Take a leaf out of norn iron book!

**oconghc2** · 07/09/2006, 12:28 AM

felt very jealous watching spanish game tonight! Just feels like ages since I've really enjoyed an ireland performance, one where the team really lifts the crowd and shows pride and passion.

Never thought i'd be praising northern ireland soccer team but thought they showed massive character - a lot more than our boys! Outside of the WC02 i cant remember the last time i've been real proud of the irish team - Paris maybe but even that i thought there was something missing.

We have better players on paper than north but they showed tonight that heart and passion go a long way - i'm not having the argument that our team lacks the talent of say a germany or spain anymore. This irish team is playing below itself - the reason for lacklustre performance isnt down to lack of ability - somethings missing be it manager or players passion for the cause.

**Sunnyside Up** · 07/09/2006, 12:37 AM

There's an obnoxious element in the Fai (would you be proud playing for them?)

There's an obnoxious element in the supporters (would you be proud playing for them?)

There's an obnioxious element in the team (would you be proud playing with them?)

Add all 3 up and there's something rotten in the current Irish setup.

**oconghc2** · 07/09/2006, 12:46 AM

FAI - cant deny this - and maybe it does affect the camp - that said you should be playing for the greater good i.e. the country and supporters.

Supporters - some may be obnoxious but there arent many other countries with as loyal supporters. are you trying to tell me that some northern ireland supporters are not obnoxious?? must be joking!!

Team - Hard to comment on this one as you would need to be part of it to really know.

**oconghc2** · 07/09/2006, 12:51 AM

jesus I know that - but in 4 years of qualifiers youd expect more! It shouldnt be too much to ask for 1 performance that lifts the spirits - even a yougoslavia from McCarthy era!

Will still be there for the games - home or away - afraid of missing a big one!!

**joema** · 07/09/2006, 1:24 AM

Originally Posted by oconghc2

felt very jealous watching spanish game tonight! Just feels like ages since I've really enjoyed an ireland performance, one where the team really lifts the crowd and shows pride and passion.
Never thought i'd be praising northern ireland soccer team but thought they showed massive character - a lot more than our boys! Outside of the WC02 i cant remember the last time i've been real proud of the irish team - Paris maybe but even that i thought there was something missing.

We have better players on paper than north but they showed tonight that heart and passion go a long way - i'm not having the argument that our team lacks the talent of say a germany or spain anymore. This irish team is playing below itself - the reason for lacklustre performance isnt down to lack of ability - somethings missing be it manager or players passion for the cause.

Agree with all you said except for the bit in bold - fans lift teams, not the other way around. Too many of our fans wait for the team to do something before getting fully involved. The Norn Iron fans got behind their team and lifted them from the start - they also had reason to be unhappy with their players for showing a lack of passion - humiliated at home to Iceland and absaloutley slaughtered in the media and booed of the pitch

Our fans point the finger at our players for not giving 100% but sometimes we are just as guilty ourselves - we have to lift our team like the Norn Iron fans did, always do

Originally Posted by oconghc2

jesus I know that - but in 4 years of qualifiers youd expect more! It shouldnt be too much to ask for 1 performance that lifts the spirits - even a yougoslavia from McCarthy era!

We should lift the team and stop expecting the team to lift us, we have to support our team from the start for the full 90 home and away like the Norn Iron fans do - thats why Norn Iron are able to play to their full potential and beat the Spanish.

It could be said the team owe us a performance but I believe we owe the team an atmosphere as good as the Norn Iron fans always create home and away, big game or small

**Dodge** · 07/09/2006, 1:54 AM

Thats what ahppen when you get a manager in with LOI expereince and allow him to do his job...

**Stuttgart88** · 07/09/2006, 8:07 AM

For all the stale atmospheres we have at home friendlies, of which we have far too many, I'd be amazed if our crowd isn't absolutely up for it on 11th October (assuming we beat Cyprus). Performance, scale of occasion and atmosphere are all intertwined.

I'd like to have heard what the atmosphere was like at Windsor Park on Saturday.

**nedder** · 07/09/2006, 8:20 AM

Good point Joema. Are us fans there to be entertained or are we there to support and lift the team? I think too many people demand the former..

**Over the post** · 07/09/2006, 8:31 AM

Hats off to the northerners, a great victory. Mind you, Spain were so bad it was comic.
It just goes to show how a supposedly better team (on paper) bereft of ideas, can be beaten by a well-organised, spirited display by one of the minnows.
It reminded me a bit of our performances against lesser sides such as Israel and Switzerland.
The so-called minnows rely more on team effort and organisation to win games whereas the big teams generally have one or two players who can turn a game.
Which do we think we are?

**Dublin12** · 07/09/2006, 8:35 AM

Well done to the Nordies!,super David Healy ;-)

**Scram** · 07/09/2006, 9:09 AM

Yes, let's take a leaf out of their book...BOO the team if we don't win but hero worship them when we have a fluky win over the Spanish. Be fickle and volatile and spout sectarian chants. Why not aspire to be like the Englishs fans who booed Hargreaves (mainly because they can't see past Premiership players) until he proved their best option in the World Cup.

Our fans are more reactive than proactive in their support and certainly need to be louder and for 90 minutes, not just when goals are scored but aspiring to be like the above is not something we should be pushing.

ps. the 3-2 defeat of Spain is just one of those flukes that occurs now and again explained more by abyssmal defending than anything else. There will be no Lambeg drums, fife or Linfield flags in Austria or Switzerland 2008.

**Dublin12** · 07/09/2006, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by Scram

Yes, let's take a leaf out of their book...BOO the team if we don't win but hero worship them when we have a fluky win over the Spanish. Be fickle and volatile and spout sectarian chants. Why not aspire to be like the Englishs fans who booed Hargreaves (mainly because they can't see past Premiership players) until he proved their best option in the World Cup.

Our fans are more reactive than proactive in their support and certainly need to be louder and for 90 minutes, not just when goals are scored but aspiring to be like the above is not something we should be pushing.

ps. the 3-2 defeat of Spain is just one of those flukes that occurs now and again explained more by abyssmal defending than anything else. There will be no Lambeg drums, fife or Linfield flags in Austria or Switzerland 2008.

Bit harsh mate,give them credit where it's due,they played really well last night and deserved the win.

**youngirish** · 07/09/2006, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dublin12

Bit harsh mate,give them credit where it's due,they played really well last night and deserved the win.

True but it's a one off freak result. Happens every now and then. I for one don't envy there team or their passion. Where was there passion when they were getting hammerred by those powers of world football Iceland the other day? If they wanted to qualify that's who they should really be beating.

The Spanish had one of their fairly regular off days. That's all.

**Dodge** · 07/09/2006, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by RDBloomfield

Hmm.........wasn't that a certain Mr.B.Kerr.......

The last bit was pointedly NOT Kerr

**gspain** · 07/09/2006, 10:29 AM

Reminded me a lot of Spain 89. A lot of tickets went to corporate types after that and Lansdowne was dead in the early 90's despite all the success.

We had similiar atmosphere for Holland 2001 too but don't have that kind of noise and passion anymore on a regular basis. They had it for Azerbaijan last year as well

Some of it can be put down to expectations. Ours are a lot higher and the crowd can be more demanding and less supportive. .

**gspain** · 07/09/2006, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

The Spanish had one of their fairly regular off days. That's all.

Since losing to Denmark in March 93 in the qualifiers for WC94 the Spanish had lost 1 qualifying match before last night.

I wish our offdays were as "fairly regular" as that.

**NeilMcD** · 07/09/2006, 10:40 AM

Yeah the atmosphere Spain 89 was the best I have been at in LR. Northern Ireland were good last night but the post above by Scram is right, they did boo their team on Sat so not all is perfect. Lets not bash ourselves too much up but rather look at the positives and the negatives.

**shakermaker1982** · 07/09/2006, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by youngirish

True but it's a one off freak result. Happens every now and then. I for one don't envy there team or their passion. Where was there passion when they were getting hammerred by those powers of world football Iceland the other day? If they wanted to qualify that's who they should really be beating.

The Spanish had one of their fairly regular off days. That's all.

Well N Ireland have had two 'freak' results in the space of 12 months. When are we due one???!!!

**youngirish** · 07/09/2006, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by gspain

Since losing to Denmark in March 93 in the qualifiers for WC94 the Spanish had lost 1 qualifying match before last night.

I wish our offdays were as "fairly regular" as that.

They couldn't have been that great for the last WC qualifiers. They had to come through the play-offs from a group that contained Serbia (who were sh**e in the WC). They drew a load of games that you'd expect them to win comfortably.

**oconghc2** · 07/09/2006, 10:55 AM

I 100% agree that we need to be more proactive than reactive in our support. I feel that most on here are the ones who make the effort to always get behind the team.

I still believe however that the team itself needs to do more to rally the crowd - manager as well - i find stan and some of the players very uninspiring. The crowd can do their part (look at swiss/France at home last campaign) but the main thing is the team.

The Norn Iron team came out of the blocks last night because they had a point to prove after saturday. Our team doesnt seem to have proven their point. I still reckon theres a big result there for us over next year and half but theres only so much we can do!