Super 8 only has the potential to devastate!

I wasn’t working last Saturday morning, so I made every effort not to waste any energy. What energy I did have, I used to have a quick glance at my phone to check emails and Facebook. Away from all the hoopla of Claudio Ranieri being sacked or Donald Trump being Donald Trump on my timeline, there was this term Super8 featuring heavily. It wasn’t nostalgia driven articles about the Irish Cricket teams exploits in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Nor was it about a sequel to the popular film of the same name released in 2011. Then it clicked. It was that pathetic proposal to breath new life into the Senior Football Championship. And it was being put forward at the GAA Congress that morning.


I’d forgotten about it since it was first proposed back in August of last year. Paraic Duffy’s concept on, as GAA.ie put it, “how best to restructure the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and condense our calendar of inter-county games to give our club championships more room to breathe”. When it was originally announced, it was met with scepticism and general confusion as to its benefit. At least that’s what I gathered amongst GAA supporters across the spectrum. The proposal added eight extra matches to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship by way of introducing two groups of 4 at the quarter final stage. These teams would square off in their respective groups playing in a round robin style format. Two teams would progress from each group to make up the semi-finalists. Each team would play a game at home, one away, and the final game in Croke Park.


According to the GAA press release at the time, “The new structure would provide a more exacting pathway to the All-Ireland final: the finalists will have had to compete with three of the best teams in the country at the group stage followed by a semi-final with a top-four team that came through the same test. This will have the effect of ensuring that the finalists will have been equally tested and that the two best teams in the country contest the All-Ireland final.” There would be more games during the summer when the conditions are better. The All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, the primary motivator behind the revamped format, would be given ample time upon conclusion of its inter-county companion to be facilitated in good time and without disruption.


I remember thinking at the time that this is so convoluted that anyone with a lick of sense will not pass that. And I didn’t give it any more thought. Until that Saturday morning where, much to my horror, it was passed by a majority of 76% to 24%. This was despite calls from the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and newly formed Clubs Players Association (CPA), both of whom canvassed its members and unanimously agreed the concept didn’t work. However, delegates at the Congress supported the motion comfortably into law. The decision has been met with dismay amongst Inter-County players, with Clare’s Podge Collins “Players club & county don't agree but who gives a f*** about them” and Philip Jordan of Tyrone stating “Can't be bothered following Congress updates after super 8 is passed. 2021 before club players can get a fair deal, depressing thought.” The supporter reaction was much the same, with less focused rebuttals focusing on the greed of the GAA. I’m dismayed to the point I’ve hammered out this article just to convey how mindless this proposal actually is.  


While many people have come out and remarked upon the format as a money making concept, I’ll be quick to disagree. Personally I have no issue with the GAA economists and their fundraising. Some followers would easily forget that it is still a Not-For-Profit organisation that has to make money in order to survive and flourish. While more games in theory should bring more money, the benefit if any, will not be big. There is enough evidence in my mind to ask if the extra games will even be enough to cover the general matchday costs for hosting? That is because the quarter finals in their current form are not well attended. Games not involving Dublin, Donegal and Mayo of late have received very poor numbers. So imagine how attendances will fare with two more “quarter-final” games to consider. The fair weather supporter is hardly going to attend two extra quarter final games when they can barely attend one! Factor the extra travel and ticket costs and you’ll be hard pressed to find a large number even within the hardcore support of each competing county that will attend all three group games. 



Last August, I attended a quarter final double header featuring Kerry vs. Clare and Galway vs. Tipperary. An attendance of 29,251 contributed to an atmosphere that was so mind numbing I’d have fallen asleep if it weren’t for the sun beaming into my face on Hill 16. That attendance figure is misleading for the fact it doesn’t account for the number of people who saw both games. . I am certain that while 29’521 may have entered the stadium, it wasn’t the peak no. in the ground at any one time. Those watching Kerry dispose of Clare had a long journey home and didn’t bother sticking around for the shock of the Championship that followed. In my own case, I just arrived after the 2^nd half had started in that opening game. I doubt a large number of the Galway and Tipperary fans were in a rush to get there early, primarily given the distance we had to travel. That’s the problem with these double headers given the fact they’re in Dublin. Each of the aforementioned counties would have had at least 2.5 hours travel to get to the stadium. And with rare exceptions over the years, the attendance & atmosphere has always been disappointing at these games. I would like to think that the 3 quarter empty Croke Park greatly contributed to the tame performance Galway gave that day. It would be insulting to Tipperary if I did but it hardly helped stoke the fire!


I've felt for a few years now that quarter finals should be played at the home of the provincial champion. I believe too many games are played in front of a half empty Croke Park, stifling the atmosphere and the allure of playing in the premier GAA stadium. The idea of Galway having to play Tipperary in Pearse Stadium last August instead would have been a far better occasion. The atmosphere of 20’000 people in that stadium opposed to a half full Croke Park is uncomparable. Maybe we might have won too! Jokes aside however, while the new format does give the provincial champion their home game, it retains an appearance at Croke Park along with another game on top of that. EVERY team in the quarter final will have a home game and a trip to headquarters! So where is the motivation of winning a provincial title outside of silverware? At least the Hurling Championship gives incentive to their provincial championships by giving the winner direct passage to the Semi-Final. There could also be a case that a county might be out of the group stage before they even have a home game or reach Croke Park. Imagine the atmosphere for those damp squibs and the revenue it would bring in.

 

Tipperary arguably pulled off the result of the Championship by beating Galway in comprehensive fashion that day. While they are a young and exciting team, having defeated Derry in 4^th Qualifier Round in superb fashion, the result was still a big shock in the GAA. Not only the outcome but the fearless and dominating fashion they swept Galway aside as well. It was a historic result and the highlight for many people in the Championship in 2016. It ensured their first semi-final appearance in 81 years, and sadly it could be their last for some time. In order to qualify for the semi-final under the Super 8 format, they'd have to produce another superb performance like it to ensure progression. A general group would be made up of 2 provincial champions and one other qualifier. Using last year’s quarter finalists, they'd have to beat one of Tyrone/Dublin/Kerry and Clare/Mayo/Donegal. All good teams, and no easy game against any of them.

 

Say they do put in another solid performance and qualify. What have they got left to push on to the final? Tipperary have a number of good players coming through but in comparison to the top counties, their strength in depth is not the same. In the semi-final last year against Mayo, they lost one of their best players in Robbie Kiely to a black card early in the game. It was a crucial decision and his influence was missed as the game went on. I thought watching that game they had a chance to make a game of it in 2nd half but the physical and mental fatigue showed in the final third when they needed scores. There is no surprise or shame in that, especially given the season they had. They’d reached the Munster final before losing to Kerry by 10 points. However, they bounced back to beat Derry in a thriller before disposing of Galway in emphatic fashion. The experience will count to their young players but what chance will they have of doing it again in seasons to follow?


How many counties realistically have strength in depth to have realistic ambitions of winning an All-Ireland Final in this format? Tipperary couldn’t afford to lose one key player without suffering in that semi-final. The increase in games & travel will affect the player’s conditioning. There is even more potential for injuries and fatigue to set in. The group stage is to be played across 15 days. Three intense games in the guts of 2 weeks is no mean feat. And while the training levels of the Senior Inter-County teams borders on professionalism, this format will take its toll on all participating counties. The difference could well be how best equipped your strength and conditioning team is for one, and the number of quality players left at your disposal should something go wrong. The bigger counties have the budget and fundraising nous to be able to cope with the spending required on their inter-county teams. However, what about the likes of Leitrim, Waterford, Antrim etc. Do they have what it takes? Would they have to gamble on putting all their resources into the Senior Team at the expense of other teams and areas in their county to make a stab at it? What if the costs of maintaining the high fitness levels of Senior Inter-County players increases with this new format. Will the GAA foot the cost when a County Board comes in and needs financial assistance? It’s already happening, and with the spending costs for some counties surpassing the €1 million mark for 2016, it is only going to get worse.


 
(The backroom team of All-Ireland Football Champions Dublin, enough to fill a matchday panel!)


It is set-up for the bigger counties to continue getting stronger. The day of a fairy-tale run by a weaker county outside of the traditional powers of today will be things of the past indefinitely in my opinion. I am not ruling out Tipperary making it to another semi-final within the next five years. Being a Galway fan, it would smack of sour grapes if I denied their quality. I just find it hard to see it happening in this format. Before Tipperary last year, the last unfancied team to make an appearance in the semi-finals were Wexford in 2008. Fermanagh before them in 2004. The days of unknown making an appearance in the final four were reducing with every year. How does this format help those outside of the top 8 or 12 teams playing Senior Football compete? Where is the thinking for the lower tiered counties? Take for example the NFL. The worst team each season will always get first pick in the draft the following season. They have their pick of the potentially best young football athlete in the game. Now while it’s no guarantee that team will immediately improve, it gives them the catalyst to build around young talent and work towards the future. You may be bad one year but you’ll always have something to build for in the future. I know the two systems are incomparable for many reasons but compare the benefit of that draft system in providing a level playing field to that of the Super8 in the GAA in the same area. You will realise that Super8 does nothing for weaker counties and can only serve to increase the gap already present.

 

This concept only exacerbates the existing problem of fixture congestion. EIGHT extra games are introduced into a calendar already taking place from early January up to September. To counter act that, the GAA also introduced measures such as the abolition of replays outside of finals and the removal of the National League Semi-Finals. Those semi-finals never really interfered with a club championship for a start so their removal doesn’t make a huge difference in my opinion. The abolition of replays doesn’t account for the overall increase either. There were a grand total of FOUR replays last year. In 2015, there was just two. In addition to all of this, it was also decided that the All-Ireland Senior finals in both Gaelic Football and Hurling would be brought forward by three weeks. Adding two extra rounds to the Football championship and bringing the All-Ireland finals forward by three weeks makes no sense. They are fundamentally competing concepts. It could lead to a very condensed football calendar, which may or may not be a good thing. It does free up September onwards for the Club Championship. On the other hand the frequency of games may take its toll on player and supporter. The UEFA Champions League once had a 2^nd Group Stage before the quarter-finals for a few years before scrapping it, realising its futility. Interestingly, the only county delegation to speak out against the Super8 format, Cork, argued that this would disrupt their own club championship structure as they run the majority of it off in the summer. Theirs will not be only the county championship to experience fall out from this new format I feel. 


As for the club player who happens to be an Inter-County player, what break do they get? Are they essentially in pre-season for 8 months of the year? As I mentioned above, if the training increases as a result of increased inter-county games and a greater intensity, what break will they get during the season? And what break will they get after? Colm Cooper is looking forward to All-Ireland Club Final on the 17^th March and then its very likely he’ll be involved in the Kerry set-up for the Inter County Championship onwards. And the cycle will repeat itself once the Senior Inter-County championship concludes. The club championship may get a free run from September onwards but it could lose their marquee Inter-County star anyways from fatigue or injury. More alarmingly, what diminishing chances are left for a young prospect coming out of Minor football to adjust to the step-up without it having a detrimental effect on his social life and/or his work or education? An increasing number of players are taking a year out of playing Senior Inter-County football for a variety of reasons. And this format will not encourage them to keep playing. It will only serve to contribute to player burnout or disillusion with the game. For example, for a county like Cavan to lose a talented player like Martin Dunne (below) is something they can't afford given their size and player depth.

To add insult to injury, the Club Players Association was rejected official recognition on the basis of it being too early. The new concept was designed with the Club Championship in mind; that was the key selling point. However, the GAA decide not only to ignore the opinions of the club player by endorsing an unpopular format, but to refuse to recognise them in an official capacity to boot. It makes you wonder what the GAA’s thinking towards the club player when they’re making up formats and statements that contradict each other. There is nothing I've read or heard that argues for this Super8 introduction. And by that, I mean the example of a real tangible benefit for the GAA and the Championship on a whole. Within a year of its introduction, the problems of fixture congestion, player burnout, the negative impact on player both Inter-County and Club will continue to exacerbate. There could very well be a scenario where the GAA will be back to the drawing board in 3 years realising their mistake.


I sincerely hope they realise this much sooner.

Brady.

 

There is now 60 minutes gone.

I look to the heavens and pray.

It doesn’t matter if the roof is closed, it doesn’t matter if you have faith or don’t believe in God.

I needed an answer. From the man upstairs, a higher power, anyone who would listen.

I just wanted Ireland to fucking score.

Nothing else.



I’m not the only one. There are thousands of Irish fans inside the Stade Pierre Mauroy pleading for the same thing. With an hour of football played, the scoreline is 0-0. Its the final game of the group stage for the Republic of Ireland and Italy. Ireland need to win to qualify for the last 16. Italy are already there. That situation is evident with the state of play. It’s Ireland who are on the front foot, playing superbly without getting the go ahead goal. They’ve created good chances, forced the keeper into good saves. They’ve even had two claims for a penalty turned down, both without question stonewall fouls all day long. Maybe it’s because the game kicked off at 9pm French time that the ref didn’t give them. No explanation of his would make sense. Murphy was man handled, McClean was clearly fouled, and my heart was on the edge of a precipice.


The Irish team are reeling from a 3-0 defeat against Belgium four days previous. I’m reeling from TWELVE days of extensive partying, drinking, travelling and football. And the story isn’t finished. I want this continue. I am at my wits end but I want to go on. Everyone does. Once again, the Irish support has taken over a major tournament, winning plaudits the world over for our good natured behaviour. On the field, we’ve performed better than we have at EURO 2012 and entered the final game with a chance of qualifying for the last 16. The format has changed four years later with the expansion to 24 teams. The EURO’s have expanded, a term not common for many countries finance institutions across the continent. Ireland want, no, they need to be there. We need to be at the top table once again. The country needs it more than ever.


We have a free-kick in a dangerous position, it’s rolled along the ground before being cleared. A mix-up, a fuck up, another chance gone a begging.


Surely we have to score? I mean, I’ve wanted desperately for Ireland to score before. Sometimes they do, late against Poland in Dublin. Sometimes they don’t, against Scotland in the same city. And I was ticking time bomb of agitation and nerves on both of those occasions. It’s different this time. As time ticks on, the scoreline remains the same. And there’s an ever growing galling pain building up inside. Maybe it’s because never before have I seen an Ireland match where the Boys In Green (or white) shrug off the shackles of being a small nation up against an elite like this before. We did it against France in 2009. And I still remember the agony I felt that night and for weeks afterwards. Maybe I’m afraid of that? That sense of devastation. The pain of travelling home on two flights and as many buses staring into space. Envisaging what might have been.


We’ve had famous wins before, and usually they came by way of an early goal followed by savage life on the line defending. Rarely have we come out and controlled a match like this one. Usually you were left to take deep breaths, clench the muscles in your arse and cross everything in your body hoping Ireland would hang on. This is different. Ireland are getting forward, moving the ball well. There is surely one outcome for a team playing like they are. And it is still only 0-0. Time ticks on regardless of the state of play, regardless of our emotions, regardless of momentum. And as it does, things are getting desperate. Every misplaced pass, Italian interception, shot off target and seconds spent without possession forces the tension to rise. There is no scale to measure tension in the stadium, it would have been broken before kick-off if there was. Wes Hoolahan is on for McCarthy, and McGeady is coming on for Murphy. One is a cultured playmaker, the other is a tricky winger who polarises opinion. And it’s McGeady who takes on the Italian defence and whizzes a shot over the bar. Another chance.


75 minutes gone and I’m begging. “Please, please, just let us score.”


My eyes are welling up. I’m exasperated in the stands, helplessly watching the game continue. Would Salvatore Sirigu entertain my pleas? You could have one of two extremes with an Italian backline. Either they’ll be mortally offended by the notion of losing a clean sheet. Or you pay them enough money to get what you want. I had no money left, I had no bloody idea how I’d get to Lyon. I had a contingency plan for flying home but no urge or desire to follow that up. I was going to worry about that afterwards when we qualified. Would we qualify? Please let us qualify! I didn’t care about the consequences to my travel plans or how I would tackle the next 24 hours. I would have sold my soul to get what I wanted. Only that soul was tortured enough throughout the game that it wouldn’t have been worth much anyways. The game enters a spell of Italian pressure, and the agony gets worse. They begin to control possession and Lorenzo Insigne manages to get away from Hoolahan. He’s bearing down on goal with space to shoot. He does…


and hits the post. It’s a let off. And a reminder.  Please just score Ireland.


Don’t fucking lose the game either!


It’s a stark reminder that all of this could blow up at any second. We may not be counting down to the misery, it can strike at any second. It was a metaphor for life itself in a way. However, now is not the time to live in fear of misery. We need to win this game and take life and the second round with it by the balls. The Republic of Ireland heed my calls. Again we push forward. We continue to press high up the pitch. McGeady has a header that lands safely into Sirigu’s hands. Chances are at a premium, and we’re only managing to work small openings. Nothing clear cut. We’re coming into the last ten minutes and all we need is one clear chance. Shane Long is chasing Italian defenders in possession. Shane Long has been on fire all week and still to have a decent chance fall his way. He never stops running. He never gives up. His pressure forces the ball to be played across to Thiago Motta. A poor first touch from the defender allows McGeady to intervene. It’s a much ignored facet of his game, his pressing. This time you couldn’t miss it. McGeady is suddenly there hassling him and forces the ball loose and with it, Motta’s balance. It falls loose and Wes Hoolahan has it with a clear passage to goal. And he’s through on in goal. What! There’s just the keeper to beat? Where is the Italian defence? WHO THE FUCK CARES!!!? A massive roar of expectation goes up. The play as it unfolds before me is surreal. Hoolahan advancing on goal, Shane Long to his left and McGeady tracking him to his right. And NOT A BLUE SHIRT IN SIGHT. Only Sirigu in goal. This is it. The opportunity and moment of a lifetime playing out in front of us in slow motion. Send us to Lyon, Wes, work your magic………


He hits a tame shot at the keeper. The rebound falls gracefully into his chest.

Since the second half began, there has been a metaphorical knife prodding at away at my guts and across at my heart. As the ball falls into Sirigu’s hands, it jousts through, bringing me to my knees in disbelief and devastation.


That was the chance. That was it. And never will Ireland get an easier one like it. It seemed like an eternity for it to play out because Wes had so much time to pick his spot. He probably had too much time. The man is such crafty footballer he knows how to use the ball in pressure situations. This was a different kind of pressure. A collective gasp and shriek amongst the Irish fans immediately brought huge gravitas to a one-on-one situation. They say some strikers score the most difficult goals opposed to the easiest ones. One day, I hope to be a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer. That’ll take a while, cause I’m hopeless. I’m not a striker, and neither is Wes. It was devastating, I can’t bear to look on any more cause we will not get a better chance.


Like Wes, I have my head in my heads. Like Wes, neither of us will get a chance like that again. Unlike Wes I would have fucking hammered it at goal. But then, I don’t have an ounce of that man’s composure on the football pitch. I’m about to crumble in agony only for a roar of encouragement to bring me upright again. Ireland on are the counter attack and Stephen Ward is bringing the ball out of defence. We won’t get a better chance but we need another chance itself. And we’re on the move. The roar is surged full of belief despite what’s just happened. It’s McGeady coming forward. Space and options ahead of him. He plays it forward to Wes out wide. Undaunted by what happened 50 seconds ago, he comes inside and whips in a cross with his left foot. I see it floating between three players converging in the box. Sirigu, Leonardo Bonucci and Robbie Brady. And Brady gets to it first. It bounces towards the empty net.


GOAL!
GOAL GOAL GOAL
GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!


Everyone associated with convulses into a rapture. One of sheer exhilaration and emotion. The moment is so colossal that I am reduced to the most basic of motor functions. Variations of the word yes are all I can manage. YES. YES. YESSSS. YAAAAAA YAAAAAAAAASSSSSS. Anything more than a singly syllable would be incoherent. And this word is repeated ad nauseum until I can process what has actually happened. Until then, I am jumping up and down unable to control my emotion or delight that is consuming me. To restore some balance and control, many Irish fans are embracing other in hugs that would you usually see when someone’s life has been saved in a movie. This isn’t a movie. This is real life. Robbie Brady has put the Republic of Ireland a goal in front against Italy. Ireland are on the verge of qualification.


All across Stade Pierre Mauroy, a sea of green has erupted into wild euphoric celebrations. A slightly disorganised chaos has ensued. Irish fans jumping, over seats and over each other, anarchy everywhere. The ecstatic reactions reverberated in our ears inside the closed roof. An array of emotions, everything laced with the passion we’ve shown for years following the Boys In Green. Tears are coming. For some they are unstoppable.  I haven’t enough energy or strength in my vocal cords to express what the goal means to me. I’m locked in a huddle with my friends from Galway. And that beautiful county is one we may not return to just yet. I’m crying out of joy. This is wonderful. This is why I follow my national football team and few else.


There’s been some cathartic moments in Irish football alone in the last 12 months. I was there when Shane Long scored against Germany. That was special. It came out of nowhere. Few expected it and an explosion of joy followed. This was different. This was something brewing in a pot of agony, pain, heartbreak, and desperation. All game we were waiting for the breakthrough. When the final whistle went against Germany in October 2015, fourteen years of frustration and disappointment since we last defeated an elite team disappeared. In the moment Robbie Brady scored for Ireland in the 85^th minute, fourteen years since we last won a game in a major competition had passed. Fourteen years since we scored a critical goal with our participation in the balance. It was a goal that now put us within sight of ending 28 years without winning a game in the European Championship. All that time coupled with aforementioned pot of emotions laid bare to the scenes that unfolded in Lille. Robbie Brady has tears flowing from eyes because he understands the significance of the goal.


It’s a goal that can define a generation. This Houghton is Stuttgart and New York, Sheedy in Palermo, Keane in Ibaraki. I’ve recycled the greatest moments in Irish football history time and time again before Ireland games. The majority of which I wasn’t around for, or too young to appreciate. I’m 25 years of age and of relative sound body and mind, despite the best efforts of local off-licences in previous two weeks. This was a special moment none of us in the stadium will ever forget. Even those watching at home! A moment we never got close to four years ago in Poland, or on the streets singing or dancing. A moment on the pitch that Robbie Brady will never be allowed forget, even if he got a recurrent form of amnesia 50 years from now. His celebration showed it. Much like the rest of us, he had tears in his eyes running towards the Irish support. The significance was not lost on him or the rest of us.


The significance of the result at hand would curtail our celebrations for the time being. When Long scored against Germany, the passion that emanated from the stands in our sings, chants and support distracted me from the clock. I remember looking up at the screen to see the scoreline only to note 85 minutes were played. Celebrating Shane Longs goal that night made me forget about the passing of time. That was then, and this is now. 85 minutes have passed and nothing was secured yet. Robbie Keane, Irelands record goalscorer, was about to be brought on. The goal has changed things. Now Stephen Quinn is warming up to shore up the midfield. Robbie’s swansong can wait. It can happen in Lyon. The sheer emotion in all of us is brought to a halt when we realise the game wasn’t over. Now the Italians push forward with real purpose. Yet they cannot bring the same intensity to the game that the Irish have done all night. The momentum, the desire, and the noise is impossible to break down. The noise in question is a mix of “Ole Ole Ole” and a defiant “Come on You Boys In Green”. Somehow, some way, we are summoning the strength to roar those chants down across the stadium. The closed roof helps. Energy levels have been galvanised, there is no way Ireland can lose this now?


The pessimistic amongst of us have premonitions. The scene is Croke Park, October 2009. Sean St.Ledger scores a header that brings wild celebrations in the famous stadium. It’s in the 87^th minute and Ireland lead Italy 2 goals to one. Despite the noise and celebrations in full flow, the Italians break on the counter and score an equaliser within 90 seconds to level the game and send them to the 2010 World Cup once and for all. Ireland are left to face the playoffs. The rest is history. A repeat of that scenario would fucking destroy me more than Henrys handball ever did before. The clock ticks into injury time. Tackles are flying, and not an inch is been given. McClean makes a perfect challenge from behind and the ball is hoofed clear for a throw. McGeady dispossesses Zaza and Randolph hammers it downfield. Anywhere will fucking do. It’s a throw in deep in the Italian half that goes long. Zaza barges into the back of an Irish man. Free-kick. Time is up. The free-kick is greeted with a roar of relief and appreciation but not one of celebration. The game is as good as over isn't it? Martin O’Neill is already celebrating, Antonio Conte already brooding? Is this real, I'm not sure if I believe this is real. It has to be over? It has to be real!


The free kick is taken and delivered towards the corner flag. The final whistle soon follows.


Republic of Ireland 1 Italy 0


Now the tears are coming non-stop.


It’s a moment I’ve waited for all my life. One I’ve agonised over, fantasised about, imagined endlessly what it would be like. And it’s happiness. Sheer and utter happiness with immense pride. The squad all converges together to the corner of the stadium where I am. Irish fans across the stadium celebrate, embrace, cry together. We’ve experienced something truly unforgettable and we all know what we’ll be talking about for the rest of our life. And that is something only International football can give to an Irish football fan. I’ve never truly had to justify the lengths I’ve gone to follow my country. Sure, I’ve gotten raised eyebrows, shakes of the head, condescending smirks, laughters of disbelief. And plenty of dismissals. And while I didn’t waste a millisecond thinking about them in the stadium, it hit me on the way back into the city centre that none of them would ever question my support again. Cause I’m pretty sure back home in Ireland they too were watching it as well.


However, I was there, and my body is still shaking. I’ve got 4% on my battery. I’ve got to ring my girlfriend and my father. And tell them I’m not sure if I’m coming home tomorrow.

Reap what you sow, from the Heart and Soul

When Martin O’Neill announced his provisional squad for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria this month, two names stood out above the rest. Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle were both named to a Senior International squad for the first time in their careers. And it was the first time any current League of Ireland player had been part of a squad announcement in almost ten years. The eagle eyed few who may read this will immediately bring to my attention that Gary Rogers was part of the squad that played Oman and Serbia. The difference in this instance was that Rogers, having previously trained with the Senior squad prior to the Euros, was called up to replace David Forde who withdrew from the squad. He has failed to make a squad since.


It was the naming of the duo this time around that I found more significant. The squad faces a single, yet crucial competitive qualifier. Unlike the forgettable friendlies Ireland played in the USA in 2007, this is the strongest possible squad Ireland have picked. Joe Gamble was the sole League of Ireland representative on that tour which also featured future forgettables such as Stephen O’Halloran and Alan O’Brien. More memorably, it also featured the novel call-up and capping of Joseph Lapira, a US college amateur whose selection was met with derision amongst experts and outrage amongst followers of the domestic league. You have to go back 31 years to find the last player who featured for Ireland in a competitive fixture. Pat Byrne was captain of Shamrock Rovers when he appeared as a substitute in a 4-1 defeat at home to Denmark. So, even the naming of two Dundalk FC players to a provisional squad alone represented a landmark moment for the League. Fears of a token call up to a provisional squad were not realised when both players made the final cut to travel to Vienna this weekend. They weren't just in the conversation for being a part of the squad, they were in the running to feature in the first team.

Their inclusion in the squad only adds to a growing League of Ireland influence in the Senior team of late. Eight of the Euro 2016 squad began their careers with Senior domestic clubs. Wes Hoolahan (Shelbourne), Stephen Quinn (St Patrick’s Athletic), Shane Long (Cork City), Daryl Murphy (Waterford United), Stephen Ward (Bohemians), David Meyler (Cork City), James McClean (Derry City) and Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers) all donned their former clubs jerseys for a photo during the summer that was a great advert for the League. David Forde (Galway United & Derry City) was a last minute omission from the final squad who also started out at home. It’s not unusual for key Irish players to have spent the early part of their career playing in Ireland. Going further back, both Roy Keane and Paul McGrath, two of Irelands greatest, solidified their development by spending a season playing domestic football. It begs the question now more than ever, do the FAI and the Irish public need to seriously consider backing the League?

It’s a question worth asking and very likely one to end up into a debate between followers the League of Ireland and the English Premier League. It is Ireland’s other football civil war, after Saipan. The dedicated die hard followers of local football regaling against those who devote their time and money to the clubs in England. Money spent on Sky Sports subscriptions and the odd trip across the water is money that substantially help any Irish club at Senior level. Those who forego spending a tenner on a match ticket on a Friday night to spend money in a pub watching a game on TV. Ultimately everyone is entitled to follow whoever they want. Far from it for me to tell people what to do with their own life. However, it is also a fair entitlement for any Irish football fan to question objectively the reasoning for their ignorance of our own league.

This isn’t coming from a lifetime Galway United fan immersed in the League of Ireland. For years, I regarded Liverpool and Celtic were the be all and end all when it came to club football. My general state of emotion often was dependent on those two team’s fortunes. I often found myself getting into arguments in school and on social media amongst friends and enemies about the Premier League. The Irish Senior National team always came first but Irish football aside from that barely registered. I looked out for Galway United’s results but never stepped foot in Eamonn Deacy Park until last year. A couple of years ago, this dysfunctional obsessive following of Liverpool and Celtic began to subside. Real life problems coupled with a growing involvement in Irish football home and away made me think about this obsession I had with the aforementioned clubs. It was way over the top. Within a few years I was working with Galway United, heavily involved with my local Junior club in playing, coaching and administration. And I was following the Irish national team home and away at every opportunity that I couldn’t give two thoughts about either Celtic and to a much lesser extent Liverpool unless someone mentioned those teams to me. And I couldn’t fathom that the same obsession others have for foreign teams is still valid, or that it even once applied to me.

I don’t discredit those who follow foreign teams exclusively. I might raise my eyebrows or shake my head but I’ll leave them to it. It’s those people who follow foreign teams who lambast the quality of football in Ireland that I take exception to. The majority of these people have either never gone to or watched a League of Ireland game, or much worse, never played or watched a game at Junior level across the country. What gives them to right to criticise or attack the League football here? These people aren’t football fans, their hypocrites who follow other Leagues or competitions in Europe for entertainment and not a passion for the game. There are plenty of people who follow local football and the Premier League in this country. They have no problem following both Leagues. I still keep an eye out to see how Liverpool and Celtic are doing still. The irony manifests itself in the form of laughing at your own countries standard of football before roaring like a lunatic in the Aviva following the National team! That doesn’t make sense and instils feelings of resentment and hostility amongst football fans in the country.




I can assure you that no one is laughing at Dundalk this season, whose exploits domestically and in Europe this season can give them the right to claim the title of Irelands greatest ever team. They exceeded the efforts of Shelbourne in 2004-05 by narrowly missing out on the Champions League group stage by losing 2-1 to Legia Warsaw. Ciaran Kilduff scored a superb goal in the 2^nd leg that was worthy of any Champions League highlight reel. This was preceeded by a historic 3-1 aggregate win over BATE Borisov in the previous round. BATE have been a regular feature of the Champions League in recent years but they were played off the park in Tallaght in the 2^nd leg where Dundalk won 3-0. They automatically qualified for the Europa League group stage by virtue of beating BATE Borisov and after losing to Legia Warsaw, they were drawn into Group D alongside Zenit St. Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar and Maccabi Tel Aviv. While it lacked a truly marquee name, the gulf in class was still daunting. However, where Shamrock Rovers struggled 5 years ago, Dundalk are on the cusp of greatness by putting themselves in a good position to qualify for the last 32. They have picked up 4 points from their first four games, drawing away to Alkmaar and beating Maccabi at home. Even more impressive were their battling displays against top seeds Zenit, losing 2-1 home and away. In the second leg, Daryl Horgan scored a marvellous solo goal to draw Dundalk level. Andy Boyle has been part of a disciplined and defensive back four who are more than holding their own.


These are all teams whose budgets simply dwarf what Dundalk FC operate on. In financial terms, contrast Zenit St. Petersburg's reported annual budget of €165million to the €1 million the League of Ireland club usually spends. What makes Dundalks achievement even more impressive is that their results in Europe and the prize fee’s accumulated have long since dwarfed the prize fund they got for winning the League of Ireland. Winning their third successive League title earned the team just €110,000 in prize money - €10,000 less than they were awarded for drawing away to AZ Alkmaar. The issue of financial backing the League receives has long been an issue amongst clubs and their supporters. Supporters have often used the €360’000 salary of FAI CEO John Delaney   as the focal point of their ire regarding the FAI’s stance on their domestic league. Some might have called it paranoid but in July when the Football Association of Ireland announced a financial injection into Irish club football – that amounted to €5,000 per club in the top flight, few could argue against their thinking anymore. It was a pathetic offer that St.Patricks Athletic refused to accept, stating “The board of SPAFC wants its decision to serve as a clear message to the FAI that it has utterly failed in its responsibility to the domestic game and to those clubs who, in spite of its indifference, have managed to keep some semblance of professionalism within football in Ireland.” Sadly such was the financial straits some clubs were facing, they were forced to accept the offer of €5’000. The offer was to help clubs formulate a Strategic plan in moving forward. Surely the FAI must have realised that clubs doing a Strategic Plan (something I could do myself across a few weeks for free) will realise it takes a lot more €5’000 per annum to run a League of Ireland club. A lot of clubs are doing enough just to survive each season with players signing 9 month contracts or less to play for them.  It’s not good enough. To paraphrase this, it’s not as Fran Gavin said, in defending the €5’000 grant, creating an atmosphere for clubs to succeed, it’s a not a viable product that can succeed in the long term.


Dundalk need not worry about money. Their exploits in Europe have seen them pick up €2.4 million just for qualifying for the Europa League group stage and a further €360,000 for picking up three points. Maybe more awaits them. What about the rest of the League however? No one can begrudge Dundalk their success, with the exception of Drogheda United fans but this success is likely to increase the gap that is already extending between Dundalk and everyone else. Serious investment is required in Irish football. Dundalk have achieved that in spite of the FAI. How many years will we have to wait for next Irish domestic football success story. While I could argue at length about the football culture in this country, investment in the League and its structures is something that can be done immediately. We can improve facilities across the League that make it more welcoming for new fans and families. We can make prizes for competing in the League enticing to increase the competiveness in the League. This in turn can create a greater intensity and edge to the League already there. That’s just off the top of my head. We can only stand to benefit in the long run by investing heavily in the League of Ireland.





The structures need to improve from the grassroots up. While most young lads playing football in Ireland dream of playing for Man United or Liverpool, the prospect of playing in the League of Ireland should be a positive one for them. Especially if it can lead to greater things like it has for Seamus Coleman and James McClean in recent years. Local football does not end at the League of Ireland. Daryl Horgan started playing football at Salthill Devon, while Andy Boyle came through the ranks of Crumlin United, two strong junior clubs with great support. We don’t hear enough about these clubs yet we’ll hear plenty of stories about local GAA clubs in the second half of the year. While some people may not have a local League of Ireland team or may be unable to attend league games on a regular basis, there’s a great chance there is a local Junior club near them. I have a deep personal connection to my own local club so I have been heavily involved with them for a number of years both playing and working for them. Its voluntary, but it’s been great and I get more joy from winning games with them than I would seeing Liverpool win. Whether you play at Junior level or help out or both, you’re making a valuable contribution to Irish football. And you may find it to be rewarding than watching Jamie Carragher or Thierry Henry (BASTARD!) do analysis on a Monday evening.


Is this asking for too much? All I want to see is Ireland do well. Given the nature of player movement and more extensive scouting networks across the World, less and less Irish lads are being signed to English clubs on youth contracts. Less and less are making the breakthrough to the first team and thus the options of players playing at the highest level in Europe are dwindling from the figures we used to have 20 or 30 years ago. There is no need however to cast these prospects aside if they don't get picked up by a English clubs scouting system. If we took that logic, Seamus Coleman would be, by his own admission, playing Gaelic Football for Killybegs. Young players need to be playing competitive football. They can get that in the League of Ireland. This is why the likes of Shane Long and Kevin Doyle were picked up by Reading a number of years ago. They were playing regular football at the highest level in Ireland that aided their development to the point it impressed the English club to sign them. Both of those players have had fine careers ever since. In the future, both Horgan and Boyle may be moving abroad. Today, no one can argue against their inclusion in the Irish national team. And they're a part of it because they were playing in the League of Ireland.


So many more can follow his path if we decide to support it.