Houllier will be Irelands next Manager

[Nic83]

Who knows. I guess we'll find out in time.
He did win the league last year, and is joint top this year. Yeah I know, the Austrian league, not quite Seria A or La Liga, but still.

He did also say that he had other offers from clubs, but that he wanted out of club football. He wanted to spend more time with the family (no pun intended ).

I thought he was technical director there and not manager? Could be wrong

[Maestro]

The underage (schoolboy) football in Ireland is one of the best set ups in the world. The talent is limitless. So the platform is there to be built on. That's why.

How do you work that out? What is that statement based on?
The talent is not limitless.
Look - the Republic of Ireland is home to approx. 4 Million people.
It has FOUR different team sports - Soccer, Rugby, Gaelic Football and Hurling - all competing with each other for talented sportsmen.
The national soccer league is one of the weakest in Europe.

It's a wonder that the international soccer and rugby teams have achieved as much as they have in the past 20 years.

Being a superpower involves reaching the top of the tree - i.e. the end stages of tournaments and winning them on a regular basis. And it involves staying there.

Even England isn't a superpower, why on earth should Ireland be?

[The Erectile Banana]

is that 150€ * 150?

22.500€

i could get drunk on that...

That's some windfall.

[Nic83]

How do you work that out? What is that statement based on?
The talent is not limitless.
Look - the Republic of Ireland is home to approx. 4 Million people.
It has FOUR different team sports - Soccer, Rugby, Gaelic Football and Hurling - all competing with each other for talented sportsmen.
The national soccer league is one of the weakest in Europe.

It's a wonder that the international soccer and rugby teams have achieved as much as they have in the past 20 years.

Being a superpower involves reaching the top of the tree - i.e. the end stages of tournaments and winning them on a regular basis. And it involves staying there.

Even England isn't a superpower, why on earth should Ireland be?

I base it on the fact that I played it and that I know all about the underage leagues mate and that since I finished playing it, I've still been following it and it's been getting better and better. No better example than my local club and nothing better to base it on than first hand experience.

I've also stayed in touch with the schools leagues/cups in which I myself when a teenager reached the all Ireland finals with my school. That was 10 years ago and the set up was top notch and I'd never seen so many brilliant players before that run. And like I say the quality is even better now.

Fact is that a lot of them lose interest after 16 if they havn't been picked up, and some of the very best slip through the net and I'd also blame the FAI for this. They should have a better system in place connected with the FA for this particular thing. I know some clubs are connected with prem teams like Home Farm/Everton but there's not enough.

And as for your argument about our country being so small, that's rubbish as there are still WELL enough playing to form a great nation in the football world. you seem to have something in your mind that says there HAS to be 100 million youth footballers or something to give us the right to be great which is codswollop. Most of the nations with bigger populations have sweet **** all set up in terms of park/underage leagues which puts us MILES ahead of most in terms of having the right to be at the top of the tree as you say.

And the national league is only so weak as all our best go to England and the good ones that don't get spotted just quit rather than play for no money in that ****e league.

OH and your last statement is ridiculous. If England (The country with the best and probably the richest league in the world) aren't a "superpower", then there's no such thing as a super power. Didn't England INVENT football ffs!!

[Maestro]

I base it on the fact that I played it and that I know all about the underage leagues mate and that since I finished playing it, I've still been following it and it's been getting better and better. No better example than my local club and nothing better to base it on than first hand experience.

I've also stayed in touch with the schools leagues/cups in which I myself when a teenager reached the all Ireland finals with my school. That was 10 years ago and the set up was top notch and I'd never seen so many brilliant players before that run. And like I say the quality is even better now.

Fact is that a lot of them lose interest after 16 if they havn't been picked up, and some of the very best slip through the net and I'd also blame the FAI for this. They should have a better system in place connected with the FA for this particular thing. I know some clubs are connected with prem teams like Home Farm/Everton but there's not enough.

And as for your argument about our country being so small, that's rubbish as there are still WELL enough playing to form a great nation in the football world. you seem to have something in your mind that says there HAS to be 100 million youth footballers or something to give us the right to be great which is codswollop. Most of the nations with bigger populations have sweet **** all set up in terms of park/underage leagues which puts us MILES ahead of most in terms of having the right to be at the top of the tree as you say.

And the national league is only so weak as all our best go to England and the good ones that don't get spotted just quit rather than play for no money in that ****e league.

OH and your last statement is ridiculous. If England (The country with the best and probably the richest league in the world) aren't a "superpower", then there's no such thing as a super power. Didn't England INVENT football ffs!!

So you're basing it on first hand experience?
What other international set-ups do you have experience of?
If the answer is none, then how can you compare the Irish set-up to any others?

At no stage did I say it was impossible to have a great Irish team, I took issue with your using the term "superpower".
Using that term, in relation to the Irish international team is "codswallop".

When you start debating like a grown-up Nic, you will realise that capitalising words doesn't lend any credibility to your argument.

Also - the England National Team is not a superpower...I wasn't talking about the Premier League.
How you took "England" to mean "English Premier League", only you can know.

And finally, football was invented by the Chinese.
It doesn't make them a footballing superpower, nor would it make the English a footballing superpower had they done so.

[Nic83]

So you're basing it on first hand experience?
What other international set-ups do you have experience of?
If the answer is none, then how can you compare the Irish set-up to any others? From what I read and from my experience over here, lets just say it would be hard to beat especially for a less well off country. France are the furthest developed in this area

At no stage did I say it was impossible to have a great Irish team, I took issue with your using the term "superpower". Actually it was John P who first used that term and I used it responding to him. I don't expect us to go on and dominate world football or anything, my point is just that on the playing side we DEFINITELY have the potential to be on of the top teams.
Using that term, in relation to the Irish international team is "codswallop".

When you start debating like a grown-up Nic, you will realise that capitalising words doesn't lend any credibility to your argument. What a cuntish statement which stops the 'debate' dead in it's tracks.

Also - the England National Team is not a superpower...I wasn't talking about the Premier League.
How you took "England" to mean "English Premier League", only you can know.

And finally, football was invented by the Chinese.
It doesn't make them a footballing superpower, nor would it make the English a footballing superpower had they done so.

[Nic83]

You're a patronising **** mate, pull your head in. How the **** was I not "debating like a grown up"? Because I was trying to emphasise words? Gimp.

Now this is a childish post for you right here. Happy now?

Don't answer that.

[Maestro]

I like you Nic. You make me laugh out loud.

[Nic83]

I DON'T like you. oooh look, I've done it again! Those blastid capitals!

[Maestro]

I DON'T like you. oooh look, I've done it again! Those blastid capitals!

[johnp]

YOU GUYS ARE FUNNY!

[Ritchi3]

Great thread.

[Maestro]

YOU GUYS ARE FUNNY!

http://i.slickdeals.net/images/smilies2/popcorn.gif

Great thread.

[Dan]

[johnp]

Disclaimer: Use Of Capitals Does Not Necessarily Mean That Me Thinking You Are Funny Is Fact.
It Might Mean That My Keyboard Has A Virus. I'll Pm Milky And Ask Him.


awwww, it didn't stay as capitals, damned forum software