FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Max Payne]

Sorry in interrupt the numbers debate but found this hilarious re the English fcuk the IRA chants last night in the Scotland game...the guy who does them is gas, worth a follow on twitter if ye are on it!

Love this. What's his Twitter name just out of interest?

@squires_david , written on side of the pic..gas man

Sorry boss never spotted it. Worth a follow on that alone.

[Billys Boots]

I don't care how close Billy is to the ground,  can he turn water into wine?
Ball ie are mixing up matter.

Where is the exact research to show that the figure of  340,000 are actual members  of soccer clubs?
Afaiu the 340,000 refers to a figure who claim they participate in soccer once a week.
Only 40% of those  are members of a club and
60% of that participation activity is done outside a club environment.

Participation in soccer is not defined by membership, nor is it defined by activity in a club setting,  participation is defined by a kick about once a week  a
98% of GAA participation activists do so at the GAA club  and 83% of those who claimed  GAA participation are actual club members.

MS, the figures are in relation to YOUTH - the figures come from the clubs.  The ones the Sports Council 'interviewed' or 'polled' were ADULTS.  The YOUTH numbers are real - the ADULT numbers are in relation to perceived 'participation'.  How many teenagers/kids do you know that would say they play football if they don't play for a club?  There are no grey areas in the teenage mind, let me assure you.

[Applesisapples]

Jaysus. No way. In Ireland nearly anyone I know calls Gaelic Football 'Football' and Association Football 'Soccer'. I realise quite a few soccer lads would call it 'Football' and 'Gaelic' (or 'Bogball' if they are very insecure).

We would always refer to Soccer as...well soccer, football is gaelic football or sometimes gaelic.

[Main Street]

I don't care how close Billy is to the ground,  can he turn water into wine?
Ball ie are mixing up matter.

Where is the exact research to show that the figure of  340,000 are actual members  of soccer clubs?
Afaiu the 340,000 refers to a figure who claim they participate in soccer once a week.
Only 40% of those  are members of a club and
60% of that participation activity is done outside a club environment.

Participation in soccer is not defined by membership, nor is it defined by activity in a club setting,  participation is defined by a kick about once a week  a
98% of GAA participation activists do so at the GAA club  and 83% of those who claimed  GAA participation are actual club members.

MS, the figures are in relation to YOUTH - the figures come from the clubs.  The ones the Sports Council 'interviewed' or 'polled' were ADULTS.  The YOUTH numbers are real - the ADULT numbers are in relation to perceived 'participation'.  How many teenagers/kids do you know that would say they play football if they don't play for a club?  There are no grey areas in the teenage mind, let me assure you.

Fair enough,  but the discussion started out with the ISC survey 2013 and  your youth figures from balls ie  are not that clear because they use the same ISC terminology, namely that word 'participation', leading me to believe that the soccer figures are juiced up yet again. I would have to see the orig research.

Even if those soccer club membership figures for youth are accurate, it all goes to prove (according to the ISC  research)  that when kids grow up,  a large portion of them also grow away from their soccer club, possibly  gravitating towards the barstool or the couch, but choosing on the odd occasion to partake in a 5 a side in the garden, possibly just to show off to the kids.  On the other hand (according to the ISC survey), 98% of the professed  GAA activists over 16 years of age, are club orientated and do their participation in the club

[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.   

[Myles Na G.]

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.

[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?