Ireland to play Holland in June

eirebhoy

http://www.soccercentral.ie/viewstory.asp?id=12465&mainheading=Republic+of+Ireland&viewstory=yes

FAI CEO Fran Rooney has announced that the Republic of Ireland will play Holland in a friendly international in preparation for the World Cup 2006 qualifiers.

The Dutch game will take place in Amsterdam on June 5th. The programme of confirmed friendly fixtures, following the Brazil game in Dublin last month now consists of:

March 31 - Czech Republic (home)
April 28 - Poland (away)
May 27th - Romania (home)
June 5 - Holland (away)

CEO Rooney said he was delighted to secure the Dutch game. “Holland are a very attractive team and they represent a really stern test”, he said. “The package of friendlies for 2004 is shaping up to be a very strong one”, said Rooney. He confirmed that part of the agreement with the Dutch was a reciprocal home tie in 2006

“The balance of home and away friendly matches is a good one and the Association will continue to seek the type of fixtures which will add to Brian’s preparations for World Cup 2006”, Rooney said.

Commenting on the Dutch game, Brian Kerr said he thought it was a “great fixture”. “Holland are one of the top teams in the world and it’s great to have this game as we prepare for the World Cup qualifying matches in the autumn”. “We need to test ourselves away from home and they don’t come much tougher than Holland in Amsterdam”, he said.

Ranked fourth in the world and among the favourites to claim the European Championship title, Holland are one of the games biggest names in world football boasting players of the quality of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Patrick Kluivert and Edgar Davids.

The game will be the first clash between the two sides since Jason McAteer gave Ireland a famous 1-0 victory at Lansdowne Road in September 2001 to put the Boys in Green firmly on the road to the 2002 World Cup.

Earlier in the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, Ireland visited the Amsterdam ArenA earning an important 2-2 draw though historically, Holland have had the upper hand winning eight of their 17 meetings (Ireland have won six) including victories that knocked Ireland out of the 1988 European Championships and 1994 World Cup.

The players are getting a little spoilt now.:) I can see the Irish going over to Amsterdam in there thousands since the match is in June.

MrJoeSoap

Sweet.

The Phenom

Hooray come on McAteer. ha ha

bizmark

:ninja: if we lose the dutch guy i know will never let me live it down.....im always calling his team crap

phenom

Should be a good game to judge the teams progress over the last few years.

Trigger may even get a game.

knobbles

Wow, that's FOUR top 10 teams in one year
(top 6 teams as they stand now)

1 Brazil
2 France
3 Spain
4 Netherlands
5 Mexico
6 Czech Republic
- England
- Argentina
9 Turkey
10 Germany

I'd quite fancy a long-weekend there myself in June :cool:

eirebhoy

Originally posted by knobbles
Wow, that's FOUR top 10 teams in one year

Add Turkey to make that 5.:)

knobbles

Originally posted by eirebhoy
Add Turkey to make that 5.:)

...jaysus yeah, and 7 in just over 2 years,
4 draws so far, 3 more to come maybe?
So predictable!!!

[DF]Lenny

It will be a wild few days nomatter what...back to the 'Dam the only place where English fans dont riot:D

_blank_

Originally posted by phenom
Should be a good game to judge the teams progress over the last few years.

Doubt it...it's another meaningless friendly....another opportunity for players to get injured for real games.

Ooooh...look at us playing all these big teams, aren't we just great. Please spare me.

vorbis

seansouth why do you bother posting on this thread with an attitude like that? Personally I think it'll be a useful friendly to test the new players in.

_blank_

Originally posted by vorbis
seansouth why do you bother posting on this thread with an attitude like that? Personally I think it'll be a useful friendly to test the new players in.

Sorry for having an opinion....

Kone

Originally posted by seansouth
Sorry for having an opinion....

So you should be!

It'll be a good game, a chance for Kerr to give some of the young lads a run out.

Oh and it's in Amsterdam! Sweeet!

Ronan|Raven

My last trip to holland to see Ireland play was a good larf, time to get the passport ready again

eirebhoy

seansouth - Cop on, do you expect us to scrap friendlies and throw Andy Reid and Liam Miller in agianst the French?
:rolleyes:

Gillie

Originally posted by knobbles

1 Brazil
2 France
3 Spain
4 Netherlands
5 Mexico
6 Czech Republic
- England
- Argentina
9 Turkey
10 Germany

How the F*ck are Holland 4th in the world?
How are these things calculated?

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Gillie
How the F*ck are Holland 4th in the world?
How are these things calculated?

I am starting to stop caring about these rankings. We drew with the No.1 team in the world and dropped 4/5 points, ridiculous.

_blank_

Originally posted by eirebhoy
seansouth - Cop on, do you expect us to scrap friendlies and throw Andy Reid and Liam Miller in agianst the French?
:rolleyes:

Any I suppose you think playing in a meaningless friendly will properly prepare them for a fully competitive match?

These type of games do not help the player, they'd be much better off with a squad get together.

As I said on the occasion of the Brazil friendly - what will people say if a player gets injured in a useless friendly and cannot play against the French?

"Ah sure, he played against one of the top teams in the world, isn't he great"

Question - would you rather players played in this game and ran the risk of injuries, or in a game against one of the so called minnows in our group later in the year, or next year?

Kone

You do realise that the players have to play for their clubs anyway and run the risk of injury week in week out?

You think that playing a match against a good team is a bad idea?

Playing matches, whether they are competitive or friendly is good for a player, especially the young lads who need the experience.

Or prehaps you think the squad playing a couple of 5-a-sides against each other is a good way for the Irish team to progress?

eirebhoy

Originally posted by seansouth
Question - would you rather players played in this game and ran the risk of injuries, or in a game against one of the so called minnows in our group later in the year, or next year?

What a ridiculous question. Of course i would prefer a player to play in a friendly and risk injury rather than throw them into a competitive game. Don't you think if all the managers were afraid a player would get injured, there would be no such thing as frendlies? I really can't believe what you are saying and am actually shocked.

thesecret7

remember at times like this when we know were going to get draws and scrappy results what the whole supporting ireland thing is about... going over somewhere to get pissed and have a good laugh, even when u loose.

seriously though.. how is Spain 3rd? they have some national complex that stops them EVER winning anything. We should be doing a lot better than we are.

Its going to be a good chance to try new players and new formations, the dutch will be trying a bit too as there going to Portugal (thanks mc carthy) so it should be bit of a test. I rather play Holland than the faroe islands and Amsterdam has more attractions :P

Hopefully the french side dont run rings around us after summer... these matches are going to be a true test for Mr Kerr