After watching Ireland demolish Gibraltar this weekend, thanks in main to another man of the match performance from Robbie Keane, it reminded me of a post I wrote from November 14th, 2011. Almost 3 full years later, it seems even more relevant now than it did back under the Giovanni Trapattoni era - when a lot was been said about removing Robbie from the starting 11. Some even called for him to retire altogether. I could easily have written the exact piece this week with a few minor detail changes.
Do us all a favour Robbie - Retire from international football, effective immediately.
Thanks for everything Robbie.
You’ve done your best.
You really have.
But being honest - it just wasn’t quite good enough.
Now don’t you think it’s time you did us Irish a favour and retired from international football?
Preferably before the European Championships.
Preferably before Tuesday’s return leg against Estonia.
Let’s just say your performance in the first leg was the final straw.
Quite simply, you were muck.
I know you got 2 goals in an important match.
Again.
But 1 was a peno in fairness...
I know you set up Jon Walters with a brilliant cross.
As well as playing Stephen Hunt through to win the peno.
And you were also the player who drew the 2 fouls which saw 2 Estonians sent off.
But to be honest Robbie, I’m looking for more from an Irish striker these days than 2 goals, 1 and a half assists and getting 2 players sent off through your quickness of thought and speed of movement.
I want to see more to strikers in general than just goals and assists actually.
People will argue that you have 53 international goals.
More than Shearer, Owen, Lineker, Keegan or Charlton.
More than Rush, Hughes, Dalglish, Law or Best.
In fact, more than any British player.
Ever.
Even though most of them were playing for far superior teams than you at the time.
But I always just felt your goals came against lesser nations.
And while Ireland never had a player good enough to score against the lesser nations until you came along, it’s the big games that count.
Like a Play-Off for a major tournament.
People will say you played in 4 Play-Offs and scored in 4 Play-Offs.
But I see the fact that you only scored 5 goals from those 6 games as being the reason we didn’t qualify from more of them.
I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself that you scored 3 goals (plus 1 more in the shoot-out) in the World Cup in 2002 and they were big games.
But one of those was against Saudi Arabia.
I don’t even know where that is Robbie.
I’ll give you the goals against Germany and Spain.
You deserve some credit.
But that still doesn’t change the fact that you are only really capable of scoring at home.
Away games against Holland, Italy and France excluded of course.
Or that cracker you got against Holland when we won 1-0.
Cause that was only a friendly.
But now it’s time for change.
Kevin Doyle is a much better player anyway.
He is 28 now and although Mick McCarthy is the only manager to spend proper money on him, it was €7.5m well spent.
Unlike yourself, who has had Gordon Strachan, Marcello Lippi, Dave O’Leary, Glenn Hoddle, Rafa Benitez and Harry Redknapp spend over €90m on you.
Kevin could get a move to someone like Internazionale, it’s just Wolves won’t sell him, that’s all.
Then there’s Shane Long as well.
23 goals in the Championship and West Bromwich Albion immediately threw €5.2m at Reading for him.
Yes Robbie, West Bromwich Albion.
And now we also have Leon Best.
He’s scored in 2 separate games in the Premier League this season.
He must start.
Along with Jon Walters.
He is also 28 and despite the fact that when you were 28 you had 33 internationals to your name, this guy has scored 3 goals in the Premier League this season.
3 goals Robbie.
He has to start ahead of you.
So, I appreciate your commitment and loyalty to the Irish side over the past 14 seasons but really, we’re not looking for someone who will turn up for every game and give 100% commitment no matter what.
You have given more to this country on the football pitch than anyone could ever ask of a player and have never once complained - but it’s time to move on now Robbie.
So all the Irish supporters who aren’t ‘fans’ of yours can experience what it’s going to be like when we’re well and truly fucked without you...
Showing posts with label European Championships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European Championships. Show all posts
Monday, 13 October 2014
Monday, 9 July 2012
Ireland’s Performances Are Not the Peak of the Problem
Ireland’s performance at the European Championships in Poland was a harsh reality.
But a review of the players decline in the squad brings forth a reality even harsher.
Talk of retirements usually surface after era ending markers such as this.
The big 5 getting a constant mention at the moment.
Shay Given in goal had an extremely poor tournament by his own highest of standards.
Always considered one of the top keepers in the English Premier League, if never the top, his decline in form has coincided with father time and his inability to recover sufficiently from ever increasing injuries.
The first signs came when Shay finally landed himself at a big club only to find after 1 season, he was demoted to the reserves to allow the returning Joe Hart claim first choice.
His decline cemented when he sealed his transfer to Aston Villa a year later.
While Manchester City were being crowned champions of England last month - Shay had to look back on a season that saw his new team finish 16th.
The same team of course, in which Richard Dunne played.
Similar to Shay, when Man City started getting big, they realised they could afford to bring in whoever they wanted.
Despite 4 player of the season awards at the Ethiad in a row, it wasn’t long before Richard was replaced with players the calibre of Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure.
Much like Ireland in Poland - he never stood a chance.
Damian Duff was once a diamond in Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea dynasty.
Valued as high as €17 at one stage - it wasn’t long before he took a step down too.
The dizzying heights of Champions League football and Premier League titles were replaced with relegation involving Newcastle and his current spell at the never threatening Fulham.
John O’Shea spent 12 seasons at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
11 major honours in total - including the Champions League.
Only 3 Irish players have ever won more.
Yet last summer it was pastures new for John and the not so dizzying heights of the Stadium of Light.
And of course, our Captain and talisman, Robbie Keane.
After finding his home at White Hart Lane, one last big money move looked on the cards when Liverpool came calling.
But after only 4 months at Anfield, it was back to Tottenham and soon a drop further to West Ham on loan in double quick time.
For the amount of goals Robbie has got in the Premier League over the years, it’s tough to think our greatest goal threat is spending his early 30’s in the less than impressive Major League.
Outside the senior 5 there are plenty of examples of decline in the Irish squad too.
With the exception of Aiden McGeady, most of the squad are in worse shape than they were when Giovanni took over.
Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Stephen Ward will all begin next season in the Championship with Wolves.
Kevin had been linked with Arsenal not so long ago.
Sean St. Ledger has gone from promising young defender on the cusp of the Premier League to a Championship regular.
Keith Andrews has had a lot of ups and downs in the past 3 seasons culminating in him currently being without a club.
And the reserves don’t fare off much better either.
Kieron Westwood has gone from being in the Championship team of the year 2 seasons in a row to warming the bench of Sunderland.
Paul McShane has dropped out of the top flight.
Darren O’Dea and Paul Green are both unattached.
And Darron Gibson followed John out the Old Trafford door.
It could be argued that Shane Long, Glen Whelan and Jon Walters have improved.
But in truth, their talents have - their club status has remained the same.
That just leaves us with the young James McClean, who could do nothing but rise if he was to make the squad.
And it is with this youth that the next campaign may lye.
So many of this squads are no longer heading skyward - with this summers Championships seen as one of their peaks.
2 years from now when Brazil comes around, it’s hard to see many of the squad being in a better position.
But perhaps it is this reason alone that Giovanni should look for new blood.
The next generation are already looking better off than they were when Giovanni took over.
James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman, Ciaran Clark to name a few.
Indeed Brazil in 2014 might be a peak for some of these players.
Let’s just hope it’s not their highest peak...
But a review of the players decline in the squad brings forth a reality even harsher.
Talk of retirements usually surface after era ending markers such as this.
The big 5 getting a constant mention at the moment.
Shay Given in goal had an extremely poor tournament by his own highest of standards.
Always considered one of the top keepers in the English Premier League, if never the top, his decline in form has coincided with father time and his inability to recover sufficiently from ever increasing injuries.
The first signs came when Shay finally landed himself at a big club only to find after 1 season, he was demoted to the reserves to allow the returning Joe Hart claim first choice.
His decline cemented when he sealed his transfer to Aston Villa a year later.
While Manchester City were being crowned champions of England last month - Shay had to look back on a season that saw his new team finish 16th.
The same team of course, in which Richard Dunne played.
Similar to Shay, when Man City started getting big, they realised they could afford to bring in whoever they wanted.
Despite 4 player of the season awards at the Ethiad in a row, it wasn’t long before Richard was replaced with players the calibre of Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure.
Much like Ireland in Poland - he never stood a chance.
Damian Duff was once a diamond in Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea dynasty.
Valued as high as €17 at one stage - it wasn’t long before he took a step down too.
The dizzying heights of Champions League football and Premier League titles were replaced with relegation involving Newcastle and his current spell at the never threatening Fulham.
John O’Shea spent 12 seasons at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
11 major honours in total - including the Champions League.
Only 3 Irish players have ever won more.
Yet last summer it was pastures new for John and the not so dizzying heights of the Stadium of Light.
And of course, our Captain and talisman, Robbie Keane.
After finding his home at White Hart Lane, one last big money move looked on the cards when Liverpool came calling.
But after only 4 months at Anfield, it was back to Tottenham and soon a drop further to West Ham on loan in double quick time.
For the amount of goals Robbie has got in the Premier League over the years, it’s tough to think our greatest goal threat is spending his early 30’s in the less than impressive Major League.
Outside the senior 5 there are plenty of examples of decline in the Irish squad too.
With the exception of Aiden McGeady, most of the squad are in worse shape than they were when Giovanni took over.
Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Stephen Ward will all begin next season in the Championship with Wolves.
Kevin had been linked with Arsenal not so long ago.
Sean St. Ledger has gone from promising young defender on the cusp of the Premier League to a Championship regular.
Keith Andrews has had a lot of ups and downs in the past 3 seasons culminating in him currently being without a club.
And the reserves don’t fare off much better either.
Kieron Westwood has gone from being in the Championship team of the year 2 seasons in a row to warming the bench of Sunderland.
Paul McShane has dropped out of the top flight.
Darren O’Dea and Paul Green are both unattached.
And Darron Gibson followed John out the Old Trafford door.
It could be argued that Shane Long, Glen Whelan and Jon Walters have improved.
But in truth, their talents have - their club status has remained the same.
That just leaves us with the young James McClean, who could do nothing but rise if he was to make the squad.
And it is with this youth that the next campaign may lye.
So many of this squads are no longer heading skyward - with this summers Championships seen as one of their peaks.
2 years from now when Brazil comes around, it’s hard to see many of the squad being in a better position.
But perhaps it is this reason alone that Giovanni should look for new blood.
The next generation are already looking better off than they were when Giovanni took over.
James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman, Ciaran Clark to name a few.
Indeed Brazil in 2014 might be a peak for some of these players.
Let’s just hope it’s not their highest peak...
Friday, 29 June 2012
Caught in a Trapp
3 games.
3 defeats.
And a goal difference of minus 8.
Pretty conclusive reading.
A dream to get to the European Championships.
A nightmare at it.
However, Ireland were in a much worse place when Giovanni Trapattoni first took over.
Embarrassing defeats like the 5-2 hammering by Cyprus meant Steve Staunton didn’t last long.
And while the FAI chased Paul Jewell to become the man to lead Ireland back to where the nation craved - a wily old Italian was having ideas of his own.
With 26 major honours to his name, ‘Il Trap’ was about to step in and lead the nation forward.
Never in our history had this nation been managed by a man so successful.
Indeed, an FA cup was all that had been won by all previous Ireland managers combined.
And after 3 campaigns in which Ireland had failed to even make the play-offs - Giovanni’s task was simple.
So too was his plan.
At least it was simple on the eye.
Make ourselves as defensively tight as possible and adopt his 'Italian' approach.
Cyprus would not be scoring 5 goals against us again anytime soon.
In fact most teams would not be scoring against us at all.
Giovanni’s system has been in place 37 years now.
It’s not the same in 2012 as it was in 1975.
It has been tinkered with plus thought about and adjusted accordingly over the years to allow for all the gradual changes that occur over what is now 5 decades that the Italian has been managing in.
It is a system that has brought him Italian titles.
German titles.
Portuguese titles.
Even every major European title that was on offer.
It was a system intended to bring qualification to a major tournament to a squad of players who so desperately craved it.
And it worked.
After 2 years in charge, the Irish came within extra time of qualifying for a World Cup.
A far cry from that night in Nicosia.
Defence was tight.
The team remained undefeated in a group that contained Italy and Bulgaria.
And a limited squad of players had come to the brink.
Failure to qualify for the fourth campaign in a row was suddenly not as ghastly as before.
This time we came close.
Very close.
The system was working.
Fast forward 2 years and with largely the same squad of players, Giovanni had masterminded his team through the play-offs and straight to the promised land.
The system, with 2 more years of adjustments and a squad well rehearsed at it - had qualified.
It wasn’t very attacking.
But it was very effective.
Ireland had gone 14 games undefeated.
Conceding only 1 goal in 12 games.
The system behind it all, of course.
Until suddenly Croatia played us.
Then Spain.
Then Italy.
And the system crashed around our feet.
4 years hard work under the highly decorated Italian had suddenly gone to waste.
And the system was to blame.
What else could it be?
What had been good enough to get us to Euro 2012 was actually not good enough to allow us compete at it.
The tight defence on which it was built had collapsed.
It was Cyprus all over again.
Ireland were leaking goals at almost every attack.
And not even threatening the oppositions goal.
Giovanni had perfected his system after managing in so many of the top league teams around.
But there in may lye his problem.
Ireland are no top side.
In fact, Ireland are a very limited side.
Whereas he could call upon Michel Platini or Lothar Matthaus or Francisco Totti in the past, he was now relying on players who were playing for Stoke City, Wolves and West Brom.
Honest, hard working professionals.
But not world players of the year as before.
The system is only as good as the sum of it parts.
And while it may be world class - the players unfortunately, are not.
The system is great if you can rely on Francisco in the final third to get you the goal.
Or Lothar running from midfield putting the opposition on the back foot.
Ireland unfortunately, are reliant on players like Keith Andrews and Kevin Doyle to do this.
The team made up of the lower half of the Premier league and beyond had found themselves able to turn over the likes of Armenia, Montenegro and Estonia in this system.
3 defeats.
And a goal difference of minus 8.
Pretty conclusive reading.
A dream to get to the European Championships.
A nightmare at it.
However, Ireland were in a much worse place when Giovanni Trapattoni first took over.
Embarrassing defeats like the 5-2 hammering by Cyprus meant Steve Staunton didn’t last long.
And while the FAI chased Paul Jewell to become the man to lead Ireland back to where the nation craved - a wily old Italian was having ideas of his own.
With 26 major honours to his name, ‘Il Trap’ was about to step in and lead the nation forward.
Never in our history had this nation been managed by a man so successful.
Indeed, an FA cup was all that had been won by all previous Ireland managers combined.
And after 3 campaigns in which Ireland had failed to even make the play-offs - Giovanni’s task was simple.
So too was his plan.
At least it was simple on the eye.
Make ourselves as defensively tight as possible and adopt his 'Italian' approach.
Cyprus would not be scoring 5 goals against us again anytime soon.
In fact most teams would not be scoring against us at all.
Giovanni’s system has been in place 37 years now.
It’s not the same in 2012 as it was in 1975.
It has been tinkered with plus thought about and adjusted accordingly over the years to allow for all the gradual changes that occur over what is now 5 decades that the Italian has been managing in.
It is a system that has brought him Italian titles.
German titles.
Portuguese titles.
Even every major European title that was on offer.
It was a system intended to bring qualification to a major tournament to a squad of players who so desperately craved it.
And it worked.
After 2 years in charge, the Irish came within extra time of qualifying for a World Cup.
A far cry from that night in Nicosia.
Defence was tight.
The team remained undefeated in a group that contained Italy and Bulgaria.
And a limited squad of players had come to the brink.
Failure to qualify for the fourth campaign in a row was suddenly not as ghastly as before.
This time we came close.
Very close.
The system was working.
Fast forward 2 years and with largely the same squad of players, Giovanni had masterminded his team through the play-offs and straight to the promised land.
The system, with 2 more years of adjustments and a squad well rehearsed at it - had qualified.
It wasn’t very attacking.
But it was very effective.
Ireland had gone 14 games undefeated.
Conceding only 1 goal in 12 games.
The system behind it all, of course.
Until suddenly Croatia played us.
Then Spain.
Then Italy.
And the system crashed around our feet.
4 years hard work under the highly decorated Italian had suddenly gone to waste.
And the system was to blame.
What else could it be?
What had been good enough to get us to Euro 2012 was actually not good enough to allow us compete at it.
The tight defence on which it was built had collapsed.
It was Cyprus all over again.
Ireland were leaking goals at almost every attack.
And not even threatening the oppositions goal.
Giovanni had perfected his system after managing in so many of the top league teams around.
But there in may lye his problem.
Ireland are no top side.
In fact, Ireland are a very limited side.
Whereas he could call upon Michel Platini or Lothar Matthaus or Francisco Totti in the past, he was now relying on players who were playing for Stoke City, Wolves and West Brom.
Honest, hard working professionals.
But not world players of the year as before.
The system is only as good as the sum of it parts.
And while it may be world class - the players unfortunately, are not.
The system is great if you can rely on Francisco in the final third to get you the goal.
Or Lothar running from midfield putting the opposition on the back foot.
Ireland unfortunately, are reliant on players like Keith Andrews and Kevin Doyle to do this.
The team made up of the lower half of the Premier league and beyond had found themselves able to turn over the likes of Armenia, Montenegro and Estonia in this system.
Something they'd struggled with before.
But when they faced real competition like both games against Russia and the 3 group games in the tournament - it was a different story.
It appeared the system had failed.
But when they faced real competition like both games against Russia and the 3 group games in the tournament - it was a different story.
It appeared the system had failed.
In some ways it had.
Not because it couldn't work against other teams.
But perhaps because the players weren't good enough to make it work...
Friday, 22 June 2012
Best Fans in the World Maybe, But Not the Best Supporters
I took a considered moment out for myself as the fields of Athenry billowed around Arena Gdansk.
After due deliberation, I too, joined in for a chorus of one of Ireland’s most renowned football anthems.
I was gutted that we had just been thumped so convincingly.
But I felt the Irish players deserved something back for all the effort they’d put in over the previous 2 seasons.
If they had of performed as inadequately as they had against the Croats - it would have been a different story.
When outclassed by superior opponents yet willing to give their all, I decided to support them.
I was there as a supporter after all.
And they needed me.
Support can change a game.
Fortress Anfield became synonymous with their successful football club due to the vociferous crowd.
Roy Keane himself spoke of the respect he had for the Liverpool atmosphere.
How intelligent they were about football, respectfully applauding when the opposition had done something worthy of ardent praise.
However, this week was also the week in which Roy questioned the expectations of the Irish support.
In an opinion subjected mainly towards the players of the Irish squad, it was the supporters who took offence.
Or at this point, I’ll switch the expression to ‘fans’.
The supporters knew what he meant.
They know enough about football and enough about what they’d seen unfold in front of them in Poland to interpret Roy correctly.
Roy was right.
Ireland weren’t good enough.
And the supporters should demand more.
In fact, they deserved more.
Roy has no problem with fans and supporters singing throughout the build-up and throughout the match itself.
He’d already gone on record as saying how great the Irish support is.
He even went as far as clarifying his comments in his column the following Sunday to avoid confusion.
Yet come kick off in the next game, the ‘fans’ of Ireland had already created a song all for the great man himself.
“F**k you Roy Keane, we’ll sing when we want”
Roy had won his potential debate with the Irish fans, without a need for retort.
4 nil down and heading for our heaviest competitive defeat in over 50 years.
“We’ll sing when we want”
Heading out of the European Championships after only 4 days?
“We’ll sing when we want”
Losing to Italy on the way to equalling the worst ever record at a European Championship?
Well, you get the picture.
If that’s all that’s needed to get the fans singing - there clearly is no requisite for expectation.
Not from the fans anyway.
The supporters, well that’s a different matter.
For them, this hurt.
And hurt badly.
10 years is a long time not to feature at a major tournament.
To come and see our dreams turn quickly to nightmares was not a singing affair.
The supporters were too crestfallen to keep the songs going.
And they were too knowing about football to join in with the “F**k yous” directed at the greatest player ever to don the green jersey.
Roy had done too much for Ireland to warrant abuse like this.
Let alone warrant abuse for a justified attack on our underachieving players.
Yet it was the fans who took exception to these home truths.
These same fans who had the audacity to hurl abuse at their captain and record goalscorer when deployed in the thankless task of chasing down the possession obsessed Spanish defence - outnumbered 5 to 1.
If they got frustrated at a player not giving 100%, behaving selfishly, even arrogantly - they could be forgiven.
But when their team is quite simply outclassed by potentially one of the most successful sides ever seen, support was the answer.
Not jeers.
Or cheers.
But encouragement to push them on.
Give them the support to chase down one more lost cause.
Force one more corner.
Score one more goal.
But no, the same fans who had just jeered Aiden McGeady to stay off the pitch after his momentum had taken him over the touchline, had turned their backs to the action to ‘do the Poznan’ by the time he had returned to play.
The Poznan, reserved only for goals by Manchester City supporters, was been exercised whilst 1 down to the Italians.
What was Mario Balotelli figuring as he watched on from the bench?
Had his beloved Italian support all wore green that day or did this Irish crowd just not ‘get’ his club’s goal celebration?
Manchester United supporters didn’t do the Poznan when 1 nil down at the Etihad.
They expected more from their team.
As did Roy.
The Irish fans had different ideas though.
They were there to party.
The atmosphere they created was unbelievable.
Build-up to every game commenced hours before any ball was kicked.
And it was world class to experience.
Unless you were a supporter.
It just made it all the more difficult knowing the only time the Aviva had sold out since it opened was against Estonia.
Not when the team needed support.
They were already 4 nil up.
No, the return leg was going to be a party.
Armenia at home was when support was needed.
But the fans weren’t there.
Slovakia didn’t sell out either.
Not even Russia could.
When the team really needed support.
It was when 4 nil up against Estonia.
When the fans could party.
And they did.
Unsure as to whether they were so jubilant for the group of players who had finally qualified after so many years of heartbreak.
Or because they’d secured the biggest two week party of the year for themselves.
The fans will remember the European Championship for the sing songs, the beers and the ‘craic’ that occurred on every night.
And who can blame them?
The supporters however, will all meet up in a few months at the Kazakhstan game.
In hope.
Eternal optimism for Ireland’s next campaign.
Their dreams may having turned to nightmares.
But in Kazakhstan, at least they’ll be able to support each other...
After due deliberation, I too, joined in for a chorus of one of Ireland’s most renowned football anthems.
I was gutted that we had just been thumped so convincingly.
But I felt the Irish players deserved something back for all the effort they’d put in over the previous 2 seasons.
If they had of performed as inadequately as they had against the Croats - it would have been a different story.
When outclassed by superior opponents yet willing to give their all, I decided to support them.
I was there as a supporter after all.
And they needed me.
Support can change a game.
Fortress Anfield became synonymous with their successful football club due to the vociferous crowd.
Roy Keane himself spoke of the respect he had for the Liverpool atmosphere.
How intelligent they were about football, respectfully applauding when the opposition had done something worthy of ardent praise.
However, this week was also the week in which Roy questioned the expectations of the Irish support.
In an opinion subjected mainly towards the players of the Irish squad, it was the supporters who took offence.
Or at this point, I’ll switch the expression to ‘fans’.
The supporters knew what he meant.
They know enough about football and enough about what they’d seen unfold in front of them in Poland to interpret Roy correctly.
Roy was right.
Ireland weren’t good enough.
And the supporters should demand more.
In fact, they deserved more.
Roy has no problem with fans and supporters singing throughout the build-up and throughout the match itself.
He’d already gone on record as saying how great the Irish support is.
He even went as far as clarifying his comments in his column the following Sunday to avoid confusion.
Yet come kick off in the next game, the ‘fans’ of Ireland had already created a song all for the great man himself.
“F**k you Roy Keane, we’ll sing when we want”
Roy had won his potential debate with the Irish fans, without a need for retort.
4 nil down and heading for our heaviest competitive defeat in over 50 years.
“We’ll sing when we want”
Heading out of the European Championships after only 4 days?
“We’ll sing when we want”
Losing to Italy on the way to equalling the worst ever record at a European Championship?
Well, you get the picture.
If that’s all that’s needed to get the fans singing - there clearly is no requisite for expectation.
Not from the fans anyway.
The supporters, well that’s a different matter.
For them, this hurt.
And hurt badly.
10 years is a long time not to feature at a major tournament.
To come and see our dreams turn quickly to nightmares was not a singing affair.
The supporters were too crestfallen to keep the songs going.
And they were too knowing about football to join in with the “F**k yous” directed at the greatest player ever to don the green jersey.
Roy had done too much for Ireland to warrant abuse like this.
Let alone warrant abuse for a justified attack on our underachieving players.
Yet it was the fans who took exception to these home truths.
These same fans who had the audacity to hurl abuse at their captain and record goalscorer when deployed in the thankless task of chasing down the possession obsessed Spanish defence - outnumbered 5 to 1.
If they got frustrated at a player not giving 100%, behaving selfishly, even arrogantly - they could be forgiven.
But when their team is quite simply outclassed by potentially one of the most successful sides ever seen, support was the answer.
Not jeers.
Or cheers.
But encouragement to push them on.
Give them the support to chase down one more lost cause.
Force one more corner.
Score one more goal.
But no, the same fans who had just jeered Aiden McGeady to stay off the pitch after his momentum had taken him over the touchline, had turned their backs to the action to ‘do the Poznan’ by the time he had returned to play.
The Poznan, reserved only for goals by Manchester City supporters, was been exercised whilst 1 down to the Italians.
What was Mario Balotelli figuring as he watched on from the bench?
Had his beloved Italian support all wore green that day or did this Irish crowd just not ‘get’ his club’s goal celebration?
Manchester United supporters didn’t do the Poznan when 1 nil down at the Etihad.
They expected more from their team.
As did Roy.
The Irish fans had different ideas though.
They were there to party.
The atmosphere they created was unbelievable.
Build-up to every game commenced hours before any ball was kicked.
And it was world class to experience.
Unless you were a supporter.
It just made it all the more difficult knowing the only time the Aviva had sold out since it opened was against Estonia.
Not when the team needed support.
They were already 4 nil up.
No, the return leg was going to be a party.
Armenia at home was when support was needed.
But the fans weren’t there.
Slovakia didn’t sell out either.
Not even Russia could.
When the team really needed support.
It was when 4 nil up against Estonia.
When the fans could party.
And they did.
Unsure as to whether they were so jubilant for the group of players who had finally qualified after so many years of heartbreak.
Or because they’d secured the biggest two week party of the year for themselves.
The fans will remember the European Championship for the sing songs, the beers and the ‘craic’ that occurred on every night.
And who can blame them?
The supporters however, will all meet up in a few months at the Kazakhstan game.
In hope.
Eternal optimism for Ireland’s next campaign.
Their dreams may having turned to nightmares.
But in Kazakhstan, at least they’ll be able to support each other...
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Ireland Insured that it was Fully Comprehensive
The great adventure is over.
What started with a 1-0 win over Armenia almost 2 years ago - ended in defeat this week.
Not the heroic kind synonymous with Irish football over the years.
No, not at all.
No handballs from Frenchmen.
No last minute Macedonian headers.
No missed penalties.
Just defeat.
Comprehensive defeat.
The hopes and dreams of so many Irish fans were in full flow coming into the tournament.
14 games without loss.
Only 1 goal conceded in 10 games.
We had a manager who had given us a game plan.
Made us really tough to score against.
Even tougher to beat.
Oh how we had improved since the embarrassment of our last management team.
Heck, we were world beaters.
In the last 4 years we had done one on the French in Paris.
Until that ‘heroic defeat’ entered the fray again.
We had played Italy 3 times since they won the World Cup.
Masterminding 2 draws and a victory.
And the last competitive tie we played before our trip to Poland, saw us destroy Estonia in the Play-offs.
Destroy.
The belief was back.
And we were taking it to the Euros with us.
The fans sang songs.
Invaded the square.
Belief all over the stadium.
That is, until the officials kicked things off.
3 games later and Ireland had equalled the all time worst record of any team in a European Championship.
Our undefeated record was smashed with 3 straight losses.
Our defence caved in and conceded 9 goals.
Our attack replied with just the 1.
Our greatest ever goalkeeper, so long a hero, had proved culpable on more than 1 occasion.
That was more than 1 occasion in every game mind.
The leader of our defence, so masterful in Moscow, was playing desperately below his own high standards.
Our all time leading goalscorer, and Captain, had little or no impact.
The list goes on.
And on.
Each of our heros defeated.
Each so comprehensively.
Of course, effort was not an issue.
It never is with this squad.
It was just the harsh reality that this time, defeat came about because we were not good enough.
Outplayed.
Outfought.
Outclassed.
The belief that had returned to Ireland since the change in management had evaporated after just 3 minutes.
Replaced with this cold harsh reality.
The Ireland team were simply not good enough.
And unlike the heroic defeats, we now had nothing to hold on to this time.
The emptiness of being outclassed was a lot harder to stomach.
No Frenchman to direct our anger at.
No referee to curse through the next campaign.
No excuses.
Just comprehension.
That Ireland simply were not good enough...
What started with a 1-0 win over Armenia almost 2 years ago - ended in defeat this week.
Not the heroic kind synonymous with Irish football over the years.
No, not at all.
No handballs from Frenchmen.
No last minute Macedonian headers.
No missed penalties.
Just defeat.
Comprehensive defeat.
The hopes and dreams of so many Irish fans were in full flow coming into the tournament.
14 games without loss.
Only 1 goal conceded in 10 games.
We had a manager who had given us a game plan.
Made us really tough to score against.
Even tougher to beat.
Oh how we had improved since the embarrassment of our last management team.
Heck, we were world beaters.
In the last 4 years we had done one on the French in Paris.
Until that ‘heroic defeat’ entered the fray again.
We had played Italy 3 times since they won the World Cup.
Masterminding 2 draws and a victory.
And the last competitive tie we played before our trip to Poland, saw us destroy Estonia in the Play-offs.
Destroy.
The belief was back.
And we were taking it to the Euros with us.
The fans sang songs.
Invaded the square.
Belief all over the stadium.
That is, until the officials kicked things off.
3 games later and Ireland had equalled the all time worst record of any team in a European Championship.
Our undefeated record was smashed with 3 straight losses.
Our defence caved in and conceded 9 goals.
Our attack replied with just the 1.
Our greatest ever goalkeeper, so long a hero, had proved culpable on more than 1 occasion.
That was more than 1 occasion in every game mind.
The leader of our defence, so masterful in Moscow, was playing desperately below his own high standards.
Our all time leading goalscorer, and Captain, had little or no impact.
The list goes on.
And on.
Each of our heros defeated.
Each so comprehensively.
Of course, effort was not an issue.
It never is with this squad.
It was just the harsh reality that this time, defeat came about because we were not good enough.
Outplayed.
Outfought.
Outclassed.
The belief that had returned to Ireland since the change in management had evaporated after just 3 minutes.
Replaced with this cold harsh reality.
The Ireland team were simply not good enough.
And unlike the heroic defeats, we now had nothing to hold on to this time.
The emptiness of being outclassed was a lot harder to stomach.
No Frenchman to direct our anger at.
No referee to curse through the next campaign.
No excuses.
Just comprehension.
That Ireland simply were not good enough...
Friday, 1 June 2012
Leagues of Opportunity
23 players will board the plane for Ireland’s first involvement in a major tournament in 10 years.
A squad with players plying their trade in England, Scotland, US of A and Russia.
A squad with Premiership experience - Champions League too.
And a squad with 610 games in the League of Ireland between them.
A squad with players plying their trade in England, Scotland, US of A and Russia.
A squad with Premiership experience - Champions League too.
And a squad with 610 games in the League of Ireland between them.
Of the group still in with a chance of starting the tournament, there are no fewer than 7 players who have strutted their stuff in this islands own League.
An absolute testament to how the standard of talent in the League of Ireland has risen in the last ten years.
Stephen Ward, James McClean, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, David Forde, Keith Fahey and Seamus Coleman.
All stand a chance of being in the final squad for Euro 2012.
All played in the League of Ireland at some stage in their career.
And the list doesn’t stop there.
Calls for Wes Hoolahan of Norwich have been loud.
Daryl Murphy at Celtic, Conor Sammon at Wigan, Noel Hunt at Reading, David Meyler at Sunderland and Brian Murphy at QPR were all on the periphery of the squad over the last season.
All together making 457 appearances in the League at home.
A League that has risen in stock.
And keeps rising.
Having knocked on the door of the group stages of Europe for a few years, it was Shamrock Rovers who finally made the break though only last season.
Aston Villa were the first to identify the talent from that pool of players.
And with our options at left back in the senior team limited - how long before we see Enda Stevens gain international recognition?
The standard of the English Premier League has of course risen in this time as well.
Pushing Ireland’s best - lower down the ranks.
The lower they fall, the more the League of Ireland presents it’s appeal.
In search of either redemption or simply a continuation of their craft, the option to return home is far more enticing of late compared to even the early ‘00’s.
Any young Irish player contemplating a return home need look no further than the success story of Keith Fahey.
Having spent 2 seasons at Arsenal and a further 2 at Aston Villa, Keith found himself playing for Bluebell United at the age of 20.
9 years on and he’s heading to Poland for a major championship.
Roy O’Donovan, Gary Deegan, Karl Sheppard to name but a few have all come home for a period and headed back over after very successful spells.
The League of Ireland also has great offerings on the pictch too, for players outside the Premier League.
Shamrock Rovers’ squad got to play in 12 European games this season.
Against some quality opposition.
Even lesser teams like St. Pats made it through 4 rounds of European competition when Keith was their talisman.
Sligo, Derry, Cork, Bohemians and Shelbourne have all had great success in Europe too.
An unlikely occurrence for those plying their trade in the Championship or lower.
It can provide opportunities for players who can look beyond the Premier League bubble as well.
Padraig Amond, Dominic Foley and Shane Robinson all earned rewards to the top divisions of Portugal, Belgium and Finland respectively, after being spotted while playing in European competition.
Managers too.
Brian Kerr went from managing St. Pats to landing the biggest job in Ireland.
Lawrie Sanchez went from Sligo to the Premier League to the biggest job in Northern Ireland.
Michael O’Neill has that hotseat now.
And there was Sam Allardyce at Limerick too.
Stephen Kenny, Jim Gannon and now Pat Fenlon have all engineered moves to bigger clubs after successful periods managing at home.
But of course for every success story of players going back across to bigger clubs - there are those who ended up in League 1, 2 or lower.
Roy O’Donovan, Joe Gamble, Dave Mooney and Alan Bennett were star players for Cork around the same time as Kevin and Shane.
But they couldn’t match the success they found.
Instead they found their level.
The league still granted them the opportunity to go higher, they just couldn’t find the path.
But it is giving the opportunities to these players.
No many had heard of James McClean at the start of the season.
But that’s because attendances are low in the league.
For those of us who did see him for the candystripes - we knew how good he was.
Good enough to have the whole nation demand he gets an opportunity against Spain.
Good enough to ensure a Derry City player gets the opportunity to finish a season at a European Championships.
Good enough to take his opportunity...
Monday, 20 February 2012
One Major Honour to Manage England
So Harry Redknapp is the favourite to become the next England manager.
Ask most people their opinion and he is the first name that springs to mind.
But spend a little longer than just your gut reaction and you really start to question why.
Harry is doing a great job at Tottenham at the moment.
A really great job.
Perhaps though, the successful candidate should have done a bit more than just have a couple of good seasons of late.
After all, he took an underachieving Tottenham side into the Champions League during a period when Liverpool, Arsenal and now Chelsea all hurtled towards a rapid decline.
He’s not won anything with Tottenham.
In fact, his only major honour was an FA cup win with Portsmouth.
Splitting 2 spells at Portsmouth, was a brief and unsuccessful period at Southampton.
Preceded by 8 years doing a steady job with West Ham and his first role at Bournemouth.
Harry may be top of mind for most due to how well Tottenham have done this season and last.
But is the best man for the England job really a manager who has only 1 major honour to his name after 28 years in the role?
Not to mention he’s only ever had one season of Champions League football.
His experience of the English league will be great for knowing what assets he has available to him.
His one season mixing it with Europe’s elite won’t have given him much experience on the opposition.
As for Harry being the outstanding ‘English’ candidate - that just highlights the lack of top English managers at the moment.
Nothing more.
An Englishman will not do a better job than a ‘foreigner’ if he is not a better manager.
And with Euro 2012 fast approaching - decisiveness seems paramount.
But the English FA should not confuse decisiveness with haste.
A caretaker role now instead - can mean the decision on the long term future of the England national team be made in due course.
He will not have enough time anyway to shape the team his way.
It will be a case of steadying the ship in Poland and Ukraine as opposed to setting it a new course.
When the Republic of Ireland interviewed for the current position - Paul Jewell was the outstanding choice.
The FAI took their time over the decision and Giovanni Trapattoni appeared.
The landscape could shift dramatically come this summer too.
Jose Mourinho could become available.
Harry’s 1 major honour might need to total 3 if he’s to beat the Portuguese master tactician to the job.
If Martin O’Neill continues his surge up the table with Sunderland and takes fourth spot, would he be considered the outstanding candidate?
He has had relative little success in the English game too but has still won more major honours than Harry.
Coupled with a more sustained period of success.
Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Steve McClaren had 1 major honour between them and all had a shot at the England hot-seat.
But it was Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello - with 32 major honours who are the only managers to have taken England to a quarter final of a major tournament since Euro ‘96.
If Fabio and his 16 major honours cannot make a success of this group of players - I’m not sure Harry and his 1 can do any different...
Ask most people their opinion and he is the first name that springs to mind.
But spend a little longer than just your gut reaction and you really start to question why.
Harry is doing a great job at Tottenham at the moment.
A really great job.
Perhaps though, the successful candidate should have done a bit more than just have a couple of good seasons of late.
After all, he took an underachieving Tottenham side into the Champions League during a period when Liverpool, Arsenal and now Chelsea all hurtled towards a rapid decline.
He’s not won anything with Tottenham.
In fact, his only major honour was an FA cup win with Portsmouth.
Splitting 2 spells at Portsmouth, was a brief and unsuccessful period at Southampton.
Preceded by 8 years doing a steady job with West Ham and his first role at Bournemouth.
Harry may be top of mind for most due to how well Tottenham have done this season and last.
But is the best man for the England job really a manager who has only 1 major honour to his name after 28 years in the role?
Not to mention he’s only ever had one season of Champions League football.
His experience of the English league will be great for knowing what assets he has available to him.
His one season mixing it with Europe’s elite won’t have given him much experience on the opposition.
As for Harry being the outstanding ‘English’ candidate - that just highlights the lack of top English managers at the moment.
Nothing more.
An Englishman will not do a better job than a ‘foreigner’ if he is not a better manager.
And with Euro 2012 fast approaching - decisiveness seems paramount.
But the English FA should not confuse decisiveness with haste.
A caretaker role now instead - can mean the decision on the long term future of the England national team be made in due course.
He will not have enough time anyway to shape the team his way.
It will be a case of steadying the ship in Poland and Ukraine as opposed to setting it a new course.
When the Republic of Ireland interviewed for the current position - Paul Jewell was the outstanding choice.
The FAI took their time over the decision and Giovanni Trapattoni appeared.
The landscape could shift dramatically come this summer too.
Jose Mourinho could become available.
Harry’s 1 major honour might need to total 3 if he’s to beat the Portuguese master tactician to the job.
If Martin O’Neill continues his surge up the table with Sunderland and takes fourth spot, would he be considered the outstanding candidate?
He has had relative little success in the English game too but has still won more major honours than Harry.
Coupled with a more sustained period of success.
Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Steve McClaren had 1 major honour between them and all had a shot at the England hot-seat.
But it was Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello - with 32 major honours who are the only managers to have taken England to a quarter final of a major tournament since Euro ‘96.
If Fabio and his 16 major honours cannot make a success of this group of players - I’m not sure Harry and his 1 can do any different...
Monday, 13 February 2012
Becoming international manager has become a national debate
Fabio Capello is no longer in charge of the English football team.
Stepping down this week to leave the hotseat vacant for someone else to lead them out at Euro 2012.
There has been a lot of talk since, that the next English manager should be just that - English.
Some go as far as saying that the same rules should apply to international managers that do to international players.
If large countries like England, Germany or Italy were to insist on their national team manager being born in their own country, then I could understand.
They have such a large pool to choose from.
But Dutchman Gus Hiddink did more for South Korean football in his 2 years in charge then anyone in the previous 50.
Giovanni Trapattoni helped Ireland qualify for their first major tournament in 10 years.
In fact, Ireland have never qualified for a major tournament with an Irish manager.
The development of football in Africa has been helped enormously by an influx of ‘foreign’ managers over the past twenty years.
Greece won Euro 2004 under a German.
Portugal reached that same final under a Brazilian.
Russia are currently managed by a Dutchman.
How are the smaller countries supposed to develop if they are only allowed to choose from their own country.
And what happens to players who play for a country they weren’t born in?
Can Deco only manage Brazil?
Miroslav Klose manage Poland?
Patrick Vieira Senegal?
Or do the same rules apply to managers?
Rafa Benitez has never managed another country but has lived in Liverpool long enough to qualify for them.
But after managing England for two years, becomes illegible when the top job in Spain comes up.
Managers like Gus would never have been able to have managed South Korea, Australia, Russia or Turkey as he had already overseen the reigns of the Netherlands for four years.
And some people this week have even put Martin O’Neill’s name forward.
Not exactly demanding an English manager.
But rather a British one.
If the FA are willing to go as far as Northern Ireland to find their new manager, then why not go as far as France?
And then why not as far as Italy?
Surely Martin is as foreign as Arsene Wenger?
I do understand where the English are coming from when they say they’d like an Englishman in charge.
In an ideal world, they would have a strong enough candidate every time the job came up.
But should the birthplace of a manager be a factor when it comes to getting the job?
The best man for England right now might well be from Poplar.
But he might instead be from Glasgow.
Men from Middlesex, Doncaster and York have all been in the hotseat in the Premier League era, but the only man to take them to a quarter finals of a major tournament since 1996 was from Sweden.
Harry Redknapp has proved to be the kneejerk favourite for the job.
But what if someone like a Sir Alex Ferguson or a Jose Mourinho were to declare an interest in the job.
Should Harry get it because he was born in Poplar?
Well if England insist on an Englishman, he surely will.
Meaning they might well get a good man for the job - but perhaps not the best one...
Stepping down this week to leave the hotseat vacant for someone else to lead them out at Euro 2012.
There has been a lot of talk since, that the next English manager should be just that - English.
Some go as far as saying that the same rules should apply to international managers that do to international players.
If large countries like England, Germany or Italy were to insist on their national team manager being born in their own country, then I could understand.
They have such a large pool to choose from.
But Dutchman Gus Hiddink did more for South Korean football in his 2 years in charge then anyone in the previous 50.
Giovanni Trapattoni helped Ireland qualify for their first major tournament in 10 years.
In fact, Ireland have never qualified for a major tournament with an Irish manager.
The development of football in Africa has been helped enormously by an influx of ‘foreign’ managers over the past twenty years.
Greece won Euro 2004 under a German.
Portugal reached that same final under a Brazilian.
Russia are currently managed by a Dutchman.
How are the smaller countries supposed to develop if they are only allowed to choose from their own country.
And what happens to players who play for a country they weren’t born in?
Can Deco only manage Brazil?
Miroslav Klose manage Poland?
Patrick Vieira Senegal?
Or do the same rules apply to managers?
Rafa Benitez has never managed another country but has lived in Liverpool long enough to qualify for them.
But after managing England for two years, becomes illegible when the top job in Spain comes up.
Managers like Gus would never have been able to have managed South Korea, Australia, Russia or Turkey as he had already overseen the reigns of the Netherlands for four years.
And some people this week have even put Martin O’Neill’s name forward.
Not exactly demanding an English manager.
But rather a British one.
If the FA are willing to go as far as Northern Ireland to find their new manager, then why not go as far as France?
And then why not as far as Italy?
Surely Martin is as foreign as Arsene Wenger?
I do understand where the English are coming from when they say they’d like an Englishman in charge.
In an ideal world, they would have a strong enough candidate every time the job came up.
But should the birthplace of a manager be a factor when it comes to getting the job?
The best man for England right now might well be from Poplar.
But he might instead be from Glasgow.
Men from Middlesex, Doncaster and York have all been in the hotseat in the Premier League era, but the only man to take them to a quarter finals of a major tournament since 1996 was from Sweden.
Harry Redknapp has proved to be the kneejerk favourite for the job.
But what if someone like a Sir Alex Ferguson or a Jose Mourinho were to declare an interest in the job.
Should Harry get it because he was born in Poplar?
Well if England insist on an Englishman, he surely will.
Meaning they might well get a good man for the job - but perhaps not the best one...
Monday, 5 December 2011
Irish fans should be delighted with the draw for Euro 2012 - Even if we are the worst team in the group
Being in a group like that is what it’s all about.
Every fan should embrace this opportunity our heroic team has landed.
On paper we are in the bottom seeds.
So we were going to be the worst team, no matter what group we were drawn in.
Which is great news.
We will be second favourites in every game.
A tag that sits a lot more comfortably with Ireland then the dreaded pressure that comes with being favourites.
Being the worst team also takes all the pressure off hoping to secure a ‘nice’ group.
No matter what other three teams ended up in Ireland’s group, they were all going to be better than us.
Croatia to start with - is one such team.
This opening game will be crucial and a win here will really set us up.
The Croats are quite similar to ourselves, albeit having had the better of things more recently.
But Ireland have played Croatia on numerous occasions over the last ten years in friendlies.
There has never been much between the sides.
And there won’t be again this time round.
Whoever wins this one, will certainly fancy their chances in what could effectively be a straight knock out game against the Italians.
Spain are the stand-out team in the world right now.
They are far superior to every team, let alone the worst team in the group.
Every player and every team should have the ambition of playing against the best team in the world.
A side aiming to be the first ever team to win three major tournaments in a row is the stuff of dreams.
The Spanish will be clear favourites to win the group.
1 defeat in their last 41 competitive games is a startling statistic.
Let’s hope they get two victories against Italy and Croatia.
If we can sneak a draw, with the sort of luck that England had against them in their recent victory, it will be a massive result.
But defeat should not harm our chances too much, on the premise that Spain will be looking to win all three of their games.
Then we finish with Italy.
We have played the Italians 3 times under Trap.
2 draws in the qualifying group for World Cup 2010.
And a 2-0 victory in Liege at the start of a summer.
Of all the big teams to get, Italy were certainly not the worst.
Trap will know them inside out and the fact he will play against his country of birth will add spice to the occasion as well as deflect some of the attention off the players.
This will hopefully be a straight shoot-out to qualify for the knock-out stages.
And if we are to have ambitions to win the tournament, which I think we do, then getting Spain in our group is also a massive advantage.
It of course means that we can’t play them again until the final.
And with the two teams from our group set to meet two teams from the England France group, the quarter final looks as mouth watering as it could be for an Irish fan.
Yet not a lot of pundits seem to believe Ireland have a chance of getting out of the group let alone winning the tournament.
I wonder what Roy Keane would think.
If ever anyone needed proof that the underdog can triumph, they need look no further than the European Championships.
Greece were the worst team on paper in 2004.
Denmark weren’t even in Euro ‘92 until a few weeks before the tournament started.
They too were the worse team on paper.
Both handed tough group draws as is the case with most groups throughout the history of the European Championships.
Greece were given Russia, Spain and hosts Portugal in 2004.
Denmark given England, France and hosts Sweden in 1992.
But being in the European Championships is all about playing against the best teams.
This gives us a great opportunity to play against the winners of the last two World Cups.
The current holders of the European Championships as well.
Ireland are most definitely sitting at the top table now.
It’s great being back.
Everyone in my generation remembers Houghton sticking the ball in the English net.
Bonner against the Romanians.
Houghton again in Giants stadium.
Getting Spain and Italy in our group has just handed us 2 huge opportunities to create similar historic occasions.
And all of these occasions came when we given a tough group.
‘88 and ‘90 saw us paired with England and Holland.
Throw USSR into our European Championship group and we had the two eventual finalists.
‘94 had us paired with eventual runners-up Italy along with Mexico and a Norwegian team that had lit up European qualification by finishing top of a group with the English and the Dutch.
‘02 again had us with the runners-up in the form of Germany and reigning African Nations champions Cameroon.
What this current group has done is hand us an opportunity to play against the best teams in the world and to create history again.
It took a long time for this Irish team to get back to the top table.
The players will be relishing this group.
So should we.
Even if we are the worst team in it...
Every fan should embrace this opportunity our heroic team has landed.
On paper we are in the bottom seeds.
So we were going to be the worst team, no matter what group we were drawn in.
Which is great news.
We will be second favourites in every game.
A tag that sits a lot more comfortably with Ireland then the dreaded pressure that comes with being favourites.
Being the worst team also takes all the pressure off hoping to secure a ‘nice’ group.
No matter what other three teams ended up in Ireland’s group, they were all going to be better than us.
Croatia to start with - is one such team.
This opening game will be crucial and a win here will really set us up.
The Croats are quite similar to ourselves, albeit having had the better of things more recently.
But Ireland have played Croatia on numerous occasions over the last ten years in friendlies.
There has never been much between the sides.
And there won’t be again this time round.
Whoever wins this one, will certainly fancy their chances in what could effectively be a straight knock out game against the Italians.
Spain are the stand-out team in the world right now.
They are far superior to every team, let alone the worst team in the group.
Every player and every team should have the ambition of playing against the best team in the world.
A side aiming to be the first ever team to win three major tournaments in a row is the stuff of dreams.
The Spanish will be clear favourites to win the group.
1 defeat in their last 41 competitive games is a startling statistic.
Let’s hope they get two victories against Italy and Croatia.
If we can sneak a draw, with the sort of luck that England had against them in their recent victory, it will be a massive result.
But defeat should not harm our chances too much, on the premise that Spain will be looking to win all three of their games.
Then we finish with Italy.
We have played the Italians 3 times under Trap.
2 draws in the qualifying group for World Cup 2010.
And a 2-0 victory in Liege at the start of a summer.
Of all the big teams to get, Italy were certainly not the worst.
Trap will know them inside out and the fact he will play against his country of birth will add spice to the occasion as well as deflect some of the attention off the players.
This will hopefully be a straight shoot-out to qualify for the knock-out stages.
And if we are to have ambitions to win the tournament, which I think we do, then getting Spain in our group is also a massive advantage.
It of course means that we can’t play them again until the final.
And with the two teams from our group set to meet two teams from the England France group, the quarter final looks as mouth watering as it could be for an Irish fan.
Yet not a lot of pundits seem to believe Ireland have a chance of getting out of the group let alone winning the tournament.
I wonder what Roy Keane would think.
If ever anyone needed proof that the underdog can triumph, they need look no further than the European Championships.
Greece were the worst team on paper in 2004.
Denmark weren’t even in Euro ‘92 until a few weeks before the tournament started.
They too were the worse team on paper.
Both handed tough group draws as is the case with most groups throughout the history of the European Championships.
Greece were given Russia, Spain and hosts Portugal in 2004.
Denmark given England, France and hosts Sweden in 1992.
But being in the European Championships is all about playing against the best teams.
This gives us a great opportunity to play against the winners of the last two World Cups.
The current holders of the European Championships as well.
Ireland are most definitely sitting at the top table now.
It’s great being back.
Everyone in my generation remembers Houghton sticking the ball in the English net.
Bonner against the Romanians.
Houghton again in Giants stadium.
Getting Spain and Italy in our group has just handed us 2 huge opportunities to create similar historic occasions.
And all of these occasions came when we given a tough group.
‘88 and ‘90 saw us paired with England and Holland.
Throw USSR into our European Championship group and we had the two eventual finalists.
‘94 had us paired with eventual runners-up Italy along with Mexico and a Norwegian team that had lit up European qualification by finishing top of a group with the English and the Dutch.
‘02 again had us with the runners-up in the form of Germany and reigning African Nations champions Cameroon.
What this current group has done is hand us an opportunity to play against the best teams in the world and to create history again.
It took a long time for this Irish team to get back to the top table.
The players will be relishing this group.
So should we.
Even if we are the worst team in it...
Monday, 28 November 2011
Do fans really want success or are they just happy to be entertained?
For me, the sport I love has always been about winning.
Whether it’s Ireland in a World Cup or a kick about in the park, winning was all that mattered.
Even if we didn’t play well - winning made the sport entertaining.
I always felt that while the match may not have been an entertaining spectacle, it felt great to play so bad and still win.
Qualification for the European Championships this month was a massive success.
All the hard work, combined with this perceived lack of entertainment, surmounted to winning qualification to a major tournament for the first time in ten years.
The criticism of Giovanni Trapattoni’s reign over the Irish team should have grinded to a halt after his victory over Estonia.
Instead, critics have now turned their attention to telling the public how bad Ireland are going to do at the Championships next summer.
Even if Ireland were to lose every game 5-0, the campaign would still go down as the furthest Ireland have gone in 10 years.
The furthest in the European Championships in 22 years.
Yet now some journalists are saying we will be found out by the likes of Spain, Germany and Holland when we get there.
Found out?
As in the best three teams in the world will prove that they are better than a team made up from the bottom half of the Premier League?
Surely success came in the qualification and anything beyond is even more of a bonus for this Irish team?
Yet a large portion of Irish supporters want Giovanni out.
Sick of the style of football, no matter how successful.
Compare this to the situation at Arsenal right now.
Arsene Wenger, one of the greatest managers in the world, has led his team to play some of the best football the Premier League has ever seen.
Yet he is nowhere near as successful as Giovanni.
Arsene will hope to some day be mentioned in the same breath as Giovanni when it comes to the amount of major honours he’s won.
But right now, he is not even close to adding to his tally.
He is currently overseeing his seventh season since he won a trophy.
But by playing such entertaining football during this barren spell, he was able to keep the terraces happy.
Gordon Strachan and Martin O’Neill is another interesting example at Celtic.
Gordon had the better record as manager.
Yet the supporters never really took to him despite twice taking the Glasgow team to the last 16 of the Champions League and winning the same number of league titles as Martin but in fewer seasons.
Gordon didn’t have nearly as much money as Martin and was forced to work with a weaker squad.
Yet most Celtic supporters will tell you they’d prefer to see Martin back in the hot seat.
Martin and his entertaining ways.
Finally, you have the situation at Chelsea.
There’s no chance Arsene would have been allowed 6 seasons in charge of Chelsea with such a lack of success.
Giovanni would no doubt have had success at the helm but the feeling is that Roman Abramovich demands entertainment and success.
And even when they had that in the shape of Jose Mourinho or Carlo Ancelotti, it only lasted as long as the success was there.
Hefty prices have been paid in trying to obtain both.
And he still can’t win the Champions League no matter how much money he spends.
The aim in football has always been to have an entertaining and successful side.
This is not always possible with the resources some sides have.
Especially in the international arena.
Roman has the right idea about this.
And the resources.
He is just living proof of how hard it is to have both.
Whether it’s Ireland in a World Cup or a kick about in the park, winning was all that mattered.
Even if we didn’t play well - winning made the sport entertaining.
I always felt that while the match may not have been an entertaining spectacle, it felt great to play so bad and still win.
Qualification for the European Championships this month was a massive success.
All the hard work, combined with this perceived lack of entertainment, surmounted to winning qualification to a major tournament for the first time in ten years.
The criticism of Giovanni Trapattoni’s reign over the Irish team should have grinded to a halt after his victory over Estonia.
Instead, critics have now turned their attention to telling the public how bad Ireland are going to do at the Championships next summer.
Even if Ireland were to lose every game 5-0, the campaign would still go down as the furthest Ireland have gone in 10 years.
The furthest in the European Championships in 22 years.
Yet now some journalists are saying we will be found out by the likes of Spain, Germany and Holland when we get there.
Found out?
As in the best three teams in the world will prove that they are better than a team made up from the bottom half of the Premier League?
Surely success came in the qualification and anything beyond is even more of a bonus for this Irish team?
Yet a large portion of Irish supporters want Giovanni out.
Sick of the style of football, no matter how successful.
Compare this to the situation at Arsenal right now.
Arsene Wenger, one of the greatest managers in the world, has led his team to play some of the best football the Premier League has ever seen.
Yet he is nowhere near as successful as Giovanni.
Arsene will hope to some day be mentioned in the same breath as Giovanni when it comes to the amount of major honours he’s won.
But right now, he is not even close to adding to his tally.
He is currently overseeing his seventh season since he won a trophy.
But by playing such entertaining football during this barren spell, he was able to keep the terraces happy.
Gordon Strachan and Martin O’Neill is another interesting example at Celtic.
Gordon had the better record as manager.
Yet the supporters never really took to him despite twice taking the Glasgow team to the last 16 of the Champions League and winning the same number of league titles as Martin but in fewer seasons.
Gordon didn’t have nearly as much money as Martin and was forced to work with a weaker squad.
Yet most Celtic supporters will tell you they’d prefer to see Martin back in the hot seat.
Martin and his entertaining ways.
Finally, you have the situation at Chelsea.
There’s no chance Arsene would have been allowed 6 seasons in charge of Chelsea with such a lack of success.
Giovanni would no doubt have had success at the helm but the feeling is that Roman Abramovich demands entertainment and success.
And even when they had that in the shape of Jose Mourinho or Carlo Ancelotti, it only lasted as long as the success was there.
Hefty prices have been paid in trying to obtain both.
And he still can’t win the Champions League no matter how much money he spends.
The aim in football has always been to have an entertaining and successful side.
This is not always possible with the resources some sides have.
Especially in the international arena.
Roman has the right idea about this.
And the resources.
He is just living proof of how hard it is to have both.
At the end of the day though - Roman shares the same belief as myself.
Football is all about winning.
Yet some supporters of this beautiful game, just don’t find joy in being successful...
Football is all about winning.
Yet some supporters of this beautiful game, just don’t find joy in being successful...
Monday, 14 November 2011
Do us all a favour Robbie - Retire from international football, effective immediately.
Thanks for everything Robbie.
You’ve done your best.
You really have.
But being honest - it just wasn’t quite good enough.
Now don’t you think it’s time you did us Irish a favour and retired from international football?
Preferably before the European Championships.
Preferably before Tuesday’s return leg against Estonia.
Let’s just say your performance in the first leg was the final straw.
Quite simply, you were muck.
I know you got 2 goals in an important match.
Again.
But 1 was a peno in fairness...
I know you set up Jon Walters with a brilliant cross.
As well as playing Stephen Hunt through to win the peno.
And you were also the player who drew the 2 fouls which saw 2 Estonians sent off.
But to be honest Robbie, I’m looking for more from an Irish striker these days than 2 goals, 1 and a half assists and getting 2 players sent off through your quickness of thought and speed of movement.
I want to see more to strikers in general than just goals and assists actually.
People will argue that you have 53 international goals.
More than Shearer, Owen, Lineker, Keegan or Charlton.
More than Rush, Hughes, Dalglish, Law or Best.
In fact, more than any British player.
Ever.
Even though most of them were playing for far superior teams than you at the time.
But I always just felt your goals came against lesser nations.
And while Ireland never had a player good enough to score against the lesser nations until you came along, it’s the big games that count.
Like a Play-Off for a major tournament.
People will say you played in 4 Play-Offs and scored in 4 Play-Offs.
But I see the fact that you only scored 5 goals from those 6 games as being the reason we didn’t qualify from more of them.
I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself that you scored 3 goals (plus 1 more in the shoot-out) in the World Cup in 2002 and they were big games.
But one of those was against Saudi Arabia.
I don’t even know where that is Robbie.
I’ll give you the goals against Germany and Spain.
You deserve some credit.
But that still doesn’t change the fact that you are only really capable of scoring at home.
Away games against Holland, Italy and France excluded of course.
Or that cracker you got against Holland when we won 1-0.
Cause that was only a friendly.
But now it’s time for change.
Kevin Doyle is a much better player anyway.
He is 28 now and although Mick McCarthy is the only manager to spend proper money on him, it was €7.5m well spent.
Unlike yourself, who has had Gordon Strachan, Marcello Lippi, Dave O’Leary, Glenn Hoddle, Rafa Benitez and Harry Redknapp spend over €90m on you.
Kevin could get a move to someone like Internazionale, it’s just Wolves won’t sell him, that’s all.
Then there’s Shane Long as well.
23 goals in the Championship and West Bromwich Albion immediately threw €5.2m at Reading for him.
Yes Robbie, West Bromwich Albion.
And now we also have Leon Best.
He’s scored in 2 separate games in the Premier League this season.
He must start.
Along with Jon Walters.
He is also 28 and despite the fact that when you were 28 you had 33 internationals to your name, this guy has scored 3 goals in the Premier League this season.
You’ve done your best.
You really have.
But being honest - it just wasn’t quite good enough.
Now don’t you think it’s time you did us Irish a favour and retired from international football?
Preferably before the European Championships.
Preferably before Tuesday’s return leg against Estonia.
Let’s just say your performance in the first leg was the final straw.
Quite simply, you were muck.
I know you got 2 goals in an important match.
Again.
But 1 was a peno in fairness...
I know you set up Jon Walters with a brilliant cross.
As well as playing Stephen Hunt through to win the peno.
And you were also the player who drew the 2 fouls which saw 2 Estonians sent off.
But to be honest Robbie, I’m looking for more from an Irish striker these days than 2 goals, 1 and a half assists and getting 2 players sent off through your quickness of thought and speed of movement.
I want to see more to strikers in general than just goals and assists actually.
People will argue that you have 53 international goals.
More than Shearer, Owen, Lineker, Keegan or Charlton.
More than Rush, Hughes, Dalglish, Law or Best.
In fact, more than any British player.
Ever.
Even though most of them were playing for far superior teams than you at the time.
But I always just felt your goals came against lesser nations.
And while Ireland never had a player good enough to score against the lesser nations until you came along, it’s the big games that count.
Like a Play-Off for a major tournament.
People will say you played in 4 Play-Offs and scored in 4 Play-Offs.
But I see the fact that you only scored 5 goals from those 6 games as being the reason we didn’t qualify from more of them.
I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself that you scored 3 goals (plus 1 more in the shoot-out) in the World Cup in 2002 and they were big games.
But one of those was against Saudi Arabia.
I don’t even know where that is Robbie.
I’ll give you the goals against Germany and Spain.
You deserve some credit.
But that still doesn’t change the fact that you are only really capable of scoring at home.
Away games against Holland, Italy and France excluded of course.
Or that cracker you got against Holland when we won 1-0.
Cause that was only a friendly.
But now it’s time for change.
Kevin Doyle is a much better player anyway.
He is 28 now and although Mick McCarthy is the only manager to spend proper money on him, it was €7.5m well spent.
Unlike yourself, who has had Gordon Strachan, Marcello Lippi, Dave O’Leary, Glenn Hoddle, Rafa Benitez and Harry Redknapp spend over €90m on you.
Kevin could get a move to someone like Internazionale, it’s just Wolves won’t sell him, that’s all.
Then there’s Shane Long as well.
23 goals in the Championship and West Bromwich Albion immediately threw €5.2m at Reading for him.
Yes Robbie, West Bromwich Albion.
And now we also have Leon Best.
He’s scored in 2 separate games in the Premier League this season.
He must start.
Along with Jon Walters.
He is also 28 and despite the fact that when you were 28 you had 33 internationals to your name, this guy has scored 3 goals in the Premier League this season.
3 goals Robbie.
He has to start ahead of you.
So, I appreciate your commitment and loyalty to the Irish side over the past 14 seasons but really, we’re not looking for someone who will turn up for every game and give 100% commitment no matter what.
You have given more to this country on the football pitch than anyone could ever ask of a player and have never once complained - but it’s time to move on now Robbie.
So all the Irish supporters who aren’t ‘fans’ of yours can experience what it’s going to be like when we’re well and truly fucked without you...
So, I appreciate your commitment and loyalty to the Irish side over the past 14 seasons but really, we’re not looking for someone who will turn up for every game and give 100% commitment no matter what.
You have given more to this country on the football pitch than anyone could ever ask of a player and have never once complained - but it’s time to move on now Robbie.
So all the Irish supporters who aren’t ‘fans’ of yours can experience what it’s going to be like when we’re well and truly fucked without you...
Friday, 11 November 2011
Go Giovanni Go. (In the supportive way of course)
If you want entertaining football and want success with your national team these days, then you’re going to have to hail from Spain, Germany or Uruguay I’m afraid.
Cause if you’re born in any of the other 205 nations, it’s a choice of wanting one or the other.
I for one, want success.
Success like the Holland side that won every qualifier for the World Cup in South Africa and every game all the way up to the final in 2010 - yet were absolutely slated in the press for their brand of football.
I want success over the entertainment that is the Armenian side who banged in a whopping 22 goals in Ireland’s group this campaign, making them the 5th highest scorers out of the 51 nations involved.
They won’t play a competitive game for almost a year.
I won’t lie - given a choice, I want to replicate Greece rather than go all Kevin Keegan on it and enjoy our summers off.
Kevin entertained the socks off my generation in the mid-nineties with his attack minded Newcastle side.
Countless 4-3 thrillers mixed with 3 goal comebacks almost every second week.
Entertaining - So entertaining.
But at the end of it all the only thing he won was the guarantee of being the extended highlights match every week on Match of the Day.
No Champions Leagues.
No league titles.
No FA cups.
Not even a mickey mouse cup.
Unlike Giovanni Trapattoni.
The third most successful manager in the history of the sport.
He is to winning what Kevin is to entertainment.
The perfect man to be in charge of the Irish national team right now.
In a period were we have no world class players for the first time in almost 50 years.
Giovanni has his team brilliantly organised, completely disciplined and making the absolute most of what they have at their disposal.
This team is full of passion, guts and a determination to punch above it’s weight.
There are more ways to play than the British style of frenetic pace and hard man defending.
There’s the successful way of playing too.
Like the Italian way which has yielded 4 World Cups for the national side.
That’s the Giovanni way.
Which has seen him manage some of the biggest teams in the world - AC Milan, Inter Milan twice, Juventus twice, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Fiorentina and Italy.
Cause if you’re born in any of the other 205 nations, it’s a choice of wanting one or the other.
I for one, want success.
Success like the Holland side that won every qualifier for the World Cup in South Africa and every game all the way up to the final in 2010 - yet were absolutely slated in the press for their brand of football.
I want success over the entertainment that is the Armenian side who banged in a whopping 22 goals in Ireland’s group this campaign, making them the 5th highest scorers out of the 51 nations involved.
They won’t play a competitive game for almost a year.
I won’t lie - given a choice, I want to replicate Greece rather than go all Kevin Keegan on it and enjoy our summers off.
Kevin entertained the socks off my generation in the mid-nineties with his attack minded Newcastle side.
Countless 4-3 thrillers mixed with 3 goal comebacks almost every second week.
Entertaining - So entertaining.
But at the end of it all the only thing he won was the guarantee of being the extended highlights match every week on Match of the Day.
No Champions Leagues.
No league titles.
No FA cups.
Not even a mickey mouse cup.
Unlike Giovanni Trapattoni.
The third most successful manager in the history of the sport.
He is to winning what Kevin is to entertainment.
The perfect man to be in charge of the Irish national team right now.
In a period were we have no world class players for the first time in almost 50 years.
Giovanni has his team brilliantly organised, completely disciplined and making the absolute most of what they have at their disposal.
This team is full of passion, guts and a determination to punch above it’s weight.
There are more ways to play than the British style of frenetic pace and hard man defending.
There’s the successful way of playing too.
Like the Italian way which has yielded 4 World Cups for the national side.
That’s the Giovanni way.
Which has seen him manage some of the biggest teams in the world - AC Milan, Inter Milan twice, Juventus twice, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Fiorentina and Italy.
Having success at them all.
No manager in the history of Irish managers has ever won a major honour with the exception of the 1955 FA Cup.
Yet ‘fans’ are calling for his head?
Mick McCarthy got us to one major Championship in 3 attempts - He had Roy Keane in all of them.
Brian Kerr couldn’t even manage a play-off in 2 attempts - Even he had Roy Keane for a campaign.
Steve...
Staunton...
Giovanni takes over - And from 3rd seed gets us to within extra time of a World Cup in his first attempt.
That group had Italy, Montenegro and Bulgaria in it.
And from 3rd seeds this time round, he has split Russia and World Cup last 16ists Slovakia.
Just 2 games away from only our second major tournament in 18 years.
Doing it the Italian way.
Yet an increasing amount of Irish fans are calling for his head.
I’m not sure exactly who they think will take over if Giovanni were to leave?
Martin O’Neill, Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti - Good Luck.
Dave O’Leary, Paul Jewell, Chris Hughton - More likely.
In reality, if we lose Giovanni, we will get a manager who will be out of work, in the Championship or an ex-player who has never managed before.
And fans want this over the 3rd most successful manager of all time?
Cause they want to be entertained!
Do me a favour - get behind the greatest manager we have ever had and enjoy the success that will come with it.
I don’t want 7 goal thrillers like we had against Cyprus.
I want 4 draws to set-up a World Cup quarter final against Italy.
And no, we can’t have both.
We don’t have the players to give us both.
Not even England do.
Our players play for Stoke and Wigan.
Wolves and teams from the Championship.
And L.A. Galaxy!
But they are showing the sort of heart and character that should make every Irish supporter stand up brimming with pride.
These heros haven’t got all the ability in the world.
But they have got all the courage.
The sort of thing this country used to admire and respect.
We made heros of these players under Jack.
Now let’s do the same for Giovanni...
No manager in the history of Irish managers has ever won a major honour with the exception of the 1955 FA Cup.
Yet ‘fans’ are calling for his head?
Mick McCarthy got us to one major Championship in 3 attempts - He had Roy Keane in all of them.
Brian Kerr couldn’t even manage a play-off in 2 attempts - Even he had Roy Keane for a campaign.
Steve...
Staunton...
Giovanni takes over - And from 3rd seed gets us to within extra time of a World Cup in his first attempt.
That group had Italy, Montenegro and Bulgaria in it.
And from 3rd seeds this time round, he has split Russia and World Cup last 16ists Slovakia.
Just 2 games away from only our second major tournament in 18 years.
Doing it the Italian way.
Yet an increasing amount of Irish fans are calling for his head.
I’m not sure exactly who they think will take over if Giovanni were to leave?
Martin O’Neill, Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti - Good Luck.
Dave O’Leary, Paul Jewell, Chris Hughton - More likely.
In reality, if we lose Giovanni, we will get a manager who will be out of work, in the Championship or an ex-player who has never managed before.
And fans want this over the 3rd most successful manager of all time?
Cause they want to be entertained!
Do me a favour - get behind the greatest manager we have ever had and enjoy the success that will come with it.
I don’t want 7 goal thrillers like we had against Cyprus.
I want 4 draws to set-up a World Cup quarter final against Italy.
And no, we can’t have both.
We don’t have the players to give us both.
Not even England do.
Our players play for Stoke and Wigan.
Wolves and teams from the Championship.
And L.A. Galaxy!
But they are showing the sort of heart and character that should make every Irish supporter stand up brimming with pride.
These heros haven’t got all the ability in the world.
But they have got all the courage.
The sort of thing this country used to admire and respect.
We made heros of these players under Jack.
Now let’s do the same for Giovanni...
Monday, 17 October 2011
Nothing about FIFA says ‘fair play’ right now. Especially not the play-offs.
The draw for the Euro 2012 play-offs took place a few days ago.
Unsurprisingly, nothing about it screamed fair play.
It just showed what a crooked organisation FIFA really is right now.
Everything they do demonstrates them favouring the bigger nations.
Especially when it comes to play-offs for major tournaments.
All this came about two years ago when it became apparent there was a chance Germany might not get automatic qualification.
If they hadn’t qualified for the World Cup in South Africa it would have been a disaster.
Not just for FIFA, the financial department and South Africa - but for everyone involved.
And whilst we all wanted Germany to qualify, we all wanted them to earn it - albeit if they had to knock out another top nation in a play-off.
But they were now faced with a situation were they had to go to Russia and get a result.
Not an easy task.
Cue FIFA to the rescue.
How about we seed the play-off teams so that Germany get a weaker nation if they fail to qualify straight off, they thought?
And let’s make sure they play the second leg at home cause that’s another advantage.
Oh and we can decide all this 2 weeks before the end of a 14 month qualifying campaign.
Finally, let’s seed it on the coefficients as well - instead of seeding it on what has just taken place in the current qualifying campaign.
That way - ‘big’ nations like Germany can go through a bad patch in a qualifying campaign and still have an advantage because of what they did four years ago.
Afterall, most big nations will be able to produce a good team over a 4 year period.
Unlike a small country such as Estonia.
Or Ireland.
Or Slovakia.
They don’t have the resources of the superpowers, relying instead on golden generations to qualify.
Golden generations that lead to the game developing in the smaller nations.
But FIFA want the bigger nations there instead.
They’ll make more money off them so they’ll give them every advantage they can.
No matter the ‘cost’.
And yet FIFA continuously try to promote fair play.
So why not lead by example?
They already give the bigger nations an advantage by seeding them in the draw for the initial groups.
If a nation hasn’t done enough to qualify by winning this group then they don’t deserve the right to any more benefits.
Every team who finishes second should be seeded according to what they did - just in that group.
Whether it be Germany or Estonia.
Of course being an Irish supporter, I’m delighted we got Estonia.
But Ireland and Portugal did no more this time than Estonia or Montenegro.
Why should they have any right to avoid each other?
I much rather we got Estonia over Portugal - but in an open draw.
At least that would have been fair.
It would have been right.
And people would be saying ‘fair play’ to FIFA for a change.
But that’s something nobody’s said about them for a long time...
Unsurprisingly, nothing about it screamed fair play.
It just showed what a crooked organisation FIFA really is right now.
Everything they do demonstrates them favouring the bigger nations.
Especially when it comes to play-offs for major tournaments.
All this came about two years ago when it became apparent there was a chance Germany might not get automatic qualification.
If they hadn’t qualified for the World Cup in South Africa it would have been a disaster.
Not just for FIFA, the financial department and South Africa - but for everyone involved.
And whilst we all wanted Germany to qualify, we all wanted them to earn it - albeit if they had to knock out another top nation in a play-off.
But they were now faced with a situation were they had to go to Russia and get a result.
Not an easy task.
Cue FIFA to the rescue.
How about we seed the play-off teams so that Germany get a weaker nation if they fail to qualify straight off, they thought?
And let’s make sure they play the second leg at home cause that’s another advantage.
Oh and we can decide all this 2 weeks before the end of a 14 month qualifying campaign.
Finally, let’s seed it on the coefficients as well - instead of seeding it on what has just taken place in the current qualifying campaign.
That way - ‘big’ nations like Germany can go through a bad patch in a qualifying campaign and still have an advantage because of what they did four years ago.
Afterall, most big nations will be able to produce a good team over a 4 year period.
Unlike a small country such as Estonia.
Or Ireland.
Or Slovakia.
They don’t have the resources of the superpowers, relying instead on golden generations to qualify.
Golden generations that lead to the game developing in the smaller nations.
But FIFA want the bigger nations there instead.
They’ll make more money off them so they’ll give them every advantage they can.
No matter the ‘cost’.
And yet FIFA continuously try to promote fair play.
So why not lead by example?
They already give the bigger nations an advantage by seeding them in the draw for the initial groups.
If a nation hasn’t done enough to qualify by winning this group then they don’t deserve the right to any more benefits.
Every team who finishes second should be seeded according to what they did - just in that group.
Whether it be Germany or Estonia.
Of course being an Irish supporter, I’m delighted we got Estonia.
But Ireland and Portugal did no more this time than Estonia or Montenegro.
Why should they have any right to avoid each other?
I much rather we got Estonia over Portugal - but in an open draw.
At least that would have been fair.
It would have been right.
And people would be saying ‘fair play’ to FIFA for a change.
But that’s something nobody’s said about them for a long time...
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
All I ask is that no fans go to the Armenian game tonight. Just supporters.
And believe me, there is a difference.
I’m sick of Irish fans going to Ireland games.
I really am.
I looked on at the Montenegrin celebrations the other night against England and couldn’t help but feel envious.
They were dead and buried at one stage.
2-0 down.
But their support was immense.
And these supporters were rewarded when they got to storm the pitch at the full time whistle.
Back to 2-2 and into the play-offs they go.
I would love to see scenes like this tonight at the Aviva.
But too many fans will be there from Ireland.
Ready to criticise, boo and create this feeling of unrest synonymous to the Aviva these days.
How many of them will storm the pitch if we draw 0-0 and secure a play-off place?
Not many I’d say.
Instead I sit beside fans who criticise Robbie every time he touches the ball.
Except when he scores of course.
Something he’s done quite a lot.
51 times for this small nation yet still he has critics amongst the stands.
I sit in front of fans who boo the team off at the end of a 0-0 draw with Slovakia.
A team seeded higher than us.
A team that played better than us.
They knock Italy out while reaching the last 16 of the World Cup in 2010 yet our fans boo our team off for nicking a point.
I sit behind fans who demand we beat countries like Armenia.
“I don’t even know where that is” a typical response.
Most of them demand we beat a team that isn’t laden with Premier League stars.
Most of them demand our team made up of Stoke, Wolves and Fulham players dismantle a team like Armenia by "a good few goals".
They should talk to their Slovakian counterparts.
Thankfully though, in between all of these fans, you’ll find supporters.
Lots of them.
Real ones.
We understand how difficult it will be to secure a play-off place tonight against a team that just hammered Slovakia 4-0 away.
We understand that we can influence the referee.
The Armenian players.
But most importantly we understand we can influence the team we support.
We can inspire them to just one more run.
One more chance.
One more goal.
We understand we can inspire them to one more result.
So let’s support our team tonight.
No matter what happens.
Because they need us.
And we need a result.
Just one more...
I’m sick of Irish fans going to Ireland games.
I really am.
I looked on at the Montenegrin celebrations the other night against England and couldn’t help but feel envious.
They were dead and buried at one stage.
2-0 down.
But their support was immense.
And these supporters were rewarded when they got to storm the pitch at the full time whistle.
Back to 2-2 and into the play-offs they go.
I would love to see scenes like this tonight at the Aviva.
But too many fans will be there from Ireland.
Ready to criticise, boo and create this feeling of unrest synonymous to the Aviva these days.
How many of them will storm the pitch if we draw 0-0 and secure a play-off place?
Not many I’d say.
Instead I sit beside fans who criticise Robbie every time he touches the ball.
Except when he scores of course.
Something he’s done quite a lot.
51 times for this small nation yet still he has critics amongst the stands.
I sit in front of fans who boo the team off at the end of a 0-0 draw with Slovakia.
A team seeded higher than us.
A team that played better than us.
They knock Italy out while reaching the last 16 of the World Cup in 2010 yet our fans boo our team off for nicking a point.
I sit behind fans who demand we beat countries like Armenia.
“I don’t even know where that is” a typical response.
Most of them demand we beat a team that isn’t laden with Premier League stars.
Most of them demand our team made up of Stoke, Wolves and Fulham players dismantle a team like Armenia by "a good few goals".
They should talk to their Slovakian counterparts.
Thankfully though, in between all of these fans, you’ll find supporters.
Lots of them.
Real ones.
We understand how difficult it will be to secure a play-off place tonight against a team that just hammered Slovakia 4-0 away.
We understand that we can influence the referee.
The Armenian players.
But most importantly we understand we can influence the team we support.
We can inspire them to just one more run.
One more chance.
One more goal.
We understand we can inspire them to one more result.
So let’s support our team tonight.
No matter what happens.
Because they need us.
And we need a result.
Just one more...
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Monday, 5 September 2011
It’s embarrassing being an Ireland supporter sometimes.
Ireland nil.
Slovakia nil.
Full time whistle sounds.
Followed by boos.
A loud chorus of boos.
I stood in the Aviva stadium applauding the Irish team off the pitch.
But as I looked around, I saw thousands of Irish ‘supporters’ boo the same players.
If this was a 5-0 hammering, I could understand a few angry faces.
But this was a draw against a team better than us.
In a game were they played better than us.
And the game itself was an excellent encounter.
It didn’t have bags of goals, sending offs or peno shouts.
Not like a top premier league game.
But it did have two teams really have a go at each other.
With an almost unbearable tension throughout knowing how high the stakes were.
Yet booing was the order of the day.
At an Irish team that is punching above it’s weight right now.
Irish supporters need to put our level in perspective.
We have 5 Wolves players in the squad.
Our star players play for Aston Villa, Fulham and L.A. Galaxy.
And Darron Gibson is the only Irish player playing for any of the top 6 teams in the premier league.
Yet our ‘supporters’ decide to boo them off for only drawing with Slovakia.
A team that qualified for the last world cup.
Knocking out world champions Italy to qualify for the last 16.
They have players at Napoli, Manchester City and Liverpool.
And they really turned up on Friday night.
I applauded the Wolves players for keeping up with them.
And coming oh so close to beating them.
But Irish supporters have it good when it comes to their teams.
They are spoilt by supporting the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Celtic.
They expect to win.
And win with style.
But the international game is much different to the premier league.
This Irish side isn’t made up of quality players like Rooney, Suarez or Fabregas.
But hard grafters who are brimming with guts and determination.
Exactly the type of players that should be loved for giving their all to get to where they are.
Applauded for their efforts against superior opposition.
They play their hearts out and get rewarded with boos.
It’s not the result that was embarrassing.
Nor the performance.
It’s was the ‘supporters’.
Slovakia nil.
Full time whistle sounds.
Followed by boos.
A loud chorus of boos.
I stood in the Aviva stadium applauding the Irish team off the pitch.
But as I looked around, I saw thousands of Irish ‘supporters’ boo the same players.
If this was a 5-0 hammering, I could understand a few angry faces.
But this was a draw against a team better than us.
In a game were they played better than us.
And the game itself was an excellent encounter.
It didn’t have bags of goals, sending offs or peno shouts.
Not like a top premier league game.
But it did have two teams really have a go at each other.
With an almost unbearable tension throughout knowing how high the stakes were.
Yet booing was the order of the day.
At an Irish team that is punching above it’s weight right now.
Irish supporters need to put our level in perspective.
We have 5 Wolves players in the squad.
Our star players play for Aston Villa, Fulham and L.A. Galaxy.
And Darron Gibson is the only Irish player playing for any of the top 6 teams in the premier league.
Yet our ‘supporters’ decide to boo them off for only drawing with Slovakia.
A team that qualified for the last world cup.
Knocking out world champions Italy to qualify for the last 16.
They have players at Napoli, Manchester City and Liverpool.
And they really turned up on Friday night.
I applauded the Wolves players for keeping up with them.
And coming oh so close to beating them.
But Irish supporters have it good when it comes to their teams.
They are spoilt by supporting the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Celtic.
They expect to win.
And win with style.
But the international game is much different to the premier league.
This Irish side isn’t made up of quality players like Rooney, Suarez or Fabregas.
But hard grafters who are brimming with guts and determination.
Exactly the type of players that should be loved for giving their all to get to where they are.
Applauded for their efforts against superior opposition.
They play their hearts out and get rewarded with boos.
It’s not the result that was embarrassing.
Nor the performance.
It’s was the ‘supporters’.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)