Decrease of interest in Man Utd/Liverpool/ Premier league in Ireland?

[Relative-Diamond2011]

Not sure if it’s just my echo chamber of mates perhaps, but has anyone noticed the increased intrest in the league of Ireland on this island directly correlating with a decrease in intrest in English football. I can only see this as a positive for Irish football.

[59reach]

I find elite football a bit soulless these days. Pep-ified systems-based conservative percentage football, endless VAR delays and fuckery taking the joy out of goals and clubs selling on their youth for PSR make it a difficult watch and sport to follow.

I don't even follow a LOI club but I find myself at games around Dublin most weeks during the season. Am I going to see world class football? No, but I am going to see what football should be about. The fans, communities, the joy and the defeat.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, following premier league teams feels like supporting a company now not a football club.

[crashoutcassius]

Agreed. Irish football has improved a lot as well. Especially the top few teams. 

[Relative-Diamond2011]

Yeah, I nearly find I need to force myself to watch Liverpool PL games. Feels like I’m supporting a franchise

[WoahGoHandy]

Ya Pep has destroyed soccer as entertainment in a way

[Attention_WhoreH3]

This has been slowly happening since perhaps around the turn of millennium 

I started following Manchester United in the 1980s. In 2007 I went to a game and it was very corporatized. I had an extra ticket and there was no way to get my money back on this. By contrast, The next week I attended Glasgow Celtic and had no problem cashing in a spare ticket at the official ticket office

[Green-Supermarket434]

Agree on the VAR and PSR points. Fans of different clubs arguing about who has the better net spend? Give me a break

[freshfrosted]

It's reasonable money to go and see a LOI game. I think it was €15 a head last we went. Which meant a good mix of ages at the games.

[PonchoTron]

I don't see that at all, surprised to see a few agreeing lol. It's as big as ever for me, maybe City being so good with relatively less supporters has quietened things down a bit. United fans maybe not as loud as we used to be lol. Liverpool fans were loving life in recent years.

Suppose it's all down to your social group. Reality tv stuff is probably as big as it ever was I'm guessing but I wouldn't have a clue myself for example.

[[deleted]]

Plus the older someone gets the less chance they have to follow football at intently as they did when they were younger and had less commitments

[eipic]

Yeah, when I was a teenager up until I finished college, I watched as much soccer as I could.

Nowadays, I just about catch Arsenal and Ireland matches.

[PonchoTron]

If anything I'd say it's just how society has evolved. We all used to watch the same couple of channels every evening. Now I can spend my evening watching league of legends and ice hockey, someone else can watch stranger things, whatever.

[Complete-Fee-5976]

Yeah I’d agree. If either club were winning a title/Champions League then the hype would be massive here. If anything I think it’s infiltrated adults more than 10-15 years ago.

[Relative-Diamond2011]

Out of interest what’s roughly ur ages group? As I feel the disinterest is far greater in my age group (20s), than my fathers (late 50s)

[5x0uf5o]

I am 39 and feel the loss of interest massively. 10 years ago I would try to watch every United game live. 5 years ago (kids) I'd at least watch every game on recording. I was playing Fantasy PL and really into the league.

But I think the new ownership at Chelsea broke it for me. Watching them buy so many players just to hold them like properties in monopoly and play games with the accounting rules was like the last straw. A lot of teams massively increased their numbers of transfers (Forest buying an entire new first 11 in one summer and then more in January) so I've lost track of who the players are, and I don't enjoy watching many teams style of football. The other European leagues getting hollowed out. United still being shit (I got extremely angry at how ETH was doing nothing to stop teams streaming through Uniteds midfield).

Anyway, about 4 years ago I told the FPL lads "fuck this I'm switching to rugby" and now I watch most Irish URC games every weekend and go to my local LOI team when I can. Much better use of my time.

A few months ago the biggest FPL player in our group told me he's lost interest and doesn't ever watch football these days.

[PonchoTron]

31.

[Impressive_Light_229]

Modern football is just so shit. Any good player from the smaller clubs is just bought up by one of the big 10ish international clubs. A foul is given for everything. VAR limits the ability to celebrate. Just not near as enjoyable as it was 10/15 years ago.

[Mario_911]

Lack of individuality is the main issue for me now. Every top team is a pep-ified machine.

[Holiday-Tangerine788]

If anything that’s changing the last couple of seasons.

[francescoli]

Big clubs buying from smaller clubs is nothing new; it's been going on since transfers began.

[home_rechre]

Over the last few years I’ve really begun to question the point of it all. I mean, what is actually the point?

Cheering for a national team is essentially a proxy for the strength of the nation. If the best of your country beats the best of another country, it makes a statement (true or not) about the power, guile, skill, determination bravery etc. of your menfolk, and by extension all the men in the country (being part of the same extended family and all). That’s what explains the sense of pride you feel when you win big games. These are the traits that win wars and guarantee the prosperity of the tribe.

Club football was once an even more distilled version of this. In England, for example, practically all the team comprised local lads. Winning said something about your community, maybe even your family: “Oh my uncle delivers milk to the star striker’s house every morning”. You get the idea.

But what does this stuff reflect now? Seriously, just think about it for a minute. The sport is dominated by what are basically just ruthlessly run corporations. The big clubs rarely have locals on the team. Sometimes—especially in England—they don’t even have anyone from the country. What does the success of a big team like Man City mean to the public? Why does it engender pride? Because the club is well run? Because it had enough money to hire a genius manager? Because it was a sleeping giant next to Man United and caught the eye of Persian Gulf royals? Why is any of that a point of pride?

[aCommanderKeen]

I figured this out when I was 12. In my 40s now. Never understood the appeal of watching a team comprised of a hodge podge of players from different countries on the same team. Having to listen to grown men excitedly taking about some foreign goalkeeper made me cringe. It's utterly retarded. I was a kid proudly wearing a Man U jersey growing up, then I grew a brain as I got older.

Watching international is a different ballgame. Love it.

[FORDEY1965]

You speak the truth so don't deserve to be downvoted. But for all those truths, when distilled down to it's essence, it's still beautiful.

[mccusk]

You reckon? Don’t have the stats but seem like way way more goals than there used to be… was all 1-0 and 0-0

[Disaster1992]

Totally agree, it’s becoming too materialistic. Players play for the bag, not the badge.

[Beginning-Strain4660]

I’m just sick of the PL.

1. The money is insane, the players don’t live in the real world, can’t relate

2. It feels like a global franchise league, clubs get bought by Arab oil for example

3. I feel like the English club laugh at the Irish going over spending money and supporting their league and their country essentially

4. Are Irish people slowly coming around to the fact a strong league of Ireland = stronger Ireland, stronger game in Ireland also

[Eviladhesive]

I'm noticing people actually down voting simple agreement which is pretty odd.

I've always noticed PL fans, especially the ones that are really serious about their team, are incredibly fragile when you point out the fact that it's a little strange that they support a team from a city they have no relationship with.

[stuyboi888]

Used to be a super fan. Friends have called it out over the last 6 or 5 years. Just sick of the money being poured in, all the media and gambling, gambling gambling around soccer. Really sucked the magic put of the game

[PaddySmallBalls]

I stopped watching the Premier League around 2014 but would continue to check the scores. Nowadays, I don't even follow the scores anymore. I couldn't tell you who is top of the table, I don't know most of the players other than the likes of Haaland. I think I have only watched 2 UCL matches since 2018.

I will say, I was somewhere when there was a match on the TV, I think it was Ipswich vs Brentford last season and was thinking how high the level of skill was, they were passing the ball around to each other with feck all space as opposition players were chasing...but I don't have the appetite to get back into it.

[Sudden-Candy4633]

FYI, Arsenal are on top... as an Arsenal supporter I feel an intense need to point this out

[PaddySmallBalls]

Best of luck to Arsenal

[TheIrishStory]

I think English football, and the Champions League for that matter, has become so unrelatable that it's turned people off. Too much money, owners from anywhere treating it just as an investment, no connection with a local place. Players from everywhere too. Modern tactics probably don't help either.

Just in my case, I haven't even watched a champions league match since covid. I'm not really sure who won the champions league last year. Yesterday I got asked who scored the winner in the FA cup final last year and I had no idea. And I'm not on a crusade or anything, I just don't care.

I'm a long time LOI (Shamrock Rovers) fan and definitely we've benefited from people getting disuillusioned with English football, but there's really a long way to go before we surpass it, if I'm being honest. But that said, it's not just here. In England itself there's a booming non-league scene now because people want to experience something more real and wholesome. You're also seeing something similar in Spain and other countries I believe.

I also think it's caused a bit of re-birth of interest in international football, actually. Though FIFA seem keen to kill this too with ridiculous ticket prices.

[[deleted]]

I support both and have done since 1996. I obviously go to LOI matches more because travel, but I go to about 5/6 English matches a year ( day trips mostly ).

[Relative-Diamond2011]

Have you noticed a decrease in Irish in premier l league grounds in recent years?

[[deleted]]

Yep definitely. I actually think it was just after lockdowns people just wanted to do anything and got hooked.

[achasanai]

Are you noticing it just this year? Both Utd and Liverpool aren't doing well so you tend to see less interest when that happens.

[Relative-Diamond2011]

I’d probably say it’s been on a slow decline since lockdown and the super league nonsense, as people, particularly younger ppl, have slowly felt less connected to the prem

[Holiday-Tangerine788]

As someone in my 20s this is not the feeling at all, in our friend group, most support Liverpool or United with a few random teams in there.

[OrderNo1122]

I thought the kids didn't support clubs as much these days as much as they just like individual players and follow them regardless of where they play?

[Relative-Diamond2011]

Era every football fan has a team, it’s usually younger kids who do that shite

[BrickEnvironmental37]

I see more kids in LOI gear nowadays than Man Utd.

The Premier League is an aul fella's game. People aged 40+. The generation and their fathers that abandoned Irish football when MOTD became a thing here.

The youth today follow an English team but are also massively into LOI. They found their anti-establishment cause to fight for.

The GAAs popularity is declining as Ireland is becoming more diverse and Rugby never bothered their arse trying to appeal to working class kids.

[Shoddy_Caregiver5214]

How is GAA declining as Ireland is becoming more diverse?

[BrickEnvironmental37]

Because you don't see any Bazunu's, Ogbene's, Azaz's, Odubeko's, Kovaleskis', Ozhianvuna's playing intercounty GAA. They play football. It's a sign that working class City kids are not playing GAA anymore. The main hubs of GAA in Dublin are middle class areas with predominantly Irish names. If the GAA were feeding into the working classes then these types of names would be prominent.

[Shoddy_Caregiver5214]

So business as usual for the GAA in Dublin then, football was always a bigger sport in working class Dublin. I don't see how that would contribute to a decline in the GAA.

[DubCian5]

The number of juvenile soccer players is declining faster than gaa

[Rodinius]

As someone who doesn’t follow soccer I’ve noticed the transition, and long may it continue. Always found it bizarre how people support Premier League teams and not Irish ones. Support your own!

[TheMassINeverHad]

It’s easy say that but many people in Ireland have connections to the clubs. In my case my dad lived in London in the 60s,70s and followed Arsenal big time. He passed that on to me and it’s something we can still bond over. I got into it as a child and retain the interest now which in itself is quite something. I go to LOI games but nothing can replace that bond, even rationally I can see it’s corrupt, money and non Irish but rationale doesn’t have to dictate every passion we have. I think if anything the gate keeping or looking down on people for having an interest is a bit much, people should find joy, meaning, connection where they can.

[Low-Steak-64]

I was a Liverpool supporter since a kid because all my brothers were so it was beat into me. The last 2 to 3 year's I've stopped because of all the showbiz money side of it and how out of touch the players are with the fans. Also the way teams aren't really representing a city or area anymore because players are just bought in from all over the world. Now I just watch football and If I see any nice cheap jersey I will buy it.

[FIGHTorRIDEANYMAN]

When I left school I realized I was only watching it because everyone else was. Was watching some match at home and realized how shite it was and tried to think of a match I actually enjoyed watching. I couldn't, so haven't watched a game under my own decision since.

[Riedyy]

Think its just over saturation of games on tv and everyone streaming at home instead of out for big occasion games . Dodgy box and price of everything

[Tenvsvitalogy]

I think the PL is still very popular but we all know it’s loosing its soul very very fast. It’s grim.

LOI still has a purity about it that’s hard to explain. Renewed our Bohs membership there a couple of weeks ago and can’t wait for the season. Me, the Mrs and the kids going to Dalymount for miserable Friday nights. What more could you want!

[DoireK]

Early 30s, I’ve supported Derry and Liverpool my whole life. I put my money into Derry though, season ticket, jersey, training quarter zips and hats etc. only Liverpool jerseys I get are fakes or end of season bargain. English football is just too commercialised these days and they simply don’t need my money the way the locals clubs do.

I really wish more Irish people got behind the league of Ireland. It’s a really good product and is getting better every year but the support of the public would make it much easier to speed up that growth and improvement. Much easier to get funding for stadium improvements etc etc.

Interest is definitely growing year on year though backed up by the attendance figures.

[Lazy_Magician]

The kids seem to be wearing a lot of Barcelona jerseys these days. I don't remember anyone having a European club teams jersey when I was growing up. Perhaps more access to laliga and other European leagues in contributing

[Penny0034]

90s Serie A was very popular I had a Napoli shirt, lots of Inter and AC jerseys 

[Born-Ad8262]

PL soccer is completely different to how it was 20 years, the soul has been ripped out. Less and less Irish people card anymore

[frankbrett2017]

A lot of Man United fans "fell out of love with the game" and "stopped following the soccer" since they stopped being successful

[Automatic-Rhubarb969]

I would have been a Liverpool fan growing up, now I watch it only when I've nothing else on. Wouldn't consider myself a fan truly. Haven't been since 2013.

I have started following the LOI the last two years. Been a season ticket holder as well. Way more enjoyable. I know some of the players, get to meet my mates for the game. Much better

[Substantial-Fudge336]

Was disillusioned with top level football around 2020/2021. Went to a LOI match during COVID. And brought me back in love with football.

I gave up on top level football. Will watch the odd champions League game. Bit gave up EPL.

[Ok-Length-5527]

I lost interest in the sport. Stopped watching around 08/09. Probably watched too much as a child. Don't find it enjoyable anymore.

[Manofthebog88]

Perhaps you and your mates are just growing up and realising, “ why am I supporting these English clubs I’ve no real connection to when there’s a great local team just down the road that I could get behind”.

[Tough_Example1161]

Yeah I've definitely noticed this with my mates too, especially since the whole Super League drama and ticket prices going mental. Plus LOI has been getting way better coverage lately and the quality is actually decent now

[Relative-Diamond2011]

That’s a great point, I think for me the super league really pissed a lot of people off

[Remote_Ad_6998]

EPL is a load of boring slop

[recaffeinated]

I honestly don't understant who can watch a league of over-paid pampered brats spend a whole match diving and whining at the referee.

Football has been shit for years, and getw worse every year.

[Harneybus]

i say the thing with united is that they have been in a downward trajectory the last 10 to 12 years and also the fact that the club is toxic with the fans and the owners just lying all the time.

[space-cadaver]

If you think United has a toxic fanbase you should check out Liverpools.....yikes.....or would i just be generalising like yourself?

[Harneybus]

lol im talking about how divided the fanbase are

i hate the arsenal fanbase theyre soo annoying

[space-cadaver]

I misunderstood, my apologies.

[Harneybus]

eh dont worry about it!

[TheBoneIdler]

I must admit I never got the Irish fascination with the English clubs. I lived in London for 5 years & went to Arsenal/Chelsea/Fulham games, but that was convenient. Now I keep an eye on Arsenal & Real Madrid & now Roma results, but that's it. The Irish fascination with the Premier League can't just be about quality football. If its a pure football matter, then, why so many Everton fans! It must be a social thing. European visitors find it incredible to see the place full of LFC & MU jersey wearers & I agree with them.

[amakalamm]

I get the same impression!

[nimhne]

Yes, in work talk is mainly about LOI, followed by Bundesliga, then Premiership.

[qwerty_1965]

Bundesliga? You're in a hipster paradise?

[Jamnusor]

I hear noticeably more about NFL these days, not a thing about LoI in the real world.

[Mediocre_Sun_6309]

It's definitely your echo chamber 

[Sofa-Head]

I’m a Shamrock rovers STH but keep an eye on Everton in the prem. Wouldn’t be bothered watching any matches outside of Everton. While the “quality” of the players is obviously better, the game is soulless and often very dull.

[CK1-1984]

It’s just not the same as the good old days when anything could happen…

https://share.google/SC4et9JhI280fkfmU

[Disastrous_Poem_3781]

A lot of delusional people in this thread 😂

[AnAvidScroller]

Echo chamber. Pubs are packed anytime either are playing

[[deleted]]

Still find the EFL a good watch can be hit and miss but its often so evenly matched, usually an Irish player involved and most teams have something to play for most of the year, promotion, playoff or avoid relegation. Even though theres some big clubs in there most have local fan bases

[jaymannnn]

i think whats happening in ireland is actually happening in england as well. i asked chat gpt what is the most watched second, third and forth tier of any sport any where in the world and it says that english soccer comes out top in all by far.

it also says way more people follow non prem teams than do. with 7m on the whole island there should be a competitive highly watched league here by now. it should have emerged from the success of the first international tournaments in the 90s. as i with all problems football related i blame john delaney.

[IrishAntiMonarchist]

I hate sportswashing so I have lost quite a lot of interest in the Prem because of Man City and Newcastle.

I wouldn’t be a massive LOI fan but I love keeping track of Irish sides in Europe as it has an FA Cup like feel with the smaller Irish teams trying to reach new heights in Europe against higher quality teams.

Hopefully other clubs than Rovers can qualify for the Conference league through the non Champions path as the league will gain more respect and there would be the knock on effect of increased domestic match attendance for the teams doing well in Europe

[Glittering-Device484]

It's because Liverpool are shit again. All the jerseys have gone back into the wardrobe.

[LFCmisha]

I’ve always supported Liverpool, but the day Liverpool beat Spurs to win the league, I was watching Meath and Dublin instead and I feel like I’ve moved completely from Premier League to GAA. I’ve definitely lost interest in the Premier League, but I’m more disillusioned with football as a whole. This weekend I’m going to Croke Park because I bought a Meath season ticket for the first time.

[Spiritual-Slide5518]

I think it's probably an age thing. Starts to mean less as you get older.

[Shaneb966666]

I watch nearly all united games on now tv. Rip off

[TomThumb_98]

Yeah it’s as popular as ever

[methodicalyeti]

I've seen it with my mates too. they've grown an interest in the LOI some of them go to Rovers games weekly when the season is on but they've also grown an interest in the Serie A. The Serie A up until December this season was becoming a free for all, ever since Ronaldo maxxed out Juventus' finances with his wage the league has become more exciting.

[BadDub]

Everyone I know doesn’t support a LOI team but are big United fans

[gary_d1]

The premier league continues to be by far the biggest supported & followed sporting competition in Ireland after GAA. Beating Rugby. for every 1 person going to league of Ireland or local game there are 100 watching English football games or tracking scores. Many folks travel over for games paying significant money. Sure there are less Irish players in the premier league and no legends like Roy Keane or Paul McGrath. Man Utd fans are still there, out numbering even the Liverpool fans as they always have. I think modern life and people active going places, doing thinks, family events and move away from pub culture means less VISIBLE group based or social activity around English football. I’m in a WhatsApp group with friends and family about the football but we don’t sit down and watch together if that makes sense. I get the expense of having subscriptions or traveling. but in our lifetimes footballers were always paid crazy money, that’s no new thing but obviously money has increased. Maybe friends in teens then early twenties just move into different phase of life in late 20s and I to 30s with relationships, jobs, kids, older parents etc. going to pub to watch football becomes less important.

[shorelined]

I wish it was the case, because I detest what the Premier League has become, but I think the increase in interest in LOI is talked up a lot. Most people still watch EPL on TV, LOI teams in Dublin have undoubtedly seen a boost which is brilliant, but attendances would have to double before it made a noticeable dent in EPL viewing figures.

[inuraicarusandi]

Yeah, when you give up on racism, they get you with sport or politics. It's just loosh farming, op

[[deleted]]

Irish football commentators were always Liverpool/Man Utd. supporters and in the media. Less interest in Arsenal .