A Question for Non-LoI Fans

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:08pm #1

I was having a conversation with a fan of a smaller LoI club, Cork, about why Irish people ignore their own professional league and follow teams from overseas. I'm not talking here about the irregular visitor to live domestic football or even the watcher of MNS.

I do not want to open up a 'my right to chose' debate again, lets assume you are right in your choice etc. For those who stoically ignore the LoI I have one simple question. Why?

Is it the product? The perception? Are you not that big a fan and don't need the hassle of cost, travel etc? Or is it simply because all your brothers were Liverpool fans?

Explain yersleves.

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 5:10pm

This has been done to death.

Mostly it's because the standard of the LOI is often worse than school boy league sunday football...

there's not much of a mystery

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:12pm

ntlbell wrote: »

This has been done to death.

Mostly it's because the standard of the LOI is often worse than school boy league sunday football...

there's not much of a mystery

Not properly it hasn't.

Your answer is the standard? At what point did you decide it was worse than pub standard and have you checked it out since to see if it had improved? There is no dispute that it has recently.

Who is your foreign team if you don't mind me asking?

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 5:17pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Not properly it hasn't.

Your answer is the standard? At what point did you decide it was worse than pub standard and have you checked it out since to see if it had improved?

Who is your foreign team if you don't mind me asking?

Well I'm a boh's fan and although not die hard i try to get to every home game.

I enjoy it as I love football but the standard is awful and it often tests me on a wintery rainy friday night to go watch what's often a very low standard of football but I live in cabra and like to support local sports.

I also follow man u as my "foreign team" and a spot for luton town

I understand why most irish people don't support there local teams, rightly or wrongly it usually boils down to the standard of football.

CHD · 03-09-2008 5:18pm

In Before The Lock

eagle eye · 03-09-2008 5:18pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Not properly it hasn't.

Your answer is the standard? At what point did you decide it was worse than pub standard and have you checked it out since to see if it had improved?

Who is your foreign team if you don't mind me asking?

You see, here we go, you seem to be attacking the first poster that comes in and makes a comment. Just let people say their bit and discuss a solid post with someone.

This 'foreign' in your post makes me feel like you are just horrified by those who support teams abroad.

If I see this thread going somewhere and that you are not ready to jump down everyones throat I will post an answer to your question.

I supported LOI for a couple of years but have not done so for over 15 years.

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:18pm

ntlbell wrote: »

Well I'm a boh's fan and although not die hard i try to get to every home game.

I enjoy it as I love football but the standard is awful and it often tests me on a wintery rainy friday night to go watch what's often a very low standard of football but I live in cabra and like to support local sports.

I also follow man u as my "foreign team" and a spot for luton town

I understand why most irish people don't support there local teams, rightly or wrongly it usually boils down to the standard of football.

So in other words you didn't actually read the OP and are exactly the person whose opinion I amn't looking for. Thanks anyway!

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 5:21pm

eagle eye wrote: »

You see, here we go, you seem to be attacking the first poster that comes in and makes a comment. Just let people say their bit and discuss a solid post with someone.

This 'foreign' in your post makes me feel like you are just horrified by those who support teams abroad.

And this is the second biggest reason

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:22pm

eagle eye wrote: »

You see, here we go, you seem to be attacking the first poster that comes in and makes a comment. Just let people say their bit and discuss a solid post with someone.

This 'foreign' in your post makes me feel like you are just horrified by those who support teams abroad.

If I see this thread going somewhere and that you are not ready to jump down everyones throat I will post an answer to your question.

I supported LOI for a couple of years but have not done so for over 15 years.

Who jumped down whose throat? I asked another question, he answered it. No problem.

I am also a Celtic season ticket holder, I'm hardly horrified with myself?

Back in the real world, why did you stop going to LoI games? Do you still keep an eye out for your teams scores?

Dave! · 03-09-2008 5:27pm

LISTEN - IF you can't say something worthwhile, don't post

If you or anyone else is having trouble with this concept, I'll be happy to help

-Guan Yin

_blank_ · 03-09-2008 5:28pm

Dave! wrote: »

Because LOI is sh*te

Good answer.

But what is shíte about it?

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:30pm

Des wrote: »

Good answer.

But what is shíte about it?

Exactly. Football? Facilities?

And compared to what?

_blank_ · 03-09-2008 5:30pm

Can I answer?

matrim · 03-09-2008 5:31pm

Well for me when I was growing up there were no LOI teams near me, so I never got to see it \ follow a team.

When I moved to Dublin I went to a couple of Bohs games but the quality wasn't good enough to keep me interested. I'll still occasionally watch a match on TV to see what the quality is like but wouldn't watch it regularly.

PHB · 03-09-2008 5:33pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I was having a conversation with a fan of a smaller LoI club, Cork, about why Irish people ignore their own professional league and follow teams from overseas. I'm not talking here about the irregular visitor to live domestic football or even the watcher of MNS.

I do not want to open up a 'my right to chose' debate again, lets assume you are right in your choice etc. For those who stoically ignore the LoI I have one simple question. Why?

Is it the product? The perception? Are you not that big a fan and don't need the hassle of cost, travel etc? Or is it simply because all your brothers were Liverpool fans?

Explain yersleves.

I've never really gotten involved because there was no club in my area as a child getting me involved. As such, I watched the only football I had an interaction with, which was MOTD

That said, once Rovers open up their new stadium in Tallaght I intend to buy a season ticket.

GuanYin · 03-09-2008 5:34pm

LISTEN - IF you can't say something worthwhile, don't post

If anyone is having trouble with this concept, I'll be happy to help.

-Guan Yin

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:36pm

PHB wrote: »

I've never really gotten involved because there was no club in my area as a child getting me involved. As such, I watched the only football I had an interaction with, which was MOTD

That said, once Rovers open up their new stadium in Tallaght I intend to buy a season ticket.

Welcome aboard, I'll buy you a beer in March.

Heads up - join Rovers now. €50 per month, season ticket comes with. Could be the only way to guarantee tickets next season.

CHD · 03-09-2008 5:36pm

Club nearest me is Bray. Used to go alot. Fed up of watching them yoyo between divisions.They were going well finishing 4th in the league AFAIR b4 and things were looking good but they kept selling there best players and none of that money seemed to go back into the club.Consistently play crap long ball football.Could go watch the local U-11 matches if i wanted to watch that shoite. Crap setup altogether.Was only good when the teams from Town and Derry came out to Bray.Prefer to watch good football and that happens to be on TV so i prefer to watch that.

Me going to support them regularly isn't going to make a difference.When LOI clubs do things right i will gladly go back but paying to watch long ball isn't for me

joe123 · 03-09-2008 5:37pm

Well I am huge liverpool fan.Supported them since I was about 4/5. Im 21 now. I love football not the ga type.I quit ga to just play soccer and anyone who knows me usually gives me the usual slagging "you follow the foreign sport" simply because i have way bigger interest in soccer than I do in gaa. Rural areas for ya :rolleyes:

Anyways im kinda getting off topic but when you slagged the poster asking him what foreign team he supported it brings up that divide that shouldnt be there. I would love to follow the loi as much as I do the premiership but the fact remains the loi standard is terrible.You dont need to be the most talented footballer in the world to play loi soccer and some matches can be as good as sunday league match id play in.

I know its bad when I know more about the likes of hull city than I do galway utd but to be honest its alot more entertaining watching great skill and technique you will never find in the loi yes even at hull city.

Also the fact I was handed my liverpool jersey at aged 4 kind of set in stone what way I was going to go. It would be hard for me to just follow a random loi team now with the same love ive got for Liverpool. Guess the fai should go round to schools and hand out loi jerseys and tickets and target the kids when there young....

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:37pm

Des wrote: »

Can I answer?

No.

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 5:37pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Could be the only way to guarantee tickets next season.

/o/z

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:39pm

ntlbell wrote: »

/o/z

We will be restricted to between 6,000 and 8,000 next season. Trust me, there will be slaughter getting tickets at the beginning at least.

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:41pm

joe123 wrote: »

Well I am huge liverpool fan.Supported them since I was about 4/5. Im 21 now. I love football not the ga type.I quit ga to just play soccer and anyone who knows me usually gives me the usual slagging "you follow the foreign sport" simply because i have way bigger interest in soccer than I do in gaa. Rural areas for ya :rolleyes:

Anyways im kinda getting off topic but when you slagged the poster asking him what foreign team he supported it brings up that divide that shouldnt be there. I would love to follow the loi as much as I do the premiership but the fact remains the loi standard is terrible.You dont need to be the most talented footballer in the world to play loi soccer and some matches can be as good as sunday league match id play in.
I know its bad when I know more about the likes of hull city than I do galway utd but to be honest its alot more entertaining watching great skill and technique you will never find in the loi yes even at hull city.

Also the fact I was handed my liverpool jersey at aged 4 kind of set in stone what way I was going to go. It would be hard for me to just follow a random loi team now with the same love ive got for Liverpool. Guess the fai should go round to schools and hand out loi jerseys and tickets and target the kids when there young....

Thats kind of the point I want to challenge? Do you really believe that?

And kudos on the Gah hatred. Good for you.

djpbarry · 03-09-2008 5:44pm

I find it somewhat strange that people dismiss the LOI as being "****e", "pub team standard", etc., when Pats just knocked a team out of the UEFA cup that contained several Swedish internationals, such as Anders Svensson, Teddy Lučić and Stefan Ishizaki.

I'm wondering what it will take to convince people that it's pretty decent, not to mention Pats (among others) play excellent football.

PHB · 03-09-2008 5:47pm

I'm wondering what it will take to convince people that it's pretty decent, not to mention Pats (among others) play excellent football.

Champions League qualification or UEFA cup success.

Roar · 03-09-2008 5:48pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Welcome aboard, I'll buy you a beer in March.

Heads up - join Rovers now. €50 per month, season ticket comes with. Could be the only way to guarantee tickets next season.

of course it will!

the thing is with league of ireland football is that the actual football itself is only secondary.

what your average TV fan isn't aware of is the friendships that evolve from watching your team and standing in the same spot every second week, the sense of pride in an atmosphere that you helped to create, the craic before the game in the bar, the craic after the game in the bar (sometimes the craic at half time in the bar), meeting fans of other teams and having a beer with them whether you're home or away and meeting up with them for the return fixture

it's about waving flags and beating drums on match days, writing fanzines, having a jar with the manager after the game.. there's a lot more, i could go on and on, but my general point is you don't get that from watching sky sports on a sunday afternoon at home or in the pub.

now i'm not getting at any non eircom league fan, i'm a man united fan myself and have been since i was a kid, and i watch football on tv all the time no matter what it is.

it's just there's a lot more to the eircom League than just football - a lot more.

Jazzy · 03-09-2008 5:49pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Is it the product? The perception? Are you not that big a fan and don't need the hassle of cost, travel etc? Or is it simply because all your brothers were Liverpool fans?

why settle for Burger Bites when there is a bag of walkers spicey thai chilli right beside you?

just have no interest in it.

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:49pm

djpbarry wrote: »

I find it somewhat strange that people dismiss the LOI as being "****e", "pub team standard", etc., when Pats just knocked a team out of the UEFA cup that contained several Swedish internationals, such as Anders Svensson, Teddy Lučić and Stefan Ishizaki.

I'm wondering what it will take to convince people that it's pretty decent, not to mention Pats (among others) play excellent football.

Exactly. The object of this is to get people to ask why they have come to the conclusions they have about Irish football and catch a game, either in the flesh or on the box and see if their opinion does not change.

Either that or bring the rest of us to the pub league games you are watching.

DSB · 03-09-2008 5:50pm

Jazzy wrote: »

why settle for Burger Bites when there is a bag of walkers spicey thai chilli right beside you?

But the pack of walkers spicey thai chilly isn't right beside you in this case.

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:51pm

Jazzy wrote: »

why settle for Burger Bites when there is a bag of walkers spicey thai chilli right beside you?

just have no interest in it.

Nice edit. :rolleyes:

Why not have the patas bravas they serve in spain? best in the world and only slightly further away....

Its the logical conclusion to the 'quality' argument.

KdjaCL · 03-09-2008 5:52pm

Point 1. Quality of football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGTuzqxvyQ

Point 2. Atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhC4nHA3GLg

That is all.

kdjac

bohsman · 03-09-2008 5:53pm

Why do Irish Leeds fans still follow Leeds? Standard is now around that pub league level the EL are accused of playing at, if the clubs you support get relegated will you stop following them?

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 5:56pm

KdjaCL wrote: »

Point 1. Quality of football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGTuzqxvyQ

Point 2. Atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhC4nHA3GLg

That is all.

kdjac

Nicely put...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dkJecd2zTw

Lets see the Sunday pub game fans have as much fun as this....

joe123 · 03-09-2008 5:56pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Thats kind of the point I want to challenge? Do you really believe that?

And kudos on the Gah hatred. Good for you.

To a certain point I do believe that. Alot of it has to do with fitness and then a proper manager. Of course you need to be good at football but ive played against some players who played for loi clubs like longford town and such and while yes not being the top teams they still played there and they werent the match winners i thought theyd be just super fit.

Saying all this I do watch mns now and again to see some of the goals and such.

I dont hate the ga I still follow Mayo but id be more concerned with the national team and Liverpool. Its the mentality of the gaa man that I hate. The constant need to slag soccer and those who follow it with the usual "Foreign sport, tans game and that its soft". To me soccer is way technical than the need to be a big bastard.

djpbarry · 03-09-2008 5:56pm

PHB wrote: »

Champions League qualification...

I expect to see quite a large number of people jumping on the bandwagon of the first Irish side to qualify for the CL, only for them to leave again as soon as it's all over. Remember Shels - Deportivo?

Anyway, are you saying that just because a team hasn't qualified for the CL that they're crap and not worthy of support?

PHB wrote: »

...or UEFA cup success.

That's somewhat subjective; what constitutes success? Getting through one round? Two? Three?

bohsman · 03-09-2008 5:56pm

PHB wrote: »

Champions League qualification or UEFA cup success.

With the change in qualification rules its only a matter of time, afaik from next season 5 lower ranked countries are gtd qualification - they will automatically avoid league runners up from the big countries. That doesnt mean the quality will have gone up.

Badabing · 03-09-2008 5:58pm

I used to go watch St.Pats every week home and away in the late 80's early 90's and loved it at first it was because my cousin played for them and after because there was great craic and i made freinds with other supporters.

I stopped going i suppose because i left school and got a job etc.. and didn't have the time to really go anymore and this is stupid i know but i got really passionate about supporting Celtic and would save up money pacificly to go over and see them.

I still go to the odd game now and then and i will deffo go see rovers because i live 2 minutes away.

_blank_ · 03-09-2008 5:59pm

djpbarry wrote: »

I expect to see quite a large number of people jumping on the bandwagon of the first Irish side to qualify for the CL, only for them to leave again as soon as it's all over. Remember Shels - Deportivo??

24,000 in Landsdowne.

24 at our next match.

Pathetic tbh.

Anyway, I reckon an Irish team will qualify for the UEFA Cup group stage before the CL, this should be the goal in the short to medium term.

Thanx 4 The Fish · 03-09-2008 6:05pm

Yes, pathetic.

dfx- · 03-09-2008 6:08pm

CHD wrote: »

Me going to support them regularly isn't going to make a difference.When LOI clubs do things right i will gladly go back but paying to watch long ball isn't for me

Some of the Liverpool - Chelsea semi-final CL games (and league games) with all the hype and transfer fees are the worst long ball games I've ever watched and I'm a Liverpool fan...yet I've seen Rovers draw 0-0 at CHP and Buckley Park.

CHD · 03-09-2008 6:08pm

KdjaCL wrote: »

Point 1. Quality of football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGTuzqxvyQ

Point 2. Atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhC4nHA3GLg

That is all.

kdjac

I hear this happens round the same time that comet appears

_blank_ · 03-09-2008 6:09pm

What ground is that ONYD? The Brandywell?

dfx- · 03-09-2008 6:12pm

It's Dalymount. v Waterford in 2005 iirc.

OhNoYouDidn't · 03-09-2008 6:18pm

Des wrote: »

What ground is that ONYD? The Brandywell?

Pox Park

CHD · 03-09-2008 6:24pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Pox Park

lol your off on holidays i think

Mr.Nice Guy · 03-09-2008 6:25pm

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

I was having a conversation with a fan of a smaller LoI club, Cork, about why Irish people ignore their own professional league and follow teams from overseas. I'm not talking here about the irregular visitor to live domestic football or even the watcher of MNS.

I do not want to open up a 'my right to chose' debate again, lets assume you are right in your choice etc. For those who stoically ignore the LoI I have one simple question. Why?

Is it the product? The perception? Are you not that big a fan and don't need the hassle of cost, travel etc? Or is it simply because all your brothers were Liverpool fans?

Explain yersleves.

When Ireland's best players end up moving to England to ply their trade it makes local football less appealing. I want to be entertained. The legendary Irish players strutted their stuff on the pitches of England and helped form an indelible print on these English clubs. That leaves an impression. That's why all the lads in my school grew up dreaming of playing for the likes of Man United and Liverpool and not Bohs or Shamrock Rovers. That's the reality.

Similarly I'm a pro wrestling fan and having been to local Irish wrestling shows they just don't compare to watching a good old fashioned dose of US wrestling. Again, I want to be entertained.

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 6:36pm

KdjaCL wrote: »

Point 1. Quality of football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGTuzqxvyQ

Point 2. Atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhC4nHA3GLg

That is all.

kdjac

on the quality..

no urgency in the preasure in the midfeild winger left out on his tod no one closing down poor marking in the box

sloppy poor quality defending just makes the whole piece look average and would be seen on a sunday afternoon in bushy park..

as a LOI fan lets not try and win the quality argument

we'll be laughed out of it..

DSB · 03-09-2008 6:37pm

ntlbell wrote: »

on the quality..

no urgency in the preasure in the midfeild winger left out on his tod no one closing down poor marking in the box

sloppy poor quality defending just makes the whole piece look average and would be seen on a sunday afternoon in bushy park..

as a LOI fan lets not try and win the quality argument

we'll be laughed out of it..

The opposition defending are Swedish.

ntlbell · 03-09-2008 6:42pm

DSB wrote: »

The opposition defending are Swedish.

the point is not about the opposition..

the point is that passage of play only looks good because the defending was all round awful..

plus these moments of magic been youtubed happen once in a blue moon

pointless going for the quality argument

if they were quality they wouldn't be in ireland simple as...

stovelid · 03-09-2008 6:44pm

LOL at all the claims re: the quality of the LOI. I like the EPL and the LOI, what's the problem?

I'd love it if just one person here could just fess up and say they prefer the EPL because it's more glamorous; they have the chance to win things in Europe, and it's easier to watch on the box.

Anything is better than this guff that you really, really tried but were driven into the arms of the EPL by the bog-standard of your own league.

You made a conscious decision and picked the winners because you're ashamed of your own league. End of.

DSB · 03-09-2008 6:47pm

ntlbell wrote: »

the point is not about the opposition..

the point is that passage of play only looks good because the defending was all round awful..

plus these moments of magic been youtubed happen once in a blue moon

pointless going for the quality argument

if they were quality they wouldn't be in ireland simple as...

Its not simple as. The players don't have to be Messi or Ronaldo for the football to be appealing to watch. If a manager sets his side out to play good positive football, then it can be quite well achieved, contrary to the opinions of some misinformed posters here, these footballers are for the most part very talented individuals, and a huge step up from your Sunday league footballers, that they are so often compared to.

A Question for Non-LoI Fans

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