New NI Stadium @ The Maze - In Pictures

[el_fletch]

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Committee delays stadium meeting

Isn't it beautiful?

Lets get this thing built and get NI somewhere remotely near the 21st century.

NI internationals,home nations, possible venue for a celtic euro comp.

International Rugby

No more travels to clones for GAA finals.

Bring it on!

[Loki_Sproule]

Also means a distinct drop in funding for Linfield. Which is nice.

On another note, was anyone even remotely surprised to read this phrase here?:

UUP and DUP assembly members were not prepared to.....

[Rep of Ireland Hibee]

Originally Posted by conorkelly1982

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Committee delays stadium meeting

Isn't it beautiful?

Lets get this thing built and get NI somewhere remotely near the 21st century.

NI internationals,home nations, possible venue for a celtic euro comp.

International Rugby

No more travels to clones for GAA finals.

Bring it on!

International rugby - That'll never happen. The IRFU will have their own stadium in Dublin

Ulster Rugby yes, but not internationals

[alexi]

About time NI got a good stadium. Windsor Park is a bit of a dump.

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

As I've said on another thread, I'm an NI block booking holder and won't be going near the place.

Thousands of NI supporters who currently go to WP feel the same way. Strange how no one at the IFA has bothered asking what they think of it all.

For those who didn't see the other thread:

IMHO, The Maze (if it is ever built) will be an over-sized, over-priced, atmosphere-less, soul-less dump built in the middle of nowhere.

Rugby and GAA both have their own stadiums and, while they have both supported the scheme in principle, they aren't going to be wild with excitment about it.

With the amount of money which has been spent by consultants etc on the daft plans for the Maze a good start could have been made with replacing some of the stands at WP (and like I said, despite all the money spent so far the IFA haven't asked NI fans for their views although they are given in the pics below). The compact design of WP and the noise that NI fans can create in it has been a major contributor to NI's home advantage recently - many NI fans don't want to lose that just to sign up to some doomed NI government notion.

NI fans wants an environment where they can perform at their very best. I don't want NI to lose their impressive home advantage for the sake of an doomed economic development project.

Besides, how good for the NI economy is it to take the visiting fans away from the South Belfast area, where they could be spending hard cash on a day's eating and drinking (that is, spreading the money around instead of giving it to whatever chain-store, overpriced, commercialised, plasticy corporation gets the contract for the food and drink outlets at the Maze).

At the end of the day, how often have NI politicians/ Stormont-NIO types been involved with organising something which didn't turn into a fecking shambles (the NI Event Company is massively in debt, for example). I don't want the NI team or supporters to fall victim to yet another Stormont/NIO cluster fuck.

[alexi]

Originally Posted by Northern Ireland Hibby

As I've said on another thread, I'm an NI block booking holder and won't be going near the place.

Thousands of NI supporters who currently go to WP feel the same way. Strange how no one at the IFA has bothered asking what they think of it all.

For those who didn't see the other thread:

IMHO, The Maze (if it is ever built) will be an over-sized, over-priced, atmosphere-less, soul-less dump built in the middle of nowhere.

Rugby and GAA both have their own stadiums and, while they have both supported the scheme in principle, they aren't going to be wild with excitment about it.

With the amount of money which has been spent by consultants etc on the daft plans for the Maze a good start could have been made with replacing some of the stands at WP (and like I said, despite all the money spent so far the IFA haven't asked NI fans for their views although they are given in the pics below). The compact design of WP and the noise that NI fans can create in it has been a major contributor to NI's home advantage recently - many NI fans don't want to lose that just to sign up to some doomed NI government notion.

NI fans wants an environment where they can perform at their very best. I don't want NI to lose their impressive home advantage for the sake of an doomed economic development project.

Besides, how good for the NI economy is it to take the visiting fans away from the South Belfast area, where they could be spending hard cash on a day's eating and drinking (that is, spreading the money around instead of giving it to whatever chain-store, overpriced, commercialised, plasticy corporation gets the contract for the food and drink outlets at the Maze).

At the end of the day, how often have NI politicians/ Stormont-NIO types been involved with organising something which didn't turn into a fecking shambles (the NI Event Company is massively in debt, for example). I don't want the NI team or supporters to fall victim to yet another Stormont/NIO cluster fuck.

So you could theoretically help someone get a ticket for NI v Poland in the WC qualifiers if need be??wink:

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

Originally Posted by alexi

So you could theoretically help someone get a ticket for NI v Poland in the WC qualifiers if need be??wink:

Depends where we're playing mate - certainly come back to me nearer the time and I'll do all I can.

At the moment, I have a queue of about ten mates looking for NI tickets!

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

On another note, was anyone even remotely surprised to read this phrase here?

My good and kind Sproule-loving friend, I think we should avoid politics from any one side in the Irish Hibs section - how about we agree that all the MLAs are feckers.

Besides this has got fcuk all to do with the DUP, UUP or any other party, but when you allow the government to get involved with NI football the politics and the bigotted, political rowing isn't far behind. The recent 'true to form' nature of all the parties' behaviour shows this.

After all, it was the DUP who started the side-issue about the 'Conflict Transformaton Centre', something which isn't even a top ten concern for most NI fans opposed to the Maze.

I just want Stormont and the feckers who represent us in there to keep their nose out of the NI national game: they only know how to cause division and view things from their own blinkered angle: they can can only do harm to the national game and to the IFA's cross-community work. Feck, can you imagine when those bams start to debate the colours/flags/images to be used at the Maze Stadium, they could set the continuing inclusivity of NI sport back by years with their usual shite.

[el_fletch]

Originally Posted by Rep of Ireland Hibee

International rugby - That'll never happen. The IRFU will have their own stadium in Dublin

Ulster Rugby yes, but not internationals

Im pretty sure the plan is to host 3 Rugby internationals a year.

[el_fletch]

[/quote]


These are same guys who vote no on everything.

If Ni football is going to grow, this has to happen. Maybe in future players wont feel the need to want to play for Dewin Seiot.

Lets be honest, as with everything over there this has needlessly turned into a political football. There's a beautiful wee country there with great football potential, yet only only half the population will properly get behind the national team? This is a much needed building block to bring both communities into international games. If ( or rather when) that happens the stadium will need more seats. If two Ulster counties can play a Gealic Football match and sell out Croker, a united Northern Ireland support can do the same for football.

Of course there'll be objections... "We've played at windsor for blahddy blah years and we're not moving..." "you cant build it at the maze, the republicans will turn into a shrine blahddy blah.." "wont somebody please think about linfield blah..

As the saying goes, we must learn to live together as brothers....

[Rep of Ireland Hibee]

Originally Posted by conorkelly1982

Im pretty sure the plan is to host 3 Rugby internationals a year.

3 Rugby Internationals a year. Since we only host 2/3 competitive games a year at home in the six nations, I assume NI will host the "A" internationals the night before (maybe even the odd friendly). They definitely won't be the main senior team games

The IRFU have a deal with Croke Park 'til Lansdowne is ready, then all competitive games will be played there

[Northern Ireland Hibby]

These are same guys who vote no on everything.

How so? Are you assuming that they are all DUP?

If Ni football is going to grow, this has to happen. Maybe in future players wont feel the need to want to play for Dewin Seiot.

I disagree. The national game has been doing fine without it.

Lets be honest, as with everything over there this has needlessly turned into a political football. There's a beautiful wee country there with great football potential, yet only only half the population will properly get behind the national team? This is a much needed building block to bring both communities into international games. If ( or rather when) that happens the stadium will need more seats. If two Ulster counties can play a Gealic Football match and sell out Croker, a united Northern Ireland support can do the same for football.

A stadium could have been built in Belfast to attract new fans.

Of course there'll be objections... "We've played at windsor for blahddy blah years and we're not moving..." "you cant build it at the maze, the republicans will turn into a shrine blahddy blah.." "wont somebody please think about linfield blah..

As the saying goes, we must learn to live together as brothers....

That's why I want to keep politicians away from the national side and where they play. The IFA's 'Football for All' scheme was doing very well without the arseholes at Stormont sticking their noses in - those guys only ever bring division and bigotry.

I don't see what agreeing to a foolish and unwelcome government scheme has to do with 'living together as brothers' anyway.

[alexi]

Originally Posted by Northern Ireland Hibby

Depends where we're playing mate - certainly come back to me nearer the time and I'll do all I can.

At the moment, I have a queue of about ten mates looking for NI tickets!

cheers, my uncle in Ballymena might be able to sort me out too if need be. Was no problam last time around but given the even larger amount of Poles over here now it could get trickier.

Could the IFA just not build 2 new stands at windsor.?? If i recall correctly there is a few boozers near by and its walkable to the city center.Just seen where the Maze is....not a good place to put a ground.

[U What?]

Personally I don't really care where they build it...

I probably will go to games in the stadium if moved from the current location, but whilst still situated in WP I refuse to attend unless Derry City are playing.
My opinion comes from several experiences as a teenager attending WP for NI games ( I have been reliably been told this has changed but my opinion hasn't).

For soccer purposes I have more interest in Lansdowne Rd being completed or going to an international match in Croke.
I would feel the same way about Rugby.
From a GAA point of view I think Casement is developing into a great stadium and I really enjoy the trips down to Clones....

As previously stated the GAA and Rugby have stadiums that suit their needs at present that may change in the future.

So after a useless rant I believe three things.....
1. Conor has a valid point in the fact that the people who use the stadium should be asked....

2. The stadium has to move from WP as it will always bee seen as the home of Linfield.

3.The Maze should be made back into a prison instead of expanding Magilligan as it's going to ruin a beautiful and under used part of the world...

[Loki_Sproule]

Originally Posted by Northern Ireland Hibby

My good and kind Sproule-loving friend, I think we should avoid politics from any one side in the Irish Hibs section - how about we agree that all the MLAs are feckers.

Besides this has got fcuk all to do with the DUP, UUP or any other party, but when you allow the government to get involved with NI football the politics and the bigotted, political rowing isn't far behind. The recent 'true to form' nature of all the parties' behaviour shows this.

After all, it was the DUP who started the side-issue about the 'Conflict Transformaton Centre', something which isn't even a top ten concern for most NI fans opposed to the Maze.

I just want Stormont and the feckers who represent us in there to keep their nose out of the NI national game: they only know how to cause division and view things from their own blinkered angle: they can can only do harm to the national game and to the IFA's cross-community work. Feck, can you imagine when those bams start to debate the colours/flags/images to be used at the Maze Stadium, they could set the continuing inclusivity of NI sport back by years with their usual shite.

Understand where you're coming from fellow Nibbie comrade, wasn't trying to add politics to football, the phrase just amused me is all.

But you've a valid point, and I appreciate what you're saying. 'Spect.

[Newry Hiby]

I really doubt the GAA would want to share with soccer and rugby unless it was at the maze