Tiki-taka Gaelic Football? GAA to invade La Liga action next week

Spectators at Monday night’s La Liga game between Sevilla and Granada could be in for a culture shock as a GAA game will be the half-time entertainment.

By Declan Whooley

Éire Óg Seville will put on an exhibition game at half-time to showcase the club to an audience that are most likely unfamiliar with our blessed game.

One of the flip sides of emigration is the number of GAA clubs that are popping up right around the world and becoming stronger with the steady influx of Irish players.

Monday night will have a strong Irish feel as Sevilla are using the night as a marketing ploy to try and attract foreigners as members of the club. And by foreigners, they mean the Irish!

The tricolour will be hung from the stadium flagpole, the Irish Ambassador will come from Madrid and speak at the start of the game, traditional Irish music will be played before the game and at half time by an Irish music group, before the exhibition game kicks off.

A native speaker will intervene during the game for a cupla focail, and the best news is that the cover charge for any Irish national is just €5.

The match will be broadcast live on Marca TV and the players will have six minutes on the pitch to showcase their skills. We are hoping that in the Spanish environment the game will be more tiki-taka style than the blanket defence. The last thing we want is for the locals to be subjected to 'el futbol enfermo quizas' (puke football).

Whatever the tactics adopted, it will be a good night for the GAA to get more global coverage.

We just wonder what the locals will make of it all.