Is it just me

[NeilMcD]

Part of the fun of supporting your team is a sense of Optimism. Going to the in great hopes that you team will do well. This is added to if there is a sense of genuine optimism there too. A lot of teh posters on this site, with their negative views, and pessimistic attitude seem to be taking the fun out of supporting your nation. There is no joy in it because even if you are right on Thursday nobody will come along and thank you. Life is about living, and having fun and I think football is a great way to express joy. But the joy should come before and during and after the game if the result goes right.

[Stuttgart88]

No Neil, it's not just you.

[OwlsFan]

As I posted elsewhere, pessimism is of the intellect, optimism is of the will. Many fans hope for the best and fear the worst - I certainly do. Optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. If you follow a top team like Manchester United or France, then you go into every game expecting to win. If you have followed Ireland for many many years or a lesser team, you prepare yourself for the let down. You go to the game supporting the team 100%, fervently hoping that the team will win but you know that in football there is a good chance you will end up in the dumps.

The person who thinks we might lose is not any less of a supporter than the one who says "of course we'll win" nor will they shout any less in support of the team. If everyone here posted we'll win, it won't make the chances of us beating the French any greater.

The important thing is that everyone going to Lansdowne produces the same or even a better atmosphere than the Holland game a few years ago. If things go our way, there is no doubt we can do it but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't. That's football and Ireland in particular.

[NeilMcD]

So are they pessmistic just cause its there own team or if they supporter france would they be on www.foot.fr saying the following about France

They have 2 games away from Home against teams they have failed to beat at home. They have 3 players coming back into a team without any sort of bedding in process. That with these same players they failed at World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004 with 2 different managers and now they have another manager they have not played under before until last month. That Ireland have lost very few competitive games at home in recent years, Switzerland and Austria, Both coming at the end of reigns of managers.

[Cowboy]

If you have followed Ireland for many many years or a lesser team, you prepare yourself for the let down.

I've never gone to an Ireland game prepared to be let down. You should exchange hope for belief. If our players took to the field hoping for a win rather than believing they can win how do you think this would affect their performance? Too ofetn I've heard guys moaning that we are going to get a hiding on the few occasions that that we have gone a goal down instead of getting behind our team. Of course there are times when things go against us but thats football, going into a game with fear and trepidation surely can do no good for our major role of getting behind our boys and roaring them on to a win.

[Cowboy]

Part of the fun of supporting your team is a sense of Optimism. Going to the in great hopes that you team will do well. This is added to if there is a sense of genuine optimism there too. A lot of teh posters on this site, with their negative views, and pessimistic attitude seem to be taking the fun out of supporting your nation. There is no joy in it because even if you are right on Thursday nobody will come along and thank you. Life is about living, and having fun and I think football is a great way to express joy. But the joy should come before and during and after the game if the result goes right.

Excellent post brother

[gustavo]

lads just cos you are worried that your team isnt going to win doesnt mean you are disowning them or anything im not to optimistic about the game next week just going on form and circumstances however doesnt mean i wont be cheering them on as much as the man who think we are going to hammer them, some people are just naturally pessimistic when it comes to their teams chances .people who have seen my predictions on the sligo rovers forum for all our upcoming games will know i am one of them

[NeilMcD]

I agree somewhere at the back of my mind I fear taht the doom and gloom merchants will reacte to us going behind in a less than positive manner. I could be wrong, and I dont think all of them will react like this but surely if you have been posting for weeks that we are going to lose and then sudenly were are losing there must be some sort of inkling to behave as if they had forseen this coming.

[sligoman]

people who have seen my predictions on the sligo rovers forum for all our upcoming games will know i am one of them

Yes, I'll back him up on that .

[eirebhoy]

I certainly prefer the pessimism heading into the France game than the over-optimism before the Israel home game.

[paul_oshea]

i am a realist not a pessimist, to be a realist, you cant be optimistic just for the sake of it.

[NeilMcD]

I agree that there was over optimism going into that game. Thinks like 3 or 4 nil etc. I was optimistic that we could win that game and we should have one that game. However you have to respect that the other team can play also. I think that Israel are not respected at all depite there standing in the group. Just look at teh prediction for the Swiss Israel game. People are saying 3 or 4 nil to Switzerland. I would be suprised if there is more than one goal between the teams in that game and I would fancy a draw. In fact I think we could be in for 2 draws in the major games over then next week but I am hopeful that we can nick it at home.

[paul_oshea]

As I posted elsewhere, pessimism is of the intellect, optimism is of the will. Many fans hope for the best and fear the worst - I certainly do. Optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. If you follow a top team like Manchester United or France, then you go into every game expecting to win. If you have followed Ireland for many many years or a lesser team, you prepare yourself for the let down. You go to the game supporting the team 100%, fervently hoping that the team will win but you know that in football there is a good chance you will end up in the dumps.

excellent post brother. both factual and realistic.

[NeilMcD]

i am a realist not a pessimist, to be a realist, you cant be optimistic just for the sake of it.

Yes but if one is a realist woudl they not see that Ireland do not get beaten at home very often and that we have a great record at LR. So the most likely result is a draw or maybe Ireland nicking it

[Karlos]

As I posted elsewhere, pessimism is of the intellect, optimism is of the will. Many fans hope for the best and fear the worst - I certainly do. Optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. If you follow a top team like Manchester United or France, then you go into every game expecting to win. If you have followed Ireland for many many years or a lesser team, you prepare yourself for the let down. You go to the game supporting the team 100%, fervently hoping that the team will win but you know that in football there is a good chance you will end up in the dumps.

The person who thinks we might lose is not any less of a supporter than the one who says "of course we'll win" nor will they shout any less in support of the team. If everyone here posted we'll win, it won't make the chances of us beating the French any greater.

The important thing is that everyone going to Lansdowne produces the same or even a better atmosphere than the Holland game a few years ago. If things go our way, there is no doubt we can do it but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't. That's football and Ireland in particular.

Excellent post mate. I always go to the game with hope in my heart but the football side of the brain always tries to look at things objectively and be a realist. Part of my joy in Football emanates from my heart beating my head on the odd occassion. Those days are particulary special.

[paul_oshea]

Yes but if one is a realist woudl they not see that Ireland do not get beaten at home very often and that we have a great record at LR. So the most likely result is a draw or maybe Ireland nicking it

I never said what ones prediction was, I was merely stating that owlsfan point was correct. I am no less of a fan than you because i remain cautios/slightly pessimistic, I dont see us winning this game, but I can assure you whereever I am watching it, I will be getting behind them as much if not more than you if we do go down 1 - 0. optimism/over optimism comes without actually seeing through the fog. Hope is something completely different which is what i personally have in adundance.

I hope we win, but I think a draw is more likely and depending on how france start, could see us losing as we are 2 down before we have even settled into the game.

[paul_oshea]

Part of my joy in Football emanates from my heart beating my head on the odd occassion. Those days are particulary special

They are extremely special, take israel for example when we went 2 - 0 up it was like ah sure i knew we were going to win, however take that against holland or france now, and the emotions are incomprehendable.

[NeilMcD]

Speak for yourself, When we went 2 nil up againts israel and playing so well I could not believe it I thought it was going to be a struggle all day. The 2nd half was the way I saw most of that match going.

[NeilMcD]

I never said what ones prediction was, I was merely stating that owlsfan point was correct. I am no less of a fan than you because i remain cautios/slightly pessimistic, I dont see us winning this game, but I can assure you whereever I am watching it, I will be getting behind them as much if not more than you if we do go down 1 - 0. optimism/over optimism comes without actually seeing through the fog. Hope is something completely different which is what i personally have in adundance.

I hope we win, but I think a draw is more likely and depending on how france start, could see us losing as we are 2 down before we have even settled into the game.

I have never said any one was less of a fan or more of a fan, as I think thats a load of rubbish as its a very subjective point and cant be proved by facts

[Cowboy]

Realisticly and objectively I believe we will beat France on Wednesday

Excellent post mate. I always go to the game with hope in my heart but the football side of the brain always tries to look at things objectively and be a realist. Part of my joy in Football emanates from my heart beating my head on the odd occassion. Those days are particulary special.