Irish people supporting English teams
Posted by Cathal Breathnach on April 18, 2010 | 53 Comments
Ask 100 Irish people what football team they support and chances are, 99 of them will say they support an English team. Ask those 99 people who they want to win the World Cup this summer and chances are, 98 of them will say something along the lines of : “I just hope England don’t fuckin’ win it.”
It is one thing I have never understood as someone who goes to watch his favourite team, Bohs, play every Friday night. Why barstoolers, as they are more commonly known, “support” an English team week in week out, yet when it comes to the English national team, all they want to do is see them fail.
An Irish Manchester United “fan” would simply adore a player like Wayne Rooney every weekend by wearing their replica jerseys with “Rooney 10″ on the back, however when it comes to Rooney lining up in the white of England, they want to see him lose.
It is a sad fact of life that as thousands upon thousands of “football fans” in Ireland sit in the pub every Saturday afternoon to “support” their favourite team from behind a TV screen, the majority of League of Ireland clubs continue to struggle to attract more than 3,000 people to a game every Friday night.
The majority of barstoolers will blame the quality of the league as the reason why they don’t bother spending €15 to go and actually watch a game of football. “Ah, I watched a game on the telly last week and it was shite” is something I hear quite a lot. These people think they know everything about the club they “support” from behind a TV screen. They refer to the likes of Liverpool as “we” and they go on talking about why Rafa has to be sacked for weeks on end.
The large majority of Irish people have absolutely no connection with the English club they “support” and yet they still refer to the English club as “we”. It really does sicken me when I scroll down through FaceBook on a Saturday evening looking at my friends status updates and I’ll I can see is : “Rooney, you absolute legend” or “Come on Liverpool, we have these pricks.”
I have no problem with an Irish person having a favourite English team but the thing that really gets to me is the fact they simply can’t be bothered getting of their arse on a Friday night to go and support our domestic league. I don’t understand how they call themselves football fans when the only time they ever actually watch a game of football is on the telly.
Barstoolers will never feel what a proper football fan feels. They will go over to Old Trafford or Anfield once a season and think they are great because they travelled so far to support their club but in actual fact they are just customers.
They will never feel the heartache of a real fan when his side concede in the last minute to be knocked out of the cup. They will never feel the jubilation of a real fan as he runs onto the pitch to celebrate with his heroes after his side have just won the league.
Even as a Bohs fan, I have far more respect for a Shamrock Rovers fan than I do for a barstooler.
The League of Ireland will survive for the simple reason that some people in this country actually enjoy going to watch live football and not just sit in a bar or sit at home, pretending to be a real fan.
Feel free to leave your comments below.
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53 Responses to “Irish people supporting English teams”
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April 18th, 2010 @ 4:32 PM
Sorry mate I have to say this is complete bullshit. I’m a HUGE Manchester United fan and I’m from Wales. I really struggle to get the cash to travell to Manchester and see the matchs. I know your a City fan from previous posts and reckon your just being bitter again like we have seen before. As for the fans who support United it’s very clear to see why, there in the best league in the world, with the best players in the world who millions of fans idolise, millions of children aspire to be. I have never heard or read anything about the Irish league apart from on this site. As a child we choose who we want to support based on family and friends, most never change, and I’m sure your BOHS getting knocked out of the cup feels the same I not less painful as watching United get belted around the pitch by barca in last years champions league final. I have said this before on this site, leave your personal feelings out of your business. Thank you.
COME ON UNITED
L.U.G.H
April 18th, 2010 @ 4:51 PM
Can`t argue with that it`s 100 per cent spot on great write up.Keep it up Cathal I`m not sure about the respect for shamrock though!!
April 18th, 2010 @ 4:54 PM
L.U.H.G*
major typo lad, on my blackberry
April 18th, 2010 @ 4:57 PM
Am I a barstooler? – Do you ever go to watch any games in the Welsh league?
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:17 PM
Are You a Barstooler?
Yes, amongst other things. You’re also a Sky-fed, glory-hunting, lazy fool with extremely limited horizons and no mind of your own when it comes to football. A total consumer and not a supporter.
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:18 PM
“A total consumer and not a supporter.”
How is that mate?
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:24 PM
Good article and I agree with what you said.
But you might of mentioned the players who played in Ireland who went abroad andd if people came to the matches we could keep them here.
Brian Murphy
Gary Deegan
Keith Fahey
Dom Foley
Stephan Ward
Darryl Murphy
Kevin Doyle
Shane Long
Roy O’Donovan
I’m sure there’s loads more but I’m not arsed namin them
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:26 PM
Cheers BOHTOX!
Yeh, it is amazing to think that all them quality players could still be playing in our league if Irish people weren’t so lazy.
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:45 PM
Cathal, I do. I’m from Bangor and support Bangor city every week, were a decent side for compaired to some teams in the league but nothing special. I support Manchester United more though. I appreciate the quality more and most of my friends support Premiership clubs so it’s better for the cobber, and I can’t help how I feel in a way lad. As for you Phil you fucking idiot none of that makes sense, if by sky-fed you needs I repeat the views of analysists and commentators I clearly don’t because it’s never been addressed on sky. And lazy? I’m attuly the opposite. If I was lazy I wouldn’t bother with a cocker-knocker like you.
I’m staying in Dublin at the moment Cathal in the Airport, when are the next string of fixtures I might have a gallop down and see how this league is myself, I have a few lads over here who could sort me out with transport etc?
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:48 PM
Sorry for the typos again, il try get on to a P.C.
April 18th, 2010 @ 5:53 PM
Am I a Barstooler? – I think Phil may be directing his argument at me? Not sure though! haha
I really respect the fact that you go to watch a locacl side, Bangor, every week. As I mentioned in the article, I don’t have a problem with people supporting an English team but it’s just the fact that most people who do support an English team usually don’t bother going to watch football in their own area.
Well there is a game on Thursday in Dublin between UCD and Sporting Fingal. Bohs are playing away to Dundalk on Friday which is the biggest game of next week without a doubt.
How long you staying in Dublin for?
April 18th, 2010 @ 6:25 PM
Oh sorry Phil, you weren’t addressing me! haha
April 18th, 2010 @ 8:03 PM
Great article Cathal, sums up the twats that support United, Chelsea ETC in Ireland. They will never feel what its like when “their” club loses or goes out of the cup. You come along and get the typical prick who has United tattoos all over his body and has probably only ever watched them play once AND then he is one of the lads who will be shouting “Brits out” or some shite like that. Disgraceful. Once again, class article, fair play.
April 18th, 2010 @ 11:47 PM
Good article. Used to be way more into English football growing up until I got sick of paying hundreds to watch one game. Gave Bohs a chance a few years ago, and love it to bits ever since. You feel way more part of it, the passion is die-hard, the football is of a far higher standard than people give it credit for, and at the end of the day it’s better bang for your buck. I wouldn’t be too scathing of your average barstooler, it’s just ignorance. The LOI need to promote the league more, and then more people will see the light. Watching football on a TV 95% of the season is just not what true football is about.
April 19th, 2010 @ 8:20 AM
As someone who follows the LOI, this article is a complete load of tosh. You are trying to make a point but not making sense in doing so. The vast majority of football fans in Ireland are undeniably clueless,gloryhunting ****wits but it’s a load of crap to be tarring all of us with the same brush.
I am a Wexford Youths man as well as being a Liverpool supporter as long as I can remember I suppose anyone who does follow their local team and the likes of Liverpool are Barstoolers?
Come down off that high horse, if you actually were clued into some of the stuff I know personally that members of IrishKop do for LFC charities etc…you would clearly see that there is a lot more than just the jester hat brigade that are in Ireland among the Premier League supporting masses.
April 19th, 2010 @ 8:57 AM
I have said this before on this site, leave your personal feelings out of your business. Thank you.
April 19th, 2010 @ 9:58 AM
So if someone can’t afford to go to a game they are socially classed as a Barstooler? get a grip. You inject money into the club you support by just buying the official merchandise.
What about the Welsh and Scottish fans that support English teams – do you think they want to see England win the world cup?
What a complete and utter waste of time – a; you writing this piece and b; me reading it.
April 19th, 2010 @ 10:05 AM
BOHTOX
You’ll find most of those players were sold on because the club needed cash or they had a buy our clause – the likes of Doyle had a buyou clause.
In fairness – if you asked Doyle, long or Roy O’Donovan if they wanted to stay or go – their answer would be to go to the bigger challange.
April 19th, 2010 @ 1:03 PM
“leave your personal feelings out of your business.”
I write a blog which is all about opinion and feelings so don’t you dare tell me what to do.
Cheers
April 19th, 2010 @ 2:57 PM
You’ll find most of those players were sold on because the club needed cash or they had a buy our clause – the likes of Doyle had a buyou clause.
April 19th, 2010 @ 4:06 PM
Barstoolers are wankers full stop. If you can’t afford to follow UTD dont support them.
My question is, why most follow a top 4 club. Why is there no Wigan, Burnley, Hull or Fulham fans. Because there is no buzz with them. Therir never on the telly and they’ll never win a league. Where are all the Irish Leeds fans gone now that they play in League 1 and while I’m at it, where are all the Sunderland fans gone????
Wankers, get down and support your local team ffs
April 20th, 2010 @ 1:08 PM
They know that English teams are the best football players.
April 20th, 2010 @ 3:04 PM
You have some valid points in the article, I support my local team where I live now, well by support I mean I pay in to go and watch the football,. I used to live in Dublin and support Bohs, my local club, and I grew up a Liverpool fan in a man it’d and mitts forest supporting family, strange I know, but we have family ties all over,. My dad laid down the facts of all the clubs, and I chose myself when I was younger, I asked about the clubs history, and was captivated by that of LFC, now I get over to at least 10 game a season at home, and a few aways in both the league and Europe, but I watch the most of my games on the couch or from a bar stool, but I’m far from a barstooler, I’m a paid up member of SOS and get involved in all sorts of LFC and HJC fundraisers and charities and am passionate for the cause,. Hillsborougj was a genuinely upsetting time for all LFC, and trust me I know what it’s like to lose a game in the dying seconds, and to win a cup in dramatic fashion like all you so called real fans. Like where do yoh all get off calling us barstoolers and you all being the real fans because you go to bohs games? So do I, but I don’t brag about it, I also play at a decent amateur level, and coach a under 9s team so I know what it’s like to win and lose at all the spectrums of the sport,. So I’m urging all you ‘real’ fans the get down off your fucking ‘stool’,.
April 20th, 2010 @ 6:52 PM
Awwww would ya fuck off!
April 21st, 2010 @ 9:06 AM
I dont think that there is no problem in supporting a good playing football team like English team.
April 21st, 2010 @ 8:55 PM
So why do you support Everton?
April 21st, 2010 @ 11:01 PM
Am I a Barstooler – No you are not if you do infact go to Bangor matches like you say you do – What Cathal is on about here is people who only support a team from behind a TV screen. IMO there is nothing wrong with supporting a team from a distance or from behind a TV screen as long as you’re going to matches, be it of any standard week in week out. I’m a firm believer that if you go to matches with an open mind you’ll enjoy and eventually get hooked. Used to be a Man U fan myself, went to a few League of Ireland matches and now I’m hooked – United would still be my ‘foreign’ team but I’m not nearly as much as an avid follower of them as I would have been, and I genuinely enjoy football more now.
April 22nd, 2010 @ 1:48 PM
@Am I barstooler? Er, best league in the world? How many EPL teams are in the CL semi finals? The fact you buy into this myth backs up Phil’s point.
I’ve no problem with someone following the fortunes of a foreign side. I have a very, very weak allegiance to Everton but I’d rather travel to a game in Spain or France if truth be told and really don’t get too bothered who wins what in the other leagues as long as it’s not Liverpool, Real Madrid or Lazio (fat chance). Basically, I’ll watch out for the scores of teams abroad I’ve been to see – Everton, Barca, Palace, Brentford, Valencia, Marseille.
Above all though I don’t get you putting Manure before Bangor (come on Rhyll
)as they are the team you go to watch week in week out with your mates (presuming you have some 
).
All in all yer just another brick in the wall.
April 23rd, 2010 @ 9:13 AM
Ah now… leave Everton alone, they are a very good footballing side, with a limited budget and probably the 2nd best manager in the Premiership.. who incidentally is laughing off stories linking him with the Utd job.
BTW, well done on the Karl Sheppard interview. Though he gave us the run around on Fri, very smart footballer. Possible future target for the Big Club… Dubliner and all
April 25th, 2010 @ 4:01 PM
What a load of rubbish. You just come across as being another LOI fan with a chip on his shoulder.
Slagging off ’99 out of 100′ football fans is doing your agenda no good. Why would Premier League fans want to go see Bohs, Rovers or whoever if they’re just going to be met with an attitude like yours?
Articles like this do the league more harm than good.
April 25th, 2010 @ 4:28 PM
Let me start by saying I’m an Aston Villa since the age of 5 and I’m from Dublin – so I guess I qualify as a ‘barstooler’. This article is just a regurgitation of every militent LOI fan who I’ve encountered in my life. If I had a cent for everytime I heard someone say to me ‘You don’t know what its like to…. blah blah blah’, I’d be a rich man.
The question is, why should I magically form an allegiance to an LOI team? Because of geographical location? IMO, that is not enough reason to support a team. I’ve been to a few St Pats games and while I’ve had a good time, I never felt obliged to suddenly start supporting them.
Also, us ‘barstoolers’ as you refer to us as take a lot of flack from LOI fans. Why should we sit side by side yith you’s, when you’ve been calling us ‘barstoolers’ ‘daytrippers’ and as someone above so nicley referred to us as ‘wankers’? Call me over sensetive if you will, but I’m not suddenly going to start supporting an LOI team when the likes of that poster cuig is calling me a wanker.
Articles like this only serve to alienate non LOI fans further.
April 25th, 2010 @ 5:45 PM
What connection have you to Aston Villa Barry? I have a massive connection to Manchester United and I don’t “support” them for the simple reason that I wouldn’t feel like a proper supporter. How could I feel like a proper supporter if all I do is watch them from behind a TV screen?
How many Manchester City games do you go to Neil? I go to quite a few and to tell you the truth, although it’s a good laugh going over for the day, it feels nothing like going to a Bohs game where I feel a part of something.
April 25th, 2010 @ 8:37 PM
I think you’ve made some fair points in your blog/rant. There are many fans
of English clubs based in Ireland who have never been to nor have any
intention of supporting a League of Ireland team. But are we the only ones?
The Premier league is broadcast to over 200 countries with millions
upon millions of fans supporting “their” team. So the attraction is
undeniable, not just to the fans but to the players also. It has become
an entertainment machine.
The Irish leagues cannot compete with the Premier league in an entertainment
sense, although many would argue that point, but it’s true. So we’re seen
as a feeder for the big leagues. The same as with the majority of football
leagues around the world. Personally I think think it’s a testament to the
Irish clubs that they can produce quality players for the Premier league.
Although if you go to the wikipedia page for list of foreign players that
have played in the Premier League, Ireland is not considered a foreign country
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_Premier_League_players
Make of that what you will.
Grass roots football is essential to keep our leagues alive, and the more
people that support it the better, but you cannot deny people their
entertainment, which is all these “barstoolers” want.
April 26th, 2010 @ 3:03 AM
low brow, uninformed, shallow, hatefull, failure to understand the world/people, amateur
those are a few of the words id use to describe this “article”
April 26th, 2010 @ 12:01 PM
For what its worth, I agree totally.
And I’m pretty much a barstooler myself.
I have tried to get the lads to go to Bray matches but they won’t.
Not arsed going by myself, so I continue shouting irrelevantly at Liverpool on the tv in a vague effort to make English football more interesting for myself.
Its also getting harder to do though. Because premiership football is quite often a pile of wank….Or maybe its just Liverpool….I dunno.
April 26th, 2010 @ 12:53 PM
Poorly composed drivel.
It is noteworthy that they author supports a team which has relied on FAI bailouts, and early payments of prize money to keep itself afloat. Bohemians should have suffered the same fate as Shelbourne, Cork City, and Derry City. However, they have been kept afloat artificially, and are a drain on the resources of the National League
The fallacy in the author’s contention is that English Football does not impact on the lives of Irish people in any notweorthy way. If one looks at the EPL, it is awash with Irish players, and the majority of the National 11 ply their trade in England’s top flight. Irish players also frequent the lower leages, with several Irish players in the shake up for personal accolade from the English FA. Equally, there are vast numbers of young and talented Irish players who are seeking to make their way in the UK. Failure to do so will see them return to the Irish League, with experience of rigorous training schemes, increased fitness, personal development, and greater maturity. Rermember, players like Dessie Baker, Glen Crowe, and Paul Keegan all enjoy the benefit of developing their skills in the UK, while the likes of Jason Byrne, Eamonn Zyead etc all enjoyed spells in the UK. Furthermore, the likes of Richie Foran, Shane Long, Stephan Hunt, Kevin Doyle, Keith Fahey, Wes Houlihan and Roy O Donovan show what can be achieved once they break the stigma of being at a National League Club. The incentive is to get a move to England, and dont fool yourself that ANY National League player wouldnt jump at the chance of a spell in the highest divisions of England and Scotland. Without the Premiership and the football league, I believe our players would be worse off.
I would also like to know what the author feels about the Irish National Team ? Are we unpatriotic for supporting a team comprised of players from Man Utd, Man City, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Fulham and Hull City ? By his logic, the only way Irish “Fans” can feel at one with their team is if the team is composed of players from Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, Sligo Rovers, and St Pats Athletic.
It is also possible that they have reasons for supporting their particular club, be it sentimenal ones, family ones, or historical ones. Fans must be entitled to support their club by whatever means they see fit. Some people save quite a bit of money to go to England to watch their team play, and while there they may just happen to see the likes of Darren Gibson and John O Shea.
What has been composed, and the positive responses to the piece are nothing more then pious nonsense. The National League has taken many fans for a ride. I was a consistent attendee at Tolka Park between 1995-2002. The League was developing at a nice pace, and should have been looking at a period of Champions League Football right about now. Instead, the cart was put before the horse, and clubs started acting like they were the Irish version of Manchester United. When Shelbourne were enjoing their success in 2004, the club was spending itself into oblivion. Having erected a new stand in May 2000, the management went on a spending splurge which couldnt be sustained. The signature of Crowe, Ryan and Hawkins from Bohs was the last straw. The same thing has happened to Cork City, and Derry City, and with all things being equal, the same fate should have befallen Bohemians FC.
Several clubs have already gone to the wall, and have been replaced by the “Libertas” of Irish Football, i.e. Sporting Fingal. Sporting Fingal have no tradition, no natural fanbase (save for those crazy isolationists in the Fingal area), and no real raison d’etre. Essentially, they are an astroturf movement, with their roots in the latter days of Celtic Tiger Ireland. In fact, this is amplified by the fact that the “Anglo-Irish Bank” logo adorns the sleave of their jersey. Why would somebody support Sporting Fingal ? I certainly will not ask questions of their fans, or criticize their dedication to the cause, however, the fact reamins that they are a commodification of Irish Football, and their existence owes gratitude to money, rather then tradition.
The contentions of the author have been around for years. However, they are based on a weak premise. He omits to mention that the English Leagues are riddled with Irish Players. Last weekend I popped over to West Ham to see my team play Wigan. I manged to see young James McCarthy up close as he played for Wigan, and the PA also mentioned the release of Terry Dixon, who had been given a second chance by West Ham United to prove his fitness and fight for a place in the team. If Dixon plays any football in the National League, his quality will be down to his pupilage at Spurs, and his extensive rehabilitation at West Ham. It will have little or nothing to do with the National League itself.
The Irish League had its chance ten years ago. Teams like Bohs, Shels, Cork City and UCD were on the way up, and were competing in Europe and were attracting large crowds. I fell out with the National League in late 2003 as I saw the writing on the wall. Things needed to be taken slower, and a graduated process needed to be undertaken. Instead, the head honchoes thought they knew best and took a sledge hammer to the league. As a result, I felt cheated by a league, and a team which I invested thousands of pounds/euros into supporting. This doesnt make me a “fair weather fan”. I was not there when Shelbourne were playing HaJuk Split, Deportivo, or Lille. However, I was there when Bohs played Kaiserslautern and Aberdeen. I was wearing my Shelboune jersey, and supporting Bohs.
The league must get back to it’s roots and start rebuilding. It also requires the league to regain the trust of the fans. Until then the league will always looks second rate, and those who seek out a “packaged product” will turn their back on it, and pay deference to the EPL or Coca Cola Championship.
Finally, I would criticise anybody who thinks they are a better football fan, because they attend a team’s games, or support a team within close geographical proximity to them. If sobody identifies themselves with a particular team, then we should let them, and not criticise their choice on the basis that their team is geographically further away, or they only attend two games a season.
April 26th, 2010 @ 1:08 PM
“The fallacy in the author’s contention is that English Football does not impact on the lives of Irish people in any notweorthy way.”
English obviously does impact on the lives of Irish people. It had an impact on my life in some way giving the fact my grand uncle, Liam Whelan, played for Manchester United for several years and was considered by many as one of Ireland’s brightest prospects.
I have said it several times now that I have no problem with people having their English team but I just don’t appreciate the fact that we live in such a football-hungry country and OUR domestic league remains in a shocking state.
April 26th, 2010 @ 1:18 PM
The question remains, why is it in a shocking state ?
The FAI failed to promote the League between 1997-2002 when many die-hards would have come on board. Cult figures like Avery John, Mark Rutherford, Vinny Arkins, the Baker boys, Paul Osam, Eddie Gormley, Alan Gough, Stephen Geogeghan, Trevor Molloy, Tony Sheridan, Peter Hutton and Noel Hartigan should have been promoted to the hilt. The league failed to do so, and sat back and waited until clubs like Shelbourne and Cork City spent themselves into oblivion in an attempt to garner success.
I would maintain that the league had a real opportunity in those days to reach into communities, and attrach fans. Instead, we are now expected to follow astroturf movements like Sporting Fingal, and clubs with little or no infrastructure like Mervue United, and Salthill Devon. The attraction is not there, and the decision to wait until clubs became successful in Europe to attract support was the FAI’s decision to apply English logic to garner success for the National League.
April 26th, 2010 @ 1:40 PM
Cathal,
I don’t currently live in Ireland so haven’t been to a City game in quite a while, though on my last trip back I did travel to Denmark for a European game as it was the only game on at the time.
On the same trip I also took in Shelbourne v Phoenix Rovers in a preseason friendly in Ashtown because, again, it was the only game on while I was home.
The point I’m trying to make is that the key is balance between the two leagues. The LOI will never come out on top overall so co-existence is the best you can hope.
Alienating Premier League fans is not a great start though.
Cheers for the reply.
April 30th, 2010 @ 5:30 PM
theres nothing wrong with supporting an english team, for the first 4 years of my life i lived a 15 minute walk from the stadium of the best team in Englands midlands Aston Villa. that is part of my identity and im proud of it.
Sure there are some barstool fans of English football, but many do so because the quality of football is simply better, you cannot claim to be a real football fan unless you appreciate the talent of players like Messi, Gerrard and Rooney. To restrict your football support to domestic clubs only is to turn your back on the game which is a worldwide past time.
You can be a fan of an English, Spanish or Italian team and a fan of an Airtricity league team at the same time, its not a case of one vs the other.
May 28th, 2010 @ 1:59 AM
I can just say its a little bit a similar situation between (german-) Switzerland and Germany… Probably often with big countrys and theyre smaller neighbors, that have same or similar language….
June 3rd, 2010 @ 4:15 PM
AS a young lad brought up in the 80′s i seen the Irish team was full of players playing for english teams and actually many of them were english with irish grandparents.
No being surrounded in that environment and having all your mates included in this environment you must be able to see why i dont look at this irish league.
and don’t refer to people that support foreign teams as bar stoolers. many of us save up hard just to cross the water. we may not be lucky to see our team in action every week but its better to see the team you love once in a year.
im sure you are a bar stooler as well. You be there though talking about irish supporting english teams at the bar and people be trying to get away from you and agreeing just to make you feel happy. Listen up sunshine.. get over yourself. if irish people want to support an english club than let them off.. don’t worry to much about the past, worry about the future.. look how to attract the young crowd in. come from the oppisite angle and lower your bitching tone.
July 6th, 2010 @ 12:12 AM
I agree wit this post 100%
A lot of my friends “support” united and say they are the best, but when Germany scored against England they were delighted because they hate England ! Just dosnt make any sense whatsoever
I myself am a shels fan and have been to nearly evry home match this season
And how can people say they don’t go to the LOI because it’s “crap” when they can’t be bothered to get off there arse’s and go to it to try it out !
July 23rd, 2010 @ 12:14 PM
It’s all aload of crap. English league’s, spainish leagues, all leagues the world over will have players from other countries playing on it. That’s what makes it entertaining. That’s why clubs have huge support. Players leaving Ireland to play in England fair play to you. It’s not being anti republican or saying f you to Ireland and it’s league. As a player you’d love to play top football and I’m afraid that kind of football doesn’t exist in Ireland. We have teams that are absolute rubbish. Players running around out of position playing scrappy school boy stuff, it’s horrible to watch. Then you only have die hard fans ( old people ) and when youngsters follow it with passion it’s for false reasons, to act like hooligans. The Irish league is an absolute joke, so your article is absolute bollox.And just because you go to every poxy game doesn’t mean you are a superior football fan.
July 25th, 2010 @ 11:51 PM
“Then you only have die hard fans ( old people ) and when youngsters follow it with passion it’s for false reasons, to act like hooligans.”
Young people don’t support an Irish team to act like hooligans, it’s cause they like to support a football team you idiot. They enjoy going to see live football so instead of pretending to be a football fan by watching the tv every weekend, they go with a group of mates to support a football club.
July 27th, 2010 @ 10:10 PM
I’m always somewhat wary when I read articles such as this because scapegoating more often than not seems to be the order of the day.For once I would like to see a league of Ireland fan make a critique of the running of the league but this never happens and instead we getting constant whinging about Irish people following U.K teams and talk of ‘real football for real fans’.Perhaps if as much energy was put into coming up with a plan for the league as there is into complaining then maybe we might get somewhere.
August 2nd, 2010 @ 12:11 AM
agree 100 per cent.i get lots of enjoyment out of supporting the saints(stpatsfc) week in week out, following them throughout Ireland, the highs and lows you just dont get watching the TV or going to 1 or 2 ELP games a year.but its the people who never went to a loi game and still say its shit, there mad about a top four club in england yet they hate englands international team that get on my tits.dont mind the people who actually saw a loi game or two before making an opinion.
August 2nd, 2010 @ 12:44 AM
Eamonn that is one of the biggest load of bullshit I’ve heard in my life, to say that teams are “absolute rubbish” and that non quality football doesn’t exist in Ireland is stupid and bullshit, how can you say that when players such as Paul McGrath, Kevin Doyle Robbie Keane, Brian Murphy have played in the league? Remember before Roy Keane went to Nottingham forest he played for Cobh Ramblers? A First Division club at the time? Or would you have known that because you can’t be arsed knowing about a league right on your doorstep instead turning to and English League who so Many Irish people despise the country but worship the leagues! And I am a “youngster” as you say and to say people like me go to matches to act like hooligans is the most imconsiderate and retarded fact iv heard, did it occur to you that people like myself enjoy watching a team play and hope that maybe the league can improve? I know it’s not the best league in the world but I just don’t understand why so many Irish people who are apparently “so proud” and “the best supporters in the world” just support an English team our bitter rivals, and just diss our league, it’s not like it’s going to break the bank to try it out! 5 euro for a schoolboy and not much more for an adult, so Eamonn I think you really should cop onto yourself and see that the league can’t be good if they can’t get fans into see the games, so you are actually the problem Eamonn, and by the way, I’d be interested to know what English team you support? My guess is either Liverpool, United, Chelsea or Arsenal, maybe even Spurs or Everton, and exactly the glory hunting teams.
August 24th, 2010 @ 10:01 AM
This is so true…. i feel embarrased when i go out for a beer here in Waterford, and see people referring to Premier league clubs as “we”…. it’s so pathetic, in every way
September 16th, 2010 @ 10:30 PM
i totaly agree with that article. im a reading fan it really annoys me how all the irish say they support english teams as the standard in ireland is so bad. it is only so bad because theres no money there this is as far as i can see down to the fact that all the people who should be going to see there local teams are spending the money on man u or liverpool shirts. why is it that they always support united or liverpool in england we call these types glory hunters. and to the welsh guy you have even less reason to support man u when there are two welsh clubs in the championship. why dont people support there local team
October 16th, 2010 @ 3:20 PM
Good polemic Cathal.
While the article is rightly Dublin-centric, for us in the provinces, for eg here in Sligo, Dublin needs the likes Eamon Sweeney, good writers with a bit of passion.
It’s perceived by Premiership fans that a defence of LOI and a distain for such one-dimensional hero-worship across the water is a small-minded take, questioning the real glory of English football.
I truly say, the very best of luck to English football and in particular to the Irish footballer who ply their trade their — that’s called an endeavour to success, it’s called ambition. However, it also has many ugly sides, and from an Irish perspective, it obviously couldn’t give a monkeys if Irish soccer died on its arse — look at for example the transfer of Seamus Coleman to Everton (compared to the value for a lesser player Padraig Amond for more monies to Portugal. Everton gave peanuts for a quality player.
Interestingly, Everton (I team I have a bit of feeling for, because of their history) this year played a second string team in Sligo and thankfully were hockeyed. As a football fan, I was going to commiserate with the travelling Everton fans, particularly the young kids there, but I resisted, because they were never in the Showgrounds in their life and would never be again (despite their defeat to an Irish side). They were mugged by an organisation who simply took their support for granted. They would deride what was on offer before them, only that their indices of support is success, so having been beaten they really had nothing to fall back on! Wearing, in this case a Blue Jersey didn’t give you any aura, or association of success — it simply meant you’d being defeated.
England’s footballing relationship with Irish soccer is predatorial — those who support it in essence are simply ending up killing the goose than lays the golden eggs. But unfortunately when you put on your beer googles your vision is somewhat impaired!
At least those unfortunate Everton fans, took the trouble to turn up to see a team play. But if your gormless enough, as a grown man, to pull on the jersey of a team in a city that you may never have been to and rant at a wide screen tv for an hour and a half, I mean, there’s just no point in even attempting to discuss these other values.
I despair at the bar-stool culture, but that’s what it is — Drinkers and Day-tripper — its their money, so its their choice. But I feel that generally it represents the worst aspects of a being cosseted in a bar and without any conversation going and giving the collective a justification to stay in there and present the opportunity to shout and wail about a decisions or goals. By it’s nature, its removed from the live experience, the problem is, they simply don’t want it — the alternative to simply too convenient.
Like you said most of these fans invariably they are associated with big clubs, because it provides automatic success with little input or understanding.
As Lord Sugar said of Jose, he says hes special, let him go down to Leyton Orient and see how special he is — therefore, the point being only a few can truly be internationally successful. But to be honest when you consider that Liverpool is likely to be bought on the basis of merchandising in American and the Far East, its this type of vile commercialism, which has seen players wages spiral, clubs embark upon ludicrous development projects and drive them to bankruptcy.
Along with promoting Irish soccer, generating and sustaining community, Irish soccer needs men of talent and independence to promote its value — that is the promotion of Irish soccer.
There are lots of reasons why the LOI isn’t as successful as we, the true fans, would hope — but in regard to this debate, our point is that if you are a true fan then start at home and give home-grown enterprise the support it needs. Maybe its pointless expecting such support and solidarity from the said quarters.
PS — I’m sure your rightly very proud of Liam Whelan’s success.
October 25th, 2010 @ 6:46 PM
Gold Rapper – Really enjoyed reading your comment. Absoloutley spot on in all you are saying. And just out of interest, how do you know I am related to Liam Whelan?
April 28th, 2011 @ 11:08 PM
“I have never understood why barstoolers support an English team week in week out, yet when it comes to the English national team, all they want to do is see them fail.”
It’s coz they’re fuckin racist you eejut and have a great big chip on their shoulders. They all hate the English, yet support Man Utd and to cap it all, most work for the BBC !!