Why do you think the league of Ireland declined in popularity ?

pablomakaveli

That_Guy wrote: »

Went to a Bohs game last year. The first one of the season. Managed to get a few free tickets so went with a mate of mine.

Got talking to a lad in a pub afterwards. Anyway, got talking about football and I told him I was a Newcastle supporter.

Got called a "barstooler" etc etc. The holier than thou attitude of fans will deter me from ever going back to a LOI game again.

The standard of football may not be amazing but I was willing to give it a go for something to do of a Friday night.

Not gonna happen. Fans of the LOI who post on here seem to have the same mindset.

A lot of LOI fans who post here support an english club as well. And if a barstooler jibe gets your back up som much than maybe you need to grow thicker skin.

Gavin "shels"

HyperSkypeWiper wrote: »

LOI is league 1 standard imo, which is not as bad as it sounds.

I'd say the likes of Shams and Sligo could compete in the Championship.

That_Guy wrote: »

Went to a Bohs game last year. The first one of the season. Managed to get a few free tickets so went with a mate of mine.

Got talking to a lad in a pub afterwards. Anyway, got talking about football and I told him I was a Newcastle supporter.

Got called a "barstooler" etc etc. The holier than thou attitude of fans will deter me from ever going back to a LOI game again.

The standard of football may not be amazing but I was willing to give it a go for something to do of a Friday night.

Not gonna happen. Fans of the LOI who post on here seem to have the same mindset.

pablomakaveli wrote: »

A lot of LOI fans who post here support an english club as well. And if a barstooler jibe gets your back up som much than maybe you need to grow thicker skin.

Exactly.

Augmerson

That_Guy wrote: »

Went to a Bohs game last year. The first one of the season. Managed to get a few free tickets so went with a mate of mine.

Got talking to a lad in a pub afterwards. Anyway, got talking about football and I told him I was a Newcastle supporter.

Got called a "barstooler" etc etc. The holier than thou attitude of fans will deter me from ever going back to a LOI game again.

The standard of football may not be amazing but I was willing to give it a go for something to do of a Friday night.

Not gonna happen. Fans of the LOI who post on here seem to have the same mindset.

I went to my first Boh's match last year. It was actually the game against Dundalk, the final game, while Shamrock Rovers were playing Bray I think. I remember asking a steward where could I sit and he said anywhere and I said "Gee thanks never been here before" or something to that effect and he kind of looked at me like I just walked in for the glory because Boh's might be getting the title that night but also my accent doesn't help, I'm Laois (Leeesh).

Anyway got talking to people there and it was good craic, got myself some chips at the break. Boh's won the game 3-1 with 2 late goals I think, wasn't the greatest match ever played but entertaining. I would say to you to come back, don't give up on the home game just because some chap trying to take the piss.

Jazzy

money in short, lots of money in long.
it all comes down to school. in primary school everyone plays football and if the school dont have a team then lots of lads play for the local team. beyond that though there is 0 influence from irish football. it is all left up to the actual kids themselves and with the media having the penetration it has had in the past 20 years then what do people expect? the GAA though are always at the schools. they are always pushing on the young lads and trying to get them playing and supporting GAA.. because they have the money to do so. With rugby, its a lot of the richer schools that play so the funding comes from within. so that kind of leaves the FAI out on a hump. they cant go for the hands on approach like the GAA does and they dont have the same clientel as Blackrock, Clongoes (sp?), terenure etc. so they dont have any option to overcome the media giants that are sky, bbc, espn and so forth. hence the kids over here are always going to be supporting foreign teams over the local teams.

i remember in 4th class (back in 1994 ) there was only one guy in a class of 35 that supported an LoI team (shels) and even at that he supported arsenal as well. at that time i could maybe name 4 teams that were in the league of ireland... you just didnt hear about them, and if you dont hear about them you have no interest in them...... but when jason sherlock came to the school we heard all about him & GAA. although my teacher at the time, one Jerry Kiernan, told us all about the bull**** of the GAA

LuckyLloyd

Gavin shels wrote: »

I'd say the likes of Shams and Sligo could compete in the Championship.

Ah, you don't really, do you?

stovelid

I would have said it years ago but it's a pretty decent league (with some big clubs) these days. I would have said the mid to top half of league one but really all this kind of conjecture is really hard to verify unless it happens especially when the equivalent teams in the English league system have better facilities and support.

pablomakaveli wrote: »

A lot of LOI fans who post here support an english club as well.

True. And although I sound partisan, I honestly think the overwhelming amount of LOI supporters would have the reaction of more power to you mate if they got chatting to a new supporter who had dropped by for a game.

pablomakaveli

stovelid wrote: »

True. And although I sound partisan, I honestly think the overwhelming amount of LOI supporters would have the reaction of more power to you mate if they got chatting to a new supporter who had dropped by for a game.

I definitely would anyway. Even if someone goes to a few games and decides its not for them i'd at least respect them for giving it a fair try.

A lot of the people who call the league ****e and crap are usually ones who have either never seen a LOI match or might have wathced 5 mins of a 0-0 game between Bray and Drogheda and take their view of the league from that.

orourkeda

The standard in the LOI is respectable.

There is something of a catch 22 in the sense that the league cant prosper without improved attandances and "fans" wont turn up because they dont feel they are getting value for money.