How can you care about soccer?

[longball]

Fair question SK.

For me it's something that was always there. Growing up I played 'soccer', listened to it on the radio, and could not sleep with excitment if there was a rare live game on. It's habit forming. These days I probably enjoy the matches less, and would've regressed that enthusiasm a tad. However this has  been replaced by looking forward to going out for a few beers with the mates, and an excuse to meet up with them. I suppose that sense of community that the GAA gives me is replicated in miniture form by that wee community I get on a Saturday/ Sunday etc with the boyos sharing a common bond.
I believe Adrian Chiles has a book out about why people follow football. I might hunt it out.

Fair answer to a fair question! The social side, banter, slagging etc would be a healthy reason to follow it.

i would say thats why i take an interest,more a social thing, enjoy having a pint watching the game and a good topic of conversation, but not really much more than that.Enjoy the whole transfer speculation and the craic attached to that too.
although i'd class myself as a liverpool fan ,at the end of the day, if they are beat, it doesnt bug me that much.its like 'ah, bollox' and on with the day!now, if tyrone or my club are beat, thats a different story!!

Im the same, i love the whole transfer scene and stuff lak that more than watching the matches. Im a highlight man myself watch most big games in full or games that would take my interest.

Im a Tyrone man but if Tyrone are beat it doesnt bug me that much, club a complete different story altogether

[Mario]

Like SLK (I feel dirty ) I was a Man Utd fan as a kid. It was more to do with the banter in the playround and with family member than anything else. Cantona was a terrific player and after he left, I really lost interest in the sport altogether. Too much money and divas in it now. Plus, it's boring.

I don't begrudge anyone else being a soccer fan, I just can't understand the whole obsession some of them take towards it.

Cantona wasn't a diva? He was extremely arrogant and self centred.

[ziggysego]

Like SLK (I feel dirty ) I was a Man Utd fan as a kid. It was more to do with the banter in the playround and with family member than anything else. Cantona was a terrific player and after he left, I really lost interest in the sport altogether. Too much money and divas in it now. Plus, it's boring.

I don't begrudge anyone else being a soccer fan, I just can't understand the whole obsession some of them take towards it.

Cantona wasn't a diva? He was extremely arrogant and self centred.

He was entertaining with it though. These days, they are just pounces.

[Mario]

Like SLK (I feel dirty ) I was a Man Utd fan as a kid. It was more to do with the banter in the playround and with family member than anything else. Cantona was a terrific player and after he left, I really lost interest in the sport altogether. Too much money and divas in it now. Plus, it's boring.

I don't begrudge anyone else being a soccer fan, I just can't understand the whole obsession some of them take towards it.

Cantona wasn't a diva? He was extremely arrogant and self centred.

He was entertaining with it though. These days, they are just pounces.

Im sure young lads find ronaldo entertaining in the same way you found cantona when you were younger. At least he hasn't kicked any fans yet.

[haranguerer]

I have one brother obsessed with utd and the other obsessed with liverpool and for feck sake if either of them beat they wouldnt speak for the rest of the day , put me in bad mood looking at them. Have no idea how they can be so into either team. Would mean nothing to me , but different blokes different strokes.

Thats probably the type of supporter I'm talking about. I can see why some people do it for a social reason, something to watch over a few pints etc. but its the obsessed ones that talk about "us" etc.

I have to admit despite my previous answer, I would still be classed a tad obsessed too. I would use the 'us' thing as I pay my membership, and sure if a supporter can't say 'us' the game's f**ked.

Have to say, i'd be of sideline kicks viewpoint. And absolutely hate boys saying 'us' when talkng about a team in england, or indeed any team they dont actually play in for that matter, including their intercounty gaelic team. Its only 'us' if you're actually part of the team...

[clarshack]

when i was younger it was man utd and celtic but now its just celtic. when i was a kid i liked good honest players such as mcgrath, moran, hughes, robson, whiteside and stapleton etc and i also loved big ron as manager. cantona made me continue to support utd but when he left, supporting a team that had knobs like the nevilles, ferdinand, beckham et al quite simply didnt have the same appeal.

[Orior]

The reason we play sport is to fulfil inherent need to fight each other. The reason we support teams is an inherent need to belong to a pack/gang/army.

My pack is my parish and my county.

I cant understand why people from Ireland want to belong to a pack from for example Souf Landan.

[theskull1]

Something to watch on a Saturday night is one thing but religious following of premiership teams is purely a pack mentality pastime that whilst it generates a decent ammount of healthy social interaction during the formative years but once you realise it for what it is then surely it's time to grow up and do other things that are more meaningful to your own place and you will get far more from. Typically (though with exception) a real lazy, selfish pastime that offers nothing to the world in which they live in. They just love maintaining the facad that it is on what must be a fairly empty existance.

I feel sad for grown men from this island who follow these teams in that way, because they have no sense of the world around them (exceptions excluded)


The GAA is of course part of a pack mentality, the difference being that it actually has an impact/meaning to the world that you live in

[SLIGONIAN]

Its really simple this, Look GAA is first by a mile with Sligo first and St Molaise Gaels 2nd,

After that I take an interest in every sport from Aussie Rules to Tennis to Soccer, nearly every sport Ive a interest and to make it more interesting I support various teams but not near to level I care for SLIGO.

Like in AFL id support collingwood but wouldnt lose any sleep if they lost, I support Leeds over the water (my Dad supports them) and probably care alot but not to the extent of Sligo or my club. Its a conversation starter and its something have in common with everyone round the world, I even talk to Indians here about cricket, Wtf,

With Soccer it keeps me ticking over from end Sept to January and it keeps me entertained, some great games last yr. It'll never be as entertaining as GAA though for me.

[boojangles]

One of my mates is so obsessed with Liverpool that when he is swearing on something-he doesn't swear on his parents or families life-He swears on Stevie Gerards life!! Honest to god-Unbelieveable.

[clarshack]

Something to watch on a Saturday night is one thing but religious following of premiership teams is purely a pack mentality pastime that whilst it generates a decent ammount of healthy social interaction during the formative years but once you realise it for what it is then surely it's time to grow up and do other things that are more meaningful to your own place and you will get far more from. Typically (though with exception) a real lazy, selfish pastime that offers nothing to the world in which they live in. They just love maintaining the facad that it is on what must be a fairly empty existance.

I feel sad for grown men from this island who follow these teams in that way, because they have no sense of the world around them (exceptions excluded)


The GAA is of course part of a pack mentality, the difference being that it actually has an impact/meaning to the world that you live in

i've actually seen grown men cry like babies whenever their beloved liverpool and man utd have been beaten.

i hate it whenever stewartstown and tyrone (and celtic to a lesser extent) are beat but i get up and move on. life is too short.

[bingobus]

Something to watch on a Saturday night is one thing but religious following of premiership teams is purely a pack mentality pastime that whilst it generates a decent ammount of healthy social interaction during the formative years but once you realise it for what it is then surely it's time to grow up and do other things that are more meaningful to your own place and you will get far more from. Typically (though with exception) a real lazy, selfish pastime that offers nothing to the world in which they live in. They just love maintaining the facad that it is on what must be a fairly empty existance.

I feel sad for grown men from this island who follow these teams in that way, because they have no sense of the world around them (exceptions excluded)


The GAA is of course part of a pack mentality, the difference being that it actually has an impact/meaning to the world that you live in

No harm Skull but thats very condescending and a form of snobbery.

I enjoy the GAA, heavily involved with club and follow the county as well, though its all the about club for me.

But I enjoy the soccer as much as the GAA. To be told to grow up cause of this is highly insulting. I am fully aware of the world around me and presonally couldn't do any more for the club than I currently do. Do we have to do everything in life to suit the club, town, parish etc? Do we f**k. Its about looking after your own needs and this bullshit of having to toe the line with what others think is a real weakness of this country. We lived under the rule of the church for that long, we forgot how to think for oursleves and look at what they done in the meantime (off subject I know).

If it makes me happy, well excuse me for been selfish and not caring about now it affects all those around me.

[Doogie Browser]

Something to watch on a Saturday night is one thing but religious following of premiership teams is purely a pack mentality pastime that whilst it generates a decent ammount of healthy social interaction during the formative years but once you realise it for what it is then surely it's time to grow up and do other things that are more meaningful to your own place and you will get far more from. Typically (though with exception) a real lazy, selfish pastime that offers nothing to the world in which they live in. They just love maintaining the facad that it is on what must be a fairly empty existance.

I feel sad for grown men from this island who follow these teams in that way, because they have no sense of the world around them (exceptions excluded)


The GAA is of course part of a pack mentality, the difference being that it actually has an impact/meaning to the world that you live in

i've actually seen grown men cry like babies whenever their beloved liverpool and man utd have been beaten.

i hate it whenever stewartstown and tyrone (and celtic to a lesser extent) are beat but i get up and move on. life is too short.

These are the idiots I cannot stand, my team gets beat quite frequently (so maybe I am used to it!) and I am pissed off but I have more important things in life to worry about. 

[deiseach]

Those who mention the pack mentality are correct. It's interesting how many of my friends have drifted way from obsessing about the English game over the years. For my part, both my brothers are Reds and I think there's a feedback mechanism which maintains our respective interests. Then there's Mrs d, although I'm beginning to sense a certain ennui on her part with the constant turmoil about the ownership and running of the club . . .

[bingobus]

Something to watch on a Saturday night is one thing but religious following of premiership teams is purely a pack mentality pastime that whilst it generates a decent ammount of healthy social interaction during the formative years but once you realise it for what it is then surely it's time to grow up and do other things that are more meaningful to your own place and you will get far more from. Typically (though with exception) a real lazy, selfish pastime that offers nothing to the world in which they live in. They just love maintaining the facad that it is on what must be a fairly empty existance.

I feel sad for grown men from this island who follow these teams in that way, because they have no sense of the world around them (exceptions excluded)


The GAA is of course part of a pack mentality, the difference being that it actually has an impact/meaning to the world that you live in

i've actually seen grown men cry like babies whenever their beloved liverpool and man utd have been beaten.

i hate it whenever stewartstown and tyrone (and celtic to a lesser extent) are beat but i get up and move on. life is too short.

Never seen that to be honest and I'd know alot of passionate people that support both teams. Its bullshit to be honest.

I was at Anfield to see John O'shea score a very late goal to win the game and it basically ruled Liverpool out of league that year. Was a tear shed at anfield - not that i seen.