Match by match the story of our campaign.....

[Donadoni]

September 2nd 2006 Germany away
We’ll play the team that will win bronze in this summer’s World Cup. Germany will be suffering from the usual post-World Cup hangover. We’ll be jittery and full of teething problems, but we’ll display huge resolve and determination to start well. Prediction 0-0.

October 7th 2006 Cyprus away.
No dodgy performance this time round. Catch the Cypriot Indian summer and add 3pts to our tally. Prediction 0-3.

October 11th Czech Republic at home.
The last significant game in Lansdowne, prior to a San Marino epilogue. The Czech republic are at the beginning of a new era with Nedved and co. definitively retired from the international stage. A hugely enthusiastic crowd for the first home game of the campaign. The team doesn’t disappoint. Prediction 2-0.

November 15th 2006 San Marino at home.
Terribly emotional night. There will be no errors this evening. All the Irish players want to score the last goal at the old Lansdowne. A rout. Prediction 5-0.

February 7th 2007 San Marino away.
Start the new year where we left off in 2006 with a siege on the San Marino goal. Prediction 0-4. Thirteen points out of a possible fifteen. Flying high. Set up for a fall?

March 24th 2007 Wales at home.
The single most hyped international sporting moment in the history of Irish sport. The atmosphere is unprecedented. The players respond. Wales are never really let into the game. Staunton can do no wrong. Prediction 2-0.

March 28th 2007 Slovakia at home.
Can Ireland extend their unbeaten record at Croker? They do better than that. Two early goals and a third late in the game, and we’ve taken 6 out of 6 Croke Park Points. And we’ve yet to surrender a goal. Prediction 3-0.

September 8th 2007 Slovakia away.
Rested after a summer break we travel to Bratislava. The Slovaks are still in the running for second spot. They have everything to play for. We’ve lost some momentum. We surrender an early goal. We huff we puff but the Slovaks have built their house with brick. Staunton’s first competitive defeat. Prediction 1-0.

September 12th 2007 Czech Republic away.
Phenomenal amounts of inexpensive alcohol consumed on this Eastern trip. The green army reeks and burps its way to and through Prague. We’re uncertain. We will bounce back right? Staunton won’t have hit any alarmist buttons. We’ll get something out of this trip? We don’t. Prediction 2-0.

October 13th 2007 Germany at home.
Bobby’s doing more interviews now. Stuanton smiles less. We’re back at Mother Croke. This is the big one. More hyped than the Welsh game earlier in the year. Three points for either side here and a place in the finals could be secured. The players rally. The poor eastern performances are not repeated. But the Germans won’t be toppled. Prediction 0-0. You’ll never score at Croker.

October 17th 2007 Cyprus at home.
A shivering Cypriot team. Ireland don’t play particularly well. For the first time the atmosphere goes missing in Croke Park. We do enough. Prediction 2-0.


November 17th Wales away.
23 points out of a potential 33. But Germany and the Czechs have matched us all the way. It’s a mini league of three, but we know that a draw will be enough. Ferryload after ferryload after ferryload. The Millineum Stadium glows green. Will the Welsh stop Staunton qualifying us for our 20th anniversary Euro-Finals? Predictions anybody??????

[pete]

October 11th Czech Republic at home.
The last significant game in Lansdowne, prior to a San Marino epilogue. The Czech republic are at the beginning of a new era with Nedved and co. definitively retired from the international stage. A hugely enthusiastic crowd for the first home game of the campaign. The team doesn’t disappoint. Prediction 2-0.

Did you have a nice dream? Time to wake up.

;)

[CollegeTillIDie]

September 2nd 2006 Germany away
We’ll play the team that will win bronze in this summer’s World Cup. Germany will be suffering from the usual post-World Cup hangover. We’ll be jittery and full of teething problems, but we’ll display huge resolve and determination to start well. Prediction 0-0.

October 7th 2006 Cyprus away.
No dodgy performance this time round. Catch the Cypriot Indian summer and add 3pts to our tally. Prediction 0-3.

October 11th Czech Republic at home.
The last significant game in Lansdowne, prior to a San Marino epilogue. The Czech republic are at the beginning of a new era with Nedved and co. definitively retired from the international stage. A hugely enthusiastic crowd for the first home game of the campaign. The team doesn’t disappoint. Prediction 2-0.

November 15th 2006 San Marino at home.
Terribly emotional night. There will be no errors this evening. All the Irish players want to score the last goal at the old Lansdowne. A rout. Prediction 5-0.

February 7th 2007 San Marino away.
Start the new year where we left off in 2006 with a siege on the San Marino goal. Prediction 0-4. Thirteen points out of a possible fifteen. Flying high. Set up for a fall?

March 24th 2007 Wales at home.
The single most hyped international sporting moment in the history of Irish sport. The atmosphere is unprecedented. The players respond. Wales are never really let into the game. Staunton can do no wrong. Prediction 2-0.

March 28th 2007 Slovakia at home.
Can Ireland extend their unbeaten record at Croker? They do better than that. Two early goals and a third late in the game, and we’ve taken 6 out of 6 Croke Park Points. And we’ve yet to surrender a goal. Prediction 3-0.

September 8th 2007 Slovakia away.
Rested after a summer break we travel to Bratislava. The Slovaks are still in the running for second spot. They have everything to play for. We’ve lost some momentum. We surrender an early goal. We huff we puff but the Slovaks have built their house with brick. Staunton’s first competitive defeat. Prediction 1-0.

September 12th 2007 Czech Republic away.
Phenomenal amounts of inexpensive alcohol consumed on this Eastern trip. The green army reeks and burps its way to and through Prague. We’re uncertain. We will bounce back right? Staunton won’t have hit any alarmist buttons. We’ll get something out of this trip? We don’t. Prediction 2-0.

October 13th 2007 Germany at home.
Bobby’s doing more interviews now. Stuanton smiles less. We’re back at Mother Croke. This is the big one. More hyped than the Welsh game earlier in the year. Three points for either side here and a place in the finals could be secured. The players rally. The poor eastern performances are not repeated. But the Germans won’t be toppled. Prediction 0-0. You’ll never score at Croker.

October 17th 2007 Cyprus at home.
A shivering Cypriot team. Ireland don’t play particularly well. For the first time the atmosphere goes missing in Croke Park. We do enough. Prediction 2-0.


November 17th Wales away.
23 points out of a potential 33. But Germany and the Czechs have matched us all the way. It’s a mini league of three, but we know that a draw will be enough. Ferryload after ferryload after ferryload. The Millineum Stadium glows green. Will the Welsh stop Staunton qualifying us for our 20th anniversary Euro-Finals? Predictions anybody??????

And then we woke up:D

[NeilMcD]

Fair play its better than pessimism. Very good read.

[livehead1]

yeh lads lets face it, we're a pretty poor side. A second place finish would be better than can be expected really. I can see 3 defeats in the group that would be real possibilities, the 3 away games to germany slovaks and czech. That means if that happened we would have to be scincilating, taking maximum points from wales sanmarino and cyprus along with something from the other 3 , its a big ask

[eirebhoy]

Good post, I enjoyed that. :) I'd say all the individual predictions can be done but there's not a chance we'll beat Cyprus 3-0 over there. Surely by now we realise that its not coincedence we play poorly over there? :) They're a decent enough team at home. I can't see us beating Slovakia too easily either.

[gustavo]

we may be a pretty poor side but we were still in the running for a play off place up to the last game of the group in wc2006 so we cant be that bad .
the czechs wont have nedved next time round so their big threat will be rosicky apart from him i dont think they have anyone that we should fear too much. germany will be obviously a big threat with ballack ,schweinsteiger , deisler and podlowski all match winners and will rightly be favourites , slovaks are no great shakes and wales will only really have bellamy and an aging giggs we should be able to topple them so i dont think its all bad news.

[co. down green]

The German's have been having a few internal problems recently.

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5316674

Unlike us !!!!!


http://oneteaminireland.bravehost.com/

[Emmet]

We didn't play too badly until that friendly against Italy - then it was three successive games (albeit our three most recent games!) where we played well below par. But we should have beaten Israel - twice. They are a good side - I can see them taking at least a point off England especially in Israel. We also outplayed France in Paris and the Swiss in Switzerland.

If the new manager can recover that confidence, and the team remains injury-free, then we've got a good chance. Our last three games might have been dire but I don't think we are as bad as that.

[Paddy Garcia]

If we are to have a chance it will take a much braver (though riskier) selection policy this time round. In the end Kerr proved disappointingly conservative.

McGeady, O'Brien and Ireland need to be given a run. Too often in the past Irelands finest have sat on the bench or in the U21s... Roy Keane, Duff, Dunne ....come to mind. Mind you .. you never win anything with kids!

[Qwerty]

Our resources at center back and center midfield are very bare right now, in fact you could say that we don't have a single proven international in those 4 spots.

BTW Donadoni could you change your name to something less irritating, all i hear is 'Donadoni Bonner Scilacci GOAL!!!!':(

[Real ale Madrid]

We didn't play too badly until that friendly against Italy - then it was three successive games (albeit our three most recent games!) where we played well below par. But we should have beaten Israel - twice. They are a good side - I can see them taking at least a point off England especially in Israel. We also outplayed France in Paris and the Swiss in Switzerland.

If the new manager can recover that confidence, and the team remains injury-free, then we've got a good chance. Our last three games might have been dire but I don't think we are as bad as that.


Outplayed the swiss in Switzerland? Eh? I mean we hardly outplayed the French - we competed with them on thier own patch and should have won but outplayed? And as for the Swiss? Was i watching a differnet game or was Shay Given man of the match? How many chances did they have after we scored. Its no wonder the expectations of the national team are so high.

[klein4]

agreed on the swiss game away. I thought it was one of our worst performances and given was amazing. time will tell how the players respond to staunton/robson.does anyone else get the impression that robson will have a much bigger role than has been let on?

[Tired&Emotional]

Enjoyed that read, a little indulgent perhaps but I like the positive angle....fair play Donadoni!!

[Reality Bites]

Our lack of options in central midfield is very worrying indeed! with the german game 8 months away, the likes of Stephen Ireland, Stephen Reid and Joey O'Brien have to make giant leaps in the coming months if we are to stem the influence of Ballack & co.. the sight of Kilbane prancing about in midfield against the germans doesn't bear thinking about..

[OwlsFan]

Germany 1-1 (didn't we win our last game against them in Germany before USA '94 ?) and if we get 1 pt from our double header away to the Czech/Slovakia republics, we'll be doing ok. However, our home form is a worry. No win of note in a competitive home game since Holland 1-0 and we were blessed that day. Need to sort that out.

[colster]

Our lack of options in central midfield is very worrying indeed! with the german game 8 months away, the likes of Stephen Ireland, Stephen Reid and Joey O'Brien have to make giant leaps in the coming months if we are to stem the influence of Ballack & co.. the sight of Kilbane prancing about in midfield against the germans doesn't bear thinking about..

We have plenty of options in midfield. In the World Cup Holland and Kinsella did a good job against Ballack. I can see Carsley and Kavanagh doing a job there in the first game.

[Reality Bites]

We have plenty of options in midfield. In the World Cup Holland and Kinsella did a good job against Ballack. I can see Carsley and Kavanagh doing a job there in the first game

oh dear, yet again we fly to close to the Sun!:rolleyes:

[Donadoni]

The schedule gives me optimism. I mean realistically it's very difficult to predict the result of games that won't be played until 6, 12 or 18 months from now. I don't know what our team will look like let alone our opponents. I guess my point is that the schedule cannot be blamed any non-qualification. If we can perform on the pitch then the 12 acts are lined up correctly for us.

[colster]

We have plenty of options in midfield. In the World Cup Holland and Kinsella did a good job against Ballack. I can see Carsley and Kavanagh doing a job there in the first game

oh dear, yet again we fly to close to the Sun!:rolleyes:

There's no reason to be patronising!!! Who do you think we should play against them?
Carsley is probably the best DM we have. Last season he was excellent for Everton. If he can reproduce that form for Ireland then we have a chance.
Kavanagh is another who is playing well regularly for his team in CM.
The players you mentioned are not playing regularly in CM.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Fair play its better than pessimism. Very good read.

Agreed. I've a warm glow inside after reading that BUT
-as Ian Paisley said to a nun he thought he saw pouring a p1sspot into her petrol tank "I admire your faith ...but I don't share your conviction"

[Real ale Madrid]

We have plenty of options in midfield. In the World Cup Holland and Kinsella did a good job against Ballack. I can see Carsley and Kavanagh doing a job there in the first game.

You are joking right? Now throw 2 of them with one other in a five man midfield against the Germans and you might be on to something - who would you suggest? i'd go with Duff and Reid on the wings with Carsley sitting deep and Ireland and O'shea in a more possitive role. doest even sound great either. :o

[colster]

You are joking right? Now throw 2 of them with one other in a five man midfield against the Germans and you might be on to something - who would you suggest? i'd go with Duff and Reid on the wings with Carsley sitting deep and Ireland and O'shea in a more possitive role. doest even sound great either. :o

I think if Carsley gets back to the form he had last season then we could play himself and Kavanagh together in a 4 man midfield.
I'd go with the following team

Given

Finnan O'Brien Dunne O'Shea

S.Reid Carsley Kavanagh Duff

R.Keane K.Doyle/Elliott

[as_i_say]

are things really that bad that lee carsley is being talked about as a starter for us in ANY qualification game?

If i believed in him im sure he wept-jesus that is.

[Emmet]

You are joking right? Now throw 2 of them with one other in a five man midfield against the Germans and you might be on to something - who would you suggest? i'd go with Duff and Reid on the wings with Carsley sitting deep and Ireland and O'shea in a more possitive role. doest even sound great either. :o


I'd have Kavanagh in midfield over O'Shea only because I think Kav is slightly less error prone than O'Shea and he keeps the ball whereas O'Shea's passing is suspect.

[colster]

are things really that bad that lee carsley is being talked about as a starter for us in ANY qualification game?

If i believed in him im sure he wept-jesus that is.

Well who else is there?
J. O'Shea - has rarely played there
Kilbane - passing is brutal
Miller - possibly
S.Reid - Needed on the right.
J O'Brien - hasn't played regularly for his club there. May be a bit soon.
Ireland - not a regular for his team. has potential but may be too soon for him
A. Quinn - not a regular for Sheffield United.
G. Whelan - possibly too soon for him
C Healy - returning from long term injury
Garvan - too young
M. Doyle - don't think so.

[as_i_say]

has carlsely ever done anything for us? tbh i'd rather have any of the first 6 you listed there instead of carsley. he's a nothing player. had one good season for everton when graveson played beside him.

Also i presume he has announced recently that he's come out of retirement-missed that one myself.

[colster]

has carlsely ever done anything for us? tbh i'd rather have any of the first 6 you listed there instead of carsley. he's a nothing player. had one good season for everton when graveson played beside him.

Also i presume he has announced recently that he's come out of retirement-missed that one myself.

If he gets back to that form then he's an option. I think he's better defensively than most of those mentioned.

[pineapple stu]

(didn't we win our last game against them in Germany before USA '94 ?)
2-0, with goals from Gary Kelly and Tony Cascarino!! 'Twas only a friendly though.

This Lee Carsley being mentioned for centre-mid is the same Lee Carsley who retired from international football a year ago? And people slag the English for wanting Ryan Giggs on the left wing?!

[colster]

2-0, with goals from Gary Kelly and Tony Cascarino!! 'Twas only a friendly though.

This Lee Carsley being mentioned for centre-mid is the same Lee Carsley who retired from international football a year ago? And people slag the English for wanting Ryan Giggs on the left wing?!

I thought he'd made himself available again towards the end of the last campaign.

Did a quick search and it looks like he is retired. All these breaks/retirements/available again are very confusing. Maybe Stan should get him to re-consider

[eirebhoy]

Well who else is there?
J. O'Shea - has rarely played there
Kilbane - passing is brutal
Miller - possibly
S.Reid - Needed on the right.
J O'Brien - hasn't played regularly for his club there. May be a bit soon.
Ireland - not a regular for his team. has potential but may be too soon for him
A. Quinn - not a regular for Sheffield United.
G. Whelan - possibly too soon for him
C Healy - returning from long term injury
Garvan - too young
M. Doyle - don't think so.
A lot of potential in most of the players listed above. Hopefully they live up to it.

[Irish_Praha]

I thought he'd made himself available again towards the end of the last campaign.

Did a quick search and it looks like he is retired. All these breaks/retirements/available again are very confusing. Maybe Stan should get him to re-consider

I thought he took a break form international football because he needed extra time for his mentally handicapped child? Then he announced recently that he is available again. Or did I dream all that?

[pineapple stu]

He took a break alright, but then announced his retirement permanently, as far as I remember.

[eirebhoy]

He definitely came out of retirement last year, whether he retired a second time I don't know.

[pineapple stu]

He definitely came out of retirement last year
99% sure he didn't - can't find anything through google either (though can find his retirement handily enough).

[livehead1]

99% sure he didn't - can't find anything through google either (though can find his retirement handily enough).

Yeh he is out of international retirement at the end of the world cup qualifiers, i remember reading it, 100%.

[FarBeag]

Slightly off topic...Did anyone notice Steven Staunton at the Villa/Newcastle game to-day? He obviously was checking someone out but no one apart from Given played that's in the current squad. Strange one that.

[Forever Dreamin]

A point away in Germany would be a massive point but even if we dont get a point we should win our next 6 matches leaving us with 18 points from 7 games going into the double header against Slovakia and Czech. At that stage 2 or 3 points could be enough to see us on our way. 27 points should be enough to qualify.

[pineapple stu]

Slightly off topic...Did anyone notice Steven Staunton at the Villa/Newcastle game to-day? He obviously was checking someone out but no one apart from Given played that's in the current squad. Strange one that.
Bobby Robson was at Boro-Chelsea...:confused:

Incidentally, can anyone post a link about Carsley's return - can't find anything on the internet at all, and didn't hear anything either?

[Stuttgart88]

Here you go Stu...

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/search/story.asp?newsid=19308

[Jerry The Saint]

Slightly off topic...Did anyone notice Steven Staunton at the Villa/Newcastle game to-day? He obviously was checking someone out but no one apart from Given played that's in the current squad. Strange one that.

Staunton lives in the UK midlands so I think it was probably just a case of going to see his local/former team more than anything. I heard Stuart Pearce was at the same game? Possibly picking up some tips from Steve on life as a novice international manager:confused: ;)

[pineapple stu]

Fair enough - missed that entirely so! Cheers!

[OwlsFan]

Bobby Robson was at Boro-Chelsea...:confused:/

Yes, noticed that. Is there a granny we don't know about or maybe he was just taking in a game? He was at the Sunderland vs Spurs match the next day

[livehead1]

Yes, noticed that. Is there a granny we don't know about or maybe he was just taking in a game? He was at the Sunderland vs Spurs match the next day
well that one would make much more sense what with lawrence, murphy, keane and maybe the thought kelly would be playing as well. Suprised he left him out, that eejit stalteri made a big huck up so maybe he be back in

[NeilMcD]

Staltieri has been very solid all season and that is one of the 1st mistakes that he has made. I think you should look at the games with your green tinted glasses off. Kelly has been poor a few times but that comes with not getting a run of games as he was top class last season in my view.

[Stuttgart88]

I think it was a feather in Murphy's cap to outwit (out muscle) a full back as consistently solid as Stalteri has been.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah agree with you there Stuttgart, but Staltieri was very poor for it but Murphy showed great hunger and agression. Incidently Stephen kelly is meant to have scored a 30 yard scremer for Spurs reserves to keep them top of the table.

[cavan_fan]

September 2nd 2006 Germany away
We’ll play the team that will win bronze in this summer’s World Cup. Germany will be suffering from the usual post-World Cup hangover. We’ll be jittery and full of teething problems, but we’ll display huge resolve and determination to start well. Prediction 0-0.

October 7th 2006 Cyprus away.
No dodgy performance this time round. Catch the Cypriot Indian summer and add 3pts to our tally. Prediction 0-3.

October 11th Czech Republic at home.
The last significant game in Lansdowne, prior to a San Marino epilogue. The Czech republic are at the beginning of a new era with Nedved and co. definitively retired from the international stage. A hugely enthusiastic crowd for the first home game of the campaign. The team doesn’t disappoint. Prediction 2-0.

November 15th 2006 San Marino at home.
Terribly emotional night. There will be no errors this evening. All the Irish players want to score the last goal at the old Lansdowne. A rout. Prediction 5-0.

February 7th 2007 San Marino away.
Start the new year where we left off in 2006 with a siege on the San Marino goal. Prediction 0-4. Thirteen points out of a possible fifteen. Flying high. Set up for a fall?

March 24th 2007 Wales at home.
The single most hyped international sporting moment in the history of Irish sport. The atmosphere is unprecedented. The players respond. Wales are never really let into the game. Staunton can do no wrong. Prediction 2-0.

March 28th 2007 Slovakia at home.
Can Ireland extend their unbeaten record at Croker? They do better than that. Two early goals and a third late in the game, and we’ve taken 6 out of 6 Croke Park Points. And we’ve yet to surrender a goal. Prediction 3-0.

September 8th 2007 Slovakia away.
Rested after a summer break we travel to Bratislava. The Slovaks are still in the running for second spot. They have everything to play for. We’ve lost some momentum. We surrender an early goal. We huff we puff but the Slovaks have built their house with brick. Staunton’s first competitive defeat. Prediction 1-0.

September 12th 2007 Czech Republic away.
Phenomenal amounts of inexpensive alcohol consumed on this Eastern trip. The green army reeks and burps its way to and through Prague. We’re uncertain. We will bounce back right? Staunton won’t have hit any alarmist buttons. We’ll get something out of this trip? We don’t. Prediction 2-0.

October 13th 2007 Germany at home.
Bobby’s doing more interviews now. Stuanton smiles less. We’re back at Mother Croke. This is the big one. More hyped than the Welsh game earlier in the year. Three points for either side here and a place in the finals could be secured. The players rally. The poor eastern performances are not repeated. But the Germans won’t be toppled. Prediction 0-0. You’ll never score at Croker.

October 17th 2007 Cyprus at home.
A shivering Cypriot team. Ireland don’t play particularly well. For the first time the atmosphere goes missing in Croke Park. We do enough. Prediction 2-0.


November 17th Wales away.
23 points out of a potential 33. But Germany and the Czechs have matched us all the way. It’s a mini league of three, but we know that a draw will be enough. Ferryload after ferryload after ferryload. The Millineum Stadium glows green. Will the Welsh stop Staunton qualifying us for our 20th anniversary Euro-Finals? Predictions anybody??????


Mmmmm, not exactly psychic! Though to be fair he did predict a 3 goal winning margin in Cyprus, though sadly for the wrong side.