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Irish football speaks many languages

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Ireland is becoming more and more a multilingual country. it can be noticed walking in the streets of the city, in any pub,at work and also in football.
In fact a total of 22 countries outside of Ireland are represented in the eircom League of Ireland this season, making it the most multi-cultural season in the history of Irish football.
Irlandiani.com will follow the tournament, and will be the point of contact between the Football Association of Ireland and the italian community.

Record numbers of footballers born outside of Ireland are now playing professional football in the eircom League of Ireland. From nearby countries such as England, Scotland and Wales, to countries such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, the eircom League of Ireland is attracting players from across the globe.

Since this year there is also a promising young italian lad playing for Athlone Town: Carmine Russo.

Indeed, it is not only on the field that the league is becoming more multi-cultural. Visitors to eircom League of Ireland stadiums over recent months will have seen a huge increase in the number of foreign nationals now supporting Ireland’s premier football league.

That is why clubs are reaching out and trying to make the league as accessible as they can for people new to Ireland. Initiatives such as website articles written in Italian, Polish and Chinese, and half-time entertainment from African drummers, show the club’s desire to make their activities attractive to new members of the Irish community.

This season has also seen another milestone in the history of the eircom League of Ireland – the first ever non-Irish referee! Tomasz Superczynski from Poland has graduated to the eircom League of Ireland referee this season. Tomasz is now refereeing matches every week and is one of our top young referees.

While the eircom League of Ireland, and the clubs who participate in it, are steeped in history and tradition, that does not mean that you cannot feel a part of it even if you have only just arrived in Ireland.

Football has the ability to unite people from different ethnic backgrounds, providing a unique form of entertainment that is global in outlook and local in pride.

Here is a break-down of players born outside of Ireland who are currently playing in the eircom League of Ireland:

PREMIER DIVISION

Bohemians
Kevin Hunt  England
Harpal Singh  England
Darren Mansaram England
Dean Pooley  England
Neal Fenn  England

Bray Wanderers
Andrei Gerogescu Romania
Steve Williams Wales
Chris O’Connor Australia

Cork City
Admir Sofic Bosnia
Dan Murray England

Derry City
Ola Tidman  Sweden
Dave Rogers  England
Pat Jennings  England

Drogheda United
Mikko Vilmunen Finland
Sami Ristila Finland
Paul Matondo Congo

Galway United
Dimitri Brinias Australia
Regi Nootimeer Holland
Wesley Charles St. Kitts & Nevis
Alan Gough  England
Shaun Fagan  Scotland
Daryl Robson  England
Yeboah Mensah Holland

Longford Town
Ian Wexler America
Mark Rutherford England

Shamrock Rovers
Jamie Duffy America

Sligo Rovers
Tomislav Arcaba Australia (born in Serbia)
Jamie McKenzie Scotland
Fahrudin Kudozovic Bosnia
Choice Aisien  Nigeria
Kevin Julian  Canada
Sean Kelly  England
Stephen Manson Scotland
Matthew Gordan Australia
James Meredith England

St. Patrick’s Athletic
Joseph Ndo  Cameroon
Adam El Fridah Lybia
Ryan Guy  America
Michal Macek  Czech Republic

Waterford United
Ben Spicer America

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone Town
Eric Lavine  Barbados
Carmine Russo Italy
Kieran Kelly  England
Danny O’Leary England
Darren Young  England
Ryan Casey  England

Dundalk
Chris Bennion Scotland
Paul Marney England

Finn Harps
Eloka Asokuh Nigeria

Kilkenny City
Andrei Polwczak Poland

Monaghan United:
Alvin Rouse Barbados
Khalid Hussain Saudi Arabia

Shelbourne
Jim Crawford America

Wexford Youths
Daryl Margolin America
Tommy Elmes England

Here there are the next eircom League of Ireland fixtures , August 31st – September 3rd:

PREMIER DIVISION