Matthews calls for summer soccer to go as Longford show another lack of ambition

[pete]

I feel strongly enough that we should not return to the old season that i'd protest outside Merrion Square if was ever to happen.

[mypost]

I presume that a good few of you saw eL weekly last night, for those of you who didn't, the presenter asked Scully and Osam what they thought about Matthew's idea of moving back to a winter season. Osam and Scully were both against the idea, this was because the training pitches are better and it is bright in the evenings. They both laughed at the idea that the change should be made to accomodate players going on holidays, stating that if they are a professional footballer that they should take holidays in the close season.

I think if that part time footballers want to take holidays in the summer -let them off and see if they can get back in the team when they return. I know some say that summer soccer is only benefitting the big clubs but would there really be the same buzz about the league if all of our teams had been knocked out of europe in the first round for the past few years?

As for other aspects to the winter change. Gerrit already made the point about matches postponed because of foul weather and a garbled league table -I remember these days well and it was a joke. I also remember clubs not having a match for 4 or 5 weeks and ending up in financial bother as they had no income to pay the players with.

Like most NL fans, I voted to play in Summer, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, the Summer Holiday question is going to crop up EVERY summer, and I fear that over time, the smaller clubs will gang up to change back to winter for their own reasons, and all the good work that has been achieved in the last few years will be wasted. As usual, selfish short-term interest will win over the long-term good of the league, and we'll end up like the Northern Irish league, going nowhere.

[drinkfeckarse]

Clicked winter in error , summer all the way for me. The European results have proved beyond doubt that it is beneficial to the teams in the league.

[blutil]

2week mid season break perhaps give the players a week to go away, still think holidays should'nt have a big bearing on it though, as i said they can head to the snow !

[OneRedArmy]

I couldn't give a monkies what the players think.

They get paid to entertain, I'm the customer and they'll damn well play when it suits me, not when it suits them.

There is still a view within football that the League should be run for benefit of the officials and the players. Which is one of the reasons why attendences are crap.

"They don't get a summer holiday"!!! Boo-f*cking-ho. Haven't they heard of winter sun?

[Bosco]

As for the idea of people being distracted by other events or activities in the summer I think this can't be true -either you're an eL fan and you go to matches or you're not.

What a ridiculous statement,maybe we should put up a sign outside the gorund."Fans,unless you are hardcore and intend to attend every single match this season,dont bother coming in"

Dont agree with players wanting holidays but was dissapointed the way osam and scully only focused on the players asking for holidays and not the other aspects.To ask to change back to winter just because players want holidays would be ridiculous

[Éanna]

Are you reaching for your sick bag already? Pathetic and disgusting only if it doesn't conform with your attitude maybe!!

No, pathetic and disgusting because your attitude is demeaning to the league you claim to support. With fans as "committed" as you, the league will never go anywhere.

it is sad when you "big clubs" slag off the "small clubs" who have probably achieved more for their fans and given them a huge sense of pride with a fraction of your budget.

I'm not slagging off any small club, I'm disagreeing with the manager of a club that has been very successful in recent years,and which I respect greatly.

Now I wonder where will the chip be on Sun night after Longford beat you and on what shoulder will it rest????

If longford beat us on sunday, then fair enough. I'll be disappointed, but I'm sure I'll get over it. Once it isn't because of a dodgy ref or something

[Éanna]

I couldn't give a monkies what the players think.

They get paid to entertain, I'm the customer and they'll damn well play when it suits me, not when it suits them.

There is still a view within football that the League should be run for benefit of the officials and the players. Which is one of the reasons why attendences are crap.

"They don't get a summer holiday"!!! Boo-f*cking-ho. Haven't they heard of winter sun?

spot on. on a (sort of) related note, what is people's obsession with taking their holidays in the summer?! Its the only time of year we get half-decent weather, surely its better to go off to Spain/Portugal/Morocco in the middle of winter, when its ****ing rain here and its 20+ over there

[mypost]

spot on. on a (sort of) related note, what is people's obsession with taking their holidays in the summer?! Its the only time of year we get half-decent weather, surely its better to go off to Spain/Portugal/Morocco in the middle of winter, when its ****ing rain here and its 20+ over there

Tradition Eanna. Apparantly, the league must conform to the demands of about 100 LOI players, so they can take their holidays when it suits them, and hold up the league's development, while they're at it.

We all split our sides laughing down here, when Glentoran's players couldn't disturb their holidays to play Shels. Do we want that to happen here??

[Macy]

Youse are using the Footballer's holidays to mask the real issues. It's only a minor thing imo (far less important than the 100's of fans missing while they're on the holliers).

Shelsman - you want to wake up to the realities of having a life outside of football.

[NY Hoop]

I've lost all respect for Matthews over this. Is he insane? Does he want to go back to getting hammered in Europe? Oh wait

Attendances have not been down or up overall. The facts are that teams are playing on better pitches and are (longford excepted) getting better results in Europe.

WTF would we want to go back?

Scully was spot on on monday night. Players holidays? Are you for real? That smacks of amateurism and harks back to the bad old days when one of our players didnt play in Turkey in 98 cos he had booked his hols. Lets leave those days far behind us.

Stick to the real issues. Improving facilities, 10 team premier, audits of ALL clubs, increased marketing and throwing out convicted criminals running clubs.

Anybody got spare welsh flags?! We'll need them for the 30th

KOH

[Macy]

The facts are that teams are playing on better pitches and are (longford excepted) getting better results in Europe.

I can take the stick (well this year where it's justified), but other teams haven't done to well in Europe either with the summer season. Shels and Cork last season, Cork this season - progress getting worse as summer seasons go on...

[Macy]

audits of ALL clubs

This is the most important thing, moreso than winter or summer football. Make it unacceptable for clubs to live beyond their means. As far as I can see only really Harps and Rovers that are genuinely doing so (including us).

[NY Hoop]

Macy you are too level headed to be a longford fan

See you on the 30th. If you're bringing cop on we can accommodate him/it in the boez bog!!

KOH

[bigmac]

spot on. on a (sort of) related note, what is people's obsession with taking their holidays in the summer?! Its the only time of year we get half-decent weather, surely its better to go off to Spain/Portugal/Morocco in the middle of winter, when its ****ing rain here and its 20+ over there

For people with kids it's when the kids are off from school.

I agree that it's better go somewhere in the Autumn or winter though and for me it's summer soccer all the way - i think it's the best thing the league ever did. I think there's a hell of a lot of things that clubs and the league could do to improve attendances without reverting to playing football in a mud bath again.

[Macy]

Macy you are too level headed to be a longford fan

Ever read Kimmage's Rough Ride? Clubs in the eL are doing the equivalent of the domestiques he talks about taking drugs - (financial) doping to survive, not even to win in most cases. It's it's not if there's going to be another club in trouble more a case of who and when....

[johno]

Has to be Summer soccer,good quality pitches,better atmosphere (usually),and much easier to travel to and from games and of course much better quality photos.Having said all that,it has dented attendances especially in rural areas where there is an inevitable clash with local GAA,but it is then up to the relevant clubs PROs to find solutions to the problem and to entice as many "bums to seats" as they can.

With fans as "committed" as you

Cant recall saying I was "committed" to anything or anyone other than mé féin.

I'm not slagging

Which part of "dont take it personal" do you not understand?

Once it isn't because of a dodgy ref or something

Plenty of them around.

[Shelsman]

Jaysus,you cork lads are good for a laugh anyway,whats your ambition?maybe win something!!!How long is it now since a piece of silverware went Leeside apart from Mc Carthy cup that is............Sure you will have a few decent away Euro games but you'll never win the bloody thing so come on back to planet earth and enjoy the EL for what it is,mediocre entertainment.

Winning a Europen tie is MUCH bigger than winning a domestic cup final -why? because you have to be sucessfull domestically to qualify for Europe in the first place and you are then playing the BEST teams from the other European countries, most of which have stronger leagues and clubs than us.

Cork City won their place by playing good football over a full season, yet ye got into Europe last season by winning around just four consecutive FAI cup games, one of which was against a non-league team and another against a First Division club !!!!!

Talk about good for a laugh!

As for calling the eL mediocre entertainment -I think you've seen too many matches at Flancare Park!

[johno]

Winning a Europen tie is MUCH bigger than winning a domestic cup final -why? because you have to be sucessfull domestically to qualify for Europe in the first place and you are then playing the BEST teams from the other European countries, most of which have stronger leagues and clubs than us.

Cork City won their place by playing good football over a full season, yet ye got into Europe last season by winning around just four consecutive FAI cup games, one of which was against a non-league team and another against a First Division club !!!!!

Talk about good for a laugh!

As for calling the eL mediocre entertainment -I think you've seen too many matches at Flancare Park!

What is your problem with Longford Town and why do you associate me with same??Theres always something to whinge about,their football,manager,players,FFS even their stewards,is it just sour grapes that a part time club can be successful,cup wins,good home venue,mid-table league finish or is it lack of ambition on your part to support smaller clubs when results go against them(Wales),instead of berating them at every opportunity.If,as it seems,you want the El to progress both domestically and abroad then for gods sake support all your clubs big and small and especially when results are poor,maybe the leagues entertainment level will rise from mediocre then.
Anyway I'm sure there are plenty of Longford fans out there who are able to defend themselves without me adding anything.

[harry crumb]

It means yee won the cup over a few matches and did not do it over the longer period.