Republic of Ireland V Serbia - Saturday, 24th May 2008 - Friendly

[Jinxy]

Amen to that. I love the place when Gaelic games are on, but man the football matches have been stinkers there. I can't decide if its the stadium or the novelty fans that seem to get a ticket and dilute the atmosphere. What it highlighted for me is the need for a 10/15/20k stadium for these type of games. There's one being built in Limerick I think

Can't wait to get back to the Road.

Well, if the place is hopping for gaelic games, then surely it can't be the stadium thats responsible for the sh*t atmosphere. The game was boring. I honestly don't know what people expect when Ireland are so mediocre. If we had the likes of McGrath, Keane, Stapleton, Brady, Moran, Whelan etc. still playing, your ears would be ringing walking out of the place. Instead we've a team which mostly consists of somewhat indifferent journeymen who think they are the bees knees because they've managed to get a gig in the premiership. Euro '88, Italia '90 & USA '94 are long gone and we probably won't see the like of those days again.

[jmurphyc]

Well, if the place is hopping for gaelic games, then surely it can't be the stadium thats responsible for the sh*t atmosphere. The game was boring. I honestly don't know what people expect when Ireland are so mediocre. If we had the likes of McGrath, Keane, Stapleton, Brady, Moran, Whelan etc. still playing, your ears would be ringing walking out of the place. Instead we've a team which mostly consists of somewhat indifferent journeymen who think they are the bees knees because they've managed to get a gig in the premiership. Euro '88, Italia '90 & USA '94 are long gone and we probably won't see the like of those days again.

What an utterly idiotic statement. To create an atmosphere, the fans need to make it. The atmosphere was absolutely shocking on Saturday. The fact that it was the first game of our new manager - who is one of the most decorated in history - was an embarrassment. True supporters will cheer on their team through thick and thin. You can see that at plenty of lower league grounds across England or here at LOI grounds. I'm completely sick of Croke Park as there are far too many know-nothing event junkies at the stadium. The stadium was half empty by the time we scored. The least you could expect fans to do is stay until the end of the game no matter how poor we were.

[Jinxy]

What an utterly idiotic statement. To create an atmosphere, the fans need to make it. The atmosphere was absolutely shocking on Saturday. The fact that it was the first game of our new manager - who is one of the most decorated in history - was an embarrassment. True supporters will cheer on their team through thick and thin. You can see that at plenty of lower league grounds across England or here at LOI grounds. I'm completely sick of Croke Park as there are far too many know-nothing event junkies at the stadium. The stadium was half empty by the time we scored. The least you could expect fans to do is stay until the end of the game no matter how poor we were.

Thats the exact point I'm making.

[youngirish]

Thats the exact point I'm making.

Yeah seems to me you are both in agreement. I think the problem here is at present many of the fans in Croker are there mainly for the novelty factor of soccer being played in Croker. This will decrease over time. You'll have the same problem to maybe a lesser degree when the new Lansdowne opens.

It also doesn't help that Croker is too large to be filled for certain matches as will be the case with most friendlies.

In GAA matches you'll have a higher proportion of genuine fans at the games and for the big GAA matches the place does be rammed. The layout of the Hill helps also.

[jmurphyc]

Thats the exact point I'm making.

My apologies. I obviously misread the sentiment of your post.

[irishultra]

I knew the day Ireland played Wales that Croke Park wasn't the right place for International Football. Its a shame because it really is a class stadium, and I much prefer its location than Lansdowne.

I did think it was a joke that for a man with such experience as Trapattoni there wasn't a bigger turnout. Although being Italian manager from 2004-2004 he probably would have been used to it.

[Supreme feet]

I honestly don't know what people expect when Ireland are so mediocre. If we had the likes of McGrath, Keane, Stapleton, Brady, Moran, Whelan etc. still playing, your ears would be ringing walking out of the place... Euro '88, Italia '90 & USA '94 are long gone and we probably won't see the like of those days again.

From what I can remember, qualification for those tournaments was achieved more on the back of solid away performances (Belgium '86, Scotland '87, Denmark/Spain '93) and an ability to grind out results against the weaker sides (Hungary, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Albania, etc).

If anything our home form let us down back then, as teams shut up shop and played us at our own game. Our home draws with England and Poland cost us a place in Euro '92, while similar results in the Euro '88 qualifiers (0-0's against Scotland and Belgium) and a heavy defeat by Spain in '93, almost cost us qualification for two more. Our home form was certainly not our strongest point under Charlton, and some of the home performances and atmospheres in those glory days were dreadful. The Italia '90 qualifiers were the exception, but that was probably the easiest qualifying group we've ever had.

Under McCarthy, we were excellent at home, beating Croatia, Yugoslavia, Holland and Iran in the big games. Great atmospheres all round, and considering the squad that McCarthy had, I refuse to believe we won't see days, and atmospheres like that again.

[Jinxy]

Maybe we will see those days again but I'm not very optimistic. I think along with the changes in society the status of international soccer has also changed. I honestly don't think it means as much to the players as it used to. And while that situation persists there won't be the same relationship between the team and the fans. It might be a bit misty eyed, but in the late 80's and 90's there was a sense that the team and the fans were 2 halves of the same whole. I don't think we can get that back as the players attitudes have changed and the fans attitudes have changed. Maybe it was just a more innocent time back then and now we're all that bit more cynical. The evolution of football as a product and fans as consumers may have a lot to do with this.

[Kingdom]

Well, if the place is hopping for gaelic games, then surely it can't be the stadium thats responsible for the sh*t atmosphere. The game was boring. I honestly don't know what people expect when Ireland are so mediocre. If we had the likes of McGrath, Keane, Stapleton, Brady, Moran, Whelan etc. still playing, your ears would be ringing walking out of the place. Instead we've a team which mostly consists of somewhat indifferent journeymen who think they are the bees knees because they've managed to get a gig in the premiership. Euro '88, Italia '90 & USA '94 are long gone and we probably won't see the like of those days again.

I disagree completely. The crowds that go to the two codes while not exclusive, are entirely different. In any of the games I've been to croker for Gaa, the atmosphere has been impressive because the games are non-stop from the 1st to the 70th minute, and also because their is an unmerciful amount of ball-busting going on due to a lack of segregation.

Its well noted at this stage that the lack of Irish fans at regular soccer games, or a lack of coherent supporting contributes to the gash atmosphere at home games. Indeed the only decent atmosphere in the more recent lean period for Ireland has been generated by the eL fans. which isn't exactly rocket science considering they're used to it every week. The FAI seriously need to look at the structure they have for ticketing for Lansdowne. Its unlikely they'll be ar*sed at this stage with only 2 more years at croker, but something drastic needs to be done in the new Road. Designating the Hill for away supporters was silly imo. It should have had the home fans. They're should be a seperate family/kids area too, after all language that might be ok to me and football fans in general, probably won't be acceptable to little Jimmy's mum.
I've still yet to see definite numbers for the stands in the new Road but I'd suggest the Home fans are stuck at both ends and if its at the cost of a few hundred seats because of segregation then so be it.

Someone else mentioned they felt croker wasn't right from the very first minute, I agree 100%.

oh and I think the good days will be back and sooner than people think.

[Kingdom]

Maybe we will see those days again but I'm not very optimistic. I think along with the changes in society the status of international soccer has also changed. I honestly don't think it means as much to the players as it used to. And while that situation persists there won't be the same relationship between the team and the fans. It might be a bit misty eyed, but in the late 80's and 90's there was a sense that the team and the fans were 2 halves of the same whole. I don't think we can get that back as the players attitudes have changed and the fans attitudes have changed. Maybe it was just a more innocent time back then and now we're all that bit more cynical. The evolution of football as a product and fans as consumers may have a lot to do with this.

Rubbish. These lads are the first real set of affluent kids to come through the country. We're all getting used to it. Look at the rugby team, or more specifically Munster. A team more in sync with their fans you will not see. I think the attitude shown by a lot of players in the previous couple of years hasn't been great, and I feel the fact are last 2 managers have had either self confidence issues or gingeritis issues but there is an antithesis there and its growing. Look at Hunt, and to a lesser degree Long. These two in particular when they get onto the pitch look like they'd run through walls for you. There was said to be a clique within the Irish squad in the last campaign (perhaps one was a feel-sorry-for-oneself-clique) but I really am hopeful things are going to change.

[paul_oshea]

PMS Kingdom?

[Supreme feet]

Maybe we will see those days again but I'm not very optimistic. I think along with the changes in society the status of international soccer has also changed. I honestly don't think it means as much to the players as it used to. And while that situation persists there won't be the same relationship between the team and the fans. It might be a bit misty eyed, but in the late 80's and 90's there was a sense that the team and the fans were 2 halves of the same whole. I don't think we can get that back as the players attitudes have changed and the fans attitudes have changed. Maybe it was just a more innocent time back then and now we're all that bit more cynical. The evolution of football as a product and fans as consumers may have a lot to do with this.

I take your point about the late 80s-early 90s being more innocent, and I do believe that marketing has irrevocably changed the relationship between sport and its followers, but even in those glory days, there was a certain amount of grumbling done by people in Irish football about the 'new' football supporters coming to Lansdowne, and a lot of misty-eyed reminiscence for the 'good old days' of Dalymount! Contempt for spoiled 'sunshine' supporters isn't a new concept in Irish football. However, the atmosphere generated at home during the 2002 qualifiers, and for the away game in Paris in '04, shows that there is life in the Irish supporter yet, despite all of us being spoiled into greed-ridden decadence by the Celtic Tiger!

Even Munster fans get criticised for being fair-weather supporters and event junkies, but whatever about the psychology; look at the colour and noise they bring to the big occasions, and how the team is inspired by it. That's all that counts.

[Kingdom]

PMS Kingdom?

What does that mean Paul>?

Post-Muppet-Staunton?

[irishultra]

Anyone who says International football means nothing to our players, please take a look at Andy Keogh's celebration on Saturday. It meant the world to him.

[Jinxy]

Am I missing something here or are people taking turns to tell me I'm full of sh*t and then agreeing with me? I said the atmosphere can only be generated by the fans not the stadium, I said international football doesn't mean as much to players anymore (I should have said senior players), and people cite the example of lads who've only just broken into the team being enthusiastic (give them another year and see what their attitude is then). Hunt will give 110%, as will Doyle & Long and these lads who have only relatively recently made it into the bigtime. They've had to work their b*ll*cks off to get where they are, so they appreciate it more. They are not the rule however, they are the exception. And please spare me the example of Munster and the Red Army. They have a core group of 10,000 or so actual fans (by this I mean people that actually have a bulls notion what is going on during a game). The amount of people I know who went over to Cardiff that wouldn't know a ruck from a haystack was staggering. They went for the ****-up and to say they were there. Zero interest in rugby. These are the clowns that are "diluting" the atmosphere in Croker during the soccer internationals. We all know the type.

[Jinxy]

I can guarantee you this much. There are a lot of people out there who consider themselves munster rugby supporters and they have been to 2 games. The final in 2006 and the final in 2008. I wouldn't be surprised if they think Munster play their home games in Cardiff.

[Kingdom]

Jinkxy might you have any suggestions on what the solutions are to our atmospheric problems?

[Jinxy]

Jinkxy might you have any suggestions on what the solutions are to our atmospheric problems?

A constant mexican wave for the full 90 minutes. People love a good mexican wave.

[Razors left peg]

For me the biggest problem with the atmostphere is the distance from the pitch. My seats are in the Davin stand and when the ball is up the far side of the pitch it seems miles away so its hard to feel part of it

[Ordinary Fan]

I can't wait to get out of Croker, the pitch is to big and we are to far away from the action. The football has'nt helped, all you need is a bit of goal-mouth action to get people going.