http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...10/8752637.stm
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If we were looking for some sort of bad karma / poetic justice for the French team, it really could not have worked out better. I wonder do FIFA rue the day they ever arranged the seeding of the play-offs, laughing at our expense now? For there is no doubt, the French have brought this World Cup into disreputeQuote:
Originally Posted by Dunny
Hmmm. I wonder if you-know-who had a hand in proceedings?Quote:
According to a senior FFF official, the squad's training boycott was prompted by several players. "The three or four leaders are players past their prime who will never play a World Cup again," FFF general secretary Henri Monteil told French daily newspaper La Charente Libre.
That's terrible luck.Quote:
The French team has been reduced to ashes.
FIFA screwed up, Ireland would have brought 10,000 fans to SA and would have added so much to the tournament, France have a couple of thousand very sullen looking fans and a team dragging the World Cup through the mud. Personally I am delighted at the outcome, I hope Bafana batter them this afternoon and send them home properly humiliatedQuote:
Originally Posted by Den Perry
looks like it!Quote:
Originally Posted by endabob1
one down, a man down (although the sending off was harsh).
Abject failure by the French.
Utter humilation and well deserved!
Sadly nobody cares about 10K fans at the actual match... of much more importance is 10million watching on French TV as opposed to 1million watching in Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by endabob1
Incidentally, I love the Sony ads on billboards at the matches.... "Imagine football in 3D" ... yes just imagine football in 3D, it's almost be like getting off your fat arse and actually going to a game!
South Africa would have preferred an extra 10k+ Tourists that's for sure, spending 100 euros a day for a couple of weeks that's an extra 140m ZAR pumped into the local economy.Quote:
Originally Posted by seand
The cinemas are showing the games in 3d here, 100zar a seat or 140zar for a seat if you'd booked cat4 tickets when they came out, it's madness!!
France are a very poor team at the moment. Doesn't say much for Ireland that we couldn't beat them - even allowing for despicable 'Hand of Thierry.
True but they have an exceptionally good goalkeeper who kept them in both legs against us and has kept them in games hereQuote:
Originally Posted by Straightstory
we gave them far too much respect in the first leg at home. i think we realised after that match that we were well able to compete with them and went on to dominate the away leg. leaving the handball aside we had the chances to win and just couldnt take themQuote:
Originally Posted by Straightstory
[QUOTE=endabob1;1370002]South Africa would have preferred an extra 10k+ Tourists that's for sure, spending 100 euros a day for a couple of weeks that's an extra 140m ZAR pumped into the local economy.
QUOTE]
South Africa probably would have preferred Ireland there, but again, who cares what South Africa wants? Which is more important, a few more million for South African or a few more million for FIFA? Clue: total percentage of income from TV money and sponsorship going to South Africa: 0.
They must have been reading a lot of the posters here, and cnuts like Tom Humphreys. I never read so much negativity in all my life. I'd say well over half the posters in the predictions thread never gave us a chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
I also think that 3 or 4 weeks in camp together is much more likely to result in poor performance if morale is low and there is in-fighting, than in a 2-legged cup final with only a few days together. If they only had to turn up to SA to play one game they'd have acquitted themselves better.
Agree. Look how a very good Uruguay team approached their opening game against the French. By counter attacking and getting most of their team behind the ball. France have some excellent players and despite the melt down in SA we did well over the two legs.
John O'Shea, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane each had a chance to win the match in full-time against France - long before any Henry hand-ball. But each fluffed the chances.
O'Shea from 6 yards out and a free shot, blasted over the bar,
Duff 1-on-1 with Lorrisz could have rounded the keeper and goaled, but shot and shot was blocked, and Robbie trying to by-pass th ekeeper, over hit it and the ball ran too far - wide.
If Ireland's 3 most experienced players could not score, we did not have much of a chance.
Italy and France were at the worse they have ever been - and Ireland remember were in a campaign coming back from the Staunton era, AND with many players with Hull, Wolves, and Championship Division teams.
It is a hge shame that Ireland are not in the WC - it does seem like a big opportunity missed - when the standard of England, France and Italy crumbled. And teams like Germany and Spain went through rocky patches.