Sport

“Criticism is part and parcel of football but..”

Pete Baker on September 9, 2006, 6:04 pm

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NI football team manager Lawrie Sanchez has re-appeared to confirm that he will stay in the role to see out the rest of his contract. After, reportedly resigning verbally on Wednesday, he’s cited the media criticism following the defeat by Iceland as the main reason for his questioning whether he would continue as Northern Ireland manager. Added Full statementFrom the BBC report “During my time in charge, we have risen 52 places in the FIFA rankings, beaten World Cup quarter-finalists, …

A shock result… to say the least..

Pete Baker on September 7, 2006, 2:05 am

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Right then, who are you? [3-2 against Spain??? – Ed]… and what have you done with the other Northern Ireland football team? Pete Baker

Roy Keane is the new Sinead O’Connor?

Mick Fealty on September 5, 2006, 5:47 pm

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Take a few minutes to read Danny Kelly… He’s been on holiday to Co Clare and has had something of a revelation… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Home games away

Michael Robinson on August 30, 2006, 2:53 pm

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With the start of the new rugby season a couple of days away and the anthems at Ravenhill debate being the major rugby talking point, another story slipped under the radar. For the second time in a few months, an Irish province raised the issue that they will play home matches outside Ireland for the next two seasons if they qualify for the later stages of the Heineken European Cup. Current European champions [url=http://tinyurl.com/n4r3z]Munster has announced[/url] that they are looking …

Towards a social future, or a deadlocked past…?

Mick Fealty on August 29, 2006, 6:40 pm

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Interesting piece from Joe Brolly, the RTE sports pundit and former Derry GAA player, who is lining out for St Brigid’s GAA against the PSNI, seriously underplayed squad, on Thursday evening. The move is significant, since the only team the PSNI has played before was that of the Garda Siochana. Brolly, who’s father is a Sinn Fein MLA and mother is a former Mayor of Limavady, speaks with some authority on the likely reaction of the Republican constitutency: “It would …

Political Correctness gone mad…?

Mick Fealty on August 29, 2006, 3:01 am

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Thanks to David Vance for alerting us to the case of the Celtic goalkeeper who is being spoken to for ‘crossing himself’ before a game. In the eyes of some, this is an incitement to violence. David suggests that though in the charged atmosphere some approach from the SFA might have been appropriate, but the police have no business getting involved. The BBC report however notes that he previously played the Rangers crowd and that he had “provoked alarm and …

Getting into the Sam Maguire!!

Mick Fealty on August 25, 2006, 8:20 pm

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Great photograph that captures one of the reasons for the GAA’s success amongst the communities that play it – it remains close to the amateurs on the ground. For all the glamour of the All Ireland Championship, the Sam Maguire Cup has been hosted in gardens and pubs the length and breadth of the island. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is …

Ireland returns to Belfast

Michael Robinson on July 10, 2006, 7:02 pm

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The Ireland rugby team will play their [url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/story.jsp?story=698116]first full international in Belfast for 53 years[/url] against Italy on 25 August 2007. The ground at Ravenhill has been used for under-age internationals and will also host the [url=http://www.ulsterrugby.com/11_3714.php]2007 Under 19 Rugby World Cup[/url] but the last time the full Ireland team played there was against Scotland in 1954. Redevelopment of Ireland’s normal home ground at Lansdowne Road is planned in 2007 hence the move to Ravenhill. Ireland’s home games against France …

Playing through Northern Ireland…

Mick Fealty on July 9, 2006, 12:38 am

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Ach here, what a job. Nice travel piece in the NYT for Golfing in Northern Ireland. Great pics too. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Another forty years of (self induced) England hurt?

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 10:01 pm

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A few last thoughts on the (S&M?) relationship between the English sports press and the English FA. For my part, I’m already hoping (praying) that one or other or (unfeasibly) both of Ireland’s teams make it to the finals (any finals) and continue and their recent tradition of making the team effort add up to much more than the sum of its parts. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet …

The curse of the Irish…

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 8:41 pm

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Nice column in the Glasgow Herald, in which their Dublin correspondent talks about where the Irish money has been going in this World Cup… WITH the row about who Scots should support in the World Cup rumbling on, we asked our Dublin correspondent how the Irish coped with not being in the finals either. He tells us: “There was early interest in Trinidad and Tobago on the basis that they also are small islands who like a good party. There …

Once English, now a British referee…

Mick Fealty on June 29, 2006, 1:25 am

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This from the BBC site earlier today. I remember meeting up with a Scottish family in Switzerland back in the early eighties. They were still grumping about how the BBC kept claiming Glasgow Celtic as the first British team to win the European Cup back in 1967, and then it was wall to wall England when Bestie, Charlton and the rest won it a year later for England United. With Graham Poll, the ref who gave out three Yellow Cards …

England’s abiding football weakness

Mick Fealty on June 27, 2006, 12:41 pm

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It seemed to me, from last weekend’s match against Ecudor that England are slowly putting together reasonable performances, and may yet surprise some of their critics. But this guy, Chris Dillow, has an interesting angle on a classic weakness of almost every England team since 1966: conglomerate discount. Confused? Read on for why Frank Lampard has had more shots on goal than any other player. And why it’s not working. Thanks for the heads up to Paul. Mick FealtyMick is …

Another kind of ‘Orange Parade’…

Mick Fealty on June 25, 2006, 8:59 pm

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Sent in by reader Liam… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Another Irish winner for next year’s Heineken European Cup?

Michael Robinson on June 21, 2006, 6:05 pm

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The draw for rugby’s 2006-2007 [url=http://www.ercrugby.com]Heineken European Cup[/url] was made today and the increasing number of fans who travel to away fixtures will be consulting flight schedules, inventing excuses and buttering up partners. [url=http://www.ulsterrugby.com]Ulster[/url] won the European Cup in 1999 however their record in the competition since then has been mediocre at best. Ulster coach Mark McCall will be under pressure to take the team to the next level with more success in Europe after Ulster’s [url=http://www.sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/ulsters_celtic_league_title/]Celtic League win[/url] last …

Equal rights for Brits in the Republic…

Mick Fealty on June 21, 2006, 2:54 pm

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The Newsletter points out an anomally in FIFA’s decision to allow Northern Ireland players to sport one of two passports, the same will not apply to the British citizens in the Republic, unless they produce an Irish passport. If anything political conformity has, at times, been rigidly enforced in the Republic in a way it never has in Northern Ireland, as this guy points out. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of …

Listening to the World Cup…

Mick Fealty on June 20, 2006, 11:46 pm

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Just taking the dogs out. So I’ll likely be listening to the England match from the same hill I heard the Republic (effectively) crash out of the World Cup against Henry France. Despite Eilish O’Hanlon’s article on Celtic schardenfreude I’ve not picked up too much of it coming from Ireland this year. Indeed, given the quality and commitment of some of the English players (and the continual whinging from the English sports media) I get the sense a lot of …

Did I mention…

Mick Fealty on June 19, 2006, 6:24 pm

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That Donegal lengthened their stride yesterday against Derry and booked themselves a place in the Ulster final? Good signs for McIver and the post McEniff team. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Peter Crouch hair puller?

Mick Fealty on June 19, 2006, 2:26 am

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Has anyone seen this shot on You Tube of the Peter Crouch goal against Trinidad and Tobago? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Economic consequences to racial attacks

Mick Fealty on June 16, 2006, 4:24 pm

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By Wednesday afternoon when he filed the story below, Newton Emerson noted that the Indian Press had not yet picked it up, but that “it will certainly be reported among the families and friends of those affected”. Well it has now. The New Kerala, Yahoo India and Chennai Online have all subsequently picked it up. As Emerson notes, both India and China are becoming major overseas investors of capital so that Belfast cannot afford to sustain a reputation for racialist …