Is anyone here hoping for defeat...?

[Seano]

..in the Wales and Slovakia games? considering that two wins will probably mean that Steve Staunton stays. I'm not, as I'd take two wins whatever the consequences, just wondering what the general opinon is, after reading all the talk of protests.

[as_i_say]

Never thought I’d ever be contemplating wishing defeats or bad results on the team but in hindsight I guess maybe it’s a shame that we did score a winner against san marino as a draw would have had such an unbelievable effect on the team that stan would surely have been let go as qualifying would have been nigh on impossible.

But we did win and therefore still have a chance of qualifying so as much as we all think stan is not the man, ill still be hoping for victories-you never know-if they have any pride at all, that performance will hurt them so much they might cop on and do it against the welsh and slovaks

[gspain]

..in the Wales and Slovakia games? considering that two wins will probably mean that Steve Staunton stays. I'm not, as I'd take two wins whatever the consequences, just wondering what the general opinon is, after reading all the talk of protests.

No never would.

Look Staunton must know he is not up to the job. He is waiting for his payoff. He won't resign. Delaney could sack Staunton and keep his job once he has no say in the new manager.

[shakermaker1982]

as I've said before if we beat Wales and Slovakia, Stan is a hero again. It's a results business and at the moment he isn't delivering but I doubt anybody wishes us to lose.

[galwayhoop]

as a draw would have had such an unbelievable effect on the team that stan would surely have been let go as qualifying would have been nigh on impossible.

i honestly don't even think that if it had been a draw that he would have went.

true qualifing would have been near impossible but then the old line about building for the WC would have been spouted again.

it looks as if we are stuck with him for a long time yet. can't understand why he got a contract as long as he did when kerr just got one campaign at a time!

[Newryrep]

Have to hope for 2 wins, would never wish for anything else. it is not as if we can afford to lose a couple of games as our seeding is non to secure.

Kinda hope Stan might do a Kevin Keegan after the last game at Wembley and just hold his hands up and admit not being up to it.

Having said that, they got SGE after Keegan which was a diaster for England but a godsend to the ABE.

[liaml]

I'm hoping for two wins and the Czechs or Germans to slip up.

However.

If we don't get TWO wins (the minimum required to keep our hopes alive) I would rather we lost both games, and badly. A win and a draw or even two draws would keep Stan in the job.

[geysir]

The only time I couldn't care about an Irish team winning was when the rugby team couldn't accomodate one Tony Ward but I know féck all about rugby.
There's little evidence to be positive about our future.
As he isn't donning the tracksuit I'd guess the players don't regard Robson much more than a doddery sage who will fade out soon and Stan hasn't much more to offer than a non playing captain.
It is similar to the time when we had that home game against Denmark '85 but then we had the backbone of a very good team.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I leapt three feet when S.Ireland scored the winner against San Marino and hadn't hit the ground yet when I realised this was actually counterproductive ...that a draw or a San Marino winner would actually serve Irish football better in the short, medium and long term.

But you don't hope against your own team. Bet against them if you like for a bit of compo but you'd never actually take pleasure in watching us beaten.

[TonyD]

but I doubt anybody wishes us to lose.

I do. absolutely. Sick of Delaney, sick of the FAI, sick of the media, sick of the prima donnna players, sick of the attitude of some fans who seem to think we have a god given right to win matches. Sorry San Marino didn't hold out for a draw, as it let Staunton, Delaney and the players get away with all this "three points is three points" rubbish.

[shakermaker1982]

I'm amazed, no matter how bad we are I couldn't root for the other team. It would feel like a betrayal. Yeah Stan is a clown and Delaney is no better but we still have an extremely slim chance of making Euro 2008 and until it's an impossibility I'll keep dreaming.

[Captain Tinrib]

if it means stan gets the bullet if we lose those 2 games then yes i hope we lose, But even if we do win the 2 can ya see us beating germany and Czech? doubt it

[OwlsFan]

as I've said before if we beat Wales and Slovakia, Stan is a hero again. It's a results business and at the moment he isn't delivering but I doubt anybody wishes us to lose.

Exactly. Football fans have a short memory. I am sure if I went back to the thread of the Kerr game in Cyprus, Kerr would have been lambasted for the performance by the people who now say he should have been kept on instead of Stan. If we win both and get back in contention: crisis? What crisis?

Let's be honest. We don't have a very good squad of players. The last decent win in a competitive game was about 6 years ago against the Dutch at home 1-0 and we were blessed that day (even with Roy Keane in the side). People seem to think we're world beaters and but for the manager and the fact that the players don't care (and not forgetting John Delaney), we'd be lifting the Jules whatnot trophy.

Gone are the days when we had a good number of players playing for Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal etc. Now we have Reading, Man City, Spurs (reserves) etc etc. We should be performing better but we are nothing special at the moment.

Hope Ireland lose! Never. Not even if Roy Keane became manager .

[as_i_say]

exactly. there were some shocking displays under kerr. albania 0-0 away-switzerland twice when we needed wins to get a play off spot and never managed a decent attempt on goal as a result of his conservatism.

albania 2-1 at home last gasp own goal winner, cyprus 1-0 away win with a penno save.

kerr came across as a good pro but it was clear he had lost the confidence of the players and it was time he went.

its shocking though that stan got a 4 year deal when kerr didnt

[Wolfie]

..in the Wales and Slovakia games? considering that two wins will probably mean that Steve Staunton stays. I'm not, as I'd take two wins whatever the consequences, just wondering what the general opinon is, after reading all the talk of protests.

Would never actively hope they lose. Its easy shout from the roof tops when all is going great on the pitch - the support can't stop just because things are going badly.

Like many, I think a novice at the helm has far reaching implications for the bad and some of the players attitudes stink - but we've got to stick with them despite the depth of resentment at the minute.

I've been to a few matches against the Welsh over the years and they revel in trying to beat us. For that alone, I'd love us to beat them but its impossible to call with the chaos surrounding the team currently.

If we're not motivated and organised - the Slovaks could do a job on us.

In summary - I'll never hope we lose.

[geysir]

Hope Ireland lose! Never. Not even if Roy Keane became manager .

Fair enough, that's dedication, what about if Dunphy became manager?

[Donal81]

There was a part of me that wanted San Marino to get the draw, just so the players and manager would forever be tainted with the infamy of conspiring to lose to one of the weakest teams in the world. But we got the result and as we've never really relied on goal difference anyway (94 campaign, obviously, but I mean we don't really factor it in because we don't score that many goals), our only devastating result was against Cyprus. That game will haunt us in terms of points, San Marino won't. My point here is that there is a chance that we can qualify.

I don't think we will - how are we going to shift the Czechs and the Slovaks? - but there is a chance so I'm going to focus on that for the time being.

Either way, I'd never root for the other team, that's a bit perverse.

[Collyontour]

If anyone doen't want us to win, don't go to the matches. We're bad enough as it is.

[RogerMilla]

looking back now , i would say that it would have been better for irish football if we had drawn and stan had got the bullet. at the time i cheered like mad and was delighted we won. i would never even boo the team even if i understand the frustrations of those who did in san marino. i will be there to cheer the team in croker and hopefully we get 6 points. i am not that confident though..

[geysir]

I do. absolutely. Sick of Delaney, sick of the FAI, sick of the media, sick of the prima donnna players, sick of the attitude of some fans who seem to think we have a god given right to win matches. Sorry San Marino didn't hold out for a draw, as it let Staunton, Delaney and the players get away with all this "three points is three points" rubbish.

You have to do better than that, I'm not at all convinced. It's a reverse psychology thing isn't it?
A really deep down 100% 'sick of it all' type of person wouldn't be still on the forum participating, inflicting more self harm. You'd be long gone, door slammed shut.