No Government Money For "bertie's Bowl"

Don't panic - things are not as bad as they seem

Apparently the FAI are trying to cobble together a deal with Wrexham to allow Ireland to play "home" games at the Racecource Ground from the start of the 2006 World Cup campaign. Irish Ferries are to be asked to put on extra ships for any fans from Ireland who might want to attend an Irish "home" game. Bertie is to ask the banks to go easy on the commission they charge Irish fans looking for sterling before travelling. It'll all work out yet.

 

Latest from the Fianna Fail website...

"Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has engineered an innovative solution to the dilemma of where to play Ireland's home matches for the World Cup 2006 qualifiers. When asked on RTE news this afternoon what he proposed to do, Mr.Ahern said 'sure, we'll chuck a couple of jumpers down and play dem in the Phoenix Park. Dere's lashins of space up dere and sure we could get de opposition fans to visit d'aul zoo while dey're dere'. Mr Ahern was pressed on how the crowds would be accomodated. 'Ah fer ************s sake, dey could shimmy up de Pope's monument yoke and see from dere', he retorted.
Asked whether he thought European Footballing Body UEFA would accept the plan, he commented 'Well, its either dat or de green space opposite de Square in Tallaght, so I tink dey'll come round te my way of tinkin.'

Fine Gael deputies also look set to back the bold plan."

 

Again it goes back to the GAA and Croke Park. Why build a new stadium where there is already a wonderful stadium already in Dublin. After all, the GAA got €127 million from the government for the redevelopment. The government should have put in a stipulation that they remove their rule 42 when the GAA got the money.
Of couse theres the issue of the local residents but I'm sure they can be sorted out.

 

That could be a trickier propostion than it may appear on the face of it.
There were very boisterous demonstrations outside Croker for the recent Armagh-Dublin game by the residents. One of them with a video camera stopped me on my way in and asked me would I be willing to be interviewed for a 'documentary' they were putting together dealing with the disturbances they have to put up with.

It appears to me that they're getting more organised and increasingly p'd off with the amount of games at Croker. Asking them to put up with soccer matches could be like throwing a match into a petrol station.

 

Say, for example with Highbury Stadium. Its packed into a really old terraced part of London with little room for car-parking or the mass movement of people. What measures get taken there (or similar) to stop local residents' lives being made a weekly misery?

 

Well, they're moving now, but the points still a good one.

 

Maybe I'm way off the mark here, but the impression I got was that the new stadium at Ashburton Grove was pretty much steamrollered through Islington Council. It seems to me that interest groups had far less clout in the matter, which I think is true of UK society in general compared to Ireland. I know that many Highbury residents were deeply worried about their property prices, as I'm sure 3 years of living beside a glorified building site aint going to do wonders for the value of their houses. There was also a major objection from nearby businesses, which was examined, then binned by the Council.

I really can't see the GAA/FAI or whoever steamrollering an issue like this through the residents groups around Croker as easily. The GAA already had to sweat blood to get the Donegal-Dublin QF replay fixed for a Saturday and apparently made a big number of concessions regarding possible future arrangements. It could take all of Bertie's famed negotiating skills to work it out.

As regards match-day arrangements around Highbury, I don't think they are massively different to Croker, ie roads blocked off to through traffic & parking restrictions. There do tend to be a lot more police around the away fans as they make their way into the ground, a concept alien to GAA games.

Thinking about it actually, the reputation football fans have (be it deserved or otherwise) could well make the Croker residents even more determined to block the opening of the stadium to soccer. Whatever else you say about GAA fans, their history of post match disturbances (I know there have been incidents) is not a patch on what certain nation's football fans are capable of.

 

I've never known significant problems after international games - English thugs apart...

But walk around near Croker a few hours after the game and the place is an absolute dump - rubbish absolutely everywhere, the smell of greasy food, piss, etc. It may well be the same for Landsdowne Road residents, but GAA fans are absolutely filthy.

If I lived where those residents do, that would really get me.

Then there's the fact that the ground has to be an absolute eyesore if it borders your backgarden, not to mention all the traffic restrictions that are put in place on match days. Its probably easier to get in and out of the 'Joy up the road!

And this is the way most weekends of the summer...

Having walked a mile in their shoes, I do see their side of it and can understand if they stood up for themselves regarding soccer in Croker.

 

Irish government appeal for private cash for stadium....

http://www.soccernet.com/europe/news/2002/0913/20020913ireland.html


I still say this thing is about another 2 years from taking off. Fifa and Uefa really want to give Scotland and Eire the bid for the Eurocup but they must convince them on Monday and Tuesday that the political limbo will stop and the actions will start.

I know a lot of people close to the source and it just doesn't seem like either bid will go through as of right now. Financially speaking the GAA and the government just don't have the proper funds in the bank right now.

As for the above article mentioning that the GAA doesn't like their sport bodies playing outside of Eire, is frankly laughable...as our squad travels to Belfast weekly to use and host teams at the Giants area.