Brian Kerr appointed Faroe Islands manager

[Dodge]

It is an amazing figure, considering their population, but is football competing for fans with any other sports in the Faroes? People here have a choice of football, gaa and rugby. Very few will attend more than one game in any given weekend.
Handball is pretty popular. Winter sports too (seasonal obviously)

People here generally choose to stay at home and watch on TV rather than head out to watch it

[pineapple stu]

It is an amazing figure, considering their population, but is football competing for fans with any other sports in the Faroes? People here have a choice of football, gaa and rugby. Very few will attend more than one game in any given weekend.
Indoor games would be the obvious one - not sure what they play exactly, but when it gets dark very early, I'd say handball or the likes would be big. Most towns have a sports hall as well as an astro pitch.

Was only at one Faroese league game - a second division game with about 100 people at it (granted, between the reserve sides of the big two teams from the capital). It was free in, which would probably help the attendances!

[paul_oshea]

Handball is pretty popular. Winter sports too (seasonal obviously)

People here generally choose to stay at home and watch on TV rather than head out to watch it

yep and htey dont have that choice over there do they ;)

[AlaskaFox]

Free in sounds like a good idea. Then charge heaps for confectionery.

[geysir]

The Faroes have not yet managed to build their indoor football pitch/stadium.
That would be an absolute necessity for development of the game with youngsters over the winter, plus league games could be played there.

[bennocelt]

It is an amazing figure, considering their population, but is football competing for fans with any other sports in the Faroes? People here have a choice of football, gaa and rugby. Very few will attend more than one game in any given weekend.

No excuse really, you either like football or you dont. I mean the Gah FFs
In england they have all that as well - rugby, etc........................

[pineapple stu]

The Faroes have not yet managed to build their indoor football pitch/stadium.
That would be an absolute necessity for development of the game with youngsters over the winter, plus league games could be played there.
Sure they manage grand on the all-weather astro. You wouldn't be putting grass into an indoor pitch, so I don't see what advantages an indoor ground would give them over what they have already?

[tetsujin1979]

No excuse really, you either like football or you dont. I mean the Gah FFsFFS what? People go to GAA games, or rugby, instead of going to football. Which was my point.

[geysir]

Sure they manage grand on the all-weather astro. You wouldn't be putting grass into an indoor pitch, so I don't see what advantages an indoor ground would give them over what they have already?
I´m sure a coach and the players would notice the advantages in November to March as the cold wet windy weather would be blowing around the bobble hats.
Primary advantage with an indoor stadium is with coaching of kids and holding competitions over the whole winter in a controlled environment.
The pitch can hold 2 games - cross pitch- simultaneously, at any time - could/would be used by schools/clubs for all grades of official and unofficial competitions.
Plus whatever other uses a 7,500sq.m pitch space can be used for

[pineapple stu]

They don't play in the winter obviously. It's a summer league, with winter given over to handball and other indoor sports.

[SwanVsDalton]

Kerr's Faroese hold Norn Iron so far: 0-0 HT.

[Noelys Guitar]

Just watched the last 10mins of first half. Faroes had a couple of half chances.

[geysir]

They don't play in the winter obviously. It's a summer league, with winter given over to handball and other indoor sports.
With an indoor arena, with a full size pitch then the influence of that restriction would not exist and the potential for kids to play, train and learn football during the winter would be greatly increased and that is why the Faroes FA since a long time have wanted to have an indoor arena constructed, for that purpose. Development of football starts with kids. Faroes senior football might be well supported but it is not developed to its potential.

[pineapple stu]

But it's no more a restriction than having a close-season is to the Premiership. You say they could train Nov-Mar as well - that's when people play handball.

I'm baffled as to how you can claim that Faroese football "is not developed to its potential" while seemingly not knowing the first thing about the country.

[geysir]

Ni are making heavy weather of getting past the 40 year old Faroe goalkeeper.

Goal for the Faroes

[Noelys Guitar]

1-0 faroes

[boovidge]

hahahahahahahahahah

[SwanVsDalton]

What a goal! 1-0 Faroes! And Norn Iron had just missed a couple of sitters too...

[The Fly]

.....and it's there!!!

[geysir]

But it's no more a restriction than having a close-season is to the Premiership. You say they could train Nov-Mar as well - that's when people play handball.

I'm baffled as to how you can claim that Faroese football "is not developed to its potential" while seemingly not knowing the first thing about the country.
Why do you think I don't know the first thing about the Faroes?

[pineapple stu]

I've been reading your posts.

[tommy_c12000]

Kerr for Ireland!!!!

[The Fly]

Why do you think I don't know the first thing about the Faroes?


I've been reading your posts.


Iceland's more his bag,.......what with being a geysir n' all.

[geysir]

I've been reading your posts.

Time for you depart quietly before I start ranting in Faroese.

[pineapple stu]

Iceland is more his bag.....what with being a geysir n' all.
Meh - Iceland ain't the Faroes!

(Though I didn't know that... And I don't think he actually negated any of the points I made.)

[geysir]

I can imagine Jackie Fullerton shouting - Heallyyy - as another shot misses the target

[boovidge]

i wish i'd put more than 2 pounds on a FI win now

[geysir]

Meh - Iceland ain't the Faroes!

(Though I didn't know that... And I don't think he actually negated any of the points I made.)
Every point I made re indoor stadium is supported by the ambitions for development as planned by the Faroese FA. Maybe you in your wisdom presume to know what is best for them or presume to know what they actually need for development of football in their country.

[The Fly]

i wish i'd put more than 2 pounds on a FI win now

What odds did you get?

[The Fly]

1 - 1 now.

[geysir]

The Faroes won't want to drop 2 points here.

[Noelys Guitar]

1-1 lafferty. NI have missed some unbelievable chances. Chris Brunt is possibly one of the worst footballers I have ever seen.

[pineapple stu]

Every point I made re indoor stadium is supported by the ambitions for development as planned by the Faroese FA. Maybe you in your wisdom presume to know what is best for them or presume to know what they actually need for development of football in their country.
I know that having an close-season isn't a bad thing for starters. The Faroese underage set-up in particular is very impressive; I was at an U-14 league final (I think; was on before a league game) which technically was the match of the LoI. So they're clearly not that inhibited by their current set-up. What probably hits them more than training in wind is not being used to playing on grass.

[geysir]

I know that having an close-season isn't a bad thing for starters. The Faroese underage set-up in particular is very impressive; I was at an U-14 league final (I think; was on before a league game) which technically was the match of the LoI. So they're clearly not that inhibited by their current set-up. What probably hits them more than training in wind is not being used to playing on grass.
So with all that vast experience and a probable notion, you presume to know more than the Faroese FA, what they have come to believe to be their way forward.

[Stuttgart88]

Chris Brunt is possibly one of the worst footballers I have ever seen.

Really? I think he's quite good. I don't watch him much but he makes some fantastic deliveries with his left.

[shakermaker1982]

looks like he caught him? He nearly took the guys head clean off with that elbow!!!

Gutted for Norn Iron and all their posters on here. I know they'll all be wishing us the best for tonight.

[osarusan]

Kerr looked so delighted after that, fist-pumping and everything.

[Noelys Guitar]

Hilarious. They will be on suicide watch over at the Wee Chaps. Kerr was delighted.

[boovidge]

What odds did you get?

12-1 i think

[geysir]

Despite the handshakes/hugs/high fives, the Faroes will surely be well p'issed dropping those 2 points :)

[Stuttgart88]

well done to the British manager.

[SuperDave]

I'm pleased for Brian Kerr, who is undergoing something of a Steve McClaren - lite career resurrection up in the cold bleak north of the Faroes, but after drawing with Italy and more importantly winning in Slovenia it is impossible not to be disappointed with that. Still, it beats drawing in Slovenia and winning in the Faroes, given the net difference over the Slovenes.

[tommy_c12000]

The Faroe Islands were ranked 166th in the world when Kerr took over in April 2009. They were up to 117th in Dec 2009 and were back up to that position in July of this year. This is the highest they've been in 8 years (The highest they have ever been is 104th). Admittedly they have dropped back down to 138th at the moment but they have been really unlucky in recent games. This excellent result against Northern Ireland will do no harm at all to their ranking. Credit is certainly due to Kerr who appears to be doing an impressive job with the Islanders.

http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=fro/ranking/gender=m/index.html

[tommy_c12000]

I'm pleased for Brian Kerr, who is undergoing something of a Steve McClaren - lite career resurrection up in the cold bleak north of the Faroes, but after drawing with Italy and more importantly winning in Slovenia it is impossible not to be disappointed with that. Still, it beats drawing in Slovenia and winning in the Faroes, given the net difference over the Slovenes.

I'm confused................

[geysir]

I think Kerr will for sure want to win one, NI slithered way with a draw,
Estonia perhaps?

[Sullivinho]

Despite the handshakes/hugs/high fives, the Faroes will surely be well p'issed dropping those 2 points :)

Brian looked happy enough on SSN. His troops need to quit giving away leads though.

Poor result for Nige and the British empire.

[Charlie Darwin]

It was fun watching Jim Magilton and Sammy McIllroy after the match, lauding Lafferty for his fantastical skill and endeavour for NI's goal (he did very well to be fair) and then refusing to credit the Faroese striker for doing exactly the same thing on his goal.

[bennocelt]

FFS what? People go to GAA games, or rugby, instead of going to football. Which was my point.

But you might have said the theatre or cinema, or in Sligo/galway the beach and bringing home the turf
Excuses, excuses, excuses - we are just not a football nation

(not having a dig at you, its the gah i hate)


well done Kerr, watched the last 2o minutes or so, hoof ball, but well done

[SuperDave]

I'm confused................

well, if they drew with slovenia and they both beat the faroes they would have 4 points, slovenia would have 4 and the faroes 0. However, if they beat slovenia and drew with the faroes and slovenia beat the faroes, norn would have 4, slovenia would have 3 and the faroes 1.

In short, doing it the other way around would have left slovenia with a point more, the faroes with a point less and norn with the same. So Northern Ireland's result in Slovenia isn't all wasted, assuming of course Norn Iron want to finish above both Slovenia and the Faroes.

One important thing about games against direct rivals is that it isn't necessarily about taking points, it's about preventing them taking points. Much like if we win or draw tonight, the fact we have prevented Slovakia from taking two or three points is important.

[geysir]

Brian looked happy enough on SSN. His troops need to quit giving away leads though.

Poor result for Nige and the British empire.
I wasn't really serious.

'We were always going to be under pressure, with some of the class players they have,' Kerr told Sky Sports.
'It was a brave performance, I think we at least deserved a point.
'It's a very, very good day. I had a couple of good days last year, when we beat Lithuania it was a great day.

'Being from Ireland and having so many relations in Ireland - my parents are from Belfast, it was a good day. Many people in Ireland will have watched the game.'