Bratislava

[NY Hoop]

Could not agree more. Was discussing this last week while we were away. I think it started with the friendly in Amsterdam in June 2004 and has continued, particularly in Paris later that year then Cyprus and of course Stuttgart and then again last week.

In Bratislava on the afternoon of the game I saw a crowd of young Dubs having a go at some guys from London and Birmingham who I recognised as lads who have been going to matches for years. The usual sh*te about 'no one with english accents had any business following Ireland'.

Be willing to bet my mortgage that these clowns all "support" english clubs without seeing the laughable contradictions in their attitude. If there's any trouble it's only at the big away games.


KOH

[HolylandsMan]

(met one Bulgarian guy working in one of the tourist shops who could name every player in any Irish game we asked him about, could name the minute of every goal, knew who scored the goal for Scotland that put us through years ago...)

Absolute legend - really knew his stuff. Was chatting to him about Gary McKay. He was dead impressed by me remembering Martin Letchkov. Shocking civil fella even if he was wearing a Waloves England shirt on the day of the match!

Sad to hear the stories about Bratislava. I thought the city centre was nice but oviously the rest isn't great. Its probably just the lack of development. Was chatting to Aido from here about it and he rightly pointed out that Bratislava's only been a capital for 15 years - it'll take a while to get to Prague standards. Thought the people were reasonably friendly. Got shafted in 1 taxi but you wouldn't necessarily have to go to Eastern Europe for that to happen.

[Jerry The Saint]

Was chatting to Aido from here about it and he rightly pointed out that Bratislava's only been a capital for 15 years - it'll take a while to get to Prague standards.

I was making the same point over there - bigtime Second-City Syndrome going on. Imagine the horror stories other countries would be coming out with if they had to go to Cork for a qualifier.

[citizenerased]

seen that crap with the nun myself..fuccckin gimp..one of my mates got a dig and a cracked cheekbone from some dirty drunken dub scumbag for nothing

[NeilMcD]

Be willing to bet my mortgage that these clowns all "support" english clubs without seeing the laughable contradictions in their attitude. If there's any trouble it's only at the big away games.


KOH

THere was a bit of bother over a Flag at the Danish game too in Aarhus.

[NY Hoop]

THere was a bit of bother over a Flag at the Danish game too in Aarhus.

No way!


KOH

[NeilMcD]

I enjoyed Bratislava and did not have any trouble and our accomodation was spot on. I did not get any taxis as I did not have to other than the one from the train station to our apartment. I was lucky. I did meet a few people who did have run ins with the locals and local police. I do think the Slovakians need to learn more about tourism etc and how to project yourself to the outside world. They could take a leaf from the Czechs and the Poles in this regard. I was in Crackow after Prague and the attitude there was fantastic and they could not have been more help to us.

Again Bratislava was great craic as long as you stayed away from the Dubliner which I thought was a shocker of a bar. The Cuban bar was top class and we found a nice small local place on the Friday night which was good fun aldo.

[Babysis]

Could not agree more. Was discussing this last week while we were away. I think it started with the friendly in Amsterdam in June 2004 and has continued, particularly in Paris later that year then Cyprus and of course Stuttgart and then again last week.

In Bratislava on the afternoon of the game I saw a crowd of young Dubs having a go at some guys from London and Birmingham who I recognised as lads who have been going to matches for years. The usual sh*te about 'no one with english accents had any business following Ireland'.

I couldnt agree more. I had been saying right up until the last night of the trip that it was fantastic as I'd had no hassle over my accent like on previous trips. Then this nasty little scumbag decided to talk to me and Green Tribe in the pub, and as soon as he heard my accent he lost the plot.

Supposedly I have no right to be at games when I'm from London, and what the **** did I think I was doing as im "english". He was really agressive and because we both genuienly felt he was gonna really kick off, we left the pub. So now its Stuttgart, San Marino and Prague that I have gotten grief - usually Im raging, but now Im just starting to expect it. He was the most agressive anyone has ever been towards me over my accent though.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah it happened in Bologna also. Its a disgrace in my view as most of the guys and girls that I have found to be sound and easy to get on with are the lads and lassies with so called English accents. Sorry if that sounds patronising.

[shamrock17]

I couldnt agree more. I had been saying right up until the last night of the trip that it was fantastic as I'd had no hassle over my accent like on previous trips. Then this nasty little scumbag decided to talk to me and Green Tribe in the pub, and as soon as he heard my accent he lost the plot.

Supposedly I have no right to be at games when I'm from London, and what the **** did I think I was doing as im "english". He was really agressive and because we both genuienly felt he was gonna really kick off, we left the pub. So now its Stuttgart, San Marino and Prague that I have gotten grief - usually Im raging, but now Im just starting to expect it. He was the most agressive anyone has ever been towards me over my accent though.

Dont worry about it Babysis i generally find that the ones that give us grief for following Ireland havent hardly been to many matches and only go when its a good destination, ive been with the midlands supporters going to home and away matches since 1990 and have found that only in the last few years
have questions been asked of why we are there!
I find that you see the same faces at away matches generally and we never get any grief off these as they know were there every match.
So its water off a ducks back now just ignore them

[Babysis]

Dont worry about it Babysis i generally find that the ones that give us grief for following Ireland havent hardly been to many matches and only go when its a good destination, ive been with the midlands supporters going to home and away matches since 1990 and have found that only in the last few years
have questions been asked of why we are there!
I find that you see the same faces at away matches generally and we never get any grief off these as they know were there every match.
So its water off a ducks back now just ignore them

I know what you mean, but I think its disgusting that these idiots are so ignorant and in this case so flipping agressive! It wont stop me doing trips, but it has made me more cautious about chatting to people for the first time on the trips. Nearly all of the fans are great craic, but it only takes one little bigott to make a lasting impression.

[mypost]

Was only in Bratislava on the evening of the game, so had no problems to report. My base was Trencin in the North. Everyone knew each other, and everything I wanted/needed was done without quibble.

Prague on the other hand, was the total opposite.

[Babysis]

In San Marino some eejit dressed as a leprechaun had the nerve to question my right to be at a game. He proceeded to take the **** put of me, so I left. Then in the ground I was walking along with my brohter in law (to be) Sylvo and happened to bump ino the same little fecker. Well he near wet himself when I pointed out to sylvo that the fella didnt like people with english accents being at Ireland games. Sadly the same eejit was on the flight we got moved on to when ours was cancelled, and he started again, which resulted in me loosing the head in the arrivals hall at Dublin airport! not good.

[Sligo Hornet]

Yeah it happened in Bologna also. Its a disgrace in my view as most of the guys and girls that I have found to be sound and easy to get on with are the lads and lassies with so called English accents. Sorry if that sounds patronising.

How very decent of you Neil to say such nice things about us.......dowry increased to NINE pounds plus the packet of felt pens!!........Nice one...know wot I mean me Ol' Mucker!!

[Moscow Mule]

I couldnt agree more. I had been saying right up until the last night of the trip that it was fantastic as I'd had no hassle over my accent like on previous trips. Then this nasty little scumbag decided to talk to me and Green Tribe in the pub, and as soon as he heard my accent he lost the plot.

Supposedly I have no right to be at games when I'm from London, and what the **** did I think I was doing as im "english". He was really agressive and because we both genuienly felt he was gonna really kick off, we left the pub. So now its Stuttgart, San Marino and Prague that I have gotten grief - usually Im raging, but now Im just starting to expect it. He was the most agressive anyone has ever been towards me over my accent though.

Ignorant people are just that..ignorant. They are incapable of providing a rational reason for their views as there isn't one. Is your nationality defined by your accent or your blood? You did the right thing in walking away thus not giving them airtime. Good on yeah!

[Sligo Hornet]

Ignorant people are just that..ignorant. They are incapable of providing a rational reason for their views as there isn't one. Is your nationality defined by your accent or your blood? You did the right thing in walking away thus not giving them airtime. Good on yeah!

Well said my Russian friend!....hang on a Russian at an Ireland match...?

[Babysis]

Ignorant people are just that..ignorant. They are incapable of providing a rational reason for their views as there isn't one. Is your nationality defined by your accent or your blood? You did the right thing in walking away thus not giving them airtime. Good on yeah!

I know that, but it still really ****s me off. Im getting calmer in my old age though. In Stuttgart I had to be removed by the friends I was with from the kebab place we were in because some idiot from Limerick didnt understand how I could be irish, I was raging What usually happens is other really nice fans step in and then it gets messy. There was nearly a ruck when we were boarding our flight in Milan (coming back from San Marino) because of the leprechaun fella starting on me and others stepping in telling him to back off.

The Faroe Islands was only the trip I didn't get hassle - but this scumbag elelment are hardly going to bother their arses to travel out somewhere like that, and on that trip it was all the London based lot who were out there and were lucky enough not to get held up by the weather anyway.

[Green Tribe]

I couldnt agree more. I had been saying right up until the last night of the trip that it was fantastic as I'd had no hassle over my accent like on previous trips. Then this nasty little scumbag decided to talk to me and Green Tribe in the pub, and as soon as he heard my accent he lost the plot.

Supposedly I have no right to be at games when I'm from London, and what the **** did I think I was doing as im "english". He was really agressive and because we both genuienly felt he was gonna really kick off, we left the pub. So now its Stuttgart, San Marino and Prague that I have gotten grief - usually Im raging, but now Im just starting to expect it. He was the most agressive anyone has ever been towards me over my accent though.

Plus the same knacker did not know where Fermanagh was, he demanded to know "Is dat in England too?"

[sligoman]

"Is dat in England too?"

He's kind of right though

Joke

[SuperDub]

I travel with 3 other lads and we have all commented on the amount of muppets now travelling to irish games. It has really been noticable in this qualifying Campaign. I myself have met many lads ands lassies who live in the UK and Europe that support the team and i admire them for their dedication in making the extra effect in getting to both home and away games. So lads and lasies just ignore the muppets as i doubt you will rarely see them at many games.