Fifa Rankings

Does anyone take these rankings seriously or are they a fair reflection on how bad we are at the moment?
We're in 36th place, four places behind Northern Ireland.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/...html?RTEMAILID

there based on current form, so I wouldn't give them too much credence. I'd imagine with a decent manager and the squad we have we'd beat NI 7 times out of ten

Kind of puts our own slide into perspective when we are ranked behind Norn Iron internationally.

Full respect to them though in their home victory's over Sweden, Espana, Denmark - but I reckon we'd beat them.

And we wouldn't have to sing sectarian songs either to make ourselves feel good.

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Originally Posted by CJTheGull

Full respect to them though in their home victory's over Sweden, Espana, Denmark - but I reckon we'd beat them.

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Yeah, in fairness, it's been a long time since we beat a team of any quality competitively. Probably Holland in 2001. They are 3 great wins and they fully deserve to be ahead of us even if their squad isn't a strong as ours.

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Originally Posted by CJTheGull

Kind of puts our own slide into perspective when we are ranked behind Norn Iron internationally.

Full respect to them though in their home victory's over Sweden, Espana, Denmark - but I reckon we'd beat them.

And we wouldn't have to sing sectarian songs either to make ourselves feel good.

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Well done on getting the petty dig in at the end.

I guess you just have to resort to making digs about a fanbase who have made a hell of a lot of effort to clean up their act to make yourself feel good.

A good manager should have us a good bit higher after the next qualifiers, however if it's Venebles I wont be holding my breath

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Originally Posted by micls

Well done on getting the petty dig in at the end.

I guess you just have to resort to making digs about a fanbase who have made a hell of a lot of effort to clean up their act to make yourself feel good.

A good manager should have us a good bit higher after the next qualifiers, however if it's Venebles I wont be holding my breath

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Thank you for the support micls, but I'm not actually bothered by CJ's gibe, since these days, NI fans don't need sectarian songs to make us feel good about ourselves - events on the pitch do that job more than adequately! :)

P.S. I personally feel that if El Tel wants the job for the right reasons (challenge, not money) and can be made to concentrate on the job in hand, he could actually be an excellent appointment. Big "if", mind you! ;)

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Thank you for the support micls, but I'm not actually bothered by CJ's gibe, since these days, NI fans don't need sectarian songs to make us feel good about ourselves - events on the pitch do that job more than adequately! :)

P.S. I personally feel that if El Tel wants the job for the right reasons (challenge, not money) and can be made to concentrate on the job in hand, he could actually be an excellent appointment. Big "if", mind you! ;)

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Well looking at the stats you posted on the Lawrie Sanchez thread, NI wins one game in five. Based on this I think NI has a long way to go before the fans can start feeling good about themselves. ;)

and FYI, TV was appointed to the job months ago. It just hasn't been made public yet.

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Originally Posted by ifk101

Well looking at the stats you posted on the Lawrie Sanchez thread, NI wins one game in five. Based on this I think NI has a long way to go before the fans can start feeling good about themselves. ;)

and FYI, TV was appointed to the job months ago. It just hasn't been made public yet.

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We have won "one game in five" over the course of of our 127 year history*, but the FIFA Rankings only apply to the most recent rolling 4 year period, when our success rate has been considerably better. I prefer the present to the past!

But I suspect you're correct about El Tel, which imo might just turn out to be a good appointment.


* - If you take the first 41 years out of the reckoning, our overall record improves. Must be something to do with our no longer feeling obliged to make so many "token" selections...;)

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

* - If you take the first 41 years out of the reckoning, our overall record improves. Must be something to do with our no longer feeling obliged to make so many "token" selections...;)

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True. Perhaps our current obligations to make "token" selections are hurting us ;)

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Originally Posted by micls

Well done on getting the petty dig in at the end.

I guess you just have to resort to making digs about a fanbase who have made a hell of a lot of effort to clean up their act to make yourself feel good.

A good manager should have us a good bit higher after the next qualifiers, however if it's Venebles I wont be holding my breath

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I watched Linfield V Cliftonville there the other week and I wouldn't get so confident about the fanbase of Northern Ireland, there were some bloody Scumbags at that game 'up to ya knees in fenian blood' still seems to be an old fave

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Originally Posted by livehead1

I watched Linfield V Cliftonville there the other week and I wouldn't get so confident about the fanbase of Northern Ireland, there were some bloody Scumbags at that game 'up to ya knees in fenian blood' still seems to be an old fave

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I've been to 2 NI home games in recent years (Spain and Azerbaijan). I didn't hear one word out of place from any of the fans at either game. The IFA's Football for all campaign has been hugely successful in bringing a party atmosphere to their home games.

I did attend quite a few NI home games from 1988 - 1994 including our 3 and the atmosphere has changed completely. I still think the events of 1993 were blown totally out of proportion here but there certainly was quite a bit of sectarian chanting and comments.

I've also attended a number of Irish league and setanta Cup games in NI and you still hear the odd song or comment. Haven't heard the Billy Boys for years though. My eldest daughter has been to 4 Irish League grounds (Portadown, Armagh, Dungannon and Loughgall) and she'll be 7 on Monday.

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Originally Posted by ifk101

Well looking at the stats you posted on the Lawrie Sanchez thread, NI wins one game in five.

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I thought there was someting "fishy" about this! A total of 127 wins in 513 games works out at 24.75% - almost exactly one game in four.

See, we're getting better all the time! ;)

Well done on getting the petty dig in at the end.

I guess you just have to resort to making digs about a fanbase who have made a hell of a lot of effort to clean up their act to make yourself feel good.

I have no political agenda whatsoever. But as someone who has stayed up in Belfast on numerous occassions and worked all over Northern Ireland I stand by my remarks.

'micls' I know that it may not be the most politically correct thing to say in these enlightened times but I'm just being honest.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

I prefer the present to the past!

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Are you sure you're from Northern Ireland:confused:

;)

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Originally Posted by gspain

I've been to 2 NI home games in recent years (Spain and Azerbaijan). I didn't hear one word out of place from any of the fans at either game. The IFA's Football for all campaign has been hugely successful in bringing a party atmosphere to their home games.

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havent they got a designated stand behind the goal for fans who would like to actually support their team and also dont have to resort to tacky post goal music to create an atmosphere? FAI please take note

I'm not even going to ask to get this on topic because it won't work. Thread closed before it turns into a 40 pager about Northern Ireland fans.