Saturday, September 06, 2008
Hope To Spring Eternal For Respective Green Armies?
The start of a qualifying campaign always brings with it fresh hopes that, this time, glory will be ours and a ticket to the exclusive Summer Party that is the World Cup will be secured. Not since the memorable Summer in Saipan has Ireland been represented at either a European or World Cup summer Finals tournament. Since then, water has certainly gushed beneath the bridge, with two of the main characters in that story now joined at the hip in the Sundireland venture.
For fans of the Republic, it’s time for Trapattoni to deliver on the promise of a better organised, more ambitious campaign than that which characterised the shambolic performances of the team under Steve Staunton. For fans of the North, the hope will surely be that Worthington keeps getting the best out of his players to ensure heightened expectations aren’t crushed by a poor start.
Both Irish teams start with crucial road trips. The Republic of Ireland face Georgia (in Germany) and then Montenegro, with Northern Ireland facing a key trip to Slovakia before hosting Group favourites, Czech Republic. Trapattoni has somewhat daringly declared he’d be disappointed with a return of four points from the trip, whilst Worthington must hope that the Hampden Park draw suggests that the sort of away day meltdowns experienced in Iceland and Latvia this time last year are not repeated.
Elsewhere, England should start with a thrashing of Andorra, whilst the Scots begin with an awkward away trip to Macedonia and the Welsh host Azerbaijan.
Chris Donnelly @ 07:21 AM
“fresh hopes”
Fresh hopes too in Andorra and the Faroe Islands for the new campaign.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 08:40 AMSlovakia doesn’t sound much fun
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 09:12 AMYou have the courtesy of calling the international team by its FIFA recognised name: Northern Ireland.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 09:22 AMScotland are up against a classy Macedonian team. Still the many Celtic players in the team should do well, since wee Strach isn’t at the helm.
I reckon only one of our teams will win. Don’t know who though.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 09:54 AMDewi,
heard only 10,000 tickets sold for the game in Kaydiff.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 10:16 AMHardly a dignified example set by the NI players yesterday. Firing water bombs from a great height at journalists and camera crews. Even worse was Worthington’s juvenile prattling as he tried to pass off this childish behaviour by ‘adult’ role models as acceptable.-Imaginary flutes,dambusters and water bombs-classy stuff indeed.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 10:31 AM“heard only 10,000 tickets sold for the game in Kaydiff.”
Not bad for Cardiff v Leinster.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 10:50 AMI’m a bit disappointed that Trap has left Andy Reid out of the starting eleven, but the manager has his game plan and hopefully a winning start for Ireland.
Only 10,000 seats in the stadium in Mainz and nearly 5,000 Irish fans expected, which is really incredible considering the venue was only announced last week.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 11:00 AMComment edited-Play the ball, not the man, iluvni
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 11:05 AMcomment edited
The slugger man/ball rule appears to have gone AWOL, Surely a red card offence by the maudlingly monikered ‘iluvni’?Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 11:22 AMPlay the ball rule should surely apply to the NI team, the players, the manager and the fans...yet dactur hugh’s 11.31 comment remains.
But sure whats new with attacks on and everything to do with NI football, eh?Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:04 PMI dont know if Norn Iron fans carry union jacks but if they do probably not the best idea - the locals seemed to be out for blood.
“I had been there just before and the fans were told to be quiet. Then we saw batons and about 50 people running away.
“There certainly didn’t seem to be a bad atmosphere beforehand but the fans had been told to stop their singing.”
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:07 PMThe reason why my first post remains in place is because it was factually accurate,iluvni. Now stop the MOPEry, there’s a good lad.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:42 PMMy brother and his friend were badly beaten by the local militia wearing high visibility so called security bibs.
They pulverised them without remorse and then had them run a final gauntlet of batons to escape.Thier crime was to be happy and in a mood for celebration, what would Slovakians know of and be offended by the singing of the Sash or how does fuck the I.R.A become something wrong to shout.
The IFA should pressurise FIFA to have Slovakia thrown out of world football if this is how they treat visiting fans.Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:47 PM‘what would Slovakians know of and be offended by the singing of the Sash or how does fuck the I.R.A become something wrong to shout.’
Oh dear, the mask of the best non-sectarian fans in Europe slips a little bit more…
Tell your bro’ to keep fighting the good fight and chant away, stevie boy..
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:54 PM‘what would Slovakians know of and be offended by the singing of the Sash or how does fuck the I.R.A become something wrong to shout’
Perhaps the bar has a policy of ejecting people for singing politically motivated or sectarian songs.
Most bars in central Belfast would do the same.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 12:55 PM‘what would Slovakians know of and be offended by the singing of the Sash or how does fuck the I.R.A become something wrong to shout’
Hey guys do u not get it the name of the bar might give u a clue ??
Dubliner !!
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 01:35 PMWasn’t ‘Hostel’ set in Slovakia?
NI should be wary of the Slovaks, they were the second highest scorers behind Germany in the Euro qualifiers and didn’t even qualify themselves. OK the group included San Marino and their goals against wasn’t the best, but the fact is they can knock ‘em in. Big worry for NI though is its reliance on Healy for goals. If you were the opposition manager you’d think just man-mark him and they won’t score. Missing Lafferty is a blow so I predict a draw. Realistically though, they have to take what they can from Poland and Czech Republic and beat the rest home and away if they want to have any chance of qualifying.
Don’t know what to make of the Republic game, they should win but Georgia did beat Wales 2-1 in Cardiff recently, and that was in the aftermath of the war so I wouldn’t write them off. Republic definitely have the personnel to get a result so should be interesting.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 02:35 PMWell the Scottish Bhoys have let the nation down -again losing O-1 to Macedonia formerly a province of Yugoslavia and an ethnically very diverse population of 2 million less than half Scotland’s.
Same old story for the Scots
A great start and a poor finish or a poor start and an even poorer finish .
Next up - the Republic .
Now lets see who we can blame for losing this one ?
Northern Ireland
Already forgetabout it -
If Healy is marked tight -then it’s goodbye to their chances .
England should defeat Andorra -
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 03:18 PMA classy Welsh win............
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 03:56 PMMission accomplished in Germany. Not a great performance and there’ll be harder tests to come but tails up for wednesday night. Well done, our lads.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 05:53 PMGori 1 : Gorey 2 (FT)
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 05:54 PMAndorra holding out at H/T - oh and Murray two sets up and Leinster just taken the lead v Cardiff.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 06:58 PMIreland are still prone to the injury time puncture. Lucky we were two ahead instead of one like we usually are.
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 07:21 PMDewi ,
‘A classy Welsh win.’...........
It’s the way you tell them :)
Rorey ‘
It’s the way you write them :)
Bad luck Northern Ireland -nearly scraped a draw .
Come on Andorra and Leinster :)
Posted by on Sep 06, 2008 @ 07:34 PM
