The 0-0 draw between the Republic of Ireland and Wales last March is memorable for all the wrong reasons. The horrific tackle on Seamus Coleman and its subsequent fallout dominated headlines in the days after. The debate whether Neil Taylor was that kind of player was followed by pathetic notions that Gareth Bale was looking to overturn his yellow card offence given earlier in the game. That was for an equally dangerous tackle on John O'Shea that could have merited a straight red card itself. A more forgettable fact from that evening was that alcohol was served at a competitive home qualifier for the first time in the Aviva Stadium. It did little to entice fans into the ground on time for the kick-off though. This article will be focusing on none of the above. I have decided to single out an ensemble of individuals. They were led by a brass tubing, bent twice into a rounded oblong shape which provoked as much reaction as Taylors terrible tackle! (alliteration baby!) Where does one begin on the initiative introduced by the FAI, a brass band, to help improve the atmosphere in the Aviva. There are those in favour and support of their methods, who would gladly point to the increased acoustics around the ground whenever they played. There are those who support the idea but can see definite room for improvement, suggesting the introduction of a bódhran or more traditional Irish instruments. And then there are those who are firmly against the notion of a band ever appearing pitch side ever again.
I am of the latter.
The feeling of embarrassment at the Aviva is not an altogether strange phenomenon. When you’ve witnessed Ireland conceding six goals to Germany or watched security around Section 114 getting heavy handed (for no damn good reason) against our own fans, I can safely say I know what it feels like. On that Friday evening however, as bad as Ireland played for 70 minutes, I wasn’t embarrassed. Annoyed, yes, but we weren’t the ones who needed to win the game as much. Not for the first time, a dour performance had seeped through to the stands. The football on show did little to ignite the passions of the home fans and indeed the away support. What invoked any sort of reaction was the brass band renditions of the usual repertoire of Irish football chants. The most common were ‘Come On You Boys In Green’ or 'Stand Up For The Boys In Green'. It didn’t end there, as ‘A Team of Gary Breens’ ‘Ole, Ole, Ole’ and even Fields of Athenry were attempted. And that’s the key word right there, attempted. The execution of these fan staples were simply atrocious. What made it worse, was that a microphone was nearby and connected to the PA system so no one inside the ground could escape the misery.
Embarrassment turned to anger. The mere notion of a brass band for an Irish football team and its fans was simply pathetic. At the biggest World Cup qualifier in the campaign to date, against near neighbours to boot, the best we could muster in creating an intimidating passionate atmosphere was to stick a couple of youngsters with instruments, hook them up to the PA system, and play at various intervals during the game. It was surreal to hear a brass sound at an Ireland match. To hear it leading the chorus of the Irish fans did not sit right with me at all. It is something you immediately associate with England games instead. And what Irish fan wants to be identified with the English (I know you could highlight Premier League fans across the country for a start but let’s not go there today) The more this went on, the more it became a nuisance to the section in the ground that is designated for singing and creating an atmosphere. The rest of the ground, who stood up on cue, were oblivious to this.
If we are to analyse their performance, here are the key issues. The notion of a using an ensemble band to improve the atmosphere is wrong. Look at some of the best football fan led initiatives across Europe and you will see a minimalist approach. For example, there are those with a single microphone leading the chants. Sometimes there is a just a single instrument that orchestrates the fans. Drums alone on the night in question would have been good. Spread out across the ground would have been even better. Not only would it have been easier to keep a beat, but the sound of drums in unison with the fans would have created an atmosphere far more suitable for a game of this magnitude. However, the FAI decided it was more effective to throw in a trumpet section that nullifies any effect the drums might have. The trumpet, which was positioned closer to the microphone, was much louder than the drums. The sound quality in question was poor, extremely poor. I may have no experience in playing a trumpet myself but I sure know I would have given up after the first attempt of the night if was so out of tune and so out of time.
More than once the song being played was in the wrong key, leaving any coherent attempt to sing along futile. This was most evident during any rendition of “Come On You Boys In Green, where they failed to recognise the long drawn out intro of the chorus. Our ensemble band raced into the chant before people could even catch breath. Supporters by memory know how to sing the tune. Even if one section is a chorus or two ahead, it won’t take long before we’re all in unison. However, we can’t do anything when the band races ahead of you, leaving a distorted woeful effort of the most chanted song in the Aviva. You manage to get nearly all the stadium off their feet and you cannot even manage to play the song right. It hardly endears yourself to evoking passion but confusion. It makes wonder if the band had only met for the first time 3 hours before kick-off, given the lack of cohesion in anything they tried to do that night.
The song selection at times during the Wales games was baffling also. More than once was Olé played. That chant is best heard whenever Ireland have just scored. On a rare occasion the FAI have got it right, they used to play the chorus of 'Put Em Under Pressure' after an Irish goal. Without fail, you would have the whole crowd would be bouncing along to that chorus. Upon restart a jovial atmosphere would give way to a deafening roar that spur the home team on. Against Wales, not long after the sending off, Ireland went for the jugular and dominated the last 20 minutes of the game. The shift in momentum was wrongly judged by the band as they decided to give the Ole notes a go. This left me infuriated. Was it suddenly appropriate to chant Olé Olé Olé Olé because we had more possession or because we had won a few corners. I’d expect an upbeat celebratory tune to that if I was from San Marino, not the Republic of Ireland.
I would love to know who sat down in the decision making process before this game, when it came to deciding how to improve the atmosphere. I would love to know did they engage their brain cells in fleshing their ideas out? The FAI had banned the Welsh travelling support from having their own brass band, the Barry Horns, from bringing any instruments into the Aviva with them for the qualifier. This was despite the FA and SFA allowing them to do so in Wembley and Hampden Park respectively. At that time, there was no knowledge of the FAI having their own brass band for the game, so I thought that’s fair enough, why give them any little edge for such an important qualifier. Little did I know we’d lose any edge we had at home by massacring our own repertoire with our brass band. Unsurprisingly, the band was almost universally lambasted on social media by anyone with any sense watching the game, including the exiled Barry Horns themselves.
No one escaped the brutal sound because it was hooked to the PA. If we had managed to confine it to one section of the ground, those hard of hearing at the game and at home might have been spared the torture. In order to reach every corner of the stadium, we attached microphones to the band and let them at it without any thought to its result or impact. It just compounded the embarrassment further that we’ve had to use the PA system in order to boost the atmosphere. Teams across the world are sometimes fined but universally slaughtered for employing such techniques to make their stadium and their support sound more impressive than it actually is. I thought we were supposed to be the Best Fans in The World? The ones who don’t need grand initiatives or the acoustic aid of a PA to make an impression on the football world.
The issue of atmosphere at the Aviva is a concern and I do appreciate the efforts made by those to improve it. For years, and of their own fundraising, You Boys In Green were the single most active group trying to improve the atmosphere in the new stadium. No shortage of banners, TIFO’s, initiatives etc. were thought of, arranged and carried by this group and those who stand in Section 114 and surrounding seats. Some failed, some worked, some continue to this day. However, in recent years, the efforts of this group have been stifled by the FAI. This is given the groups decision, perfectly within their rights, to peacefully protest ticket arrangements and the handling of the association itself. It is no secret that Section 114 in the Aviva Stadium section has been more policed than other areas of the ground. As a regular of the section myself, it is appalling that we are subject of this treatment whereas other areas are not. It gives way to the theory that this trumpet and supporting cast are only being utilised to drown out any anti-FAI chants that arise before and during the game.
The intention, without the cynical element I’ve alluded to just there, is good. The thought process and the execution especially has been appalling. Instead of labouring over the fact Ireland had two shots on target in 180 minutes of football in the last week, we find ourselves debating the merits of a young lads poor attempts to play the trumpet. Now the argument has to be heard FOR the band, for the positive influence they did have on the support. It’s unfortunate that many in the ground felt the need to have a band playing before they get up off their asses and offer their vocal support. I mean, can they not hear us in the South Stand belting out the words to COYBIG to our hearts content. I mentioned at the beginning that good football is conducive to a good atmosphere. I’ll never forget the aftermath of Shane Long scoring against Germany and how the entire ground awas immersed in ecstasy that made the 20 minutes after he scored fly by. However, it is very easy to support a team doing well. It is more to our measure as a loyal fanbase to sing when we’re not winning. And while I don’t expect everyone to stand up every time the fans in the Singing Section in 114 start chanting, as a football fan, an Irish football fan, surely to god the efforts that Friday night and the following Tuesday were not conducive to passionate support and creating an atmosphere.
Look back at the Irish fans at Euro 2016 and the memories we created and ask yourself was there a trumpet to be seen or heard at all in the midst of it. Did a mellow bass help that baby on the train fall asleep or was it the Irish fans lullaby? Did we serenade the public and security with a trumpet or just good ol fashioned and well thought out chanting? To look at it from a different angle, how often do you see flares going off before or during an Ireland game? There is nothing drastically wrong with the atmosphere we generate. We should be looking to evolve it than change our approach altogether. Settle for drums instead of introducing brass bands. Draw upon our identity and culture instead of copying other people or other countries. Maybe not everyone is going to get up and sing, but if we can create a positive vide that spurs on the players, they’ll take the care of the rest. Everyone will be standing and singing when we score.
We can pride ourselves on the fact that we are not comparable with English fans in any shape or form. Countries, tournaments the world over wax lyrical about our support and marvel how we can travel, drink, and have a good time without making a show of ourselves or causing a mess. We’ve never erupted into a mass brawl amongst ourselves or with anyone else for that matter. We can create seas of green, evoking unexplainable passion for our national team, filling any stadium In the world. Imagine what some English fans could have resorted to if they were losing 4-0 to Spain in Euro 2012? While I will point out that not ALL English football fans are of the scumbag element, they hardly endear themselves to the World with their rather infamous brass band who follow them home and away. The second I heard that trumpet on Friday night, immediately it reminded me of them and all negative feelings I have for our nearest rivals. How is that gonna inspire me and others to improve the atmosphere in the ground. What it did inspire was an altogether much more negative response.
Anyone who was standing beside me that Friday night and again for the Iceland game Tuesday will note my utter contempt for this band. I quite happily told them to Fuck Off, even if they were never gonna hear me. For the Iceland encounter, there was a noticeable change in their demeanour, as if they knew very well they weren’t welcome. However, much to my dismay and many others, they played on. The infamous trumpet player got going after the third song. However any time they did play, they were treated to a chorus of boos from some fans, myself included. I had made my mind up. They were fucking awful on Friday night and no matter how much they could improve, the mere concept of them was something I was firmly against. I jeered more loudly at them than at what I saw on the pitch, which was as bad. The people playing are in an impossible situation. And I really wish no ill on them. They are more talented at playing music than I am, and they got to step onto the Aviva pitch which is something I don’t see myself doing in the future. However, as a band, none of them should get near it again.
This Sunday we play Austria in another massive qualifier at home. A win will put them out of the equation in qualifying but more importantly give us a massive boost in our bid to qualify. Last Sunday, at a home friendly against Uruguay the band was nowhere to be seen. However, the presence of microphones in the area they played gave fear to notion that they were about pop up and subject us to more misery. I sincerely hope that the presence of those microphones was a memorial to an idea that didn't work and that will never be tried again. The last thing we need against the Austrians is a repeat performance, for everyone's sake.
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