Official Ireland vs Sweden

[iwasthere2012]

Get in!

I was just going to type 'What's your problem with Ireland' then realised who posted it haha!

9 players aren't Irish, so that's one problem right there.

They're all Oirish Noolie, if they play for us.
That's our only real strength.
Everyone of them give their all for that team, even if their all isn't much.

That was Slim saying that ;-)

We're both gonna get thrashed by Italy and Belgium...

1-1 probably fair. We had the better of the first half. Your lot took over once we scored.

I fear you might be right about the remaining games. Let's toss a coin for third now.

[Slim]

1-1 probably fair. We had the better of the first half. Your lot took over once we scored.

I fear you might be right about the remaining games. Let's toss a coin for third now.

I don't think 1 point will get either of you through. So 3rd or 4th won't matter.

[iwasthere2012]

1-1 probably fair. We had the better of the first half. Your lot took over once we scored.

I fear you might be right about the remaining games. Let's toss a coin for third now.

I don't think 1 point will get either of you through. So 3rd or 4th won't matter.

Hence the coin toss.

[Green & Blue]

I can't help but feel Ireland threw that away tonight, played so well and then folded after they finally got the goal.

[iwasthere2012]

I can't help but feel Ireland threw that away tonight, played so well and then folded after they finally got the goal.

Didn't get the rub of the green with a couple of chances. But let's be honest, we have nobody in the middle to put their foot on the ball and take the sting out of things.
We have very honest journeymen who haven't the technique to pass under pressure.
I thought we played as well as we can in the first half and it's good to see, but we are not good enough to control games.

It's still better than 2012 already.

[South Stand Balti]

I thought Ireland were excellent until scoring the opener. It's a big ask but one win out of the next two games is possible, and would probably secure qualification.

[iwasthere2012]

I thought Ireland were excellent until scoring the opener. It's a big ask but one win out of the next two games is possible, and would probably secure qualification.

Looking at tonight's game I'd fancy scoring quicker against Belgium than Italy.
Don't see us winning against either, but Belgium look less together or disciplined.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Disappointed to say the least. Going to be tough from here.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Get in!

I was just going to type 'What's your problem with Ireland' then realised who posted it haha!

9 players aren't Irish, so that's one problem right there.

9?

[iwasthere2012]

Get in!

I was just going to type 'What's your problem with Ireland' then realised who posted it haha!

9 players aren't Irish, so that's one problem right there.

9?

I let it go earlier FIBD because I couldn't be arsed dignifying it. But just to set the record straight, out of the starting 11 only Clark, McCarthy and Walters weren't born in Ireland. McGeady came on as sub as did two other Irish born players (I'm counting Derry for McClean as he clearly does)
Anyway, I make that 4 out of 14. I'll leave it to Slim to name the other 5.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Get in!

I was just going to type 'What's your problem with Ireland' then realised who posted it haha!

9 players aren't Irish, so that's one problem right there.

9?

I let it go earlier FIBD because I couldn't be arsed dignifying it. But just to set the record straight, out of the starting 11 only Clark, McCarthy and Walters weren't born in Ireland. McGeady came on as sub as did two other Irish born players (I'm counting Derry for McClean as he clearly does)
Anyway, I make that 4 out of 14. I'll leave it to Slim to name the other 5.

There's 7 by my count. I can only assume he's counting the two lads from Derry as non-Irish which is either ignorant or just plain cuntish. Why the rules in terms of who's eligible to participate for individual nations is a problem for Slim I've no idea.

[Dimples]

A 'country' winning an international event means nothing nowadays.
83 players at Euro 2016 (15%) will represent countries they were not born in.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... on-column/

I used to enjoy looking at international competition, when countries were represented by 'natives' i.e. players either born or brought up from a young age in the country they represented.
Very few countries have genuine teams nowadays - across all sports.

Irish rugby team had a player sent off last weekend - he was born and raised in South Africa?
New Zealand had 5 players at last rugby world cup not born in New Zealand (Wales had 11 - yes - 11 were English born)
Diego Costa played for both Brazil and Spain, etc...
Switzerland via Albania had brothers on different sides.

I think Wales have 7/8 English born players - go WALES!
If 3 non-Irish born players were on the field at kick-off that means that 73% of the total were Irish born.
So what is the point of calling that team Ireland - its not Ireland - it is Ireland + a few others.
Same with most international teams nowadays.

So if I watch an international tournament nowadays it is to watch the sport played at a high level -
to appreciate the skill and competition - not to get all nationalistic and actually 'care' about my country winning.

[iwasthere2012]

A 'country' winning an international event means nothing nowadays.
83 players at Euro 2016 (15%) will represent countries they were not born in.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... on-column/

I used to enjoy looking at international competition, when countries were represented by 'natives' i.e. players either born or brought up from a young age in the country they represented.
Very few countries have genuine teams nowadays - across all sports.

Irish rugby team had a player sent off last weekend - he was born and raised in South Africa?
New Zealand had 5 players at last rugby world cup not born in New Zealand (Wales had 11 - yes - 11 were English born)
Diego Costa played for both Brazil and Spain, etc...
Switzerland via Albania had brothers on different sides.

I think Wales have 7/8 English born players - go WALES!
If 3 non-Irish born players were on the field at kick-off that means that 73% of the total were Irish born.
So what is the point of calling that team Ireland - its not Ireland - it is Ireland + a few others.
Same with most international teams nowadays.

So if I watch an international tournament nowadays it is to watch the sport played at a high level -
to appreciate the skill and competition - not to get all nationalistic and actually 'care' about my country winning.

Don't worry this bunch won't be winning much soon, no matter where they were born.
And you are totally miising the point as far as following the Irish National team goes. It is not Nationalism as you may percieve it, but it is Pride in representring your country. It is the very least any fan expects of anyone who puts on a green jersey and that includes the fans that don it too.
When we have little else going for us over here, the chance to represent something positive of the country on a world stage is something that is deep within us. It is why sport elevates the Nation.
Let's face it, professional sport is all business nowadays. I think it is in the Irish psyche, that any Irish national sports team or individual that gets the chance to represent us gets the full backing of the country as a whole, in the full knowledge that the chances of victory are slim.
We respect 100% effort from the team even if they fall short and the fans will give it their all too, to keep the true nature of it being a sporting event, alive.

Ireland has a small enough pool to choose from. We endured a century and a half of emigration not immigration like some countries (who also benefit from the diversity). Our diaspora is worldwide. Packy Bonner played his whole career at Celtic. Like he often said......if one of his kids wanted to play for Ireland, who was going to tell him he couldn't.

Like I said earlier (tongue in cheek to Slim). As far as i'm concerned, they're all Oirish he they choose to declare for us......as long as they honour the tradition of giving their all.

[Dimples]

:)

[Foreverinbluedreams]

A 'country' winning an international event means nothing nowadays.
83 players at Euro 2016 (15%) will represent countries they were not born in.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... on-column/

I used to enjoy looking at international competition, when countries were represented by 'natives' i.e. players either born or brought up from a young age in the country they represented.
Very few countries have genuine teams nowadays - across all sports.

Irish rugby team had a player sent off last weekend - he was born and raised in South Africa?
New Zealand had 5 players at last rugby world cup not born in New Zealand (Wales had 11 - yes - 11 were English born)
Diego Costa played for both Brazil and Spain, etc...
Switzerland via Albania had brothers on different sides.

I think Wales have 7/8 English born players - go WALES!
If 3 non-Irish born players were on the field at kick-off that means that 73% of the total were Irish born.
So what is the point of calling that team Ireland - its not Ireland - it is Ireland + a few others.
Same with most international teams nowadays.

So if I watch an international tournament nowadays it is to watch the sport played at a high level -
to appreciate the skill and competition - not to get all nationalistic and actually 'care' about my country winning.

It is Ireland. I know Aiden McGeady's family very well, I grew up with many of them. I know for a fact that Aiden promised his Grandad at a young age that when he comes of age that he'd represent Ireland at international level ( should he get the call ).

[Slim]

I really don't care, but it's fun to see you Irish get all defensive.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I really don't care, but it's fun to see you Irish get all defensive.

So you're just trolling then Slim?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Oh and Dimples, when was this that you enjoyed watching international football? Was it when Luther Blisset was playing or John Barnes or how about Terry Butcher?

[littlebig]

I can't help but feel Ireland threw that away tonight, played so well and then folded after they finally got the goal.

Didn't get the rub of the green with a couple of chances. But let's be honest, we have nobody in the middle to put their foot on the ball and take the sting out of things.
We have very honest journeymen who haven't the technique to pass under pressure.
I thought we played as well as we can in the first half and it's good to see, but we are not good enough to control games.

It's still better than 2012 already.

We're not used to defending a lead and all that that entails. Disappointing as we were doing so well up until scoring the goal.

Still, great to see us playing with positivity. There's a core of good young(ish) players emerging.

[littlebig]

A romanian makes this official thread for you lazy lot.

Shame, shame, shame!

There were chants of "you're shit but your birds are fit, you're shit but your birds are fit..." at the ground