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sonny
GET A LIFE!!! |
     
The guy who gave us hope with Croke Park now doubts whether he can deliver-
Concern over 2008 Croke vote
angus wright
AS IAN McGeechan’s side bade farewell to a crumbling Lansdowne Road, the indications yesterday were that the old ground could yet play a part in the joint bid to host Euro 2008.
Two Irish stadia are needed to go alongside six from Scotland, and there remains a major doubt over whether Croke Park, currently the biggest and best stadium in the Republic, will be one of them.
Croke is owned and run by the Gaelic Athletic Association and used for major hurling and Gaelic football matches. The association’s constitution does not allow football and rugby to be played at the ground and it emerged over the weekend that a vote scheduled for 13 April may decide to maintain the ban.
If the GAA ballot does go against using Croke Park for Euro 2008, Lansdowne Road and a new - not yet built - stadium on the outskirts of Dublin would be the only realistic options open to the Irish.
Nicky Brennan, chairman of the Leinster Council of the GAA and a member of the strategic review committee which recommended two weeks ago that the association should consider allowing so-called "foreign sports" to be played at Croke Park, has expressed serious concerns over the outcome of the vote.
"Most chairman feel as if a gun is being pointed to their heads and they are not comfortable with that," he said.
"I certainly wouldn’t bet on the rule prohibiting soccer at Croke Park being repealed.
"The month of June, when the European Championship will be played, is the busiest part of the season. Chairmen are asking why they should propel another sport into the limelight. In their eyes it could do irreparable damage to Gaelic sport."
Losing the Croke vote would be crushing blow to the Irish government and the Scottish executive. Lansdowne Road in its current form is unsuitable for a major championship. The Irish Rugby Football Union, which owns the ground, has already said it will block Lansdowne Road’s use as a Euro 2008 venue unless the government in Dublin build a new national stadium.
The new ground is a major source of political tension. Bertie Ahern, the Taoiseach, wants it built, hence its nickname of "Bertie’s Bowl". However, the Progressive Democrats, who are coalition partners of Ahern’s Finna Fail party, are opposed to the new stadium because of the cost which they fear could be as high as Ł1billion.
Time is in short supply for the Scots and Irish. Bid committees are required to make proposals to UEFA’s congress on 25 April - just 12 days after the GAA vote on Croke Park and bidding documents must be submitted by 31 May.
A final decision will be made by UEFA’s executive committee on December.
Six other candidates, including four joint proposals, have confirmed their interest in hosting Euro 2008. Joint bids have been submitted by Austria and Switzerland; Croatia and Bosnia; Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden; and Greece and Turkey. The solo bids have come from Hungary and Russia.
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When up they gat, and shook their lugs, Rejoiced they were nae men but dogs; An' each took aff his several way, Resolved to meet some ither day.
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Total Posts: 2462 | Joined Jan. 2002 | Posted on: 11:06 am on Mar. 4, 2002 | IP
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WillfaeSwindon
GET A LIFE!!! |
Stubborn Muppets!!!!!!
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Will
willfaeswindon@swindontartanarmy.com
http://www.swindontartanarmy.com
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Total Posts: 2250 | Joined Sep. 2001 | Posted on: 10:02 pm on Mar. 4, 2002 | IP
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BJmor
GET A LIFE!!! |
Dont think they are being stubborn Will more a case of keeping there word. They have excellent reasons for not allowing what they see as Bri**** sports to be played in that particular stadium. Was very surprised when it was mentioned at all.
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"Let nae man think he can serve you, Scotland,
Withoot muckle trial and trouble to himsel".
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Total Posts: 267 | Joined Sep. 2001 | Posted on: 8:37 pm on Mar. 6, 2002 | IP
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ReekySporran
GET A LIFE!!! |
Yet another reason why this joint bid in full of sh*te, how insular and backward looking are the GAA administrators? as if football is a "foreign" sport! they are so far up their own arses they cannae see daylight. Do they seriously expect that allowing football be played at their precious Croak Park will undermine their sport? football is already very popular in Ireland, the cat is already out the bag so to speak. The Irish Rugby Union are as bad, "give us a new stadium or we won't come out to play"......stuff the lot of them.
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www.sporran-legion.co.uk
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Total Posts: 727 | Joined Sep. 2001 | Posted on: 12:50 am on Mar. 7, 2002 | IP
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Jonny
GET A LIFE!!! |
Aye, lie them or not - they've got their reasons but all the signs are now that they will alllow fitba and other heathen sports to be played at Croke. Bigger problem might be Lansdowne - now the RFI (or whatever) are saying they won't allow an all seater program reducing its capacity to 35,000 - they want Bertie's Bowl.
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Total Posts: 620 | Joined Sep. 2001 | Posted on: 1:39 am on Mar. 7, 2002 | IP
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Lamia
GET A LIFE!!! |
It's all about political levering. The RFI see that they are in a powerful position so start making demands. That's the problem with trying to host something like this everyone has their own agenda and will trying to get everything they can out of it where they are in a position of power.
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Three vermillion snakes of female face. The smallest motion, filled with grace.
By faint degrees, voice, lute and pleasure ceased. A deadly silence step by step increased......
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Total Posts: 2424 | Joined Dec. 2001 | Posted on: 9:26 am on Mar. 7, 2002 | IP
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French John
Fresh ideas |
You might fancy taking a look at a gaelic football site called http://www.anfearrua.ie.
They have a message board there a bit like this one. Select "Have your say" from the menu bar, then "Speak out". Go into the General forum, and there's a topic there called They Have Sold Out.
A lot of them are very much against Croke Park being used for anything other than GAA sports, despite the fact that it's completely unused between October and March.
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If I had all the money I've spent over the years on drink - I'd spend it on drink
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Total Posts: 45 | Joined Mar. 2002 | Posted on: 4:57 pm on Mar. 7, 2002 | IP
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Breathnach
Fresh ideas |
I think the GAA will pass the vote to allow Croke Park be opened to soccer. A word on how the GAA votes. They are a very traditional insular organisation (some would say a cult), but they are a great organisation too and oversee wonderful native games. But change happens slowly. Last year for example they had a vote on whether to allow "email" to be used an official means of communication. When they take a vote, they ask for a show of hands and some auld buck goes around and counts the hands. Every county in Ireland has a set amount of delegates (10 to 20) they send to the annual GAA congress, usually amounting to about 500 overall. So these conservative old men stick up their paws and indeed many stuck up their hands to vote against email last year. However, the vote was passed. For a vote to be passed, a 2/3rds majority is required. They voted last year for soccer at Croke Park and while a majority of hands went up in support, it was one hand short of the two thirds majority - according to the fella who went around counting the hands. So we'll see the same thing again this year. While there will be a lot against allowing soccer on their sacred sod, the more practical will realise that Croke Park needs to generate money and international soccer and rugby can do that. Plus Croke Park will be an amazing stadium when fully complete and it would be a shame not to showcase it to the world if Scotland and Ireland win the bid.
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Total Posts: 13 | Joined Jan. 2002 | Posted on: 7:43 pm on Mar. 8, 2002 | IP
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MacDuffer
Opinionated Wind Bag |
Was in Dublin this week...........the vibes are that the GAA will not be up for this.
Ireland have work to do!
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Bell's afore ye go............
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Total Posts: 191 | Joined Feb. 2002 | Posted on: 8:35 pm on Mar. 8, 2002 | IP
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sonny
GET A LIFE!!! |
Here's a conspiracy- The GAA almost have enough 30 000 seater stadiums to host the 2008 on their own. They talk to Bertie Ahern and get cash for upgrades and Ireland go solo 2012. What with the experience of 2008 they would be quids in.
We know the Irish are the smartest as politicking in the British Isles - would you put it past them?
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When up they gat, and shook their lugs, Rejoiced they were nae men but dogs; An' each took aff his several way, Resolved to meet some ither day.
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Total Posts: 2462 | Joined Jan. 2002 | Posted on: 8:47 pm on Mar. 8, 2002 | IP
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Lamia
GET A LIFE!!! |
Aye sonny yer right about the Irish being clued up. They are not as scatter brained as they try to make out. They are experts in accessing European funding anyway..
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Three vermillion snakes of female face. The smallest motion, filled with grace.
By faint degrees, voice, lute and pleasure ceased. A deadly silence step by step increased......
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Total Posts: 2424 | Joined Dec. 2001 | Posted on: 12:33 am on Mar. 9, 2002 | IP
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