Bulgaria V Republic of Ireland - Friday, 6th June 2009 - World Cup 2010 Q

**eaststand85** · 09/06/2009, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Duggie

really ? that bloody great news....have to win that game.

Agreed, win that game and we're guaranteed second place I feel, but lose or draw and Bulgaria are back in it.

Let's hope the fact Cyprus are now as good as out of it means they'll have no motivation against us as Italy struggled out there and required a last minute goals for the three points, while they should also have gotten at least a draw in Sofia and probably would have done if they'd had as strong a ref as we had on Saturday.

**eaststand85** · 09/06/2009, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Doyle & Folan could be an option, with Robbie playing deeper like he did in Bari.

Think that's the way forward, might help address the issue of midfield dropping back too far as well by providing a better link between defense and attack instead of just hoofing long balls up and hoping for a flick on every time (although that can have it's place at times).

**paul_oshea** · 09/06/2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by eaststand85

Some of the Bulgarian fans were ok and we had a bit of craic in one of the Levski Sofia bars on the way to the stadium singing songs back and forth but they were a nasty bunch generally, lots of throat slitting motions and abuse in the stadium rather than banter and they did boo our national anthem which is disgraceful. What do you expect when they have to segregate their own fans though I suppose?

Regardless, I don't think that should affect how they're treated next time they're over here though, no point descending to their level and best possible response would be to qualify for Africa at their expense.

We had very little contact on the walk up with any of them, but a few were across the road as we were getting to the park and at first i thought they seemed to be friendly but then they did start gesturing and the roars weren't friendly roars of banter!! One thing i noticed was for all of us walking up there appeared to be few police, but we were guided into the one area. I noticed as we made our way to the stadium as well when they stopped us and then let us go there was a lot of abuse being shouted, but some fans gave their own back, though the police thought the irish were just being friendly!

**SUB of the day** · 09/06/2009, 8:14 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

My post match review forgot to mention the ref last night. He was outstanding. Top drawer official. Another ref might have bought their diving and rolling around. I don't think he made 1 error last night.

Does anybody know if the play offs will be seeded or are they waiting to see how many 'big' teams feature?

According to Emmet Malone in todays Times, " no decision has yet been made on seeding".IMO given their recent record, FIFA will wait to see which of the "big boys" will be involved before deciding.Having a France V Russia playoff would be unthinkable in their eyes.....TV rights, advertising, global audience etc.

**corkboy360** · 09/06/2009, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Did the boo our national anthem?

Makes me laugh, that despite the alleged intimidation from the home fans, next time the play here they'll be treated with open arms,same thing should happen them. Rem Turkey a number of years ago.?...and no bloody repercussions for them

Originally Posted by eaststand85

Some of the Bulgarian fans were ok and we had a bit of craic in one of the Levski Sofia bars on the way to the stadium singing songs back and forth but they were a nasty bunch generally, lots of throat slitting motions and abuse in the stadium rather than banter and they did boo our national anthem which is disgraceful. What do you expect when they have to segregate their own fans though I suppose?

Regardless, I don't think that should affect how they're treated next time they're over here though, no point descending to their level and best possible response would be to qualify for Africa at their expense.

He also said that celtic and rangers would not be a patch on this crowd.

**Jicked** · 10/06/2009, 1:27 AM

Originally Posted by the doc

Just back from Sofia!

The lads did the job, defended well, just needed more belief when they have the ball.

Early days yet, But the Saint/Dunne partnership looks very promising.

I have a feeling that Trapps "Irish Cannavaro" could be playing in Italy before too long!

Thank god Preston made the play offs or he may not have got the chance to show what he can do.

So you no longer think Trapattoni, Tardelli and Brady should all be dismissed as you were demanding for the last few months?

Heaven forbid he builds a very competent and solid first XI, who he can trust in their roles and who know the system, and then bring in new players to learn the ropes alongside those who already know what they need to be doing instead of lashing in a new XI every week depending on who's been getting a game in the last month. Thanks to that approach from the management team we now have Folan, St Ledger, Andrews, Gibson and others who didn't get a look in at first but are now being weened through in to good players for us, instead of going down the Staunton route of throwing in anyone at all, despite their lack of collective experience and completely sacrificing an entire campaign to 'bring through the kids'.

Meanwhile Trapattoni is doing it in the spite of having to listen to rubbish from the likes of the_doc whinging because he hasn't gone from day one with a starting XI featuring St Ledger (sorry, "the irish cannavaro"

) Owen Garvan (Ipswich reserve), John Joe O'Toole (what?) Kevin Foley (who at 5.9 and never having played against a premier league winger in his life is a lot of people's answer to the difficulties of international football). Amazingly I think if you asked everyone to list their favoured XI after say the Cyprus game, many would have, genuinely, included 4 or 5 such inexperienced and untested players like those I've named in the same starting line-up for a serious competitive game.

Trap is bringing through players slowly, developing their progress. Some people (*coughStauntoncough*, maybe even a McCarthy circa 1997) would have thrown together a squad of players with few caps and no experience and written off the campaign as merely trying to develop players. Now we're bringing through a whole host of players, alongside experienced ones, in a system that actually makes sense and doesn't pretend to think any overnight instant success is possible from guys who 2 years ago conceded 5 in Nicosia, but also doesn't think that success will come from picking a load of inexperienced Championship players to run an entire campaign on their own.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be a little more recovered from the trip to Sofia, rewatch the game and be able to give a better response to an absolutely brilliant weekend.
"oooh, manuela, she used to be Italian but she's Irish now"

**Jicked** · 10/06/2009, 1:45 AM

Some of the Bulgarian fans were ok and we had a bit of craic in one of the Levski Sofia bars on the way to the stadium singing songs back and forth but they were a nasty bunch generally, lots of throat slitting motions and abuse in the stadium rather than banter and they did boo our national anthem which is disgraceful. What do you expect when they have to segregate their own fans though I suppose?

Yes they gave that sort of stuff on the way to and at the match. But I didn't go to the Balkans to complain that the fans were a bit too loud, I wasn't able to sit down in my comfortable seat and that those flares they had might have been a fire hazard.

If you chatted to or got to know any of the Bulgarians you'd know they were great lads. I spent Saturday morning with a load of CSKA fans who warned us that inside and en route to the ground it would be crazy and hostile, but before and after the game they loved chatting about the Irish team (they knew everyone right down to Westwood missing out "because of his woman"), our chances, and afterwards how they hoped we'd go on to top the group now they couldn't. Terrific fans, a few people giving you the finger shouldn't really be an issue. For what its worth I didn't hear them boo our anthem, though haven't listened to it on TV and was busy singing it at the time. I also heard of one single moment of Bulgarian violence the whole weekend, unrelated to the football.
Give me a throat slitting gesture to really get me buzzing on the way in to the ground and the intense atmosphere the Bulgarian lads created during the game over the 'banter' of the Irish fans who were p**sing on the streets, smashing bottles along the street, annoying the Irish bar owners, getting in fights with other fans, etc.

**mypost** · 10/06/2009, 5:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jicked

If you chatted to or got to know any of the Bulgarians you'd know they were great lads.

Give me a throat slitting gesture to really get me buzzing on the way in to the ground and the intense atmosphere the Bulgarian lads created during the game over the 'banter' of the Irish fans who were p**sing on the streets, smashing bottles along the street, annoying the Irish bar owners, getting in fights with other fans, etc.

Didn't have any problems with the Bulgars, the girls know their football, they create a very intimidating and passionate atmosphere, (as we should at Croker

). The main problem I had was with our own fans who spent the entire weekend in the (Irish

) pub, and at the game, insisted on standing on the seats instead of letting the rest of our fans standing in the aisles have an unobstructed view of the game.

**eaststand85** · 10/06/2009, 8:11 AM

Originally Posted by Jicked

Yes they gave that sort of stuff on the way to and at the match. But I didn't go to the Balkans to complain that the fans were a bit too loud, I wasn't able to sit down in my comfortable seat and that those flares they had might have been a fire hazard.

If you chatted to or got to know any of the Bulgarians you'd know they were great lads. I spent Saturday morning with a load of CSKA fans who warned us that inside and en route to the ground it would be crazy and hostile, but before and after the game they loved chatting about the Irish team (they knew everyone right down to Westwood missing out "because of his woman"), our chances, and afterwards how they hoped we'd go on to top the group now they couldn't. Terrific fans, a few people giving you the finger shouldn't really be an issue. For what its worth I didn't hear them boo our anthem, though haven't listened to it on TV and was busy singing it at the time. I also heard of one single moment of Bulgarian violence the whole weekend, unrelated to the football.
Give me a throat slitting gesture to really get me buzzing on the way in to the ground and the intense atmosphere the Bulgarian lads created during the game over the 'banter' of the Irish fans who were p**sing on the streets, smashing bottles along the street, annoying the Irish bar owners, getting in fights with other fans, etc.

You'll always have individuals in each group of fans who behave differently to the majority and in the case of the type of Irish fan you refer to I know well enough to steer clear which may explain why I didn't see anyone behaving in this manner last weekend.

The point I was making if you read my post in full is that while we did spend an hour before the game having the craic with some Bulgarian fans and swapping songs, scarves, photos etc. the majority were hostile and unfriendly (which is not necessarily the same as passionate). I'm a big boy and can deal with it but doesn't mean I would recommend it as one of the better venues to attend a match compared to say Germany or France where everyone's a lot friendlier and at least equally as passionate but in (my opinion anyway) a better way.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/06/2009, 8:34 AM

Good point Jicked (post 113) & well made. I'm still of the opinion that at the margins some of the options could/should have been tried earlier but I'm happy with where this team is right now & the path it seems to be taking.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/06/2009, 9:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jicked

Trap is bringing through players slowly, developing their progress. Some people (*coughStauntoncough*, maybe even a McCarthy circa 1997) would have thrown together a squad of players with few caps and no experience and written off the campaign as merely trying to develop players.

To be fair to Mick, the squad was ageing after 97, and he really did need to bring in new players.

**paul_oshea** · 10/06/2009, 9:15 AM

he said 1997, it was the holland play off in 95. The turkey one wasn't for another year or so tets. He got rid of mcgrath and a few others and townsend too after holland. getting rid of irwin was wrong too but that was after turkey which was later

**tetsujin1979** · 10/06/2009, 9:30 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

he said 1997, it was the holland play off in 95. The turkey one wasn't for another year or so tets. He got rid of mcgrath and a few others and townsend too after holland. getting rid of irwin was wrong too but that was after turkey which was later

Sorry, yeah, Turkey was in 1999. I was thinking of Belgium.

**paul_oshea** · 10/06/2009, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Sorry, yeah, Turkey was in 1999. I was thinking of Belgium.

ah right ray houghton, see thats the kind of thing i remember him for, scoring the odd goal but missing a lot and also being crap generally. he retired after that didnt he. but townsend said he would come back and help mick if he needed it

A lot retired over the short period of 3-4 years, however mick was too quick to retire some, and should have keppt them in the squad even just for the experience they could bring.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/06/2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

ah right ray houghton, see thats the kind of thing i remember him for, scoring the odd goal but missing a lot and also being crap generally. he retired after that didnt he. but townsend said he would come back and help mick if he needed it

A lot retired over the short period of 3-4 years, however mick was too quick to retire some, and should have keppt them in the squad even just for the experience they could bring.

Yeah, according to this - http://www.soccerscene.ie/sssenior/player.php?id=273 - Houghton's last game was the play off against Belgium

**tetsujin1979** · 11/06/2009, 9:26 AM

Game capped, encoded and uploaded
Pre game and 1st half: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R9TKBRGH
Second half and post game analysis: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QNIOKBUF

**eaststand85** · 11/06/2009, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Game capped, encoded and uploaded
Pre game and 1st half: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R9TKBRGH
Second half and post game analysis: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QNIOKBUF

You may already be aware of this but just in case; you can also view the games and analysis on the RTE Player (not sure about downloading to keep). It was available Sunday night when I got back from Sofia and probably earlier than that:

http://www.rte.ie/player/#s=latest&g=2009-06-06