That performance was full of heart but we crew a must win game at home. I don’t think it’s comparable to France away.
When Macedonia equalised in the last minute in the final match of the group, it was, and remains, the worst I have felt after an association football match.
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Little, none really
Stan was the gaffer, Kevin McDonald was the assistant, Sir Bobby was the hand holder
The FAI threw Bobby Robson onto fucking Liveline the day after the last minute winner in San Marino
It was grim, a great football man like him never deserved to have morons haranguing him on the radio
Stan’s public speaking skills are not the best, but he was one of the best servants to the team ever
But we live in a soundbyte environment now, and managers have to be able to handle the media
The FAI should be giving Kenny intensive media training now if he is going to take this job
Kenny obviously won’t as he has been promised the big gig in 11 months time but it would probably be in his best interest to serve another campaign with the under 21s as there is a very nice nucleus of talent who he can mold a team out of and possibly help his transition to the senior gig as he can build a core with these group and also improve his media skills.
If Mick gets us to the Euros and we exceed expectations and possibly make the knockout stages then Kenny is going to be under huge pressure straight off the bat. He would nearly be as well off letting mick have two campaigns and let the older lads naturally exit the team and blood the lads he has gotten 3 or 4 years experience with from the 21s.
I think it is worthwhile having an heir apparent for the senior gig with the 21s especially as we have a nice crop emerging aged between 15 to 19 but I get the feeling that Kenny will get it too soon
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The time Lineker got a late(ish) equaliser in Poland to put us out of Euro '92, after Poland had been denied a stonewall penalty which would have put them 2-0 up, I think that was the most disappointing moment as an Eire fan
We should have won that group and could have done very, very well in that finals tournament
I don’t find defeats in the last 10-12 years nearly as disappointing because there’s no feeling that the team is going anywhere in real terms
my auld man still goes on about the belgium game in '81, a qualifier for the '82 World Cup. He maintains Ireland were robbed rotten in that game. It still sickens him.
I think we were all brought up on stories of that
I fancy Scotland to get a result tonight against Belgium.
7/1
Betting on the Scotch in an important qualifier is a bit mad but good luck anyway
Stephen Ireland was some wasted talent for us. 4 goals in 6 games for Ireland is some record. That last minute goal away to Slovakia was a sickener under Stan. Played some nice football that night.
he scored the first soccer goal at Croke Park, a lovely goal against Wales, if memory serves.
what a fucking player this lad should have been
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Big Rom… ruh roh
Muppet
We were at least as good as Turkey in the Euro 2000 playoff and they were the third best team in the world. Fucking Lee Carsley aaaaahhh… That was a great team, although in contrast to modern Irish sides, they didn’t seem as strong away from home. Nowadays we’re better away from home and have been for years.
Carsley was probably 4th choice central midfield, would be first choice today. Alan Kelly would be our first choice goalkeeper. Striking options have already been discussed here.
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My brother maintains that he is the most gifted Ireland player he has seen. Six matches isn’t a lot of time to judge that I would suggest.
He had a season and a half at City where I thought he could be anything. He was phenomenal, the wheels came off then.
Wait a fucking talent he was
His son is lining out for England under 15s these days.
Where does the time go?
McCarthy trying out Hourihane at left back tomorrow because, well, he’s left footed. He doesn’t seem to particularly possess defensive instincts when he plays midfield. It seems quite negligent not to call up and play a specialist left back as a trial run for Georgia.
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