PEOPLE IN IRELAND SHOULD SUPPORT IRISH SIDES.

The Irish should have their own big sides.

I am not talking about the Northern Irish League. As they have big supports for Glasgow Cetlic, and Glasgow Rangers, due to political and historical reasons.

What I do not understand is why people in the Republic of Ireland support foreign sides?

Ireland is a rich football obsessed country. Yet they do not have their own massive club.

I think that is ridiculous.

The teams in the Premier division

Bohemians, Cork City, Derry City, Dundalk, Finn Harps, St Patrick's Athletic, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, Sligo Rovers, Waterford should be bigger.

There should be really big sides in Cork, and Dublin.

There should be a club in Dublin getting attendances of 20,000 to 30,000 at home games.

Instead tens of thousands of Irish people travel to England to watch their teams.

As a proud Scot, I think that is ridiculous. We have our own big sides, and support our own sides. So we have a relatively thriving league of two super big sides, Glasgow Celtic, Glasgow Rangers. Plus 4 other large clubs in Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, and Dundee United. -Plus a tonne of decent sized clubs like Inverness CT, Ross County, and Falkirk.

In Ireland, Dublin should have a massive side. A city of 1 million people in a soccer obsessed nation should have a club getting attendances of at least 20,000 maybe even 30,000. Fans at home games.



I read a survey that says tens of thousands of Irish people travel to England to watch football. Imagine if they watched a club in Dublin instead.

Pride in nation

How can people proud of their own country support teams from foreign nations? I am Scottish, and I support Aberdeen, Inverness and Ross County. England is Scotland’s main rival in sport. Why would I support my main rival’s teams? I support Scottish football, not a foreign football league. Would a Welshman support the English rugby team?

Would English people support German or French sides? It makes no sense.

Would English people support foreign sides playing English sides?

In England, it is even frowned on to support another region’s club. For instance it is frowned on for Londoners to support Manchester United. Or for Newcastle people to not support Newcastle United.

I do not hate English people, but I support Scottish sides. Plus I always support Scottish sides when they play English sides, or sides from any other nation. I support my country.

Finances for nation.

Why do the Irish people want to spend tens of millions travelling to a foreign nation to support their club’s economy.? Imagine if those 40,000 Irish people went to Dublin and supported an Irish economy. It is also better for global warming. As you would get less people travelling to England for football, increasing their carbon footprint. Also major internationals both Irish and from other countries would come to live in Ireland if Ireland had their own big sides. Plus Ireland would be able to attract major sides like Real Madrid, Glasgow Celtic, and even big English sides like Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, and Arsenal to play Irish sides in major European football competitions.  



Glasgow Celtic

I can understand Irish people supporting Glasgow Celtic and Hibernian in Scotland as they have very strong Irish connections. Glasgow Celtic fans wave Irish flags and sing Irish songs. While Hibernian is an old name for Ireland. For instance I support London Scottish in the English rugby union leagues because of their strong Scottish connections.

I can see why Irish people in England support London Irish.  

But it is nonsense for Irish people to support clubs which have no explicit Irish connection. There is no sense in Irish people supporting Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Hull City, Aston Villa, or clubs like Coventry City or Sunderland.

Rugby Union Problem

I know Ireland has some massive rugby union clubs in Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht. I think that is good for Ireland, and they should continue that to have big sides doing well in European sporting competitions. But they do not account for the lack of a big soccer side in football. Also Ireland has a massive Gaelic games scene. But that does not account for 40,000 Irish people travelling abroad regularly to watch English sides. Ireland should have their own big sides.  

Imagine if other countries copied Ireland.

Imagine if instead of Scotland, having a professional league with Celtic and Rangers, that instead tens of thousands of Scots travelled to England to watch teams play. It would damage Scotland’s national identity.

Imagine if instead of Portuguese people having great sides like Sporting Lisbon, Porto, and Benfica, that Portuguese people instead travelled to watch Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Sevilla. It would be a loss to football.

Imagine if the Dutch instead of having great sides like Ajax, and PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, decided to support French or German sides. It would be a disaster for the sense of Dutch national identity.

Imagine if everyone in England decided to support French or German sides. What would be the point in that? How is that supporting your own nation?

Problem of which clubs would become big.

The problem is that Dublin has many sides. So should those clubs merge, or should a new super club  be founded, or should some of the already existing clubs gather higher attendances each?

PEOPLE IN IRELAND SHOULD SUPPORT IRISH SIDES.

I am not anti-English. I think racism towards English people is wrong. But Ireland should have their own big sides.  

I am not Irish, I have no connection with the country. But Ireland is rich wealthy, nation with national pride and should have their own big clubs sides.