Three Cheers

**NY Hoop** · 10/10/2006, 3:31 PM

No joke pal. They are an embarrassment.

Japan? What's someone like you doing in such a nice country?!

KOH

**cavan_fan** · 10/10/2006, 3:37 PM

Let's be honest here, this entire thread is based on a view that something a lot of people enjoy is less worthy than something few people enjoy.

You get the same in literature, film, tv, music etc etc etc

Because the national team attracts a wider section of the population than the league you will get a 'different' type of fan. These people do not have the same rules as the hardcore fan.

As for fans supporting English teams (I notice no-one ever criticises people for supporting Real Madrid) around the world people support more succesful teams. Are Maltese people supporting Man U not allowed support Malta??

The thing that p*sses me off about this is the fact that some of the people telling us how to be real fans are delighted that our national team was humiliated, not because it will improve the national team, or the league but because they find some of the other fans embarassing.

**papa-j** · 10/10/2006, 3:43 PM

All you EL league supporters get off your high horses. Supporting an EL team does not make you more knowledgeable or passionate about football.

I play for and support my local junior team and also have an interest in the premiership. The majority of people on this site and at International matches are similar.
The rest of the world think that the craic, fun & colour brought to the Internationals by Ireland supporters is great so i'm not worried what a few EL supporters with a superiority complex think. Its all about creating an athmoshere and getting behind the team. Who cares if you are wearing a EL jersey or a green wig?? Do you think if we all wear EL league jerseys tomorrow night that we will get the right result?

**galwayhoop** · 10/10/2006, 3:46 PM

Originally Posted by papa-j

All you EL league supporters get off your high horses. Supporting an EL team does not make you more knowledgeable or passionate about football.

I play for and support my local junior team and also have an interest in the premiership. The majority of people on this site and at International matches are similar.
The rest of the world think that the craic, fun & colour brought to the Internationals by Ireland supporters is great so i'm not worried what a few EL supporters with a superiority complex think. Its all about creating an athmoshere and getting behind the team. Who cares if you are wearing a EL jersey or a green wig?? Do you think if we all wear EL league jerseys tomorrow night that we will get the right result?

yes. but only if the lads in the leprechaun outfits aren't there

**Soper** · 10/10/2006, 3:47 PM

At least EL fans contribute to OUR domestic league, which if more so called Irish fans did, then maybe we would have BETTER players and not get thrashed by Cyprus

**osarusan** · 10/10/2006, 3:50 PM

Originally Posted by Soper

At least EL fans contribute to OUR domestic league, which if more so called Irish fans did, then maybe we would have BETTER players and not get thrashed by Cyprus

Ireland got beaten because some of the people at the games wear leprechaun costumes and dont go to el games?

**Soper** · 10/10/2006, 3:51 PM

No, don't be stupid.My post is clear.

**Billsthoughts** · 10/10/2006, 4:01 PM

Originally Posted by Anto McC

Who is licking his arse?

People have either agreed with him or disagreed with him,thats it!!

Do you wear a jester hat? Do you think it's acceptable for people supporting Ireland to dress up as Leprechauns? Did you think it was funny when Ray Houghton done it?

em read back on some of the posts and feel the billy love in goin on....the only comparable responses are when dahamsta posts and you get all that " good point adam" ****.

I dont care what anyone else does says thinks or wears as long as it doesnt effect me. and wearing leprechaun suits has no bearing on my life whatsover. and that houghton thing you refer to. It didnt bother me at all cause "how we are perceived in England" doesnt hold much interest to me. And I have to say have been going to Ireland matches for a while now and have yet to see a leprechaun suit.

**galwayhoop** · 10/10/2006, 4:07 PM

unfortunaltely the fact is that it is now vital that the game at home (ie the eL, underage set-ups, introduction of elite academy's etc) has to be radically overhauled, improved and implemented. we must now look after our own boat. for the last 30 years we could rely on the cream of the crop going over to england to ply their trade and therefore developing into world class performers. however in the last few years with the premiership ditching the amount of 'foreign' players and non-assimilated players allowed combined with less restrictions between the EU and freedom of movement leglislation etc. there are now multiple countries where youngsters are picked up from ... eastern europe, south america, africa and even asia. this in turn means that the closest fully professional league to us no longer relys on us, scotland, wales and indeed itslef for it's playing pool.

the upshot to this is we must now get ourselves into a position where we can develop players here and keep them here until such a time that they are able to go straight into premiership or championship teams and challenge for a first team place (example: kevin doyle) and not send them over as kids where they may be totally neglected or discarded after a couple of years (example: thousands!!).

i think what most eL fans are saying (including myself) is that more time and effort has to go into our own product so we can look out for our own future players and in turn our own international team. as long as this is done then no one will have a problem with anyone supporting a team from overseas in tandum.

the fact is that we can no longer rely on english (or scotish) teams developing our young players while we sit back and wait for them to be successiful 1st team players and then we select them for international duty.

the problem not only lies with the FAI, although they do shoulder a lot of responsibility, but on everyone who claims to be an irish soccer supporter! if all of our money keeps going to overseas multi-national brand names (so called football teams) and nothing stays at home how are the above changes ever going to happen.

**osarusan** · 10/10/2006, 4:11 PM

Originally Posted by Soper

No, don't be stupid.My post is clear.

My point is that you call fans who dont watch el games "so-called fans", therefore implying that if you dont support the el you cant be a real fan, or that Ireland fans who also support el teams are somehow 'better' or more 'worthy' fans. This I disagree with.

**galwayhoop** · 10/10/2006, 4:12 PM

BTW nearly 4,000 supporters at Terryland to see GUFC and SRFC were a credit to their league and themselves. the atmosphere at LR will not come close to that in Terryland last Friday. FACT

**osarusan** · 10/10/2006, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

em read back on some of the posts and feel the billy love in goin on....the only comparable responses are when dahamsta posts and you get all that " good point adam" ****.

But wouldnt the latter be sycophantic and the former just stupid?

**Soper** · 10/10/2006, 4:13 PM

Surely if you really cared about a team, then you would do what is in the teams best interests - suppoting our domestic league is, if we want to start developing good players again.

**papa-j** · 10/10/2006, 4:14 PM

Originally Posted by Soper

At least EL fans contribute to OUR domestic league, which if more so called Irish fans did, then maybe we would have BETTER players and not get thrashed by Cyprus

you're missing my point. Junior football players/supporters contribute just as much and its not your domestic league its ALL OF OURS.You might watch the games but we feed it with players.
EL will not give us better players as most players in the EL have been through the system and failed to make the grade( with a few exceptions) Supporting junior clubs and their schoolboy set ups will improve the standard.

**Soper** · 10/10/2006, 4:17 PM

You are missing the point yet again.If the EL had more money from fans actually supporting their own, then they'd have money to develop youth players, so then the League would be made up of quality youth players instead of 'failures'.

**NY Hoop** · 10/10/2006, 4:20 PM

Originally Posted by papa-j

you're missing my point. Junior football players/supporters contribute just as much and its not your domestic league its ALL OF OURS.You might watch the games but we feed it with players.
EL will not give us better players as most players in the EL have been through the system and failed to make the grade( with a few exceptions) Supporting junior clubs and their schoolboy set ups will improve the standard.

You might feed the EL with some players but we pay their wages.

Bottom line is people do not see the irony of spending thousands supporting their country around the world without contributing a farthing towards their own domestic league. Or worse the muppets who fly to england every week to cheer on a foreign club without spending a penny on their own league. And then have the cheek to slag off their own league.

KOH

**wws** · 10/10/2006, 4:23 PM

Originally Posted by papa-j

you're missing my point. Junior football players/supporters contribute just as much and its not your domestic league its ALL OF OURS.You might watch the games but we feed it with players.
EL will not give us better players as most players in the EL have been through the system and failed to make the grade( with a few exceptions) Supporting junior clubs and their schoolboy set ups will improve the standard.

oh ffs will you wake up

has derry/shels and corks consistent performances in europe not told you whats happening ??? - the grades have changed

**NeilMcD** · 10/10/2006, 4:24 PM

What about someone who supports Ireland and supports the EL but does not support Juniour football and sometimes dresses up with a curly green wig and wears a jersey and sometimes gets ****ed and sings most of the time but not between the 40th and 42nd minute of a friendly V China.

Are they a good fan or where to they stand

**galwayhoop** · 10/10/2006, 4:24 PM

the point is to support the domestic product from grassroots up - but physically and financially and this in turn will improve the quality and standards of both the leaguers and players.

think about this, espically everyone who doesn't follow/attend or support the eL:
if you put even a quarter of the annual amount of euro you put into your favourite premiership team (from jerseys, trips over, posters, hats, mugs, bedsheets....whatever) into your local eL team do you not think that the league and also the quality of players would improve?

has the EPL done enough to produce the next Paul McGraths, Roy Keanes, Ronnie Whelans or Packie Bonners in the last 10 years for us to continue to follow it blindly and just blame successive Irish managers for our falling proess on the international field, or do we need to start doing something about it ourselves?

**Billsthoughts** · 10/10/2006, 4:25 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

But wouldnt the latter be sycophantic and the former just stupid?

I think you will find both are being sycophantic...
Fair enough if you have invested a lot of time/energy and money in to something only to see the apathy and derision of so called Irish fans mean you are constantly flirting with extinction. Its understandable that a certain amount of resentment would build up. "you dont care if my club exists or not so why should I care if your team gets trounced by some euro no hopers". i get that. But this ole ole leprechaun suit crap is just pure simplistic elitist ****e and I dont buy it at all. and **** anyone who tries to guilt trip me by telling me otherwise.