Ireland is a pretend football country

Did you smash it · 27-04-2021 2:26pm

The dream is probably a dream but a start would be a 10k stadium at Dalymount.

Strumms · 27-04-2021 2:30pm

simonw wrote: »

If this is in reference to making Dalymount a category 4 stadium, it would be very difficult on the current footprint of the site.
Apart from capacity for fans, a category 4 stadium needs a lot of additional facilities that a cat 3 doesn't. Cat 3 needs min 100 parking spaces, cat 4 needs 150. 600sqm vs 1000sqm reserved for an outside broadcast van. Mixed zone for 50 people is a requirement for cat 4. I'm not sure how flexible these rules are but if you have been to Dalymount you can imagine how difficult some of these requirements would be to meet in the current location

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_stadium_categories#Differences_between_categories

100%, Dalymount will never be cat 4 , it would be redeveloped now as such if it could... it’s a stadium that has limitations...will always have due to its location...

Unfortunately a large noose around its neck is the ‘home of Irish football’ medal... it’s history... but in life you’ll always have traditionalists endeavoring to halt and block progress..I’d prefer if the new home and future of Irish football was better equipped with facilities and comforts and would qualify to hold matches across the entire competition spectrum. Away from Dalymount.

What they could do would be to remove all stands and turn it into a Dublin football academy, a couple of all weather pitches, training facilities, gym, conference etc.

MyLove4Satan · 27-04-2021 2:51pm

Strumms wrote: »

What they could do would be to remove all stands and turn it into a Dublin football academy, a couple of all weather pitches, training facilities, gym, conference etc.

You go to a lot of public meetings and say things like 'I think they should...'

Am I right!

Strumms · 27-04-2021 3:24pm

MyLove4Satan wrote: »

You go to a lot of public meetings and say things like 'I think they should...'

Am I right!

No, you are not right... but seeing as this is boards.ie a forum for you know...discussion and opinion.

Thats my opinion.

Leroy42 · 27-04-2021 3:40pm

MyLove4Satan wrote: »

Irish soccer fans are - with the exception of the League of Ireland supporters - essentially morons who lack irony really.

The League of Ireland is way better than what people think. Clubs likes Dundalk and Rovers can compete in Europe. It's not doomed at all.

It is this sort of attitude, that only 'Real' supporters know best, that drives people away.

You want everyone to pay so you (LOI) can have since stadiums? Given that everyone else are morons, maybe tell us how the LOI are going to pay for it?

Average attendance of 2k a game!! And you want 10k+ stadiums!!

So they can compete in Europe but what, just are too bothered at the moment or something? Maybe they are simply waiting for the right stadium before showing everyone how great it all is?

You may personally think it's great, and good for you, but the vast majority of people don't appear to agree. And that isn't a recent thing, they never have. And there appears nothing the FAI or the clubs are willing to do to help change that.

Did you smash it · 27-04-2021 4:08pm

Leroy42 wrote: »

It is this sort of attitude, that only 'Real' supporters know best, that drives people away.

I think what drives people away is that the LOI just isn’t attractive like the premier league and sky sports.

I don’t think all people supporting the PL are morons at all.

I think people who moan about Irish international teams but provide no financial support to Irish football are, if not morons, lacking self awareness.

Strumms · 27-04-2021 6:06pm

If the facility is better.. the overall product is too...more people want to be there...

Lost Ormond · 27-04-2021 6:08pm

Strumms wrote: »

If the facility is better.. the overall product is too...more people want to be there...

Look at Connacht Rugby for evidence of that. Developing the clan stand, a covered terrace has meant far more people are likely to go to games. Whenever the sportsground redevelopment is done then more people again are likely go to games and return/become regular attendees

breezy1985 · 27-04-2021 6:21pm

Lost Ormond wrote: »

Look at Connacht Rugby for evidence of that. Developing the clan stand, a covered terrace has meant far more people are likely to go to games. Whenever the sportsground redevelopment is done then more people again are likely go to games and return/become regular attendees

Very different situation with rugby where Ireland and it's clubs can be in the elite much easier and people love that kind of thing. Also it proves the opposite of what you are trying to say as the results came first then the fans and then the stadiums with Irish rugby not the other way round

Lost Ormond · 27-04-2021 6:28pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

Very different situation with rugby where Ireland and it's clubs can be in the elite much easier and people love that kind of thing. Also it proves the opposite of what you are trying to say as the results came first then the fans and then the stadiums with Irish rugby not the other way round

The results didnt come first for Connacht. They developed the Clan before the really good results/successes.
The fans and some of stadium developments came before the results..

breezy1985 · 27-04-2021 6:34pm

Lost Ormond wrote: »

The results didnt come first for Connacht. They developed the Clan before the really good results/successes.
The fans and some of stadium developments came before the results..

They qualified for the Heineken Cup before the Clan Stand so the results came first. Same for Munster the stadium came last

Strumms · 28-04-2021 1:07am

MyLove4Satan wrote: »

The answer is simple. Soccer in Ireland is an industry and players and staff get paid. The revenue stream is severely impacted upon by being made up mainly of what GAA and Rugby does not get. But having said that, there is enough money left over for Ireland to have an excellent league.

The main problem is the likes of Irish Everton and other British Club fans in this country posting about 'Community Football is Real Football' in reaction to the European Super League while 'their' team being in a 'community' in another country and the same Irish barstoolers wouldn't cross the street to support the LOI club while going on about how the European Soccer League is killing the game at the community level.

Irish soccer fans are - with the exception of the League of Ireland supporters - essentially morons who lack irony really.

The League of Ireland is way better than what people think. Clubs likes Dundalk and Rovers can compete in Europe. It's not doomed at all.

Dundalk and Rovers can compete in Europe ? Sure, but how competitive They might get the odd decent result but competitiveness is defined over time.

Shamrock Rovers :

Played : 84

Won : 18

Drawn : 17

Lost : 49

scored / conceded : 75/144

Dundalk who were most recently hammered in Slovenia...

Played : 84

Won : 16

Drawn : 19

Lost :49

Scored/conceded : 69/172

They win about 20% of the European games.

Never consistently or routinely successful the odd positive result...yes.

Invest in facilities, great revenue streams, greater product.

Lost Ormond · 28-04-2021 8:22am

breezy1985 wrote: »

They qualified for the Heineken Cup before the Clan Stand so the results came first. Same for Munster the stadium came last

qualified off back of Leinster winning a european title that first time. that first qualification wasnt due to on field results..

Strumms wrote: »

Dundalk and Rovers can compete in Europe ? Sure, but how competitive They might get the odd decent result but competitiveness is defined over time.

Shamrock Rovers :

Played : 84

Won : 18

Drawn : 17

Lost : 49

scored / conceded : 75/144

Dundalk who were most recently hammered in Slovenia...

Played : 84

Won : 16

Drawn : 19

Lost :49

Scored/conceded : 69/172

They win about 20% of the European games.

Never consistently or routinely successful the odd positive result...yes.

Invest in facilities, great revenue streams, greater product.

Thats fairly long term look but if you look at more recent records(like the last 6/7 years) which are only real ones that matter its far better.
Talking about Dundalks record in the 60s/70s/80s is completely irrelevant to their competitiveness in Europe...

Strumms · 28-04-2021 7:11pm

Lost Ormond wrote: »

qualified off back of Leinster winning a european title that first time. that first qualification wasnt due to on field results..

Thats fairly long term look but if you look at more recent records(like the last 6/7 years) which are only real ones that matter its far better.
Talking about Dundalks record in the 60s/70s/80s is completely irrelevant to their competitiveness in Europe...

I’m talking about Dundalk also being hammered in Slovenia, hammered in Bulgaria ..

Look at Dundalk's recent record in Europe? Lost their last 6 games.

Between 1983 and 2003 they played 14 matches, their best result was being able to draw, one match against Budapest Honvéd.

28-04-2021 7:13pm

Strumms wrote: »

I’m talking about Dundalk also being hammered in Slovenia, hammered in Greece..

Look at Dundalk's recent record in Europe? Lost their last 6 games.

Between 1983 and 2003 they played 14 matches, their best result was being able to draw, one match against Budapest Honvéd.

They’re still improving and competing, as people who actually watch the games instead of LiveScore will know. 1983 to 2003 is irrelevant for any team now.

Lost Ormond · 28-04-2021 7:22pm

Strumms wrote: »

I’m talking about Dundalk also being hammered in Slovenia, hammered in Bulgaria ..

Look at Dundalk's recent record in Europe? Lost their last 6 games.

Between 1983 and 2003 they played 14 matches, their best result was being able to draw, one match against Budapest Honvéd.

1983 to 2003 has nothing to do with this team though so why even mention it.
Dundalk can compete in Europe if you look at a relevant time period which is 5/6 years or even a decade.
They were hammered in those games but talking about 83 - 03 is pointless as there is so much different between Dundalk then and now....

breezy1985 · 28-04-2021 7:34pm

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

They’re still improving and competing, as people who actually watch the games instead of LiveScore will know. 1983 to 2003 is irrelevant for any team now.

Also I like how he looks down on Honved. A team from a city way bigger than Dundalk with a massive history behind them

Leroy42 · 28-04-2021 9:05pm

Ah, come on now. Are we seriously arguing that LOI teams are competing in Europe?

trashcan · 28-04-2021 9:18pm

Leroy42 wrote: »

Ah, come on now. Are we seriously arguing that LOI teams are competing in Europe?

Depends what you mean by competing. If you are expecting Dundalk to be competing with clubs like Arsenal, then no. Even small clubs are light years ahead in terms of facilities and spending power. But Dundalk (twice) and Rovers have both made European group stages in the last few years, and there have been other decent results dotted around the place. There has been progress, but without serious investment it’s always going to be difficult for our teams.

Strumms · 28-04-2021 9:29pm

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

They’re still improving and competing, as people who actually watch the games instead of LiveScore will know. 1983 to 2003 is irrelevant for any team now.

Competitive and competing are two different things.

Breezin · 29-04-2021 1:59pm

Strumms wrote: »

Competitive and competing are two different things.

You seem to want to consume success. Are you from Qatar?

BalcombeSt4 · 03-05-2021 1:51am

Another issue is the GAA.

Maybe I'm wrong, but football seems to be played more in big urban cities & towns, and hurling & GAA in urban areas, at least in general, obviously Dublin have a top GAA side.
I remember visiting relatives in Louth during a huge qualifying match for Euro 2000 between Ireland & Macedonia and a win would have been enough to qualify, I was the only person in the pub watching this massive game & nobody else gave a ****t, we were winning 1-0 until Macedonia scored in the last minute & I let out a loud "Ah FFS" and a barmaid came over & asked me to keep the noise down, hurling & GAA took priority far, far over football & the same was true in other places with relatives I visited in Galway, Monaghan, Armagh & Wexford.

chosen1 · 03-05-2021 11:08am

BalcombeSt4 wrote: »

Another issue is the GAA.

Maybe I'm wrong, but football seems to be played more in big urban cities & towns, and hurling & GAA in urban areas, at least in general, obviously Dublin have a top GAA side.
I remember visiting relatives in Louth during a huge qualifying match for Euro 2000 between Ireland & Macedonia and a win would have been enough to qualify, I was the only person in the pub watching this massive game & nobody else gave a ****t, we were winning 1-0 until Macedonia scored in the last minute & I let out a loud "Ah FFS" and a barmaid came over & asked me to keep the noise down, hurling & GAA took priority far, far over football & the same was true in other places with relatives I visited in Galway, Monaghan, Armagh & Wexford.

My experience of it is that it tends to be a class thing in the mix along with tradition when it comes to popularity of sports.

You'd have very urban areas in cities and large towns where a large proportion of people will mainly get involved in GAA. Many of these are middle class areas. There are also pockets where Rugby will out do other sports in terms of membership and participation and the bulk of these with a small number of exceptions in Limerick will be on the upper end of the socio-economic ladder.

Towns that were garrison towns in colonial times and have majority working class people, tend to be majority soccer following and there are towns such as my own huge amounts of soccer teams and participation way out numbers the local GAA team. We also have a LOI team, although this doesn't always transfer to good attendances unless the team are doing particularly well or get a good cup run.

There are several similar sized towns and bigger within 50km of the town and these wouldn't have near the popularity of soccer and GAA teams generally tend to pull better for membership and participation.

costacorta · 04-05-2021 7:24pm

RIP Alan McLaughlin he will always be in my memory for that famous goal v NI in one of the worse atmospheres I’ve ever witnessed at a football game between two teams from the same Island. Taken too young at age of 54 ..

landofthetree · 31-05-2022 10:31am

RTE were practically in tears when Madrid won on Sat.

Great to see the PL exposed for the overhyped league that it us.

Allinall · 31-05-2022 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138579#Comment_119138579

Yep.

Same goes for Irish rugby.

Bobblehats · 31-05-2022 10:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138622#Comment_119138622

Happens time and again how can they look so unbeatable yet fall at the final(s) hurdle. Don’t know many sports where you can concede three without reply yet still nearly win, did they even threaten a try?

EmmetSpiceland · 31-05-2022 10:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138579#Comment_119138579

You mean Virgin, right? Not sure what game you were watching but, as a neutral, it was a very cagey “performance” by the Spanish. 20-odd shots to 3 bears that out.

Was strange seeing so many Man United “fans” out in public, good result for them but I doubt we’ll be seeing much of them once the new season kicks off.

landofthetree · 31-05-2022 10:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138657#Comment_119138657

No RTE had the final this year.

Why do so many in Ireland support Man utd and Liverpool?

Seems to me they are gloryhunters.

Bobblehats · 31-05-2022 11:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138720#Comment_119138720

well when I was a boy the most successful Irish side featured what seemed half of the feckin liverpool team, I remember that much..

~ wasn’t it coincidentally the most successful liverpool team as well? Europe not permitting but “puhlenty” reason, from my era ..

EmmetSpiceland · 31-05-2022 11:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138720#Comment_119138720

You’re right, they did. Apologies.

Yeah, unless you had family influence 80s kids would support Liverpool and 90s ones support United. Of course, an awful lot of 80s kids “jumped ship” when United started winning. I remember one lad backing Aston Villa, thinking they’d be the next big thing but that never happened.

Spare a thought for the 70s kids, with family influence, who had to endure their team going from the top of the league down to the third tier. Back now up, thankfully, and holding on by the skin of their teeth.

To be fair to the Liverpool fans still around today, they stuck with their side and are getting rewarded for their loyalty. Hard to find any United fans around these days, though. Ironic that it took a Liverpool match to get them back for one day.

A lot of the ex-United fans now claim to only follow League of Ireland soccer, Rovers and Bohs mostly. They claim that the English premier league is no longer about the fans, live football is “purer” and that they want to support local.

While I think it’s great that LoI attendances have increased I do fear for it, in the long term, because if United stop being so bad and start winning again these fickle “supporters” will simply dust off their old United jersey, stretch it over their protruding guts and be back down the pub roaring at the television screen like they never left.

Bobblehats · 31-05-2022 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138806#Comment_119138806

I had that LOI phase “in between seasons” until it dawned on me it was going to be random club with a flush of fortune once in a while and Tallaght City every other season.

But of course the wonderful thing about LOI is you have to remember it’s on; so not too bothered…

landofthetree · 31-05-2022 4:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138806#Comment_119138806

All plastic fans. Its glorious to see City taking over. Hopefully Newcastle will win a load as well. Nothing worse than an Irish fan going on about British teams.

Greyfox · 31-05-2022 5:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140390#Comment_119140390

Anybody who uses the word plastic does not understand football. The teams Irish people support is none of your business

Strumms · 31-05-2022 6:16pm

I think to be honest.. clubs here need to forego this sentimental bs and stop waiting for a government to give them a dig out... because that ain't going to happen....this pandemic and the Ukraine situation show exactly that when the politicians here want to do... they can do..

Shels and Bohs should have got the fùck out of their respective stadia and just build a brand new 12,000 state of the art all seater up by the airport D11 or D17 where there is a lot of land..

A properly state of the art stadium, all weather pitch, modern comforts, features, corporate facilities... that transport links can be adapted to serve...

During the week corporate facilities can be rented for corporate events... entertainment.. training courses, charity events etc

landofthetree · 25-01-2023 10:23am

https://mobile.twitter.com/BlogIrish/status/1617848756711612417

Hitting the nail on the head.

Donald Trump · 25-01-2023 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138657#Comment_119138657

You mean Virgin, right?

That's not really nice. That poster might not be mean. They are possibly just frustrated due to their virgin status. Still, you shouldn't be targeting them for it online

pgj2015 · 25-01-2023 11:11pm

He is 100% correct, the Scouser. I was chatting an Irish guy today, loves the premier league, but never even heard of Evan Ferguson. most Irish soccer fans are actually the worst fans in the world and they hate LOI fans when its themselves who are the problem.

eggy81 · 25-01-2023 11:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120158477#Comment_120158477

That’s one weird scouse accent

Greyfox · 26-01-2023 6:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120158477#Comment_120158477

Nothing wrong with that, Evan is still a kid, lots of potential but not a great player yet. Irish football fans are great, they just prefer watching a higher standard of football. They also understand that an English club is not the same thing as England the country

pgj2015 · 26-01-2023 7:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120161785#Comment_120161785

They aren't great at all, as that guy said if they spent their money in Ireland on LOI teams we would have a better league, simple as that.

Not having a LOI team close by is no excuse either.

Greyfox · 26-01-2023 7:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120161822#Comment_120161822

They are great. People should try to follow a LOI team as well as its a good league but you can't force people to feel a connection to a LOI team. It's not Irish peoples fault that skys marketing machine was so good.

trashcan · 26-01-2023 9:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120161965#Comment_120161965

People were following English teams long before Sky came along. I did it myself as a kid in the 70’s and 80’s. Then I realised, Man City have actually nothing to do with me. Best thing I ever did was starting going to Richmond Park regularly. Yeah, the English Premier league is a higher standard, I still watch it sometimes, but so what ? If it’s about the standard why do people support the Irish football team ? Many better teams out there.

Thelonious Monk · 26-01-2023 9:35pm

Lots of our fans travel when we qualify for something but it's the same for other small countries too these days, Scotland, Croatia, etc. Difference is their fans support their own league too. I was at Selhurst Park last Saturday, Palace V Newcastle, fans are just fantastic, great old ground. I really wish we had anything even close to that in Ireland, I did used to go to a few Bohs games a season but still they haven't made any progress at Dalymount, it's so depressing.

Greyfox · 26-01-2023 10:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120162403#Comment_120162403

Grand that you feel that way, but some people feel an emotional connection to the English club they follow, nothing wrong with that as it brings them happiness. I agree that going to Richmond park and pints afterwards would be fun. People watch Ireland play as its their country even though the football standard is terrible.

26-01-2023 10:13pm

I don't get the opening post/thread title. The standard of soccer here is very poor, the FAI funnel feck all money into it... therefore it doesn't exist?

Did you smash it · 26-01-2023 10:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120162674#Comment_120162674

It’s more a comment that Ireland thinks of itself as a football mad country, yet compared internationally is one of the weakest football countries you will find.

Some examples-

almost no clubs own their own ground or training facilities.

apart from shamrock rovers ground there hasn’t been a new remotely major ground built in Ireland since …. God knows when. Any guesses? This is incredibly weird and is actually the same or even worst in GAA but in Ireland it isn’t even remarked upon.

Ireland almost never has any uefa qualified referees- again never talked about but very weird.

Ireland doesn’t have an international futsal team. Incredibly weird, fcuking Greenland has an international futsal team.

its a country that pours multiples upon multiples of money into foreign leagues and foreign tv broadcast rights holders, than what Irish people spend on their own league. I doubt there is another country on Earth that does this to the level Ireland does.

ah I could go on but I think saying we are a pretend football country is fair comment

cj maxx · 26-01-2023 10:55pm

Outside of Dublin and a few towns, soccer is irrelevant in Ireland. When you get 3/4 thousands at a soccer game and 30/40 thousands at a championship game it tells the story.

Strumms · 27-01-2023 4:00am

Out of the 10 teams in the LOI Premier division….

9 are in the Republic.

why not invest say several million a year, say 2 clubs per year, capital stadium facility grants that would enable state of the art small stadiums to be built that would hold around 10,000 spectators.

give people a place to go, enjoy in comfort.

4G pitches, LED floodlights, bars.

for years the GAA have been creaming it, in terms of being in receipt of taxpayers money…horse racing too.

sports like soccer, swimming, Tennis, Cricket, Golf, get a minute investment in comparison. Look how long we had to wait in this country to get our first 50 meter pool. Look at the absolute state of some of our LOI grounds.

Certain larger counties get annually pretty much a six figure grant by taxpayers…

So, can we just get a few million, get domestic football on the map ?

Atlantic Dawn · 27-01-2023 4:09am

Apparently the national kit will be supplied by Castore from the France game on, I had assumed by rumours it was to be Adidas and back to greatness. I'd actually prefer Dunnes Stores resurrected the St Bernard brand for it than to be the first national team to wear that utter trash.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castore

Ireland is a pretend football country

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