Republic of Ireland V Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica & Portugal - May/June 2014

[geysir]

Well, I wouldn't normally presume to 2nd guess Tricky but I presume he added 5 hours to the US ko time and arrived to 1am.

Local time kick offs
v Costa Rica 8pm
v Portugal 7.45pm.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm almost certain a lot of the cost was underwritten by Deutsche Bank who were to securitise the ticket sales for all events held there. Their investors would take the risk of ticket sales not bring as high as anticipated. The FAI were to have been a "non recourse" borrower.

That was at a time when banks were underwriting any risk, even based on numbers presented by the FAI

This was all in theory - nothing was underwritten by any bank. Deutsche Bank had, according to Bernard O'Byrne, made a commitment to underwrite the project but when everything actually came out it was clear they weren't prepared to underwrite a shortfall anywhere close to as big as the FAI's plans. Building Eircom Park was supposed to cost £65m - O'Byrne eventually admitted DB would underwrite it up to £95m - but he was eventually, after a lot more pestering, forced to admit it would cost at least £135m, and knowing the FAI that was an underestimate.

It was, quite simply, a noose for the FAI to hang itself with. John Delaney is an awful piece of work, and he used the crisis to build his empire, but he was bang on about how bad an idea it was and it absolutely, 100%, would have spelled the end to the governing body for football in this country. Politicians screwed Irish football over with the Bertie Bowl debacle, but they helped save us from this monstrosity.

There's an instructive timeline from the Indo (I know, I know, but they were completely right about this) here: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-26092895.html

[BonnieShels]

It may have been no bad thing for the FAI to have collapsed into a heap.

[Charlie Darwin]

It may have been no bad thing for the FAI to have collapsed into a heap.

In hindsight, playing in the old Lansdowne would be no bad thing considering the crowds we get, but the knock-on effects would be colossal. Irish football is as big a basket case as it is without the association going under.

[DannyInvincible]

Well, I wouldn't normally presume to 2nd guess Tricky but I presume he added 5 hours to the US ko time and arrived to 1am.

Local time kick offs
v Costa Rica 8pm
v Portugal 7.45pm.

So the games will be at 1AM and 12:45AM Irish time then? Where did the BBC get 3PM and 2:45PM from? Did they get their conversions wrong and deduct five hours instead of adding them?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yeap.
Clearly the Beeb are getting more sloppy?

Tricky muddies the waters...see below.

[tricky_colour]

Well, I wouldn't normally presume to 2nd guess Tricky but I presume he added 5 hours to the US ko time and arrived to 1am.

Local time kick offs
v Costa Rica 8pm
v Portugal 7.45pm.

Indeed you are correct, I am complete inept at such things.
For example I automatically think left is right, if it says click the icon on the bottom left I instinctively look to the right.

It is a good job I found out actually because otherwise I would be searching for a link for the game
at 1 am in the morning, indeed I am pretty sure I have done similar before.

I am fine with complicated stuff but useless with simple things!

[tricky_colour]

So the games will be at 1AM and 12:45AM Irish time then? Where did the BBC get 3PM and 2:45PM from? Did they get their conversions wrong and deduct five hours instead of adding them?

No the BBC time are correct, I screwed up, i saw the game advertised at 8pm Philadelphia time
but I incorrectly added 5 hours rather than take 5 away.

[the doc]

Well lads, time to move on from the other night and get behind the team for our next game.

We all know that the line ups for the upcoming games will change to our usual line up for the qualifiers, so have a few and relax.

There's a lot of ****e given out on here at times, admittedly a fair bit from me too.

But deep down we all love the team and will back them come what may.

Come on Ireland.

[geysir]

No the BBC time are correct, I screwed up, i saw the game advertised at 8pm Philadelphia time
but I incorrectly added 5 hours rather than take 5 away.

You should have kept quiet Tricky, let this one run out and then pretend you didn't know what Danny was on about..
Just remember, if you fly out at midday from to Dublin to NY, you arrive about midday local time. That means we are 5 hours ahead.

KO times are 5 hours ahead in Ireland

[Stuttgart88]

Well lads, time to move on from the other night and get behind the team for our next game.

We all know that the line ups for the upcoming games will change to our usual line up for the qualifiers, so have a few and relax.

There's a lot of ****e given out on here at times, admittedly a fair bit from me too.

But deep down we all love the team and will back them come what may.

Come on Ireland.

True. As Crafty texted me a while back, the darkest hour is before the dawn.

Neither Jack nor Mick's early games gave much hope for encouragement but right now I'd bite your hand off for a repeat of what they both achieved.

Roll on Saturday.

Separately, my mate brought his 7 y/o to the Aviva for the first time on Sunday. The result and performance didn't bother his son one bit. A friend of my mate's knows JD and he fixed it for him to go to the players lounge (not sure if before or after game - Doc, what'd be normal?). My mate's kid said the whole game and experience was the best day of his life! Apparently Wes Hoolahan paid him special attention.

I'm bringing my lad to Fulham on Saturday. I think I have managed expectations wrt the outcome! His favourite player is...David Forde.

I emailed the FAI asking if there's any chance he can be a mascot, but apparently the Italians are making all the arrangements.

[Bungle]

If Wes plays as well against the Italians, as he did the Turks, I wouldn't be in the least bit suprised if a few Italian clubs take an interest in him. He'd actually be brilliant on the continent. For me, it says alot about the British/Irish football culture that he doesn't get more recognition, although I've heard Hansen, Shearer and Phil Thompson talk in detail about how good a player he is and their astonishment that the Canaries didn't use him more. I'm undecided if I prefer him or Reidy, but it is good to see that MON is looking at both of them, even if ultimately he has to pick one over the other. They have the type of game control that will be crucial in Georgia, Poland and Scotland.

[DannyInvincible]

No the BBC time are correct, I screwed up, i saw the game advertised at 8pm Philadelphia time
but I incorrectly added 5 hours rather than take 5 away.

No, no, you'll only confuse matters further. You were right in adding 5 hours and will be perfectly safe searching for your link at 1AM in the morn. It's the BBC who have the times wrong. RTÉ have the times right: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...a-rica-in-usa/

Martin O'Neill's side will face Costa Rica on 6 June at PPL Park in Philadelphia (1am 7 June Irish time) and Portugal four days later on June 10 (12.45am 11 June, Irish time) at Met Life Stadium, New Jersey.

At least I'll always know to trust you over the hallowed BBC in future, tricky.

[Stuttgart88]

Will there be any way to watch these games live in the UK?

[DannyInvincible]

Will there be any way to watch these games live in the UK?

The Italy and Portugal games will be live on Premier Sports/Setanta, but no confirmation that the Costa Rica game will even be broadcast on television anywhere, as far as I can make out: http://liveonsat.com/LJS_FT_friend_intl_ALL.php

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

If Wes plays as well against the Italians, as he did the Turks, I wouldn't be in the least bit suprised if a few Italian clubs take an interest in him. He'd actually be brilliant on the continent. For me, it says alot about the British/Irish football culture that he doesn't get more recognition, although I've heard Hansen, Shearer and Phil Thompson talk in detail about how good a player he is and their astonishment that the Canaries didn't use him more. I'm undecided if I prefer him or Reidy, but it is good to see that MON is looking at both of them, even if ultimately he has to pick one over the other. They have the type of game control that will be crucial in Georgia, Poland and Scotland.

Then there is the question of if he would accept a move to a foreign club if he was offered one. Irish players seem reticent to make a leap like that. Probably because of their wives and settling their children in foreign schools.

[Stuttgart88]

The Italy and Portugal games will be live on Premier Sports/Setanta, but no confirmation that the Costa Rica game will even be broadcast on television anywhere, as far as I can make out: http://liveonsat.com/LJS_FT_friend_intl_ALL.php

Thanks. Is Premier PPV on a one-off basis or is it subscription only? I'm not paying a year's sub just to watch the Portugal friendly.

[shakermaker1982]

Stutts I'm fairly sure it's only subscription. I've had it the last 2/3 years for the GAA (would cancel in Sept). The annoying thing about them is that they add a connection charge every time you subscribe - was a tenner last year just to sign up then a monthly fee of 10 quid.

If you have virgin then it's only 8 quid a month bizarrely.

Minimum term is 2 months.

[ArdeeBhoy]

It'll be on a stream somewhere anyway, think that Premier Sports is £10 a month...and have to sign up for that as a minimum.

And what SM said too.

[tricky_colour]

No, no, you'll only confuse matters further. You were right in adding 5 hours and will be perfectly safe searching for your link at 1AM in the morn. It's the BBC who have the times wrong. RTÉ have the times right: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...a-rica-in-usa/



At least I'll always know to trust you over the hallowed BBC in future, tricky.

Oh OK so it seems I was right after all. I always remember that when it is midnight in the USA it is 5am here,
so taking 4 hours off both gives 1am here is 8pm in the USA.

I just kind of panicked when I thought I was wrong. So much for the BBC eh?
Is that what I pay my license fee for?