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21 Mar 04 - 08:29 AM (#1142217) Subject: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber I'm not at all sure that I will get any serious attention from mudcatters or guests for what may appear to be a frivulous subject such as this but , here goes anyway. Unfortunately, due to circumstances with which I will not bother you, I am unable to participate as much as I used to do in this forum but I will keep a constant watch for any postings to this. You see I have always maintained that the FAI's relative poverty of stadia etc., in Ireland, has political, social, religious (yes !) financial and probably other factors at it's roots. I would be very interested to hear of other people's experiences in this context and their views on my theory. This is a purely personal enquiry. I am not researching material for any other reason. |
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21 Mar 04 - 08:54 AM (#1142228) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: ard mhacha Contact the FAI thieves who were about when one and a half million diappeared after the World Cup in the USA. They would be ok for a donation. |
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21 Mar 04 - 09:30 AM (#1142241) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: McGrath of Harlow Facilities? All you really need is a field, and there's no shartage of those. |
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21 Mar 04 - 05:42 PM (#1142459) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber Thanks McGrath but, have you tried purchasing a "field" recently in Ireland ?? even a building site?? Ard Mhaca, what thieves? what money is unaccounted for? How can one and a half million (dollars ?) just dissappear , especially in an organisation so riven with dissent and petty jealousies? |
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22 Mar 04 - 03:34 AM (#1142666) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: ard mhacha Beachcomber, if you want the PRO`s name that got the boot after the World Cup in the USA, ask anyone over 10/ |
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22 Mar 04 - 05:10 PM (#1143251) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber Steady on Ard, One and a half million, misappropriated ? Was it all hushed up then? |
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23 Mar 04 - 05:33 AM (#1143621) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: ard mhacha Beachcomber, I don`t want to carry on this pointless argument, but, if you want the mans name I will PM it to you, that will be possible when you join. I was asking a friend yesterday if he remembered the gentleman in qustion, without hesatation he gave me his name. If you are in the oul sod, any sportsperson will enlighten you, and yes, one and a half million was the sum mentioned, and yes, it was all hushed up, the Irish papers had it running for weeks. The man is now writing children`s books, within the pages, the big bad wolf has every chance of being mugged by that dame Riding Hood. The Football Association of Ireland are useless, why don`t they employ some of the brains from Croke Park, and within a few years they will have a Stadium to be proud off. |
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23 Mar 04 - 05:21 PM (#1144227) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber Thanks Ard Mhacha, obviously no-one else wants to get "involved" ? Your info is most interesting and I beleive I see where you are coming from. One thing, why would this person bother to write children's books if he already has one and a half million bucks !? A labour of love perhaps? |
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24 Mar 04 - 03:10 AM (#1144559) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: ard mhacha Money has a strange effect on people, that`s why I am on this Site. |
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24 Mar 04 - 06:13 PM (#1145251) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber Ok Ard Mhaca, spend wisely!! However i still do not think that the Soccer clubs of Ireland can be expected to match the facilities of the other two major organisations. One and a half million would have gone a good way for a lot of junior clubs around the country it is true, but it has only been for the past fifteen years or so that the FAI got the really big payoff days at the turnstiles. They have never been able to gather funds in the way that the GAA or Rugby have done , as far as I can remember anyway. Incidentally, I do not believe that those other organisations have any monopoly on brains either. Who stands to get a "National Stadium" without having done a lot to achieve it ? beach |
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25 Mar 04 - 01:12 PM (#1145971) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: ard mhacha Beachcomber, The entertainment value Gaelic games give would be a big factor in enriching their coffers. Try getting a ticket for some of those All-Irelands in Croke Park and like me you can end up disappointed, 80,000 for an amatuer sport takes some beating, there is talk this year of bringing the Ulster Final to Croke Park as the 35,000 capacity of Clones would leave quite a few outside. Those games along with all the other provinicial games brings in a vast amount of revenue. When our local club in the late 80s were opening a new playing field the GAA supplied a third of the cost, imagine the goons in the FAI helping some of the clubs out, some chance. We have a great organisation and to be haranged for not helping out a rival sport is nonsense. |
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26 Mar 04 - 03:42 PM (#1146960) Subject: RE: BS: Soccer's lack of facilities : in Ireland From: GUEST,beachcomber Totally agree with your opinion Ard Mhacha , that GAA has done well by it's parish clubs and should NOT rent Croke Park to other sports , especially those that might give it even more competition. But do not forget the financial input of those same clubs to Central Funds , over the past 100 years when many people saw helping the GAA as synonymous with helping to "free" Ireland from the shackles of the English Parliament.And the local clergy were always the automatic "popular choice" for the Chair or life-presidency, by priest-ridden rural lads who always put the hand in the pocket when asked to do so from the altar at Sunday mass. My contention was, and is, that the political, cultural and even religious climate all militated against the FAI and it's predecessor, the IFA (not to be confused with the good farmers's organisation) from ever amassing the wealth , in assets or in funds, to compare with those of the GAA. What do you think about that? As far as getting one third of the development cost of your local facility goes, didn't that very fact obviate any chance that your place could be "used" by any other organisation. Does it not seem a bit much to expect an other organisation , based mainly on working men's (and women@s) wages to provide equal magnificence. Make no mistake about it, soccer is gaining ground in theis country, not all clubs have facilities yet, but quiote a few have and they are willing to help each other in adversity. There are clubs and pitches nowadays throughout the length and breadth of the land and , while, they still have a long way to go, to even catch up with the GAA lads...look out! The central organisation of the FAI was a collection of mainly Dublin based small time business men and a few who rode along in the chance of making a quick buck, there were a few of these in some of the provincial centres also, but, Good on ya Roy, many have been weeded out and the activities of the top men are now under much more severe and enlightened scrutiny. The GAA went through a similiar exercise some years back when Liam Mulvihill was appointed except that they did it behind closed doors (Much of the running of the GAA remains inside, mind you, still but this charade of "Easter Congress" annually provides the customer with a pressure valve for all his grouses, including your own about the ticket situation) As far as entertainment value goes, well I believe that, while hurling continues to be a thrilling game of skill, Gaelic Football has descended into a dragging, punching series of melees where skill is "taken-out" at the first opportunity and rules seem to have little enough relevance to the "action". If you watched the Champions League games this week the difference is so obvious where skill and teamwork were shown to be of such a high order.Similarly, the recent Rugby internationals displayed how a genuinely tackling game can be beautiful to watch. Especially when Ireland win, eh? |