That result wasn't really a surprise. Turkey were regular whipping boys until the mid 90s remember. England beat them 8-0 in the 80s twice. Euro 96 was the first tournament they qualified for since 1954 (when they drew with Spain in qualifying and progressed by drawing lots).Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Like beating is in dublin in May? That kind of tough? :)
I was more referring to that our performance (including the quality of the goals), not just the record, was as good as achieved out there by any other previous manager, that this is how we most always perform against those ex-eastern block countries in a qual group. Once that context is appreciated, then O'Neill's first serious test can be appraised. He got enough right on the night to win a tie that was fraught with possibles against a team that didn't play as good at home as their previous performances suggested they would.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
If O'Neill had to play a similar game again, I'd be confident that he would do it differently (unlike Trap :)).
Einstein is reported to have said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again but expecting different results.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Trap would define insanity as being the Irish wish to do things differently despite the good results.
We'll assess Martin O'Neill's mental health by whether he does things differently without getting a worse result.
I think.
Granted I am thinking of the 90's when there are a decent side, they came 3rd in the World Cup in 2002.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
However it is Iceland that is the surprise their population is tiny it must be something in the fish!!!!
They didn't qualify in 2004 or 2012, and they've only been to one World Cup, but once they do qualify for a tournament they tend to do very well. Only once have they failed to make a quarter final at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Precisely, they are a very good side.
Yea I just checked my facts, I looked at their qualifying record and it seems they finished 2nd in their groupQuote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
every/most of the time. I guess they must have lost out in the pay offs?
It seems in 2000 they qualified in the play offs at our expense.
I feel the same. And I also feel that way about Whelan (cannot for the life of me see what he brings to the team that Hoolahan cannot do with his little toe).Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
There's a saying which goes like this: "When I was 14 years old, I was surprised at how little my father knew about life. When I was 21 years old, I was surprised how much he'd learned in seven years."
That's sort of the way I feel. I never knew how little I knew about football. Have played and watched the game, and reffed to, all of my life. But, as successive Irish managers have demonstrated to me, and many others I suspect, we know nothing about the game because we cannot see the qualities in the likes of Ward and Whelan, whereas they can.
Turkey were poor enough before 2000, Iceland (when they were minnows) beat them 5 nil one time and another time England put 11 past them.Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Iceland's results are no surprise to anyone (Charlie excepted), who knows anything abou. ........
They have an integrated progressive academy system in place since 2003, there are 4 or 5 full sized indoor stadiums. From a starting place in 2002 where Iceland were playing elementary football and were far behind Ireland, they are now ahead. What has effected the change in the main is the academy system and most everyone in football, batting together. Last night's team would beat Ireland. This isn't just a golden generation, a mere isolated inflated bubble of talent, the base of this team all came through the club academies and most of them were involved in the successful 2011 u21 team. This current successful generation of u21´s are already vying for places on the senior team.
Lagerbeck has it made, he just has to turn up and not mess it up.
Turkey were so bad once that Dave O'Leary scored against them.
I loved it when Turkey, Greece and Cyprus were pushovers.
Mark, I hear you, but I think Ward is there only by default. I usually agree wrt Whelan but I think he did well on Sunday. Stephen Hunt was saying in the press last week that he's a big character on the pitch.
It was a bad time of the year for Turkey though, does not fit with their domestic season, they are at their best at Christmas
Tets, do what you have to do...
http://afalsefirstxi.blogspot.ie/201...our-minds.html
Blog on Sunday's game if anyone interested......
Stutts Einstein never said that.
Tbf, Island's progress is probably also partly cyclical. IMO in 20 years time they could be as bad as any of the current 4th or 5th seeds...
Good stuff, I would be pretty close to your analysis too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
If you don't like my posts use your ignore button, I will be using mine.
if I start banning people for bad puns, I'll end up talking to myself on here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
The arrogance and 'them and us' attitude of a recently promoted individual!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979