League of Ireland manager spot

Well ex manager.

Johnny Mac passed me in his 01 Merc taxi on the Howth Road today. Add him the list of LOI head driving taxis.

If only Roddy would stop appearing on Newstalk and just drive a taxi instead. His guff has no place on the national airwaves.

Fancy a pre Cheltenham punt?

Harps are 7/4 on to beat Salthill at home. Surely worth a punt if you are into that type of thing......

Here we go again, we're on the road again.....

To most people it is just a normal Friday. To a small band of football supporters across the island, it is the first day of the season.

I can’t make the game, something which pains me more than I can even write about. Working on a project in Laois, a 7.45pm kickoff in the Brandywell and an exam at 9.30 tomorrow in Dublin meant something had to drop out and unfortunately it had to be the game.

I met someone wearing a Shelbourne scarf on Grafton Street this morning, there was an imperceptible nod and the fella shouted “Best of luck against the Langers” as he passed me by. It’s like a secret club, 99% of the population don’t know exist but for those of us that do, it is truly special.

Midway through a season, when you are driving home from getting hammered away from home you promise yourself you’ll get another interest. Something that doesn’t take over your life. Something that doesn’t mean you spend most Fridays driving hundreds of miles and meaning that your Friday night meal consists of a bag of chips from some terrible mobile outlet. Something that means that you’ll be able to answer “Yeah I’m free this Friday” instead of “Naw, I’m going to Longford for a game”.

But you know you won’t. You know that being there, to see it, means more than anything. Knowing that the craic on an overnighter in Cork is unmissable. Knowing that sure once you hit Ardee you will be home in two hours. Know that if you meet Tom the Gom and he backs your team for the League your f*cked.

This is the mental anguish of the League of Ireland fan. Once you are bitten, you can give it up. You can’t just give up on like an underperforming fantasy football team. You may be mid-table and it is an 12 hour round trip to Waterford, but fuck it you’ll go.

The first night of the season is what I imagine an addict feels when they relapse. The hit, the high and whole buzz. It has been building for weeks, you have seen snatches of the team in a friendly but this is the real deal. There may be only 500 there, but they are your 500. 500 people who feel the same way about the same thing about it as you.

It always reminds me of that scene in Fever Pitch

“Sarah Hughes: Paul, it's only a game!

Paul Ashworth: DON'T SAY THAT! Please! That is the worst, most stupid thing anyone could say! Cause it quite clearly isn't "only a game." I mean if it was do you honestly think I'd care this much? Eh? Eighteen years! Eight-teen years! Do you know what you wanted eighteen years ago? Or ten? Or five? Did you want to be Head of Year at North London Comprehensive, I doubt it. I'd doubt if you wanted anything for that long. And if you had, and if you'd spent three months thinking that finally, FINALLY you were gonna get it and just when you think it's there it's taken away from you... I mean I don't care what it is, a car, a job, an Oscar, the baby... then you'd understand how I was feeling tonight. But there isn't, and you don't, so...

Roll on 7.45pm and the start of the madness once again.

The Cork City Story, in summary

Not quite the Jerry Springer Opera, but not far off it. I reckon I could probably break the word count on Blogger trying to explain that has happened on Leeside in the last few years.

However for the modern reader, with the limited attention span, here is a great audio round up of the events in the last few days

Part A: Bit of a preamble to bring you up to speed
http://www.ccfcforum.com/audios/96fm24022010parta.mp3

Part B: Jonathan O'Brien
http://www.ccfcforum.com/audios/96fm24022010partb.mp3

Part C: Jim McCarthy, Peter Grey, Tom Coughlan & Jonathan O'Brien http://www.ccfcforum.com/audios/96fm24022010partc.mp3

Part D: Michael O'Connell
http://www.ccfcforum.com/audios/96fm24022010partd.mp3

We've had "I Keano", surely events on Leeside necessitate another musical opera?

Lost: A load of syllables

Last seen somewhere on the Louth border.

We were on the road for the first time on Saturday, off to Dundalk for the friendly. Myself and Marty D were in the car and we left Dublin on a beautiful winter lunchtime. The temperature display in the car read +4 degrees when we were at Dublin Airport and it was -2 when we arrived in Dundalk.

To be fair, it was obvious that the temperature was dropping as the freezing fog cloaked the motorway for the short hop north.

Unsurprisingly, there was no great crowd about Oriel and we got parked right in beside the ground. Tickets acquired, albeit at a rip off €9, we made our way in. In that classic LOI fashion we managed to get down the players tunnel as we made our way to the seats.

Deagy, Brendy Narr and JOT turned up and there was a sizeable enough City support down. I reckon the City support was 30% of the total crowd and they were plenty of familiar faces. Whilst we drew a blank on "Tom the Gom" watch we did spot Dermot Ahern and Dermot Keely. With the state of some of the JSB when they turned up, I thought the Justice Minister might have to place a call to the Gardai.

The game itself was one to forget. That Champsionship Manager blast from the past JJ Melligan got on the score sheet for the hosts but Gerard Doherty only really had one more save to make. City were neat and tidy and McBride impressed me in the middle of the park. I don't know what to make of Patrick McEleney, is he a front man or is he a winger? It will be interesting to see where Kenny will play him for the rest of the faces.

It was absolutely baltic at the game although Deagy showed he has travelled with Northside once too much by turning with a flask, proper cups and snag rolls. Though he still had time to prank me at half time by getting it announced that I was engaged. It is a long season Barrett and revenge is a best served cold......

There was also the "Jumping Church of Kildemock" which is probably worth a blog entry all to itself......

Err, a load of lads in tracksuits have turned up, what do I do

Read the hilarious account of Shaktar Donetsk in Harrods here

City are back!

Fixture list out tomorrow.

Chalkie, in a John the Baptist style is away round the country to spread the word.

The working title for the story of the season is "Only two monkey sanctuaries in Ireland, are ye serious?"

First trip? Dundalk on Saturday.

"We can't go on together........."

Cafe Kick: What a spot

We were in London for the weekend(more to follow on that). However one of the big hits of the weekend for me was "Cafe Kick" which had been highly recommended by CMC.

Cafe Kick is basically my perfect bar
- Football on the TV
- Great football memorabilia on the walls
- Great drinks menu
- Chilled out vibe
- TABLE FOOTBALL


What more do ye want?

3D Football: The new bandwagon

If Irish people are so interested in watching "3D" football, why don't they bother actually going to matches? Is real life not 3D?

Hat tip to Ricer.

No al calcio moderno

The post below is from a QPR fan and sums up a lot about the modern game for me.

"I take more pleasure in seeing Chelsea lose than I do in seeing QPR win at the moment.

I sat through so many matches when we were absolute dogs**t under the likes of Ray Harford and with people like Paul Bruce, Matthew Brazier and Mark Perry in the squad and I never felt like this.

The club isn't ours anymore but moreso than that - football is just properly gash these days.

I mean really gash.

football generally.

I hate nearly everything about it these days....

I hate the Prem and the myth that it is exciting this year. Man City breaking into the top four isn't exciting. They spent loads of money. It's no more exciting that Nameless C*** getting to number 1 in the charts after winning the X-Factor.

I hate the myth of Arsene's kids. Buying some French kid when he's 17, playing him in the League Cup and then selling him when he's 20 after about 3 appearances in the league is NOTHING SPECIAL.

I hate hearing about Liverpool/Man Utd's debt but nothing ever happening about it. A club needs to go to the wall for the money thing to change but it doesn't happen. Why the **** are Charlton, Leeds and Southampton still in business?

I hate Frank Lampard's stupid f'ing face. I hate that Joe Cole's tongue is never in his mouth, the downsy spacker. I hate John Terry being England captain when he's CLEARLY AN OAF.

I hate the England team.

I hate young exciting wingers who have nothing but pace. Tony Scully had nothing but pace.

I hate the FA Cup. There may be little shocks like last night but for the most part you know who's going to win it. Unless a team throws away all their financial security to win it a la Pompey.

I hate Harry f'ing Redknapp. And Jamie Redknapp. And Louise Redknapp. And the Wii.

I hate James Nesbitt, Eammon Holmes and f***ing everyone.

I hate Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

I hate Garth Crooks.

I hate Garth Brooks for that matter.

I hate Sky Sports.

I hate that when a lower league player beats 10 players and chips the keeper it doesn't matter but if Rooney scores from more than 20 yards it's amazing.

I hate that everything football related has to have 'Club Foot' playing behind it.

I hate that female sports journos are now mandatory.

I hate Mark Lawrensen for not coming out. 'I do like a big man at the back'. I bet you do.

I hate any advert that portrays football to be about anything other than pain and disappointment.

I hate any advert that mentions pies at football.

I hate Lee Hughes and the fact that he makes a living from the game. I hate Marlon King and any team that signs him when he gets out. I hate that it'll probably be us.

I hate Phil Brown.

I hate 'well the ball is a lot lighter now and will cause goalkeepers real problems this summer' before EVERY F'ING TOURNAMENT.

I hate that Kieron Dyer earned more in the time I took to write this post than I'll earn this month.

I hate Adrian Durham, Ian Wright and Alan Brazil.

I hate Gazza. Either die or shut up. Stop f'ing lingering.

I hate hearing about Hillsborough more than I hear about Heysel or Bradford.

I hate that a comeback from 4-0 down at half time (TWICE) means nothing because we aren't f'ing scouse.

I hate Leeds.

I hate Roy Keane.

I hate grown men wearing football shirts of their team whilst shopping on a Saturday when their team is playing at home.

I hate that I don't hate Roy Hodgson.

I hate Jermaine Beckford and any player who has neck tattoos.

I hate songs being inappropriately taken as club anthems and then sung in a manly way. 'I'm forever blowing bubbles....'. Gaylords.

I hate Danny Dyer and anyone he's ever interviewed.

I hate the book 'Cass' by Cass Pennant. It is honestly the stupidest thing I've ever read. Chapter 1: Millwall. 'Yeah we took 50 to Millwall. They had 1000 in their mob but we ran 'em up and down the street'. Chapter 2: Liverpool. 'Yeah we took 50 to Liverpool. They had 2000 in their mob but we ran 'em up and down the street'. Fk me... Jade Goody's autobiography is probably better. Even her non-ghost written one.

I hate that all good youngsters end their careers at Spurs before they start"

Setanta Cup chaos

Article from the 'Tele'

Personally I don't think we should be in the competition. The club that competed in late 2009 no longer exists and therefore the idea that a new entity, albeit with the same name, could be parachuted into the tournament is frankly ridiculous.

The only reasonable thing to do is to declare our results null and void and let Pats and Linfield fight it out for the last spot. However it does appear as if the hierarchy at Linfield are using this as another excuse to have a cut at the tournament.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all.

I'm currently in Japan following the latter stages of the Emperor's Cup. Thanks to all those that read the blog in 2009.

Photos from the wake aka Oriel

Back when we had a club. Them were the days.

Losing the high ground

Ah, you can always depend on the FAI.

Just when it looked like they were beginning to establish moral authority with the treatment of Derry and Cork, they managed to blow it. The world was firmly behind them in relation to the handball. Most rational observers thought there was no chance of a replay but JD was pushing the idea of bringing video evidence onto the FIFA agenda etc.

RTE Report on 33rd spot

The FAI have gone from the strong, confident figure to the needy wallflower sobbing in the corner when no one asks us to dance at the party. Classic.

The Paris Experience

The Paris experience

The dust has settled, the ridiculous calls for a replay are dying away and we are left with the stark reality that we won't be in the South Africa next summer. So what can we take from the experience? In my opinion it is probably in the top three Irish away performances I have ever seen. The manner in which we played through the French, creating a number of great chances was a real positive and answered the pathetic criticism which has dogged the team throughout the campaign.

Given the size of the country I don't expect Ireland to “achieve” on the world stage very often. All I want is a team that is competitive and a team we can be proud of. A lot of fans who travel regularly have spoken of being revitalized by this campaign. After the negativity and the nightmare under Stan, we have roared back into life this time around. Bari, Sofia and last Wednesday were proof positive of the “new Ireland”.

I was in Paris from Tuesday night onwards, taking a half day and hitting the plane/train combo to make it there. Rendezvoused with the troops and headed for a bite to eat. This was a somewhat prolonged affair and we weren't back in the hotel till after three.

Matchday and the weather was perfect. All of us had done the main sites before so we opted for a cruise along the Seine, bite of lunch, and a visit to the Military Museum in the afternoon. Then it was back to get the “match gear” on and head for the stadium. Anyone that knows me would know I am not a good person to be around before a game as I just want to be in the stadium as early as possible.

The game itself was both fantastic and awful at the same time. Fantastic to see us play so well, awful for the end to come as it did. Keane's goal reminded me of Pizza's goal in the 95 Cup Final, even the whole slow motion nature of the way it went in. The goal produced absolute bedlam around us, but a middle age lad took a real tumble and had to be escorted away by the medics, which curtailed the celebrations.

Half time was a bit surreal as we were playing so well and everyone was sure the French were going to pummel us in the second half/ I said to me da that I was really worried when Duffer and Keano missed and so it turned out. If we had scored the second I am 100% certain we would have gone through as the French would have need two to beat us and that was never going to happen.

When the French scored it was a just like getting a dig in the stomach. That sickening feeling when you can feel something slipping away. In the stadium no one had an idea of the controversy. I was only when I started getting all the texts from home that I realised that something was amiss/

I was hurting on Wednesday and Thursday, no doubt. To come so close and have a decision like that go against you, it really takes it out of you. After the game, plenty of French fans came up to apologise. We went for something to eat around 1am on Thursday morning and the table of lads beside us were totally apologetic. It wasn't a faux sincerity, as one of them said “Shame on us”. To come so close and miss out is heartbreak and it could be twenty years until we come that close again.

There was a very anti-climatic feel after the game as the Irish were stunned at the manner of the defeat and the French were stunned by the manner of victory. There was no mad celebrations from the home fans, both sets of supporters just shuffling off into the night.

The atmosphere before and during the game was absolutely magic. We may have had far less travelling than we did in 2004 but it somehow felt a lot louder. The introduction of the Singing Section in Croker and the impetus ybig.ie has provided has undoubtedly helped that, evidenced through the campaign. The wall of noise from our section all night, and even at the denouement was a sight to see(and hear). You still have the quotient of eejits travelling and everyone has a story to tell about them and their antics. On the whole though, the traveling support tends to be great.

The Eurostar back home at 6.43am on Thursday was carnage. A mix of French people heading for London for a day's work and a load of lads who drank through the night and headed for the train. I was between the category, as I had been out till after 4am but was suited and booted as I was heading for the office on Thursday afternoon.

I was absolutely shattered come Thursday evening and increasingly embarrassed by the reaction of the nation at large. There was never going to be a replay, it was a shite decision, but hey that's the way it happens. Any real supporter of a team could reel you off fifteen decisions of similar magnitude that has happened to their side in the last decade.

Roll on 9/2/10 and the draw for the Euros. C'mon YBIG.

From Retro rig

From Retro rig

From Retro rig

From Retro rig

They've arrived. Anyone who prepaid-I'll be in touch.

The cleansing process

Thursday saw the start of the "cleansing process" (Copyright Rico, Monday night on MNS).

The FAI sent a high powered delegation north to explore what the future held for Derry City. The last remaining director stood aside, and talk of a road map back into senior football began to emerge.

Some of the stories of the type of stuff that went on at the club is utterly shameful and indeed would make you very angry.

Personally I thought Stephen Kenny's comments on the issue on Friday were stunning. As the manager of the club he had absolutely no knowledge of the wages that the club were paying? No player ever mentioned to him that he had to sign a blank form? He didn't wonder about how we were within the 65% rule if we were paying the higher wages?

People now seem to think it is just a matter of procedure for us to be in the senior football next year. This is far from certain. This is not a case of just ticking a few boxes and getting back in the League.

The Calver issue at Coleraine has made it a lot more difficult to just wind up a company and start again. We are far from out of the woods yet. It will require a mammoth effort to have a club next season.

A new week

Sunday morning, and the news of Derry being thrown out the League was starting to gain real momentum. Press from the UK, Europe and further afield were starting to learn of the news of the club's demise.

The message board nearly went into meltdown and Greengo took the sensible step to close the site overnight. At Mass that morning people were talking about the club for the first time in years. Next up was the news of a press conference at the Brandywell at 2pm on the Sunday, where the fight back would begin.

I didn't bother attending, and from talking to those that did, I missed nothing. The idea of a press conference is that it is exactly that, a press conference. Once again, fans and any other interested onlookers were allowed in and the journalists I spoke to said it precluded an chance of actually asking decent questions.

I had a Supporters Trust meeting on the Sunday evening and I tried to explain to those in attendance that the contracts was a side issue. The financial state of the club meant that a Trust was need either way and therefore the need for a Trust was as pressing as ever.

Monday was a seminal day in the whole saga. The devastating performance of John Delaney on MNS showed that the FAI weren't backing down. At the same time the board were holding an open meeting. Such was the size of turnout that the group had to move to the City Hotel. Speaking to those who were at the meeting they thought that the board had done a good job and had coralled plenty of feeling against the FAI. This was before they had seen MNS though.

JD, with the threat of bans etc, had played classic divide and conquer with the players. Given the players hadn't been paid in weeks there was nothing for them to gain by staying quiet and they were always going to go running to Abbotstown to throw themselves on the mercy of the FAI.

On Tuesday the rumour mill buzzed that the players were on the way south. Events moved at breakneck speed as the players were exonerated and the majority of the board resigned that night. The statement by the PFAI/FAI regarding the players was quite a sight to behold. The players admitted signing the contracts but they didn't know what they were signing and they didn't think to question what these blank forms might relate to.

I personally don't believe this for a second and it was a complete exercise in self survival for the players. The FAI were happy as they had their evidence, the players were happy as they were off the hook. Everyone club has a union rep, did they not think to call Stephen McGuinness and check the blank form?

On Wednesday we had the one remaining director claiming no knowledge of the contracts issue. He spoke of taking the club forward and using his business skills to run the club as a business. Make of that what you will.

A week is a long time....

Sometime they say that football is better than any drama and the events of the last of last ten days have certainly proved that beyond doubt. To be honest I don't even know where to start on it, and I will probably have to break down the blog into several sections.

We'll start with the before, as in before last Saturday.

Let's be honest, the situation was far from rosy before last week. I had been saying to people for a few weeks that I was ashamed to be a Derry fan especially in the light of the Dungannon and Linfield issue. The club was in financial meltdown and most fans were sleepwalking their way into it.

The rumour of the wages issue at Derry has been floating around the League for quite a while. I was alerted to the seriousness of it in September time. Several newspaper articles hinted at the issue and indeed I posted a question relating to it on a Q&A thread posted by Pat McDaid several weeks ago.

I got a few texts on Thursday indicating that the issue was going to come to a head and the news of the hearing was announced. Friday night in Dundalk there was an acceptance that we were going to be relegated, but there was no talk of demotion.

The decision on Saturday dragged on and dragged on and whilst plenty of people thought a delay meant good news for Derry, I was far from certain. I'll be honest, even I was shocked when the news came out. For the rest of the night my inbox and mobile went into melt down.

What did these mean? Where did we go from here? Why had the FAI punished us so badly? There were the general tone of the questions I was getting. I didn't have the answer and the pictures from the 9 o'clock news with an emotional Pat McDaid claiming "shame on the FAI" meant this story was going to run and run.

It's all about this

Kudos to anyone who can spot McDaid senior and junior!

For those that want a hint, check out 1.47 or so.