In an interview in today's Sunday Independent, Wexford TD Mick Wallace was asked why rugby had become more popular than soccer. Mick dismissed such a suggestion as being ridiculous, and said (I couldn't find a link to this article, so I'll just type the quote in):

"Are you telling me that Gordon D'Arcy is more recognisable than Kevin Doyle? Soccer is a lot more popular than rugby. There are 450,000 registered to play soccer. Given that, in life, there are not many good things happening, people latch onto the least thing. Think of Leinster winning the Heineken Cup."

Ouch. I'd hate to be a bandwagoner Leinster supporter hearing that. Or is it Munster who are the bigger bandwagon team at the moment? Just once, I'd like to meet a Connaght rugby fan, it's incredible that in rugby country you never see anyone supporting the least successful of the provinces. The World Cup is coming up, it's great to see that we qualified for this prestigious event involving all of the half dozen countries who play this sport to a high level.

If Ireland do well, I'd say there will be people out dancing on the streets. And if Ireland (if you can call the team that doesn't stand for our national anthem or salute our national flag) play badly, it will be a repeat of 2007. All the rugby 'fans' will somehow disappear, before re-emerging in time for the next big win over England, where they will once more express how much they love the Ireland rugby team. Hypocrites.

Seamus89 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 3848 - 17/07/2011 13:55:59    986896

I dispise that "game" its absolutly vile to watch. And whats being said is true. I just wonder how many Leinster and Munster "supporters" would go to games if they where poor sides with no realistic chance of winning trophies. A bit like Soccer , If Bohs or Rovers or anyone had a team capable of winning the champions league every single year playing the likes of Man united and Barcelona , I garuntee they would be able to fill tallaght stadium or Dalymount 7 or 8 times over. Its sick

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13654 - 17/07/2011 14:22:25    986923

Very poor article it has to said. No-one would ever ask a Sports journalist to write in that magazine but yer man has no problem assuming he's qualified to write about sport even though he's effectively a gossip journalist in a celebrity/lifestyle magazine. I would've thought that the main reason that Ireland struggle for supporters is that the standard of play tends to look poor in relation to the Premiership/Champs Lge which occupiis omnipresent in the media when it comes to soccer but that doesn't get a mention.

There are a number of glaring inaccuracies in the article but the biggest by a long way has to be his conclusion that the panel and in particular Brady are just not able to understand and relate to young players. If he knew anything about Irish sport (or even bothered to look at Brady's wikipedia page) he of course would have realised that he's the head of Youth Development at Arsenal. Pitiful.

But it has to said fair play to you for getting by those pictures of Georgia Salpa and reading the words in it Seamus!

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 17/07/2011 15:30:16    986985

There are far more band wagon soccer fans than rugby fans in Ireland

And yes Gordan D'Arcy is far more recognisable than Kevin Doyle

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 17/07/2011 15:54:21    987011

Seamus you seem angry at Irish rugby fans and call them hypocrites for acting in a way that you completely made up as a result of a hypothetical situation that you also made up and never actually happened!!! Bizarre stuff, time to up the meds young man

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 17/07/2011 16:08:55    987034

Who's Gordon D'Arcy?

Sergeant_Slash (Cavan) - Posts: 2182 - 17/07/2011 16:18:47    987040

Well said Mick Wallace and that is the truth. There are nothing worse than bandwagon rugby bores......except maybe golf ones. You have to say that Munster have always had a decent support from all creeds but the Leinster and lately Ulster ones would strip paint off the walls with their nonsense. They have tagged on the increase in TV coverage and success and think they are experts on the game. I sat in a bar in Wicklow with some of the Leinster ya ya's when they played Munster and the Munster fella was asking them to name 5 Leinster players and explain offside. Most of the so called Leinster ones hadn't a baldy notion it was so funny but they didn't care. It was BOD this and BOD that and another Heinnoooo when you're at it Giles. A good slapping is what half of them want.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 17/07/2011 16:42:25    987062

Morrismonkey

Thanks for the concern pal(s), but I'm not on any meds. Rugby bandwagon fans are a pet peeve is all, and I don't think I'm the only one on this forum to think little of them, not by a long shot.

Seamus89 (Kilkenny) - Posts: 3848 - 17/07/2011 16:47:15    987066

Seamus89
County: Kilkenny
Posts: 1923



Thanks for the concern pal(s), but I'm not on any meds. Rugby bandwagon fans are a pet peeve is all, and I don't think I'm the only one on this forum to think little of them, not by a long shot.

Count me in Seamus,, It's Pals for sure. Slow day on the old relgious affairs front today.

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 17/07/2011 16:56:23    987082

Probably shouldnt ask but Morrismonkey???

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 17/07/2011 16:58:11    987087

Was Italia 90 not another bandwagon event? or is it just rugby that gets up your nose?

You may aswell have just told us thta some auld lad in the pub told ya that last night, cos mick wallace's opinion is just as meaningless.
bandwagon supporters are a part of every sport. Give your little inferiority complex a rest will ya

Bosco1937 (Longford) - Posts: 185 - 17/07/2011 17:01:24    987089

Having said that all sports have hangers on and rugby is no different. Didn't Keano refer to the prawn sandwich brigade at OT?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 17/07/2011 17:34:00    987113

waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 2710

Limerick city seem to have some new found bandwagon supporters. Well they might be

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 17/07/2011 17:44:35    987125

Seamus89
County: Kilkenny
Posts: 1923



Thanks for the concern pal(s), but I'm not on any meds.

Pet peeves often involve specific behaviors of someone close, such as a spouse or significant other. These behaviors may involve disrespect, manners, personal hygiene, relationships, and family issues.

Perhaps you should reconsider the meds.

Like yourself Seamas i am an ardent soccer suporter, i actually attend matchs also. As for bandwagon suuporters, i have attenda most Rep. ireland games home and away since 1973 and i can vouch for the fact that as many if not more bandwagon supporters come on board depending on various factors, the climate of the venue, the relative success of the team at any given time, how well the economy is doing re private sector junkets, Etc etc.

I would go so far as to say that the downfall of kilkenny city FC, formerly EMFA was the upsurge in attendances by bandwagon supporters at buckley park, making it impossible for games to be played there on health and safety grounds. Having played there i can tell you that the athmosphere was lonesome.
Anyway i'm sure you have more sense than to believe anything you might read in the S.I. it's infested with WP members

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 17/07/2011 17:58:05    987143

wait till ballbag sees this....

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11596 - 17/07/2011 18:00:14    987146

All sports have band wagon supporters, would be great to see Ireland do well at the world cup

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4649 - 17/07/2011 18:24:41    987171

funy thread i love it... keep it up, more more more :)

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 17/07/2011 19:29:36    987268

There's bandwagon supporters in all sports. I attend Hockey matches week in week out over here and there is only a couple of hundred at matches, even at Premier League level. Yet once the Olympics come round i dont even get a quarter of my application for Hockey tickets.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 17/07/2011 19:42:13    987292

Tongo
County: UK
Posts: 1714

987292 There's bandwagon supporters in all sports. I attend Hockey matches week in week out over here and there is only a couple of hundred at matches, even at Premier League level. Yet once the Olympics come round i dont even get a quarter of my application for Hockey tickets.

Could it be that you applied for 3?

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 17/07/2011 19:51:44    987316

Yeah, I agree with Mick. What bugs me the most is the way that all these rugby fans look down their long noses on Celtic fans, as if we're some lower form of life or something. Well we loved Celtic from the start, we didn't jump on some bandwagon like these rugby fellas.

Hail Celtic! Hail!

HorseOutside (UK) - Posts: 398 - 18/07/2011 13:26:05    987965