Respect!!

[Nir_Arad]

I guess this is really a matter of mentalities. Barthez wasted time just like Awat when France played in Israel (does France count as "North Western Europe"?)

We see players feigning injuries all the time here and we don't think that much of it (though that red card ordeal was really disgusting. That was way over the line for sure). On the other hand, if an Israeli player would intentionally tackle a guy hard enough to end his career, he'd be stained for life rather than a national idol - so, different value systems?

[Peadar]

if an Israeli player would intentionally tackle a guy hard enough to end his career, he'd be stained for life rather than a national idol - so, different value systems?

He served his time for that.
Some argue that it was publicised as a ploy to sell books.
You had more than just one player acting the maggot!

[Donal81]

Two comments on this:
1) we only developed an interest in the behaviour of Awat because we did not win a game in which we led 2-0. Had we won no-one would have give a fiddler's f**k what Awat did.
2) we have our own history of players behaivng disgracefully during a game, Connolly in Belgium and Roy Keane in his first game as captain against Russia are two that come to mind.

A few points: Connolly fouled a player and got sent off. Keane fouled a player and got sent off. They broke the rules of the game and got punished for it. They did not attempt to con the referee, they didn't play act and they didn't timewaste. What they did was stupid but certainly not a disgraceful act.

Secondly, plenty of people on this site have referred to the game against Albania a number of years ago when they came to Dublin and played a style of football that the Israelis aped when they visited. Essentially, they had no interest in playing a decent, honest game of football which, generally, we play. They came to waste time, con the ref and cheat, cheat, cheat, which is what the Israelis did. That Albania game still bugs me when I think of it although we won, so I don't think Irish fans were annoyed at Israel simply because we ended up losing our 2-0 advantage, although obviously it's an element.

[Nir_Arad]

They came to waste time, con the ref and cheat, cheat, cheat, which is what the Israelis did.

I think you're exaggarating - I doubt we could equlaize a 2-0 away if this is all we had. Sure, the game was not pretty, but I dont expect otherwise from a team playing away game against a much stronger side.

There's no excuse for that red card and this is part of the reason I'm glad Awat is out of our team now. Other than this, that's football - I may not like the way Greece played in Euro2004, but if I were Greek I don't think I'd mind.

[Krstic]

I demand you to respect them.

Daniel

I have 2 words for you, the second is OFF, you can guess the first

[Donal81]

I think you're exaggarating - I doubt we could equlaize a 2-0 away if this is all we had. Sure, the game was not pretty, but I dont expect otherwise from a team playing away game against a much stronger side.

There's no excuse for that red card and this is part of the reason I'm glad Awat is out of our team now. Other than this, that's football - I may not like the way Greece played in Euro2004, but if I were Greek I don't think I'd mind.

You're right, the Israelis defended well and refused to give up, for which I've already given them credit on this site.

You don't have the luxury of putting Israel in the same bracket as Greece. Greece weren't pretty to watch but they were well-organised like your team can be. They didn't go in for the really cynical end of things. Like I said before, I can remember seeing three Israeli defenders at the same time plus that f*cking goalkeeper rolling around on the ground after a corner. "That's football" - in Israel and other places, maybe. In Lansdowne Road, no it's not, which is why that Israel team was so unpopular that day.

I appreciate that how we view football in general will differ - like you said, different value systems - and best of luck with the rest of the campaign.

[mypost]

Now, a few months on, I still consider that Israeli team to be one which has no problem whatsoever with feigning injury to get a player sent off, timewasting and diving. One moment from Lansdowne stands out when, after an Irish corner was cleared, there was something like three or four Israeli players lying on the ground, clutching some body part.

I have honestly never seen a team play that disgracefully in front of my eyes.

Really??

Every team waste time/feign injury at Lansdowne when we're not winning. Remember the Iran game, when before we went 1-0 up, their keeper went down for 3 minutes every time, when anything resembling a high ball went near him??

Remember Poland in Lansdowne in '91. That was probably the first time it happened. It wasn't the last by a long way.

Regarding the Israel game, if Kerr didn't upset the balance of the game by substituting a midfielder for a striker, and blowing a 2 goal lead in the process, the Israelis would never have got the chance to playact at Lansdowne.

[Green Army Girl]

I remember that you whiners had a lot to say about our team after the game in Irland and I was wondering what you all have to say abot us now...



I dont know why you feel so hard done by .Your goalkeeper was a joke but this does not reflect on the fans i was in Israel for the match against Ireland and i had a great time and a few of the lads went back this year for a holiday but this is football part of being a good team and a fan is that you take criticism and use it to your advantage. Yeah your doing well and out of all the teams i would like you to come in second but a big heart and alot of character has to be shown by you now and to take a bit of criticism on the chin and support your team instead of worring what everyone else thinks of them.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Really??

Every team waste time/feign injury at Lansdowne when we're not winning. Remember the Iran game, when before we went 1-0 up, their keeper went down for 3 minutes every time, when anything resembling a high ball went near him??

Remember Poland in Lansdowne in '91. That was probably the first time it happened. It wasn't the last by a long way.

Regarding the Israel game, if Kerr didn't upset the balance of the game by substituting a midfielder for a striker, and blowing a 2 goal lead in the process, the Israelis would never have got the chance to playact at Lansdowne.

Very true. I also remember the Albanians at Lansdowne in June 2003. They wasted so much time that in the last minute John O'Shea didn't throw the ball back to them after they had put it out of play for an "injury". We subsequently scored the winner. Sweet.

As for respecting the Israelis, they have earned it. Their spirit and determination has been incredible. However, I still dont like them. I was disgusted with their behaviour in Lansdowne. I do hope they finish ahead of the Swiss though because they are dirty cheats who thrive on nastiness. I hope the best two teams in the group finish in the top two places. That means the final group table should look something like this:
1. Ireland
2. France
3. Israel
4. Switzerland
5. Cyprus
6. Faroe Islands

[Nir_Arad]

take a bit of criticism on the chin and support your team instead of worring what everyone else thinks of them.

Well said!!

Donal81, thanks and best of luck against France. Regarding that Landsdowne game, as David Brent says "let's agree to disagree"

I hope we get to play each other again - it was great to have you in Tel Aviv and next time I hope to make it to Landsdowne (had to cancel in the last moment this time...)

[Lenny]

I went to both games, in tel aviv and dublin. You didn't miss anything but not going to the game in dublin. We were treated in a disgraceful way compared to how we welcomed the irish fans. And that's even before all the "antics" our goalie pulled (the whole palestinian crap, damn you, can't you keep politics seperated from sports?)
So, if shame on our goalie, than shame on you irish fans, for treating us like sh1t.
Hem bney zonot lo nornalim!

[Green Army Girl]

I went to both games, in tel aviv and dublin. You didn't miss anything but not going to the game in dublin. We were treated in a disgraceful way compared to how we welcomed the irish fans. And that's even before all the "antics" our goalie pulled (the whole palestinian crap, damn you, can't you keep politics seperated from sports?)
So, if shame on our goalie, than shame on you irish fans, for treating us like sh1t.
Hem bney zonot lo nornalim!

Well if you want to talk about after the game in israel we were jeered plenty of times but i dont go away judging a country on a few d*ickheads that you meet. On our seond day there a fella cam down to the Irish pub with a rangers jersey on so your telling me he wasnt asking for trouble and also in the crowd there was a rangers flag. Things like this happen so get over it, enjoy the "good football" you are playing,

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

I went to both games, in tel aviv and dublin. You didn't miss anything but not going to the game in dublin. We were treated in a disgraceful way compared to how we welcomed the irish fans. And that's even before all the "antics" our goalie pulled (the whole palestinian crap, damn you, can't you keep politics seperated from sports?)
So, if shame on our goalie, than shame on you irish fans, for treating us like sh1t.
Hem bney zonot lo nornalim!

I have to agree with you on the whole politics thing. People should not have brought politics into the equation. I hope you don't think all Irish people are like that. Unfortunately, Ireland has witnessed the growth of a tree-hugging generation in recent years.

[Peadar]

We were treated in a disgraceful way compared to how we welcomed the irish fans.

How about I give you some e-mail addresses from your fellow country men and ask them how they were treated in Dublin?
They saw a tiny political protest by a handful of people but laughed it off because they've seen a lot worse in their time.
Other than that, they were treated like kings.
Taken to all the sights, taken to a Gaelic Football game in Croke Park. Taken to the IKeano play. You name it, they saw it.

Don't bother coming on here crying about someone waving a Palestinian flag at you.

[Stuttgart88]

can't you keep politics seperated from sports?

If you check the posts on this message board prior to the Dublin match you'd see that most of us did actually want politics kept separated from sports.

[Lenny]

How about I give you some e-mail addresses from your fellow country men and ask them how they were treated in Dublin?

No thanx. I prefer womens emails, please.

[Peadar]

I prefer womens emails, please.

So that's what's wrong with you.
Your women were all over us in Tel Aviv and you expected the same treatment for the Irish girls when you came to Dublin.
Sorry you didn't manage to score in Dublin.

[Lenny]

How about I give you some e-mail addresses from your fellow country men and ask them how they were treated in Dublin?
They saw a tiny political protest by a handful of people but laughed it off because they've seen a lot worse in their time.
Other than that, they were treated like kings.

Oh, i doubt it.
Besides, i don't care what you saw, i care about what my friends and i saw and felt.
It wasn't pretty. at all.
And by the way, to see a 4 year old waving a palestinian flag, and being so filled with haterd to a whole nation without even knowing why it's really sad.

[Lenny]

So that's what's wrong with you.
Your women were all over us in Tel Aviv and you expected the same treatment for the Irish girls when you came to Dublin.
Sorry you didn't manage to score in Dublin.

Yeah man, what's up with the irish chicks??

[Peadar]

what's up with the irish chicks??

They've got good taste and high standards.
Sorry again.