Will the playoff be held in Croke Park ?

**thejollyrodger** · 08/09/2005, 8:39 PM

the GAA are already investigating floodlighting. They are figuring out the bulb power so that a hurling ball can be seen. I guess it is too late. I think it will be anfield.

**jbyrne** · 08/09/2005, 8:59 PM

Originally Posted by blueanto40

No it wont be on Croker. 1st GAA rules dont allow it nor do FIFA rules as it does not have floodlighting

dont think that a stadium has to have floodlights. werent there none in the faroes?

**Closed Account 2** · 08/09/2005, 11:19 PM

Think it could be Cardiff

**Risteard** · 09/09/2005, 7:32 AM

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

what about Winsor park ?

I see your laughing smiley but am i the only one who thinks this is a brilliant idea?

**paul_oshea** · 09/09/2005, 8:20 AM

They are figuring out the bulb power so that a hurling ball can be seen

would that be a sl�othar by any chance?

**paul_oshea** · 09/09/2005, 8:21 AM

I see your laughing smiley but am i the only one who thinks this is a brilliant idea?

eh ya! 22,000 as opposed to what 12,000?

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 8:33 AM

If lansdowne isnt available:

Croke Park positives:
- 80,000 irish fans (we hope)
- dont have the 'embarrassment' of playing at home

Croke Park negatives:
- too many leprechaun suit wearing muppets will be in the ground
- we have to give the GAA clowns a fair chunk of money

Anfield positives:
- nice tight ground
- 40,000 crowd is on top of the pitch
- alot of second generation irish should be there who are probably more passionate than alot of the clown that go to lansdowne
- everyone will be on the tear all day even if its a wednesday match which will greatly improve the atmosphere
- very imtimidating atmosphere

Anfield negatives:
- having the 'embarrassment' of playing a 'home' game abroad.

I wonder which ground Brian Kerr would prefer to play in

Oh yeah, as paul o' shea and KT have said, there is that other positive too

**gspain** · 09/09/2005, 8:35 AM

Originally Posted by blueanto40

No it wont be on Croker. 1st GAA rules dont allow it nor do FIFA rules as it does not have floodlighting

Would you mind producing the rule? There are certainly rules re the quality of lights which is fair enough however I'm not aware of any rule prohibiting daylight games in grounds without lights.

This is a non issue as Croke Park will not be available as the GAA rules still prohibit it.

I do have issues with giving the GAA any money given some of the actions in the past towards football clubs, the ban, the broken glass spreading etc etc. however there was clear evidence of change within the GAA in the Republic at the last congress. 24 of the 26 counties voted in favour of opening up Croke Park. The GAA in Northern Ireland is still a different story. they still name clubs and cups after IRA/INLA members etc.

However the alternative of playing home games abroad would be an embarrassment to the country. It would also cost this country hundreds of millions of euro in revenue and probably hundreds of jobs.

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 8:40 AM

'It would also cost this country hundreds of millions of euro in revenue'

Never mind the economy, (sure if we topped the group, the economy wouldnt have benefitted anyway), purely on football reasons and giving us our best chance to qualify, where do you think we have our best chance - Anfield (where all our squad have played a few times) or Croker (where it will be the irish teams first time ever playing there)?

**Volc�n Masaya** · 09/09/2005, 8:41 AM

Originally Posted by Cosmo

If lansdowne isnt available:

Croke Park positives:
- 80,000 irish fans (we hope)
- dont have the 'embarrassment' of playing at home

Croke Park negatives:
- too many leprechaun suit wearing muppets will be in the ground
- we have to give the GAA clowns a fair chunk of money

Who's this "we"? Do you work for the FAI?

A lot of the "We" you refer to also like our hurling and football as well as the ol' bit of soccer.

Originally Posted by Cosmo

Anfield positives:
- nice tight ground
- 40,000 crowd is on top of the pitch
- alot of second generation irish should be there who are probably more passionate than alot of the clown that go to lansdowne
- everyone will be on the tear all day even if its a wednesday match which will greatly improve the atmosphere
- very imtimidating atmosphere

Anfield negatives:
- having the 'embarrassment' of playing a 'home' game abroad.

I wonder which ground Brian Kerr would prefer to play in

Kerr has already stated in the past that he doesn't like the idea of playing in Croker. He moaned about the "state of the pitch" and how the surface isn't compatible because of the damage done by Gaelic Football.
Of course he's never b1tched about rugby tearing the sh1te out of the Landsdowne road grass. He has a history of being anti "GAH".
Probably a bit like yourself.

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 8:46 AM

'Who's this "we"?'

The GAA are over charging the FAI for the ground. As someone that has a keen interest in Irish football, that money could be used towards the development of the domestic game - so therefor 'we', as in football supporters, are losing out

**paul_oshea** · 09/09/2005, 10:02 AM

but they are gaining on more ticket sales as its a bigger ground!

is kerr anti (the stupid dublin word) "GAAAAH"? never heard this before but doesnt surprise me given he is a dub

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 10:10 AM

'but they are gaining on more ticket sales as its a bigger ground!'

Yeah but gaining nothing if its just thrown back to the GAA

Seriously, where do you think we've a better chance of winning - Anfield or Croke Park?

**paul_oshea** · 09/09/2005, 10:18 AM

i would think croke park, as the team would be well up for it, no other team would have played in a pitch like croker either,68,000 irish fans would make a hell of a lot more noise than 40,000 in anfield, plus it would be the first game there the players would be unbelieveably up for it, plus its a wider pitch and given where our better players positions are on the wings this would suit us also!

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 10:24 AM

Fair points, even though I disagree with ye

Hopefully the manager and the teams opinions are taken into account when making the decision

**p_o_r** · 09/09/2005, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Cosmo

'Who's this "we"?'

The GAA are over charging the FAI for the ground. As someone that has a keen interest in Irish football, that money could be used towards the development of the domestic game - so therefor 'we', as in football supporters, are losing out

When the announcement came that the GAA had decided to make Croke Park available to the FAI and IRFU while Lansdowne Rd was being re-development the FAI issued a statement saying they were happy with the decision, however they had not ruled out playing games outside Ireland while re re-development was going on.
In other words, they may not be willing to pay what the GAA will be asking for to use the ground.
Not playing in Croke Park when it is available would be a very bad decision by the FAI if you ask me.
Fair enough the cost may be larger than the UK but in the longer term I believe it would alienate a lot more fans if the FAI were to play �home games� in the UK while a 80K stadium is available just up the road. It would be a very short sighed action; I hope it does not come to it.

**Cosmo** · 09/09/2005, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by p_o_r

When the announcement came that the GAA had decided to make Croke Park available to the FAI and IRFU while Lansdowne Rd was being re-development the FAI issued a statement saying they were happy with the decision, however they had not ruled out playing games outside Ireland while re re-development was going on.
In other words, they may not be willing to pay what the GAA will be asking for to use the ground.
Not playing in Croke Park when it is available would be a very bad decision by the FAI if you ask me.
Fair enough the cost may be larger than the UK but in the longer term I believe it would alienate a lot more fans if the FAI were to play �home games� in the UK while a 80K stadium is available just up the road. It would be a very short sighed action; I hope it does not come to it.

Well tbh I agree with the FAI on this one

. Croker was built as a result of alot of tax payers money, and now the FAI have to pay an enormous amount to the GAA to use it.

As I said, once Kerr and the squad are consulted with on where the match should be played, I won't have a problem with where is decided. Like all that matters is that the team are comfortable about where they're playing their home leg.

Actually, forget it, we still have to make the play offs

**paul_oshea** · 09/09/2005, 10:44 AM

ya exactly. we do, but i think the most important thing is that we play there because the team feel comfortable with the pitch and surface etc, and not any other stupid reasons i.e. dont play cos brian kerr is anti gaelic football.

**gspain** · 09/09/2005, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Volc�n Masaya

He has a history of being anti "GAH".
Probably a bit like yourself.

Perhaps you can give some examples of Brian Kerr being anti GAA. Despite having plenty of reasons to be anti GAA given his heritage afaik he actually has an interest in one of the sports or at least had when he was in UCD..