Are LOI Fans West Brits?

when did you give it a go? what years?

At least we didn't bow down like lap dogs and apologise like Rovers did.

About a decade ago,

Didn't enjoy watching it as the standard wasn't great at all so went back to just going to Prem games when I can,

Iv played football my whole life and just prefer watching the top end of the game nothing wrong with that

Its like asking a Formula 1 fan why they don't watch spend that time watching Formula 3000 or actual lower than that instead

It's worth dipping your toe in again and at least trying to catch the European games when they come around every year, lots of fun seeing how the clubs do against clubs from other countries, atmosphere is always great too. Rovers still have 5 games in the Europa Confrence league this season. They will also be on TV on Virgin of course.

League is very young now, also plenty of young progressive coaches, league is by and large much more technical these days, I think the league was a lot older and tougher a decade ago, some of those sides were actually excellent as well but I don't think there was as much of an emphasis to play constructive football across as many clubs as there would be now. A lot comes down to how many matches you go to and who you watch really.

Much of the underage international sides are packed with domestic based players, you'll be seeing more and more future internationals playing in the league before they head abroad, you never forget spotting a gem for the first time, it's pretty cool to follow the career path of someone you saw playing at home .

That if football tourism brand support. i have already emphasised the global brand nature of the EPL teams many Irish people claim to support in sporting sense. But it is more a brand support than actual sporting support. That is the global nature of the branding.

Because the initial interest is likely formed at young age for impressionable young Irish watchers because of a winning brand and global marketing. The equivalent of McDonalds instead of the local chipper.

Plus 30 years ago no way would you see many Irish people going around with Chelsea and Man City jerseys. We know why we see it now, it has nothing to with loyalty, it is branding and a teams global success.

Football tourists have effected the atmosphere in some EPL grounds isn't there a joke about Old Trafford being called a library, because of tourists snapping photos? Just there for the event not the sport itself.

The other major drawback is lack of community, it is manufactured as I said. How often would an Irish football fan see an EPL superstar out shopping or walking down O'Connell Street?

Whereas in Tallaght, Rovers supporters could bump into Ronan Finn and Jack Byrne. And say 'Ah howaya good luck the next day' etc.

Meanwhile there is not only a geographical distance between Irish EPL consumers and EPL players, there is a psychological distance between themselves and the players.

Not only do they rarely see them, they are multimillionaires and are not as relatable as a local LOI lad. But the global brand of certain clubs are strong. If people like competitive sport, in this case soccer they would watch games regardless of the level. If other people are more interested in the glamour event they would follow the global EPL brands. That is the truth of it.

No it's called supporting your team, it's not my fault that my team is not based in Ireland. The fact is young people would rather watch superstars rather than pretty good players, its just a fact of life. You can't tell kids they have to watch ordinary players when you have the likes of Messi and Ronaldo doing truly amazing things a few years ago.

Same rules apply to LOI teams, they need to win matches in order to get fans. A LOI team winning the league and doing well in Europe with generate more fans.

And do you think Shamrock Rovers would turn away fans if they are not going to make noise? Yes one of the bad things about watching football on tv is that you can forget that when watching live you need to participate rather than just expecting to be entertained.

Lots of people couldn't care less about the community, many people say they don't have a local team that represents them.

A big factor with supporting the EPL is you can have people you care about like family, friends, workmates etc that share your passion. In Ireland one of the most popular conversation starters with men is who do you follow and often the answer is an EPL team, it's great.

I watch EPL matches and I have watched live LOI matches, more people should do both.

I have no idea what you are trying to say? what?

It is not the same as your own local side though It is? It is trying to find a connection however loose.

When a contingent of Irish players land in British club it burns brighter for a while such as Sunderland under Keane, or Villa in the 90s

But for such clubs the Irish interest wanes. As the British club sells Irish players or becomes less successful.

Let’s call a spade a spade many Irish people who talk up Man United and Liverpool connections only really do so because they are relatively consistently successful.

If those teams dropped down the divisions suddenly a large chunk of Irish ‘supporters’ would find another British team to find a connection with. They would lose interest no glamour attached. Brand not as strong.

A supporter of a local side always has that connection it is their club. It’s proper loyalty, proper community stuff. Not flown in occasional ‘support’ from overseas.

What a sad attitude. Played football for years as a kid and as an adult. Great comradeship. Great healthy exercise. Great sense of community.

Like with most team sports, people tend not to play beyond their mid-30s.

Myself and a lot of other lads I know that played football, now run marathons. Playing football from an early age has given us all a great base in fitness and means we are amongst the fittest people in the country in our age bracket.

I feel sorry for your kids.

iv never heard of the sport of GAA. Is that Football, Hurling, Handball or even Rounders? That’s like saying the Irish soccer team play the sport of FIFA.

Its a pointless debate , this LOI v EPL fans. Each to their own. I'm a supporter of Shamrock Rovers for 50 years now, got hooked at an early age and never lost the bug. Work with Utd, Everton and pool fans and we discuss each others teams fortunes. I'll watch european and EPL games but find the live experience much better, the atmosphere and watching movement off the ball where the TV focuses on the ball. Rovers will have 1000 fans in Belgium tomorrow when they could stay at home and just watch on TV.

I have no problem with people going to LOI and EPL from Ireland. I have more a problem with Irish EPL followers who sneer at LOI support.

But the truth is Irish Derby and Wolves supporters are outliers. Most support the EPL glamour global teams. It is the lure of a brand for most. It not only happens in Ireland but world wide.

Unfortunately I cannot find the video but a study was done on worldwide EPL based on internet searches. It showed what is obvious worldwide fan base supported the big teams. Interestingly at the time most Man City searches were Manchester based. Man United was across the UK etc.

Fair enough you enjoy it I don’t knock you for it. But it is not a natural organic support, branding of global football concerns has a major impact.

It is more like following Rock Stars around the world for an event, rather than the sport of soccer in its purest community form. Which the LOI is. I was at an English VNL (fifth tier) game and it had the same sense of local community LOI or the GAA has in Ireland.

The EPL lacks that as clubs become more like corporate giants. Just my opinion and experience of it. EPL seems plastic, corporate, manufactured, unrelatable concern. Distant, as they hoover up players from around the world for peanuts or nothing in some cases.

To the detriment of domestic leagues like LOI, Scandinavia etc. And more increasingly the Brasileirao league in Brazil etc. The latter will happen more because of Brexit.

Your problem isn't that you don't like soccer, it is that you think you are above people who like soccer. grow up.

Nope, nobody is a West Brit. People are allowed to like things that originate from a different country.

I don't follow soccer anymore, it is a boring sport and the Premier League is so predictable.

I would never watch Irish soccer either as I have no connection to any club. Why would I drive an hour to watch Derry city when I have zero link with that club? I would feel as much as an outsider at the Brandywell as I did at English grounds. I certainly wouldn't follow any Northern teams either as they have unionist fan bases.

If you go to the airport on a Saturday you will see the group's of loud mouthed men going to watch teams in England and Scotland. It reminds me how I don't belong in that sort of hobby.