Euro 2008 - Is there any hope?

[eirebhoy]

just prior to our game against holland in lansdowne in 2001 we were 5/1 to qualify for the world cup

We were 9/2 to qualify for the last WC. All very similar so the bookies don't think we're out of it.

[galwayhoop]

It's a good point about the support. I was thinking more about the fact that they'll have Gabbidon, Delaney, Koumas and Earnshaw back. If Giggs, Bellamy, Davies, Bale are on form they've a decent team. I just dread our away matches.

yeah but we will be boosted by s.reid, a.reid, j.o'brien, (fit) k.doyle and hopefully will still have a mathamatical chance to qualify while they are going through the motions and by that stage giggs will probably be withdrawing from squads and bellamy will have fallen out with the boss

[kingdom hoop]

I dont expect us to get any more than one point in the slovakia/czech double header

i wouldnt share that view. they dont get great crowds/atmosphere in czech/slovakia so with a good away contingent i think we can create a good atmosphere for the lads, allied to the fact we've shown we can match them both leads me to think we will get four points from the september trip.

[galwayhoop]

eirebhoy, what is your opinion / knowledge of celtic's irish forward cillian sheridan. he is big and looks like with bulking up could be strong. an option for an international target man or not up to it??

[eirebhoy]

eirebhoy, what is your opinion / knowledge of celtic's irish forward cillian sheridan. he is big and looks like with bulking up could be strong. an option for an international target man or not up to it??

Seems to have just shot onto the scene. I've only seen 10 minutes of him so I know as much as you.

[galwayhoop]

Seems to have just shot onto the scene. I've only seen 10 minutes of him so I know as much as you.

not the indept knowledge i expected of you

[KopKiller]

Brilliant! We havent had a lanky streak of p1ss since Quinn retired.

Hmmm...im suspicious of expecting too much of players that play in the scotish league, its a second rate division these days and players often look like world beaters there and then go south or get in the national team and are nothing more than average, they need to be playing in the premiership.

[dr_peepee]

It's still in our hands technically so hears hoping..

Maybe we could do our bit to coax Robbie Savage out of retirement for the Welsh for the Czech and German games!!!

[cheifo]

With six months to our next game it gives the younger lads a little more time to develop with their clubs.It happens sometimes after a good preseason young players start the season with a flourish.Central midfield is such a problem area for us so hopefully S.Ireland can start to become more imposing
at Man City.Pity Joey OBrien has missed a season of development at Bolton.,but should be back next season.Owen Garvan maybe?It will be interesting to see how our young strikers develop.Who will make the most progress before our next qualiying game.Long,Stokes or Keogh?What if Ward keeps scoring?I also think Roy O Donavon should be given a chance in our friendlies.No offence to McGeady but I think in his current form ROD would have caused Slovakia a lot more problems.Lets also hope O Dea nails down his place at Celtic.McManus always seems to make costly mistakes.

[Wolfie]

Any thoughts at the minute on the Eastern games. How we'll approach the games, who should /will play etc etc.

On a broader note - with us heading into the final series of games - how realistic a chance to we really have of making it?

[paul_oshea]

wolfie, id say the belief is still the same, and the approach will still be the same as on 30/03/2007.

[Wolfie]

wolfie, id say the belief is still the same, and the approach will still be the same as on 30/03/2007.

You mean the emergence of Lapira hasn't dramatically altered your view since then!!!!

[paul_oshea]

no its hasn't why has it done so to you wolfie wolf wolf?

[Supreme feet]

I'm not optimistic. I think we have the talent at our disposal to finish above the Czechs and Slovaks, but I think we've blown it. If we had a manager with any vestige of conviction or common-sense, we could have been six points better off by now, and in control of the group. Injuries haven't helped, but Staunton hasn't created a settled or even balanced squad. I'm hopeful that we could pick up a few wins to boost our UEFA co-efficient, but I can't see us taking the requisite 13 points from the remaining five games.

Staunton has picked over 55 different players for his squads in the last 18 months, which is astonishing, even taking injuries into account. He doesn't seem to know what he's doing.

[RogerMilla]

i think stan is getting on track , the performances in croker and in america were positive. we are on one game at a time now , if we lose in bratislava its all over , if we draw then we will need to beat the czechs. Its **** or bust time. If everyone is fit i believe we can get something from both these games and then its bring on ze germans!!

[Wolfie]

i think stan is getting on track , the performances in croker and in america were positive. we are on one game at a time now , if we lose in bratislava its all over , if we draw then we will need to beat the czechs. Its **** or bust time. If everyone is fit i believe we can get something from both these games and then its bring on ze germans!!

I'm hoping he goes at the Slovaks and plays 4-4-2. Duff is an attacking loss in this regard but I still hope Stan resists the temptation to play it safe and "not lose" as opposed to try to win the game. Our best form of defence is attack. I'm not advocating an all out Kamakaze assault on them but certainly worth having a go.

If we invite either the Slovaks or Czechs onto us it could be very very tough.

[geysir]

Its **** or bust time

Both those options look bad to me, which is the good one?

[carloz]

I have a feeling that the Czechs will need to travel out to Cyprus and have to get a win to finish ahead of us. Unfortunatly i think they will get it too. Id much prefer if the Czechs had to travel out to Cyprus much sooner as i cant see Cyprus reall worrying about the game considering its the last group game. However the Czechs are in turmoil, if we manage to get a result in Slovakia i really feel we can get one over on the Czechs. The Czechs have looked good in one game, away to Slovakia. They were very poor at home to Wales, Germany and Cyprus. This Czech team is no longer anywhere near the quality they had some 4 years ago. If we lose to Slovakia i can see us totally crumbling though

[shakermaker1982]

We have to be positive in both games. None of this "a point is a good result away from home" ********.

4-4-2 with Hunt on the left and a Doyle/Keano partnership is a must IMO. If we somehow beat the Slovaks then confidence should be at a high and I'd imagine the Czech's will start to have some doubts themselves about their ability going into the game. Like Carloz says this Czech side is not the same side that tormented decent sides a few years back, it's an ageing team that still relies on Baros and Koller to dig them out of holes.

4 points is a MUST if you ask me. 6 points and I'll be in dream land!!!

[Torn-Ado]

I'm not in the slightest bit confident.

A win in either Slovakia or Czech Republic will not happen. Going by away form over the last five or six years, I think 2 points will be the best we'll achieve.

As for Germany in Croker: It will be a huge match, great atmosphere, the players will be right up for it and start laying into the tackles from the first second but the Germans will find their feet mid way through the first half and close out a comfortable draw.