Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[bennocelt]

As I am too lazy to look it up but in 1994 we played a truly dire game against Norway, with a predictable 0-0 result. It was shocking stuff. If we had went for the win would we have avoided Holland?

[mark12345]

I agree. Qualification is the big target. Then we reboot and focus on the tournament proper.

I think some historic perspective is needed. I think we have deluded ourselves in some respects given how we had a good record getting out of groups.

Euro 88: some great performances but still "only" 4 points. 3rd in group.
WC90: two ok performances, one awful performance, two resolute / competitive performances. Nothing on a par with Hannover though. Two goals scored, both from opposition mistakes. No games won after 90 or 120 minutes.
WC94: one great performance, one ok and two muck. Two goals scored, one game in four won.
WC02: two decent (although the German appraisal has become a bit revisionist - Germany wasted a hatful of chances), one good and one really ballsy performance (Spain). We actually scored a few goals for a change.
Eur12: 3 defeats. One for, lots against. Caveat being it was a very hard group.

I'm not trying to revise downwards the appreciation of what went before, just trying to show that even in our heyday we found it hard to impress on the big stage. It's hard and this World Cup showed how the second-placed European teams struggled. Only France did well and they're not your typical European second seed.

Qualify, hope for a good draw, play well, get some luck and only then is progress beyond group stage feasible I reckon.

One common denominator in all of the above - we are a very attack minded team and have absolutely no problem scoring goals.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Scotland drew 2-2 with a Nigeria team that were being paid to lose

Even if that were true, how do you explain all their other results? WGS bribed the oppo' or went for the 'ginger sympathy' card...

[BonnieShels]

As I am too lazy to look it up but in 1994 we played a truly dire game against Norway, with a predictable 0-0 result. It was shocking stuff. If we had went for the win would we have avoided Holland?

We would have finished top by two points and then played Bulgaria in the next round.

Incidentally Italy who finished third played Nigeria in the second round.

[Crosby87]

Lebron James to played in Cleveland again.

[bennocelt]

We would have finished top by two points and then played Bulgaria in the next round.

Incidentally Italy who finished third played Nigeria in the second round.

Yeah looked it up, tbh I dont think we wud have beaten those two, Bulgaria were great in that world cup, and Nigeria were very close to knocking out Italy

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye, four years earlier maybe...the travelling and heat did for the Irish in USA'94 iirc.

[paul_oshea]

I thought we were good in the first half especially after they scored.

When we played Germany at home under Trap I was in Slattery's early and they were showing the Ibaraki game in full. The second half was peppered with incidents of Germany ballsing up presentable chances. One in particular where a Shay and Breen hesitated between them to allow Jacker a great chance which he fluffed. Another ( or was it the same chance?) was when Jacker had a simple chance to lob Shay who was in no man's land but fluffed it. Germany could have won that game 3-0 even though we played well for long periods, especially in immediate response to Klose's goal.

It wasn't how I remembered the game but seeing it again on telly without the emotion and tension changed my view of it. Our first chance in the second half was about two minutes before we scored, Kahn making a good block from Keane, at close range.

stutts I can't recall individuals at this stage but we could definitely have been down 3 0 in that game and lost by the same scoreline.we played well in parts without creating anything.I always felt germany thought they could just do enough to win and were happy to sit back on the lead but we got them on a sucker punch.

I also thought against Spain we could have been 2 or 3 down in the first 20+ mins but once they scored they sat back and we started to dominate.good teams back then seemed a lot happier to do that I don't think they would do it now.

against cameroon we didn't do an awful lot either

I actually think that all the luck Mccarthy didn't get in all those playoffs and last minute goals and shock results all came together in the world cup and got us vital goals at vital times...not just luck but ye know what I mean.

[paul_oshea]

Lebron James to played in Cleveland again.

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers

[DannyInvincible]

I actually think that all the luck Mccarthy didn't get in all those playoffs and last minute goals and shock results all came together in the world cup and got us vital goals at vital times...not just luck but ye know what I mean.

Out of curiosity, what do you mean?

[Stuttgart88]

the travelling and heat did for the Irish in USA'94 iirc.

I agree. I was exhausted.

[BonnieShels]

Yeah looked it up, tbh I dont think we wud have beaten those two, Bulgaria were great in that world cup, and Nigeria were very close to knocking out Italy

We would have played Nigeria in Boston or Bulgaria in NJ.

[Charlie Darwin]

I remember the weather being stifling in that Bulgaria match too.

[BonnieShels]

Most probably. Weather in this part of the world in June/July is insane.

[paul_oshea]

It's not.its insane for a few days followed by heavy thunder showers but it's only ever really bad a few days each month. The rest it's usually just very warm but not the high humidity which is what the Irish players couldn't handle.