Bulgaria V Ireland (Pre Match Thread)

**Supreme feet** · 05/06/2009, 7:54 PM

I don't think anyone's getting really carried away. Earlier, I said that 'Saturday night could be memorable - if we play to our potential and we get a few breaks along the way.' This is a match between two mid-ranked European nations. We're not Brazil 1970, but we're not the Maldives or Cook Islands either. It's a pretty level playing field between ourselves and Bulgaria - and indeed, most of the second/third seeds. You can only judge on what's gone before, against similar opposition; and in my view, we're much better prepared for a game like this than we were last year, or at any time under Staunton.

**cavan_fan** · 05/06/2009, 8:20 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Brazil were crap (by their standards) at the 74 World Cup, drawing 0-0 with Yugoslavia and Scotland, before beating Zaire 3-0 (remember the free kick?) and qualifying for the second round on goal difference, a single goal, ahead of Scotland.
They eventually finished fourth, losing to Poland in the 3rd place play off.

Anyone else think he was getting 74 and 70 mixed up

**richieos** · 05/06/2009, 8:46 PM

http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/New...syireland.aspx

yet another story about bulgaria seriously underestimating us. i think this is going to play right into our hands, their cockyness isnt going to help them.

Topuzakov: ''i dont think that ireland has anything to surprise us with''

lets see him try and deal with big caleb

**irishultra** · 05/06/2009, 11:00 PM

Bulgarian teams always do better against adversity and with the odds stacked against them, rather than the other way round.

Such a clich� isn't it, like I think all countries think their country does well in adversity and when odds are stacked against them, and yeah some of what they were saying is fairly harsh, please ireland win

**geysir** · 06/06/2009, 11:38 AM

I liked the Brady input to a press conference the other day, raising the spirit of Sparta before the hostilities commence.
"We know what awaits us on Saturday. The players are under no illusions what awaits them. They know what they have to do." “It will be intimidating and they (Bulgaria) will do everything they can to win — but we have got the players who can handle it. There is a confidence in the squad we can handle the situation"

**Predator** · 06/06/2009, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by richieos

http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/New...syireland.aspx

yet another story about bulgaria seriously underestimating us. i think this is going to play right into our hands, their cockyness isnt going to help them.

Topuzakov: ''i dont think that ireland has anything to surprise us with''

lets see him try and deal with big caleb

Yeah and he must have forgotten about our famed 'Luck'! And the fact that the Leprechauns and Druids in Grian�n Ailigh will be reciting enchantments!

**carloz** · 06/06/2009, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by richieos

http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/New...syireland.aspx

yet another story about bulgaria seriously underestimating us. i think this is going to play right into our hands, their cockyness isnt going to help them.

Topuzakov: ''i dont think that ireland has anything to surprise us with''

lets see him try and deal with big caleb

Really can't blame them for underestimating us. If they go by our performance when we played them in Dublin, they should quite rightly feel confident. If we play like that in Sofia we will get spanked.

**stojkovic** · 06/06/2009, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

My cousin was at the 1987(?) game when we lost 1-0 in the rain. He said the army had their guns pointed at them every time the Irish stood up.

2-1 wasnt it.

They went 1up, I think Stapo equalised and then Moran took Sirakov (?) down about three yards outside the box but he slid on the wet pitch and the ref gave a peno. The Irish players admitted that the longer the game went on they knew that a peno was gonna be given against them.

Wasnt 1977 worse. Same score, we had a goal dissallowed for nothing. Four sent off after a brawl. French manager Hidalgo was awoken by a man and 2 hookers who went into his room by accident during the night. Hidalgo recognised the man the next day at the match - it was the ref !

In 1979, Jimmy Holmes broke his leg.

We need to exorcise a few demons tonight big time.

**geysir** · 06/06/2009, 3:13 PM

I see Holmes's broken leg on that list, but it was his own doing,

sure leave it there anyway.

**elroy** · 06/06/2009, 3:21 PM

Heres hoping for a big performance from the lads tonight and a good result to match. Anything but defeat will be a good result, win and we really are with a great chance of topping the group. I have faith in Trap and I feel it is these type of games away from home where tactically he will get things spot on. I would be more concerned about Bulgaria going forward than at the back, so i think there is a goal or maybe there for us tonight. We cant be bossed around in the midfield like we were in croker but with Bulgaria only deploying 4 in midfield this time around, hopefully we'll be stronger there.
I think we can cause them alot of trouble from set pieces tonight so good delivery is paramount.

**Town Legend** · 06/06/2009, 4:05 PM

Anyone know of any live links showing the Irish match?

**Razors left peg** · 06/06/2009, 4:33 PM

Originally Posted by Town Legend

Anyone know of any live links showing the Irish match?

you will probably get some from www.rojadirecta.com. usually excellent

**tricky_colour** · 06/06/2009, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by richieos

http://soccerrepublic.eircom.net/New...syireland.aspx

yet another story about bulgaria seriously underestimating us. i think this is going to play right into our hands, their cockyness isnt going to help them.

Topuzakov: ''i dont think that ireland has anything to surprise us with''

lets see him try and deal with big caleb

"but we are ready to run ourselves into the ground for the three points"

Ha, ha, I take it Berbatov won't be playing then, I can't see him running himself into the ground somehow!

**DeLorean** · 06/06/2009, 5:08 PM

Two mistakes by Dunphy already!!

McGeady turned the match for us at home to Cyprus and made the goal in Montenegro. His dedication to research never ceases to astound me!!