The Lure of Real Madrid

Paparazzo

Mr Alan wrote: »

Saying La Liga is infinitely better because of one match is a little silly tbh.

I think any football fan in the world would say that La Liga is better quality than the EPL.

stovelid

Pro. F wrote: »

I wouldn't be able to express it any better than Al did there, so I'll just say that I'm in 100% agreement with all that he said.

Kudos Al, great post.

Why not just try and grind out a bit of an opinion anyway instead of backslapping on-thread?

deisedevil

Paparazzo wrote: »

I think any football fan in the world would say that La Liga is better quality than the EPL.

Well I wouldn't and there's millions more who wouldn't either. Mr. Alan was saying that you can't judge EPL vs La Liga based on the CL Final.

Paul Tergat

Paparazzo wrote: »

I think any football fan in the world would say that La Liga is better quality than the EPL.

100% not true!

On the lure of Madrid, its been talked about on another thread iirc and I remember a few things mentioned such as culture, prestige and history as just being a few of the factors why Madrid has such a big pull.

We (both UK and Irish) find it a lot harder to understand this pull than pretty much anywhere else in Europe and S.America. Our cultures are so different to theirs.

Paparazzo

deisedevil wrote: »

Well I wouldn't and there's millions more who wouldn't either. Mr. Alan was saying that you can't judge EPL vs La Liga based on the CL Final.

SectionF said La Liga "is infinitely better and more stylish". You think english football is more stylist? Not just the big 4. Would you rather watch Everton V Fulham or Valencia V Villareal?

Paul Tergat

Paparazzo wrote: »

SectionF said La Liga "is infinitely better and more stylish". You think english football is more stylist? Not just the big 4. Would you rather watch Everton V Fulham or Valencia V Villareal?

Firstly it was in response to YOUR comment.

And then you cant just say not just the big 4. They are a massive reason as to why its imo the best league in the world

deisedevil

Paparazzo wrote: »

SectionF said La Liga "is infinitely better and more stylish". You think english football is more stylist? Not just the big 4. Would you rather watch Everton V Fulham or Valencia V Villareal?

You made the silly assumption that every football fan in the world would rather watch La Liga than EPL. Do you really think that's true?

I rather the more physical aspect to the EPL and the speed at which it's played at. That's my opinion and that's what I enjoy, you can't tell people they are wrong in their preferences. And yes, I have watched a lot of La Liga, great having it on late while in the pub.

Paparazzo

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Firstly it was in response to YOUR comment.

And then you cant just say not just the big 4. They are a massive reason as to why its imo the best league in the world

IMHO i'm sick of the big 4, sky super sunday and all the talk after a match between the big 4 is a dodgy ref instead of the quality football. Give me El Classico anyday. Here's the last one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r4_2uMpzKI

Paparazzo

deisedevil wrote: »

You made the silly assumption that every football fan in the world would rather watch La Liga than EPL. Do you really think that's true?

Where did I say that?

Mr Alan

Paparazzo wrote: »

IMHO i'm sick of the big 4, sky super sunday and all the talk after a match between the big 4 is a dodgy ref instead of the quality football. Give me El Classico anyday. Here's the last one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r4_2uMpzKI

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

just because you're sick of the big 4,sky etc, doesnt make La Liga better.

deisedevil

Paparazzo wrote: »

IMHO i'm sick of the big 4, sky super sunday and all the talk after a match between the big 4 is a dodgy ref instead of the quality football. Give me El Classico anyday. Here's the last one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r4_2uMpzKI

Good for you!

Can others have their own preferences or is that allowed? Must we all agree when someone says that technical football is better or that we shouldn't watch teams in EPL and we should support our local teams etc. etc.
I don't get why some people like to put others down for enjoying EPL. :mad:

flahavaj

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Have always wondered whether the fact that they won the tournament in each of the first 5 year of the tournamnet reduces the value of the achievement - personally think it does:

If that was the only five they had, then maybe. But they still have four others which is pretty damn good.

deisedevil

Paparazzo wrote: »

Where did I say that?

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61217819&postcount=52

"I think any football fan in the world would say that La Liga is better quality than the EPL."

kinaldo

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Have always wondered whether the fact that they won the tournament in each of the first 5 year of the tournamnet reduces the value of the achievement - personally think it does:

Are you just discounting the first 5?

Let's at least be fair and also dismiss the achievements of some of the subsequent winners during the following years as well.

What year does it get serious for you? 1976 perhaps?

SectionF

Mr Alan wrote: »

The only thing absurd about football culture in Ireland is people like you who feel the need to lecture people about the football they choose to follow when in reality its **** all to do with you.

The only problem with that take is that I haven't delivered a lecture. I simply asked a question (which still stands, incidentally). It seems to have generated a lot of MUFC indignation, but not too much by way of an answer.

Warper

Lots of players see playing for Madrid as the pinnacle of achievement. Historically, they are the most successful club in the world. You often hear players say "you dont say no to Madrid". Add in fantastic wages, weather, social life and the women - well it ain't too bad.

Barca atm would be the second most attractive club.

Paparazzo

deisedevil wrote: »

You made the silly assumption that every football fan in the world would rather watch La Liga than EPL.

deisedevil wrote: »

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61217819&postcount=52

"I think any football fan in the world would say that La Liga is better quality than the EPL."

So I didn't actually say it.

Mr Alan wrote: »

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

just because you're sick of the big 4,sky etc, doesnt make La Liga better.

I never said that's why it's better either. There's better quality through out La Liga. Every league has 3 or 4 big teams at the top, you need to look outside these when you're talking about an entire league.
Anyway, back on topic, most players want to play there. It's not because it's the second best league in the world. For pure footballing teams, it's leagues ahead of the premiership.

stovelid

SectionF

stovelid wrote: »

Yeah, but my dad's got better morkeshing.

grahamo

The Lure of Real Madrid?
I can't speak for their other big signings this year but Ronaldo was a boyhood Madrid fan and it was his dream to play for them one day. Fair play to him. Ronaldo got his dream move, United get 80 million smackeroonies, the various agents all get their cut of the money (Lets face it what agents know about football they can write on the back of a stamp) so everyones a winner (The 23% tax rate will also help players and their money men decide:D ).
It can also be said that all over North America, Northern Europe, Africa and Asia, Mancester United and to a slightly lesser extent Liverpool and Arsenal also have the amazing pulling power that Madrid have in the med and South and Central America.

jesus_thats_gre

kinaldo wrote: »

Are you just discounting the first 5?

Let's at least be fair and also dismiss the achievements of some of the subsequent winners during the following years as well.

What year does it get serious for you? 1976 perhaps?

Of course I am not dismissing them. They won them and that is the end of it.

I just can't help but wonder what the state of European competition was at that time. Winning it a few times in a row is one thing but 5 years in a row strikes me as being complet and utter dominance. Was it because they were amazing or was the rest of Europe **** basically?

By the way, I would consider myself to be a Real fan.

Paparazzo

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Of course I am not dismissing them. They won them and that is the end of it.

I just can't help but wonder what the state of European competition was at that time. Winning it a few times in a row is one thing but 5 years in a row strikes me as being complet and utter dominance. Was it because they were amazing or was the rest of Europe **** basically?

By the way, I would consider myself to be a Real fan.

When you're looking at success back then only 1 team from each league were in the European Cup, so it was fairly weak and not seeded. You could get to the semis without playing anyone decent.

eirebhoy

p_larkin99 wrote: »

We (both UK and Irish) find it a lot harder to understand this pull than pretty much anywhere else in Europe and S.America. Our cultures are so different to theirs.

I don't agree at all. Irish football fans see Real and Barca as the 2 most prestigious clubs imo. If an Irish kid got a contract with Real or Barca they'd be celebrities over here.

Chelsea wouldn't come close to selling out the amount of seats that Real and Barca would in Ireland imo.

Pro. F

eirebhoy wrote: »

Chelsea wouldn't come close to selling out the amount of seats that Real and Barca would in Ireland imo.

Comparing Chelsea with Real and Barca to show Irish views is a bit obtuse. Manchester United and Liverpool would be far bigger draws here than the Spanish teams. Chelsea don't come into it as they are hardly supported here.

eirebhoy wrote: »

Irish football fans see Real and Barca as the 2 most prestigious clubs imo. If an Irish kid got a contract with Real or Barca they'd be celebrities over here.

And if an Irish kid got a contract with any big English team he wouldn't be a celebrity?
It all depends on how you define prestigious club really. The Spanish clubs are certainly big and glamorous but so are the big clubs that are closer to home. The only additional thing that the Spanish clubs have going for them is the exoticism. But ask any Irish footballer who would be their dream club and the answer would be some big English or maybe Scottish team. We've had plenty of top class players in this country over the years and very few have wanted to go to Spain or Italy.

Warper

Pro. F wrote: »

Comparing Chelsea with Real and Barca to show Irish views is a bit obtuse. Manchester United and Liverpool would be far bigger draws here than the Spanish teams. Chelsea don't come into it as they are hardly supported here.


And if an Irish kid got a contract with any big English team he wouldn't be a celebrity?
It all depends on how you define prestigious club really. The Spanish clubs are certainly big and glamorous but so are the big clubs that are closer to home. The only additional thing that the Spanish clubs have going for them is the exoticism. But ask any Irish footballer who would be their dream club and the answer would be some big English or maybe Scottish team. We've had plenty of top class players in this country over the years and very few have wanted to go to Spain or Italy.

I dont know about that. Maybe its being realistic in that they would not be signed by either Barca or Madrid until they have played for a top English club. Progression - LOI - PL - La Liga. Playing for Barca or Madrid would have to be the pinnacle of ones career.

I mean if there was a fantasy poll surely people would rather play for Barca or Madrid. (actually i must start a poll)

jesus_thats_gre

Warper wrote: »

I dont know about that. Maybe its being realistic in that they would not be signed by either Barca or Madrid until they have played for a top English club. Progression - LOI - PL - La Liga. Playing for Barca or Madrid would have to be the pinnacle of ones career.

Off the top of my head, there quite a few more players presently in the PL that started their careers in La Liga than players presently in La Liga who started their careers in the PL.

Pro. F

stovelid wrote: »

Why not just try and grind out a bit of an opinion anyway instead of backslapping on-thread?

Mr. Alan's post expressed the opinions that I was about to post perfectly. I didn't feel I could express it any better.
If you have a problem with what I wrote you can report it.

Pro. F

Warper wrote: »

I dont know about that. Maybe its being realistic in that they would not be signed by either Barca or Madrid until they have played for a top English club. Progression - LOI - PL - La Liga. Playing for Barca or Madrid would have to be the pinnacle of ones career.

I mean if there was a fantasy poll surely people would rather play for Barca or Madrid. (actually i must start a poll)

Yeah a poll is probably a good idea. If you don't mind me saying, it might be good to ask people to be realistic about whether they would really want to make the adjustment to the language and culture etc.

eirebhoy

Pro. F wrote: »

Comparing Chelsea with Real and Barca to show Irish views is a bit obtuse. Manchester United and Liverpool would be far bigger draws here than the Spanish teams. Chelsea don't come into it as they are hardly supported here.

You can't compare Real to Man Utd and Liverpool. There's hundreds of thousands of Liverpool and Man Utd fans in this country. That's the people they're going to be attracting if those clubs came to Ireland. Real will attract any football fan in this country. As a Celtic fan the thought of Real or Barca bidding for one of your players would be a different level even to Man Utd. I'd say most Celtic fans see it that way.

There's lots of countries that would see Man Utd as the biggest, most attractive team in the world but I think in Ireland it's Real and Barca. Since most non-premiership fans in this country are LOI or Celtic fans they're the best people to ask.

Pro. F

SectionF wrote: »

The only problem with that take is that I haven't delivered a lecture. I simply asked a question (which still stands, incidentally). It seems to have generated a lot of MUFC indignation, but not too much by way of an answer.

SectionF wrote: »

I don't question why people support foreign clubs. I think it would be remiss as a football fan to ignore EPL or British football generally.
But I do question why Irish people should have loyalty to them above Irish clubs.

I've been thinking about this conversation and you asking the question is fair enough I suppose. I ignored your questions previously because I assumed that the answer was obvious, and that you were just trolling for an argument, but maybe the answer isn't so obvious.
so, here's my answer:
I'm Irish, all the best Irish players play in either England or to a lesser extent Scotland. So when I was a kid I started watching English football. I started following an English club. My loyalty for my club grew over the years (alongside, but different from my interest in football in general). So, now I am more loyal to my club, which happens to be English, then I am to any other club.
I have never been able to get interested in Irish league football because the quality of play is so low. I love football but if I watched poor quality football, of the LOI standard, every week I would lose interest. So, there is no chance of any LOI club winning over any support from me (other than in a general sense of promoting people playing sports).

Paparazzo

Even if you don't support any european club, just visit and walk around Liverpool and Manchester. Then do the same with Barcelona and Madrid. Surely that has a lot to do with it too. Liverpool and Manchester are horrible cities with poxy weather.

Pro. F

eirebhoy wrote: »

You can't compare Real to Man Utd and Liverpool. There's hundreds of thousands of Liverpool and Man Utd fans in this country.

Yes and that's what makes them the biggest, most prestigious clubs in this country. In Ireland there are more kids (and grown ups ) who dream about one day playing for United and Liverpool than there are those who dream about signing for Real.

eirebhoy wrote: »

As a Celtic fan the thought of Real or Barca bidding for one of your players would be a different level even to Man Utd. I'd say most Celtic fans see it that way.

That is so subjective I wouldn't think we could come up with anything concrete if we discussed it tbh.

eirebhoy wrote: »

There's lots of countries that would see Man Utd as the biggest, most attractive team in the world but I think in Ireland it's Real and Barca. Since most non-premiership fans in this country are LOI or Celtic fans they're the best people to ask.

No in Ireland it's Manchester United and Liverpool because they have the most support. Discounting the views of their supporters when trying to work out who is the most prestigious in Ireland is absurd imo.

Mr Alan

to me Real are out in a league of their own.

with Barca, Utd & Liverpool in the group behind.

eirebhoy

Pro. F wrote: »

Yes and that's what makes them the biggest, most prestigious clubs in this country. In Ireland there are more kids (and grown ups ) who dream about one day playing for United and Liverpool than there are those who dream about signing for Real.

I dream about playing for Celtic and would rather be a Celtic legend than a Real Madrid legend. But Madrid are a far far bigger and more prestigious club than Celtic.

Pro. F

Ah I see now. We're talking at cross purposes maybe, my fault.
My point was that the lure of Real Madrid (in terms of potential young players wanting to sign for them) isn't as big in Ireland as other clubs.
Personally I would think that the prestige of any club is subjective and personal to any given player but I see what you mean.

eirebhoy

Pro. F wrote: »

My point was that the lure of Real Madrid (in terms of potential young players wanting to sign for them) isn't as big in Ireland as other clubs.

We'll have to agree to disagree but I think the only thing that would stop a young Irish player choosing premiership over Real Madrid is the language, distance from home.

Bubs101

eirebhoy wrote: »

We'll have to agree to disagree but I think the only thing that would stop a young Irish player choosing premiership over Real Madrid is the language, distance from home.

Completely disagree. For a young Irish player a Premiership team is likely the ultimate dream because they watch the Premiership more than anything here. In Argentina, a Seria A team is probably the one that everyone wants to go to because Italian football is big there. Mexicans probably dream of Spain while Austrians dream of Germany. Not every teams prestige is the same in every region. Man Utd are much bigger in the English speaking world and Asia but traditionally throughout Europe they're not as big as Real, Barca, Juve or AC

Pro. F

eirebhoy wrote: »

We'll have to agree to disagree

Cool