Why Ireland can't win in Switzerland

[Sheridan]

Hope I’m wrong of course, but…

When was the last time Ireland actually BEAT a serious contender away from home? Their record over the past few campaigns runs as follows:

2004 ECQ: Russia 4-2 Ireland
2002 WCQ: Iran 1-0 Ireland, Portugal 1-1 Ireland, Netherlands 2-2 Ireland
2000 ECQ: Turkey 0-0 Ireland, Croatia 1-0 Ireland, Yugoslavia 1-0 Ireland
1998 WCQ: Belgium 2-1 Ireland, Romania 1-0 Ireland (Lithuania 1-2 Ireland hardly counts, although Lithuania were in contention. They lost 1-6 at home to Hungary a few campaigns later…)
1996 ECQ: Portugal 3-0 Ireland, Austria 3-1 Ireland
1994 WCQ: Spain 0-0 Ireland, Denmark 0-0 Ireland.
1992 ECQ: Poland 3-3 Ireland, England 1-1 Ireland
1990 WCQ: Hungary 0-0 Ireland, Spain 2-0 Ireland
1988 ECQ: Bulgaria 2-1 Ireland, Scotland 0-1 Ireland, Belgium 2-2 Ireland

Finally! Although…does this really count? Scotland were certainly a good side, but Belgium and Bulgaria were both stronger teams. Anyway, if we take this as our cut-off point, it’s still fairly depressing. Sixteen years since Ireland beat a major team away from home. And if we keep going, we don’t find another comparable victory until the 2-1 win away to Czechoslovakia in 1967!

[Plastic Paddy]

Originally posted by Sheridan
Hope I’m wrong of course, but…

When was the last time Ireland actually BEAT a serious contender away from home? Their record over the past few campaigns runs as follows:

2004 ECQ: Russia 4-2 Ireland
2002 WCQ: Iran 1-0 Ireland, Portugal 1-1 Ireland, Netherlands 2-2 Ireland
2000 ECQ: Turkey 0-0 Ireland, Croatia 1-0 Ireland, Yugoslavia 1-0 Ireland
1998 WCQ: Belgium 2-1 Ireland, Romania 1-0 Ireland (Lithuania 1-2 Ireland hardly counts, although Lithuania were in contention. They lost 1-6 at home to Hungary a few campaigns later…)
1996 ECQ: Portugal 3-0 Ireland, Austria 3-1 Ireland
1994 WCQ: Spain 0-0 Ireland, Denmark 0-0 Ireland.
1992 ECQ: Poland 3-3 Ireland, England 1-1 Ireland
1990 WCQ: Hungary 0-0 Ireland, Spain 2-0 Ireland
1988 ECQ: Bulgaria 2-1 Ireland, Scotland 0-1 Ireland, Belgium 2-2 Ireland

Finally! Although…does this really count? Scotland were certainly a good side, but Belgium and Bulgaria were both stronger teams. Anyway, if we take this as our cut-off point, it’s still fairly depressing. Sixteen years since Ireland beat a major team away from home. And if we keep going, we don’t find another comparable victory until the 2-1 win away to Czechoslovakia in 1967!

Jaisus, de doom and de gloom! We should all give up now, wha?

All bad things must come to an end. Even the North have to score a goal again sometime... ;)

:D PP

[pete]

McCarthys team had serious problems winning away from home anywhere.

Kerrs away record current ly stands at:

Scotland 2-0
Georgia 2-1
Albania 0-0

[gspain]

We beat Northern Ireland 4-0 in Belfast in November 94 - they finished level on points with us and missed out on a playoff on the head to head results. They had a decent team at the time and beat Austria home and away and drew in Portugal.

Point is still valid though as these wins are very rare. Last one before Scotland was Czechoslovakia 1967 in Prague which knocked them out of Italia68. I'm struggling to think of any prior to that.

It will be very very difficult. I don't think we've won in Switzerland since the 1930's. Even lost there in 75 when we had a decent team and looked good for Euro76.

However they need a win to win the group so they won't settle for a draw (on current from you wouldn't give them a chance in the playoffs) so with both teams going for a win who knows...

[gspain]

The other thing is that in virtually all those games above a draw would have been considered a great result. It is very difficultt o win when playing for a draw.

A draw is useless in Basle

[RomanAbramovich]

i hope we gat there but if we don't get to euro 2004 who is to blame McCarthy for losing first 2 games, roy keane for not coming back, or brian kerr in fairness not beating albania was a major blow that draw was a disgrace.

[Macy]

Originally posted by RomanAbramovich
i hope we gat there but if we don't get to euro 2004 who is to blame McCarthy for losing first 2 games, roy keane for not coming back, or brian kerr in fairness not beating albania was a major blow that draw was a disgrace.
1) Definitely - the swiss home game in particular.... 2 draws and we would be in poll position....
2) I thought everyone thought we did fine without him the WC, so why should it be an issue now? (Defo miss him, esp games like Saturday - I don't want another debate about it though)
3) We came away with a point, same as Switzerland. Russia got hammered 3-1. Disgraceful result alright, sack Kerr now....

[Sheridan]

Originally posted by gspain
The other thing is that in virtually all those games above a draw would have been considered a great result. It is very difficultt o win when playing for a draw.

A draw is useless in Basle

This is precisely the problem. Certainly, Ireland should have won a half-dozen of those away games, but winning is an art in itself, and one that Ireland have yet to perfect. I NEVER feel confident about Ireland winning any game, because I just can't see:

A: Where the goal is coming from.
B: How Ireland are going to avoid a fatal lapse in concentration at some stage of the match.

Wonder what the bookies are saying about Basle.

[Bluebeard]

Originally posted by Plastic Paddy

All bad things must come to an end. Even the North have to score a goal again sometime... ;)

:D PP

That's right, damn us even before the first withdrawals from the squad! :rolleyes: :D

[RomanAbramovich]

i hope brian kerr feels great about his still unbeaten run when we draw again in switzerland and he can say i am unbeaten as ireland manger. one problem brian we have not quailifyed for anything.

[Macy]

Originally posted by RomanAbramovich
i hope brian kerr feels great about his still unbeaten run when we draw again in switzerland and he can say i am unbeaten as ireland manger. one problem brian we have not quailifyed for anything.
I'm sure he will, and will no doubt play for a draw..... Sure we would've qualified if McCarthy had stayed in charge.....

[pete]

I know we can go on about ifs 'n buts BUT....IF...Ireland had no conceeded the sloppy goal to Russia i belive we would ahve went on to win that game........&........we'd only need a point now to top the group!

If Kerr had started the campaign i don't think theres any chance we would have lost at home to Switzerland. I think people forget how crap Ireland were that day & how the Swiss still needed a flukey win.

The biggest improvement Kerr has made is the away form. Under McCarthy we never looked in control & was usually backs to the walls stuff.

[tiktok]

this might be a critical game but after seeing switzerland against russia (and at home against us come to think of it) i don't think they're in the class of the teams cited above. they were brutal yesterday and without Yakin up front they lack a lot of creativity going forward.

[RomanAbramovich]

the one thing that surprised me when watching the russia v swis game is how sloppy the swiss back 4 were. how in gods name we only got 1 past them and they scored 2 against us i have no idea they were terrible.

[tricky_colour]

Wednesday, 6 June, 2001, 17:52 GMT 18:52 UK

Estonia 0-2 Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland stretched their lead at the top of World Cup qualifying Group Two with an assured victory over Estonia in Tallin

Ireland: Given; Carr, Harte, Dunne, Staunton, Holland, Gary Kelly, Kinsella, Niall Quinn, Duff, Kilbane
Subs: Robbie Keane, O'Brien, Connolly, McAteer, Finnan, Doherty, Alan Kelly.

So I don't know what that guy who gave Lithuainia was talking about.

Interesting team though, no Keane of any variety!!
All but two are avaliable (Staunton & Quinn)

And Estonia are comparable to Switzerland.

So don't beleve the doom and gloom spreaders!!

source:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1372011.stm

[parnell ranger]

u gotta ask how many of these games have ireland actually went out to win/ as apposed to not losing.
the last serious attempt i remember was vs a good french team under eoin hand which we drew 2-2.
switzerland are a poor enough side we should drop this negative mindset and go at them.

[gspain]

Originally posted by tricky_colour
Wednesday, 6 June, 2001, 17:52 GMT 18:52 UK

Estonia 0-2 Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland stretched their lead at the top of World Cup qualifying Group Two with an assured victory over Estonia in Tallin

Ireland: Given; Carr, Harte, Dunne, Staunton, Holland, Gary Kelly, Kinsella, Niall Quinn, Duff, Kilbane
Subs: Robbie Keane, O'Brien, Connolly, McAteer, Finnan, Doherty, Alan Kelly.

So I don't know what that guy who gave Lithuainia was talking about.

Interesting team though, no Keane of any variety!!
All but two are avaliable (Staunton & Quinn)

And Estonia are comparable to Switzerland.

So don't beleve the doom and gloom spreaders!!

source:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1372011.stm

New fan alert. :D

Estonia are not comparable to Switzerland - Swiss are miles ahead.

We beat Lithuania 2-1 in September 97 in the WC98 qualifiers. It is a valid one to use in that we were competing with them for the playoff but only because we were rubbish at the time drawing 0-0 at home to Iceland (Roy Keane as sweeper and Alan Moore off the bench instead of Aldo) and 0-0 at home to Lithiania. not to mention 3-2 away in Macedonia. anyway we did need the win in Vilnius and got it to scrape into the playoffs a month later by drawing at home to romania.

[tricky_colour]

New fan alert.

Estonia are not comparable to Switzerland - Swiss are miles ahead.

We beat Lithuania 2-1 in September 97 in the WC98 qualifiers. It is a valid one to use in that we were competing with them for the playoff but only because we were rubbish at the time drawing 0-0 at home to Iceland (Roy Keane as sweeper and Alan Moore off the bench instead of Aldo) and 0-0 at home to Lithiania. not to mention 3-2 away in Macedonia. anyway we did need the win in Vilnius and got it to scrape into the playoffs a month later by drawing at home to romania.

I am not sure what you are talking about, all qualifier are pretty
crucial 'must win' matches, apart prehaps from the away game
against the 'strongest' team in the group.
All the matches so far have been 'crucial', one more point and we would be in a far better position. Switzerland are world ranked
40, Estonia were ranked 77 then.
Estonia were 140 ranking points behind Ireland Switzerland are
110 points behing now.
So it shoule be an easy win.
I would play the same teams + Connolly and O'Shea.

[John83]

Originally posted by gspain
The other thing is that in virtually all those games above a draw would have been considered a great result. It is very difficultt o win when playing for a draw.

A draw is useless in Basle

Not if the Georgians beat the Russians. Or would they overtake us then?

[Schumi]

Originally posted by John83
Not if the Georgians beat the Russians. Or would they overtake us then? Georgia are out after losing away to Albania.

[SÓC]

Georgians are playing the Russians, even though they are out they are not going to lie down and take a beating, I'd compare it to Ireland playing England in London when we knew we couldnt get through, we'd still go gun-hoe for the win.

The Swiss are an over-rated international team. Basel did well in the champions league, they beat a shocking Ireland team in Dublin and all of a sudden they are excellent? The drew and lost to Russia and had worse results against Albania and Georgia than we did. They are there for the taking.

[JP MCMANUS]

[I said you were suspended. Don't make me report you to your boss in that big place in Limerick for using company resources to browse our lovely website. Take the suspension like a man. Or woman, as the case may be. --adam]

[John83]

Originally posted by JP MCMANUS
[I said you were suspended. Don't make me report you to your boss in that big place in Limerick for using company resources to browse our lovely website. Take the suspension like a man. Or woman, as the case may be. --adam] :D Man, you don't pull your punches. Just out of curiosity, what'd he do?

[The Blue Oyster]

i can see us beating the swiss but when it comes to pressure games ie. games we must win they always end in draws.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Sheridan
Hope I’m wrong of course, but…

When was the last time Ireland actually BEAT a serious contender away from home?

Wouldn't personally see the Swiss as anything like a 'serious contender' after their hopelessly inept performance against Russia. Fact is if we run straight down the middle at them like the Russians did, we could have them in serious trouble. Preparation under Kerr will be spot on. so I'm quietly confident that we can pull it off.

[Sheridan]

Originally posted by Sheridan
Hope I’m wrong of course, but…

When was the last time Ireland actually BEAT a serious contender away from home? ...
Scotland 0-1 Ireland,
Nice to see this (highly subjective) stat being trotted out by every pundit in the country. Hi, fellas!