Garth Crooks dismisses Ireland's chances. Excellent news.

[Noelys Guitar]

Just watched the football focus interview with Garth Crooks. "Any two out of the three can get through". I was blissfully unaware we had dropped out of the tournament and Group C was now a three team group. Thanks Garth for filling me in with that bit of breaking news. Reminds me of Beckenbauer's comments before Euro 88 with his any of 7 teams can win this tournament.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18299052

[Stuttgart88]

I'd pay more attention to Garth Brooks as a pundit. Never like dCrooks at all. The way he speaks is really irritating. He's got classic pundit-itis too I bet. Just turn up and offer basic conventional wisdom based on no research whatsoever other than being able to name those players from whatever countries that play in England. Still, I bet we play with great spirit and like a bit of craic.

[ifk101]

I'm with Garth Brooks. I don't see us getting out of our group. Croatia and Italy have both played us in the recent past. They have first hand experience of how we play and if they have done their homework they'll know we play the same way game in, game out.

[Predator]

I'm with Garth Brooks. I don't see us getting out of our group. Croatia and Italy have both played us in the recent past. They have first hand experience of how we play and if they have done their homework they'll know we play the same way game in, game out.Really? ;)

[BonnieShels]

Always knew there was something about ifk101... He does seem like the sort of guy with friends in low places.

[Lionel Ritchie]

oWxUVGbArc8 "...with the possible exception of being Garth Crooks there is surely nothing worse than washing sieves."

So wrote an Englishman.

[BonnieShels]

I loathe Crooks. How he ever has kept his job as a pundit is beyond me.
Though BBC don't tend to have the greatest of teams.
Listening to Lawro the other night made my ears want to bleed.

[DannyInvincible]

I'm with Garth Brooks. I don't see us getting out of our group. Croatia and Italy have both played us in the recent past. They have first hand experience of how we play and if they have done their homework they'll know we play the same way game in, game out.

We have a very simple approach though. Everyone knows how we'll play. The thing is we're so difficult to break down no matter how you go about it, assuming the players stick to their instructions.

[tricky_colour]

Garth is IMO a token pundit. He is just there because he's black to show 'balance', but there are plenty more black
players who are far better pundits than him though. Dunno why he got the job.
Can't stand the bloke, I bet the viewing figures drop every time he is on.

[Paddy Garcia]

A token minority pundit alright - not cos he is black though.

[Colbert Report]

I loved the one Croatian lad who looked like a Martian going on about how three points against Ireland are in the bag and how the second game will be their big test.

[IsMiseSean]

Let them underestimate us I say....

[BonnieShels]

I actually feel I know less about soccer after watching that. What utter drivel.

[Crosby87]

I'm with Garth Brooks. I don't see us getting out of our group. Croatia and Italy have both played us in the recent past. They have first hand experience of how we play and if they have done their homework they'll know we play the same way game in, game out.

First the good poster ifk goes country, then he insinuates the way to beat a team is to have played them fairly recently.
Euros is getting to everyones head, Ifk is drunk, Danny Invincible is on a war path. Stay tuned. :D

[amaccann]

People writing off our chances? Brilliant news! The best thing that can happen is pundits / teams underestimating us; we classically perform much better as underdogs anyway & will be much more satisfying to see them eat their own words.

Italy may see us coming and I'd worry about them, but after seeing how Spa...uh, Barcelona struggled against Chelsea, I don't hold any great fear about Spain. It's theirs to lose against us. In fact, I'd whisper very quietly that Spain could be our big tournament memory; we have a pleasant history in giant-killing at these things ...

[Spudulika]

Rakitic is a Swiss moron with about as much Croatian blood as Garth Crooks, or Brooks. BBC have about as much credibility in football as I have in underwater hockey. Crooks and co spout on about great players (the whole Croatian-centric nonsense was hilarious) who play or have played in the sky leagues, or at worst they've seen a few times in the euroleague. Croatia are a decent side, but have no bottle and their "coach" has shown his mettle by throwing his bottle out of the pram when he was told that a new contract with the HNS meant he had to sever ties with his agency in Split. Now he's rocking up with a crew of jokers in Moscow to make some easy money and do nothing with a club that is about as stable as rollercoaster. Let the half heads write Ireland off, they need us more than we need them.

[Bungle]

Croatia have two world class players (Srna and Modric) and some good/very good players. However, we have a world class goalie, core of very good players like Keane, O'Shea, Dunne and Duff and very decent ones like Walters. Glen Whelan may not be Ronnie Whelan but he's still a good midtable premiership type player. We have guys like the Saint who are more than the sum of their parts when they play for us. Most importantly, we will be roared on by 20 odd thousand fans. I think Croatia would be ridiculous to underestimate us.

For what it's worth, the current Croatia pales unfavourably to their team of the 90s which was arguably the best side on paper in the world at one point. It's funny but Spain have shown us the respect that any team that qualifies deserves. Great teams and players generally don't shout their mouths off and they do just that. The big danger is Italy for us. If you listen to the pundits, you'd swear they are nothing team that we will comfortably dispatch. They are STILL Italy. Countries like Italy can still go all the way. They have players like Buffon, Pirlo and the great talent of Balotelli. If he gets his head together for the few weeks and does nothing crazy, he could be a player of the tournament type of guy. History has shown that Italy pull together in times of adversity like they have now. They are a bigger danger for me than Croatia.

[Stuttgart88]

What annoys me about Crooks is that he is saying 3 out of 4 teams can get out of the group, i.e., we can't. We are probably 4th favourites but anyone who knows anything about football knows that the underdog can win. We're not rank outsiders by any means and our squad is a mix of senior established internationals and players at clubs who the big teams hate facing.

[Stuttgart88]

the great talent of Balotelli. If he gets his head together for the few weeks and does nothing crazy, he could be a player of the tournament type of guy. History has shown that Italy pull together in times of adversity like they have now. They are a bigger danger for me than Croatia.
Balotelli was great on Friday, even though Italy lost.

[peadar1987]

I actually feel I know less about soccer after watching that. What utter drivel.

Soccer? The damage is worse than I thought!

[BonnieShels]

It's soccer. Always has been. I never call it football. I am currently on the way to see Dublin play football. :-P

[Predator]

Hurry on over to Socc.ie then :)

[peadar1987]

It's soccer. Always has been. I never call it football. I am currently on the way to see Dublin play football. :-P

And you call yourself a Protestant!

[bennocelt]

It's soccer. Always has been. I never call it football. I am currently on the way to see Dublin play football. :-P

Shudder...you mean you call that basketball/football/handball/wrestling hybrid football, and you want to be taken seriously on this site!:D

[BonnieShels]

Have I inadvertently become the new chuckie? Oops.
I happen to enjoy many many sports and for the sake of annoying epl supporters and clarity when discussing sport I call Association football, soccer when in Ireland or North America.

Bennocelt, I haven't been taken seriously on this site since I uttered the word "Termonbarry"!

[Acornvilla]

Hurry on over to Socc.ie then :)

we all love the St. Oliver community college website alright. Can you believe that the students lost to the teachers again this year, that O' Riordan fella is some Poacher

[elroy]

In fairness, if I was a neutral pundit looking at Euro 2012, I would say that Ireland are the least likely to come out of Group C.

Buts that's fine, let them all underestimate us. Football would not be the great game it is, if it went with expectation so often. This tourno itself has thrown up some incredible successes in its time, who would've predicted Denmark 92 or Greece 2004. I reckon we will be one of the most organised teams at the tournament and will be very tough to beat - most talented and skilful, definitely not, but for the most spirited, motivated and organised - we'll be up at the top.

[Irish_Praha]

In fairness, if I was a neutral pundit looking at Euro 2012, I would say that Ireland are the least likely to come out of Group C.

Buts that's fine, let them all underestimate us. Football would not be the great game it is, if it went with expectation so often. This tourno itself has thrown up some incredible successes in its time, who would've predicted Denmark 92 or Greece 2004. I reckon we will be one of the most organised teams at the tournament and will be very tough to beat - most talented and skilful, definitely not, but for the most spirited, motivated and organised - we'll be up at the top.

I presume we would be well at the top in terms of experience too.
Keane and Given well past their 100 caps and Duff will reach his 100 in the tournament itself.
Plus a few of the starting eleven more than 70 caps and only a few with less than 25 caps.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Unsure if I should throw this in here?

But even-handed, unlike some of the comments. I know you'd love to get stuck in, so do quickly!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jun/03/euro-2012-ireland-tactics-experts-view?commentpage=last#end-of-comments

Also,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/03/euro-2012-ireland-player-profiles

[Murfinator]

never even heard of garth crooks. I think I'll continue with that after seeing those comments.

[BonnieShels]

Read that earlier. It's by Emmett Malone of Irish Times fame.

[BonnieShels]

And you call yourself a Protestant!

Nope. I call myself an Anglican. Can't be associated with them party-animal Presbyterians

[bennocelt]

Read that earlier. It's by Emmett Malone of Irish Times fame.

"expert view", really?

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair to anyone on here, it was the Guarniad who appointed EM such. They would always take an IT view, given how much goes the other way in return.

It could have been worse, might have been 'The Indo' :eek:

[Murfinator]

Whatever about 2nd rate journalists its nice to at least see the bookies give us due respect and not embarrassingly confuse our star player with someone else...

http://img.imgcake.com/roykeanejpgys.jpg

[Lionel Ritchie]

Nope. I call myself an Anglican. Can't be associated with them party-animal Presbyterians

Then you most certainly are a Protestant. By the standards of such notable quips as "Catholic, Protestant and Disenter" Catholic means Roman Catholic, Protestant means establishment/state reformed church i.e. CoI/CoE/Anglican and disenter means non-establishment reformed church ...Presbyterian, Methodist and such like.

...oh and by the way -it's called Football :wink: That backwater offshoot is called Gaelic Football -and even that piece of nomeclature lays claim to a franchise for which it can produce scant enough provenance.

[Irish_Praha]

Whatever about 2nd rate journalists its nice to at least see the bookies give us due respect and not embarrassingly confuse our star player with someone else...

http://img.imgcake.com/roykeanejpgys.jpg

Haha I wonder are they givng odds on Roy Keane not to be top scorer? I'd bet my house on that.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Then you most certainly are a Protestant. By the standards of such notable quips as "Catholic, Protestant and Disenter" Catholic means Roman Catholic, Protestant means establishment/state reformed church i.e. CoI/CoE/Anglican and disenter means non-establishment reformed church ...Presbyterian, Methodist and such like.

...oh and by the way -it's called Football :wink: That backwater offshoot is called Gaelic Football -and even that piece of nomeclature lays claim to a franchise for which it can produce scant enough provenance.

I trust you have sufficient of knowledge of both to make such claims...
;)

[ArdeeBhoy]

I presume we would be well at the top in terms of experience too.
Keane and Given well past their 100 caps and Duff will reach his 100 in the tournament itself.
Plus a few of the starting eleven more than 70 caps and only a few with less than 25 caps.

We have the oldest squad in the tournament, as highlighted elsewhere.
Another reason to fear for the future longer-term as we have no great youngsters coming through.
McClean is the closest thing we have...

[BonnieShels]

...oh and by the way -it's called Football :wink: That backwater offshoot is called Gaelic Football -and even that piece of nomeclature lays claim to a franchise for which it can produce scant enough provenance.

Ignoring that bizarre religious commentary...

Eh, backwater offshoot?

Why are so many association football supporters and fans so disparraging towards Gaelic football? At times it can be brutal. And at times it can be beautiful.
Like all sports. Sweet divine Mary. :rolleyes:

[ArdeeBhoy]

Exactly.

[BonnieShels]

Unlike yer lot today AB. Pure gash.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Ah, not so bad as have a foot in both camps...
:wink:

[BonnieShels]

Left one in Dublin like mine... :P

Back on topic... I think this sums up Crooks as a pundit...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iBDlJEabiI&t=7m19s
Fast forward to 07:19.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Thanks, though 10 minutes of him, waiting for the odd gem, is almost on a par with Crooks's total output.
:rolleyes:

Met Crooks years ago at a BBC reception, nice enough as a fella, but totally bland as a pundit.
Amazed he's even still going on the TV gravy-train...

[Lionel Ritchie]

Ignoring that bizarre religious commentary...
:...nothing bizarre about it. I was quite taken aback to discover the meaning of disenter. I always took it to mean atheist/humanist/"not arsed with religion" but there you go.


Why are so many association football supporters and fans so disparraging towards Gaelic football? At times it can be brutal. And at times it can be beautiful.
Like all sports. Sweet divine Mary. :rolleyes: I was going to say because it's as made up as Nausican Dom-jot but it's more important to highlight my suspicion that, on a global scale, most association football fans have never even heard of so called Gaelic football. I'll stop and be nice now though.

[BonnieShels]

I should clarify, the comment was bizarre in context (It seemed preachy[no pun intended]), not the accuracy of the content of the comment.

All sports are made up. There was no football tree.
In 1863 some lads sat in a pub in London and founded the Football Association. How anyone can have such a superiority complex over the naturality [sic] of some sports over others just confounds any sort of rationality.

Unless of course they are talking about rugby league or baseball.

[ArdeeBhoy]

To be fair various forms of football, some closer to GAA or rugby, were going on long before that...

[Spudulika]

Back on subject :-) I've no problem with people objectively placing Ireland bottom of the heap, if they studied all the teams and knew something about them. But Crooks obviously doesn't, nor do many of the so called experts. It's escaped me now but there is one Irish journo who speaks Croatian and has a very, very good knowledge of the game there, it'd be him I'd look to for info, not some clapped out squad player from the 1980's.

edit: Sport is sport, if you have to slag off another sport to try make your own look better, then you are bankrupt. All sports offer something different and there's nothing better than watching a good game of gaelic football (even though I've not seen many for a while).

[geysir]

I don't mind an English pundit saying our chances are non-existent. England are not in our group. It's more honest than the usual pat on the plucky head with the usual stereotypical drivel, that win or lose the Irish will all get píssed drunk.