Shamrock Rovers prepare to host Ronaldo's debut for Real Madrid
The football-supporting natives of Tallaght, south-west of Dublin, have been in something approaching a state of shock in recent days, particularly if Manchester United are the Premier League club closest to their hearts.
The rumour has been circulating with increasing volume that Shamrock Rovers, the local League of Ireland team, are to play a friendly against Real Madrid in the middle of next month, and it is now understood that the fixture will be confirmed on either Monday or Tuesday of next week. But the emotions really began to churn when Cristiano Ronaldo agreed his £80m world-record transfer from United to Real yesterday, and those same natives put two and two together. The world's best player would appear set to make his Real debut against Rovers at the newly built if humble Tallaght Stadium – capacity 3,500, to be swelled to 10,000 by temporary seating.
"I am trying to picture it, and it's just unreal," said Jimmy Pluck, the secretary of the Tallaght branch of the United supporters' club. "Ronaldo leaves for £80m and out of all the great stadia in the world, he plays his first match for Real in Tallaght. I can see the floodlights from my house. It's mind-boggling.
"I just keep thinking that someone is going to say, 'No, that game cannot be played here, the security will be too much, it'll have to be played at Croke Park'. But I hope not. To see Ronaldo and Real here would be amazing."
Ronaldo is used to grander surrounds, yet he would seem to be assured of a rousing reception. United have a tremendous following throughout Ireland, as do all of the leading English clubs, and although there is some disappointment at the winger's departure, there is unlikely to be any hostility towards him.
"He will probably get booed by the Irish Liverpool fans in attendance," Eddie Gibbons, of the United supporters' Dublin branch, said. "But I've been following football here since the late 1950s and there has never been any problems with teams coming over, even during the Troubles. The Irish wit will be very good. I'm sure Ronaldo will get some gas comments but he'll enjoy it."
Seamus Moran, the secretary of United's Mayo supporters club, said: "There are a lot of people in Ireland who support Ronaldo, especially the young girls. He is a heartthrob, and you could fill the stadium in Tallaght with screaming teenage girls alone. I have to say, though, that the venue is totally inappropriate in terms of size. They should move the game to Croke Park and they would fill it."
Real will spend 10 days in Ireland as part of their pre-season, arriving on 13 July and staying and training at Carton House in County Kildare, which boasts elite Âfacilities. It has been described as Ireland's La Manga. Real's visit is being organised by Platinum One, an Irish sports management company that has grown in repute after organising aspects of Barcelona's previous two pre-season campaigns, in which they set them up in St Andrews, Scotland, for training and friendly matches.
The provisional date for the Real-Shamrock game, pending ratification by the Football Association of Ireland, is 20 July, and it has had to be accommodated around Rovers' domestic commitments. The League of Ireland season runs from March until November, and Rovers have a home fixture against Sligo Rovers on 18 July.
Shamrock Rovers are among the most prominent names in Irish football but until the beginning of this season they had spent 22 years without a home of their own. Since the sale of Glenmalure Park, they have rented a succession of grounds and lived hand-to-mouth. They hit a new low in 2005, when they went into "examinership" and were relegated from the top flight, but a supporters' group rallied and took control. Promotion was won and Rovers are now regarded as the business model for other Irish clubs.
This is their first opportunity to welcome teams from overseas to their permanent home, which is a municipal ground, with Rovers as the anchor tenants, and although Hibernian have been booked for 27 July, it is Real and the galácticos who will provide the headline act.
Excitement had already gripped the Rovers dressing room at the prospect of their facing Kaka, Real's £56m capture from Milan, but Ronaldo has sent it spinning into overdrive. It would be understandable if trepidation were also among the emotions, particularly for Pat Flynn, the team's left-back, who might be asked to mark Ronaldo.
Flynn, however, is a character who relishes a challenge, and in the most literal of terms. Described by the club's official website as a "tough tackling defender", his disciplinary record is colourful, to say the least. With Rovers players joking that "Flynny's going to get him", the prospect beckons of the most expensive player in the world being brought crashing down to earth.
The rest of Tallaght, though, continues to float along. "I'll be at the game," Pluck said with a smile, "and I hope that afterwards, Ronaldo comes over and says, 'Jimmy, here's my No7 shirt. You wouldn't have a marker for me to sign it for you, would you?'"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/12/cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-shamrock-rovers
The football-supporting natives of Tallaght, south-west of Dublin, have been in something approaching a state of shock in recent days, particularly if Manchester United are the Premier League club closest to their hearts.
The rumour has been circulating with increasing volume that Shamrock Rovers, the local League of Ireland team, are to play a friendly against Real Madrid in the middle of next month, and it is now understood that the fixture will be confirmed on either Monday or Tuesday of next week. But the emotions really began to churn when Cristiano Ronaldo agreed his £80m world-record transfer from United to Real yesterday, and those same natives put two and two together. The world's best player would appear set to make his Real debut against Rovers at the newly built if humble Tallaght Stadium – capacity 3,500, to be swelled to 10,000 by temporary seating.
"I am trying to picture it, and it's just unreal," said Jimmy Pluck, the secretary of the Tallaght branch of the United supporters' club. "Ronaldo leaves for £80m and out of all the great stadia in the world, he plays his first match for Real in Tallaght. I can see the floodlights from my house. It's mind-boggling.
"I just keep thinking that someone is going to say, 'No, that game cannot be played here, the security will be too much, it'll have to be played at Croke Park'. But I hope not. To see Ronaldo and Real here would be amazing."
Ronaldo is used to grander surrounds, yet he would seem to be assured of a rousing reception. United have a tremendous following throughout Ireland, as do all of the leading English clubs, and although there is some disappointment at the winger's departure, there is unlikely to be any hostility towards him.
"He will probably get booed by the Irish Liverpool fans in attendance," Eddie Gibbons, of the United supporters' Dublin branch, said. "But I've been following football here since the late 1950s and there has never been any problems with teams coming over, even during the Troubles. The Irish wit will be very good. I'm sure Ronaldo will get some gas comments but he'll enjoy it."
Seamus Moran, the secretary of United's Mayo supporters club, said: "There are a lot of people in Ireland who support Ronaldo, especially the young girls. He is a heartthrob, and you could fill the stadium in Tallaght with screaming teenage girls alone. I have to say, though, that the venue is totally inappropriate in terms of size. They should move the game to Croke Park and they would fill it."
Real will spend 10 days in Ireland as part of their pre-season, arriving on 13 July and staying and training at Carton House in County Kildare, which boasts elite Âfacilities. It has been described as Ireland's La Manga. Real's visit is being organised by Platinum One, an Irish sports management company that has grown in repute after organising aspects of Barcelona's previous two pre-season campaigns, in which they set them up in St Andrews, Scotland, for training and friendly matches.
The provisional date for the Real-Shamrock game, pending ratification by the Football Association of Ireland, is 20 July, and it has had to be accommodated around Rovers' domestic commitments. The League of Ireland season runs from March until November, and Rovers have a home fixture against Sligo Rovers on 18 July.
Shamrock Rovers are among the most prominent names in Irish football but until the beginning of this season they had spent 22 years without a home of their own. Since the sale of Glenmalure Park, they have rented a succession of grounds and lived hand-to-mouth. They hit a new low in 2005, when they went into "examinership" and were relegated from the top flight, but a supporters' group rallied and took control. Promotion was won and Rovers are now regarded as the business model for other Irish clubs.
This is their first opportunity to welcome teams from overseas to their permanent home, which is a municipal ground, with Rovers as the anchor tenants, and although Hibernian have been booked for 27 July, it is Real and the galácticos who will provide the headline act.
Excitement had already gripped the Rovers dressing room at the prospect of their facing Kaka, Real's £56m capture from Milan, but Ronaldo has sent it spinning into overdrive. It would be understandable if trepidation were also among the emotions, particularly for Pat Flynn, the team's left-back, who might be asked to mark Ronaldo.
Flynn, however, is a character who relishes a challenge, and in the most literal of terms. Described by the club's official website as a "tough tackling defender", his disciplinary record is colourful, to say the least. With Rovers players joking that "Flynny's going to get him", the prospect beckons of the most expensive player in the world being brought crashing down to earth.
The rest of Tallaght, though, continues to float along. "I'll be at the game," Pluck said with a smile, "and I hope that afterwards, Ronaldo comes over and says, 'Jimmy, here's my No7 shirt. You wouldn't have a marker for me to sign it for you, would you?'"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/12/cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-shamrock-rovers
