Sports Grants

hopefully…

[quote=“Mairegangaire”]450K for Cricketers : So before I open my big trap; anyone else have a thought on this?

[/quote]

Lest anyone be in any doubt…Irelands’ victory over Pakistan in the last Cricket World Cup was the greatest achievement of any Irish team in any code. We knocked Pakistan out of the Cricket World Cup. It would be the equivilant of knocking Argentina/Holland out of the Soccer World Cup.

Trent Johnstone is a legend.

Didn’t you know?

You’re nothing in web politics unless you’ve being banned.

Surely my 25 plus “user invalids” must be entitled to some form of elite performer grant?

[quote=“tipptops*”]Lest anyone be in any doubt…Irelands’ victory over Pakistan in the last Cricket World Cup was the greatest achievement of any Irish team in any code. We knocked Pakistan out of the Cricket World Cup. It would be the equivilant of knocking Argentina/Holland out of the Soccer World Cup.

Trent Johnstone is a legend.[/quote]

Trent, a good Tip name too. Sorry for doubting.

[quote=“tipptops*”]Lest anyone be in any doubt…Irelands’ victory over Pakistan in the last Cricket World Cup was the greatest achievement of any Irish team in any code. We knocked Pakistan out of the Cricket World Cup. It would be the equivilant of knocking Argentina/Holland out of the Soccer World Cup.

Trent Johnstone is a legend.[/quote]

Trent qualifies for Ireland by virtue of marrying an Irish woman.

He is up with Paul Butler in my estimation of people representing Ireland.

[quote=“myboyblue”]Trent qualifies for Ireland by virtue of marrying an Irish woman.

He is up with Paul Butler in my estimation of people representing Ireland.[/quote]

In fairness to him he did move here and played here for a few years before he qualified for Ireland so at least he put some time in.

OK, so he’s slightly above Paul Butler, but only slightly. And he moved here to be with the wife and work. Cricket was a by product of that. However I see your point, but I cant have any love for a man whose qualifications for declaring for a Country are as a result of his marrying a woman of that Country. Just preposterous.

Nearly agreeing with you now MBB. Only thing to move him slightly higher in my estimation is that he did play cricket here before he got married. And he returned here to be with the wife and work but he had played Irish cricket before.

So I’d have him two notches up from Paul Butler but still well below Cascarino.

Love me Love my Country

I’ve been saying that for years, but at least no ponsey cricket player heard me.

[quote=“therock67”]Nearly agreeing with you now MBB. Only thing to move him slightly higher in my estimation is that he did play cricket here before he got married. And he returned here to be with the wife and work but he had played Irish cricket before.

So I’d have him two notches up from Paul Butler but still well below Cascarino.[/quote]

Fair enough then.

As for Cascarino, was listening to The Game Podcast last night, the fucker is now calling England “WE”. Not even trying to hide it anymore. Townsend is going the same way.

All well and good but cricket is still shit

Ah Yes, but you can’t argue with what the Irish Cricketers achieved…they sent Pakistan home from the World Cup. There were riots in Pakistan after it and the Government nearly fell. There was also a murder inquiry. The 450,000 wasn’t enough really.

Bob Woolmer RIP.

[quote=“myboyblue”]Fair enough then.

As for Cascarino, was listening to The Game Podcast last night, the fucker is now calling England “WE”. Not even trying to hide it anymore. Townsend is going the same way.[/quote]

People seem to be overly caught up with that. For about two years ‘journalists’ were studying Mark Lawrensen’s every word to make sure that he didn’t refer to England as we and that he did for Ireland. Who gives a shit really? They played for Ireland and were rarely found wanting for attutude anyway…

Two clay pigeon shooters getting €20,000 in sports grants each… Now far be it from me to say what is a sport and what isn’t but there is no fitness required for shooting clays, it’s just practice. Can they not bust a few caps after work or on a weekend? Would it not be needed elsewhere? Can you get a grant for lamping foxes?

I love cricket and €450k is hardly an unreasonable amount given the achievements of the Irish team going back over the past 4 or 5 years and not just in the World Cup. If the game’s to grow in Ireland then it needs that type of investment. The cost of funding for athletics was mentioned earlier and cricket’s another sport with lots of costs associated with it. There’s the actual equipment itself such as bats, pads and all that lark and then there’s ground and wicket preparation equipment. If we want to compete with other countries then we need to be playing on decent wickets. But coaching is where funding’s really needed. I don’t have time to type more as I’m hungry.

As for Trent Johnston, he was over here playing for a summer season and met his wife to be. They moved to Australia for a few years before returning to settle in Ireland. He’s been playing for Ireland for a good few years and contributing within various clubs around Dublin at coaching and grass roots levels and didn’t merely act as a mercenary. I’m sure playing in a CWC was a carrot for him but he’s given a lot to the game in Ireland and that’s unquestionable.

The main issue I have with Lawrenson and Cascarino is the fact that they try to play both sides of the card. The pair of them earn a few shillings from the Irish media by offering an “Irish” slant on the EPL and Champions League and international games* on Today FM. And then they do their work for BBC and Talksport or whoever and they’ve a completely different attitude to their nationality. For all the criticisms I’d have of Houghton as a pundit (and I have many) at least he made up his mind to be Irish and never pretended he was Scottish to go along with it. Lawrenson and Cascarino are mercenaries and whores.

  • Obviously their Irish slant doesn’t extend as far as any knowledge of the domestic game here, never mind their ridiculous anglocentric punditry which is utterly insular in its view of soccer in far-flung places like Madrid and Glasgow.

Dig out those rifles yer granda buried under the septic tank Shannon.
You never know; you might discover a sport you’re good at.

I’d argue that pride and attitude should extend beyond your playing days. Also Cas’s qualifications were always a tad dodgy as it turned out. Just not a fan of it thats all. I have no problem with the likes of Houghton, Aldridge etc, they Irish blood in them, they’re part of the diaspora as Mary called em. Cascarino put in his shift for Ireland, fair play, but it now seems like he’s done his bit and forgotten about it, just doesnt sit well with me.

We’ve moved on from Lee Enfields MGG, we’ve been appropriating Steyrs from the FCA for the ‘movement’ now for a few years.

[quote=“Bandage”]I love cricket and 450k is hardly an unreasonable amount given the achievements of the Irish team going back over the past 4 or 5 years and not just in the World Cup. If the game’s to grow in Ireland then it needs that type of investment. The cost of funding for athletics was mentioned earlier and cricket’s another sport with lots of costs associated with it. There’s the actual equipment itself such as bats, pads and all that lark and then there’s ground and wicket preparation equipment. If we want to compete with other countries then we need to be playing on decent wickets. But coaching is where funding’s really needed. I don’t have time to type more as I’m hungry.

As for Trent Johnston, he was over here playing for a summer season and met his wife to be. They moved to Australia for a few years before returning to settle in Ireland. He’s been playing for Ireland for a good few years and contributing within various clubs around Dublin at coaching and grass roots levels and didn’t merely act as a mercenary. I’m sure playing in a CWC was a carrot for him but he’s given a lot to the game in Ireland and that’s unquestionable.[/quote]

So glad you are able fill in the gaps on my cricket knowledge; up to now it was strictly limited to:
Cricket is rounders with posher uniforms.
Great to play but shite to watch.

Also glad to know that 450,000 worth of bats and wickets are in full use accross the village greens of Ballyfermot, Farranree and Darndale. Hopefully the pavillion’s in Jobstown, Moyross and Wexford town didn’t miss out.

The Grassroots of these clubs and communities must surely mark the day Trent Johnstone said “I DO … want to be an Irish Man”

Barrys Tea must be delighted; Bulmers/ Magners should look beyond the weather and consider this new summer pastime as a key factor in their decline.