Double Standards?

[Mawkgoose]

Shels were helped in Europe by other teams allowing their matches postponed.I have no problem with this as it raised the profile of the league and to be fair,they were brilliant.

However,I dont see how they can expect the same clubs to postpone the already postponed again! Im talking about the Bohs match here.They have a big squad of professional and presumably very fit players.More success means more matches.What would have happened if they had qualified to the group stages?extend the league to give them a few breathers?

[NY Hoop]

Voted Shels-mainly because i hate Fenlon, Byrne, Heary, Rogers...the entire club basically. They do get preferential treatment, and i would also agree with the Dub bias. It exists for sure.[/QUOTE]

Complete tosh. But I would expect nothing else from some cork fans. It is not a conspiracy. Out of 22 clubs in the league 6 are from Dublin. This league is incapable of preferential treatment. They are simply too incompetent. They never replaced Roy Dooney. At least he responded to emails. It is a case of them just making it up as they go along.

Also some of them have more interest in diverting fixtures so that they can attend english fixtures!

Dortie the Dublin based referees have NO interest in the league. In fairness a Derry ref would favour Derry but down here they could'nt care less. A direct qoute from that **** paul mckeon "Who the **** are shels, bohs, Rovers anyway? I get free trips abroad"!!!!!

Sick of fenlon whinging. Shels won the league last november, UEFA announced the dates of the Champions League qualifiers months ahead of the July 14 start. What happens? Shels start asking about getting games postponed!! They moaned about the drogheda game before the Reykjavik game. They are professionals. Professionals play 2 games a week.

The league announced the fixtures in early march. These fixtures should be played not postponed at the drop of a hat. If the fixture is down for friday change it to saturday or sunday to give yourself more time. The InterToto Cup is different cos the games are on the weekend but next season is the last for that. If you're in the UEFA Cup the game is thursday so play the league fixtures on the sunday not monday. It's common sense FFS.

KOH

[CuanaD]

I think im with NY Hoop on this one - the league is too incompetent to be able to favour anyone!

Now RTE definitely favour the Dublin clubs - but thats caus they are too lazy to travel (unless abroad on a junket) NOT because they care about ANY of the teams (just like the league)

[CuanaD]

This directly from the Bohs website - very measured reply to the Shels statements of recent:
"Bohemian FC Statement:::15/10/04



It is always the intention of Bohemian FC to foster good relations with our fellow eircom League Clubs. However, given the media coverage of Shelbourne FC's ongoing gripe in relation to having to play 5 games in 15 days and the vitriol aimed at Bohemian FC in that regard, some scrutiny of the facts here would be welcome.

Firstly, Shelbourne’s game last Monday (11 October) against Bohemians was their 5th game in 18 days and next Fridays encounter will be our 5th in 16 days.

Secondly Bohemian FC agreed, “ at the drop of a hat”, to call off the original fixture at Dalymount Park at the request of Shelbourne FC to facilitate their European campaign. Bohemian FC had gone to considerable expense in printing tickets (some of which were already sold), match programmes and organising commercial sponsorship of last Monday’s game before Shelbourne appealed the re-fixture date.

It is interesting to note that Shelbourne FC indicated to the media their intention to appeal the game as early as Monday 4 October yet, without consideration for arrangements made by Bohemian FC and fans in general, left making an appeal until Thursday 8th October. With the anticipated absence of League officials at the international match in Paris, the lateness of the appeal, whether by design or circumstance, (in view of the 3 day rule governing such matters) there was a strong doubt about the availability of such officials in sufficient numbers to form an appeals committee. The failure to form a committee would, of course, have allowed Shelbourne to avoid the fixture.

The inaccurate “5 games in 15 days” claim made by Shelbourne FC and the blame being laid at the door of Bohemian FC is ironic in the extreme. At the end of last season Bohemian FC faced a schedule of 8 games in 25 days between 24 October 2003 and 17 Nov 2003. Five of those games were concentrated into the 14 day period 4-17 November and two of those five games were against Shelbourne. Nobody griped and no understanding was forthcoming from Shelbourne FC.

In addition, one might also recall the insistence by Shelbourne FC that St Patrick’s Athletic FC fulfill a fixture schedule of 5 games in 13 days (19 - 31 March) in the season before last.

Pat Fenlon’s recommendation that people at Bohemians “look at themselves” is hypocritical.

In view of the above it has to be added that the doubt surrounding the playing of last Monday's game only added to the tension that already existed in the lead up to this vital game. Bohemian Football Club does not condone misconduct of any kind by any of its supporters and will always take action against anyone found not to be conducting himself or herself properly. However we do not accept that the media should consistently refer to a spitting incident without also referring to all of the other actions that led up to it.

A significant number of complaints has been received from fans that one Shelbourne player constantly made obscene gestures in the direction of the Bohemians supporters, seated in the Jodi Stand, throughout the second half of Monday's game. At the end of the game a number of Shelbourne players and staff diverted 20 yards away from their designated exit from the pitch to become involved in verbal exchanges with Bohemians supporters who were being confined to areas away from the away team exit and dressing room. Some of them crossed into the spectator area, ignoring the instructions of stewards. This Cantona style action certainly escalated an already difficult situation, which at that stage was well under control.

One supporter, while being restrained by stewards, spat at one of the Shelbourne FC coaching staff in response to being struck on the head with a clipboard by that person. Bohemian FC condemns both actions equally.

If all concerned had acted in a more restrained, professional and dignified manner this incident would have been contained, in football parlance, as handbags, and not escalated.

In the spirit of sport, Bohemian FC wants to promote good relationships with all clubs but will not accept unfair criticism. "

[Jim Smith]

Big Clubs regardless of where they are from get the benefit of the doubt and preferential treatment. This is true the world over. So for once the FIA are just like a real football association

[CuanaD]

Big Clubs regardless of where they are from get the benefit of the doubt and preferential treatment. This is true the world over. So for once the FIA are just like a real football association

FIA? is that not motor racing or something?

[Jim Smith]

FIA? is that not motor racing or something?

Doh.. I was concentrating on not typing IFA so hard.....