Euro 2008 - Is there any hope?

[theleprechaun]

i believe we can still do it yet!!! as they say hope springs eternal

[Wolfie]

Beating San Marino means we are 3 points off the leaders having played a game more. The Germans drawing with Cyprus has tightened up the group and puts pressure on them. If we then win our back to back games with Wales and Slovakia in March then we are sitting on 13 points whilst zee Germans have to play the Czechs away on the same day as our Welsh fixture (someone will drop points here - maybe even a draw). Maybe I'm too optimistic but if we will all our games at home we have a fighting chance...... keep the faith!!!

Suspending disbelief, etc etc, - if we do get a run of results together, the fact we don't figure in the last round of fixtures could work against us. Although the last time that happened, Scotland beat Bulgaria away in 1987...........

[citizenerased]

Yeah, keep the faith lads...im an optimist and there is no reason to fear anyone, but then you realise we have focckkin STAN.........

[SligoBrewer]

we havent a donkeys chance lads..

duff and keane not firing...
a muppet who NEVER MANAGED BEFORE in charge..

world cup 2010? f*ck off!

[Golfer]

You have a better chance of seeing somoene from the DUP taking a seat in West Belfast than you have of us going to 2008.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Suspending disbelief, etc etc, - if we do get a run of results together, the fact we don't figure in the last round of fixtures could work against us. Although the last time that happened, Scotland beat Bulgaria away in 1987...........

I think it will help us. Better to have points in the bag rather than have games in hand.

[galwayhoop]

You have a better chance of seeing somoene from the DUP taking a seat in West Belfast than you have of us going to 2008.

looks like we'd better start booking the flights lads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Dodds

Diane Dodds is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party and is one of the six MLAs in the currently suspended Northern Ireland Assembly that represent the constituency of West Belfast.

[grounded]

For some reason I got over the Cyprus match very quickly but I'm still disappointed we failed to beat the Czechs. Any team will be doing well to win in Cyprus so if we beat the Czechs we'd have as much chance of qualifying as ever. In saying that, I'd have taken a win here and a defeat over there so a draw over there might make up for it (assuming Germany win the group). 3 wins from our next 3 games is vital though.

Loosing 5-2 to (according to FIFA) No.73 in the ranks is ok but drawing with No. 10 is disappointing?

Not having a go or anything but out of curousity could you please tell me how that works out?

[eirebhoy]

Loosing 5-2 to (according to FIFA) No.73 in the ranks is ok but drawing with No. 10 is disappointing?

Not having a go or anything but out of curousity could you please tell me how that works out?

I didn't crack into my brain and choose from a list of emotions after both matches so I can't explain why. Any team will be doing well to win in Cyprus so we didn't need to win there. I also realised, with the lineup Stan put out and the performance of the team that Stan is a poor manager so a disastrous defeat would have hopefully got rid of him. It was clear that Stan was going to be staying for this campaign though so I was 100% behind the team for the Czech match. They were there for the taken and we failed to beat them. I couldn't see any way for us to qualify after that draw and Stan was staying on either way.

[grounded]

Was just wondering.......moving on

Being german myself I thought the game in Germany was a cracker. If you play like that at Croke Park chances are pretty good to take the three points.

There are 6 points between Ireland and Czech. We still have to play Czech twice and plan on taking the 6 points of them. So there all sorted

[cavan_fan]

I think we all would all agree San Marino will lose all their matches, so it's more useful to look at a table ignoring mathces against them. At present thsi stands

Teams Pld Pts
Germany 3 7
Czech Republic 3 7
Slovakia 4 6
Cyprus 4 4
Wales 3 3
Republic of Ireland 3 1

This shows the scale of the task in hand, even though we have a game in hand against some teams.

[Wolfie]

Was just wondering.......moving on

Being german myself I thought the game in Germany was a cracker. If you play like that at Croke Park chances are pretty good to take the three points.

There are 6 points between Ireland and Czech. We still have to play Czech twice and plan on taking the 6 points of them. So there all sorted

There's nothing "grounded" about those intentions but you win hands down on complete and utter assurance that you'll get maximum points off the Czechs. There's a thin line between arrogance and confidence but i think you've stayed just about the right side of it!!

Thanks for the favour - rest assured we'll do our damndest to take three off Germany at Croker!!

(Bravado - a sure sign we're up against it)

[RogerMilla]

wolfie , bravado is about all we've got left chief ! i keep telling the germans that we will beat them next time and you know what some day i'll be right !!

[Wolfie]

wolfie , bravado is about all we've got left chief ! i keep telling the germans that we will beat them next time and you know what some day i'll be right !!

If we're still in with a shout by the time the Germany at home match rolls around (13.10.07) - It'll be a result in itself.

[citizenerased]

Of course it was dissappointing to get a draw with the czechs irrespective of their fifa ranking, we were robbed and as usual, bottled it and failed to launch a killer blow,,we desperately needed to win that after the cyprus debacle...fifa rankings are bolllix anyway...

[brine3]

Not a hope in hell, not with this board, this manager and this squad.

But hey, at least the players will be able to get ****ed again, like the good old days.

[Wolfie]

Euro 2008 - Is there any hope?

Many may question the sanity of even posing the question but just thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

The margin for error is practically down to zero (need a series of big wins both home and away) and the obvious chasm of points to claw back is demoralising before we kick a ball.

Are we dead in the water for 2008 or is a comeback of Lazarus / Noel Edmunds like proportions remotely attainable?

Deal or no Deal?

Suppose we're back in with a fighting chance!!!

[Jerry The Saint]

It's tempting to be optimistic (fun too ) but, as it stands, we have more games played and a worse goal difference than our 2 rivals despite having already played most of our easier games

On the other hand - we're joint top!

(This is why Paul Osam is right when he says that only a fool looks at the league table )

[youngirish]

Suppose we're back in with a fighting chance!!!

A chance that's all. We had two easy home games against dreadful to poor opposition. The real challenge will come now with three tough away games (Slovakia, Czech Rep and Wales) and our toughest home game (Germany). Judging by last nights performance Cyprus will be no pushovers in Dublin either and we have to beat them.

To have any hope I reckon we have to get 11 points plus from those games though we might need as many as 13.

Billsthoughts goal difference counts for nothing. It's head to head.

[galwayhoop]

It's tempting to be optimistic (fun too ) but, as it stands, we have more games played and a worse goal difference than our 2 rivals despite having already played most of our easier games

its head to head results that count - not goal difference - if teams finish on equal points. worked out on a home and away basis (like european club knock-out games). on that score we need to have a score draw at least against the czechs to have a realistic chance of finishing second - presuming germany steam roll everyone (except us of course ).