Czech Republic 1-0 Ireland post match discussion thread

**ken foree** · 16/09/2007, 1:00 PM

unfortunately the suits want to turn this game into some kind of non-contact sport. by the rules, hunt won the ball and then took the man. no foul, no card. if anything, hunt won the ball too early giving the czech player plenty of time to "air-crucify" himself so the ref could take notice. conversely, richard dunne thumped peter cech across the throat (with no attempt to play the ball) for mcshane's would-be equalizer that was cleared off the line. shoulda been a free out.

**McGeady10** · 16/09/2007, 1:17 PM

Originally Posted by carloz

No McGeady didnt have two bad games. He had two absolutly woeful games and proved he can not hack the physicality of the international game. His performance against th Czechs was one of the worst i have seen in an Irish jersey in some 10 years. I didnt think he could top Slovakia for a dreadful performance but by god he did. You cant blame the fact that he was playing in a 'hapless team with no shape'. he saw plenty of the ball and every time he ran with his head down, into a blind alley and was then simply brused off the ball. He lost possesion so many times in Prague it was shocking. Yes Aidan did look completly out of his depth and at times looked like a child playing in a mans game

Champions League is a higher class than playing the likes of the Czechs and Slovakia. Yes McGeady was woeful but by-jaysus to say he's out his depth and not good enough for Ireland is ridiculous when guys like Jonathan Douglas and Steven Hunt are kicking around the squad.

**kingeric** · 16/09/2007, 1:23 PM

Hunt got himself into more trouble yesterday as he was seen throw away the black armband (that all players were wearing as a mark of respect for Ian Porterfield) in the direction of the sunderland fans. Hopefully there was no intent to offend.

http://readytogo.net/smb/forumdisplay.php?f=66

**Stuttgart88** · 16/09/2007, 1:23 PM

Like Ireland, McGeady is a luxury we can't accomodate because the rest of the team isn't strong enough. The kid's only 20 so cut him a bit of slack. He's very much work in progress. Personally I still think he takes the ball standing too much, he should be moving onto the ball.

**OwlsFan** · 16/09/2007, 3:20 PM

Originally Posted by Morbo

Finnan played today and played well, what a surprise, the lad sure heels quickly

I predicted elsewhere he would play on Saturday. Also whether he was rusty or not he played the full 90 minutes. I suspect he wasn't fit for the Slovak game but could have made the Czech game but we've seen this all before for years with the top clubs ruling their players out given any opportunity.

**stojkovic** · 16/09/2007, 6:56 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

We were a shambolic nightmare tonight and yet the computer brigade don't understand that! Against a poor Czech team we gave up. Baros the phoney laughing away with our "captain" Robbie Keane who as far as I'm concerned should never play for Ireland again.

You're wasting your time slagging off Robbieeeeee on here, I gave up long ago. People look at statistics (top scorer etc) total ******. Fact is our TOP SCORER hasnt scored AWAY from home in a competitive match since Rotterdam in 2000. Thats seven years ago.

I was always a big Robbieeeeee fan (since Argentina in 98) and cannot understand why he cant show the same level of committment and maturity for Ireland as he does for Spurs. He has been 'below par' (im choosing my words carefully) for Ireland for a long long time.

Not one person in Prague I spoke to had complementary things to say about him.

While I dont think he should be dropped (unless Long and Murphy start scoring) the captaincy should be taken off him and a new manager kick him up the hole. He should be taking a leaf out of Michael Owen's book.

We'll have to wait (and wait) and see.

**Morbo** · 16/09/2007, 8:58 PM

According to Paddy Power, Ireland's odds of qualifying are 16-1 which would make you think there was a tiny glimmer of hope but then again our odds of not qualifying are 1-200, WTF? those are some ****ty odds Paddy power are offering, both bets represent terrible value for money, I reckon we got about a 1% chance of qualifying, you'd never know, if the Germans or Czechs were done for match fixing and got points deducted we could sneak in.
I remember falling for an Aprils fools joke on the radio that Portugal(or maybe it was Holland) had being kicked out of Euro 96 and Ireland got in by default, *******S!

**mypost** · 17/09/2007, 1:17 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

I reckon it'll be a disaster if we got 1 down. We'll cave in. The tactical awareness from the manager, concentration and fitness required to be good at peggin teams back is totally absent within our team.

There's more tactical awareness in the telephone directory.

Who was going to be the super-sub to equalise and keep us in the tournament in Prague?? Drum-rolll:

Andrew Keogh.

Final Score: 0-1.

**Torn-Ado** · 17/09/2007, 1:32 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

i think stan should play this at half time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_eUC...elated&search=

Jesus.

I feel like crying after watching that. What a performance.

**tricky_colour** · 17/09/2007, 2:11 AM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

Jesus.

I feel like crying after watching that. What a performance.

If you have not seen Paul Potts version before then you had best get your hankie then

It's seems a lot more moving to me, I don't know why, maybe because he is a short fat bloke in a scruffy suit with busted teeth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

**dr_peepee** · 17/09/2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

If you have not seen Paul Potts version before then you had best get your hankie then

Leader of the Khmer Rouge????

**NeilMcD** · 17/09/2007, 5:39 PM

I think he did. It was a stupid and dirty tackle to make He got the ball first but it was a an overly agressive and high tackle that could have done real damage to the Czech player. I thought that at the time when I was at the game and having seen the footage from a few angles I dont think the tackle can be defended. Ok he made a good cameo appearance and it gave the Irish team better balance. But that was all thrown away but his lack of experience and stupidity in my view.

Of course he was the hero to the mob for some bizarre reason.

**pineapple stu** · 17/09/2007, 5:42 PM

No. It was never a red card.

**soccerc** · 17/09/2007, 5:44 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

No. It was never a red card.

Nor was it a dangerous or high tackle. If it ws you can be assured that the Czech bench would have reacted -they didn't

**Torn-Ado** · 17/09/2007, 5:45 PM

It was a stupid challenge but I'll put it down to desire. It wasn't in the same mould as McAteers and Connollys malicious challenges against Macedonia and Belguim respectively.

He tried to get the ball but did so in a stupid way which was always going to leave him open to a red.

**pineapple stu** · 17/09/2007, 5:45 PM

Originally Posted by soccerc

Nor was it a dangerous or high tackle. If it ws you can be assured that the Czech bench would have reacted -they didn't

Agreed.

I assumed it was a second yellow.

**Maroon 7** · 17/09/2007, 5:46 PM

Maybe a bit stupid and naive. He would have got no more than a yellow card in the Premier League for it. Hunt though is still quite inexperienced in dealing with international players and their playacting and refs who don't allow physical challenges like they do in the Premier League.

He'll know better next time. Hopefully.

**zenokelly** · 17/09/2007, 5:47 PM

Well I definitely wouldn't blame the lad with the support he got before and when he came on, his natural instinct would have been to try and win every ball and be aggressive as he could be to live up to the support he was receiving

Maybe if he was on from the start

he wouldn't have felt that he needed to show the fans or manager as much, as he would have had the full 90 minutes to show the tremendous skill he possesses (plus the 90 minutes in Bratislava)

Basically instead of playing for 3 hours he played 30

minutes because of the manager's unwillingless to start him (in both games)

Wouldn't blame him - wanted to repay the fans support for him. end of.

**NeilMcD** · 17/09/2007, 5:52 PM

It seems that Irish fans like mindless running around the pitch rather than actual skill to be honest. Hunt is a decent player no more and no less but he is seen as the saviour by many of the Irish fans. I find this baffling.

**Sligo Hornet** · 17/09/2007, 5:56 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

I think he did. It was a stupid and dirty tackle to make He got the ball first but it was a an overly agressive and high tackle that could have done real damage to the Czech player. I thought that at the time when I was at the game and having seen the footage from a few ankles I dont think the tackle can be defended. Ok he made a good cameo appearance and it gave the Irish team better balance. But that was all thrown away but his lack of experience and stupidity in my view.

Of course he was the hero to the mob for some bizarre reason.

"ankles".......you are sharp!

However, I disagree....it was a yellow card offence only, but in light of the expected, and received abuse he got from the home crowd, he should have engaged his brain ( and should have been reminded of this by his First Class Manager......Oh yeah, I forgot we don't have one! )