How Morning Ireland buried the story of the new national league

**BohDiddley** · 13/12/2006, 10:24 AM

Morning Ireland go to Sheffield, West Ham and Everton -- and have a row over how to pronounce Kirkby -- before they give a cursory mention to the new league. Listen here.
In contrast, Newstalk's Breakfast Show led with a full package on the story.

**Kingdom** · 13/12/2006, 11:52 AM

Was seriously peeved both coming home from work on Monday and going to work on Tuesday. Could only get Today FM tuned in up the mountains, not a fcking word to say about it, but every ad break they took (the last word) was an advertisement for their weekends premiership schedule. This announcement should have got blanket coverage in the Irish media, but I don't believe it did. As someone who has made the conscious decision to drop the league across the water (i'm disillusioned) in favour of going to live eL matches (kildare County- dear God

)next season I'm disappointed that the fanfare for the new league was lacking. Very disappointed.

**dcfcsteve** · 13/12/2006, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Was seriously peeved both coming home from work on Monday and going to work on Tuesday. Could only get Today FM tuned in up the mountains, not a fcking word to say about it, but every ad break they took (the last word) was an advertisement for their weekends premiership schedule. This announcement should have got blanket coverage in the Irish media, but I don't believe it did. As someone who has made the conscious decision to drop the league across the water (i'm disillusioned) in favour of going to live eL matches (kildare County- dear God

)next season I'm disappointed that the fanfare for the new league was lacking. Very disappointed.

If it's any consolation Kingdom, overseas football is so over-exposed that it's now starting to slowly eat itself. The numbers of people turning their backs on English and Scottish football in Ireland is growing slowly but surely. Even in England there is a minor move away from Upper league football towards the lower levels, as a reaction to the over-paid pantomime that masquerades as the Premiership.

Personally, I gave up on English football years ago, and made a conscious deciison to stop supporting Celtic about 2 years back. I'm now even in danger of deserting the Irish national team....!

The media will always be the last to notice or consciously assist any change - particularly as their constant over-hyping is essential in driving disatisfaction with overseas football in the first place.

**wws** · 13/12/2006, 12:13 PM

Newcastle attendances down - unremarkable elsewhere in the premiership (see boro, eastlands etc etc) but unthinkable in Geordieland even two years ago to see any empty seats at the ground.

Prem goal average has also dropped to its worst ever this season.
Massive article by Pullein in the racing post on this stats - of course on the day the story broke there was a record day of goals in the prem! LOL

**Kingdom** · 13/12/2006, 12:25 PM

I appreciate what you're saying Steve. A few years ago I was soccer mad and would watch any match on the box, and would go to Ireland matches but had nothing but disdain for the local game.
Who was I to care? My family are all boggers, my school, although neither a pure GAA or soccer school, never helped promote local games, and none of mates really had any interest in supporting local teams or were never at a level where playing for an eL team was going to happen.

Recently I've got tied down, a baby is on the way, so time is of a premium and I get to watch very little on the tv. And the past year has been particularily bad. Since the English season has started, I've just been more and more bored watching games on tele, and the antics of Drogba and Lehmann at the weekend was the straw that broke kingdom's back I'm afraid. To make it worse I didn't watch the game live, I was listening to it on the radio and Alan Green (sp?) had me in stitches, but when I saw the highlights in work I could no better than shake my head.

Whereas I've been watching all the eL games on the box this season, beit league cup or Euro games and I've enjoyed them all thoroughly, and the fans do seem to have a good time so I'm going to take the plunge so to speak.

One more thing, Steve is right about the Ireland matches. I never doubted my faith before

but this past year has been a toll. They are the undoubted highlights of my year, I do be giddy for days in advance but I've had no enthusiasm at all (bar Germany) and I'm worried.

**cavan_fan** · 13/12/2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Personally, I gave up on English football years ago, and made a conscious deciison to stop supporting Celtic about 2 years back. I'm now even in danger of deserting the Irish national team....!

What? How can you desert your national team? Are you going to start supporting France? This is the real problem I have with a minority of the eL guys who somehow see the national team as a foreign (english?) entity.

**Kingdom** · 13/12/2006, 12:34 PM

I would disagree with you there Cavan fan. Steve wouldn't be one of the militant eL heads around here as far as I'm concerned. As I said earlier, the National team is the be all and end all for me and always has been, but recently the buzz is gone. And I don't believe its just going to come back once we show up in Croker. The fans are the only people involved with the National team who make sacrifices (well maybe Carsley too!), but how often is that effort replicated on the pitch? The past year not too often.

**wws** · 13/12/2006, 12:35 PM

the national team is a sham
and the present managerial set up
confirms this

its football candy floss for those who don't really know nor care about football in anything other than superficial terms

**bigmac** · 13/12/2006, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

How can you desert your national team? Are you going to start supporting France?

It's not a case of supporting someone else, more a case of no longer being particularly bothered whether they win or lose. It's the same apathy I have for most international teams at the moment to be honest.

**Sheridan** · 13/12/2006, 12:41 PM

Of course it's a foreign entity. Why do you think the British media dutifully reports its results, but has no interest in the eircom League? It belongs to to their footballing culture. Few of the players have contributed anything to Irish football, most having been abroad since the age of 15 (if they were ever resident here.) They hardly set foot in the country, except to play internationals. The majority of them will probably never live here again. Doesn't represent me, or Irish football.

**Kingdom** · 13/12/2006, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by wws

the national team is a sham
and the present managerial set up
confirms this

its football candy floss for those who don't really know nor care about football in anything other than superficial terms

Or maybe its the one outlet for soccer fans in this country who have never felt welcome at an Irish ground before?Those sweeping comments that you in particular like to make are what turns people away from the eL.

**rebs23** · 13/12/2006, 12:43 PM

Don't know what it is but over the last few years, like others on here, I have become less and less interested in how the Irish team fares. I'd never consider myself a militant EL head either and would be involved in other sports as well. I'd prefer to go and watch the local U-21's in any code than watch Ireland on the telly.

As for the premiership no feelings for it one way or the other, used to go and watch Arsenal when I lived near them but couldn't be bothered watching them on the telly now. Don't know what it is really.

**pete** · 13/12/2006, 12:44 PM

I very rarely buy 442 magazine but I was travelling last week so not picky. Anyway they had a pull out on the FA Cup with mentions of best games, goals & shocks. Made me realise how over exposed football is now that chances of genuine shocks are minimal in the UK or European & possibly being destroyed by the biggest clubs.

The media are lazy. I've often seen papers moan about the blanket Premiership coverage yet they are doing that themselves anyway...

**cavan_fan** · 13/12/2006, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Of course it's a foreign entity. Why do you think the British media dutifully reports its results, but has no interest in the eircom League? It belongs to to their footballing culture. Few of the players have contributed anything to Irish football, most having been abroad since the age of 15 (if they were ever resident here.) They hardly set foot in the country, except to play internationals. The majority of them will probably never live here again. Doesn't represent me, or Irish football.

So if Shay Given had decided to spend his life playing for Finn Harps rather than having any ambition that would represent Ireland

**crc** · 13/12/2006, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

What? How can you desert your national team? Are you going to start supporting France? This is the real problem I have with a minority of the eL guys who somehow see the national team as a foreign (english?) entity.

I doubt he's going to start supporting France (but maybe Norn Iron, who knows?

), but the phenomenon is quite common. I always enjoyed supporting the international side, but now I'm less enthusiastic. I still watch the games on the box, but like Kingdom said, it doesn't give me the buzz for days beforehand anymore. I think it might be because of the clear discrimination against the League of Ireland, about which I am passionate. Take for example David Forde, who left Derry last week citing one of the reasons he wanted to go to Cardiff was to attempt to break into the Republic of Ireland team. The guy has a legitimate aspiration, but why was he (nor any single one of the other good keepers in the league, such as Mick Devine) not called up to the squad, even as a back-up, when we had the abominable goal-keeper crisis after the Cyprus game?
I'd love to be truly passionate about the international side the way I used to be, but you can't force yourself to be (unfortunately).

**Sheridan** · 13/12/2006, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

So if Shay Given had decided to spend his life playing for Finn Harps rather than having any ambition that would represent Ireland

Shay Given is one of a handful of Irish players in the past thirty years who had a genuine obligation to his talent, although he could have done a lot better for himself if he had any real ambition. Barring exceptional cases, however, anyone who leaves the country aged 18 or under should be ineligible to represent the national team.

**crc** · 13/12/2006, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Barring exceptional cases, however, anyone who leaves the country aged 18 or under should be ineligible to represent the national team.

That is friggin' ridiculous! I do believe we should be keeping more tallent at home, but we shouldn't be barring people from representing their country because of spurious resons like that, they just need to be good enough IMO.

More carrot, less stick.

**cavan_fan** · 13/12/2006, 1:26 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Barring exceptional cases, however, anyone who leaves the country aged 18 or under should be ineligible to represent the national team.

Excellent, I assume in the new Reich, anyone born outside Ireland should be ineleigible from the start. I suggest only eligile if you have red hair too. Maybe we should institute a language test.

**Sheridan** · 13/12/2006, 1:48 PM

Eh, no. You're the one who seems to regard the national team as some kind of vehicle for the advancement of your conception of ethnic nationalism. Ethnicity/nationality doesn't exercise me in the least, as long as someone has made a legitimate contribtion to the footballing culture he wishes to represent (I'd certainly place a moratorium on non-resident, foreign-born players representing Ireland at any level for the foreseeable future, but that's a somewhat separate issue.) Kevin Hunts good, Kevin Kilbanes bad.

**Ceirtlis** · 13/12/2006, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan
Barring exceptional cases, however, anyone who leaves the country aged 18 or under should be ineligible to represent the national team.

That statement is the biggest load of nonsense i have ever read.