Please note – This site is mainly to complement my writings on eircom League Football. Most of what you read here is my own stream of consciousness, random observations and inane ramblings. If you feel the need, you can contact me via email at: fai.referee@googlemail.com
Breaking News: Bohemians manager Sean Connor has had his contract terminated with immediate effect after a reported breach of contract. The official club statement on the decision right now is:
“Seán Connor’s contract has been terminated by the Board of Bohemian Football Club, with immediate effect. The Board will seek to fill the resultant vacancy as soon as possible.”
So then, we hit the winter low of no-Bohs. Yep, the League season ended in suitable ramshackle style down at Ridden-Rock-Solidville (aka Cork) on November 9th – where a frankly magnificent own-goal gave the Big Club a 1-0 victory and with it the best of the European trips next summer.
Aye – the Intertoto Cup. “But surely…” I hear you proclaim, “The Intertoto Cup is but the worst of the European competitions on offer for domestic club football”. That may be correct in some quarters – but the utter superbness of the Intertoto can be found in one small detail.
The games take place on Saturday afternoons in June. A weekend fixture in the middle of summer is superb when you have to travel abroad. No need to grovel to the boss for a whole week off – the Friday and Monday on annual leave works out as a much better prospect that taking out double the amount for a trip.
I was in Gent in Belgium for our last foray into European competition – granted I did book off the Wednesday before until the Monday – but that was due to us all heading to Amsterdam for a couple of days before the short hop across the border into Belgium. It was literally two trips in one.
The other great thing about the European trip to somewhere like Belgium – the idiot quotient you normally get at League games is cut drastically – the people you normally get on the away trips into the continent are the proper fans who love nothing better than a few pints (or in our trip to Gent – much much more than a few) and going to support the club.
These trips are one of the highlights about following this great club – and by God, we missed out on Europe last season – we sorely wanted to make it back in.
And we have.
We now await the UEFA draw to be made sometime the other side of Christmas. The good thing about the Intertoto draw as opposed to the “Champions” League and the UEFA Giant Vase is that they do the draw in two stages. Sometime between Christmas and February UEFA publish the draw. But instead of the clubs taking part (as it’s based on League positions and most Leagues involved are still playing at this time) they publish which country will play which country (e.g. Ireland’s representatives will take on Belgium’s representatives). This gives us a rough idea where we will be going – so the plans can be formulated and cheap travel and accomodation booked up.
Then in April UEFA simply complete the formalities by slotting the relevant clubs into the already drawn ties. Simplicity in it’s best form.
Finally on Bohs – I had the absolute pleasure of a run out on the hallowed Dalymount turf on the 18th as I was asked to referee the First Team as they took on the Event and Security Staff. A 13-2 victory for the First Team was secured and a good afternoon was had by all. Hopefully I’ll have some photos of the game winging their way to me via email soon enough…
Away from the Land of eircom – the refereeing in England is progressing nicely. Getting some really good games on the West Midlands and Worcester Leagues – for the first time in a few years I’m actually really enjoying it again.
I’ve also been accepted to attend the USA Cup in Minnesota in July, as well as the usual Norway jaunt (which will be my 10th one). I’ve heard good things about the USA Cup – and the chance to chalk another nation off the list is not something to be passed up.
Finally – I’ve been doing some thinking as to what I want to be doing in 12 months time (prompted by a couple of work colleagues leaving the company to pursue different paths) – let’s just say I’ve got the travel bug again (but not in the conventional way). I’m taking advice and discussing the whole plan in depth with people who have already done what I’m thinking of doing, so I’ll be more than well prepared this time. First hurdle is, pass my driving test…
All I can say about the above is – watch this space…
Next update to follow soonish hopefully,
Goin’ Loco In The Intertoto
Well, well, well – what a night that was!
Safe to say – the nerves were frayed, the nails bitten and the TV sworn at very loudly at points. But we did it – coming back from the inconvenience of having 10 men for nigh on 50 minutes, and an equalizer from Pats in Itchywhore – to settle the tie – as I predicted yesterday – by the odd goal.
I watched the game via the excellent TG4 webfeed – so good in quality in fact – it was like watching it on normal TV, unfortunately this is something that RTÉ cannot seem to replicate to anywhere near that standard.
Along with the feed on the PC (I have a dual monitor setup on my nice new beast of a Vista machine), I had the Bohs.com Message Board open on the other monitor – meaning I could engage in conversation on how brainless Dessie Byrne is for getting sent off in such a pathetic manner just before the half (one of the other contributors in the match thread said at the time – “You’d even get booked in rugby for a challenge like that”). Sure the message board is no substitute for being there in person – but it does come a very close second.
Whilst all this was going on – I was keeping a fellow Bohs supporter, Shane Butler, who is now in Vancouver for the year, updated on all that was occurring down at Richmond Park. I’ve been in the unenviable position in the past of being stuck in places with no access to coverage of the game (especially during the very early days) – it can be a real killer, so if I can help out anyone with updates and news, then it’s something that has to be done. As a spin off from that – I’m already planning a trip to Canada early next year on the request of Shane. I’ve always wanted to go to Canada (I’m a big fan of the Montréal Canadiens Ice Hockey side) – looks like a good excuse as any to finally make the journey!
This Friday sees the quite interesting prospect of picking up a computer game off the shelves in England, putting the disc into whichever console I have lying around – and choosing to play a match between Bohs and Shamrock Rovers. Yes you did hear correctly – FIFA ‘08 hits the shops with the new addition of a fully licensed eircom League Premier Division (meaning all kits, players and sponsors are there in full detail).
So – what’s next – another game against Pats preceeded by a home tie against our Feeder Club, Sligo Rovers, on either Friday or Monday (the FAI haven’t made their minds up yet). These two games are the mere aperetif to the main course of a Tuesday night shimmy up to the eircom League Cup Final in Derry on October 9th.
On the basis of last night – I’m forward to that trip already…
As I sit here at my desk at work on yet another quiet and rain-swept English afternoon – I find myself ruminating on yet another couple of weeks happenings in the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Another functional 1-0 victory – this time in front of the live Setanta TV cameras at home to relegation fodder (if not for Longford misplacing a load of points on their last visit to Merrion Square) in the shape of Waterford United. An deftly executed overhead kick from Darren Manseram (his first League goal so I believe) that would grace any top league in Europe stretched the run to 10 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses in all competitions for the season.
A 0-0 draw in yet another highly charged Dublin Derby against the great unwashed last Friday – having to listen to the delusional nonsense spouted forth from the pits of Pat “Better Team” Scully nearly made me want to hurl the PC monitor out of the window.
The usual circus off the pitch inevitably unfolded as sure as night follows day, and Roddy Collins follows bluster – culminating in the usual nonsense on several Internet forums which shall remain nameless to prevent embarrasment to those involved.
For some wildly unknown reason this season – a load of Sligo Rovers fans have hopped on the bandwagon already being ridden by Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne fans - having a pop and a snipe at us at any given opportunity – even when things don’t actually involve them. Probably put it down to the fact that Sean Connor took the better job when it came up – as he said he always would do. Smacks of minnow behaviour from what is virtually our feeder club.
Monday night (last night) saw the return of Chief Fire Marshall Mr Gareth “Spoofer” Farrelly to the hallowed turf. Probably the worst manager I’ve ever seen at any level (including Sunday morning pub football and Under 9’s Mini-Soccer). Thankfully we sent him packing with a good dose of RRS and a 3-2 extra-time win. The winner coming from the unlikely source of a Dessie Byrne header in the 120th minute of the game.
In fact all three of our goals came from supporting cast members – namely Stephen Rice (who is having a pretty good season by all accounts) and Dean Pooley.
Still – a win is a win – and it sees us into a Cup Semi-Final for the first time in a few seasons – hopefully we can convert this opportunity and bring home the first silverware of the 2007 season.
Three weeks or so until the annual jaunt to Norway – and the chance to take in some foreign football – namely a UEFA Cup game and a Norwegian Premier Division match.
Finally - I sold my old PC after 3 years of faithful service – and have a nice new top of the range Core 2 Duo on the way from Mesh Computers down in London – based on the recommendation of a colleague – but with one small worry.
It’s due to arrive on Friday the 13th…
This article will appear on the Foot.ie Blog:
As this is my first contribution to this site – I thought I might give you an idea of the life of an eL fan who resides in another country.
Our life is one of crackling radios, sparse TV coverage, people pointing to the replica jersey you wear in the office or street and asking us “who the hell are they” and being glued to the Internet 24/7 for any bit of information.
The Internet (God Bless Tim Berners-Lee!) is the foreign-based eL fan’s main resource for any League news. Over the past few years the number and quality of club websites, message boards, fanzine sites, blogs and media sources has grown considerably. Unfortunately Johnny Ward’s eL site and it’s quite superb messageboard bit the dust a few years back – which really herealded a golden age of following the League from afar. It has resulted in myself certainly meeting new people from different clubs, being involved in a couple of superb friendly football matches and many friendships started from that place still remain today.
Foot.ie (http://www.foot.ie/forums/)- naturally – has been and currently is – up at the top of the list of must use sites – having taken on JW’s site mantle as the Premier place to debate League issues. Long may it continue in this vein.
I also find the new kid on the block – Irish Football Online (http://www.irishfootballonline.com/) – is invaluable for match reports, previews and other titbits from the 22 senior clubs in the country.
Anyway – a normal Friday night consists of digging out a tiny Sony pocket radio, hooking it up to a spare set of PC Speakers and trying to get a half decent signal for 252 LW and Friday Sportsnight – incorporating the soothing tones of Con Murphy and his intrepid band of reporters (including the excellent Gabriel Egan) who give us the only regular live eL coverage for an English audience.
This is coupled with logging onto the Internet and firing up Foot.ie to engage in the discussion, banter, and sometimes (but not very often) abuse with rival supporters.
At this point – as I’m currently referencing Friday Sportsnight on RTÉ Radio – I have to place on record the greatness that is Brian de Salvo’s column on said show. He manages to give us a piece on a subject with great knowledge and humour – a must listen.
Anyway – come 10pm – and yet ANOTHER Bohs defeat (Farrelly must go btw) – the radio goes off – the club messageboard gets fired up – and I register my disgust at another performance (I have them all stored in a Word Document ready to be selected, copied and pasted into said forum – depending on the level of ineptness by the team).
Matchday:
If I’m lucky enough to actually travel over for a game – then a typical Friday (having successfully booked the day off work in the first place!) goes something like this:
6am: Get woken up by the alarm clock. “Surely not that time already” I grumble. I stumble out of bed, into the bathroom and try to wake up under the shower.
6.15am: Out of the shower and get my gear together. Bohs jersey, scarf (if it’s a brutally cold day), Bohs Baseball cap, digital camera (I like to take a few pics during a game), jacket and a backpack containing a change of clothes.
6.30am: Grab breakfast and a coffee quickly – then out of the door for the walk to the train station.
7.06am: Roll out of Worcester Shrub Hill Station on a Central Trains Express service – break down twice
7.45am: Arrive at Birmingham New Street – Grab copy of the Indo from the Concourse Shop
7.57am: Depart Birmingham on another train – read eL Previews page
8.50am: Pull into the largest Interchange Railway Station outside of London – right next to Crewe Alexandra Football Ground
9.03am: Depart for the most scenic part of the journey – along the North Wales coast on a nice modern (and suprisingly well run) Virgin Train. Take breakfast from the buffet car on the way
11.30am: Arrive at the Port of Holyhead – and check in for the HSS Fast Ferry service.
1.45pm: Depart on the Ferry
3.30pm: Arrive at Dún Laoghaire – hop on the DART
4.15pm: Get into the Centre of Dublin, drop the bag at a mate’s place – then off for food and a couple of pre-match pints.
7.00pm: Make the way up to Dalymount – pick up a couple of programmes for people back in England and into the Members Bar to meet up with a few regular heads.
7.45pm – 9.45pm: Match – watch us lose to a team lower in the table than us.
10.00pm: Back into the bars to meet the regular lot and disect the game over a few more pints.
1.00am: Roll back to mate’s flat for a few hours sleep or into town to continue the night’s session.
Saturday: Do the reverse journey, leaving Dún Laoghaire at 1.45pm and arriving back in Worcester at about 8.30pm – then a quick dash across the city to my local pub to meet a few more mates for some more pints and a tale of the night before!
And I’ll tell you something – I wouldn’t give any of that up to watch a Premiership team or Football League club play.
- Keep the Faith
- R
Irish Football Online
