The *ONLY* After Hours thread about the European Championships.

Super-Rush

starbelgrade wrote: »

"De Gaffah" - aka Steve Staunton - was one of the pundits on MOTD tonight.

Watched the Spain v Italy highlights. Seemed like a decent game - odd set-ups from both teams though. No strikers for Spain & a back three for Italy made up of two centre backs and a midfielder.

Italy played the sweeper system where you have a player who plays between the gk and the centre backs. It was like watching Germany in the seventies.

TeddyTedson

Feel physically sick, not sure if it's the dodgy booze or the result:rolleyes:

Just so devastated, although as I said before, on paper, we shouldn't be expected to get a point in the group...:(

Latchy

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Feel physically sick, not sure if it's the dodgy booze or the result:rolleyes:

Just so devastated, although as I said before, on paper, we shouldn't be expected to get a point in the group...:(

The players will look back on tonights match and think ,**** we could have gave a better account of ourselfs and might just up the ante in the next games because yes ,we don't match the others teams for skill pace and passing and we didn't get our share of luck in tonights game but fook it ,lets try get in among their defence and let them know they are in a game, rather than just handing it to them on a plate .

books4sale

Personally never expected too much from Ireland so not really too disappointed.

Reckon this tournament experience will be good for the younger lads in the world cup qualifiers as we'll lose a few of the older crew after this.

As for Spain on Thursday, there's nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal and as we have nothing to lose now, we should head out with the aim of kicking them off the park. Think Holland in the last world cup.:pac:

DEFTLEFTHAND

The more I analyse tonights performance the more depressed I become.

There would have been a huge global audience tuning in to the game and I'm embarrassed that they had to witness our brand of Bog ball, people must be thinking how the hell did this crowd manage to qualify.

Its just so disappointing because we could have and should have given a better account of ourselves. My only hope now is that they'll approach Thursday's game in a different light and go out and give their all against Spain. Its a funny old game football you just never know, it could be a special night for us.

books4sale

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

The more I analyse tonights performance the more depressed I become.

There would have been a huge global audience tuning in to the game and I'm embarrassed that they had to witness our brand of Bog ball, people must be thinking how the hell did this crowd manage to qualify.

Yeah, you're not wrong.

I was watching the match streamed live through the internet as i'm in Asia. You should have seen the comments coming in on the chatroom as the match progressed ....needless to say they weren't very positive about Ireland, many were mystified by our brand of footie and rooting for the slicker Croatia.

Bit embarrassing to say the least.

Lord Bafford

You'll never beat the Irish?

Anyway, I for one am mighty chuffed at last night's result. When I discovered Croatia -- a decent team -- were better than even money I plonked 50 yoyos on them.

Easiest money I've ever earned. What were the bookies thinking? Ireland are a team of aging misfits and journeymen not fit for the Conference league.

derfderf

I was thinking Irelands best chance was against Italy before the matches started. But after seeing their performance against Spain I reckon we're just making up the numbers now.

vgv

What Im most disappointed about is the softness of the goals we gave away,first 2 in particular.Shay Given had a poor game.Croatia were arguably the better team but they never really cut us up in the way that Russia did in the qualifiers.I think they will struggle against Spain and Italy.As for us well we are a poor team at this level and we also didnt show any heart of belief.The whole was not greater than the sum of parts on this occasion.
Trappatoni needs to be less rigid and give the younger players like McLean and Shane Long a chance.I feel like his team is picked more on name and reputation than form.If he persists with some of our underperforming stalwarts the drubbings will only get worse.
Coming up are Spain and Italy and we cannot afford to lose to either.It will be almost miraculous if we manage to qualify-but-I remember how we played in the return playoff leg against France in 2009 when the odds were stacked against us.If we can perform like that again weve got a small chance.

Pherekydes

Opticom wrote: »

Some are, if you read back though the posts, that's what we're talking about.

You're missing one small item from your sporting education: passing the ball to your teammate is not "fancy" football.

It's absolute basic stuff.

Dr.Silly

It's unbelievable some of the posts on this thread.

Ireland were unlucky my arse ...we got beaten by a better team, end of.
The optimism prior to the game thinking we could qualify was an absolute joke.

The fact that trap has so little skill to work with compared to other countries, the fact we've got Spain and Italy next which is going to be an absolute massacre if we play the same as we did last night, just emphasises the point that we've got about as much chance as qualifying as ... as well... I don't know.....Pffff.

crazygeryy

Dr.Silly wrote: »

It's unbelievable some of the posts on this thread.

Ireland were unlucky my arse ...we got beaten by a better team, end of.
The optimism prior to the game thinking we could qualify was an absolute joke.

The fact that trap has so little skill to work with compared to other countries, the fact we've got Spain and Italy next which is going to be an absolute massacre if we play the same as we did last night, just emphasises the point that we've got about as much chance as qualifying as ... as well... I don't know.....Pffff.

But be that as it may........YOULL NEVER BEAT THE IRISH!

BIG BAD JOHN

This result won't help Enda when he next has to eyeball Auntie Angela. I suspect it's also going to add a couple of percentage points to our borrowing costs.

Fratton Fred

You know how you all laugh at the English press, totally over hyping the team and then going into total meltdown when it all goes wrong? Well that is exactly what is going on here.

Ireland are ranked 16th in the world. They put in a solid performance but ultimately were beaten by a better team, one that is ranked 8th.

They were unlucky and should have had a penalty, but Croatia deserved to win. That said, it wasn't the drubbing that it is being made out to be.

donegal_road

€5 million for Trap, his assistant and his fitness coach per anum. Finn Harps would have done better last night

Duggys Housemate

Hatred of trap is nonsensical. This team are the worst in the competition, as you would expect from their world and European rankings. Trap got a weak team to the finals, he can't make them play.

books4sale

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Ireland are ranked 16th in the world. They put in a solid performance but ultimately were beaten by a better team, one that is ranked 8th.

.

19th

TwoShedsJackson

Cork24 wrote: »

We have some hope of beating spain

A good time for a Russian proverb: wish in one hand, $hit in the other, see which fills up first.

Amigomenor

CucaFace wrote: »

We will sneak a win againest Crotia (over rated team IMO who finished behind Greece in their group and failed to qualify for last WC) and then who knows againest an Italian team deviod of any trust worthy strikers.

Two 1 nils victorys to put us through.

I was wrong about the 0 goals but depressing it was.

dr.bollocko

Just so as you know an auto spammer just showed up on this thread to plug some web hosting.

They take snippets of previous comments to attempt to appear normal. It's deleted now but:

The comment in this case which was randomly chosen was "did you see that ludicrous display last night?"

Hahahahaha.

fryup

crazygeryy wrote: »

But be that as it may........YOULL NEVER BEAT THE IRISH!

croatia just did

Elmer Blooker

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

Oh dear! there's an awful lot of optimism around. I'm terrified a technically gifted side like Croatia will do what Russia did to us in the two games in the qualifying group - tear us to shreds. Our midfield is very mediocre
A long night for Given and Dunney on Sunday I fear.

Posted last Thursday:
I knew what was coming. We weren't playing a Montenegro or Macedonia last night !

Dr.Silly

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

Posted last Thursday:
I knew what was coming. We weren't playing a Montenegro or Macedonia last night !

Your medal is in the post sir.

Lord Bafford

I think the false sense of optimism stemmed from peoples' desire to recover some pride after the humiliating bank bailouts and various other political failures.

Now the wheels are off the bandwagon.

beco2010

Lord Bafford wrote: »

Now the wheels are off the bandwagon.

well this bandwagon well certainly blow up this thursday

but who knows

up the alamo

dr.bollocko

Lord Bafford wrote: »

I think the false sense of optimism stemmed from peoples' desire to recover some pride after the humiliating bank bailouts and various other political failures.

Now the wheels are off the bandwagon.

Lord Bafford wrote: »

You'll never beat the Irish?

Anyway, I for one am mighty chuffed at last night's result. When I discovered Croatia -- a decent team -- were better than even money I plonked 50 yoyos on them.

Easiest money I've ever earned. What were the bookies thinking? Ireland are a team of aging misfits and journeymen not fit for the Conference league.

Nobody move.

They can't see you if you don't move.

starbelgrade

Dr.Silly wrote: »

It's unbelievable some of the posts on this thread.

Ireland were unlucky my arse ...we got beaten by a better team, end of.
The optimism prior to the game thinking we could qualify was an absolute joke.

"End of", my hole. Three points here:

1. Ireland were unlucky in two instances a).We had a stonewall peno denied to us and b). if you look carefully at the replays, Ward had the back of his foot kicked by a Croatian player when he was trying to clear the ball - this led to him directly passing it onto the Croatian striker for the 2nd goal.

2. Ireland were beaten by a better team.

3. Taking into account the results during the qualifiers, we had every reason to be optimistic going into the tournament. Up until last night, we had got the basics right, by defending well for the most part & conceding very few goals. That went out the window after 3 minutes last night and even though we made a good attempt to get back into the game, we let the basics slip time & time again and invited the Croats onto us.

The fact that we lost was down to a combination of all the above. If you want to dismiss the game as just a poor performance by a poor team, then that's up to you, but in reality, that's only part of the story.

And as for the optimism... the kind of spirit that the fans showed last night is something to be proud of. Fair play to them... and Come on you Boys in Green!!

ninebeanrows

We must be confident.

If Italy can beat Croatia on Thursday, we will go into the Spain match knowing get a point and beat the Italians and we are through.

The strangest things can happen in football.

At the start everybody expected:

Beat Croatia
Loss to Spain
Draw against Italy.

Maybe now it will be the flip opposite!

I don't think it beyond the bounds of possibility for us to nab a point.

The most important thing is that Croatia are beaten, if not it won't look good!

Bell Butter

Weathercheck wrote: »

We must be confident.

If Italy can beat Croatia on Thursday, we will go into the Spain match knowing get a point and beat the Italians and we are through.

The strangest things can happen in football.

At the start everybody expected:

Beat Croatia
Loss to Spain
Draw against Italy.

Maybe now it will be the flip opposite!

I don't think it beyond the bounds of possibility for us to nab a point.

The most important thing is that Croatia are beaten, if not it won't look good!

It would be great but we are kidding ourselves. Ireland are rubbish and always will be when you have the premiership teams that these guys play for telling them not to get injured in international games.

There's no passion in any of them, well except for Shay Given.

starbelgrade

Bell Butter wrote: »

It would be great but we are kidding ourselves. Ireland are rubbish and always will be when you have the premiership teams that these guys play for telling them not to get injured in international games.

There's no passion in any of them, well except for Shay Given.

Another 3 points:

1. Ireland aren't rubbish. They're not the most talented bunch of players, but they're still decent enough to get themselves into the Euros - a feat that even the likes of Belgium couldn't achieve with their stars like Shaqiri, Vermaelen, Vertonghen etc.

2. Most of the Irish squad aren't Premiership players.

3. The one thing the players don't lack - above anything else - is passion and spirit when they play for their country. It may not have seen like that in how they played last night, but in many ways, last night's game was a very a-typical Ireland performance.

_Gawd_

Can't fathom how people are wondering where it all went wrong or cursing the luck the Croatians had - I honestly think to myself if these people that claim to watch football throughout the year have any idea whatsoever about the basic knowledge of the game. I blame the media for the role they've played over the last number of months in hyping everyone up for absolutely nothing but of course, they're their to sell a product.

Ask yourself one simple question. How many of those players on the pitch last night would have been allowed into the dressing room to wash boots during the Euros of '88 or the World Cups of '90/'94? We don't produce footballers anymore - we haven't done so in 15 years, let alone the quality and talent 25 or 30 years ago. Last night I seen a lot of players that should be applauded for their service but should be let go as they're past their sell-by dates.

It's time for re-building and it starts with the kids at home. A friend of mine coaches under 12's and none of them understand the importance of a good touch. The mentality is to hoof the ball as far up the pitch as possible and deal with what comes later. There is no strategic element, skill or ability or emphasis on playing football at all. If you look around the world, almost every footballing nation of note has a thriving, competitive and talented pool of players from which to nurture and grow from their domestic leagues - we don't. If a player looks to have what it takes it's off to England to sit on the bench in the Championship and if they're lucky, might make it into the Premiership one day.

This is not a guaranteed recipe for success. Walters has 11 goals in 50 odd games for Stoke, Long has 6 in 30 odd and Doyle has 4 in 33. We don't have a Rooney or a quality player we can depend on and have confidence in saying "yeah, one chance and he'll get us a goal". We're not good enough - but with some serious organising and re-arranging here at home, then we might be able to build something for the next generation of kids because that's where the buck stops.

stovelid

Hopefully the result yesterday will have provided some reality checks. I think Irish people are so used to supporting the likes of Barcelona and United, they demand similar levels of success from the national team they are lumbered with by unfortunate accident of birth.

The fact that Ireland are even in the Euros; have produced quite a few top quality players down the years; have mid-table national UEFA ranking and our domestic league is ranked relatively respectably enough - 33rd of of 53 countries, despite widespread apathy and denigration toward it from the Irish sporting public - is a pretty decent achievement for a country of 4 million with very popular indigenous sports and rugby in competition with football.

Time to recalibrate expectations, I think.

Ares

starbelgrade wrote: »

Another 3 points:

1. Ireland aren't rubbish. They're not the most talented bunch of players, but they're still decent enough to get themselves into the Euros - a feat that even the likes of Belgium couldn't achieve with their stars like Shaqiri, Vermaelen, Vertonghen etc.

Wow Shaqiri is now with Belguim? When did this happen?

Also Belguim are in fantastic shape going in to the future, they'll be a regular feature at Euro's and World Cups for the next 10 years. Trap should have tried to bring through new players 2 years, decided not to, and now the Dunne, Given, Keane and Duff generation are finished and we're staring at nothingness for the next 5 years.

starbelgrade wrote: »

2. Most of the Irish squad aren't Premiership players.

That's bollocks. Absolute spoof bollocks. 17 of the 23 man squad played in the Premiership this year. 18 if Kevin Foley wasn't withdrawn for McShane.

starbelgrade wrote: »

3. The one thing the players don't lack - above anything else - is passion and spirit when they play for their country. It may not have seen like that in how they played last night, but in many ways, last night's game was a very a-typical Ireland performance.

Passion and spirit are the kind of cliches that continue to hold back Irish football. Until technical ability becomes more valued than commitment and passion then Irish football will stay in a technical black hole. It should be a bonus not a key requirement.

electrobanana

Calm down lads don't worry we'll beat Spain 17-0 and draw 0-0 with Italy to scrape through.

DB10

Keane and Duff are finished, time to bench them. Get McLean and Walters/Long in pronto.

Were fooked, so depressing

ringadingding

Any of you rooting for England tonight ?
It probably won't happen, but i'd love to see the frogs stuffed tonight ....

Kamjana

Forget about last night and watch this video,if it doesnt put a smile on your face then you are dead inside

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwSL-IUym08

DB10

I think France should win, England might do a job on them with the pace they have with Young Welbeck and Chamberlain.

Would rather if none of England, France, Italy or Spain won the tournament. Would like to see some of the rest do it.

ringadingding

Kamjana wrote: »

Forget about last night and watch this video,if it doesnt put a smile on your face then you are dead inside ]

I've watched that about ten times the last two days, it's super

oxo_

How they can get this far anyway and then not put their heart and soul into the game is a joke. Majority of the team can't even be bothered to sing our national anthem ffs.

Just another game to some of them to improve their own personal careers. Whatever you say about Keane, at least he puts everything he has into his game, even if it's not good enough on the night, at least he does his best.

Still believe some Irish players intentionally threw the game.

electrobanana

oxo_ wrote: »

How they can get this far anyway and then not put their heart and soul into the game is a joke. Majority of the team can't even be bothered to sing our national anthem ffs.

Just another game to some of them to improve their own personal careers. Whatever you say about Keane, at least he puts everything he has into his game, even if it's not good enough on the night, at least he does his best.

Still believe some Irish players intentionally threw the game.

Irish player threw the game!!! oh how i lol'd at that

DEFTLEFTHAND

oxo_ wrote: »

How they can get this far anyway and then not put their heart and soul into the game is a joke. Majority of the team can't even be bothered to sing our national anthem ffs.

Just another game to some of them to improve their own personal careers. Whatever you say about Keane, at least he puts everything he has into his game, even if it's not good enough on the night, at least he does his best.

Still believe some Irish players intentionally threw the game.

After breaking their backs to qualify over the past 2 years why would they flush all that hard work down the toilet by throwing the opening game? I believe they all tried their best out there but they just weren't good enough on the night to get a result.

johngalway

ringadingding wrote: »

Any of you rooting for England tonight ?
It probably won't happen, but i'd love to see the frogs stuffed tonight ....

Hell no I'm with the Apres Match crew of last night, Vive la France!

Scioch

stovelid wrote: »

Hopefully the result yesterday will have provided some reality checks. I think Irish people are so used to supporting the likes of Barcelona and United, they demand similar levels of success from the national team they are lumbered with by unfortunate accident of birth.

The fact that Ireland are even in the Euros; have produced quite a few top quality players down the years; have mid-table national UEFA ranking and our domestic league is ranked relatively respectably enough - 33rd of of 53 countries, despite widespread apathy and denigration toward it from the Irish sporting public - is a pretty decent achievement for a country of 4 million with very popular indigenous sports and rugby in competition with football.

Time to recalibrate expectations, I think.

Thats all well and good but when our own mistakes lead to our downfall its impossible to accept the defeat as "We aint good enough". Those are professional players, they have zero excuse not to put in a decent shift. Croatia were better yesterday but they didnt destroy us with their blinding skill. Goals were soft, ball was given away time and again and we had little in the way of attack. Which is shameful for any international team in any stage of any competition.

Any recalibration should be an effort on the part of the management to improve the team rather than settling for bungling along because we havent the players to compete with much better teams. I dont think fans should settle with being poor either. The time of "shur isnt it great we're involved" has long since passed. I dont think anyone was expecting to win the thing or even had anything other than hope that we got out of the group but saying its unrealistic to expect to compete with the likes of Croatia is ridiculous.

Happyman42

oxo_ wrote: »

How they can get this far anyway and then not put their heart and soul into the game is a joke. Majority of the team can't even be bothered to sing our national anthem ffs.

Just another game to some of them to improve their own personal careers. Whatever you say about Keane, at least he puts everything he has into his game, even if it's not good enough on the night, at least he does his best.

Still believe some Irish players intentionally threw the game.

A goal 3 minutes in knocked them (more importantly, knocked the defence) for six, then they brilliantly equalised but conceded again at a critical time, but for a foul the attack would have been foiled.
It happens and happens a lot in football. The game didn't go to plan. Croatia did their homework, and pressured the defence, they never got to settle but probably would have if it hadn't been for that early goal.
Take a wee look around you, we have the best fans on the planet who despite the nonsense talked, here and elsewhere, don't, in their hearts, have ridiculous expectations, most if not all of them are over it now and have gotten it into perspective. Spain and Italy allowed each other to play football and looked good, but neither was able to win and despite all the prettiness only scored a goal each. On our day, we can upset teams like that and I think we will do it and I imagine the players think the same. Your conspiracy theory is a nonsense. Everyone of them knows the career enhancing oppurtunity(potential to be more valued financially as a player) the Euro stage is, particularly if they qualify from their groups :rolleyes:

Mickeroo

oxo_ wrote: »

How they can get this far anyway and then not put their heart and soul into the game is a joke. Majority of the team can't even be bothered to sing our national anthem ffs.

Just another game to some of them to improve their own personal careers. Whatever you say about Keane, at least he puts everything he has into his game, even if it's not good enough on the night, at least he does his best.

Still believe some Irish players intentionally threw the game.

Keane hasn't been good for a very long time, shouldn't be starting. Never been captain material either.

Best irish player in the PL last season was on the bench for the whole game, Trapatoni would rather play an inexperienced strike out of position than bring him on. He's a joke of a manager.

SeaFields

Mickeroo wrote: »

Keane hasn't been good for a very long time, shouldn't be starting. Never been captain material either.

Someone needs to explain the offside rule to him for a start. He also spends more time throwing himself down, in and around the penalty area, than looking to attack the ball and get a shot away.

Diego Maradona

Yes, we need to beat Spain so we should definitely leave our all time top scorer on the bench.

Scioch

Diego Maradona wrote: »

Yes, we need to beat Spain so we should definitely leave our all time top scorer on the bench.

So he should be starting every match until he dies of old age ?

oxo_

Ball watching (first half ffs), feigning signs of losing concentration (again, first half lol), passing the ball stupidly around and across your own goal, slow pass backs from MIDFIELD to your defenders when there's plenty of options going to the wings or just straight up the middle going forward.
Bollox, I do NOT believe for a second that players at that level in the game can make such consistently stupid "mistakes" after getting this far, and in the first half too, never mind the second where it wouldn't be as obvious.
Some players on the field were intentionally feigning mistakes and intentionally trying to lose the ball or give it away. Funnily enough the same players who always refuse to sing the national anthem.

Even Barton tweeted about Cech's "failing to extend his arms fully" to save the third Goal against them the other night, the sport is going to be destroyed by scum throwing games with their professional "mistakes".

Watch Spain throw the game against Ireland in the second half.
Italy won't be allowed to progress due to too many of them involved and being caught already for match fixing, their whole league is destroyed because of it so they'll also throw their game against Ireland.