FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[Main Street]

People who join football clubs tend to do so because they want to play in a football team. Most football teams I know of don't have club houses or licensed premises. Rugby and GAA clubs, on the other hand, tend to be bigger, better organised and with better facilities, so there are other reasons for people to join - for the bar / social club aspect, or to make sure they're in with a shout of getting tickets for big games. Comparing clu membership stats to ascertain which is the most popular sport, therefore, is to compare apples with pears.

It not a mere crude comparison of club membership at all,  that would be an extremely simple interpretation,  not supported by anything I have written.
It is a comparison of the quality of the sports participation as was researched and polled in the ISC survey.

For every 100 who participated in a soccer activity, 60 of them did it outside a club   and only 40 of them were members of a club.  Soccer participation could be  defined by a 5 aside, once a week.
For ever 100 who participated in a GAA activity, 98 did it at their club and 83 of those participants were members of a club.

Although greater numbers of the irish people were claimed by the FAI and others to be soccer participants, we  folk can obviously deduce that the GAA has a higher quality of participation amongst its participants. That club members participating in a sporting activity at their club does carry a deal more gravitas than an informal  lunchtime kickabout,  i.e. in the world of organised sport and where funding is an issue.

[Main Street]

Yep, wouldn't disagree - the local GAA club is better at keeping their players past the age of 18, without a doubt.  Mainly because they use the membership fees of their juvenile members to subsidise their senior teams.  If you're a decent Gaelic footballer, you'll never have to pay your costs to the club.   

Quality must come cheap in Longford then, if the juveniles can cover those costs  

[Billys Boots]

Yep, wouldn't disagree - the local GAA club is better at keeping their players past the age of 18, without a doubt.  Mainly because they use the membership fees of their juvenile members to subsidise their senior teams.  If you're a decent Gaelic footballer, you'll never have to pay your costs to the club.   

Quality must come cheap in Longford then, if the juveniles can cover those costs

Where did I mention Longford?   

[Applesisapples]

The other strength of GAA clubs is that as a parish organisation everyone gets behind them whether members or not. In my community we would have no community centre or recreation facilities if it wasn't for the Club, how many soccer clubs can say the same?

[AZOffaly]

A lot of soccer clubs down south have excellent facilities in terms of dressing rooms, astroturf pitches etc. In my experience in small towns the figureheads of each club might be different, but the core membership of both is mostly the same.

I do think the sense of identity of a place though *is* wrapped up in the GAA club more than the soccer or rugby club. Those clubs tend to be seen as purely places for people to go and play soccer or rugby. The GAA Club is seen as 'representing' the parish, and therefore everything that happens in the club is a reflection on the parish.

[seafoid]

A lot of soccer clubs down south have excellent facilities in terms of dressing rooms, astroturf pitches etc. In my experience in small towns the figureheads of each club might be different, but the core membership of both is mostly the same.

I do think the sense of identity of a place though *is* wrapped up in the GAA club more than the soccer or rugby club. Those clubs tend to be seen as purely places for people to go and play soccer or rugby. The GAA Club is seen as 'representing' the parish, and therefore everything that happens in the club is a reflection on the parish.

And a reflection of the flaws in the other neighbouring parishes as well  .
The GAA is great for that sense of the local. You are born into it and that is it.

And when it works, it's magical. Being in Croke Park with the parish on St Patrick's Day
is an experience no money can buy. 

[Captain Obvious]

Hard to believe its twenty years ago http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/lansdowne-riots-20-years-on-here-are-24-pictures-from-that-night-30993732.html

[T Fearon]

Was there that night in the middle of it all in the Upper West Stand.Most poisonous atmosphere at any sporting occasion Ive ever attended and I've been at several Old Firm clashes.

[The Subbie]

Was there that night in the middle of it all in the Upper West Stand.Most poisonous atmosphere at any sporting occasion Ive ever attended and I've been at several Old Firm clashes.

Where did you win the tickets for that? 

[T Fearon]

Didn't win them.Bought them of the reckless FAI who foolishly placed home fans on the periphery of English thugs.

[AZOffaly]

Hang on for one minute. Are you saying that you were in the immediate vicinity, when a group of English fans near you lost it completely and started going berserk?

I think the police call this 'relevant information' and lawyers call it 'mitigating circumstances'.

[brokencrossbar1]

Hang on for one minute. Are you saying that you were in the immediate vicinity, when a group of English fans near you lost it completely and started going berserk?

I think the police call this 'relevant information' and lawyers call it 'mitigating circumstances'.

And I'd call it a missed opportunity!!!!

[T Fearon]

I was (with other Irish supporters) sold tickets returned by England and positioned in the immediate vicinity.Could have cut the atmosphere with a knife long before kick off.

Also after the game it was to be the last time I would speak to my late brother (I didn't know this at the time) as he was in St Vincent's Hospital awaiting life saving surgery which sadly failed.Not a memorable night in my life.

[muppet]

Hang on for one minute. Are you saying that you were in the immediate vicinity, when a group of English fans near you lost it completely and started going berserk?

I think the police call this 'relevant information' and lawyers call it 'mitigating circumstances'.

What about 'probable cause'?

[ballinaman]