from eircomleague.net
Thursday, April 25th, 2002
Fianna Fáil senator Jim Glennon has criticised Fine Gael for "dressing children in full [English] Premiership football strips, complete with advertisements for British companies, to promote its sports policy".
Glennon, who is a Dublin North candidate for the Soldiers of Destiny in the upcoming election, has claimed that the party has insulted eircom League clubs by its promotion of foreign football.
Fine Gael has taken out adverts in regional newspapers showing election candidates pledging support for the party's sports plans. The adverts also show youngsters playing football in full Middelsborough and Liverpool kits complete with advertising logos.
"This is an insult to League of Ireland clubs and to the businesses providing them with sponsorship to promote sport at local level," said Senator Glennon, who represented Ireland at international rugby.
"Fine Gael is more interested in promoting cash-rich Premiership clubs and in putting money into the pockets of British businesses than it is in supporting Irish sport and the businesses who play their part in keeping clubs going the length and breadth of Ireland.
"This is more than a snub to the clubs, their supporters and the businesses prepared to sponsor them. It shows just how out of touch Fine Gael is on sport in this country and how little they have learned from their time in Opposition."
The Skerries-based politician said Fine Gael could not be trusted to develop and promote sport in Ireland. "I'm proud that Fianna Fáil in Government has allocated grants totaling €211 million to 2,894 clubs and community groups throughout the country under the Sports Capital Programme," he said.
"Compare this to the paltry €25 million given to local sports projects by Fine Gael when they were last in Government. The annual budget for Sport and Recreation has now increased to almost €110 million in 2002."
League supporters have often been critical of Fianna Fáil while the party was in power. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has made no secret of his allegiance towards English football, and he even appeared on RTÉ's The Premiership as an analyst.
Fair play to him for saying it, but who actually believes he means it? And wasn't there some rumour going round about bertie being a Man Utd fan- I'm sure it's not true, of course
I'm sure this is just electioneering, but at least it puts the league in the news and makes us an issue. Just one suggestion- any of ye see FF candidates, GRILL the b@stards on this- make them tell you what they're going to do about it! And for good measure, ask the rest of them too.
I would criticise FG for it only for the fact FF just as bad with Bertie the ManU/Wolves/anything else strikes his fancy supporter.
Not i'm in dubland Bertie is my one of my local policitcians & he not getting a vote from me. I can't forgive him for such blatantlt underhand tactics to derail EP. If it was unviable so be it but i'd have liked to see Bernard O'byrne have a fair chance to try to show it could be done.
I agree its good to get a bit of publicity for the eL & if nothing else good to have a bit of ammo to throw at the next Premiership bandwagon hopping politician.
Although I think Bernard O Byrne would have destroyed himself and eP anyway, the manner in which he ws shafted at every turn by the government was appalling.
Its good to have Glennon drawing attention to this, but at the same time FF need to cut the crap like Bertie (and full makeup crew) appearing on the Premiership. He wasn't a happy camper when we lost the Cup Final though...
ONE CITY, ONE TEAM.
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