how to fix our league! - Mod Warning in OP

Lovely Bloke

marwelie wrote: »

They don't need a holiday....They've had six months off between the start of this season and the end of last. There should only be a mid season break in World Cup or European Championship years IMO.

Even the ones with kids in school?

Jesus christ, the LoI has enough problems as it is, allowing the players time with their families during the summer is not one of them.

gimmick

marwelie wrote: »

They don't need a holiday....They've had six months off between the start of this season and the end of last. There should only be a mid season break in World Cup or European Championship years IMO.

November - March = 4 months. 6 weeks at least is pre season training.

As above, lots of these fellas have families etc. They cannot just pull their kids out of school in January for a weeks holidays can they?

marwelie

I should have said (feels like) six months off...although a four month break between seasons is ridiculous. Six to eight weeks should be the maximum, it seems to be everywhere else. A longer season would mean less midweek matches. Serie A (for example) rarely, if ever has midweek league matches and they play more matches than we do and also have a mid season break.

That_Guy

Was chatting to a mate of mine in the pub last night about the LOI.
He had been with me to one game. That was Bohs V Thor in the Europa League. I thought, given that we beat Shams 4-0 that previous Friday that it'd be a game that the lads/crowd would be well up for.

Unfortunately it was a dour 0-0 game and the attendance was hampered given it was clashing with The Stone Roses that night.

When I mention going to Dalymount, he always brings up that game he went to and uses it as a yardstick. It's one bad game and I put it to him that bad games are rampant in every league regardless of how popular or unpopular it is. Besides it was a European tie and not a league game.

I asked if he'd consider giving the league a proper chance this season. Not saying to fork out on a season ticket but at least go to the next three home games or something.

Given I've got a visual impairment I've a free travel pass so it's not as if he'll be paying for transport in and out.

"Yeah but that's €45 I could spend on my car tax or something"

You could say that about anything really. I could not go out of a night out and not spend €50. It's a pretty shít argument imo.

I do publicise on my Facebook page that games are on and if anyone fancies coming along to Dalyer that it costs €15 etc.

UCD was always gonna be a tough draw to sell as a league opener but the game V Shams on bank holiday Monday is a game that I'm trying to entice people to come along.

I was getting slagged off for going to Cork away tomorrow by myself and slagged off in general for going to games. It's tough trying to change people's opinions when they're so set on criticising a league they're only sporadic visitors.

bonescap

marwelie wrote: »

I should have said (feels like) six months off...although a four month break between seasons is ridiculous. Six to eight weeks should be the maximum, it seems to be everywhere else. A longer season would mean less midweek matches. Serie A (for example) rarely, if ever has midweek league matches and they play more matches than we do and also have a mid season break.

A longer season also means longer contracts. I'd imagine most clubs prefer a shorter more congested season so that the number of weeks which they have to pay players is reduced.

marwelie

I agree with you. I have two season tickets at Rovers (bought one, second one free as I'm a wheelchair user) and I find it next to impossible to entice anyone to go with me on a Friday night (Saturdays almost a non starter for me and stupid o clock on a Sunday or Bank Holiday Monday are even worse) , despite offering the best conditions you'll see an LOI match in (bar Thomond Park and The Aviva). Yet these people are first banging on my door when they realise I could get priority for tickets to see Real Madrid, Man Utd and Arsenal in Tallaght.

Sundays game was a good game of football but it finished 0-0. That's the bottom line. 3,000 plus at a game that was televised and the weather was rubbish. Can't see Limerick getting many more in the turnstile next time out though. People want entertainment and think they'll get it at home watching Sky Sports. That's why Thomond Park is packed when the ball chasers are in town, because of the glamour associated with the Pro12 and Heineken Cup. Marketing is the key, most clubs aren't very good at it and frankly the FAI couldn't be bothered.

The Irish mentality is if it isn't in the paper or it's not on the telly then its not very good. If you build it they will come, a cliche but true....

Lovely Bloke

marwelie wrote: »

second one free as I'm a wheelchair user

I love your avatar

dan1895

That_Guy wrote: »

I was getting slagged off for going to Cork away tomorrow by myself and slagged off in general for going to games.

This is the mentality of most "fans" in this country. Slagging off someone for attending a game of football! Where's the logic?

That_Guy

dan1895 wrote: »

This is the mentality of most "fans" in this country. Slagging off someone for attending a game of football! Where's the logic?

Makes no sense to me.

I've gone to my fair share of Newcastle games and have the Sunderland game in my sights next month and I get praise for going over and supporting my team but the same people criticise me for going to games here at home.

Dafuq??

born2bwild

Oatesy23 wrote: »

They'll probably hand out fines if you have anti-FAI banners.

I remember Shels were fined because of a John Delaney chant.

In fairness, "They always cheat, they always lie F*** Delaney and the FAI" is not exactly constructive criticism.

Which is not to say that they listen to constructive criticism - and there's been no shortage of that.

FAI don't give a flying fart about the League of Ireland - they have zero legitimacy as far as I can see.

dreamers75

I like this.

marwelie

TheNinthGate wrote: »

I love your avatar

It had to be done. Dont take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive :P

Zatman

reasons the league has failed

-- quality of football and surfaces are terrible e.g Dundalk pitch is a travesty for a top division pitch

- prices are too high for poor quality. ticket prices should really be cut

- kick off times are poorly organised. friday night is a bad night for football, when Premier League season is over move the games to saturday and might get more fans

- the snobbery of some fans is disgraceful. have to support your local football team BS. It doesnt stop them going to see foreign bands or movies so why should football be any differend

applehunter

Zatman wrote: »

reasons the league has failed

-- quality of football and surfaces are terrible e.g Dundalk pitch is a travesty for a top division pitch

- prices are too high for poor quality. ticket prices should really be cut

- kick off times are poorly organised. friday night is a bad night for football, when Premier League season is over move the games to saturday and might get more fans

- the snobbery of some fans is disgraceful. have to support your local football team BS. It doesnt stop them going to see foreign bands or movies so why should football be any differend

- you should have seen them when it was a Sept - May season.

- Price sensitivity isn't the problem at the €10 - €15 match tickets.

- Disagree. Friday night is LOI night. Wouldn't have it any other way. We used to have Sunday afternoon games in Cork before floodlights. So I can make a comparison.

- You have been reading too many forums. Not my experience of going to games.

dan1895

Zatman wrote: »

- the snobbery of some fans is disgraceful. have to support your local football team BS. It doesnt stop them going to see foreign bands or movies so why should football be any differend

Because it is different. Supporting a football team is nothing like going to a movie or watching/listening to a band.

applehunter

Out of interest, what age are you zatman?

Richard Hillman

Something has to be done about the skanger element at games as well. The away stand in Bray last week was like 90 minutes in St Pats prison. I hear the train was trashed on the way home too. The racist clown as well goes without saying.

If i had a young-un there is no way i'd bring him to a game. I much sooner bring a child to the RDS or Lansdowne Road for a rugby match.

Zatman

applehunter wrote: »

Out of interest, what age are you zatman?

nearly 30. Ive been to enough league games in my time. I do work wiht a few LOI fans and they go around calling UNited and Liverpool fans barstoolers and its pretty irritating and snobby

Zatman

dan1895 wrote: »

Because it is different. Supporting a football team is nothing like going to a movie or watching/listening to a band.

Is it? they moan they arent supporting the local club. would Irish cinema or bands not have profile increased if people went to their gigs instead of Bruce Springsteen etc

Gavin "shels"

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Something has to be done about the skanger element at games as well. The away stand in Bray last week was like 90 minutes in St Pats prison. I hear the train was trashed on the way home too. The racist clown as well goes without saying.

Racist remark was a joke, but you're going to get someone doing that everywhere not just a football stadium, it's the mentality of some small minded people.

Trashed? You heard wrong, a small plastic advertising cover was cracked, that was it unless something happened after Tara St but the majority of the large Shels crowd on the DART had gotten off by then.

Zatman wrote: »

Is it? they moan they arent supporting the local club. would Irish cinema or bands not have profile increased if people went to their gigs instead of Bruce Springsteen etc

Christ on a bike...

marwelie

Zatman wrote: »

nearly 30. Ive been to enough league games in my time. I do work with a few LOI fans and they go around calling United and Liverpool fans barstoolers and its pretty irritating and snobby

Calling someone a barstooler is not snobbery. its a fact. They have watched most of their football sitting on a barstool. The majority of people who slag off the standard in the LOI have never watched an LOI game nevermind been to one. Call it siege mentality but if we dont talk it up no one will. And if that means calling someone a barstooler because they deserve it, so be it....

Lovely Bloke

Gavin shels wrote: »

Racist remark was a joke.

That's ok then

gimmick

Zatman wrote: »

nearly 30. Ive been to enough league games in my time. I do work wiht a few LOI fans and they go around calling UNited and Liverpool fans barstoolers and its pretty irritating and snobby

Being called a barstooler is as much an insult as you decide it is yourself. I lobe going barstooling. I am also a season ticket holding LOI fan of too many years.

I see your pioint to some degree, as I know myself, I was a militant LOI pain in the hole about 10 years ago. ow myself and some of my friends didn't get a punch I will never know. We would see a fella in a Liverpool shirt in the pub and say "welcome to Cork" and be very very sneery about it.

You will still find that element around the place, but it is a firm minority, I assure you of that.

As for the quality of football on show - well Arsenal V Bayern the other night ws a complete clusterfúck of a match. Would that turn you off ever watching CL again?

gustavo

Zatman wrote: »

Is it? they moan they arent supporting the local club. would Irish cinema or bands not have profile increased if people went to their gigs instead of Bruce Springsteen etc

Just wondering what national team you support then in that case?

That_Guy

Zatman wrote: »

reasons the league has failed

-- quality of football and surfaces are terrible e.g Dundalk pitch is a travesty for a top division pitch

- prices are too high for poor quality. ticket prices should really be cut

- kick off times are poorly organised. friday night is a bad night for football, when Premier League season is over move the games to saturday and might get more fans

- the snobbery of some fans is disgraceful. have to support your local football team BS. It doesnt stop them going to see foreign bands or movies so why should football be any differend

Funnily enough, I used to be of this exact same mindset as yourself. I never gave the league a chance. Went to one or two games (if even) a year and slated the quality of the league.

It was unfair criticism on my part (hindsight) so a mate of mine managed to swing two free tickets for a Europa League game and a domestic game against Derry City. Given they were free, I didn't think I had much to lose.

Having criticised a league I hadn't seen much of to wanting more in the space of two games changed my thinking completely. I'm not saying everybody will get hooked as I did but I continued going to matches until the end of that season every once in a while.

Honestly, it felt quite alien to me having supported Newcastle all of my life to go to Dalymount and watch unknown players with a small, yet dedicated fanbase.

It was only up until the 4-0 thrashing of Shamrock Rovers did I feel any sort of emotion or passion towards the team. That atmosphere and that roar of the crowd gave me goosebumps.

I still support Newcastle United religiously and have been to a few games over there but not as regular as I'd like. Regardless of the quality of the football you might get on any given night, it's still live football on your doorstep.

I can honestly say that I've seen a hell of a lot more passion being played on the Dalymount pitch than I've seen at the Aviva for a fraction of the price in recent months.

iDave

I've been vowing to go to more LOI games for ages now but never get to do it. I adopted Drogheda United as my LOI team when i was about 20. Being from Meath it seemed the most logical choice as Drogheda is on the Meath border. Live in Dublin now and dont have a car so getting to games is a bit tricky.
If I wanted to see them play away in Dublin would it be frowned upon (or dangerous even) if I went into home ends in Dalymount or Tolka or am I just better off getting away tickets?

Zatman

marwelie wrote: »

Calling someone a barstooler is not snobbery. its a fact. They have watched most of their football sitting on a barstool. The majority of people who slag off the standard in the LOI have never watched an LOI game nevermind been to one. Call it siege mentality but if we dont talk it up no one will. And if that means calling someone a barstooler because they deserve it, so be it....

its more small minded if anything.

Zatman

gustavo wrote: »

Just wondering what national team you support then in that case?

ireland

marwelie

iDave wrote: »

I've been vowing to go to more LOI games for ages now but never get to do it. I adopted Drogheda United as my LOI team when i was about 20. Being from Meath it seemed the most logical choice as Drogheda is on the Meath border. Live in Dublin now and dont have a car so getting to games is a bit tricky.
If I wanted to see them play away in Dublin would it be frowned upon (or dangerous even) if I went into home ends in Dalymount or Tolka or am I just better off getting away tickets?

As long as you dont wear colours and cheer in all the right places you should be alright in the home end Having said that away end tickets are no more difficult to get than tickets for the home end, always available on the night in my experience (Apart from Bohs v Rovers on Monday afternoon, that is :mad:, understandable in that instance though)

Paz-CCFC

The constant reference as LoI as "terrible" is something I can't understand. It may not be at the same level as the EPL or La Liga, but that doesn't make it terrible. I'm guessing your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband is amongst the absolutely top good looking people in the world. Does that mean that they're dog ugly? I'm guessing you're not one of the top earners in the world or you don't have the best job in the world. Does that mean you're job is sh*t and that it pays sh*t? I'm guessing that you don't live in a mansion. Does that mean your house is sh*t? If you don't have the very best of things in life, does that mean that you have a "terrible" life?

In any case, whatever way you look at it, the League of Ireland is one of the best leagues in the world. Most leagues have no professional players, they're completely amateur. Most players don't get paid for playing. If you look at football as a whole, the LoI is a lot nearer to the top than the bottom.

Mal-Adjusted

Isn't there some crowd that rank the national leagues by strength/skill? Where would League of Ireland come

Captain Havoc

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

Isn't there some crowd that rank the national leagues by strength/skill? Where would League of Ireland come

UEFA Coefficients, LOI is ranked 36th.

LiamMc

Captain Havoc wrote: »

UEFA Coefficients, LOI is ranked 36th.

Start of 2012/13, Republic of Ireland 31st, Northern Ireland 49th.
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2013/accesslist/index.html

HoggyRS

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Something has to be done about the skanger element at games as well. The away stand in Bray last week was like 90 minutes in St Pats prison. I hear the train was trashed on the way home too. The racist clown as well goes without saying.

If i had a young-un there is no way i'd bring him to a game. I much sooner bring a child to the RDS or Lansdowne Road for a rugby match.

WTF? Maybe they could means test people before they were allowed into a LOI game? Utter ****e talk lad.

CSF

HoggyRS wrote: »

WTF? Maybe they could means test people before they were allowed into a LOI game? Utter ****e talk lad.

Yeah thats totally what he was proposing, good contribution.

HoggyRS

CSF wrote: »

Yeah thats totally what he was proposing, good contribution.

Aye nearly as good as your witty rebuttal.

He clearly referred to a group of fans looking like a prison population, were u able to understand that part? If he wants a posher crowd then he is better off at the RDS as he said.

I personally don't choose teams/sports based on how supporters look.

Richard Hillman

HoggyRS wrote: »

Aye nearly as good as your witty rebuttal.

He clearly referred to a group of fans looking like a prison population, were u able to understand that part? If he wants a posher crowd then he is better off at the RDS as he said.

I personally don't choose teams/sports based on how supporters look.

I didnt say I want a "Posher Crowd", I just want the element that look like they terrorize housing estates on their nights off from going to football matches gone. Its not an environment that is friendly to bring your kids to.

born2bwild

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I didnt say I want a "Posher Crowd", I just want the element that look like they terrorize housing estates on their nights off from going to football matches gone. Its not an environment that is friendly to bring your kids to.

You don't have to stand next to the scum.

Statement of the obvious but most people at LoI games are just normal people.

Loads of Das bring their kids to Tolka.

Richard Hillman

born2bwild wrote: »

You don't have to stand next to the scum.

Statement of the obvious but most people at LoI games are just normal people.

Loads of Das bring their kids to Tolka.

I think you are being argumentative just for the sake of it. Yes, I "don't have to stand next to the scum. ". My problem is that there is scum there in the first place and this is what I am talking about and you KNOW this and you KNOW the type of person I am talking about.

born2bwild

Jesus, calm down.

I didn't realise I was being argumentative. Nobody wants the scum there - nobody.

Still I was standing next to a crowd of scumbags at the Shels Bray match and I just moved away.

Sure I know (KNOW) the type of person you're on about - I'd love to have them wiped off the face of the planet, not just kicked out of LoI grounds.

In the meantime, don't let them bother you.

HoggyRS

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I didnt say I want a "Posher Crowd", I just want the element that look like they terrorize housing estates on their nights off from going to football matches gone. Its not an environment that is friendly to bring your kids to.

How do you differentiate between people "who look like they terrorize housing estates" and any other person at a football game?

I would have no interest in giving support to a league that said people who look a certain way or dress a certain way are not welcome at games. If people cause trouble, ban them but not just because they look a certain way.

dreamers75

6 Ex League Of Ireland players played for Ireland tonight.

NIMAN

Read in The Independent that FAI considering offering Celtic and Liverpool €400k to play a friendly in the Aviva in August.

Omackeral

NIMAN wrote: »

Read in The Independent that FAI considering offering Celtic and Liverpool €400k to play a friendly in the Aviva in August.

Our Football mad public will love that one..

dan1895

NIMAN wrote: »

Read in The Independent that FAI considering offering Celtic and Liverpool €400k to play a friendly in the Aviva in August.

This online anywhere? Wouldn't mind giving it a read just to angry up the blood.

That_Guy

Bringing a mate to Dalymount tomorrow night and my dad is coming along next Friday V Derry.

Hopefully there'll be enough to convince both or one of them to come back again more regularly.

Lucan Bohs

That_Guy wrote: »

Bringing a mate to Dalymount tomorrow night and my dad is coming along next Friday V Derry.

Hopefully there'll be enough to convince both or one of them to come back again more regularly.

I suppose the good thing about bringing people to games vs Sligo is they can see that the league has decent teams/players even it they're not the team you support

That_Guy

Lucan Bohs wrote: »

I suppose the good thing about bringing people to games vs Sligo is they can see that the league has decent teams/players even it they're not the team you support

This is exactly how I sold it. :pac:

Captain Havoc

I'm still trying to convince one or two people from Kilkenny to go but nobody seems interested.

Lucan Bohs

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I'm still trying to convince one or two people from Kilkenny to go but nobody seems interested.

To Dalymount? Tell them we have 3 bars!