European Championships - France 2016

[DeLorean]

Hi all

Hoping to go one of the games in France, last minute thing...

Can anyone advise what the craic is with second hand tickets from places like ticketbis or viagogo in terms of named tickets ?

Never purchased through secondary market before so no clue how it works, are you allowed in with a ticket with another persons name on it? Will they ask for ID etc...

Any help appreciated before I shell out £150-200 quid...

My friend purchased one for the Sweden game off Viagogo. It delivered really quickly actually. I don't think it matters what name is on the ticket, mine just say 'Football Association of Ireland' so ID won't be of much use! Plus one persons name will be on all of the tickets they've purchased through UEFA, but their mates will be the ones using most of them, so the names obviously won't match there either.

[backstothewall]

We got sorted last week for Sweden tickets. Got a good deal on a hotel with Ibis if you need somewhere to stay. Not on any of the comparison sites but we paid £40stg per night for a room

[shakermaker1982]

Stick with Viagogo and you will be fine.

If you are looking for accomodation then have a look on Airbnb.

[DannyInvincible]

The squad just touched down in France: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/740570729842941952

Here they were setting off from Dublin in the obligatory suits:

[nigel-harps1954]

I like the way they're standing in order of goalkeepers, defenders, attackers, then vice captain and captain along with coaches.

All except Seamus Coleman who seems to think he's a striker.

[geysir]

it might have been mentioned before but I have just read Westwood's comments about the preparation for euro 2012

"We were training for a good four weeks before the actual tournament and by the time it came around we were f**king wrecked because it was a long season."We were up in Montecatini, we were in Dublin... We were wrecked, that's the truth. But listen, we had good times. Every manager is different."

[Lionel Ritchie]

The squad just touched down in France: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/740570729842941952

Here they were setting off from Dublin in the obligatory suits:

Navy suits, green ties and brown shoes? That's a bit queer.

[tetsujin1979]

RTE have made every qualifier available on the player: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/collecti...75-qualifying/

[Stuttgart88]

I see Spain lost at home to Georgia in their last warm up game.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I think Belgium are the only team we should be fearing.

We really should be looking at 3-4 points from Sweden and Italy.

Italy are a shadow of the team they were. Antonio Candreva is their best player for goodness sake.

We have plenty of experience playing Italy. We know what they are about. I wouldn't read anything into losing a dead rubber in 2012 (they looked bang average in that match also).

[TrapAPony]

I think Belgium are the only team we should be fearing.

We really should be looking at 3-4 points from Sweden and Italy.

Italy are a shadow of the team they were. Antonio Candreva is their best player for goodness sake.

We have plenty of experience playing Italy. We know what they are about. I wouldn't read anything into losing a dead rubber in 2012 (they looked bang average in that match also).

That is if they click. They seem like a team of individuals rather than an actual 'team' ...I also think their defence is average enough as it is..

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...category%20p$5

Ireland's jersey ranked 23 out of 24 in terms of aesthetics.

[Banchini]

Thanks for all the advice ...decided to bite the bullet and bought via Ticketbis, against my better judgement after reading trust pilot but at this late stage the prices were nuts for a reasonable seat... however so far so good, ticket delivery was very fast, took literally 1 day from purchase to arrive... missed ticket delivery today from UPS so hopefully have in my hand tomorrow !... forkin expensive but its only once every 20 years so no big deal :-)

I live in London and travelling solo and wondered if anyone else in the same boat, be good to have some fellow Padwans to cry into a beer afterwards when the MANU forker ..... yes Ibrahimthedic scores a hat trick against us[COLOR=#545454]....[/COLOR]

[paul_oshea]

I think the key to getting out of the group is keeping the squad fresh and injury free. If we can stick with pretty much the first 11 plus 2(any 2) then I think we will make it out of the group. But any injuries or any cards or tiredness and we are screwed.

[tetsujin1979]

I think the key to getting out of the group is keeping the squad fresh and injury free. If we can stick with pretty much the first 11 plus 2(any 2) then I think we will make it out of the group. But any injuries or any cards or tiredness and we are screwed.

Good thing you said that, I was hoping the management was keeping them exhausted and crippled

[BonnieShels]

Dublin Airport is lit with the GAWA.

Obviously our boys are so used to tournament football that we don't have to display our colours and make it clear that we're the more sophisticated team on the island.

[Closed Account]

Long (49th) and Brady (50th) have done well on the UEFA player index of how the 552 players involved have played since January. No other Irish in top 100.
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=...ers/index.html

Sweden (1) : Ibrahimovic (2nd)
Italy (8): Barzagli (39th), Bonucci (41st), El Shaarawy (42nd), Florenzi (58th), Buffon (60th), Parolo (66th), Candreva (74th), Pelle (98th)
Belgium (6): De Bruyne (47th), Mertens (54th), Alderweireld (68th), Mignolet (73rd), Hazard (82nd), Nainggolan (97th)

Goalkeepers: Westwood (25/66), Randolph (42/66), Given (56/66) (why did they only rank 66 and not 72?)
Full Backs: Brady (9/82), Christie (22/82), Coleman (26/82), Ward (28/82)
Central Defenders: Duffy (14/96), Clark (24/96), Keogh (32/96), O'Shea (75/96)
Defensive Midfielders: We don't have any according to UEFA (0/48)
Central Midfielders: McCarthy (18/56), Whelan (19/56), Quinn (35/56), Meyler (50/56)
Attacking Midfielders: Hoolahan (24/40)
Wingers: Walters (25/67), McClean (28/67), McGeady (67/67)
Forwards: Long (10/85), Keane (29/85), Murphy (62/85)

Hendrick fails to get a rating.., they've somehow missed 12 players.

Uefa Irish team based on ratings:
Westwood;
Christie, Duffy, Clark, Brady;
Whelan;
Walters, McCarthy, Hoolahan, McClean;
Long.

Hoolahan (74th) and Coleman (90th) join Brady(60th) in the top 100 whilst Long drops out. Hendrick and McGeady also improve overall.
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=...ers/index.html

Goalkeepers: Westwood (31/68), Randolph (42/68), Given (60/68)
Full Backs: Brady (8/82), Coleman (16/82), Christie (39/82), Ward (45/82)
Central Defenders: Duffy (29/99), Keogh (56/99), Clark (70/99), O'Shea (80/99)
Central Midfielders: Whelan (14/57), Hendrick (25/57), McCarthy (26/57), Quinn (41/57), Meyler (55/57)
Attacking Midfielders: Hoolahan (12/41)
Wingers: Walters (25/67), McClean (43/67), McGeady (65/67)
Forwards: Long (15/86), Keane (41/86), Murphy (67/86)

[thischarmingman]

Love these:

http://www.newstalk.com/FAI-remind-f...ch-of-players-

[Stuttgart88]

...except for the way Shane Long wears his socks

[pineapple stu]

Of the 24 countries in the Euros, only one has fewer home-grown players. Most have at least twice as many as we do. But well done to the FAI for turning that into a positive.