I hate summer soccer...

**colblimp** · 05/01/2008, 7:12 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

It's called the cup FINAL. Therefore, it should be played at the end of the season.

Duh...

It's the cup final, not the final game of the season - the FAI's showpiece should be played in sunshine, not a howling gale with torrential rain!

**Lionel Ritchie** · 05/01/2008, 8:45 PM

Football in this country was (even more so) on it's knees in the days of the winter league. There's still many who need to get the heads out of their arses who seem to view attendance ot LOI matches as some sort of obligation or noble suffering. It's not. It's entertainment and has to be presented to Joe Public as such on terms dictated by the market or it will die.

So go and offer Joe Public a return to frost-bitten Sunday afternoons standing around some godforesaken resemblance of a post apocalyptic nightmare feeling like an extra from Stalingrad and watching your team losing two nil at home to a junior side in an early round of the cup.

Offer it and see what your answer is ...if they'll get off their couch or barstool and be distracted from Celtic or the Mankies long enough to answer you that is.

**Shiba** · 05/01/2008, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Not True.....

Well don't know if crowds are down in Limerick but I find that up in the showgrounds they are.Our soccer season falls in the middle of the holiday periods,I'd say on adverage that might mean that at least 10/15 people missing from each home game then you have weddings and as someone mentioned been on the beach(not last summer) or in the pub havn nice cool beer don't think they be rush of to the showground then on top of that you have gaa match's both club & county, a day on the golf course and then you have festivals and concerts to contend with.They are all adding to people not attending games.

LMFAO

As for atmosphere maybe just me but I think more people join in with the darker evenings.

I feel there are too many distractions to get the less devoted league of ireland fans out on a summers day then there would on winters evening.Even to Ballybofey.The die hards will always go!

**Billy Lord** · 06/01/2008, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by Shiba

As for atmosphere maybe just me but I think more people join in with the darker evenings.

I feel there are too many distractions to get the less devoted league of ireland fans out on a summers day then there would on winters evening.Even to Ballybofey.The die hards will always go!

But only diehards will go out on a cold and wet winter evening, and there aren't enough diehards. If there are more distractions in the summer then we need to make our distraction more attractive. I've been to Ballybofey (for example) in both January and June and it's a no-brainer determining which experience I prefer. Sunshine and warmth wins over sleet and cold every time.
If nothing else, the summer season makes it easier for the diehard. Away games in the summer are a joy while away games in winter are quite the opposite.

**mypost** · 06/01/2008, 2:00 AM

Originally Posted by colblimp

Duh...

It's the cup final, not the final game of the season - the FAI's showpiece should be played in sunshine, not a howling gale with torrential rain!

So when would you like the cup final to be played? It rains 12 months of the year in this country, and 50 days in a row last summer alone. It is right that it's at the end of the season.

For the winter fans, how many games would have been played this weekend, given the sleet, snow, gales, and heavy rain on sh!te pitches??

That's before you consider frost, and fog. Furthermore, how many non ultras would have turned up at them??

**Maroon 7** · 06/01/2008, 4:12 AM

Given some of the freezing cold days over the past month I can safely say that I don't miss winter football one bit.

**half_full** · 06/01/2008, 10:28 AM

No difference between night and daylight atmosphere really, if groups/people are willing to make the effort.

Rovers Vs. Pats from the summer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GS7D-bjGg4A

**ramsfan** · 06/01/2008, 11:00 AM

surprised nobody has mentioned the totty factor, due to summer football the level of good looking birds at games has increased by a massive amount
great if game is boring, gives a extra factor to enjoy, much prefer that to big coats in december

**Soper** · 06/01/2008, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by ramsfan

surprised nobody has mentioned the totty factor, due to summer football the level of good looking birds

Glen Crowe?

**sniffa** · 06/01/2008, 2:36 PM

Originally Posted by ramsfan

surprised nobody has mentioned the totty factor, due to summer football the level of good looking birds at games has increased by a massive amount
great if game is boring, gives a extra factor to enjoy, much prefer that to big coats in december

Could you please validate this remark/observation?
Pics will do nicely........lots of......we need loads of "evidence".

**sligoman** · 06/01/2008, 5:10 PM

Originally Posted by half_full

No difference between night and daylight atmosphere really, if groups/people are willing to make the effort.

Rovers Vs. Pats from the summer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GS7D-bjGg4A

Compared to at night?

Night games much better.

**Keen2win** · 06/01/2008, 5:17 PM

I much prefer summer footie...
Also seeing as it is not clashing with the premiership as much it brings bigger crowds.

**bray boy** · 06/01/2008, 6:06 PM

i prefer when its dark dont know why just do!

**holidaysong** · 06/01/2008, 6:08 PM

I also prefer night time matches.

**The Man Himself** · 07/01/2008, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by mypost

So when would you like the cup final to be played? It rains 12 months of the year in this country, and 50 days in a row last summer alone. It is right that it's at the end of the season.

For the winter fans, how many games would have been played this weekend, given the sleet, snow, gales, and heavy rain on sh!te pitches??

That's before you consider frost, and fog. Furthermore, how many non ultras would have turned up at them??

hold it in waterford, it never rains down there.

**Jerry The Saint** · 07/01/2008, 11:24 AM

I find that most people who are in favour of summer soccer like it for purely selfish reasons - "I don't like the cold so if I'm going to the game anyway, I'd like the weather to be nicer". 13,000 turned up to watch Leinster play a second-string Welsh team on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Taking a break in the middle of the season (the only date that has been confirmed so far) so the players can have a week in Lanzarote does not reflect well on a league that has supposedly become more professional. Running away from the EPL fixture list smacks of desparation but scheduling the season opposite the most popular spectator sports in the country looks downright foolish (not to mention the World Cup and Euro championships).