Serbia (home) 24th May

**Ash** · 11/12/2007, 8:50 PM

FAI announced a home friendly against Serbia for 24th May

Linky

**kingdomkerry** · 11/12/2007, 9:55 PM

Is it a coincidence that serbia borders montenegro. Anyway what happened to Argentina and Italy?

**Superhoops** · 12/12/2007, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by kingdomkerry

Is it a coincidence that serbia borders montenegro. Anyway what happened to Argentina and Italy?

Pehaps you have been on Mars or somewhere more distant since WC qualifying draw was made.

**Bondvillain** · 12/12/2007, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by kingdomkerry

Is it a coincidence that serbia borders montenegro. Anyway what happened to Argentina and Italy?

Italy's very much a no-go with the the upcoming Qualifiers and all, but as for Argentina? who knows?

Regarding the choice of Serbia, according to an "FAI Source" on the RTE website, it's no coincidence.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1211/republic.html

'When the draw for the 2010 World Cup was made last month in South Africa, it was apparent that we drew the toughest sixth seed opponents in Montenegro.

'We feel that the Serbia friendly will provide a vital opportunity for us to test ourselves against a technically strong team and in terms of playing style, they are very similar to Montenegro.'

**elroy** · 12/12/2007, 8:27 AM

Still room for another friendly in August (although did the Gah only give rights to 2 friendlies?) Serbia is a decent choice in my opinion, going to be playing a few teams from eastern europe and arguably serbia are one of the best of them.

**gwhite** · 12/12/2007, 9:10 AM

Saturday May 24th at Croker. I think we'd have been better served by playing this away. I fear that we're not preparing properly for our away games in the WC qualifiers....

**Hibernian** · 12/12/2007, 9:23 AM

Originally Posted by gwhite

Saturday May 24th at Croker. I think we'd have been better served by playing this away. I fear that we're not preparing properly for our away games in the WC qualifiers....

Agree

This is the FAI trying to make some Euro from this thats all.

They should have played this away totally agree

**harps1954** · 12/12/2007, 9:23 AM

This means anyone wanting to go to the Brazil game will have to buy the tickets for this game as well as part of a package. No problem for most of us on here, but for the gloryhunters who just wanted tickets for the Brazil game, ha fecking ha!!

**gwhite** · 12/12/2007, 9:45 AM

They should set up an away double header right after this agaianst the likes of Albania, Belarus, Ukraine, Bosnia, etc. Horrible places to go, hostile crowds, as likely to be beaten 3-0 as sneaking a 1-0 will. And the likes of Keane and O'Shea, Dunne, etc should be told they're going and that's the end of it. Otherwise it'll be the same old story, 3 or 4points picked up on our travels. I can't be the only one who sees this.

**lionelhutz** · 12/12/2007, 9:45 AM

Originally Posted by harps1954

This means anyone wanting to go to the Brazil game will have to buy the tickets for this game as well as part of a package. No problem for most of us on here, but for the gloryhunters who just wanted tickets for the Brazil game, ha fecking ha!!

Its an absolute joke that we'll be forced to buy tickets for these two friendlies if we want to get tickets for the qualifiers. I've been part of the block booking for over 10 years and these friendlies are nothing but a money scam.

I live in Limerick so the trek up and down on a wednesday is asking a bit much for a meaningless friendly - have to get off work on the wed and go to work on the thurs after gettin home l8 wed nite.

I couldnt care less that theyre playin brazil - id much prefer see them play san marino in a competitive game. Add in the excessive price of tickets - what a joke. Don't know if I'll bother anymore. Fans outside Dublin are being very much alienated from the Irish team

**Dr. Ogba** · 12/12/2007, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

Its an absolute joke that we'll be forced to buy tickets for these two friendlies if we want to get tickets for the qualifiers. I've been part of the block booking for over 10 years and these friendlies are nothing but a money scam.

I live in Limerick so the trek up and down on a wednesday is asking a bit much for a meaningless friendly - have to get off work on the wed and go to work on the thurs after gettin home l8 wed nite.

I couldnt care less that theyre playin brazil - id much prefer see them play san marino in a competitive game. Add in the excessive price of tickets - what a joke. Don't know if I'll bother anymore. Fans outside Dublin are being very much alienated from the Irish team

You're right, it is a bloody joke. Block bookers should be given first option to buy tickets for the friendlies and if they refuse then the tickets should go on general sale and the block booker should not be affected for upcoming qualifiers....the current system is an absolute rip-off. sure it p*sses me off and I only live down the road from Croker, can only imagine how the fans outside Dublin feel...

**Hibernian** · 12/12/2007, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

Its an absolute joke that we'll be forced to buy tickets for these two friendlies if we want to get tickets for the qualifiers. I've been part of the block booking for over 10 years and these friendlies are nothing but a money scam.

I live in Limerick so the trek up and down on a wednesday is asking a bit much for a meaningless friendly - have to get off work on the wed and go to work on the thurs after gettin home l8 wed nite.

I couldnt care less that theyre playin brazil - id much prefer see them play san marino in a competitive game. Add in the excessive price of tickets - what a joke. Don't know if I'll bother anymore. Fans outside Dublin are being very much alienated from the Irish team

Have to say I do agree. I am from Cork but lucky to be living in Dublin so it does help big time as I get tickets of my mate.

**harps1954** · 12/12/2007, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

I live in Limerick so the trek up and down on a wednesday is asking a bit much for a meaningless friendly - have to get off work on the wed and go to work on the thurs after gettin home l8 wed nite.

It won't bother you much for the Serbia game then, as it's on a Saturday!

**Stuttgart88** · 12/12/2007, 11:10 AM

I agree that an away trip somewhere tough and comparable to the trips we're facing in qualification would be of more use. However, it'll be the new manager's second or third game only so it'll be a good chance to get the squad together and get used to his personality and methods.

Sure, the FAI has the block-booker by the balls but I'd prefer to be on the inside than on the outside in this regard.

I fully sympathise with the non-Dubs. In fact as a London based fan every home game is an away game for me, but even before I moved to the UK I always thought it was regrettable that Cork or Limerick couldn't stage an international, but that's the way it is. Small country, only one really big population centre. The poor transport to and from Dublin compounds the issue for fans from the rest of the country.

**OwlsFan** · 12/12/2007, 11:33 AM

Scam? The FAI make their money through home games and the sponsorship that comes via that. Without home games, no money. I wouldn't call it a scam.

It's a question of supply and demand. More people want to go to the competitive games than there are places. The FAI are right to "cash" in on this to make money to put in to the grass roots of football.

From a purely football point of view, they should arrange away games but they alas would be loss making ventures and if Terry Vegetables is hired, they'll need lots of dosh to pay him out of his contract when things go pear shaped or should that be carrot shaped.

**lionelhutz** · 12/12/2007, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by harps1954

It won't bother you much for the Serbia game then, as it's on a Saturday!

Ya, cause thats exactly the point i was trying to make.

Honestly though - does any other national FA force the fans to buy friendly tickets if they want to see the qualifiers?

And the fact is theyd still more than likely have a sell out without this block booking nonsense..........Unless the team continues on the downward spiral its on............Which is the FAI's fault in the first place as they appointed Staunton...............Its a vicious circle

**amaccann** · 12/12/2007, 11:39 AM

To be honest, while away friendlies make sense, I think our problem with away results is more down to (siege) mentality; that is to say, the assumption we're heading into some cauldron of hostility & manic teams trying to beat us 4-0), rather than a lack of friendlies away from home. Hopefully the new manager will get this attitude out of our system, whoever he is. The Czech / Slovakia games surely showed this problem up quite clearly.

**Wolfie** · 12/12/2007, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by amaccann

To be honest, while away friendlies make sense, I think our problem with away results is more down to (siege) mentality; that is to say, the assumption we're heading into some cauldron of hostility & manic teams trying to beat us 4-0), rather than a lack of friendlies away from home. Hopefully the new manager will get this attitude out of our system, whoever he is. The Czech / Slovakia games surely showed this problem up quite clearly.

True - no amount of away friendlies could count as preparation if we turn in the type of appalling performances we had against Cyprus and San Marino.

Our tactical approach, an ability to adapt during a game and a bit of luck is what's relevant to the away games.

reder · 12/12/2007, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by gwhite

Saturday May 24th at Croker. I think we'd have been better served by playing this away. I fear that we're not preparing properly for our away games in the WC qualifiers....

10000000% correct.