Redefining ‘elsewhere’

July 19, 2010 in General
Tags: Bohemians, Celtic, football, geography, identity, media, Shamrock Rovers

Let’s take this step by step. Ireland is a country in Europe. Scotland is a country in Europe. Europe has a continent-wide football competition called the UEFA Champions’ League.

Both Scotland and Ireland have teams in this competition, though everyone knows neither has a snowball’s of winning the thing.

In Scotland, newspapers reporting on the draw for the next round naturally will have covered the fact that Celtic FC, of Glasgow, Scotland, are to play Portugal’s Sporting Braga in the third qualifying round.

They may, if they are particularly diligent, and there is not too much pressure on column inches, also mention the fact that, elsewhere, Bohemian FC, of Dublin, Ireland, will be up against Anderlecht of Belgium if they can beat TNS of Wales.

In Ireland, one might have expected that order to be reversed. Instead, under the confusing headline ‘Hoops handed testing draw‘, (Shamrock Rovers are in the Europa League this year) the Indo tells us exactly the same story, as if, for this morning, we are all Scots.

That’s right, Bohemians, located something like 2km from the Indo’s office in downtown Dublin, and representing this country in Europe, are relegated to ”elsewhere’.

But this is simple. That’s what happens when you don’t play your football on the mainland.

Hoops handed testing draw

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