European Championships - France 2016

[Stuttgart88]

Liam Brady's take on things in The Examiner

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/c...re-407307.html

Pride at our performance in the first half and disappointment at the way we let the game slip through our fingers in that self-destructive eight minutes in the second half.

With the concession of two poor goals and then the sending off, what I believe was a real opportunity to eliminate the hosts and get through to the quarter-finals, simply disappeared in front of our eyes.

But we certainly gave the French a huge fright with a really brave display so, in that sense, the game in Lyon was like Ireland’s tournament in microcosm: 10 out of 10 for bravery, commitment, and character, but more like six out 10 for decision-making and the more technical aspects of the game.

We definitely made mistakes along the way. Those lapses against Belgium didn’t really cost us in the end, because it always looked like we were only ever going to finish third in the group.

However, the game against France still leaves a sour taste in my mouth because, at half-time, I really believed we were good enough to go on and win it. The French were in a real hole at that stage and, unfortunately, we helped them dig themselves out.

It turned out to be a difficult afternoon for Shane Duffy who, understandably perhaps, Martin O’Neill had chosen to keep faith with after his solid display, on what was only his competitive debut, against Italy. But I had said here on Saturday that I thought it might be better for Martin to bring back John O’Shea for Lyon, since he was the only one of the three central defender candidates who could call upon the experience of having played in many similar big games and against the kind of quality players the French were going to be able to muster in attack.

So that’s one illustration of where we were found wanting in France when it came to things like decision-making and tactics. And there was a glaring example of our technical deficiencies in the same game when, with the score at 2-1 to them and Ireland still with 11 players on the pitch, James McClean fluffed a great chance to slip a ball across the six-yard box for what would surely have had to be a tap in by Daryl Murphy. A little more quality and composure from James and it would have been 2-2.

So, yes, there is a nagging sense that this was one that got away for Ireland, and I thought that came across too in the comments of Seamus Coleman and Robbie Brady just after the game — a shared feeling of regret. In some ways, Sunday was reminiscent of seven years ago in Paris; as then, we had a grip on the game, but we let it slip through our fingers.

Overall, however, I thought we acquitted ourselves very well at these championships. After finishing the qualifying campaign so strongly home and away to Bosnia in the play-off, we went into the tournament in good shape, looking like a proper team.

That continued with the performance against Sweden, a game we should have won. The Belgian game was one to forget but, having lost our way badly in that one, we bounced back when the pressure was at its most intense against Italy and then, as I say, we gave the hosts a right scare in the knock-out stage.

So even though I still feel a sense of regret at what might have been on Sunday, it’s perfectly legitimate to say that the team left France with a lot of credit, with their heads held high and with the mood around the camp and the country very different to Poland four years ago.

And there are some encouraging signs for the future too. Having mentioned Shane Duffy’s rawness before, I think it’s important to say that he looks to me to be the kind of player who will learn from his experiences, good and bad, in France. Yes, he has to refine his play and eliminate error but I’ve no doubt he’s made of the right stuff to be one of Ireland’s two centre-backs for a long time to come.

Not that I would be in any rush to send John O’Shea on his way. I see that there is some speculation that as many as five of the older members of the squad — John, Robbie Keane, Shay Given, Glenn Whelan, and Wes Hoolahan — might be considering hanging up their boots.

If that comes to pass, I would regard it as a real cause for concern.

Robbie and Shay might be in a separate category since they have not been first-choice picks for some time but we simply can’t afford for all of these guys to walk away together. If the likes of John, Glenn and Wes continue to play professional football in England then they’re going to be worthy of being part of our qualifying campaign for the next World Cup.

It’s a big worry. We were the oldest squad at the Euros, true, but we still very much need those players to carry on. The next campaign comes around quickly, in September, and if we’re going to lose the likes of O’Shea, Whelan, and Hoolahan before then, there are no ready-made replacements waiting in the wings to take their place.

On a much more encouraging note in terms of the immediate future, I would fully agree with Martin O’Neill when he says that younger players like Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady really came of age in France.

In many ways those two led the team, in the way that they wanted to get the ball down, in being adventurous and in showing belief in what they were trying to do. And I would say it’s a pretty safe bet that, on the back of their showing at the Euros, those two players will be with Premier League sides next season.

The deeper concern for Ireland, however, is that I don’t see any similarly talented younger players coming up behind them — and that could prove to be a big problem for Martin going forward.

Of course, injuries meant that we didn’t see Harry Arter in France, and more’s the pity: he’s definitely one who can make an impact in the upcoming World Cup campaign.

Otherwise, I don’t know where the new Irish players are going to come from — but I do know we need to find them.

Martin mentioned we badly need to source a reliable, regular goal-scorer but to that I would say that you won’t actually need one until you start making chances for them to take. I can’t remember Shane Long having one chance over the whole four games in France, and I don’t think he was to blame for that. Again, that’s where some of our failings in terms of technical ability — the quality required to pick players out with through balls and the like — proved costly.

But to wrap things up on an appropriately positive note, I’m pleased to be able to say that, for all the ups and downs, Irish football has had a good two years under Martin O’Neill. When you include taking four points from six against Germany in qualifying, the way we handled the play-off against Bosnia and then the admirable things we saw from the team at the finals, it’s fair to say that Martin has done a good job given the obvious limits to the individual talent in his squad.

Looking ahead to our World Cup group, I think we’ve had more than a bit of luck in not getting one of Europe’s recognised superpowers in the draw. Wales might nominally be the seeded team but we all know that’s misleading: Take Gareth Bale out of the equation and there not at all unlike us.

There’s no Germany in there that you virtually know will win the group before it kicks off but, having said that, with so many of the teams — Wales, Austria, Serbia and ourselves, as well as potentially tricky outsiders in Georgia and Moldova — at a similar level, you’d imagine things could get very tight.

But having beaten Italy and put it up to France, one thing this Irish team is certainly entitled to take home with them from these Euro finals is a belief that, on their day, they don’t have to fear anyone.


Me: Maybe a bit harsh to overlook the likes of Forrester, Byrne & O'Dowda, or maybe I'm being too optimistic thinking they'd be able to contribute at this level - even as squad members - during the next campaign?

[paul_oshea]

Very good piece, its exactly how I feel and what I was trying to say in the other posts. It's getting a bit easier now, but still the disappointment is there. These opportunities dont come around very often at all, we really should have taken the chance.

I hope OShea and Wessi stay on. Whelan I am less concerned about to be honest but Wessi and Oshea, particularly oshea for his experience.

[Junior]

Tets, thats a fairly depressing read...did you have any craic at all?

12 of us were on one of those YBIG buses from La Rochelle. Great craic was had on the way down, the excitement was building. Steve informed everyone that all buses, bar one (for women and children/families) would not be able to leave until 8:30pm on the way back. We had a few beers and sang a few songs in the Ibis by the stadium until it was time to head back - all things considered after the awful result and performance, it was a great aul session.

[tetsujin1979]

It gets better, I promise!

I was sitting by myself on the bus on the way down, I think I dozed most of the way. Most exciting thing that happened was when we stopped at a truck stop, and nearly left someone behind when we left! I passed that Ibis on the way to McDonald's, but someone coming the other way told me it was a 20 minute wait to get served, and I needed something there and then so kept going to the McD's.

I didn't know about the buses not being able to leave until 8:30 until I got back to the buses after the game. I'd said hello to Steve during the day, but he looked stressed to the gills, so I left him alone after that.

[paul_oshea]

I think one thing that Brady hasn't mentioned in that post is now, perhaps, a lot of these English lads with Irish backgrounds might finally realise that England aren't that good, and we aren't that bad, which might bring the likes of some of those not sure/maybes on board. Perhaps someone like Bamford/Redmond or whatever might decide its worth switching to us - granted he hasn't had a great season. We definitely need more to come on board as we haven't much coming through.

[SkStu]

It's getting a bit easier now, but still the disappointment is there.

do you think it hurts you more cos you are a bigger fan than everyone else Paul? It must be tough.

[DeLorean]

It's strange, after the Sweden game I was more relieved to have not lost than disappointed to have not won. That's despite feeling that we deserved to win the game. There's many that were gutted to have left it after us but with the flow of the second half, momentum, etc. I was happy enough to get out of there alive.

After the France game I was more relieved not to have lost 4 or 5-1 after the Duffy sending off, it would have really taken the gloss off what turned out to be a positive campaign.

I think I'm fairly realistic in general but maybe Poland cut me so deep that I was willing to accept any sort of improvement. I think the nature of our qualification campaign gave me a sense of bonus territory from the off as well, given the way Scotland allowed us back in and putting some unwanted records to bed against Germany and B&H.

I won't look back on this exit to France as a massive opportunity blown or with any great regret, there were so many factors that made it an almost impossible mission and we were hopelessly tanked in the second half really. Of course earlier substitutions or a slightly different starting team could have made a difference, but overall we died with our boots on and the gulf looked fairly extreme once France, aided by their own quality and other factors, got a run on us.

I was too young to remember Euro 88, but I still regret what might have been in that tournament. I regret Ray Houghton/Wembley in 1991 and Macedonia in 99. Possibly most of all, I regret what should have been against Spain in 2002, but I don't think this isn't going to register on my regret scale at all really once the dust settles. Maybe if Iceland win it out.

[Stuttgart88]

That's how I feel too, and how I felt after Sweden. I was comparing Sweden to Croatia in Poznan and I left Paris knowing we had a good chance of qualifying still.

[paul_oshea]

do you think it hurts you more cos you are a bigger fan than everyone else Paul? It must be tough.

Yes definitely. That's exactly it, my friends are telling me to "just get over it".

[paul_oshea]

That's how I feel too, and how I felt after Sweden. I was comparing Sweden to Croatia in Poznan and I left Paris knowing we had a good chance of qualifying still.

That croatian team, and this one were miles ahead of Sweden. Sweden were really really brutal. I feel sorry for croatia they had a short turn around time too and the only team who wanted to win, they got caught in a sucker punch cos they tried to win it in extra time and had 2/3 chanecs before that. I really fancied them to go on and get to the final. They're own fans ruined it by thinking they were doing something for the good of the organisation. The head of the croat fa gets a huge commission on players, modric brought him to court over it. He says its "investing in the future" but he has amassed millions because of it. I feel sorry for the likes of Srna who gave his all and probably feels let down. But even if they won that game it was the same outcome, however they could have took their foot off the gas against Spain then, even with the changes they had made.

Lads for any of you there, france by the end of the first half were so close to throwing the toys out of the pram because nothing was working for them, we were closing down the space so well. I could sense that they were really getting frustrated and completely unsure of what to do, all because we closed down the space and closed down the man. Thsi completely stopped in the second half as we hadn't the legs it was clear from all our eyes in the stadium off the ball lads taking breathers and hands on knees bent over. We saw it, O'Neill didn't and I imagine you didnt see it on TV either. We just became so porous and leggy, our highling being the problem when we conceded as opposed to before when we sack back and soaked up the pressure. Anyway I've harped on too much at this stage I am well aware

[pineapple stu]

Me: Maybe a bit harsh to overlook the likes of Forrester, Byrne & O'Dowda, or maybe I'm being too optimistic thinking they'd be able to contribute at this level - even as squad members - during the next campaign?

Little stat - which, like lots of stats, may or mayn't mean anything - but I think since 2000, there's only ever been one player to leave the LoI for a team outside the top two English Divisions or the SPL and go on to get capped for Ireland. That was Paddy Madden, who got one cap as a sub.

So Forrester has big odds to overcome to even get to an international debut, let alone get to the level of Coleman, Hoolahan, Doyle, etc.

That's not to say he won't make the jump - just it's long odds against based on history.

[DannyInvincible]

It's strange, after the Sweden game I was more relieved to have not lost than disappointed to have not won. That's despite feeling that we deserved to win the game. There's many that were gutted to have left it after us but with the flow of the second half, momentum, etc. I was happy enough to get out of there alive.

In hindsight, had we won against Sweden, we may not have qualified from the group as we'd have come up against an Italy still in need of a result to secure top-spot in the group. Maybe things worked out well in that sense.

[Stuttgart88]

That croatian team, and this one were miles ahead of Sweden. Sweden were really really brutal. I feel sorry for croatia they had a short turn around time too and the only team who wanted to win, they got caught in a sucker punch cos they tried to win it in extra time and had 2/3 chanecs before that. I really fancied them to go on and get to the final. They're own fans ruined it by thinking they were doing something for the good of the organisation. The head of the croat fa gets a huge commission on players, modric brought him to court over it. He says its "investing in the future" but he has amassed millions because of it. I feel sorry for the likes of Srna who gave his all and probably feels let down. But even if they won that game it was the same outcome, however they could have took their foot off the gas against Spain then, even with the changes they had made.

Lads for any of you there, france by the end of the first half were so close to throwing the toys out of the pram because nothing was working for them, we were closing down the space so well. I could sense that they were really getting frustrated and completely unsure of what to do, all because we closed down the space and closed down the man. Thsi completely stopped in the second half as we hadn't the legs it was clear from all our eyes in the stadium off the ball lads taking breathers and hands on knees bent over. We saw it, O'Neill didn't and I imagine you didnt see it on TV either. We just became so porous and leggy, our highling being the problem when we conceded as opposed to before when we sack back and soaked up the pressure. Anyway I've harped on too much at this stage I am well aware

agree with Sweden, but that wasn't the point. The point was more that as soon as we'd lost to Croatia we were toast. I fancied we could get something from the other two games so I was happy just not to be out already.

And it was clear to all even on telly that we were tired. Maybe it's because I have a canary watching Ireland play when we're in front but I don't think we were as good in the first half as people say. I think we did a lot of the negative things really well and put some good moves together but I still think we struggled to retain the ball and lost a lot of 50/50s.

Like TOWK I wasn't that downhearted even at 2-1. I felt we'd get at least one more chance and we should have equalised when MCClean got through. I think France did what they needed to do to equalise and deserve credit. I think we gave them the second. I think O'Neill probably would have changed things but it wasn't unrealistic to think that we could have lasted more than 13 minutes. O'Neill could have gone 451 but that would have invited more pressure as per the Belgian first half.

I think we lost a good game of football to a good side that had a long time to react to an adverse situation.

[tetsujin1979]

Lille-livered, or Jacking up my ego: http://tetsujin1979.blogspot.ie/2016...acking-up.html

[DeLorean]

I much more fearful of black-outs in places where everybody does know me.

[BonnieShels]

I much more fearful of black-outs in places where everybody does know me.

Snap on that.

Test, I've never heard the phrase "With a hangover that knew my name" before. I'll be using it.

[tetsujin1979]

Snap on that.

Test, I've never heard the phrase "With a hangover that knew my name" before. I'll be using it.

I wish I could claim it as my own, but I've read it a few times in Ross O'Carroll-Kelly's columns. Another one I use from time to time is "You could take my pulse by looking at my forehead" - not sure where that comes from.

[tetsujin1979]

Did some research over the weekend, Ireland are the third team to have beaten the Italian national side in both the European Championship (2016) and the World Cup (1994) after the Netherlands (2008 & 1978) and the Soviet Union (1988 & 1966)

[DeLorean]

Interesting. I suppose France beat them in the 2000 Euro final and knocked them out of the 1998 WC on penalties but you're obviously just talking about ninety minutes. This is Germany's second time knocking Italy out of the Euros without actually beating them, as their scoreless draw in the group stage at Euro 96 wasn't enough for Italy to go through.

[tetsujin1979]

Interesting. I suppose France beat them in the 2000 Euro final and knocked them out of the 1998 WC on penalties but you're obviously just talking about ninety minutes. This is Germany's second time knocking Italy out of the Euros without actually beating them, as their scoreless draw in the group stage at Euro 96 wasn't enough for Italy to go through.

yeah, over 90 minutes