Thomond Park to host pre season tournament - now with added Sunderland! [Merged]

gimmick

Thomond Park in Limerick is seen by UEFA as good enough to host their competitions etc, so there is talk that there may be some pre season tournament or other played this coming summer with teams from The English and Spanish top divisions.

While I am sure if this comes to pass it will delight many, I only imagine that it will annoy as many more.

Interesting to see will it happen, and if it does, who it will attract.

Xavi6

So instead of bothering to renovate and bring up to scratch one of their own League of Ireland stadiums the FAI will again sell their soul to the egg chasers? :rolleyes:

Drummerboy2

Crazy when you think of it. The MFU are going to raise money by bringing over soccer clubs. The FAI should oppose this but can't really because of their ties with the IRFU. Wonder would the IRFU allow the FAI organise a game between the All Black and the Springboks in the New Lansdowne with the proceeds goign to the FAI. Think not.

FutureGuy

I think the people involved with Thomond Park are doing a savage job of promoting the stadium, and they are brining very big names to the stadium in the coming year. Premiership teams playing in Limerick? I've heard it all now. As a Limerick man, I can't wait to see what comes of this!

Draupnir

Xavi6 wrote: »

So instead of bothering to renovate and bring up to scratch one of their own League of Ireland stadiums the FAI will again sell their soul to the egg chasers? :rolleyes:

As far as I can see, the FAI have nothing to do with this. The fact that the FAI actually own zero League of Ireland stadiums is also contradictory to your point....

I personally think this tournament is a good thing, but only if a League of Ireland team is involved as the hosting team. I used to enjoy going to the Carlsberg pre season tournaments in Lansdowne during the 90's. Some good games there, one particular year of note was when Leeds, Liverpool and Lazio were the visiting teams in 1998. Pats were the Irish team and gave Liverpool a great game in the semi final stage.

It was brilliant as a football fan, travelling to the airport to get autographs and photos with world class players (Boksic, Salas and Owen being the biggest three that day).

Xavi6

Draupnir wrote: »

As far as I can see, the FAI have nothing to do with this. The fact that the FAI actually own zero League of Ireland stadiums is also contradictory to your point....

But I would presume that the FAI would surely have to sanction any sort of tournament that took place on these shores? Thereby agreeing to a tournament hosted at a rugby venue.

gimmick

Draupnir wrote: »

I personally think this tournament is a good thing, but only if a League of Ireland team is involved as the hosting team. I used to enjoy going to the Carlsberg pre season tournaments in Lansdowne during the 90's. Some good games there, one particular year of note was when Leeds, Liverpool and Lazio were the visiting teams in 1998. Pats were the Irish team and gave Liverpool a great game in the semi final stage.

I was at that as well. Think Liverpool scraped past Pats 2-3? And Lazio Leeds went to pens.

Even if an Irish team are involved, it is unlikely they will be able to play a full side as it will be mid season for the LOI. It would also be dissapointing if this proposed tournament went ahead at a weekend, clashing tith LOI games, just rubbing their noses in it with a full house (probably televised) for pre season friendly in a rugby stadium, while 75% of the seats in the league grounds are empty for competitive games.

Draupnir

Xavi6 wrote: »

But I would presume that the FAI would surely have to sanction any sort of tournament that took place on these shores? Thereby agreeing to a tournament hosted at a rugby venue.

I don't think thats how it works actually, once the tournament is not an officially sanctioned UEFA tournament or whatever. This is just a friendly tournament so probably nothing to do with the FAI I would suspect.

Pure Cork

Draupnir wrote: »

I personally think this tournament is a good thing, but only if a League of Ireland team is involved as the hosting team. I used to enjoy going to the Carlsberg pre season tournaments in Lansdowne during the 90's. Some good games there, one particular year of note was when Leeds, Liverpool and Lazio were the visiting teams in 1998. Pats were the Irish team and gave Liverpool a great game in the semi final stage.

I couldn't see a LOI team being involved because it will be in the middle of the season. The people don't want to watch a LOI team anyway.

Draupnir

gimmick wrote: »

I was at that as well. Think Liverpool scraped past Pats 2-3? And Lazio Leeds went to pens.

Even if an Irish team are involved, it is unlikely they will be able to play a full side as it will be mid season for the LOI. It would also be dissapointing if this proposed tournament went ahead at a weekend, clashing tith LOI games, just rubbing their noses in it with a full house (probably televised) for pre season friendly in a rugby stadium, while 75% of the seats in the league grounds are empty for competitive games.

I hadn't thought of the fact its mid season in our league, a very fair point and there will probably be the exact situation you describe with regard to attendances.

Think you are spot on with those results from 1998. Leeds had a load of young players playing I think, who ended up doing quite well, Bowyer, Woodgate, Smith etc.

bohsman

Sounds like a good idea as long as at least one munster team is involved. The majority that will come out to watch this wont care if its a first team or an u21s team so it being mid season shouldnt make a difference.

Xavi6

Draupnir wrote: »

I don't think thats how it works actually, once the tournament is not an officially sanctioned UEFA tournament or whatever. This is just a friendly tournament so probably nothing to do with the FAI I would suspect.

Well if that's the case then it is a sad state of affairs that UEFA would bypass our national organisation in order to organise a tournament in their backyard.

Draupnir

I GuanYin wrote: »

Well if that's the case then it is a sad state of affairs that UEFA would bypass our national organisation in order to organise a tournament in their backyard.

I haven't seen any links to this story so far, UEFA don't usually organise pre season tournaments (unless you count Super Cup). Stuff like the Amsterdam Tournament is usually organised by host clubs in conjunction with sponsors. I think UEFA just sanction the clubs playing in them since the clubs are members.

I'm not 100% on all this, but I don't think this news gives us another stick to beat the FAI with, not that we need one anyway.

Draupnir

What would everyone think of a LOI selection playing in this type of tournament against 3 top continental sides?

Man U
AC Milan
Real Madrid
LOI Selection XI

I personally would love to watch this and would support the LOI selection side. I know this might seem like a kick in the balls to die hard supporters of LOI clubs (or maybe not) but it would be great way to see LOI players being competitive against top continental sides.

Boggles

FutureGuy wrote: »

I think the people involved with Thomond Park are doing a savage job of promoting the stadium, and they are brining very big names to the stadium in the coming year. Premiership teams playing in Limerick? I've heard it all now. As a Limerick man, I can't wait to see what comes of this!

I agree, it looks like it is been run to a tee.

Great to get major events outside of the pale, fair play to the council, etc for not objecting and letting things go ahead.

Pure Cork

Draupnir wrote: »

What would everyone think of a LOI selection playing in this type of tournament against 3 top continental sides?

Man U
AC Milan
Real Madrid
LOI Selection XI

I personally would love to watch this and would support the LOI selection side. I know this might seem like a kick in the balls to die hard supporters of LOI clubs (or maybe not) but it would be great way to see LOI players being competitive against top continental sides.

Take the best LOI players away from their clubs in the middle of the season for non-competitive friendlies? Great idea.

gimmick

bohsman wrote: »

Sounds like a good idea as long as at least one munster team is involved. The majority that will come out to watch this wont care if its a first team or an u21s team so it being mid season shouldnt make a difference.

The major problem to arise from this is the added perception that will pervade itself to the non LOI fans, that LOI is not worth the time or effort, as they won't realsie these are not first etamers in front of them.

Its all pie in the sky for now anyway as it is only an ideas rather than anything solid.

Draupnir

Pure Cork wrote: »

Take the best LOI players away from their clubs in the middle of the season for non-competitive friendlies? Great idea.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't say during the season, just that a tournament like that might be interesting and I agree would be best done out of season for the LOI teams. Maybe like an All Star or Best Eleven team at the end of the LOI season could play in a tournament like that.

I think it would be a great spectacle.

Pure Cork

Draupnir wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, I didn't say during the season, just that a tournament like that might be interesting and I agree would be best done out of season for the LOI teams. Maybe like an All Star or Best Eleven team at the end of the LOI season could play in a tournament like that.

I think it would be a great spectacle.

So we should go back to winter football so we can play in a preseason tournament?

gimmick

Thats not what he is saying at all.

Pure Cork

gimmick wrote: »

Thats not what he is saying at all.

How else could LOI teams play in a friendly tournament "out of season" with teams who play winter football?

stovelid

Newsflash: LOI fans may just have more to worry about mid-season than watching a few thousand Irish supporters turning up to cheer a random Spanish/English team against the 'locals'.

gimmick

Pure Cork wrote: »

How else could LOI teams play in a friendly tournament "out of season" with teams who play winter football?

Draupnir wrote:

Maybe like an All Star or Best Eleven team at the end of the LOI season could play in a tournament like that.

gimmick

He did not mention any dates. My reading of it was if it was to happen, it would be best at the end of our season. It was speculation at most.

Limerick Dude

gimmick wrote: »

Thomond Park in Limerick is seen by UEFA as good enough to host their competitions etc, so there is talk that there may be some pre season tournament or other played this coming summer with teams from The English and Spanish top divisions.

While I am sure if this comes to pass it will delight many, I only imagine that it will annoy as many more.

Interesting to see will it happen, and if it does, who it will attract.

Where did you get this information ?

Draupnir

gimmick wrote: »

He did not mention any dates. My reading of it was if it was to happen, it would be best at the end of our season. It was speculation at most.

Yeah that's all I meant, Bohs had Spurs over in the middle of the EPL season a couple of times in the last few years I think? Just pure wild speculation on my part.

gimmick

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Where did you get this information ?

It was mentioned on Newstalk this morning.

loyatemu

isn't the new Thomond still largely standing? - probably doesn't matter for a friendly tournament but I don't think it would be "seen by UEFA as good enough to host their competitions"

from Wikipedia:
Capacity 26,500 (15,100 seated)

gimmick

Only open the seated parts.

redout

Pure Cork wrote: »

I couldn't see a LOI team being involved because it will be in the middle of the season. The people don't want to watch a LOI team anyway.

Whats the big deal ? The uefa cup, champs league etc. are on during the close season here (now irish teams never make it that far) but still.

bohsman

redout wrote: »

Whats the big deal ? The uefa cup, champs league etc. are on during the close season here (now irish teams never make it that far) but still.

If its no big deal let the big European teams send their players over in the middle of their seasons.

redout

bohsman wrote: »

If its no big deal let the big European teams send their players over in the middle of their seasons.

I remember Sunderland played one or two friendlies here after the premier league had already started I think.

stovelid

redout wrote: »

Whats the big deal ?

Fans don't want LOI clubs to prioritize friendlies over league games. If friendlies come in the middle of an important fixture run, playing a weakened team will get you murdered in front of a daytripper crowd who will then just have further reason to say that the league is substandard.

You should keep in mind that LOI clubs/fans are in friendlies for the money, not because they want to provide high-profile games for the greater Irish public that don't come to regular games anyway.

redout wrote: »

I remember Sunderland played one or two friendlies here after the premier league had already started I think.

Case in point here. Sunderland were due to play Shamrock Rovers this year, before it was rained off. The game itself didn't actually sell well, and was slap bang in the middle of a very congested /important fixture run. There was no doubt what was more important to the fans.

redout

Well then I dont see this thing happening then if that is the case.

Another point is heaven forbid a LOI team ever made it into the later stages of the UEFA cup lets say.They would be pretty ****ed no ?

Melion

Jesus, traffic here would be a nightmare.

It normally takes me 20 minutes to get from home to work in Shannon, it took me 1 hour and 45 minutes the night of the Munster - All Blacks game.

Karmafaerie

Thomond Park to host soccer

Officials at Thomond Park are ready to open their doors to soccer after UEFA approved the venue as an international soccer venue.

The stadium is believed to be in serious talks with some of the leading European soccer clubs about hosting a pre-season tournament in the near future.

Stadium Director John Cantwell has confirmed that such a move would be subject to ratification by the IRFU and the FAI.

Officials hope to announce more details early in the new year.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2008/1211/thomondpark.html


I know somebody in the know at Thomond, and the clubs in question are Real, Barca, Inter and Sunderland.
They've also been in talks with Liverpool, Celtic, and Leeds.

Barca and Real have supposedly agreed in theory, as Thomond have met their valuation.
No idea about Inter.
Sunderland will almost definately be there, as they've major shareholders from the area.

It does begger the question though, how come the big teams haven't been going to Landsdowne for years?

I think it's a great idea.
I know I'll be at all the matches.

Xavi6

Sunderland? No one in Ireland gives a flying fuck about them anymore.

We had this story yesterday btw

Karmafaerie

I GuanYin wrote: »

Sunderland? No one in Ireland gives a flying fuck about them anymore.

As I said, they're owned by people from the area.
There is a lot of interest in them because of that.

Harpy

i heard sunderland a couple of months ago, they're definatley coming but haven't heard about the others

eZe^

I knew there would be a time when instead of me going to see Barca that Barca would come and see me. :pac:

Xavi6

eZe^ wrote: »

I knew there would be a time when instead of me going to see Barca that Barca would come and see me. :pac:

Did you not go to the game against Derry a few years ago?

Gareth37

gimmick wrote: »

Thomond Park in Limerick is seen by UEFA as good enough to host their competitions etc, so there is talk that there may be some pre season tournament or other played this coming summer with teams from The English and Spanish top divisions.

While I am sure if this comes to pass it will delight many, I only imagine that it will annoy as many more.

Interesting to see will it happen, and if it does, who it will attract.

Limerick 37 need a ground. :eek:

eZe^

I GuanYin wrote: »

Did you not go to the game against Derry a few years ago?

Was that back in 2003, ironically, if that's the time you're talking about, I was over on a holiday in Barcelona.:pac: