End of Trapatoni era - Rugby, Gaelic Football & Hurling ahead of Soccer

dixiefly

According to this article / blog on RTE.ie, in terms of popularity soccer has fallen well behind Rugby, Gaelic Football and Hurling. This is put down to the continuous poor and boring performances of the Irish International team under Trapatoni overseen by a poorly run FAI.

I am not sure if it as drastic as this but, should we lose tonight, a new era must be planned and commenced asap. No waiting around for the last games.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish/2013/0910/473355-cawley-blog/

Alan Cawley Blog: Giovanni Trapattoni has overstayed his welcome

By Alan Cawley

I am sure everyone can relate to the annoying uncle who overstays his welcome at every function. It all starts off so well, laughing along courteously in the beginning, then through gritted teeth after a few hours, and by the time the evening has arrived you just want him to leave. Giovanni Trapattoni has become that annoying uncle.

He has overstayed his welcome by a good two years now and it is time for change. After the debacle of the European Championships in 2012, where we were embarrassed and shown up for the total lack of organisation and one dimensional tactics against Europe's best, he should have been shown the door.

One year on and has anything changed? Have we improved? Have we made progress? The answer to all those questions is an emphatic “No!”

We have been having the same debate and covering the same old ground as repetitively as seeing Lionel Messi score in a Barcelona shirt.

"We have fallen way down the sporting pecking order in our own country"The major issue with wasting those two years is not just that we are 20 or 30 years behind the top nations, but that we have fallen way down the sporting pecking order in our own country. When we did qualify for Euro 2012 we were somewhere close to the successful Irish rugby team in the popularity stakes. Not only have we fallen way behind them, but I also believe we are currently trailing in the wake of both Gaelic football and hurling.

I watched one of the greatest games of football that I have ever witnessed in Croke Park two weeks ago between Dublin and Kerry, 30 amateurs putting on an exhibition. On Sunday, Cork and Clare matched that in the All Ireland Hurling final – again 30 amateurs putting on a spectacle.

Compare that to what was served up to us in the Aviva on Friday night. The contrast is as clear as night and day. The amount of children that may have been lost to other sports over the last two wasted years could be colossal.

Do you think any children who attended Friday’s match went home thinking, “I want to be the next Glenn Whelan or Jonathan Walters” launching balls up and down a pitch? I bet there are loads though who want to be the next Jonathan Sexton or Colm ‘The Gooch’ Cooper.

Not only has there been huge problems on the pitch but the amount of drama we have had to endure during Trapattoni's reign off the pitch, has also reflected really badly on the Italian.

Player squabbles, lack of communication, stubbornness. Every press conference is like an episode of Eastenders and yesterday’s was no different. Each episode to date could form a hugely profitable series which could be titled “Trapattoni's failings”.

As the Christmas season is drawing closer, I think there is definitely a box set in it somewhere and it could recoup some of the money that has been wasted on him in the past two years.

"Surely Trapattoni should be doing everything he can to help promote domestic football"The latest Trapattoni quip was him suggesting that "in Ireland there is no league". To be fair to him, I totally understand what he was trying to say and, to a point, he is correct as there is no full-time professional soccer in this country. All our top players do have to move across the water to get recognition.

The issue that I have with this statement is the total disregard he has shown towards all the people who have worked tirelessly in the League of Ireland for years now. The same people who have coached and helped develop so many of the players he chooses to represent his team and our country.

As the national team manager, surely Trapattoni should be doing everything he can to help promote domestic football, or else his employers should be enforcing that duty on him.

The ill-advised comments also tell me about the huge breakdown in communication between the powers that be and Trapattoni, plus the seismic disconnect between domestic football in this country and our national team.

Like so many other troubled organisations in Ireland, the system is broken and needs a serious overhaul.

Rather than criticising Trapattoni for this comment, I would aim my frustrations elsewhere and ask the question; “Why don't we have a fully formed professional league in this country like Austria and Sweden do?” – which Trapattoni was comparing us to.

If the powers that be ever needed reminding that change is needed, surely they will never ever get a better chance than now.

As I said, the system is broken domestically. Here is an opportunity to do something about it. Rather than the current regime’s legacy being a fantastic modern day stadium, it would be far more satisfying if the legacy left was a proper footballing set up interlinked as one, all singing off the same hymn sheet.

Then maybe our top players would not have to go across the water as frequently as they do?

All this will take time and patience but that is fine as time is on our side, but we have to act now.

We should not feel embarrassed by our current predicament as you only have to look across the pond to see all the home nations are in a similar predicament, and they have a spent a lot more money than we ever will.

Change is happening among the home nations though, so let us not get caught on our heels just as Glenn Whelan was when Anders Svensson got the run on him Friday night.

My glass is always half full and I can gladly go through the turmoil we are all experiencing now, if it means we will all become the better for going through it.

Do not let this opportunity pass.

CSF

Alan Cawleys articles are not worth reading. Therefore I will not read this one and warn everyone else in advance.

Nailz

In fairness, Soccer was behind Rugby, Football and Hurling in terms of popularity in Ireland before Trapattoni came about.

iDave

Rugby isn't as popular as its made out to be.
That's not a pop at it, I think its a great sport. Gaelic and Association football are the big 2 followed by hurling













No I don't have statistics to back it up so don't ask :P

SantryRed

Alan Cawley is a ****ing fool.

TINA1984

Don't confuse the popularity or lack thereof of the manager of the national team with the popularity of the sport itself

GAA fans look away now

http://www.esri.ie/UserFiles/publications/BKMNEXT186/BKMNEXT186.pdf

Page 25 Fig. 4.3 is the stat that matters, for those who don't want to read the document it shows how Football is the most popular sport in terms of numbers playing, far, FAR ahead of the numbers playing Rugby Union or the GAA sports.

Mushy

TINA1984 wrote: »

Don't confuse the popularity or lack thereof of the manager of the national team with the popularity of the sport itself

GAA fans look away now

http://www.esri.ie/UserFiles/publications/BKMNEXT186/BKMNEXT186.pdf

Page 25 Fig. 4.3 is the stat that matters, for those who don't want to read the document it shows how Football is the most popular sport in terms of numbers playing, far, FAR ahead of the numbers playing Rugby Union or the GAA sports.

One can assume that the football stats include 5 a side playing though. Football is a lot more adaptable to casual playing than nearly all else.

Like look at the stats for viewership of the football vs the hurling last weekend and it will paint a hugely different picture.

This is gonna turn into a willy waving, gaa-bashing spectacle anyway.

LuckyLloyd

That article is poorly founded to say the least.

Coillte_Bhoy

fallen behind in what terms?? how is he measuring popularity?

Fr Tod Umptious

Without going down the road of splitting hairs over how many play soccer v Gaelic football the two are fairly equal popular in this country
Gaelic football gets big crowds during the summer compared to LOI but then again a lot follow foreign leagues etc
And at the end of the day the same people are usually involved, your Gaelic football corner back may also be the treasurer of you soccer club and he/she has the latest Man Utd shirt at home.
Both are more popular than hurling, and far more popular than rugby.

There was a good programme on Off The Ball around March '07 when they asked was rugby now more popular than soccer, it's was after the 2-1 win over San Marion and just in the middle of the six nations that Ireland were competitive in, I can't recall what the consensus was

I think soccer goes through peaks and valleys depending on how the national team are doing, it's never down for too long and never up for too long either, In March 07 they were struggling to beat San Marion, in Nov 09 they were beating France away after 90mins, by Oct 12 they were shipping 6 at home v Germany.

Rugby is a bandwagon sport, I mean look at the lack of stuff you hear about Munster these days now that they are not winning championships.

Gaelic football will always be popular and have a more consistent support and appeal compared to the valleys and peaks of soccer mentioned earlier

Richard Hillman

Football is still the most played sport plus the figures would not represent people that may play a weekly astro or indoor match. I don't hear of many people getting together for a friendly Gaelic Football kickabout.

The GAA stick 2 sports together to try and make it seem like 1 sport.

The Irish national rugby team would probably be the most endeared indigenous team on the Island but not the most popular sport.

bohsman

Mushy wrote: »

Like look at the stats for viewership of the football vs the hurling last weekend and it will paint a hugely different picture.

Not exactly comparing like for like but agree that it would just go around in circles.

sydthebeat

Our local Rugby club had a summer camp for kids at €50 a head which lasted a week
there was 140 kids registered.

Our local GAA club had a cul camp for kids at €55 a head which lasted a week
there was 37 kids registered



just saying.......

bohsman

sydthebeat wrote: »

Our local Rugby club had a summer camp for kids at €50 a head which lasted a week
there was 140 kids registered.

Our local GAA club had a cul camp for kids at €55 a head which lasted a week
there was 37 kids registered



just saying.......

Guessing you live in an area that has been a rugby stronghold for a while?

Mushy

bohsman wrote: »

Not exactly comparing like for like but agree that it would just go around in circles.

Yeah I'm just choosing the most recent examples. His just a poorly written opinion piece, let's not cry over it.

messinkiapina

Lost interest after the McCarthy era. Bring back big Mick.

Red Crow

Nailz wrote: »

In fairness, Soccer was behind Rugby, Football and Hurling in terms of popularity in Ireland before Trapattoni came about.

Soccer and GAA are the dominant sports in Ireland. Rugby is way far behind either sport.

P_1

To be blunt, the fortunes and style of the national football team are not the be all and end all of the state of football in the country.

Yes they're currently performing as well as a German tank in Stalingrad circa 1942 but that doesn't mean that we're going to see Irish football fans and players abandon the sport in its entirety.

SantryRed

Soccer is by far and away the most played sport in the country. I have absolutely no doubts about it.

Mushy

SantryRed wrote: »

Soccer is by far and away the most played sport in the country. I have absolutely no doubts about it.

Nobody will doubt that. Cawley doesn't say how this 'popularity' is measured though, bit stupid.

Paleface

Surely the FAI are solely to blame here.

The huge reduction, in fact almost extinction of Irish players playing for the top 7-8 clubs in the Premier League and thereby them not playing in the Champions League is a clear indicator of the falling standards of the professional game in this country. The FAI relied on those clubs to groom players for them and now that that service is drying up there is no alternative plan in place.

Saying that Ireland simply can't produce players good enough to play in those teams is rubbish. Countries with comparable populations can do it.

Investment is needed in coaching within Ireland instead of throwing money at a manager who is expected to perform miracles at the highest level.

If the Irish coaches based here aren't up to it then get in foreign coaches who can but it has to be at an age level low enough to enforce a real change in philosophy and technical skills.

Popularity will increase with improved standards.

bohsman

Paleface wrote: »

Surely the FAI are solely to blame here.

The huge reduction, in fact almost extinction of Irish players playing for the top 7-8 clubs in the Premier League and thereby them not playing in the Champions League is a clear indicator of the falling standards of the professional game in this country. The FAI relied on those clubs to groom players for them and now that that service is drying up there is no alternative plan in place.

The FAI and fans are to blame. The players aren't getting to top 6 EPL clubs because the top EPL clubs are now scouring the globe for players not just neighbouring countries. FAI definitely need to implement better school of excellence type stuff in Ireland.

I believe Trapatoni blamed the fact that there is no proper league in Ireland as to why we are so ****, he has a point but that is a chicken and egg scenario, the league wont grow without support from the public and the public wont support it unless the teams are matching or close to EPL standards. The FAI could certainly promote the league a hell of a lot better though.

sydthebeat

bohsman wrote: »

Guessing you live in an area that has been a rugby stronghold for a while?

you may think that but no.

rugby team since the 70's
soccer team a few years before....

Gaa since early 1900's

i was just making the point that both kids and parents are choosing rugby ahead of gaelic at that young age. Probably because rugby is seen as more inclusive and that the basic skills arent as complicated for young kids.

patmac

I'm a fan of all four and it's been an exceptional year for the GAA, so at he moment with the premiership off to a slow start and the National team playing dire football with a poor manager and over paid CEO and rugby in close season, GAA is bound to be popular. Soccer will regain some ground but a change at the top is badly needed as the National team is fast becoming a laughing stock.

Nailz

Nailz wrote: »

In fairness, Soccer was behind Rugby, Football and Hurling in terms of popularity in Ireland before Trapattoni came about.

Pretty much correct. I'm no fan of Trappatoni and his failings are obvious for all to see. He can moan about Ireland not having a proper professional league and make excuses all day long but the fact of the matter is when given the opportunities to play the likes of Houlihan, he played Paul Green instead. His 'style' of football if you could even refer to it as that, has been obsolete for a long time now.

That said, making Trap a sole scape goat would be ignoring the bigger picture. The fact is lunatics run the asylum in terms of football administration in Ireland. Its a great big golden goose for those who run it and probably a labour of love for those who represent it on the field of play. Investing in a school of excellence, as Niall Quinn suggested, is all very noble, but it needs to be closer in terms of production to a Clairefontane then a Lilleshall.

People compare the soccer situation to Rugby but Rugby is fortunate to have a situation where the IRB/ERB will sanction them to have a provincial system in terms of being competitive professionally in both international and club rugby. It allows them to pool small resources into fewer larger resources and has helped Ireland in an international sense, but how has this affected the Garryowens, the Shannons, the Landsdownes, one must ask themselves???


Soccer needs to be totally restructured from top to bottom in this country and unless we have a situation of breakaway or secession from the FAI which both FIFA and UEFA will sanction then i wouldnt hold my breath on Delaney and co, or those that follow them, overlooking any form of change for the better

Gavin "shels"

Paleface wrote: »

Surely the FAI are solely to blame here.

€74 million invested into Lansdowne, €500,000 a year on Trapp and €340,000 a year on John Delaney.

Does anyone have to say any more?

padd b1975

sydthebeat wrote: »

Our local Rugby club had a summer camp for kids at €50 a head which lasted a week
there was 140 kids registered.

Our local GAA club had a cul camp for kids at €55 a head which lasted a week
there was 37 kids registered



just saying.......

Did a local soccer club have a similar camp?

SantryRed wrote: »

Soccer is by far and away the most played sport in the country. I have absolutely no doubts about it.

.....Only problem is hardly anyone bothers to watch it.

Gavin "shels"

padd b1975 wrote: »

.....Only problem is hardly anyone bothers to watch it.

Correction, loads of people watch it, nobody goes to watch it!

dixiefly

It comes back to how you define popularity.

If it measured in terms of participation alone then soccer has the most playing the game.

If measured on interest and attendance at national leagues and championships then GAA Football, Hurling and Rugby would be ahead. Especially when the Dubs are doing well.

If it is based on the quality of the product at the top level then Hurling followed by Rugby and Gaelic Football would probably lead the way. This is an area that soccer cold improve with a better national team and, indeed, would have been ahead in previous eras.

viewing wise, soccer has by far the most TV viewing of any sport in Ireland but that includes UK and CL games. In fact many GAA heads probably watch way more soccer on TV than GAA simply because of more competitions on TV etc.

Overall, I think it is probably a dead heat between Gaelic football and soccer in terms of popularity but John Delaney needs to be putting in a major effort to get the right person take charge of the team and also develop the structures as we cannot rely on UK clubs to develop players anymore.

Bounty Hunter

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Rugby is a bandwagon sport, I mean look at the lack of stuff you hear about Munster these days now that they are not winning championships.

Wild guess, your not in Limerick or Cork.

Article is nonsense though imo and too much stock is put in the importance of the Irish national team in terms of a barometer for the popularity of the sport as a whole on the island. How many people watch Premiership games or how many kids play soccer with their mates as apposed to other sports.

Mushy

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Wild guess, your not in Limerick or Cork.

Article is nonsense though imo and too much stock is put in the importance of the Irish national team in terms of a barometer for the popularity of the sport as a whole on the island. How many people watch Premiership games or how many kids play soccer with their mates as apposed to other sports.

I'm in Cork and I've seen bucket loads more Cork city jersies than Munster. Also saw or heard no advertising for the Munster match that was on in Musgrave Park last weekend.

Mr Whirly

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Football is still the most played sport plus the figures would not represent people that may play a weekly astro or indoor match. I don't hear of many people getting together for a friendly Gaelic Football kickabout.

The GAA stick 2 sports together to try and make it seem like 1 sport.

The Irish national rugby team would probably be the most endeared indigenous team on the Island but not the most popular sport.

I'm pretty sure those figures include anyone that says they play football in any form i.e with their mates etc. Far more people play GAA in an organised team. Hardly anyone plays rugby in an organised team in comparison to the two GAA codes and football.

richierichballs

well thats bullshit.

Sir Gallagher

GAA is the flavour of the month, especially in Dublin. Dubliners really know how to hop out of the woodwork when the Dubs are doing well, when theyre not the majority of Dubliners couldn't give two fcks.

It was the same when Ireland won the grandslam and BOD and O'Gara, O'Connell were in full flow. Rugby reached out past it's usual demographic.

Football will always be more popular, the exploits of the national side has very little baring on that.

Dempsey

GAA is more popular than Football as a spectator sport but not a participation sport. I dont think participation in Football will change much as suggested by the article.

Immigration & professional sports eat the best of the GAA and rugby is a niche

SantryRed

Dempsey wrote: »

GAA is more popular than Football as a spectator sport but not a participation sport. I dont think participation in Football will change much as suggested by the article.

Immigration & professional sports eat the best of the GAA and rugby is a niche

Depends what you class as spectating. If you include watching football on TV, then football is miles ahead.