Ireland is a pretend football country

dan1895

[Deleted User] wrote: »

is there going to be any scope to expand beyond that once this project is completed?

Not that I'm aware.

EmmetSpiceland

breezy1985 wrote: »

Agree Lansdowne would be a disaster unless you were playing one of the really big European sides. Dublin teams would be much better off in the RDS if it came to it

Might be better off in Donnybrook than in the RDS.

breezy1985

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Might be better off in Donnybrook than in the RDS.

How would a stadium the same size as new Dalymount be a good idea given that the issue is the Champions League doesn't allow stadia that size ?

dan1895

dan1895 wrote: »

Not that I'm aware.

Honestly seems a massive waste in that case. In a city the size of Dublin, both clubs should be able to outgrow that capacity in time.

Did you smash it

As I said in the OP Irish football is smalltime and until we face up to that and commit more to it we are swimming against the tide. That a revamped Dalymount will only have 6k capacity is proof positive of that. That stadium has to be 10k minimum.

EmmetSpiceland

breezy1985 wrote: »

How would a stadium the same size as new Dalymount be a good idea given that the issue is the Champions League doesn't allow stadia that size ?

Sorry, I thought you meant for atmosphere. Is there nowhere else? Always felt bad for soccer players having to play on a rugby pitch.

tastyt

Have to agree with what’s being said . It really is so “ Irish “ in football terms to be celebrating a 6k seater stadium for one of the biggest clubs in the country slap bang in the middle of a city of one and a half million .

Very small time and short sighted stuff. I can see bohs having a big European tie in a few years and everyone pissing and moaning about not being able to play it at home. If 9k is the European standard for games well then it should be built for 9k. We are actually building something brand new that is already out of date and obsolete by European standards

It sums up Irish football though , half arsed , bad planning , not enough money and will probably take 10 years to happen

Did you smash it

If we accept we don’t really care about sport as a nation then fair enough. It’s not for us.

But what really stirs my ****e is that we go on like we are sports mad but ultimately where it counts (investment) we aren’t.

Leroy42

We are sports mad, just not for LOI football.

Just because the majority of people don't ascribe to one particular aspect of sport, doesn't make them not into sport. There is a massive following for soccer in this country, hence the massive support for EPL, internationals etc.

LOI is just not something that the vast majority of people in this country watch. It has been given any advantage to try to push it. Massive media following, live matches, all Internationals FTA. But people have made their opinions clear by not supporting the clubs or the league.

And the idea that football is suffering due to a lack of investment is simply not true. It has had millions pumped into it, both by the football governing bodies and the government. That the FAI choose to waste the vast majority of that is not the fault of the supporters or the wider public.

Did you smash it

Leroy42 wrote: »

And the idea that football is suffering due to a lack of investment is simply not true. It has had millions pumped into it, both by the football governing bodies and the government. That the FAI choose to waste the vast majority of that is not the fault of the supporters or the wider public.

You’re entitled to your opinion but I’d be of the opinion football in this country and other sports as well suffer from under investment.

We are a rich country with two UEFA standard football stadia in the country. That is galling even with indifference towards the LOI.

Did you smash it

Here’s an article showing the top 10 stadiums in Europe’s poorest country Albania and a country that has qualified to one tournament in their entire history and never qualify to CL groups or Europa groups either.

https://www.albanopedia.com/travel/albanian-stadiums

It puts us to absolute shame. Every other European country puts us to shame.

We are a joke of a football country or a pretend one as I said in the OP. A lot of the reasons for that is underinvestment - by government, the private sector and the general public.

Strumms

tastyt wrote: »

Have to agree with what’s being said . It really is so “ Irish “ in football terms to be celebrating a 6k seater stadium for one of the biggest clubs in the country slap bang in the middle of a city of one and a half million .

Very small time and short sighted stuff. I can see bohs having a big European tie in a few years and everyone pissing and moaning about not being able to play it at home. If 9k is the European standard for games well then it should be built for 9k. We are actually building something brand new that is already out of date and obsolete by European standards

It sums up Irish football though , half arsed , bad planning , not enough money and will probably take 10 years to happen

I remember the Jodi stand being built in Dalymount, it was about 10 years from being talked about and plans to bums on seats..if not longer.

That’s short sighted guff is simply continuous.

Dalymount “the home of Irish football”.... getting dewy-eyed over a facility and location not fit for purpose, located in a place not suitable for expansion that can enable you to play Champions League is just so irish...

Teams and their successes... not dew eyed reminiscing over run down stadia...then replacing them with stadium upgrades that you aren’t even allowed to play in IF you reach European elite.

Should have sold Dalymount and tried to get funding for a 11,000 all seater somewhere in North Dublin for both clubs, that can be expanded if required.

The Arts Council gets a grant, in 2021 of 130 million

http://www.artscouncil.ie/funding/


It would cost about 18-20 million to build a new stadium... a one off investment that can make a profit.

Arts council get investment every year, millions.

Leroy42

So we should just build stadiums to keep up with the Jonses even if supporters don't want them?

There isn't the required level of support. We could of course spend money on building them, but why? So we can act Billy big balls at the Uefa dinner?

The clubs, and FAI, need to figure this out, not simply hope for someone else to sort it for them.

How do they plan to attract new supporters? Football has been given plenty of chances plenty of advantages. Maybe instead of a new stadium we build proper tennis courts, swimming pools, velodrome, gymnastics, basketball, netball, cricket etc.

Football is well catered for in this country, certainly well ahead of other sports.

tastyt

Did you smash it wrote: »

Here’s an article showing the top 10 stadiums in Europe’s poorest country Albania and a country that has qualified to one tournament in their entire history and never qualify to CL groups or Europa groups either.

https://www.albanopedia.com/travel/albanian-stadiums

It puts us to absolute shame. Every other European country puts us to shame.

We are a joke of a football country or a pretend one as I said in the OP. A lot of the reasons for that is underinvestment - by government, the private sector and the general public.

This really does put us to shame .

However there is the obvious elephant in the room....

We have stadiums the same size and bigger than a lot of those in places like Portlaoise, Tullamore , Ennis , Thurles , Cavan , Kilkenny but they are not football stadiums because we are not a football country .

We are an outlier in that we are the only country in Europe that has its own indigenous sport that has the hearts and minds of the country , the influence of government and the backing of millions and millions from private corporate Ireland .

It’s just a fact . Now it’s absolutely no excuse for the shambles that has been the way football is run but is the main reason that “ professional “ football clubs in Ireland haven’t a pot to piss in

Did you smash it

Leroy42 wrote: »

So we should just build stadiums to keep up with the Jonses even if supporters don't want them?

Albania aren’t the Jones’s. They are the family who need the help of the Vincent the Paul to make ends meet.

breezy1985

Did you smash it wrote: »

You’re entitled to your opinion but I’d be of the opinion football in this country and other sports as well suffer from under investment.

We are a rich country with two UEFA standard football stadia in the country. That is galling even with indifference towards the LOI.

We are also a country of only 5 million but have Croke Park, PuC, Thomond Park and Lansdowne which are all top level stadia and add to that large more basic set ups like Semple, PnaG and the RDS and we are doing pretty well and probably better than the other 5m countries in Europe

Strumms

Leroy42 wrote: »

So we should just build stadiums to keep up with the Jonses even if supporters don't want them?

There isn't the required level of support. We could of course spend money on building them, but why? So we can act Billy big balls at the Uefa dinner?

The clubs, and FAI, need to figure this out, not simply hope for someone else to sort it for them.

How do they plan to attract new supporters? Football has been given plenty of chances plenty of advantages. Maybe instead of a new stadium we build proper tennis courts, swimming pools, velodrome, gymnastics, basketball, netball, cricket etc.

Football is well catered for in this country, certainly well ahead of other sports.

It’s not keeping up with the jonses.

It’s having facilities that are quality, comfortable and fit for purpose...ie. compliant with European Competition standards.

We have proper and excellent tennis facilities, swimming pools, I’m a swimmer I know... I go to watch a lot of cricket, always can get tickets for internationals.

What chances or advantages has football received ? It’s a massive sport yet gets crumbs... people want to grow it further by having the best facilities but the government do fûck all, or governments.

Investment in football will create in the long term more jobs, more successes.

Did you smash it

tastyt wrote: »

This really does put us to shame .

However there is the obvious elephant in the room....

We have stadiums the same size and bigger than a lot of those in places like Portlaoise, Tullamore , Ennis , Thurles , Cavan , Kilkenny but they are not football stadiums because we are not a football country .

We are an outlier in that we are the only country in Europe that has its own indigenous sport that has the hearts and minds of the country , the influence of government and the backing of millions and millions from private corporate Ireland .

It’s just a fact . Now it’s absolutely no excuse for the shambles that has been the way football is run but is the main reason that “ professional “ football clubs in Ireland haven’t a pot to piss in

It’s a fair point, I wouldn’t be of the opinion personally that the government provides huge support to the GAA. That’s a narrative that’s out there alright. The government get a lot back from the GAA in terms of economy and tax revenue as its by far the biggest sport in the country. I don’t want a tedious GAA vs soccer/ football argument.

Government certainly provide more to GAA than soccer / football for sure.

Leroy42

Did you smash it wrote: »

Albania aren’t the Jones’s. They are the family who need the help of the Vincent the Paul to make ends meet.

So we do it because the poor kid has it?

It doesn't matter how you spin it, you normally do things like building projects because there is need. Not simply to make you feel better in the room.

We don't need another champions league level ground for the once a decade match they might make, when we could use Aviva.

LOI Football is not supported by enough people in this country to justify it.

If the FAI, and the clubs, actually put a plan together. A thought out multi year progress plan to increase support, increase the teams levels, drive player retention etc, then by all means plan a stadium.

But at the moment? No, it isn't remotely justified.

Did you smash it

Leroy42 wrote: »

So we do it because the poor kid has it?

It doesn't matter how you spin it, you normally do things like building projects because there is need. Not simply to make you feel better in the room.

We don't need another champions league level ground for the once a decade match they might make, when we could use Aviva.

Football is not supported by enough people in this country to justify it.

If the FAI, and the clubs, actually put a plan together. A thought out multi year progress plan to increase support, increase the teams levels, drive player retention etc, then by all means plan a stadium.

But at the moment? No, it isn't remotely justified.

A 10k football stadium in Dalymount is absolutely justifiable.

We get 6k.

We are small timers in the shadow of Albania and every other country in Europe in terms of football infrastructure.

Strumms

You don’t get it Leroy, fûcking invest in the product, the facilities and more people will come. More revenues, more expansion and it goes on, you have to start somewhere.

breezy1985

Did you smash it wrote: »

It’s a fair point, I wouldn’t be of the opinion personally that the government provides huge support to the GAA. That’s a narrative that’s out there alright. The government get a lot back from the GAA in terms of economy and tax revenue as its by far the biggest sport in the country. I don’t want a tedious GAA vs soccer/ football argument.

Government certainly provide more to GAA than soccer / football for sure.

Also yes the government probably give more to GAA than to soccer but also give way more to soccer than they do to cycling or tennis. Bigger the sport bigger the funding so soccer cant complain too much about the arrangement

Did you smash it

breezy1985 wrote: »

Also yes the government probably give more to GAA than to soccer but also give way more to soccer than they do to cycling or tennis. Bigger the sport bigger the funding so soccer cant complain too much about the arrangement

Or all sports could complain about the funding they receive.

There is no wow factor in Irish sport infrastructure, no ambition. That’s for GAA or soccer or anything else.

Strumms

This is the air Albania stadium in Tirana, Albania.

Capacity : 22.500

Tenants : KF Tirana / FK Partizani Tirana

Cost : 85 million.

Something lower spec for about 30 million, 11,000 seats is what’s required.

If they can do that in Albania !

breezy1985

Did you smash it wrote: »

A 10k football stadium in Dalymount is absolutely justifiable.

We get 6k.

We are small timers in the shadow of Albania and every other country in Europe in terms of football infrastructure.

Actually Albania seem to be the outlier as they have recently embarked on a building drive and had LOI level capacities up until a few years back. The other nations ranked similar to the LOI dont look much better
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%9321_Moldovan_National_Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veikkausliiga
Finland is a very interesting comparison to Ireland. Both have roughly 5m population both were occupied until post WW1 and both were agricultural backwaters till for them the 50s and us a little later. Neither class soccer as the big game as the Finns have ice hockey as the biggest sport

Cilldara_2000

Did you smash it wrote: »

Or all sports could complain about the funding they receive.

There is no wow factor in Irish sport infrastructure, no ambition. That’s for GAA or soccer or anything else.

Croke Park, the Aviva, Semple Stadium, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Castlebar, Thomond, various racecourses, etc. Plenty of fine infrastructure which took ambition to build/upgrade.

Literally every other sport in the country can get their act together, put plans in place, raise money themselves and then put the hand out for a few bob from the government. Meanwhile soccer people moan that everything hasn’t been handed to them on a plate and accuse others of lacking ambition. Smh.

breezy1985

Strumms wrote: »

This is the air Albania stadium in Tirana, Albania.

Capacity : 22.500

Tenants : KF Tirana / FK Partizani Tirana

Cost : 85 million.

Something lower spec for about 30 million, 11,000 seats is what’s required.

If they can do that in Albania !

That is the national stadium so how is it in any way relevant to Bohs and their situation. You slyly left Albanian national team out of the list of tenants

Corben Dallas

Stihl waters wrote: »

England = football
Ireland = soccer

Ireland =also Football... there fixed it for you.

FAI > FOOTBALL Association of Ireland
IRFU > Irish Rugby FOOTBALL Union

They have Soccer in American, everywhere else its FOOTBALL

Strumms

breezy1985 wrote: »

That is the national stadium so how is it in any way relevant to Bohs and their situation. You slyly left Albanian national team out of the list of tenants

It’s a stadium... where two clubs share tenancy.... I ‘slyly’ left ? Hardly, we are discussing club stadia, this is a stadium where two clubs are tenants... it’s an appropriate example of what could be achieved here on a smaller scale. As I posted...” Something lower spec for about 30 million, 11,000 seats is what’s required”

It shows that a stylish, comfortable and modern stadium with appeal to supporters, their comfort and enjoyment of the game can be achievable.... more bums on seats = more revenue... build the club sport here.

Did you smash it

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

Croke Park, the Aviva, Semple Stadium, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Castlebar, Thomond, various racecourses, etc. Plenty of fine infrastructure which took ambition to build/upgrade.

Literally every other sport in the country can get their act together, put plans in place, raise money themselves and then put the hand out for a few bob from the government. Meanwhile soccer people moan that everything hasn’t been handed to them on a plate and accuse others of lacking ambition. Smh.

Semple isn’t an impressive stadium unless they’ve done serious improvements which I’ve not heard of, it’s a big crap stadium with no serious entertainment facilities.

The Pairc was just built when the rugby World Cup inspectors said it would need to be upgraded to be up for hosting games in the World Cup.

Racecourses - yes, we have very good racecourses, studs etc. It’s the one international sport we are really really high performers at. If Ireland were at the same standard at soccer that they were at horse racing we’d be world beaters.

Ultimately if we don’t invest publicly and privately Irish football is going nowhere. Get busy living or get busy dying.

YFlyer

Leo and MeHole using the Euros as a get out of jail card.

Leroy42

Did you smash it wrote: »

Semple isn’t an impressive stadium unless they’ve done serious improvements which I’ve not heard of, it’s a big crap stadium with no serious entertainment facilities.

The Pairc was just built when the rugby World Cup inspectors said it would need to be upgraded to be up for hosting games in the World Cup.

Racecourses - yes, we have very good racecourses, studs etc. It’s the one international sport we are really really high performers at. If Ireland were at the same standard at soccer that they were at horse racing we’d be world beaters.

Ultimately if we don’t invest publicly and privately Irish football is going nowhere. Get busy living or get busy dying.

But there has been investment. Millions of it.capital grants for clubs. Support for the FAI, UEFA.

I agree with the idea of build it and they will come but its already been built. Aviva Tallaght stadium for example.

Has investment in those led to significant increases in support?

LOI is a minority sport, particularly compared to Rugby and GAA. There is not justification to spend millions of taxpayers money, more millions, building fancy stadiums for a league the vast majority of people are not interested in.

Do not confuse football supporters for LOI supporters. Football supporters, those that follow UK teams, National Team, are plenty. And are well catered for.

LOI average attendance is less than 2k, S Rovers get something like 3k in a new, including public funds investment, stadium. There is no capacity issue with Tallaght Stadium.

The support just isn't there.

breezy1985

Strumms wrote: »

It’s a stadium... where two clubs share tenancy.... I ‘slyly’ left ? Hardly, we are discussing club stadia, this is a stadium where two clubs are tenants... it’s an appropriate example of what could be achieved here on a smaller scale. As I posted...” Something lower spec for about 30 million, 11,000 seats is what’s required”

It shows that a stylish, comfortable and modern stadium with appeal to supporters, their comfort and enjoyment of the game can be achievable.... more bums on seats = more revenue... build the club sport here.

Move Bohs and Shels to Lansdowne then because that is the equivalent to what you are proposing with Albania.


There is absolutely no comparison between what Bohs can achieve and what Albania can build for the national stadium

The Albanian stuff is impressive but I wouldn't be going too much on the costs, it would easily be 10x that here factoring in prices and after all the paws get well greased.

Anyway, you could have that stadium here and people still wouldn't go. I don't think there's anything that will get people away from the EPL to the League of Ireland.

breezy1985

Corben Dallas wrote: »

Ireland =also Football... there fixed it for you.

FAI > FOOTBALL Association of Ireland
IRFU > Irish Rugby FOOTBALL Union

They have Soccer in American, everywhere else its FOOTBALL

Except in Italy where its Calcio which is the only country in Europe I know of where the name doesnt derive from foot or ball

dan1895

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Anyway, you could have that stadium here and people still wouldn't go. I don't think there's anything that will get people away from the EPL to the League of Ireland.

Despite all the whinging over the super league last week.

dan1895

dan1895 wrote: »

Despite all the whinging over the super league last week.

Exactly. The LOI could cease existence tomorrow and you wouldn't come close to the crying that went on over the threat to the EPL here in the past week.

cms88

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

Croke Park, the Aviva, Semple Stadium, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Castlebar, Thomond, various racecourses, etc. Plenty of fine infrastructure which took ambition to build/upgrade.

Literally every other sport in the country can get their act together, put plans in place, raise money themselves and then put the hand out for a few bob from the government. Meanwhile soccer people moan that everything hasn’t been handed to them on a plate and accuse others of lacking ambition. Smh.

As i've said before thi is the problem. I know of a lo of clubs who just won't do anything for themselves. When it cmes to LOI clubs the biggest issues is wasting money. More often than not when clubs get money they'll spend it on players/wages.

Omackeral

Leroy42 wrote: »

Do not confuse football supporters for LOI supporters. Football supporters, those that follow UK teams, National Team, are plenty. And are well catered for.

By the same token, don’t confuse match-going supporters with people that watch on streams and in the pub.

Cilldara_2000

Did you smash it wrote: »

Semple isn’t an impressive stadium unless they’ve done serious improvements which I’ve not heard of, it’s a big crap stadium with no serious entertainment facilities.

The Pairc was just built when the rugby World Cup inspectors said it would need to be upgraded to be up for hosting games in the World Cup.

Racecourses - yes, we have very good racecourses, studs etc. It’s the one international sport we are really really high performers at. If Ireland were at the same standard at soccer that they were at horse racing we’d be world beaters.

Ultimately if we don’t invest publicly and privately Irish football is going nowhere. Get busy living or get busy dying.

Every GAA ground in the country has a great big ~140m x ~90m entertainment facility - it's called the pitch. When you go to watch 70 minutes of hurling, you don't need any other pointless bells and whistles.

Did you smash it

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

Every GAA ground in the country has a great big ~140m x ~90m entertainment facility - it's called the pitch. When you go to watch 70 minutes of hurling, you don't need any other pointless bells and whistles.

With the greatest of respect that’s not how sport works in most developed countries anymore. You have to create a product that appeals to kids, to families meaning quality eating and drinking facilities. That there are bells and whistles and a feeling that you are attending a bit of a show.

Again with respect your post is an illustration of why Irish people, I find, don’t really understand sport spectating in the modern age. It’s moved on from just going to the crappy rundown stadium to see a match. In most countries anyway. Ireland is in a time warp.

Did you smash it

Did you smash it wrote: »

Albania aren’t the Jones’s. They are the family who need the help of the Vincent the Paul to make ends meet.

Tbf to the Albanians, they'd probably be better off if the money invested in stadia was invested in educational facilities to lift them out of poverty but shambolic states don't actually want to educate their populations for fear they'll wise up to how badly they are being treated.

That we should compare ourselves to Albania is a bizarre concept to me, tbh.

That's not to say Dalymount shouldn't be a more ambitious plan but ultimately the FAI have spunked away millions after millions with nothing to show for it. That's solely on them and not on anyone else tbh.

Cilldara_2000

Did you smash it wrote: »

With the greatest of respect that’s not how sport works in most developed countries anymore. You have to create a product that appeals to kids, to families meaning quality eating and drinking facilities. That there are bells and whistles and a feeling that you are attending a bit of a show.

Again with respect your post is an illustration of why Irish people, I find, don’t really understand sport spectating in the modern age. It’s moved on from just going to the crappy rundown stadium to see a match. In most countries anyway. Ireland is in a time warp.

That post was somewhat tongue in cheek. But seriously, I don't see why people need or want "entertainment facilities" when going to watch a match.

Most of these grounds, you can get a cup of tea and a sandwich or a mars bar. Even in the kippiest county grounds (I'd know - see my username) the toilets are now generally clean, have soap etc.

And the GAA with these so called basic facilities does perfectly fine attracting crowds with plenty of children. Football attendances are trending downwards for years but that's nothing to do with the "entertainment facilities" and everything to do with the quality of the product and the price of tickets. Hurling attendances are holding up just grand.

And if people just want pints, they can GTFO to the pub. Having loads of drinking going on certainly doesn't help the family friendliness of any establishment.

Did you smash it

Deleted User wrote: »

Tbf to the Albanians, they'd probably be better off if the money invested in stadia was invested in educational facilities to lift them out of poverty but shambolic states don't actually want to educate their populations for fear they'll wise up to how badly they are being treated.

That we should compare ourselves to Albania is a bizarre concept to me, tbh.

That's not to say Dalymount shouldn't be a more ambitious plan but ultimately the FAI have spunked away millions after millions with nothing to show for it. That's solely on them and not on anyone else tbh.

I picked Albania because it is the poorest country in Europe along with Moldova. You can compare Ireland to any similar country such as Czech, slovakia, Scotland, Hungary, Cyprus etc and our stadiums are far worst.

We are the poor relation.

Did you smash it

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

That post was somewhat tongue in cheek. But seriously, I don't see why people need or want "entertainment facilities" when going to watch a match.

Most of these grounds, you can get a cup of tea and a sandwich or a mars bar. Even in the kippiest county grounds (I'd know - see my username) the toilets are now generally clean, have soap etc.

And the GAA with these so called basic facilities does perfectly fine attracting crowds with plenty of children. Football attendances are trending downwards for years but that's nothing to do with the "entertainment facilities" and everything to do with the quality of the product and the price of tickets. Hurling attendances are holding up just grand.

And if people just want pints, they can GTFO to the pub. Having loads of drinking going on certainly doesn't help the family friendliness of any establishment.

Ok, generally clean toilets, tae and Mars bars, lucky us. What a night out. You want a few pints? Ah fcuk off to the pub, we don’t want your money thanks very much.

You don’t really get it. Which is fine.

Did you smash it

Did you smash it wrote: »

I picked Albania because it is the poorest country in Europe along with Moldova. You can compare Ireland to any similar country such as Czech, slovakia, Scotland, Hungary, Cyprus etc and our stadiums are far worst.

We are the poor relation.

We aren't the poor relation, we're the rich relation who spent all the money on strippers and coke and high living rather than make sensible investments. The FAI are broke now but that's after decades of mismanagement. And even now, despite being broke, they'll be bailed out.

Cilldara_2000

Did you smash it wrote: »

Ok, generally clean toilets, tae and Mars bars, lucky us. What a night out. You want a few pints? Ah fcuk off to the pub, we don’t want your money thanks very much.

You don’t really get it. Which is fine.

I obviously don't. Needing drink to watch a match is not in the GAA's culture.

I also don't get why Albania are so great when we've got 13 stadiums bigger than their biggest and I know for a fact that at least two of them have all these entertainment facilities that are so vital.

Did you smash it

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

I obviously don't. Needing drink to watch a match is not in the GAA's culture.

.

Yes the Irish don’t have a drinking culture, we have a Mars bar culture.

Did you smash it

Deleted User wrote: »

We aren't the poor relation, we're the rich relation who spent all the money on strippers and coke and high living rather than make sensible investments. The FAI are broke now but that's after decades of mismanagement. And even now, despite being broke, they'll be bailed out.

Irish football was never rich. It was poor to the point of being poverty stricken. In almost any era beside the Charlton one.

Cilldara_2000

Did you smash it wrote: »

Yes the Irish don’t have a drinking culture, we have a Mars bar culture.

Not drinking at matches =/= no drinking culture.

The GAA got by over 100 years of people going to matches with no pints available at the ground. We still get by going to matches with no pints available at almost all GAA grounds.

And like seriously, who bases their decision to go to a match on whether there's booze available?