Thats kind of my point with emigration. Both of Rorys parents were Irish. It just seems when an Irish family moves to England that lineage just dies on the vine in terms of future Irish players. Ex players would be quick to get any talented sons into academies and off they go.
Republic Of Ireland Football Thread
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Any decent young Luxembourg player is snapped up by French and German academies. Half their players have come through Metz at some point. How are they seeing improvement? Many Luxembourgers are dual nationals too, so overtly talented youngsters will also declare for other countries. One such Luxembourg young player even wanted to declare for Ireland.
Let’s be honest, other countries play multiple sports too. None of these are unique to us, and most are frankly shit excuses. It’s not the GAA’s fault the FAI invest nothing and have provided nothing in the way of developing players. Expecting England to do all the leg work and develop players for us and then bitching about us having no chance because every good player will want to play for England is nothing short of the bullshit the FAI served up for years. Don’t want to lose players to England? Then how about we actually try develop our own players for once.
Your own example of a son of an Irish international, Rory Delap, is born and bred in England and a product of English football. We did feck all to develop Rory and we’ve done even less to develop Liam but then have the gall to turn around and moan about it when we’ve sat on our asses and done nothing is ridiculous.
Its not just playing multiple sports, its being far and away from the number one that theyre fighting against rugby for second. I dont understand the Luxemberg point, its not as if theyre overcoming that factor themselves.
Being so far behind GAA is like England using their rugby resources and limited pool to compete in football. Every bit of GAA talent is dredged from the talent pool leaving soccer with whats left. Our level isnt getting beat by Luxenberg but our level also isnt qualifying for tournaments with Irish based players.
Can you think of any examples? Team sports played in other countries that aren’t played in Ireland?
Not trying to absolve the FAI of any blame here but I don’t see how the size and popularity of GAA in Ireland isn’t a fairly unique challenge for soccer to overcome.
To be fair, as soon as I pressed ‘post reply’, I knew that the case in Dublin contradicts my point but for the rest of the country, it certainly rings true. Growing up, most lads I know played (and continue to play as adults) football as a means to stay fit in the GAA’s off season. Primary school sports, for the majority of the country, is also heavily centred around GAA.
Rugby, certainly in my experience anyway, is a sports that competes with the GAA for players rather than competing with football. The cross-over of athletes who play rugby-GAA is more numerous than that which plays rugby-soccer, IMO. That may be less true with the behemoth that is Leinster rugby in some suburbs of the capital but I’d have thought their catchment area wouldn’t impact the traditional hotbeds of Dublin soccer in the inner city.
Qatar are no joke anymore
I believe there's been massive investment over the past while, in part due to the world cup coming up. They've gained around 40 places in the world rankings over the past 4 years and aren't too far behind us at 58 now we've dropped to 42.
Soccer will never take over from GAA in terms of popularity. The nations with similar populations to Ireland that we are often compared to don't have national sports that are more popular than soccer.
When it comes to money. The FAI has feck all money to invest because people prefer to go watch a local Junior D or U16 team in most areas than go watch LOI soccer.
Most GAA clubs get massive amounts of funding from everywhere from central council, local government and national lottery funds to upgrade. A soccer club and Gaelic club near me both spent up to 300k on facilities in the last 10 or 15 years. The GAA club barely had to dip into their own funds for any of the work, whereas the soccer club basically had to take on all the debt to make it happen. Another club near me built new facilities in the last year and the local companies donated the materials and local lads involved in it did most of the work. Similarly the local soccer club were being quoted up to 10k to extend the clubhouse by a similar size.
Qatar have imported a load of players from other countries and naturalised them. They've even given some of them Arabic names to make them more authentic.Qatar are no joke anymore
I believe there's been massive investment over the past while, in part due to the world cup coming up. They've gained around 40 places in the world rankings over the past 4 years and aren't too far behind us at 58 now we've dropped to 42.
Qatar. Mighty game to look forward too
Underage soccer has some big/important clubs in south Dublin suburbs. Joeys or Cabinteely, for example. And Leinster rugby is hoovering up talent from all over the county. So there’s definitely more of a war for talent between rugby and soccer now than there was 10 or 20 years ago. You even get rugby schools either deliberately arranging training to clash with soccer training/matches or forcing their most talented kids to agree they won’t play any other sport. The fact they can offer a well trodden path to a career as a professional athlete, without travelling abroad, gives them a lot more leverage than the FAI. They’re also poaching the most talented GAA players, for similar reasons.
Having said that, I’m sure GAA is probably a bigger drain on potential soccer talent overall. Especially at the level below the really elite.
Finding Jack Charlton is just starting on BBC2 for anyone interested in watching it.
Nice one. Recording it. Apparently there’s a scene involving Paul McGrath that will break your heart. McGrath and Charlton both responsible for so many memories for me. I’ve got soft as shit in my late middle age so am fully prepared to be in floods.
Just seen that bit with McGrath, made me well up.
Really good this documentary.
And it has Lankum on the soundtrack...can't get better than that.
They’re also the Asian championsQatar are no joke anymore
I believe there's been massive investment over the past while, in part due to the world cup coming up. They've gained around 40 places in the world rankings over the past 4 years and aren't too far behind us at 58 now we've dropped to 42.
Just watching it, what an absolute legend of a man. RIP
It was brilliant, you’re in for a real treat. There’s a nice moment with Paul McGrath but there’s many times I was welling up a bit so sad to see such a great man with dementia. The football scenes were class but the sea of Irish all singing and cheering miss them old times.
Great start!
Jaysus lucky not to give away a pen immediately afterward.
Jaysus lucky not to give away a pen immediately afterward.
Who scored just tuned in?Great start!
Jaysus lucky not to give away a pen immediately afterward.
McClean
Thanks.
It was a nice little training ground corner routine.
I turned it on just in time to see the replay.
Cheers
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Jeez that header was close but no qatar
Luxembourg have just taken the lead against Portugal. Just thought I'd cheer you all up a bit, maybe you aren't as bad as you thought?
Appreciate it, thanks!
Only hurts us more in the long run with seedings etc if we finish 4th out of 5 teams.
Edit: Or 5th, Azerbaijan are probably better than us too.
Are they missing players or something? They don't look better than Luxembourg.
Ah Christie should have just laid it back to Parrott instead of hoping someone would be at the penalty spot... Nice move though.
We’re playing well.
They don't look good at all though. I'm surprised they beat Luxembourg.
This is a friendly though but also we are playing much better, with way more energy and moving the ball much quicker.
They are trying to play a bit more too. Luxembourg were happy to let us have the ball so they could nick it back and hit us on the counter.
Qatar are a big, strong, physical team. Not what you’d expect at all.
There's a good few naturalised players as someone pointed out to me earlier.
Shane Long still easily our best striker and should have been starting our other games. He actually moves and makes stuff happen which pretty much none of our other attackers do.
Care to give any examples?
Hmm, not sure what the point is here. Arabs can’t be strong and physical? Or is it that black people can’t be Arab?
This is about our level now
That's because those players are from other Arabic countries, mainly Iraq and Sudan.
Balls. Good goal. Great touch and finish.
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