Concern

[elroy]

Lads, this may be a bit off topic but I feel the state of Irish football is worsening over the last few years and there does not seem to be any sign of it stopping! Now Im not on about the results, because we all know how poor they have been. But Im on about the perception of the Irish public towards the team and even players.

No matter how poor we are, I would always support and follow the boys in green but the general Irish public seem to have less and less of an interest in the team and the team are the butt of more jokes these days than respect/admiration/support etc etc. I grew up when the Irish public were fully behind the team (well at least thats the way it felt) and this is before the golden era (88-94) even when we werent hugely successful, there was a degree of pride in the team and the players and for the most part you got the impression that the players reciprocated that.

Nowadays, the general Irish public appear to have less respect and arent half as bothered about how we do but are more keen and eager to make a joke about the team etc.

Equally so, the players retiring from the international team well in advance of time, O'Brien, Finnan was unheard of in the past. Would Houghton/Aldridge/Townsend/McCarthy etc etc have retired like this. I dont think so. The likes of Houghton and co stayed on after 96 campaign and gave it another go in 98 campaign when they couldve easily retired. Would certain players in the current side do the same?

I really hope the new manager (aside from producing good results) brings back this level of commitment from the players and gains respect and pride in the team from the general Irish public. We need the young kids growing up admiring the Irish team (like i did, counting down the days to the next game) and not derising them as the case has been over the last few years. Otherwise we're going to continue on this downward spiral.

[NeilMcD]

I thought you were collecting for the charity. I have a direct debit set up.

[dr_peepee]

I'm more of a "Goal" man myself!!

[elroy]

I thought you were collecting for the charity. I have a direct debit set up.

Would be more than happy to oblige

[Stuttgart88]

Did I hear the rugby team being booed at the final whistle on Saturday?

I think once a few good results start going our way again the excitement will return. A certain international team in northern Britain who wear blue were derided by their public and media for years until recently and then all of a sudden they're all heroes again. The loyal fans would have noted that prior to the last campaign they had started getting good results, especially away, so the signs were there.

I think it'd be the same for us. The broad public doesn't care at the moment but attendances have been excellent, travelling support has been good and there's enough latent interest that'll return if things start going right again.

[Noelys Guitar]

Lads, this may be a bit off topic but I feel the state of Irish football is worsening over the last few years and there does not seem to be any sign of it stopping! Now Im not on about the results, because we all know how poor they have been. But Im on about the perception of the Irish public towards the team and even players.

No matter how poor we are, I would always support and follow the boys in green but the general Irish public seem to have less and less of an interest in the team and the team are the butt of more jokes these days than respect/admiration/support etc etc. I grew up when the Irish public were fully behind the team (well at least thats the way it felt) and this is before the golden era (88-94) even when we werent hugely successful, there was a degree of pride in the team and the players and for the most part you got the impression that the players reciprocated that.

Nowadays, the general Irish public appear to have less respect and arent half as bothered about how we do but are more keen and eager to make a joke about the team etc.

Equally so, the players retiring from the international team well in advance of time, O'Brien, Finnan was unheard of in the past. Would Houghton/Aldridge/Townsend/McCarthy etc etc have retired like this. I dont think so. The likes of Houghton and co stayed on after 96 campaign and gave it another go in 98 campaign when they couldve easily retired. Would certain players in the current side do the same?

I really hope the new manager (aside from producing good results) brings back this level of commitment from the players and gains respect and pride in the team from the general Irish public. We need the young kids growing up admiring the Irish team (like i did, counting down the days to the next game) and not derising them as the case has been over the last few years. Otherwise we're going to continue on this downward spiral.

We have gone full circle back to the early 70's when the team was also seen as a bit of a joke (Dunphy in central midfield!). FAI behaviour is also of a different time (backwards). The good work Tony O'Neill did has been eroded by this current bunch out in Abbotstown.

[beautifulrock]

Elroy, its a valid point you make but I feel it is more to do with the way Ireland has changed over the last 10 - 15 years, we have now the celtic cubs who want more and want it now. Ditto for the Rugby, some slight booing at the weekend. We could have endless debates on the rights or wrongs but the reality is we have changed.

[jmurphyc]

To be honest, I don't really care that much. It'd be nice for there to be a national interest in the team, but what with our current generation either booing at sports, or sitting in the stands and not really giving a toss, I'd rather have a hardcore support of 20-25,000 at the matches with a great atmosphere than 80 odd thousand at Croke Park who just sit twiddling their thumbs until the team concedes and then start booing ferociously.

[jebus]

Interest levels in football in general are on the decline (in Europe anyway). People feel out of touch with the modern footballer, can't connect with them and hence haven't the same interest anymore, especially when they are being hit in the pocket to support the team. It's not just an Irish naional team problem, they are constantly on about this in England, and I'd be surprised if it hasn't been discussed in Italy.

On the flip side I think this reason will eventually lead to more support for our national league as more and more people get switched off the Premiership, and want to connect to football again

[OwlsFan]

Couldn't care less what the "general public" think of the team. If they leave in droves because the team isn't doing well, then I hope they close the door after them when they leave. If I may dare quote a motto of a less than healthy organisation but it's my motto when I come to supporting teams: "MEINE TREUE IST MEINE EHRE"

[ken foree]

If I may dare quote a motto of a less than healthy organisation but it's my motto when I come to supporting teams: "MEINE TREUE IST MEINE EHRE"

eh yea man pick a different one!

[Wangball]

If you read the interviews with Richard Dunne it appears that its not just the fans who are losing faith & patience with the National Team but the players also, it doesn't bode well at all, I know we're in the middle of a lean period but we had one of those between '94 & '02 and there was no where near this level of animosity towards the team

[paul_oshea]

Lads, this may be a bit off topic but I feel the state of Irish football is worsening over the last few years and there does not seem to be any sign of it stopping! Now Im not on about the results, because we all know how poor they have been. But Im on about the perception of the Irish public towards the team and even players.

No matter how poor we are, I would always support and follow the boys in green but the general Irish public seem to have less and less of an interest in the team and the team are the butt of more jokes these days than respect/admiration/support etc etc. I grew up when the Irish public were fully behind the team (well at least thats the way it felt) and this is before the golden era (88-94) even when we werent hugely successful, there was a degree of pride in the team and the players and for the most part you got the impression that the players reciprocated that.

Nowadays, the general Irish public appear to have less respect and arent half as bothered about how we do but are more keen and eager to make a joke about the team etc.

Equally so, the players retiring from the international team well in advance of time, O'Brien, Finnan was unheard of in the past. Would Houghton/Aldridge/Townsend/McCarthy etc etc have retired like this. I dont think so. The likes of Houghton and co stayed on after 96 campaign and gave it another go in 98 campaign when they couldve easily retired. Would certain players in the current side do the same?

I really hope the new manager (aside from producing good results) brings back this level of commitment from the players and gains respect and pride in the team from the general Irish public. We need the young kids growing up admiring the Irish team (like i did, counting down the days to the next game) and not derising them as the case has been over the last few years. Otherwise we're going to continue on this downward spiral.

great post, I had a semi-drunken conversation on saturday night about the exact same thing and how much it meant to me growing up and how much of a good feeling Ireland doing well does ( and did ) for the country and myself or course.

[Ireland4ever]

I'm more of a "Goal" man myself!!

Big fan of sheasy, you are??

[JR_Ewing]

Did I hear the rugby team being booed at the final whistle on Saturday?

Nope. A close up of Eddie came up on the big screens. the crowd booed at him.

[barney]

If you read the interviews with Richard Dunne it appears that its not just the fans who are losing faith & patience with the National Team but the players also, it doesn't bode well at all, I know we're in the middle of a lean period but we had one of those between '94 & '02 and there was no where near this level of animosity towards the team

There is another couple of crucial differences besides the ones discussed already. We have a more vicious media now than we did 94-02. Although we didn't have a manager of Stan's ineptitude, even if we did he wouldn't have had some clown, masquerading as a journo, dressing up as Miss Piggy and heading to the training ground.

While not all papers are as bad as The Sun, most of them are worse than they were in the 90s. Look at the Indo for example. While Dan McDonnell is a talented writer, there is a lot more sensational bile today in what was once a broadsheet. I have it on good authority that they lost a journo because he refused to do a hatchet job on Staunton early in 'The Gaffers' reign. The public eat that stuff up and it breeds negativity.

I also think that the fact that we are a richer country has a part to play. We don't accept second best in anything. The 'Roy Keane Mentality', i.e. that second is first loser, is also playing a part because the public, spurred on by the media, start to bitch and complain if success, be it actual or relative, doesn't happen straight away.

Personally, I don't think that the situation is reversible and we will never have the same affection for the team as we did for Charlton's side.

[mattie]

Personally, I don't think that the situation is reversible and we will never have the same affection for the team as we did for Charlton's side.

Aw c'mon Barney that glass half empty mentality is no good.

I agree with a lot of what was said above. I especially feel that people nowadays in the 'consumer culture age' feel like if they spend money doing anything (in this case "following" their team) that they should see concrete rewards asap. I think someone needs to get hold of these people and say sorry buddy - doesn't work that way.

As far as the media (and it is particularly the print media that I have a problem with in this case) goes; all it takes is for enough people to speak out and show that public opinion is dead against the sensationalist and disgraceful BS that some of them are capable of spouting and they'll change their tune. It breaks my heart that these days that instead of actually reporting on sporting events they prefer to personally abuse players and managers etc. Its even more frustrating that so-called fans buy into their false sentiments.

As someone who has a passion for football and who considers themselves a real supporter I consider it my business to do all I can to help the team win...by encouraging them. I don't think criticising them everytime they do anything wrong is gonna help in the short or long run. It's as simple as that.

[Stuttgart88]

Nope. A close up of Eddie came up on the big screens. the crowd booed at him.

aha, thanks.

[Deckydee]

Lads, this may be a bit off topic but I feel the state of Irish football is worsening over the last few years and there does not seem to be any sign of it stopping! Now Im not on about the results, because we all know how poor they have been. But Im on about the perception of the Irish public towards the team and even players.

No matter how poor we are, I would always support and follow the boys in green but the general Irish public seem to have less and less of an interest in the team and the team are the butt of more jokes these days than respect/admiration/support etc etc. I grew up when the Irish public were fully behind the team (well at least thats the way it felt) and this is before the golden era (88-94) even when we werent hugely successful, there was a degree of pride in the team and the players and for the most part you got the impression that the players reciprocated that.

Nowadays, the general Irish public appear to have less respect and arent half as bothered about how we do but are more keen and eager to make a joke about the team etc.

Equally so, the players retiring from the international team well in advance of time, O'Brien, Finnan was unheard of in the past. Would Houghton/Aldridge/Townsend/McCarthy etc etc have retired like this. I dont think so. The likes of Houghton and co stayed on after 96 campaign and gave it another go in 98 campaign when they couldve easily retired. Would certain players in the current side do the same?

I really hope the new manager (aside from producing good results) brings back this level of commitment from the players and gains respect and pride in the team from the general Irish public. We need the young kids growing up admiring the Irish team (like i did, counting down the days to the next game) and not derising them as the case has been over the last few years. Otherwise we're going to continue on this downward spiral.

I know, we are all concerned

[shakermaker1982]

imagine how the Rugby players feel - one year ago they were legends after hammering England at Croke Park and one failed restart away from a Grand Slam. Now they're a pale imitation of their former glories and getting abused from everybody. Our football players have been dishing out inept performances since the Spanish game back in 2002 and must have been expecting a backlash. Our media has morphed into the English sensationalist stuff though and I'm afraid it's only a downward spiral from here on in.

Constructive criticism is essential, personal stuff is not on. I'll never criticise a player who gives his all. Kilbane gives everything and it annoys me when he's getting abused from the stands as soon as he touches the ball. My head is in my hands O'Shea goes near the ball but he still has my support. I have to admit I was ****** off when O'Shea didn't block the ball for the Slovakian equaliser but geez he didn't mean to be slow. A good coach can iron out our mental frailties and attraction to choking - that is why this appointment is so crucial to Irish football. If the general fan loses interest - f**k em. The kind of fan who only goes to Ireland-Brazil, stands on the hill as soon as Dublin reach an All Ireland Semi or only follows the rugby when Ireland are at home to England make me sick but the world is full of em. Just look at how many Chelsea shirts you see nowadays in Ireland or England.