This didn't age well, and may have been the same thinking that Stephen Bradley employed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buller
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This didn't age well, and may have been the same thinking that Stephen Bradley employed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buller
Just thinking this today ... was there any significant difference in the way SRFC lost 3-0 last night, and they way Shels for example lost to Rosenborg in 2000/01. While summer soccer has done a lot to improve fitness of teams, the only real advancement we have made in 20 years, to my eye, is that there aren't 10-0 aggregate thumpings like Pats-Zimbru in 1999 anymore. Maybe I just got too negative over the years lol.
Others have said it before now, but looking back at clips of yesterdays game Towell looks like quite a limited player. Not short on energy and effort but a bit aimless. S&C cant have been the only things that had him stand out in the league before the move to England. Its like his time at Salford has zapped his football brain and now he is just an energetic body in the way and spoil. Sloppy with the simple ball at times also. People were disappointed when he opted not to come back to Dundalk, we were a basket case at the time, but he doesnt seem to be the same player. Maybe tactics and roles come in to it and there was a an improvemet when he was subbed (for Kavanagh?) as well as Burke on.
I think the biggest difference is in both expectation and reality.Quote:
Originally Posted by CorribsideSteve
We expect LOI clubs to progress in Europe nowadays, whereas realistically no-one really did throughout last century. On the rare occasions that it happened then it was viewed as a huge achievement and a bit of a miracle at times. I can remember when Sligo got through a round of Europe for the first time in 1994 against Floriana of Malta, and it was viewed as a really big deal. In contrast if the clubs met now and Sligo didn't win through, I suspect there'd be general disappointment. We expect at least one club every year to be making some progress in Europe - and in reality there usually is.
That's a fair point about the expectations. They definitely have risen, and we have had two teams in group stages in the last 5 years, so it's not nothing. I guess the hapless inefficiency of SRFC to both score and avoid conceding last night makes me feel like little changed at all over the last two decades in the way we lose our matches; SRFC had one hal-chance shot from Burke and that was it. Their set pieces were woejus beyond compare whenever they got into a decent position, which didn't happen often, and the brainfarts and the overwhelming panic leading to soft goal concession seem to life-long traits, endemic to our clubs, no matter the standards rising elsewhere re fitness etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by EatYerGreens
Last night was awful but then I remind myselfQuote:
Originally Posted by CorribsideSteve
“ the worst hapless inefficient day in the champions league is way way better than the best day being homeless/broke/relegated/
..” insert as appropriate
That's a great perspective to be fair. 20 years of homelessness and the shame/ridicule/stress of all that, including the receivership woes around 2003-ish, SRFC have come a long way alright. So I guess that's proof of the puding right there of raised expectations, with me being so disappointed with them last night.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calcio Jack
Im not sure that LoI fans are that detached from reality and epactant. We fret about seedings months in advance, looking at other leagues hoping a lower ranked side wins. Even when seeded we scrutinise the geographic groups and state who we want to avoid at all costs. Expectation kicks in against a Hibs Malta, Bala Town, Icelandic, some Baltic teams etc. Then we have the 'hope we can cause a bit of a shock' draws. If anything I think we are relatively sensible - get through 1 round if seeded or the draw is kind. Everything after if really bonus territory. I did expect Derry to be better over 2 legs but wasnt surprised due to domestic form. I though Sligo had done enough in the first leg not to do their best to throw the advantage away. St Pats getting a buy through a round has been noted as potentially missed co-eff points. Rovers and fans were probably hoping for guaranteed ECL group stages via the other comps and again was the real target with anything else a bonus and they it is still possible that they could make a group stage. Expectation built around Dundalk and with a co'eff of 10. something at one stage its understandable why. There were some chastening games but there were some excellent performances and results. 2 groups stages a few years apart and generally progressed at least one round.Quote:
Originally Posted by EatYerGreens
It is all relative for me and as CJ has mentioned perspective is important. About this tie 10 years ago we were facing relegation at best and bocht club at worst, with an owner that seemed to be letting pride get in the way of sensible business. If someone insisted that we'd been told we'd be champions 2 years later and in European group stages 4 years later they might have been told they need some time in a padded cell. Footballs fans are far too quick to forget the down times and fire off stones in glasshouses when others have similar struggles.
You've read what I wrote all wrong. I didn't say LOI fans were detached from reality. And the expectation we all have of at least one club making at least one round of progress every year is hardly an over-reach in expectation terms. It's actually now the norm for our clubs in Europe for at least one to progress every year (or almost every year)Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Yeah we agree there. He just doesn't seem smart enough to play within a system. You can see it when he pulls wide to receive the ball and he's screaming at players to give it to him but it's the wrong move so they ignore him. He's best when he's running from deep at simple angles but we don't tend to do that very often, partly because we don't tend to play teams who press us high probably. He scored one of his few goals against Derry this way because they were playing a high line and he was able to run in behind from our half. Can't fault him for effort but it's not filling that McEneff shaped hole you're always talking about.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Mura only due to arrive in Dublin at six after a delay in Maribor. That has to leaving it very late , I thought it was always the norm to train in the away ground the day before your match.
Same thing happened UCD in Luxembourg. These things can happen alright. They'll probably head straight out to the ground I'd imagine
Just wondering what’s the process is here. Their flight is now down to arrive at 7:35. Then from getting through immigration and the travel time , how long are Pats obliged to keep the ground open and available. I know buying goodwill with potential problems for our own travel ahead next week is a must. The ground and office staff have a big day tomorrow and shouldn’t be required to wait around all night.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Pushing it tight alright - I think ideal time for training is the same time as kickoff the next day - but yeah, while you can be out of the airport in 15 minutes, there's also baggage to collect, a transfer bus (probably waiting) and time to change too. I think we got a police escort to the ground, but even still you'd have to allow an hour at least until training starts, which is probably an hour after it was due?
There might be a fine for being late, but the UEFA Delegate will presumably be in touch with both teams and will have agreed something
No harm for Pat's really; it won't help Mura
Fairly good take on both Rovers in Europe and the league's current standard relative to other years by Dan McDonnell on this weeks LoI central.
We do lack pace. We lacked the 3 players who would have made a difference and even the likes of Farrugia, Cotter and Greene who are all off the boil for different reasons. Have I mentioned us missing players yet? Not sure. I'd hate to come across as repetitiveiveiveiveive.
Are both games being shown tonight? 1 on LOI TV and the other on Premier Sports?
There was definitely a distinct lack of pace on the wings, both defensively and offensively. When breaking it was very slow and no one to take on the opposition. That was one thing Kennys Dundalk were very good at and had pace to get in behind on the counter. And then players like benson to arrive late into the box for those breaks.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
Motherwell are streaming the game. £12.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Pats it is then!Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
http://www.thejournal.ie/rovers-fan-...urce=shortlink
Fairly scary stuff that, hopefully sorted soon.
That's genuinely incredible.
(I'm assuming here he didn't travel on a fake passport of course! But seeing as he got through the border with no problems the other way, you have to wonder what's happened here)
Strange story. With biometric data embedded in the passport it cant be too hard to confirm identity even if someone put on or shed 50kg since the photo was taken.Quote:
Originally Posted by Asterix
They were probably looking for a bribe and it got out-of hand.
Samantha Libreri reporting the guy was Hooperman for a couple of years.
Starting to add up now in fairness.
(JOKE!)
https://mobile.twitter.com/irishfant...71121848025092
Robbie Keane has called Stan Petrov now,finally getting some payback from that contract!
That sounds as plausible as any reason. Not quite the same but there was a pretty well known Dundalk fan (used to post here if he doesnt still under a different name) refused entry to a country at a road border (Belarus maybe) because the passport was deemed too tatty.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa
The Pie and Bovril forum is like the Scottish League version of this forum. Motherwell fans are generally expecting to win comfortably but are wary of Sligo being well into their season by all accounts. Sligo will have to play 100% better than vs Bala to have any chance, but it will be interesting to watch at the same time.
Presume McGinty is gone at this stage? Or is he available for this evening?
They’d be right to expect to win comfortably
Not gone yetQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Keane was quoted as saying 'Ludogorets were always my favourite team when i was a kid 'Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
The fella has been released in Bulgaria so that’s good news anyway…
Saints are back in red tonight, shock horror. I’m hopeful of getting something tonight. I’d be delighted with a 1-1.
I've had this experience, also coming back from a football trip, fair play to him if thats the case.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa
If thats it its really great cos thats a diplomatic incident and these guys will all be fired and rightly so.
Bit strange for one person on a bus to be singled out for something like that, no?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa
Yeah very strange , the bride culture is gas in the parts. I remember paying out four times in Ukraine when pulled in by the coppers.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Now he’s goneQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
That was my initial thoughts. That it was torn/cracked, so maybe it appeared as if someone was trying to alter it. Even if that was the case, it should be fairly easily to confirm the lad's identity without much hassle. Arresting him seems way over the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Do wonder if it really was as a bribe attempt. Bulgaria has cleaned up a bit recently (though still not clean). Most of the border control issues are on the Turkish border, targeting non-EU citizens/goods.
To target a, presumably stubborn, EU citizen, in a group, who's already passed through the border earlier, would seem strange.
RTÉ are reporting that -
That sounds ridiculous, especially after the guy showed other ID cards too. I think the fact he's been released so quickly implies the Bulgarian authorities are 100% in the wrong. Hopefully something he can have a laugh over in time to come, but not a nice experience at all by the sounds of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by RTÉ
Only sensible thing now is for them to be penalized by a goal for each day he was held.
We'd still go out but at least Tuesday would be more interesting.