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Ireland is a pretend football country

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Comments

  • Posts: 7,712 [Deleted User]
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    They'd have put up more of an effort at least.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 141 RedCardKid
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    They'd have put up more of an effort at least.


    That is the problem....people in power couldnt give a damm. Very little if any thanks given to people who get involved and very little incentive in it when you have to pay crazy money to get badges etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 725 Breezin
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    Rubbish, the Luxemborg team the last night had players from the following country's top tier leagues _ Ukraine -3, Belgium - 2, Switzerland - 1, Germany - 1, Portugal - 1 and 1 each from the 2nd tier in Belgium, Spain and Germany


    And we had EPL players taking corners for Ireland and not able to clear the first man. If they did that at an LoI game, they'd rightly be slaughtered.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,707 Bobblehats
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    I see the entire Qatar team oblivious to the concept of kneeling there!

    Anyway game time. Let’s pretend


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    The problem with the League of Ireland is that there’s a real problem with reverse snobbery amongst the “die hards.”

    My husband went to a game a few years ago under a “stand” that he said looked like a woodwork room from a technical school, and virtually every time he opened his mouth he was jeered at because of his upper middle class accent and perceived poshness. Not to mention that you never see women or POC at LoI games. I think they really need to work on being more inclusive at those matches


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,085 chopperbyrne
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    The problem with the League of Ireland is that there’s a real problem with reverse snobbery amongst the “die hards.”

    My husband went to a game a few years ago under a “stand” that he said looked like a woodwork room from a technical school, and virtually every time he opened his mouth he was jeered at because of his upper middle class accent and perceived poshness. Not to mention that you never see women or POC at LoI games. I think they really need to work on being more inclusive at those matches

    Today in things that never happened.


  • Posts: 7,712 [Deleted User]
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    The problem with the League of Ireland is that there’s a real problem with reverse snobbery amongst the “die hards.”

    My husband went to a game a few years ago under a “stand” that he said looked like a woodwork room from a technical school, and virtually every time he opened his mouth he was jeered at because of his upper middle class accent and perceived poshness. Not to mention that you never see women or POC at LoI games. I think they really need to work on being more inclusive at those matches

    Can we tag @DHOTYA on here?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,707 Bobblehats
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    yeh tell that to the Qataris buddy


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Honestly with all of the sports-washing in the UK I wouldn’t encourage anyone watch the Premier League either.

    The FAI should consider winding down operations and starting over with a new FA, and a new league, with newly founded clubs. That could be based on the centralised format that the Americans have adopted in the US with the MLS.

    I don’t think anyone would like it if the likes of Mike Ashley or the house of Saud got their dirty paws on Sligo Rovers or Cobh Ramblers and pumped the league full of dirty money. Prevention is better than cure.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 dan1895
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    Honestly with all of the sports-washing in the UK I wouldn’t encourage anyone watch the Premier League either.

    The FAI should consider winding down operations and starting over with a new FA, and a new league, with newly founded clubs. That could be based on the centralised format that the Americans have adopted in the US with the MLS.

    I don’t think anyone would like it if the likes of Mike Ashley or the house of Saud got their dirty paws on Sligo Rovers or Cobh Ramblers and pumped the league full of dirty money. Prevention is better than cure.

    Ok, and who will then support these clubs?
    The people who watch Celtic, United and Liverpool?
    The people who's clubs who have just been destroyed?
    The people who supported neither of the above?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    dan1895 wrote: »
    Ok, and who will then support these clubs?
    The people who watch Celtic, United and Liverpool?
    The people who's clubs who have just been destroyed?
    The people who supported neither of the above?

    The people who supported neither of the above.

    The new FAI would need to appeal to the hearts and minds of the kids in their jurisdiction. Just for an example imagine if there was a new League of Ireland club in Tallaght to replace whatever’s there now. The players can tour all the primary schools in the area and meet the kids, offer discounts to classes for games and show the teachers and their parents that it’s a safe environment for kids from all backgrounds to go watch the games.

    Those kids will eventually grow up going as regular visitors of the game and by the time they’re young adults they’ll be totally committed to going every Friday. I understand that all of this would cost an absolute fortune but it would end up paying for itself after about fifteen years.

    As it now the only kids who go to LoI games (according to my husband) are the ones who are dragged along by their Dads. I have never in my entire life heard of kids planning to go to a League of Ireland game together whereas people my age used to go to Leinster rugby games regularly when we were growing up, and it was the same for my husband and his friends.

    As for the current clubs in the League of Ireland: they don’t need to be destroyed they can remain as semi-professional outfits in an unrelated second tier that threatens no risk of promotion to the new League of Ireland. The League of Ireland fans pride themselves of their “love of the game” so it shouldn’t really matter to them if all the previous clubs have been placed in a second tier with no hope of promotion, and they can follow the new clubs in the new leagues as well if they wish. It’s win-win.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 dan1895
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    The people who supported neither of the above.

    The new FAI would need to appeal to the hearts and minds of the kids in their jurisdiction. Just for an example imagine if there was a new League of Ireland club in Tallaght to replace whatever’s there now. The players can tour all the primary schools in the area and meet the kids, offer discounts to classes for games and show the teachers and their parents that it’s a safe environment for kids from all backgrounds to go watch the games.

    Those kids will eventually grow up going as regular visitors of the game and by the time they’re young adults they’ll be totally committed to going every Friday. I understand that all of this would cost an absolute fortune but it would end up paying for itself after about fifteen years.

    As it now the only kids who go to LoI games (according to my husband) are the ones who are dragged along by their Dads. I have never in my entire life heard of kids planning to go to a League of Ireland game together whereas people my age used to go to Leinster rugby games regularly when we were growing up, and it was the same for my husband and his friends.

    As for the current clubs in the League of Ireland: they don’t need to be destroyed they can remain as semi-professional outfits in an unrelated second tier that threatens no risk of promotion to the new League of Ireland. The League of Ireland fans pride themselves of their “love of the game” so it shouldn’t really matter to them if all the previous clubs have been placed in a second tier with no hope of promotion, and they can follow the new clubs in the new leagues as well if they wish. It’s win-win.

    You don't have a clue. Neither does your husband.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    dan1895 wrote: »
    You don't have a clue. Neither does your husband.

    Kids all over the country go to GAA games together.

    Kids all over the country go to rugby games together.

    Kids in Dublin go to LoI games with their Dads even though they don’t want to go.

    The GAA and Irish rugby are going from strength to strength and the LoI is dying on the vine and the ROI National team lost to Luxembourg a few nights ago. Right. I don’t have a clue. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 Omackeral
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    The people who supported neither of the above.

    The new FAI would need to appeal to the hearts and minds of the kids in their jurisdiction. Just for an example imagine if there was a new League of Ireland club in Tallaght to replace whatever’s there now. The players can tour all the primary schools in the area and meet the kids, offer discounts to classes for games and show the teachers and their parents that it’s a safe environment for kids from all backgrounds to go watch the games.

    Those kids will eventually grow up going as regular visitors of the game and by the time they’re young adults they’ll be totally committed to going every Friday. I understand that all of this would cost an absolute fortune but it would end up paying for itself after about fifteen years.

    As it now the only kids who go to LoI games (according to my husband) are the ones who are dragged along by their Dads. I have never in my entire life heard of kids planning to go to a League of Ireland game together whereas people my age used to go to Leinster rugby games regularly when we were growing up, and it was the same for my husband and his friends.

    As for the current clubs in the League of Ireland: they don’t need to be destroyed they can remain as semi-professional outfits in an unrelated second tier that threatens no risk of promotion to the new League of Ireland. The League of Ireland fans pride themselves of their “love of the game” so it shouldn’t really matter to them if all the previous clubs have been placed in a second tier with no hope of promotion, and they can follow the new clubs in the new leagues as well if they wish. It’s win-win.

    Needs more references to including POC and women like your other posts. Aside from that, everything is ''spot on''.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Omackeral wrote: »
    Needs more references to including POC and women like your other posts. Aside from that, everything is ''spot on''.

    You don’t think POC and women should be welcomed at LoI games then? Or why do you find that idea objectionable?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 Omackeral
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    You don’t think POC and women should be welcomed at LoI games then? Or why do you find that idea objectionable?

    I think they should be... and they are. No shortage of both of the above in Dalymount Park on a Friday night. Sure the jersey read ''Refugees Welcome'' on it last year and there are murals for same too. There's also a supporters group comprised solely of ladies called Mná Na Bohs, you'll be delighted to know. Oh, and our women's team had a great 6-2 victory at the weekend which was brilliant... myself and a few of the lads sponsor one of the defenders. PS You'll hear some very well-to-do accents from the leafy suburbs in Dalyer, too, as it happens.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Omackeral wrote: »
    I think they should be... and they are. No shortage of both of the above in Dalymount Park on a Friday night. Sure the jersey read ''Refugees Welcome'' on it last year and there are murals for same too. There's also a supporters group comprised solely of ladies called Mná Na Bohs, you'll be delighted to know. You'll hear some very well-to-do accents from the leafy suburbs in Dalyer, too, as it happens.

    So why did you sneer at my post earlier at the idea of women or POC going to games? You’re coming across incredibly disingenuous.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 Omackeral
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    So why did you sneer at my post earlier at the idea of women or POC going to games? You’re coming across incredibly disingenuous.

    It's because there is no shortage of either of those groups in the stadium I frequent every Friday night. It's changed over the last 20 years astronomically. My gf is a fully paid up member with a vote at our AGM. My best mate's girlfriend is a member too and runs the aforementioned Women's Supporter Group. Our own private supporter club (meaning among my own mates, circa 15 of us) has 5 different nationalities in it alone. I know personally of one trans girl who goes and sits in the same block as me. You'll see any shade of skin there but the only colours we care about are the Red and Black.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Omackeral wrote: »
    It's because there is no shortage of either of those groups in the stadium I frequent every Friday night. It's changed over the last 20 years astronomically. My gf is a fully paid up member with a vote at our AGM. My best mate's girlfriend is a member too and runs the aforementioned Women's Supporter Group. Our own private supporter club (meaning among my own mates, circa 15 of us) has 5 different nationalities in it alone. I know personally of one trans girl who goes and sits in the same block as me. You'll see any shade of skin there but the only colours we care about are the Red and Black.

    Well then I suggest that if you want to be taken seriously as an ally to women and POC that you don’t mock other people who are.

    Thanks a million.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,707 Bobblehats
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    You’ll neeever beeeat the Irish!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,956 Omackeral
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    Well then I suggest that if you want to be taken seriously as an ally to women and POC that you don’t mock other people who are.

    Thanks a million.

    “An ally to POC and women”. I’ve told you my partner is a member of the club, longer than I am, as it happens. But no women at LOI. I’ve told you that our personal supporter groups has POC in it. But no people of colour at LOI. Told you the jersey I wear literally bloody says “Refugees Welcome” on it! Don’t know what more you’d expect but whatever it is probably wouldn’t be enough.

    The close mindedness and prejudging is ironic but I wouldn’t expect anything else.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,203 partyguinness
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    I take it "POC" is not Paul O'Connell?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 dan1895
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    Kids in Dublin go to LoI games with their Dads even though they don’t want to go

    Can you explain what ground you or your husband have seen this in. Plenty of kids in Tolka without parents.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,462 davetherave
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    I take it "POC" is not Paul O'Connell?

    I'd say they mean Person Of Colour, not big Paulie. An American term that is used to refer to a person/persons who are not White/Caucasian


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Omackeral wrote: »
    “An ally to POC and women”. I’ve told you my partner is a member of the club, longer than I am, as it happens. But no women at LOI. I’ve told you that our personal supporter groups has POC in it. But no people of colour at LOI. Told you the jersey I wear literally bloody says “Refugees Welcome” on it! Don’t know what more you’d expect but whatever it is probably wouldn’t be enough.

    The close mindedness and prejudging is ironic but I wouldn’t expect anything else.
    Look I don't know you and I don't care about your background. You're the one who came in sneering at the idea of women and People of Color going to LoI games and when you were called up on it you started virtue signalling about how you're not really sexist or racist and blah blah blah. If you don't want people to think you don't like women or POC at LoI games don't take the piss out of other people who do. It's as simple as that. Also wearing pro-refugee T shirts doesn't give you a licence to mock people who think refugees and immigrants should be welcomed at games. It's incredibly hypocritical.

    Anyway ultimately I think the FAI sound be wound down and replaced with a new FA and the professional men's league should be replaced with one that is similar to the one they have in the US.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,901 Sunny Disposition
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    It’s going to be very hard to ever get a really popular pro soccer league going here, maybe a bit of a pipe dream. I used to attend a lot of games, enjoyed it hugely, but it’s not for everyone and the GAA is very popular too.
    That said, the fall off of the national team is alarming. As a country I don’t think we’ve ever adapted to changes in the game and now we are trying to do it fairly quickly at a time when we don’t have the level of talent we usually have.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,024 Baggly
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    Mod

    This is after hours folks. Anyone who is becoming annoyed or frustrated in this discussion should take a break. The forum is for lighthearted discussion.

    I dont want to threadban or card anyone, so hopefully you can take the above on board and get back to discussing the topic as it should be in this forum (and indeed as others are attempting to do).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 419 Iguarantee
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    I understand why people follow Irish soccer and support their right to do so. Whether I like it or not, my taxes go to pay for all sorts of things that I don’t care a bit about (or don’t know exist). Sports are important for social and health reasons.

    However, I won’t tolerate anyone telling me that Irish soccer is essential, that I should support it more than I already do or that it deserves more attention than any other sport.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 Dyr
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    Another reason Irish soccer should be allowed to die a death, and end to the insufferable hipster bohs supporter :D


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,140 randd1
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    It’s going to be very hard to ever get a really popular pro soccer league going here, maybe a bit of a pipe dream. I used to attend a lot of games, enjoyed it hugely, but it’s not for everyone and the GAA is very popular too.
    That said, the fall off of the national team is alarming. As a country I don’t think we’ve ever adapted to changes in the game and now we are trying to do it fairly quickly at a time when we don’t have the level of talent we usually have.
    Would it be any harm in putting in place some academies throughout the country? Say for example, an academy in every county, with two in Cork and four in Dublin?


    The academies would essentially be a centralised secondary school in the county that would start at 9.00 in the morning, have classes until 2 or so, and 3 hours or so of training and skill development until 5 in the evening. These academies would play each other in regional leagues/national competitions.


    With Brexit now a thing, it's unlikely that players will be going to the UK before they're 18 unless they're exceptional talents, so these developed younger players would be the basis of a new draft system and hefty supply of players for a semi-professional LOI.


    At least it would be a plan for the future, and the youngsters would get a full secondary education as well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,750 lalababa
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    "In order to learn how to win , one must first learn to lose" Michael Jordan.
    With a completely new style and a new generation of players , the Irish team must learn to lose and lose big. Before they can learn their craft.
    We must as idiots who know nothing about passing football learn to accept many many losses. Losses to the likes of Qatar and Anddora and the Rock of Gibraltar. Over and over again.
    Give Kenny 20 games total to find their feet.
    Or else back to no procession hoofball and maybe a draw with Denmark.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 EmmetSpiceland
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    Bambi wrote: »
    Another reason Irish soccer should be allowed to die a death, and end to the insufferable hipster bohs supporter :D

    From what’s been said, on this site before, by our resident Boh’s supporter, the general fan has no interesting in the clubs “fights” for refugees, the homeless or against racism.

    This supporter referenced their “belief” that the majority of supporters, in a certain section, wouldn’t have finished school. I, personally, felt this was a harsh assessment, and expressed this, but I’m not the one attending the games. My “foray” into LoI supporting wasn’t an enjoyable one, bar the matches out in UCD but there would be very little in attendance there.

    “It is not blood that makes you Irish but a willingness to be part of the Irish nation” - Thomas Davis



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,845 Fr Tod Umptious
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    The people who supported neither of the above.

    The new FAI would need to appeal to the hearts and minds of the kids in their jurisdiction. Just for an example imagine if there was a new League of Ireland club in Tallaght to replace whatever’s there now. The players can tour all the primary schools in the area and meet the kids, offer discounts to classes for games and show the teachers and their parents that it’s a safe environment for kids from all backgrounds to go watch the games.

    Those kids will eventually grow up going as regular visitors of the game and by the time they’re young adults they’ll be totally committed to going every Friday. I understand that all of this would cost an absolute fortune but it would end up paying for itself after about fifteen years.

    As it now the only kids who go to LoI games (according to my husband) are the ones who are dragged along by their Dads. I have never in my entire life heard of kids planning to go to a League of Ireland game together whereas people my age used to go to Leinster rugby games regularly when we were growing up, and it was the same for my husband and his friends.

    As for the current clubs in the League of Ireland: they don’t need to be destroyed they can remain as semi-professional outfits in an unrelated second tier that threatens no risk of promotion to the new League of Ireland. The League of Ireland fans pride themselves of their “love of the game” so it shouldn’t really matter to them if all the previous clubs have been placed in a second tier with no hope of promotion, and they can follow the new clubs in the new leagues as well if they wish. It’s win-win.

    Why on earth would you put a new club in Tallagh to replace the one that is there now, probably the most storied club in Irish soccer history ?

    Plus Dublin is small and I've no doubt there are plenty of people there that follow the other Dublin clubs as it is.

    Since I have been aware of LOI (less than 40 years) the following clubs been in the LOI in some shape or form. There may be more.

    Newcastle West.
    Kilkenny City (EMFA).
    Salthill Devon.
    Mervue Utd.
    Kildare County.
    Wexford Youths.
    Sporting Fingal.
    Monaghan Town.
    St James's Gate.
    St Francis.
    Home Farm
    Dublin City
    Cabenteely (current)

    That's a fair number of clubs across different regions.

    Why haven't they done what you suggest about going to schools, gets the kids involved etc etc ?

    Why hasn't it worked for the last God knows how many years ?

    The whole idea of kickstarting the LOI reminds me of people who promote socialisms or communism.

    Socialism and Communism don't work, but people still try, and when shown that it does not work they tell you that the ones that failed did not do it right, and that this time it would be done right.

    It's the same with LOI promotion, all they need to do is get it right, even though they never do.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,561 Patrick2010
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    The problem with the League of Ireland is that there’s a real problem with reverse snobbery amongst the “die hards.”

    My husband went to a game a few years ago under a “stand” that he said looked like a woodwork room from a technical school, and virtually every time he opened his mouth he was jeered at because of his upper middle class accent and perceived poshness. Not to mention that you never see women or POC at LoI games. I think they really need to work on being more inclusive at those matches
    This is ludicrous, go to Tallaght when the games are back on and you'll see loads of women of all ages there, kids to pensioners.
    What are you basing this on btw?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 475 AdrianBalboa
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    Why on earth would you put a new club in Tallagh to replace the one that is there now, probably the most storied club in Irish soccer history ?

    Plus Dublin is small and I've no doubt there are plenty of people there that follow the other Dublin clubs as it is.

    Since I have been aware of LOI (less than 40 years) the following clubs been in the LOI in some shape or form. There may be more.

    Newcastle West.
    Kilkenny City (EMFA).
    Salthill Devon.
    Mervue Utd.
    Kildare County.
    Wexford Youths.
    Sporting Fingal.
    Monaghan Town.
    St James's Gate.
    St Francis.
    Home Farm
    Dublin City
    Cabenteely (current)

    That's a fair number of clubs across different regions.

    Why haven't they done what you suggest about going to schools, gets the kids involved etc etc ?

    Why hasn't it worked for the last God knows how many years ?

    The whole idea of kickstarting the LOI reminds me of people who promote socialisms or communism.

    Socialism and Communism don't work, but people still try, and when shown that it does not work they tell you that the ones that failed did not do it right, and that this time it would be done right.

    It's the same with LOI promotion, all they need to do is get it right, even though they never do.
    Tallaght or wherever. I was just making an example, keep your hair on.

    "We've tried nothing and we're out ideas" is all well and good but the League of Ireland and the FAI are both disasters and they're spiralling into oblivion. I suspect that if some preventative measures aren't in place that within a decade or two the league and its clubs will be dependent on some wealthy benefactors to swoop in and buy it them out, leaving Irish clubs open to being proxies for sportswashing.

    I care about soccer in this country and I really wouldn't like to see the Sports Direct Football Association of Ireland or the Emirates League of Ireland here in about ten years. It's alright for the "storied" clubs with large fanbases such as Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians to keep going with their giant fanbases while smaller clubs limp on but if we expect any improvement in the national league or the men's national football team then we need to change the way things are done.

    Therefore I believe that we need to hold our noses and start over with the FAI and create a new centralised league with new clubs. Every club will be owned by the league and things like player salaries can be guaranteed, along with all of the measures I described earlier such as school visits, discounts for kids and students etc. Fresh starts, all round.

    The old clubs don't need to be wound down, they can still play in the amateur leagues or in a semi-professional second tier like the US's USL or NPL.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,561 Patrick2010
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    The people who supported neither of the above.

    The new FAI would need to appeal to the hearts and minds of the kids in their jurisdiction. Just for an example imagine if there was a new League of Ireland club in Tallaght to replace whatever’s there now. The players can tour all the primary schools in the area and meet the kids, offer discounts to classes for games and show the teachers and their parents that it’s a safe environment for kids from all backgrounds to go watch the games.

    Those kids will eventually grow up going as regular visitors of the game and by the time they’re young adults they’ll be totally committed to going every Friday. I understand that all of this would cost an absolute fortune but it would end up paying for itself after about fifteen years.

    As it now the only kids who go to LoI games (according to my husband) are the ones who are dragged along by their Dads. I have never in my entire life heard of kids planning to go to a League of Ireland game together whereas people my age used to go to Leinster rugby games regularly when we were growing up, and it was the same for my husband and his friends.

    As for the current clubs in the League of Ireland: they don’t need to be destroyed they can remain as semi-professional outfits in an unrelated second tier that threatens no risk of promotion to the new League of Ireland. The League of Ireland fans pride themselves of their “love of the game” so it shouldn’t really matter to them if all the previous clubs have been placed in a second tier with no hope of promotion, and they can follow the new clubs in the new leagues as well if they wish. It’s win-win.
    You do know that Rovers do this all the time?.You don't even know the name of the club playing there but know they're doing none of this?? When they won the cup it was brought around all the schools. They have kids of all ages from 8 to 18 play for their junior teams and getting coached. On a normal Friday you'll see loads of kids there enjoying the night, you obviously have some anti LOI agenda.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 469 jakiah
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    Tallaght or wherever. I was just making an example, keep your hair on.

    "We've tried nothing and we're out ideas" is all well and good but the League of Ireland and the FAI are both disasters and they're spiralling into oblivion. I suspect that if some preventative measures aren't in place that within a decade or two the league and its clubs will be dependent on some wealthy benefactors to swoop in and buy it them out, leaving Irish clubs open to being proxies for sportswashing.

    I care about soccer in this country and I really wouldn't like to see the Sports Direct Football Association of Ireland or the Emirates League of Ireland here in about ten years. It's alright for the "storied" clubs with large fanbases such as Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians to keep going with their giant fanbases while smaller clubs limp on but if we expect any improvement in the national league or the men's national football team then we need to change the way things are done.

    Therefore I believe that we need to hold our noses and start over with the FAI and create a new centralised league with new clubs. Every club will be owned by the league and things like player salaries can be guaranteed, along with all of the measures I described earlier such as school visits, discounts for kids and students etc. Fresh starts, all round.

    The old clubs don't need to be wound down, they can still play in the amateur leagues or in a semi-professional second tier like the US's USL or NPL.
    We've been hearing this same nonsense for 50 years. The LOI isnt going anywhere. Your ideas of disenfranchising the entire domestic Irish football community who have kept football here running despite all odds are laughable and insulting.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 469 jakiah
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    You do know that Rovers do this all the time?.You don't even know the name of the club playing there but know they're doing none of this?? When they won the cup it was brought around all the schools. They have kids of all ages from 8 to 18 play for their junior teams and getting coached. On a normal Friday you'll see loads of kids there enjoying the night, you obviously have some anti LOI agenda.


    A mod deleted my post saying this was a wind-up. Rovers have a community officer, partner with loads of schools in the area, have been to thousands of schoolkids over the last decade, and Tallaght is packed with groups of kids every Friday night, so much so that people complain about the amount of the feckers.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,901 Sunny Disposition
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    You definitely see ‘people of colour’ and women at matches ffs, even 30 years ago you did. As usual people make things up to make themselves feel superior. There are black players on the pitches and in the stands with no problems and there are plenty of female supporters. Fecking ridiculous comment, with no evidence at all provided.
    Actually that was probably a wind up and I’ve been caught!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,806 MrMusician18
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    Soccer in Ireland had a couple of problems. Firstly the FAI choose to live their own pockets with the fruits of the golden generation of the 90's that they stumbled upon. I would liken this to finding an oil well on your property and squandering the profits on fast cars and drugs instead of building a sustainable legacy for when the oil ran out. And the FAI's well is certainly dry.

    The other side of the coin is that there is little real support for soccer in Ireland. The vast majority of money spent of football here is on Sky subs, EPL shirts and trips to Manchester and Liverpool.

    So when you combine an organising body interested only in short termism self enrichment and a public not really interested at all, then the situation today is the inevitable result.

    Tbh the FAI should've been let go to the wall.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 Dyr
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    randd1 wrote: »

    With Brexit now a thing, it's unlikely that players will be going to the UK before they're 18 unless they're exceptional talents, so these developed younger players would be the basis of a new draft system and hefty supply of players for a semi-professional LOI.
    .

    Why? There'll still be free movement between Ireland and Britain, that predates the EU


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 469 jakiah
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    Soccer in Ireland had a couple of problems. Firstly the FAI choose to live their own pockets with the fruits of the golden generation of the 90's that they stumbled upon. I would liken this to finding an oil well on your property and squandering the profits on fast cars and drugs instead of building a sustainable legacy for when the oil ran out. And the FAI's well is certainly dry.

    The other side of the coin is that there is little real support for soccer in Ireland. The vast majority of money spent of football here is on Sky subs, EPL shirts and trips to Manchester and Liverpool.

    So when you combine an organising body interested only in short termism self enrichment and a public not really interested at all, then the situation today is the inevitable result.

    Tbh the FAI should've been let go to the wall.
    As satisfying as it would be to see the goons in the FAI get their commupence, letting the FAI go to the wall was never a realistic option. This would have led to at least a temporary explusion from UEFA, suspenions of the international team and domestic teams from UEFA competition, with the resultant lack of funding causing a cascading effect across the game with clubs going bust left and right.


    Of course the FAI (and all the other many, many corrupt football associations) know this, which is why they get away with what they do.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 469 jakiah
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    Bambi wrote: »
    Why? There'll still be free movement between Ireland and Britain, that predates the EU


    Its a FIFA rule with an exemption for EU/EEA states


    https://www.the42.ie/brexit-uk-football-clubs-4984997-Jan2020/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,543 Did you smash it
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    Tbh the FAI should've been let go to the wall.

    That would mean all FAI property would be sold off..if they own abbotstown and the AUL and their share of the Aviva it’s sold off to service debt. All employees are laid off. We may not be able to enter UEFA competitions. Domestic competitions are thrown into turmoil at best.

    You start at year dot in a country that ultimately doesn’t really care about football, doesn’t have a home stadium, doesn’t have a HQ and doesn’t have any income.

    It would be a strange turn of events to ever make that an advantageous situation.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 dan1895
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    Bambi wrote: »
    Why? There'll still be free movement between Ireland and Britain, that predates the EU

    I read that UEFA or FIFA will not sanction transfers of under 18s between EU and non-EU clubs irregardless of any trade arrangements between the two countries involved. I don't know if that has been changed in the meantime but it is my understanding.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,140 randd1
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    Why on earth would you put a new club in Tallagh to replace the one that is there now, probably the most storied club in Irish soccer history ?

    Plus Dublin is small and I've no doubt there are plenty of people there that follow the other Dublin clubs as it is.

    Since I have been aware of LOI (less than 40 years) the following clubs been in the LOI in some shape or form. There may be more.

    Newcastle West.
    Kilkenny City (EMFA).
    Salthill Devon.
    Mervue Utd.
    Kildare County.
    Wexford Youths.
    Sporting Fingal.
    Monaghan Town.
    St James's Gate.
    St Francis.
    Home Farm
    Dublin City
    Cabenteely (current)

    That's a fair number of clubs across different regions.

    Why haven't they done what you suggest about going to schools, gets the kids involved etc etc ?

    Why hasn't it worked for the last God knows how many years ?

    The whole idea of kickstarting the LOI reminds me of people who promote socialisms or communism.

    Socialism and Communism don't work, but people still try, and when shown that it does not work they tell you that the ones that failed did not do it right, and that this time it would be done right.

    It's the same with LOI promotion, all they need to do is get it right, even though they never do.
    Wound up with only a 50K debt, it was generally well run, a decent stadium with a quality pitch (good enough to be used regularly by the Irish U21's too). Could have kept going easily enough.


    Hurling might be king in Kilkenny but there's no other real opposition to soccer doing well there. The town is full of soccer, plenty of clubs, plenty of players. Regularly do well in the Oscar Traynor. There was potential there for a decent club.

    In reality they completely shot themselves in the foot from the off. For any soccer club looking to last, they're going to have to be in a town. Having Buckley Park a couple of miles from town in the middle of nowhere beside a nursing home wasn't going to the locals going regularly enough.


    Had they been set up within 1km of the train station (beside the main drinking street in Kilkenny), they'd have done much better in my view. Bear in mind Nowlan Park was in the countryside 30 years ago, there was no reason as to why a soccer pitch couldn't have gone up near it at the time Kilkenny City set up.


    As it was though, as it tends to be in soccer in this country, it's what is expedient that counts, there's no long term common sense vision, so they ended up playing away from a population base instead of trying to build around it. And the lack of vision cost them in the end.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,543 Did you smash it
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    People can moan about the FAI all they want but the state of Dalymount Park (the home of Irish football) is a monument to what Irish society and government think about Irish football.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,140 randd1
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    People can moan about the FAI all they want but the state of Dalymount Park (the home of Irish football) is a monument to what Irish society and government think about Irish football.
    Don't think you can blame the government on this one. Had the FAI got their ducks in a row properly, there's a good chance they might have got more funding in the past.


    Say what you want about the GAA and rugby, but when they go looking for money, they have a well-thought out plan, the details down to a tee, and generally will offer a cost benefit for what they're looking for.


    In comparison, the FAI often look like they thought up something during a piss-up and wrote what they want on a beer mat.


    Then there's the pie in the sky stuff, like hosting tournaments with Scotland/England in the past. €50m in debt, yet could host the Euro's, with one stadium they share with rugby and relying on the GAA for the others? The couldn't build the jacks, never mind that actual facilities. And when was the last time they went to bat for the LOI grounds? Plenty of LOI clubs could do with government sponsored improvements to grounds based on solid long term plans with help from the FAI. More important to give John Delaney a couple of million in wages than put a modern small stand in a LOI ground.


    I know which one I'd more likely give the money to if I was the minister for sport.


    As for society, well the product has to be sold. Again, not the governments remit. Look at how the GAA promotes itself. Rugby, a sport I would regard as having little skill and not exactly hard to grasp, sells itself brilliantly nonetheless. What do the FAI do for the LOI, or the players within it?


    Once again, another example of an association that doesn't know it's arse from it's elbow, and runs things accordingly.


    The FAI have failed soccer, and the soccer supporter, in this country, not the government.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,543 Did you smash it
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    randd1 wrote: »
    Don't think you can blame the government on this one. Had the FAI got their ducks in a row properly, there's a good chance they might have got more funding in the past.


    Say what you want about the GAA and rugby, but when they go looking for money, they have a well-thought out plan, the details down to a tee, and generally will offer a cost benefit for what they're looking for.


    In comparison, the FAI often look like they thought up something during a piss-up and wrote what they want on a beer mat.


    Then there's the pie in the sky stuff, like hosting tournaments with Scotland/England in the past. €50m in debt, yet could host the Euro's, with one stadium they share with rugby and relying on the GAA for the others? The couldn't build the jacks, never mind that actual facilities. And when was the last time they went to bat for the LOI grounds? Plenty of LOI clubs could do with government sponsored improvements to grounds based on solid long term plans with help from the FAI. More important to give John Delaney a couple of million in wages than put a modern small stand in a LOI ground.


    I know which one I'd more likely give the money to if I was the minister for sport.


    As for society, well the product has to be sold. Again, not the governments remit. Look at how the GAA promotes itself. Rugby, a sport I would regard as having little skill and not exactly hard to grasp, sells itself brilliantly nonetheless. What do the FAI do for the LOI, or the players within it?


    Once again, another example of an association that doesn't know it's arse from it's elbow, and runs things accordingly.


    The FAI have failed soccer, and the soccer supporter, in this country, not the government.

    The rebuilding of dalymount would be a capital project (like building a hospital) not a FAI project. The government and Irish people in general just can’t be arsed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 dan1895
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    The rebuilding of dalymount would be a capital project (like building a hospital) not a FAI project. The government and Irish people in general just can’t be arsed.

    You do realise there are plans to rebuild Dalymount funded by DCC?


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