Gary Breen

**Junior** · 15/07/2009, 10:47 AM

Stutts - I have to say your memory is remarkable!!

I have probably seen the goal, was probably at the game but cant quite recall at the moment. You however always seem to recall these things from way back, be it good or bad play from a certain individual in a certain game.

Id say you'd give Jimmy Magee (sp?) a run for his money.

Either that or the gargle has severly dimmed me brain as the lyrics go in a famous song.........

**eirebhoy** · 15/07/2009, 11:26 AM

I genuinely have to rely on previous posts on this forum to jog my memory, even from the last campaign or 2. If there's an incident that I haven't talked about once since it happened then I probably won't remember it. My memory is terrible.

**elroy** · 15/07/2009, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

One I liked was a goal at home to Malta where he was one-on-one with the keeper, he dummied, sent the keeper down and took it around him before passing into the net. Very John Aldridge.

I remember this game well but not G Breen's goal, remember the feeling of desperation and then sheer relief as Stan slotted home a free kick for us to sneak the win. Unable to find footage of the game so far.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/1999/0909/soccer.html

**Thommo** · 15/07/2009, 1:13 PM

If a young lad(at the time) by the name of O'Neill(Keith) had of tracked back for a last minute corner in the next match v Macedonia we would have qualified automatically for that European Championships, oh well.

**Supreme feet** · 15/07/2009, 2:18 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

I remember this game well but not G Breen's goal, remember the feeling of desperation and then sheer relief as Stan slotted home a free kick for us to sneak the win.

Breen scored in both games against Malta - he got our last in a 5-0 win at Lansdowne - that's the goal Stutts is on about, where he rounded their keeper. The one he got to put us 2-0 up in Valletta (very nervy 3-2 win in the end) was a straightforward header.

**Junior** · 15/07/2009, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by Thommo

If a young lad(at the time) by the name of O'Neill(Keith) had of tracked back for a last minute corner in the next match v Macedonia we would have qualified automatically for that European Championships, oh well.

Now that incident I remember only too well. The sickest Ive ever felt after a result. From 1st place to 3rd in the blink of an eye.

**Stuttgart88** · 16/07/2009, 8:19 AM

we snook second place - a nervy last couple of minutes in the other game saw us through to a play off against Turkey.

**Junior** · 16/07/2009, 8:47 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

we snook second place - a nervy last couple of minutes in the other game saw us through to a play off against Turkey.

So we did!! I was in Macedonia for the final game of the group and in Bursa for the playoff.

Hence, Ive just proved my own point. My memory is no more.........

For some reason I thought the scenario was even worse than a playoff spot and that we ended up with nothing (probably the nervy ending to the Croatia/Yugoslavia game). The delight of the Macedonia fans that night was unbelieveable, you would have thought they had just won Euro200. In my defence, it is just too painful to go back and try and relive those events

**Stuttgart88** · 16/07/2009, 1:31 PM

Yeah, one of the lowest points ever as an Irish fan alright.

It still has implications today I reckon, just with regard to confidence, status and possibly seeding / ranking, though I think our demise since no.1 seeding in 2004 would have been unaffected, and an easier group for 2002 wouldn't have mattered anyway. But if we'd have had a decent 2000 tournament we wouldn't have had the underdog status we had in 2002.

Totally random ramble.

My memory amazes me too and even gets me into trouble. I can't understand why other people don't remember the same things I do.

**DeLorean** · 16/07/2009, 3:45 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Yeah, one of the lowest points ever as an Irish fan alright.

Compounded by the dismal playoff performance in Turkey. That match was a huge disappointment. I don't think I've ever seen a team that needed to score not create one chance in 90mins against a team of similar capabilities. The only time they threatened the Turks goal was a cross from a free kick that nearly fluked it's way in.

I think the writing may have been on the wall after Davor Suker's goal in Zagreb.

**Scram** · 16/07/2009, 4:08 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Yeah, one of the lowest points ever as an Irish fan alright.

My memory amazes me too and even gets me into trouble. I can't understand why other people don't remember the same things I do.

Yeah, I'm the same EireBhoy. I was just saying to someone the other night how clearly I remember Phil Babb's goal against Italy in the 1995 World Cup Finals in Berlin and the celebrations afterward, he couldn't remember a thing

Anyway, back on topic, I do like the away strip but they might consider this if we do qualify for the World Cup Finals in South America in 2012:

**Irish_Praha** · 16/07/2009, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

I don't think I've ever seen a team that needed to score not create one chance in 90mins against a team of similar capabilities.

Don't forget against switzerland in 2005.

**DeLorean** · 16/07/2009, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

Don't forget against switzerland in 2005.

Didn't Ian Harte miss a sitter of a header in the first few minutes of that one though. Still a poor showing though you're right.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 16/07/2009, 11:16 PM

Mr.Breen's relative intelligence (albeit 20 years ago) is doubted by some of his peers who were at a very prominent (at the time) Irish Catholic school in N.London, by his, er, maverick tendency to, amongst other foibles, wear Rangers shorts, just to annoy them....

Which didn't make him overly popular.

However, will forgive that transgression and wish him the best in his relative managerial career!

**theworm2345** · 16/07/2009, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Didn't Ian Harte miss a sitter of a header in the first few minutes of that one though. Still a poor showing though you're right.

I don't think it was a sitter, as I recall it was a header off a corner from near the penalty spot in the 6th (maybe?) minute. Should've at least hit the target though.

**DeLorean** · 17/07/2009, 9:28 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

I don't think it was a sitter, as I recall it was a header off a corner from near the penalty spot in the 6th (maybe?) minute. Should've at least hit the target though.

Maybe. Don't think I've seen it since. I just remember it was early on and I think it was a totally free header right in the middle of the goals.

**Thommo** · 17/07/2009, 9:33 AM

Playoff v Turkey at home in '99 I remember we were 1-0 up and Turkey got a really soft penalty when the ball hit Lee Carsley hands while he was on the ground we were actually coasting.
I remember the second leg in Turkey there was riot police on the pitch at the end and I think Cascarino got a belt.
Re Gary Breen when I say "superb" I mean in service to Ireland the lad would swim the Irish sea to play for Ireland he was no McGrath but always gave 100%.
I remember away to Cyprus in the '02 campaign he was walking off the pitch at half time and Roy was in his here giving him a bollicking I think we were about 3-0 up, but that was Roy.

**Thommo** · 17/07/2009, 9:35 AM

"in his ear" sorry terrible spelling.

**DeLorean** · 17/07/2009, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Thommo

I remember away to Cyprus in the '02 campaign he was walking off the pitch at half time and Roy was in his ear giving him a bollicking I think we were about 3-0 up, but that was Roy.

He was right, we were only 2-0 up