Republic of Ireland

[BOF]

I don't buy the damning with faint praise that I'm hearing about us getting in "with that squad".  Most of those players are established Premier League players.  This isn't some cobbled-together motley collection of shit that some people seem to want to paint them out as.  What is true is that aswell as being Premier League players, they are currently more than the sum of their parts, which is what a manager aspires to see in his squad.

[Brumerican]

Even if you guys were only to get a draw at the tournament it would be a vast improvement on 2012 . (You had a nightmare group to be fair)

A team like ROI can go to France with no pressure, and those teams are dangerous .

[BOF]

2012 was a nightmare but it wasn't helped by Trapattoni's incredibly conservative squad selection.  He brought basically the most aged squad that he could.  No doubt in his belief that experience would be important, but in reality it meant they were out-ran, out-passed, out-everythinged.  Our dinosaurs were rightly unceremoniously booted out of the competition.  It was a nightmare group too, but we didn't even nearly play spoiler.

But as for comparing this tournament to the last one, I wouldn't go in thinking a draw would be an improvement.  If we went home with one point that would still be a shit tournament.  You go in first and foremost to progress.  Plenty of teams in this competition, because of its expanded size, are no great shakes.  You have your obvious powerhouses, but when four 3rd places are progressing to the knockouts then everyone has a chance.  Look at pot 4.  There are some dangerous sides in there, us included.  Look at pot 2.  Austria for example are an improving side but we're not going to lose sleep over them either.

[Brumerican]

I fully expect you to get far more than a draw and most likely you will get out of the group. I just mean you don't have to do anything spectacular to improve on the last tournament. 

[PaulC]

Ireland were probably in the toughest of the qualification groups. Scotland possibly have more talented players. Most of the Irish players are journeyman footballers. Bosnia qualified for the last world cup finals. So no you can't take anything away from what MON has achieved. He's a better manager than many on here give him credit for.

[villa4europe]

i can take it away from him because my main argument still stands - he's only qualified because UEFA increased the number of teams competing next summer

ireland should be qualifying under the new format, it should be the minimal expectation and the fact that they've scraped it largely thanks to bosnia being garbage and losing their heads shouldn't be being celebrated with as much bullshit as it is, but MON is another proper football man, so other proper football men will come out in the media with such things

[BOF]

Since Baždarević took over at Bosnia in December 2014 they've played 6 qualifiers, winning 5 of them and losing 1.  That's after starting with 2 points from their opening 4 games.  They went into the playoffs as quite strong favourites.  You don't think maybe them being 'garbage and losing their heads' had anything to do with the way their opponents played?  Because they certainly didn't stumble in with rotten form.  Surely Ireland and O'Neill had something to do with it?  Or did they do it all to themselves and we sat back and watched it happen?  I get that you don't like O'Neill (or hate him even), but to refuse to give him any credit for the manner in which we disposed of Bosnia in the playoffs makes it look a teeny bit bitter on your part.

[rodders0223]

1 hour ago, BOF said:

I don't buy the damning with faint praise that I'm hearing about us getting in "with that squad".  Most of those players are established Premier League players.  This isn't some cobbled-together motley collection of shit that some people seem to want to paint them out as.  What is true is that aswell as being Premier League players, they are currently more than the sum of their parts, which is what a manager aspires to see in his squad.

 

A lot of the players are pretty shit tbf tbh tbf tbh tbf tbh tbf.

[villa4europe]

im not bitter over MON, i struggle with the media's fawning over a man who i consider a manager who is good at what he does, man management, but incredibly limited at everything else, i dont buy in to the media portrayal of him, i think he gets away with a lot

like i said in the original post, mark lawrenson labelled him as a top manager and said it was more of an achievement than any previous ROI qualification

the mail -

Quote

Martin O'Neill makes a mockery of his sacking at Sunderland as canny manager leads Republic of Ireland to Euro 2016

90mins.com

Quote

 Is Martin O'Neill the Most Underrated Manager in Football? 

Edited November 18, 2015 by villa4europe

[BOF]

Fair enough.  I too think he has his limits.  He showed his glass ceiling at Villa.  He has also far from covered himself in glory on occasion with his Ireland team selections.  Some of our best performances have been when he was forced through injury to use players he wouldn't normally use (but which the public were crying out for).  Hoolahan being the outstanding example.

He is a good organiser though.  His teams know what they're doing.  I was vey impressed with that second leg.  We played like a big team.  Bosnia played like a minnow snapping at our heels.  I've rarely seen an Ireland team go out and boss another side to that degree.  Not just any team either.  A team with a similar ability to our own, and in some ways superior.  But we looked like we had it completely under control.  No last minute nerves.

I know it's a cliché and I know other fans might be sick hearing it, but right now the camaraderie around that green jersey is enormous.  Those guys are having proper fun representing the country and they are running through brick walls for their team-mates.  Not just the first team either.  Bringing on the likes of McClean and Long after an hour.  There's a bit of depth in this side.

It's the hope that kills.  Watch us get f**king thrashed in France

[villa4europe]

I'd say clarks performances have been an example of that too, the lad isn't a world beater but he's head and shoulders above o'shea, still dining out on the Man Utd shirt, I'm not sure how he hasn't got 50 caps by now

[PaulC]

His judgement of cbs has never been very good to be fair. Curtis Davies and Knight over Cahill lol

Edited November 18, 2015 by PaulC
name error

[Meath_Villan]

Party's still rolling last night

 

[BOF]

Yep The Long Hall.

[Corcaigh]

4 hours ago, villa4europe said:

i can take it away from him because my main argument still stands - he's only qualified because UEFA increased the number of teams competing next summer

ireland should be qualifying under the new format, it should be the minimal expectation and the fact that they've scraped it largely thanks to bosnia being garbage and losing their heads shouldn't be being celebrated with as much bullshit as it is, but MON is another proper football man, so other proper football men will come out in the media with such things

I'd agree, we rightfully expected the national team to be scrapping to make it into the top 2 in every Euro & World Cup qualifying group over the past 20+ years. Sometimes the team did finish top 2 sometimes they very much didn't.

But did Ireland scrape through this group? In the toughest qualifying group it went to the last day where we still had a chance of winning the group, then Ireland were the only non seeded team to beat a seeded team in the playoffs. Not bad going if you ask me.

Granted, under the old format finishing third meant nothing, but Ireland, Poland and Northern Britain were effectively in a mini play off series, with all games being cagey affairs. If it were top 2 only then perhaps those games might have been more lively.

[VillaChris]

6 hours ago, BOF said:

I don't buy the damning with faint praise that I'm hearing about us getting in "with that squad".  Most of those players are established Premier League players.  This isn't some cobbled-together motley collection of shit that some people seem to want to paint them out as.  What is true is that aswell as being Premier League players, they are currently more than the sum of their parts, which is what a manager aspires to see in his squad.

I think on the whole it's slightly stronger than what Trappatoni had although he had the bizarre loyalty to likes of St Ledger and Keith Andrews and didn't want to give young players like Coleman and McCarthy starts. On the other angle people like Given and Robbie Keane were younger then, Dunne was still around in those days. He did however get you 2nd in both qualifying groups.

ROI been helped by the rules a little although still good they qualified but let's see how MON gets on a) in the main tournament and also the response in a difficult world cup group. That will give a better overview of his reign. 

[BOF]

Not to mention the world champions played us twice, not once, and they got 1 point for their troubles.

[VillaChris]

Oh no-one was expecting that and that completely messed up the Scots.

In fairness I ruled you out qualifying after the home draw in June so you did very well from that point to keep picking up the points and putting the pressue which Scotland crumbled from, probably performances improved aswell.

I do think you'll get out of the group aswell, only 8 teams won't make it so even 3 points could be enough. Last 16 ers. 

[BOF]

'The world needs the Irish in France' - German magazine in poignant tribute to Ireland fans

It's nice to read something like this from another nation's press  

 

'The world needs the Irish in France' - German magazine in poignant tribute to Ireland fans

Ireland fans are renowned worldwide for their good humour and bringing a carnival, friendly atmosphere to every city they visit.

Following the devastating Paris terror attacks, German football magazine 11Freunde have published an article giving Ireland fans the ultimate praise.

Author Alex Raack says that at this time it is a "stroke of good fortune" that Ireland have qualified. Raack continues to say that at times like this the world needs "joy, dancing, singing" and that is exactly what the Irish will bring to France next summer.

"Each person must find their own way of handling and dealing with such shocking events such as the bloodshed in Paris. But it is clear that we cannot afford to allow fear to run our lives. That the joy with which we look at life cannot be stopped, the celebrations, dancing, singing," writes Raack.

"Celebrations, dancing, singing – who can do these better than the Irish, who on Monday qualified for Euro 2016 in France itself? Ironically in France. which so shortly after the attacks is still covered with a leaden seriousness, a seriousness that will accompany the tournament next year.

"The qualification of the Irish is a godsend. The Boys in Green can celebrate like no other nation, always peaceful, always sympathetic and emphatic, with an infectious, childlike joy."

Following Ireland's 2-0 victory over Bosnia in the Aviva Stadium on Monday night, the FAI released a video of the team celebrating in the dressingroom after the match.

In the clip, 60-year-old kitman Dick Redmond ran around dressed a superman and the footage has so far been seen by over 500,000 people.

It accentuates what the irish are all about, says Raack.

"And joy is what we need. Joy of life, just as was shown with the kit manager of the Irish, a stocky 60-year-old guy named Dick Redmond, who after winning 2:0 against Bosnia bounced like a rubber ball in a Superman costume through the changing room," added Raack.

"The joy of nonsense just as the Irish fans celebrated in 2012, cheering the Polish pensioner who looked like manager Giovanni Trapattoni or singing at the police. Joy that you cannot prohibit, like those of the Irish fans on Monday in a pub in front of the stadium who stated: 'Paris is in our thoughts but it will not stop us from traveling'.

"And that’s good. The world needs Superman, the world needs dancing, and singing. The tournament in France will be different, perhaps more oppressive, and hopefully without incident. But the Irish will be there to support their team in their famous fashion. They’ll bring huge numbers of good-humoured people prepared to experience a piece of joy. For this then, we look forward even if pleasure is difficult at this moment. But as Paris is about life, football is also about life. And the Irish are the best proof."

It's not the first time that 11Freund has spoken highly about the Boys In Green.

Last August, Independent.ie brought you another story in the popular magazine under the headline: 'Dear Football god, never again have a tournament without Ireland' – Germans pay homage to Irish supporters.

Now they have their wish.

[YLN]

Pass the bucket