With much being made of Man United beating Real Madrid in front of 109,000 in the USA, I couldn't help making a brief comparison with our own Rangers who played Shamrock Rovers in Dublin around the same time in front of probably 2,500.
I've been to that ground at Tallaght. TBH, it is equivalent to a Conference ground, owned by the local council. Rovers are actually the best supported and most successful club side in Eire, often getting crowds around 3,000 and with support all over the Republic. In Irish terms they are a good side, although the club is having a blip at present and fired their manager the day before Rangers came calling.
Incidentally, Rovers played Limerick the night before the Rangers game, losing 1-4 away - so not sure Rangers even played their first team, can't see how they could have really.
I just wonder whether playing lower division sides in the old East Germany, followed by Orient and Southend, and then two LOI sides is really going to be adequate prep for the Premier League? Add to this the fact that we are still half a dozen players short of a squad in numbers, never mind quality in key midfield and forward positions.
Athlone Town tomorrow - currently bottom of the LOI Premier, having won 3 games all season. Favourites to go down. Likely the pitch will be worse than Shamrock Rovers, and I would imagine a crowd of 1,500 at best. While it is good to see them over waving the flag in Ireland, it might have been better to have played one of the better sides for a second game, perhaps Dundalk or St Patrick's Athletic for example. |  |
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