Best fans in the world

monkey9

speedboatchase wrote: »

It was a humiliation, more than a defeat. Sure last night I actually saw people trying to get a "homecoming for the fans" trending on Twitter - our ability to try and squeeze any positives from being far and away the worst team at this tournament is cringeworthy. We should demand better but we won't and as I said, this "just happy to be there" mentality will constantly be our undoing.

I have to laugh at the Roy Keane mentality!! I swear when people read these autobiographies etc they think it applies to them as fans. That attitude is what the players should have alright!! But at four nil down to the best team in the world with ten minutes to go in the rain, after spending thousands to get there...........yeah, i'd sing!! Why not!!!

average_runner

monkey9 wrote: »

I have to laugh at the Roy Keane mentality!! I swear when people read these autobiographies etc they think it applies to them as fans. That attitude is what the players should have alright!! But at four nil down to the best team in the world with ten minutes to go in the rain, after spending thousands to get there...........yeah, i'd sing!! Why not!!!

And in fairness, i think most fans realise, with the severe lack of talent we have, we did well to get to this tournament. Sometimes we got to be realistic and realise we dont have the players!!!

adox

Thread title should read "best fans in the world at supporting the national team at major championships" imo. Probably a more realistic debate.

Either way, fair fuucks to them last night in the stadium.

speedboatchase

average_runner wrote: »

And in fairness, i think most fans realise, with the severe lack of talent we have, we did well to get to this tournament. Sometimes we got to be realistic and realise we dont have the players!!!

Did we though? We scraped through over Slovakia for second place and got the easiest play-off opponents. I had an oul sing-song when we reached the tournament like the rest of us but that was last year - let's forget this misguided circle jerk - which is already being politicised for God's sake - and try address our problems on the field.

stovelid

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

I think we can debate the merits of our fans last night, very valid points raised in this forum about our fans from LOI followers, but you can not deny that they left a positive impression on the European Championships..

Absolutely.

I think people are just objecting to the best fans in the world tag.

And you can't help noticing that when it's LOI teams doing their best but getting thumped by hugely superior opposition in Europe and the supporters getting right behind the team at huge expense, it's a source of national;shame for a lot of people on here, yet when it's Ireland doing the same, people think the supporters deserve a medal for flying over and singing at a football;l match.

monkey9

stovelid wrote: »

Absolutely.

I think people are just objecting to the best fans in the world tag.

And you can't help noticing that when it's LOI teams doing their best but getting thumped by hugely superior opposition in Europe and the supporters getting right behind the team at huge expense, it's a source of national;shame for a lot of people on here, yet when it's Ireland doing the same, people think the supporters deserve a medal a medal for flying over and singing at a football;l match.

I was about to say similar!! If Pats went to the Nou Camp or something and were four down with ten minutes to go, you better believe i'd still be singing!!!

bucketybuck

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Our support earned us plaudits last night which reflected well on the country.

**** the plaudits, we were there for the points. Typical small time mentality.

stovelid

monkey9 wrote: »

I was about to say similar!! If Pats went to the Nou Camp or something and were four down with ten minutes to go, you better believe i'd still be singing!!!

But everybody on here would be snide comments about the quality of the LOI.

bucketybuck wrote: »

**** the plaudits, we were there for the points. Typical small time mentality.

Not strictly true.

Supporters should get behind the team when they show effort but are outclassed.

BraziliaNZ

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered. They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

gustavo

bucketybuck wrote: »

**** the plaudits, we were there for the points. Typical small time mentality.

Team were there for the points , Whether the fans maniaclly sang like idiots for 90 minutes or stood in silence for the duration would have had no influence on the result

speedboatchase

stovelid wrote: »

But everybody on here would be snide comments about the quality of the LOI.



Not strictly true.

Supporters should get behind the team when they show effort but are outclassed.

The long ball doesn't require much effort.

stovelid

Yakult wrote: »

No offence but these kinds of posts are a little retarded.

The point he made might not be palatable to some but it's valid within the context of the thread. Posting a picture like that is just a way of saying you won't engage what he's saying (fair enough, then you don't have to) so you're belittling it cheaply and hoping to deflect the thread away from the point he's making.

As if every topic or opinion on here has not been recycled many times.

stovelid

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered. They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

The supporters were right to get behind the team no matter what.

And the ones that have stuck with them at great expense and effort no matter what the scores are right to do so.

You sound like you just need to support Spain. That said, be careful there because they were flaky for years so you might back a losing horse there too which would be totally morto.

speedboatchase

stovelid wrote: »

The supporters were right to get behind the team no matter what.

And the ones that have stuck with them at great expense and effort no matter what the scores are right to do so.

You sound like you just need to support Spain. That said, be careful there because they were flaky for years so you might back a losing horse there too which would be totally morto.

Get behind the team no matter what? No matter what? That kind of blinkered nonsense doesn't apply to supporting club teams and shouldn't apply to international football. Constructive criticism and reflection are more important than pissed-up flag waving if you ask me.

Fr Tod Umptious

stovelid wrote: »

Absolutely.

I think people are just objecting to the best fans in the world tag.

And you can't help noticing that when it's LOI teams doing their best but getting thumped by hugely superior opposition in Europe and the supporters getting right behind the team at huge expense, it's a source of national;shame for a lot of people on here, yet when it's Ireland doing the same, people think the supporters deserve a medal for flying over and singing at a football;l match.

I really don't think that's the case.

I think most people have a lot of respect for LOI fans who trek to the far corners of former soviet Europe (and Asia) to follow their teams in which are often games against superior opposition.

I certainly do and I have little or no interest in LOI football

Fr Tod Umptious

speedboatchase wrote: »

Get behind the team no matter what? No matter what? That kind of blinkered nonsense doesn't apply to supporting club teams and shouldn't apply to international football. Constructive criticism and reflection are more important than pissed-up flag waving if you ask me.

But it should apply to international football.

I support Ireland, I will always support and get behind Ireland.

Why ?

Because I am from Ireland, they are my national team, and the only soccer team I can every truly and passionately support.

steelcityblues

Went to the Carling Nations match against Scotland surrounded by empty seats, and the Scots fans were more vocal than we were.

Fair enough if many Irish people had a good time in Poland last night, but the media are already shoving this down our throats.

stovelid

speedboatchase wrote: »

Get behind the team no matter what? No matter what? That kind of blinkered nonsense doesn't apply to supporting club teams and shouldn't apply to international football. Constructive criticism and reflection are more important than pissed-up flag waving if you ask me.

On the contrary, your "kind of blinkered nonsense" is the kind of consumer demand that passes for a lot of football support these days.

Supporters shouldn't support lack of effort but a limited team of players (further hampered by conservative team selection) got hammered by the the best team in the world and there isn't anything wrong with showing some support.

I suspect the breach of the final taboo (opting to arbitrarily support the best countries in international football just like club football) is not far off in this country. The wheels on the bandwagon must already be loose on their hinges.

gustavo

speedboatchase wrote: »

ll. Constructive criticism and reflection are more important than pissed-up flag waving if you ask me.

Don't know about you but I don't have too much time for the old constructive criticism and reflection when I'm at matches

speedboatchase

stovelid wrote: »

On the contrary, you're "kind of blinkered nonsense" is the kind of consumer demand that passes for a lot of football support these days.

Supporters shouldn't support lack of effort but a limited team of players (further hampered by conservative team selection) got hammered by the the best team in the world and there isn't anything wrong with showing some support.

I suspect the breach of the final taboo (opting to arbitrarily support the best countries in international football just like club football) is not far off in this country. The wheels on the bandwagon must already be loose on their hinges.

I don't have time to address those sweeping statements one by one but from what you've written, I guess I should be ashamed for breaking another "taboo" - not singing Fields of Athenry and celebrating a humiliating failure. I must be unpatriotic to expect better from my country on the world stage and be "proud", right?

stovelid

speedboatchase wrote: »

I don't have time to address those sweeping statements one by one but from what you've written, I guess I should be ashamed for breaking another "taboo" - not singing Fields of Athenry and celebrating a humiliating failure. I must be unpatriotic to expect better from my country on the world stage and be "proud", right?

Not really into the Fields of Athenry or the green wigs myself.

It's not celebrating failure. It's showing appreciation and loyalty for effort against insurmountable odds.

You make supporting Ireland sound like a smart restaurant in which you've paid for a meal and received unacceptable service and you're embarrassed in front of your wealthy mates.

monkey9

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered. They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

Seeing as you have such a 'strong' opinion on the football fans singing at the football match last night, enlighten us! How would you have acted at the football match last night???

speedboatchase

stovelid wrote: »

Not really into the Fields of Athenry or the green wigs myself.

It's not celebrating failure. It's showing appreciation and loyalty for effort against insurmountable odds.

You make supporting Ireland sound like a smart restaurant in which you've paid for a meal and received unacceptable service and you're embarrassed in front of your wealthy mates.

Odd restaurant analogies aside, we were never going to beat Spain but 4-0 was an awful result, with some absolutely horrendous goals given away. Did we have "insurmountable odds" when we were outclassed by Croatia too - was that worthy of a sing-song?

As I said earlier, I didn't see this so-called effort - our defending was absolutely brutal (that Silva goal will haunt my dreams) and we relied on the bloody long ball against the world and European champions.

Gillington

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered. They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

I love these "I'm done with xxxx quotes", is that the fans or teams doing?

stovelid

speedboatchase wrote: »

Odd restaurant analogies aside, we were never going to beat Spain but 4-0 was an awful result, with some absolutely horrendous goals given away. Did we have "insurmountable odds" when we were outclassed by Croatia too - was that worthy of a sing-song?

As I said earlier, I didn't see this so-called effort - our defending was absolutely brutal (that Silva goal will haunt my dreams) and we relied on the bloody long ball against the world and European champions.

Croatia were a better team.

I think the players tried but just were not good enough and made some awful errors.

Thing is, Ireland being crap doesn't offend me to the core like some. Maybe it's because I support club and country through thick and thin - they're not faulty consumer items you return if they're poor quality.

Not sure it's even worth discussing. You either feel that way or you don't.

Here's some useful links for you for the rest of the tournament:

http://www.worldsoccershop.com/26694.html

http://www.worldsoccershop.com/26695.html

speedboatchase

stovelid wrote: »

Croatia were a better team.

I think the players tried but just were not good enough and made some awful errors.

Thing is, Ireland being crap doesn't offend me to the core like some. Maybe it's because I support club and country through thick and thin - they're not faulty consumer items you return if they're poor quality.

Not sure it's even worth discussing. You either feel that way or you don't.

Here's some useful links for you for the rest of the tournament:

http://www.worldsoccershop.com/26694.html

http://www.worldsoccershop.com/26695.html

Haha, constructive criticism against the Irish team = I support the tournament favourites. I needed a good laugh after last night

Orando Broom

Stovelid, two thanks off me today. That's it no more.

stovelid

speedboatchase wrote: »

constructive criticism

I'd hate to see you slaughtering them.

Paparazzo

speedboatchase wrote: »

I don't have time to address those sweeping statements one by one but from what you've written, I guess I should be ashamed for breaking another "taboo" - not singing Fields of Athenry and celebrating a humiliating failure. I must be unpatriotic to expect better from my country on the world stage and be "proud", right?

We're 4-0 down against one of the best teams of all time. Most of the spain players play week in week out together at the highest level and if one of those spanish was on the ireland team they'd automaticly be out best player by a mile.
Of course we were being outplayed, out fans knew it, spanish fans knew it and most of all out players knew it. The damage was done, the game was over.
What would you have done in the last 10 minutes? Sat in silence so the spanish fans could have shouted "ole" for each pass? Brilliant, we need more fans like you. You mightn't like fields of athenry, what chant would you have got going then? I don't think we're the best fans in the world by a long shot, but our fans did all they could do last night.

jmayo

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered.

So what would you do ? Riot perhaps ?
Look like a spoilt child and sit there with a sour face on you.
Walk out perhaps ?

The only bit of pride I had last night was seeing, how even though our team was being pasted on the pitch and they were making a royal bags of it, how the fans reacted.

They could have sulked, they could have booed, but no they sang there hearts out and drown out the often noisy fans of a team that are probably the best in the world and were 4 nil ahead in the match.
Did anyone hear the Spanish fans ?

The way for the fans to show their disaproval is no not bother showing up for the next home matches.
Then maybe the FAI will get the message that is time for a change.

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

Yes we were sh**e and yes we will never realistically challenge for top honours or play the champagne football others may play.

I am a pessimist and think we have huge problems and Trap needs to go.

But I can still live in hope that some day we will do something spectacular.
Denmark and Greece did, so why not us ?

If fans did not think that way, the only teams with fooking fans would be united, Bracelona, Real, Brazil, Italy, etc.

I can also still be proud that our fans showed something last night that is very rare.
They showed that no matter what you won't beat our spirit and you won't ultimately get us down.
Maybe they showed a little of why we don't riot and rebel like the Greeks, but just get on with it.
Maybe they showed why he can put up living in this rain soaked fooking island.
Maybe they decided that even though their team was being massacred both through brilliance of Spain and their own incompetance, that they would not be bowed.

Of course maybe they were just all drunk out of their skulls and decided that they would enjoy the occassion no matter what ?

Either way I think they were special.

BTW if you think being an Irish soccer fan is bad, try being a Mayo GAA fan. :mad:

EDIT: just spotted your name.
How apt it is made up of the names of historically the best soccer team and best rugby team in the world.

Paparazzo

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I find it embarrassing. Absolute gobsh*tes in my opinion. Singing that ridiculous song after an absolutely useless team get slaughtered. They're celebrating the fact that they're out pissed up on a beano in Poland. I loved the Irish team since I was a child but I think I'm done with them, we can never compete being the small fries we are but we could at least retain some kind of dignity instead of making total arseholes of ourselves and lining ourselves up for patronising comments from the BBC etc. I used to complain when I went to see Bohs about how bad the football was, but Jesus Christ I've never seen thrash like what we've had to endure from Ireland in this tournament.

Come on, tell us what the fans should have done instead

monkey9

Paparazzo wrote: »

Come on, tell us what the fans should have done instead

I'm still waiting for this one alright!!

WesternZulu

jmayo wrote: »

BTW if you think being an Irish soccer fan is bad, try being a Mayo GAA fan. :mad:

It's not easy alright

seanmc1980

best fans my ass, the typical irish fan is and always will be a big occasion whore. tbh,
we will see where these great fans are in Lansdowne on a miserable tues night in november! more than likely sitting in the pub watching their fav team manchesterpool city.

CiaranC

jmayo wrote: »

But I can still live in hope that some day we will do something spectacular.
Denmark and Greece did, so why not us ?

Because Denmark and Greece have a football infrastructure.

MoscowFlyer

seanmc1980 wrote: »

best fans my ass, the typical irish fan is and always will be a big occasion whore. tbh,
we will see where these great fans are in Lansdowne on a miserable tues night in november! more than likely sitting in the pub watching their fav team manchesterpool city.

Those teams don't play when internationals are on, silly.

The_Kew_Tour

Just back home from Poland.

Spare a second for United, Hibs and Irish fan.

Man I could not have predicted if I tried.

Gutted with the performances from the Irish lads. We really were shown up to be the ordinary team we are. never want to see Mcgeady or Whelan in Irish shirt again.

From being at games I think Andrews was our best player. gave it his all at least.

Seeing Paul Green come on made me die inside a little.

Renn

Man I could not have predicted if I tried.

Really? Find it surprising that so many people were deluded (even listening to the Off the Ball guys yesterday on Newstalk).

The_Kew_Tour

Renn wrote: »

Really? Find it surprising that so many people were deluded (even listening to the Off the Ball guys yesterday on Newstalk).

Well I honestly thought we put up some show.

Did not think we get more then 2 points, but not played off park, especially against Croatia.

It could have been 8-0 last night.

Downlinz

To sum up my response to our tournament in actions it would be a polite, sorrowful clap. The lads gave it a go and came up well short, had shades of RWC 2007 but these things happen. We never expected them to qualify but we did expect them to be competitive and difficult to beat, we were far from that. They're devastated and I'm devastated, the crowd should reflect that.

The crowd instead were singing and cheering all throughout the match. The pissup in Poland is the show for them, the soccer is the sideshow where the result is of little relevance. Great passion for the occasion, zero passion for the team. They were an embarrassment for anyone ambitious in this country and did nothing but stoke the stereotype of the happy go lucky paddy who'll never achieve anything.

seanmc1980

MoscowFlyer wrote: »

Those teams don't play when internationals are on, silly.

i think you get the sentiment!
falling over ourselves to pat eachother on the back cos we sang for 10 mins at the end of a game,

The_Kew_Tour

Downlinz wrote: »

To sum up my response to our tournament in actions it would be a polite, sorrowful clap. The lads gave it a go and came up well short, had shades of RWC 2007 but these things happen. We never expected them to qualify but we did expect them to be competitive and difficult to beat, we were far from that. They're devastated and I'm devastated, the crowd should reflect that.

The crowd instead were singing and cheering all throughout the match. The pissup in Poland is the show for them, the soccer is the sideshow where the result is of little relevance. Great passion for the occasion, zero passion for the team. They were an embarrassment for anyone ambitious in this country and did nothing but stoke the stereotype of the happy go lucky paddy who'll never achieve anything.

Im sorry, but having been there last night I can tell you there was a lot of Irish fans in sober mood last night.

I cried myself, but **** it I am still proud to be Irish football fan.

We got beat by maybe the best team of all time( without question in last 5 years)

you swear we got stuffed by Latvia or somebody.

Not saying its excuse for the performance at all, but to have pop at fans like me for supporting a team when down well you can **** right off.

seanmc1980

Downlinz wrote: »

.
The pissup in Poland is the show for them, the soccer is the sideshow where the result is of little relevance. .

never a truer word spoken on the matter, topic closed

Renn

They were played off the park for quite a bit in the 0-0 vs Croatia. That day Croatia decided not to score though.

MoscowFlyer

If they had boo'ed they would have been criticized, if they had stayed silent they would have been criticized, if they sang their hearts out they would get criticized.

You just can't please anyone these days.

steelcityblues

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

you swear we got stuffed by Latvia or somebody.

Already mentioned on the match thread, that their country went to Euro 2004 as tournament newbies, in a tough group. They nearly held the very good Czechs with Nedved and co for a point.

Then, got a point against Germany. Not the best ever German side, but it is still Germany.

The Dutch beat them comfortably in the final match, but they still could be proud of their overall tournament performance.

Why could we have not at least done something similar at this tournament, and with arguably a better group of players than they had?

seanmc1980

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Im sorry, but having been there last night I can tell you there was a lot of Irish fans in sober mood last night.

I cried myself, but **** it I am still proud to be Irish football fan.

We got beat by maybe the best team of all time( without question in last 5 years)

you swear we got stuffed by Latvia or somebody.

Not saying its excuse for the performance at all, but to have pop at fans like me for supporting a team when down well you can **** right off.

good for you but you are in the minority, i would hazard a guess that 70% of the people were in poland for the party not the football. 40k irish traveled to poland, and they can barely get 20k at a home game, you may be one of the genuine fans but everyone says they are the genuine fan, much like the 150k people who saw munster beat New Zealand,

Orando Broom

seanmc1980 wrote: »

good for you but you are in the minority, i would hazard a guess that 70% of the people were in poland for the party not the football. 40k irish traveled to poland, and they can barely get 20k at a home game, you may be one of the genuine fans but everyone says they are the genuine fan, much like the 150k people who saw munster beat New Zealand,

This is fair comment. The Euros are a piss up first. Football is the break in drinking.

niallo27

MoscowFlyer wrote: »

If they had boo'ed they would have been criticized, if they had stayed silent they would have been criticized, if they sang their hearts out they would get criticized.

You just can't please anyone these days.

We are a nation of miserable ***** and begrudgers, only happy when we have something to give out about.

gosplan

Hmmm, thinking a few people here haven't gone to many Ireland away games.

In my experience, they're just a massive piss-up and while many fans will have plenty of criticism after the event, on the night they're going to sing their hearts out, partly to show support for the players on the pitch and largely because they're too pissed not to sing.

If you want constructive criticism, then get a season ticket somewhere and analyse stuff with the same people week in week out. If you go to Ireland at an international tournament, you're going to a party.