Golden Opportunity

[concanta]

Surely with Switzerland and France ahving to rebuild after euro2004 we must consider our chances as very good for our qualifying group. We have started our rebuilding and are at an advanced stage.

If we go and believe that we can beat France in Paris - then I think we may get a positive result there

[Paulie]

I'm certainly a lot more hopeful than I was when the draw for the WC qualifiers was made. A combination of good performances by us, admittedly in friendlies, and poor performances by France and Switzerland in Euro 2004 has left me a lot more optimistic than I was a few months ago. I reckon that we will take at least 4 points off the Swiss. So far as France are concerned it might be a bit much to hope for a win in October but a draw is not be beyond the realms of possibility.

[brine2]

Five points from three games? You'd take that now?

[wws]

lads u are obssesed!

who cares??


the fckn euros are on, dacent ball!

forget about ireland for a month or two!

[Paulie]

lads u are obssesed!

who cares??


the fckn euros are on, dacent ball!

forget about ireland for a month or two!

Yeah, Sweden V Holland was a real cracker.

[only1kilbane]

dont like saying this but the euros have gone crap and have had much less excitment since england went home though it was great to see them go in the way they did. All we have to look forward to are the wc qualifiers so why not get talking about it. Only just over 2 months to go so not that far anymore. The talk of zidane retiring is good to hear !

[wws]

absolute rubbish!

ireland are crap, and boring to watch

enjoy real football while u can - its great stuff altogether

[Bowsy]

absolute rubbish!

ireland are crap, and boring to watch

enjoy real football while u can - its great stuff altogether

Well we can't all get to see the delights of Limavady on a weekly basis can we. :rolleyes: Tosser

[Paulie]

Tosser

Well said.

[wws]

hmmm
Ireland - boring - without question. ask anyone who paid for the three tickets for the recent friendlies

we're not in the european championships for a reason - two of the worst sides in the competition both beat us. To be perfectly honest I'm delighted we're not there as we'd only embaress ourselves.

[Bowsy]

hmmm
Ireland - boring - without question. ask anyone who paid for the three tickets for the recent friendlies

we're not in the european championships for a reason - two of the worst sides in the competition both beat us. To be perfectly honest I'm delighted we're not there as we'd only embaress ourselves.

Ask me then. I payed and went to all three friendlies in Dublin as well as the Holland game and was more than happy with the value for money and the fact that Ireland won 3 and drew 1 against 4 of the best sides in the world. You see that's why i go to Ireland games - to see Ireland win.
Why not change nationality to Czech they seem to be doing well at the moment? :rolleyes: I've said it one and i'll say it again - Tosser.

[wws]

because arse face i couldnt care less, ireland are boring and stop talking about them when we're in the middle of one of the great tournaments in the world

[Bowsy]

because arse face i couldnt care less, ireland are boring and stop talking about them when we're in the middle of one of the great tournaments in the world

Don't log on to an Irish Football discussion forum if you don't want to talk about Irish football Tosser. It's obviously going to be as boring for you as watching Ireland play. :rolleyes:

[Paulie]

Considering that 2 of our recent friendly wins came against 2 of the semi-finalists I don't think we can be that bad. However if you have come to the conclusion that our national side is not worthy of your support I'm sure that the lads in the team will get over it. There seemed to be a fair few empty seats at the game last night so the Czechs will probably be as glad to take you on board as a true supporter as we will be to get rid of you. Having said this I think it only fair to make it clear to your new compatriots that you only plan to stick around as long as your new team are successful and playing the kind of football you consider to be worthy of your esteemed presence.

As for us being obsessed with our national side what else do you expect people to be debating on an Irish football site under the heading National Team? If you have no interest in our team (so as not to confuse you I mean the Republic of Ireland team) go to another site.

[eirebhoy]

because arse face i couldnt care less, ireland are boring and stop talking about them when we're in the middle of one of the great tournaments in the world
It sounds like we're actually interupting you from watching the bloody tournament. There's no match 'til Wedensday anyway.

[Dodge]

He's probably watching the highlights...

[Closed Account 2]

because arse face i couldnt care less, ireland are boring and stop talking about them when we're in the middle of one of the great tournaments in the world


fine why dont u just shut up and watch it then ?

[thejollyrodger]

We are defintely well prepared for this WCQ's. Probably the best prepared ever. Any player who may have thought playing for ROI was a beer session has copped on to the new regime. The only problem Ireland has is whether or not we can take our chances up front!!

France look like an old side on the way out. There is no hiding that. Wether they can gather themselves together for the WCQ's remains to be seen. Personally I dont think that they will be winning every game, We should get 4 points out of those 2 games.

the Swiss, Well anyone watching them cant realisticlly belive that they pose a real threat to Ireland. They have scored the least amount of goals in the tournament and a number of their promonent players have retired. Again 4 points, but we really should be thinking of winning both of them. I would really like to see revenge in Basel. That swiss team need a good hiding after the last 2 games. :mad: :mad:

As for the rest. well fair enough travelling might be difficult but there is no point in talking up a FIFA 50th ranking dodgy side. We arent 14th for nothing are should really win easily. Same applies for the rest of those crap teams.

[1MickCollins]

France look like an old side on the way out. There is no hiding that. Wether they can gather themselves together for the WCQ's remains to be seen. Personally I dont think that they will be winning every game, We should get 4 points out of those 2 games.

This is a bit optimistic, I would be very happy with 2 or 3 points from the French. All of France's players play with top teams and it's been a long season - they will be much fresher in Sept/Oct. They also qualified in impressive fashion.

A lot depends on who retires, but they have some exciting new players ready to step in as well. Also a lot depends on who they select as manager.


the Swiss, Well anyone watching them cant realisticlly belive that they pose a real threat to Ireland. They have scored the least amount of goals in the tournament and a number of their promonent players have retired.

They are a smart well organized team, if we take a point in Basel that is a good result, we have to win at home.

The real problem is guaging the progress Kerr is making - the last 2 competitive games were pretty poor. Are friendlies a good indicator of how good the team is? I always feel the pressure is off in friedlies. I think the team lacks leaders & players with a physical presence, but with Keane back he will give them the confidence they need. I think the biggest problem in the last qualifiers was we didn't have enough tough guys.

[Bowsy]

I think the team lacks leaders & players with a physical presence, but with Keane back he will give them the confidence they need. I think the biggest problem in the last qualifiers was we didn't have enough tough guys.

Even without Keane the team does have 3 Premiership Captains. That said i agree that this element was missing without Cunningham present in Basle.
French are not going to be pushovers no matter what. Despite their poor Euro 2004 and retirements they could still field at least 3 very good International teams. They have replacements in every part of the park and the only person they'd truly miss is Zidane. I want Ireland to win every game but 2-3 points against the French is good work. It's more than anyone else will get and gives us a chance of pipping them for the group.

[eirebhoy]

The real problem is guaging the progress Kerr is making - the last 2 competitive games were pretty poor.
Do you want me to post up the lineups for those matches? No manager comes in during a qualifying campaign and makes more than a couple of changes to a team. Kerr needed this bunch of friendlies to build his own team and it has at least 6 changes to the team that played Switzerland.

[Condex]

Do you want me to post up the lineups for those matches? No manager comes in during a qualifying campaign and makes more than a couple of changes to a team. Kerr needed this bunch of friendlies to build his own team and it has at least 6 changes to the team that played Switzerland.

I agree that was a god awful display in Basel.

Given
Carr, Breen, O'Shea, Harte
Duff, Holland (Kinsella 74), Healy (Finnan 77), Kilbane
Keane, Connolly (Morrison 58)
Subs not used: O'Brien, Carsley, Doherty, Colgan.

I hope a team something like this plays the next time.
Given
Carr/Finnan, O'Brien, Cunningham, O'Shea
Miller/Reid, Keane, Kilbane/Holland, Duff
Keane, Morrison(Until some else comes along)

[1MickCollins]

Do you want me to post up the lineups for those matches? No manager comes in during a qualifying campaign and makes more than a couple of changes to a team. Kerr needed this bunch of friendlies to build his own team and it has at least 6 changes to the team that played Switzerland.

Well I am not sure that is a rule carved in stone but that is what Brian Kerr did - however I am not so sure as thejollyrodger that against France "We should get 4 points out of those 2 games." and in relation to Switzerland "Well anyone watching them cant realisticlly belive that they pose a real threat to Ireland". What is the evidece? A sequence of good results in friendlies?Even with changed line-ups how good are we? How do we go from pathetic which is what we were in the last qualifying round to brishing aside France and Switz?

I don't think friendlies are a good indicator, I guess only time will tell. I suppose the hope is that the return of Roy Keane and the introduction of Andy O'Brien, Andy Reid and Liam Miller will make a significant difference in addition to Kerr getting the players to play the way he wants?

But will Miller be playing first team football next season? And will Reid have a second season as good as last season?

I think we know what to expect from Keane ( if fit ) and O'Brien has been very steady for a number of years.

[eirebhoy]

[QUOTE=eirebhoy] No manager comes in during a qualifying campaign and makes more than a couple of changes to a team.
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[QUOTE=1MickCollins] Well I am not sure that is a rule carved in stone but that is what Brian Kerr did.
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Rep of Ireland -v- Switzerland under McCarthy:
Given, Kelly, Cunningham, Breen, Harte, Healy, Holland, Kinsella, Kilbane, Duff, Keane.

Rep of Ireland -v- Switzerland under Kerr:
Given, Carr, Breen, O'Shea, Harte, Duff, Holland, Healy, Kilbane, Keane, Connolly.

The players in bold played in both McCarthy's and Kerr's team. Carr was unavailable for McCarthy and would have started instead of Kelly. Cunningham was unavailable for Kerr and would have started instead of Harte and switch O'Shea to LB. Therefore, Kerr only made a couple of changes (Connolly, O'Shea) to the team for the last competitive game which pretty much proves my point. I doubt any manager would make more than a couple of changes to a team midway through a qualifying campaign so Kerr shouldn't be judged by the performance of the team back in October as it was still virtually McCarthy's team.

People say you can't judge a manager on friendlies but in this case we have nothing else to judge him on. Kerr has now made rapid changes in 5 friendlies (from Canada to Romania). Two changes to McCarthy's first choice defence (O'Brien in for Breen, O'Shea in for Harte). At least 3 changes to the midfield (Duff on the left, Keane in the centre, Reid/Miller in somewhere). 1 change up front (Morrison).

I agree with you that we shouldn't be getting over confident because of a few results in friendlies, I am certainly not. I'm twice as optimistic as I was last year because we actually have a different team.