Ungrateful FAI Delaney

[bingobus]

This thread is perfectly summed up by the fact that the first 5 pages constantly had a go at the FAI and Delaney (a bit of a spanner in fairness) for not holding the Brazil game in croker when it was offered. These people hadn't the cop on or understanding to realise that this game was not an FAI game but basically a third party running the show with the FAI just been one of the teams involved.

Delaney was only commenting on the current situation, nothing too ungrateful in what he said and has always praised the GAA for croke park and use of it.

A nothing story but hey, why miss out on a cheap shot at the evil FAI. 

[Hardy]

Just to be clear: I certainly don't see the FAI as a threat. I don't think of other sports in competitive terms really. But if I did, I would be delighted with the FAI. I don't think we could chose more ludicrous competitors if we got to design them ourselves.

[From the Bunker]

Just to be clear: I certainly don't see the FAI as a threat. I don't think of other sports in competitive terms really. But if I did, I would be delighted with the FAI. I don't think we could chose more ludicrous competitors if we got to design them ourselves.

But, both Soccer and Rugby are threats, just look at the figures, more and more clubs springing up in the most unlikliest of places. You are looking from the top but at roots level things are alot different.

[Dinny Breen]

Just to be clear: I certainly don't see the FAI as a threat. I don't think of other sports in competitive terms really. But if I did, I would be delighted with the FAI. I don't think we could chose more ludicrous competitors if we got to design them ourselves.

But, both Soccer and Rugby are threats, just look at the figures, more and more clubs springing up in the most unlikliest of places. You are looking from the top but at roots level things are alot different.

Throw a bag of balls over your shoulder and you have a soccer club but where are all these new rugby clubs coming from, there are less rugby clubs in Leinster now than there was 20 years ago.

[Hardy]

As far as I'm concerned, the more kids playing sport of any kind the better. I don't see it as a competition for playing members. There's enough room for all sports and the best thing we can do to make sure we always have enough players to keep the games strong is to make the GAA experience as good as it can be for kids. The important thing is to get them away from the TVs and Nintendoes and, when they get a bit older, booze, fags and chemicals of whatever kind. .

[From the Bunker]

As far as I'm concerned, the more kids playing sport of any kind the better. I don't see it as a competition for playing members. There's enough room for all sports and the best thing we can do to make sure we always have enough players to keep the games strong is to make the GAA experience as good as it can be for kids. The important thing is to get them away from the TVs and Nintendoes and, when they get a bit older, booze, fags and chemicals of whatever kind. .

Agreed

[T Fearon]

for the record the FAI and its fans are not knackers. They paid over the odds for facilities grudingly hired by the GAA and have had to listen to insults and abuse for decades from GAA sources and have with dignity not responded in kind.

It is the GAA who are making the running now begging both the IRFU and the FAI to continue using Croker.Mr Delaney is only pointing out that had this option been available ten years ago they would never have gone ahead with the Lansdowne development.

[Bord na Mona man]

for the record the FAI and its fans are not knackers. They paid over the odds for facilities grudingly hired by the GAA and have had to listen to insults and abuse for decades from GAA sources and have with dignity not responded in kind.

It is the GAA who are making the running now begging both the IRFU and the FAI to continue using Croker.Mr Delaney is only pointing out that had this option been available ten years ago they would never have gone ahead with the Lansdowne development.

As per the article posted earlier, the FAI paid 26% of gate receipts in rent as opposed to the 19%-22% average in other countries. No one forced them to play in Croke Park, they would have had plenty of other takers from British soccer stadiums.
Using Croke Park allowed them to hike up prices and make their biggest windfall in history on gate receipts.

[Dakota]

If a person had his foot in either camp would that make him a kn**ker when he was involved in FAI matters and a Saint when with his GAA counterparts? I have a brother at home in Clare who manages a U12 soccer team but also plays hurling himself.I would imagine there is hundreds if not thousands of people and fellow Gaa members who are like him though I'll let him know his fellow Gaels consider him to be a kn**ker when he is training the kids.....
Some very small minded people around here

[ziggysego]

Dakota, I've no problem with soccer. I've friends and family involved in it. It's the begging bowl element to some of them I dislike. The world owes them a living and it's their right to it. Whether it be the rugby in Lansdowne Road or the GAA in Croke Park.

Hows about soccer do something themselves. They're supposed to be a professional sporting organisation.

[Bord na Mona man]

I think you're right about the IRFU, MS, but definitely not the FAI or the soccer community. They have been grudging, ungrateful and disrespectful and acted like a crowd of knackers (I used the word deliberately earlier) that you let into your field and who proceed to treat the place as if they owned it, complain about it and wonder out loud about why it took you so long to let them in in the first place.

It's nothing that's written in the official contracts - it's just the attitude that comes across from the soccer community and it's totally at variance with that of the rugby people I talk to.

One simple example - Ronnie Whelan on RTÉ saying (I paraphrase) "they were always going to have to give in and let us in eventually".

I was always in favour of opening up, purely for practical purposes - we can use the money - but that attitude would test your conviction that it was worth it.

That was pretty much my own experience.
The rugby people I know seemed appreciative of the dig out, impressed with the stadium and possibly had their middle class sensibilities a little bit dented at ending up homeless.

The soccer people were a different kettle of trout. The attitude always seemed to be - Croke Park is shite, the pitch is terrible, the terracing is stupid, Anfield/Old Trafford/The Emirates is miles better. Sure our money built it anyway. I hate having to give money to the gah etc. Befitting of the self-entitled, handout culture they seem to exist in.

[Dakota]

Huge generalization there BordnaMonaman if you don't mind me saying

[Bord na Mona man]

Huge generalization there BordnaMonaman if you don't mind me saying

There were own experiences only, so there is no generalisation.

[Dakota]

Fair enough if you say so, I feel you are  exaggerating a little though, which no doubt you will deny

[ogshead]

It is the GAA who are making the running now begging both the IRFU and the FAI to continue using Croker.Mr Delaney is only pointing out that had this option been available ten years ago they would never have gone ahead with the Lansdowne development.

Bullshit statement for a start. What's going to happen is:

*Very soon Ireland are going to draw England or another big nation in Qualifiers.
*What happens then is that people will want to know why Croke Park is not being used to host the match because it can hold far more people.
*Knowing that the FAI cannot break their contract with the Aviva Stadium they will still shift the blame on the GAA saying that the GAA won't let them use it anyway
*Once again the GAA are the bad guys

What the GAA are doing is actually very smart. It's not about wanting to host more games. It's about keeping it open so that them moaney b******'s in the FAI don't go blaming the GAA because they haven't the capacity to host a major sporting event.