Best fans in the world

NIMAN

mattser wrote: »

Welcome home guys. Looking forward to seeing you all on the terraces at St. Pat's, Cork City, Dundalk etc.
The charade is over. Long live the charade.

Never mind the terraces of LoI grounds, we know Irish football fans won't be supporting that, but it would be nice to see them at the Aviva even for the next home game.

We should have full houses now for every game, but I doubt we will have.

Beefy78

LiamoSail wrote: »

English fans acting like English fans

Not sure who the couple of thousand guys in white shirts I saw singing and dancing and drinking and joking with French, Icelandic and German fans all night in Nice last night were.

Probably more undercover Russians.

The_Kew_Tour

The funny thing is most LOI fans don't support their local team, me included

Beefy78

That is funny. Is there any reason for that?

dundalkfc10

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

The funny thing is most LOI fans don't support their local team, me included

I guarantee at least 90% of fans come from the area the team are from and to say otherwise is laughable

You think LOI fans from Dundalk support Drogheda, Sligo support Galway, Longford support Athlonr!

The_Kew_Tour

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

I guarantee at least 90% of fans come from the area the team are from and to say otherwise is laughable

You think LOI fans from Dundalk support Drogheda, Sligo support Galway, Longford support Athlonr!

But is that the club next door to you, or the best club in your Area/county?

You see I met people over in France, 1 such who manages all teams up from u10 up to senior side, but I guess cause he does not support LOI team he does not deserve be at euros

Francie Barrett

I wonder will UEFA create a special award for our fans this tournament?

kksaints

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I wonder will UEFA create a special award for our fans this tournament?

No. Other countries fans like the Nordies and Iceland have stood out considerably in this tournament particularly in the stadiums.

CSF

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

But is that the club next door to you, or the best club in your Area/county?

You see I met people over in France, 1 such who manages all teams up from u10 up to senior side, but I guess cause he does not support LOI team he does not deserve be at euros

Nobody said that anybody deserves/does not deserve to be at the Euros to be fair. Any comment made was in relation to the 'best fans in the world' tag.

Id also wager it's pretty much impossible to manage all teams from under 10 upto senior side. That's about 10 teams at least.

The_Kew_Tour

CSF wrote: »

Nobody said that anybody deserves/does not deserve to be at the Euros to be fair. Any comment made was in relation to the 'best fans in the world' tag.

Id also wager it's pretty much impossible to manage all teams from under 10 upto senior side. That's about 10 teams at least.

But every team in world claims be "best fans in world'

Gareth Bale said same about Welsh fans and they get no mention

CSF

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

But every team in world claims be "best fans in world'

Gareth Bale said same about Welsh fans and they get no mention

Yeah maybe but nobody spends quite as long going on about it/playing upto it as the Irish.

Green Fella

Isnt there a fair segment of LOI supporters who dont care or are ambivalent towards the Ireland team? Although doubt its anything much numbers wise

TheDoc

Green Fella wrote: »

Isnt there a fair segment of LOI supporters who dont care or are ambivalent towards the Ireland team? Although doubt its anything much numbers wise

So "best fans" are typical football cliches that footballers, managers or clubs use to rub the belly of the tribal fanbase. It has no measure or metric, and it's typically something that if you arn't dribbling all over yourself, you kind of ignore.

Is this a thread created to try justify ourselves being the best? You are having a laugh right?

Also the Fields of Athenry craic needs to be left in France dead and buried. It's now become the death knell for when the team is playing ****e and we are getting pumped. If I was a player and I heard that I'd be like" **** were are really getting thumped".

It was great in Poland, because the team was so utterly ****e. Bit of hope has emerged from this tournament, so leave that chant/song dead and buried over there.

HalloweenJack

From my experience, there are some LOI fans who feel dismayed that we are portrayed as a football-mad country but it rarely takes into account the LOI. I don't know any LOI fan who has no feeling whatsoever for the Irish side but I know plenty, myself included, who put their team first and their country second.

For me, it comes down to having a closer connection and feeling more invovled. When there's 50k at Landsdowne, it won't make much difference if one person doesn't go, there'll be thousands waiting to take your place. When there's 1k (if we're lucky) at a Bray match, if one person isn't there, it can be noticed and there's fewer people waiting in line. You go to LOI matches and you see the same faces, you get to know the fans, it's a lot more of a community feel. Look at all the LOI fans who were cheering on the likes of Rovers, Shels, Cork, Derry, Drogs and Pats when they had their European runs, even though the next week they'd be giving them dogs abuse when those same sides played their own team. You never see Rangers fans cheering on Celtic or Liverpool fans cheering on Man U. LOI fans feel like part of a community and that's a really special feeling.

I've never got that feeling from Ireland matches, there's a lot less of a connection with the other fans and with the side, as most of them play abroad and some of them have only ever played in England. In the LOI, you see the players walking around on the streets, you meet them when they're out, you feel a lot more connected to the team and what's going on. I just don't get that with the national side.

Look at how excited LOI fans get when the likes of Hoolahan or Ward are starting. I'm a Bray fan, I've no interest whatsoever in Shels' fortunes and even less so in Bohs' but I do feel a tug in my heartstrings when I see them line up. I feel a greater connection with them than the likes who have only ever played in the UK or ones who grew up in other countries. To see guys who started from the bottom and genuinely played their way to the top is impressive and to be a part of that community makes the feeling better.

I'm not getting into a LOI fans vs. EPL fans debate, I'm not saying one is better than the other but the above is why I feel special about being an LOI fan. I also support Chelsea but I don't have the same connection with Chelsea and no connection whatsoever to the EPL. The LOI really IS something special.

mattser

mattser wrote: »

Welcome home guys. Looking forward to seeing you all on the terraces at St. Pat's, Cork City, Dundalk etc.
The charade is over. Long live the charade.

Why?

Pretty sure it wasn't any of them in the euros.

Going to Ireland home games would be a better argument

price690

HalloweenJack wrote: »

From my experience, there are some LOI fans who feel dismayed that we are portrayed as a football-mad country but it rarely takes into account the LOI. I don't know any LOI fan who has no feeling whatsoever for the Irish side but I know plenty, myself included, who put their team first and their country second.

For me, it comes down to having a closer connection and feeling more invovled. When there's 50k at Landsdowne, it won't make much difference if one person doesn't go, there'll be thousands waiting to take your place. When there's 1k (if we're lucky) at a Bray match, if one person isn't there, it can be noticed and there's fewer people waiting in line. You go to LOI matches and you see the same faces, you get to know the fans, it's a lot more of a community feel. Look at all the LOI fans who were cheering on the likes of Rovers, Shels, Cork, Derry, Drogs and Pats when they had their European runs, even though the next week they'd be giving them dogs abuse when those same sides played their own team. You never see Rangers fans cheering on Celtic or Liverpool fans cheering on Man U. LOI fans feel like part of a community and that's a really special feeling.

I've never got that feeling from Ireland matches, there's a lot less of a connection with the other fans and with the side, as most of them play abroad and some of them have only ever played in England. In the LOI, you see the players walking around on the streets, you meet them when they're out, you feel a lot more connected to the team and what's going on. I just don't get that with the national side.

Look at how excited LOI fans get when the likes of Hoolahan or Ward are starting. I'm a Bray fan, I've no interest whatsoever in Shels' fortunes and even less so in Bohs' but I do feel a tug in my heartstrings when I see them line up. I feel a greater connection with them than the likes who have only ever played in the UK or ones who grew up in other countries. To see guys who started from the bottom and genuinely played their way to the top is impressive and to be a part of that community makes the feeling better.

I'm not getting into a LOI fans vs. EPL fans debate, I'm not saying one is better than the other but the above is why I feel special about being an LOI fan. I also support Chelsea but I don't have the same connection with Chelsea and no connection whatsoever to the EPL. The LOI really IS something special.

If booze was taken out of the equation and it was simply a football tournament then things would be alot different.

Soccer and Rugby have a niche following over here, both have a very small Hardcore following. I tip my hat to the lads who go to Cyprus or Macedonia away for crucial away qualifiers etc... likewise the rugby fans who follower Munster/Leinster/ireland come rain or shine in games that don't attract all the Facebook attention. The mass majority of "Irish sport fans" will jump between whatever gives the best chance of a winning buzz. We don't do long term week to week support.

Sport is a favourite TV show for the majority and the big tournament/Olympic final is usually the crescendo that is worthy of us gracing it with our presence.

I'm eagerly awaiting the rio Olympics when every person you speak with will be a boxing offienado for a couple of weeks, they will tell you about the importance of Katie Taylor/Michael Conan/joe wards jab and hook and will probably pack out the arena with the sniff of the glory of a medal on their breath. Until such a time as these boxers come home and reality sets in for theme that theyou cannot sell 500 tickets at the national stadium. And their Olympic popularity is not a true representation.

How the Irish fans behaved in France was absolutely brilliant, stuff like that is a major plus for our countries reputation. The fans did Ireland proud. But it's a similar misrepresentation to say we are the best supporters in the world. To claim that title, you need to give the same support when the cameras stop rolling and your are no longer able to feed off the worldwide acclaim.

Beefy78

Got to say, the Icelandic fans have been amazing these last few days

pavb2

Beefy78 wrote: »

Got to say, the Icelandic fans have been amazing these last few days

2nd best fans, 2nd best fans, 2nd best fans.

Berserker

Beefy78 wrote: »

Got to say, the Icelandic fans have been amazing these last few days

Would have them as my fans of the tournament, if I am being honest. Traveled in fantastic numbers when you consider the population of Iceland and sung their hearts out. Great noise from them again tonight.

Kobe248

Iceland are Ireland when we first got to tournaments

World class fans

Beefy78

We were sat right above Iceland tonight and they were so loud. Great variety of songs too. Hard to dislike them even tonight.

The_Kew_Tour

Iceland fans are incredible.

Been loud and class throughout

Fr Tod Umptious

Kobe248 wrote: »

Iceland are Ireland when we first got to tournaments

World class fans

Yes, this is Iceland's Euro 88 or Italia 90

Omackeral

Some proper fanatics here. Both sides of the stadium one upping each other with a new chant/action every couple of minutes. Really cool video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-VRu9jy8xg

con89

Anyone have tickets for Serbia away?

Looking online can't find any

dundalkfc10

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

But is that the club next door to you, or the best club in your Area/county?

You see I met people over in France, 1 such who manages all teams up from u10 up to senior side, but I guess cause he does not support LOI team he does not deserve be at euros

Your statement was 'Most LOI fans don't support there local team'

That is bull**** no matter what way u put it!

The_Kew_Tour

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Your statement was 'Most LOI fans don't support there local team'

That is bull**** no matter what way u put it!

But they don't cause many of them dont play for local club or involved with nearest club to them.

No matter what way you try say different

Juan8

I was at the euros, go to most home games against half decent teams (refuse to pay €50 quid to watch us play Girbraltar or the likes)

I was a Pats season ticket holder since I was a kid and knocked it on the head about 2 years ago, the football is brutal and the merry go round of players in the off season is a joke,

I won't be going to LOI games again until a great deal improves and I've no problem saying that, so many LOI fans are on a high horse and it's drives me nuts, I've better things to do on my Friday nights these days than watch the terrible football LOI puts on show

Omackeral

Juan8 wrote: »

I was at the euros, go to most home games against half decent teams (refuse to pay €50 quid to watch us play Girbraltar or the likes)

I was a Pats season ticket holder since I was a kid and knocked it on the head about 2 years ago, the football is brutal and the merry go round of players in the off season is a joke,

I won't be going to LOI games again until a great deal improves and I've no problem saying that, so many LOI fans are on a high horse and it's drives me nuts, I've better things to do on my Friday nights these days than watch the terrible football LOI puts on show

Fair enough, you gave it a go and it wasn't for you. Can't really have complaints there. Refreshing honesty actually. People who dismiss it without giving it a chance are the people I have zero time for.

For myself and a lot of the lads I go with, it's more than just the style of play or the strength of the opposition, it's kind of a sense of fraternity at this stage. Feels like hard duty sometimes when you're watching Bray away in the lashings but it's worth it for the highs. I love the culture and buzz around it and my Friday nights are my football nights. Absolutely nothing wrong with how you enjoy your football though my man, more power to ya and fair play.

Juan8

Omackeral wrote: »

Fair enough, you gave it a go and it wasn't for you. Can't really have complaints there. Refreshing honesty actually. People who dismiss it without giving it a chance are the people I have zero time for.

For myself and a lot of the lads I go with, it's more than just the style of play or the strength of the opposition, it's kind of a sense of fraternity at this stage. Feels like hard duty sometimes when you're watching Bray away in the lashings but it's worth it for the highs. I love the culture and buzz around it and my Friday nights are my football nights. Absolutely nothing wrong with how you enjoy your football though my man, more power to ya and fair play.

LOI has given me some great nights don't get me wrong, I loved it as a child and I used to go with all my mates too but with attendances going down if anything, the FAI really not caring, players switching clubs every season and truth be told the quality of the football in the league getting worse I just lost interest, I still check Pats results most weeks and if they're on the telly I'll tune in if I'm sitting in anyway. But I don't see the big outrage from some LOI fans at people who go to the euros to watch some high quality football, the league is losing fans instead of gaining them and that says a lot

I'd say Pats attendances when I was about 13 (12 years ago) would easily be double what they get today

namloc1980

Juan8 wrote: »

LOI has given me some great nights don't get me wrong,mI loved it as a child and I used to go with all my mates too but with attendances going down if anything, the FAI really not caring, players switching clubs every season and truth be told the quality of the football in the league getting worse I just lost interest, I still check Pats results most weeks and if they're on the telly I'll tune in if I'm sitting in anyway. But I don't see the big outrage from some LOI fans at people who go to the euros to watch some high quality football, the league is losing fans instead of gaining them and that says a lot

LoI attendances have been increasing year on year for the last number of years. And if your comparing the League to an international tournament or to the top European leagues then that really isn't a fair comparison in fairness.

Juan8

namloc1980 wrote: »

LoI attendances have been increasing year on year for the last number of years. And if your comparing the League to an international tournament or to the top European leagues then that really isn't a fair comparison in fairness.

LOI attendances have not increased from 15 years ago, I can see it with my own two eyes, like I said pats easily got double the attendances they get these days 15 years ago

And I never compared them directly, what I said is if people want to watch high quality football at the euros and not the LOI that's their choice

Omackeral

Juan8 wrote: »

And I never compared them directly, what I said is if people want to watch high quality football at the euros and not the LOI that's their choice

That argument falls flat if you use the Euros from 2012 though. Tripe on the pitch.

Juan8

Omackeral wrote: »

That argument falls flat if you use the Euros from 2012 though. Tripe on the pitch.

Not really, we played the 2 finalists (one being maybe the best international team ever) and a top team in Croatia, all who had some of the worlds best playing for them, high quality teams

namloc1980

Juan8 wrote: »

LOI attendances have not increased from 15 years ago, I can see it with my own two eyes, like I said pats easily got double the attendances they get these days 15 years ago

And I never compared them directly, what I said is if people want to watch high quality football at the euros and not the LOI that's their choice

c.300k attended in 2011, with c.375k in 2015. Just because Pats attendances are down doesn't mean everyone else stops going to games.

If the argument is people want to see high quality football, why are they going to see Ireland? You could never describe Ireland as a high quality side.

Juan8

namloc1980 wrote: »

c.300k attended in 2011, with c.375k in 2015. Just because Pats attendances are down doesn't mean everyone else stops going to games.

If the argument is people want to see high quality football, why are they going to see Ireland? You could never describe Ireland as a high quality side.

I never said in 2011 I said 15 years ago, and they are 100% down since then

Richie Towell completely tore the LOI apart the last 2 seasons and can't get a call up for Ireland or a game at Brighton for that matter, so yes Ireland are of a higher quality,

I suppose a LOI team would get out of our group in the euros?

namloc1980

Juan8 wrote: »

I never said in 2011 I said 15 years ago, and they are 100% down since then

Richie Towell completely tore the LOI apart the last 2 seasons and can't get a call up for Ireland or a game at Brighton for that matter, so yes Ireland are of a higher quality,

I suppose a LOI team would get out of our group in the euros?

100% down...really? So now you're saying that Pats get 0 people at any of their games. :pac:

And there you go again comparing LoI to an international tournament. You claimed people went to the Euros to see high quality teams, so basically jumping on the bandwagon to see Ireland's opponents.

Juan8

namloc1980 wrote: »

100% down...really? So now you're saying that Pats get 0 people at any of their games. :pac:

And there you go again comparing LoI to an international tournament. You claimed people went to the Euros to see high quality teams, so basically jumping on the bandwagon to see Ireland's opponents.

You know I obviously didn't mean down 100%, but over 15 years you'd think attendances would improve and they haven't, they've gotten worse

And maybe they did, I couldn't speak for everyone else, the fact is though if they want to go and support their country against Europes best and have a good holiday out of it with thousands of other Irish people what's the problem,

Of course there are comparisons to be made, both involve going to football matches, you're average football fan doesn't want to see Pats Rovers Bohs etc they want to see it played at the highest level with the best players, of Ireland qualify for a tournament it's an opportunity for that while supporting your home country,

dan1895

Juan8 wrote: »

You know I obviously didn't mean down 100%, but over 15 years you'd think attendances would improve and they haven't, they've gotten worse

And maybe they did, I couldn't speak for everyone else, the fact is though if they want to go and support their country against Europes best and have a good holiday out of it with thousands of other Irish people what's the problem,

Of course there are comparisons to be made, both involve going to football matches, you're average football fan doesn't want to see Pats Rovers Bohs etc they want to see it played at the highest level with the best players, of Ireland qualify for a tournament it's an opportunity for that while supporting your home country,

That's all well and good but can you label the people you describe as the best fans in the world when there are others who travel thousands of miles each year following teams that never win anything? Not just in the LOI but all ovee the world.

namloc1980

Juan8 wrote: »

You know I obviously didn't mean down 100%, but over 15 years you'd think attendances would improve and they haven't, they've gotten worse

And maybe they did, I couldn't speak for everyone else, the fact is though if they want to go and support their country against Europes best and have a good holiday out of it with thousands of other Irish people what's the problem,

Of course there are comparisons to be made, both involve going to football matches, you're average football fan doesn't want to see Pats Rovers Bohs etc they want to see it played at the highest level with the best players, of Ireland qualify for a tournament it's an opportunity for that while supporting your home country,

If that were true then everyone would only go to top tier La Liga, EPL or Bundesliga games only. Nobody would go to Championship games or attend leagues across Europe because they aren't "the highest level with the best players" as you put it, but they do. That's a very weak argument I must say.

CSF

dan1895 wrote: »

That's all well and good but can you label the people you describe as the best fans in the world when there are others who travel thousands of miles each year following teams that never win anything? Not just in the LOI but all ovee the world.

How many of those fans sang a child to sleep? Begrudgery as usual.

Juan8

namloc1980 wrote: »

If that were true then everyone would only go to top tier La Liga, EPL or Bundesliga games only. Nobody would go to Championship games or attend leagues across Europe because they aren't "the highest level with the best players" as you put it, but they do. That's a very weak argument I must say.

I meant in Ireland, I've been to hundreds of league of Ireland games, I don't mind watching football that's not the highest level, the majority of this country won't pay to watch it but, this is fact

Juan8

dan1895 wrote: »

That's all well and good but can you label the people you describe as the best fans in the world when there are others who travel thousands of miles each year following teams that never win anything? Not just in the LOI but all ovee the world.

I've never tried to label them the best fans in the world, they're quite clearly bandwagoners

I'm just pointing out that most don't like football enough to watch it played at what isn't the highest level and that's ok, not everyone in this country has the passion for football like people of other countries, they're just not interested in going up to Donegal to watch Pats against Finn harps in the pissing rain on a Friday night with what won't be a great level of football,

But if you have the Ireland team with a few decent players qualify for a major tournament against some real top quality and a holiday is part of the package it attracts more, and I don't see the problem with it

It's mostly other countries that label us as the best fans and give us awards, would you rather we went and didn't sing?

Ardillaun

Methinks those fans from Iceland may be ahead in the best fans race. Great chanting.

Juan8

Ardillaun wrote: »

Methinks those fans from Iceland may be ahead in the best fans race. Great chanting.

I wonder if the combined attendance of the Icelandic league on a match day is 30k+ though

ShooterSF

Self praise is no praise as they say, so over to you Paris:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0629/798904-paris-france-euro-2016/

"Rep of Ireland fans to be awarded medal for sportsmanship by Paris mayor"

SantryRed

Juan8 wrote: »

I was at the euros, go to most home games against half decent teams (refuse to pay €50 quid to watch us play Girbraltar or the likes)

I was a Pats season ticket holder since I was a kid and knocked it on the head about 2 years ago, the football is brutal and the merry go round of players in the off season is a joke,

I won't be going to LOI games again until a great deal improves and I've no problem saying that, so many LOI fans are on a high horse and it's drives me nuts, I've better things to do on my Friday nights these days than watch the terrible football LOI puts on show

I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe you knocked it on the head 2 years ago due to poor quality when that Pats side was probably one of the best footballing sides the league has produced.

CSF

ShooterSF wrote: »

Self praise is no praise as they say, so over to you Paris:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0629/798904-paris-france-euro-2016/

"Rep of Ireland fans to be awarded medal for sportsmanship by Paris mayor"

I'm actually so embarrassed.

Shanotheslayer

CSF wrote: »

I'm actually so embarrassed.

Why?


It's not as if we asked them for it.

LiamoSail

CSF wrote: »

I'm actually so embarrassed.

Lighten up.

They went over, had a great time and added to the atmosphere of the tournament without riotimg, fighting or generally just wrecking the place.

Half of them may have been there for the party rather than the football, but so what? Footballs a hobby after all and you're supposed to enjoy hobbies