2006 qualifiers and they decided to play in England, both Wales and England would be closer to N.Ireland's home.
or if all five teams in these isles were drawn in the same group and windsor was declared unfit, or something (not completely unthinkable)...
we could have the north playing in ibrox, south in Celtic park and Scotland in hampden!!!!
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my own pref is for cardiff, but i see the point about fixture clash - then maybe City of Man Stadium, wouldn't like to go to Old Trafford, it would send out the completely wrong image about Irish football.
Also, I'm not against Celtic park, per se, but I feel there is potential for trouble in Glasgow that wouldn't be there in Wales.
Reckon the GAA will allow Croke Park to be used, they need the money.
However, if they don't, I don't think we should play our international matches in another country.
What's wrong with Windsor exactly? Police escorts to and from the ground and everyone's grand.
Personally, I think it would be a massive embarassment to play games outside the country. I'd actual prefer them to be played in the country, regardless of capacity. Use Dalymount, Tolka, Thomond, anywhere. I'd feel sick to the stomach to see the Irish national team play a 'home' game anywhere outside the country.
Croke Park...I was there and it is big enough and nice enough!
Croke Park would obviously make sense, as good a prospect as Celtic Park sounds the only reservation I'd have would be the number of celtic fans going to the game without a real interest in the outcome, as was evident in the friendly over here against Scotland where most of them thought it would be better to get absolutley sh** faced, sing rebel songs and henrik larsson chants directing them at the Rangers contingent in the Scottish sections. Id' prefer to go to a venue where we'd actually get fans who had a true interest in Irish football.
If Croke Park is available then obviously no doubt we have to go ther e- keep the games in Ireland not to mention the jobs and revenue that would be lost to our economy if we played our home football (and rugby) Internationals abroad.
I don't share the optimism re the GAA opening up Croke Park. I've no doubt Sean Kelly is genuine and able however he has already been seriously damaged by the other forces. People like one "wellknown GAA countyboard chairman" are very powerful and would rather burn Croke Park to the ground than let a football match be played there. It is easy to typecast the GAA bigots as ignorant backwoodsmen but while some are they are being controlled by so very capable and intelligent albeit evil bigots.
The big player here is the government and if they have the guts to go through with the Realpolitik of not giving in and giving further huge grants to the GAA without Croke Park being opnened up. However 2006 will be an election year and Fianna Fail backbench TDs will want to look after the GAA when the big spend starts to try and buy the election again.
If we have to go abroad I don't think Cardiff is easily accessible. It does not have the number of flights that London or Liverpool/Manchester have. London could have problem swith england at home in the same city so I think it will be Liverpool/Manchester.
Glasgow is not really an option - much less accessible, and the sectarian problems not to mention if a few locals decided to go along and boo Liam Miller.
Judging by the crowds at the Unity Cup I think we should settle for somewhere more compact, like the Madejski.
Anfield or Parkhead and I'd nearly quit Ireland to follow England!
Have Boot Disk, will travel
Am I the only one who has ever wondered why only Croker? Once the GAA opens up in principle (a very big assumption) a modestly refurbished Pairc Ui Caoimh could easily host an international game. I'm sure there are others that could host a friendly game or a match against a smaller country. Regional GAA councils would need to approve but I'm sure they could use the cash. Who knows, Cork could be to us what Seville is to the Spanish?Originally Posted by tiktok
Although I'm a Dub I've often thought it's unfair that Dublin has exclusivity over both soccer & rugby internationals.
If we had to play abroad Anfield would be my preferred option. The 1995 game against the Dutch was one of my favourite games of all time despite the result. Singing "You'll Never walk Alone" on The Kop was magic, and I'm not a Liverpool fan.
I wish all footy grounds were like Anfield, not these modern 80k seater jobs, although my mate was at Cardiff for a play-off final and came back saying it's the "Bang & Olufsen of footy grounds".
As the old saying goes the GAA's love of the half crown is only out weighed by their hatred of the crown.
I have no doubt Ireland will be playing rugby and soccer in croke park for those few years.
I bet a deal will be done between all 3 organisations and we will see some GAA games in lansdowne too (the playing area will be big enough to accomdate all sports)
The politicians will not let all that ancillary revenue that big match days generate leave the country. The only problem I see will be lighting up croker for mid week games. Maybe the GAA will let them in if the FAI/IRFU fund a new lighting system?
It would be a huge embarrasement in this day and age to play abroad for "home games". As someone else said I'd rather play in Tolka or dalymount with only 10k than play in Scotland , England or Wales.
If Croke Park isn't available,we should play in Tolka,Dalymount,Turners Cross,Flansiro etc. or just forfeit the games.Eircom Park would now be ready if Bertie kept his duckin nose out of it!
Personally I think it will be Croke Park. When all the issues are thrashed out we will end up where we started (i.e croker) and the decision will be made to play the matches there.
It was the same with Landsdowne Road/Bertie Bowl, the orginal plan was just to do up Landsdowne Road, but its all swings and round abouts in Ireland.
Bertie Ahern cant let the matches go overseas, once the decision to play the matches in Cardiff, watch the public outcry
Only draw back about Croker is the terracing on hill 16. I dont know if its possible to put in temporay seating, but it will look pretty barron. The government or IRFU/FAI will have to come to some arrangement with Floodlighting
Irelnd currently get 35,000 for home games & aside from maybe 1 big game a year there isn't hige demand beyond that.
Use Tolka for teams similar to Cyprus, Faroes & Israel, Windsor Park for bigger games. Would probably boycott any "home" game played abroad.
If the govt don't get some sort of usage clause for gives more money to the GAA then i think they'll be crucified in public. This could all start around the run up to next election so i think Bertie will be well aware of the stakes...
giants stadium in New York, could you imagine us NOT selling that venue out, remember the world cup ladies and gents.........
or ibrox.
Ignore Max Power, he is no more, the future is Ron Burgundy. I'd love to be Ron Burgundy but they won't let me........
I think the Pairc Ui Chaoimh and others wouldn't get a UEFA licence, we'd have to have bucket seats in Hill 16 in Croker as it is, if we got a derogation.
Cork City: Making 'Dream Team' seem realistic since 2007.
Boycott "Home games " played abroad, play @ Windsor pk u r joking...........
Bring the Boys in green to the home of the magic man Stamford Bridge !!!
CAPTAIN MORGANS GREENFORD Welcomes all Irish Football fans, live music every weekend
play them in the phoenix park im sure the rent boys wont mind
Err we manage to get 35,000 for homes games - which is a sellout despite forcing fans to buy tickets for every friendly and with a waiting list of 1,000 still to buy block bookings.
We would sellout Croke Park tomorrow no problem for Cyprus.
Floodlights are not neccessary to play games - we can play saturday/wednesday afternoons - did for many years.
BTW while the Cork county board are probably the worst they have strong support from Waterford, Clare, sligo and the northern counties. Limerick delegates were once mandated to vote 12-0 in favour of opening up Croke Park - they voted 9-3 against and nobdy dared challenge them afterwards.
Yeah sure why not play in Stamford Bridge......sure half the team are Brits anyway.......Kilbane, Morrison & Holland would fit in nicely!!!!!!
Play them in Tolka..........the biggest all seater soccer ground in Ireland???
15 Leagues & how many cups????
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