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

Skylinehead

Xabi Alonso, you magnificently bearded man.

Sunnyisland

Need England to win tonight.

Pherekydes

Need Italy to win tonight. To shut up those deluded England fan-boys.

Lord Bafford

Does anyone else feel many Irish people get more excited when England play than their own team?

Sunnyisland

Lord Bafford wrote: »

Does anyone else feel many Irish people get more excited when England play than their own team?

What you mean ?

Lord Bafford

realies wrote: »

What you mean ?

There's always a buzz when England play. Threads spanning many pages develop(even in the group stages)-- no other foreign team achieves this.

I sense genuine excitement as people discuss the players as the squad's announced.

I feel people try and recreate this when Ireland play, but there is a flatness to the atmosphere -- no spark, a going through the motions feel about the whole thing.

As an Englishman I find it amusing, but also highly hypocritical giving the sheer volume of anti-British/English sentiment I witness on here.

Happyman42

Lord Bafford wrote: »

Does anyone else feel many Irish people get more excited when England play than their own team?

Not more, in fact, no way do they get 'more excited'.
We do enjoy seeing arrogance taking one in the eye though, nothing wrong with that. Nothing unusual in that either, in a healthy society. Neighbours are always rivals, you see it in parishes, counties and countries.
You aren't going to try and play the conflict card are you, poor little misunderstood Britian? Man up, football and team sport by their very nature are tribal. :rolleyes:

Sunnyisland

Lord Bafford wrote: »

There's always a buzz when England play. Threads spanning many pages develop(even in the group stages)-- no other foreign team achieves this.

I sense genuine excitement as people discuss the players as the squad's announced.

I feel people try and recreate this when Ireland play, but there is a flatness to the atmosphere -- no spark, a going through the motions feel about the whole thing.

As an Englishman I find it amusing, but also highly hypocritical giving the sheer volume of anti-British/English sentiment I witness on here.

Ah I get what you mean I suppose England are always the team to beat,There media and there soccer pundits would have you believe that they are the best team in the world always (though this time its not as bad)so its a natural reaction to beat the big mouths.Having said that I am not really a soccer person so maybe you can share more light on this

Beefy78

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!!

Sunnyisland

Beefy78 wrote: »

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!!

Have to admit I be shouting for them tonight Purely for financial reasons of course

Happyman42

realies wrote: »

Have to admit I be shouting for them tonight Purely for financial reasons of course

Turncoat! I kinda want them to win, only because I love the England v Germany showdowns.

My name is URL

I'm hoping Di Natale starts up front tonight. I've a euro on him to score first and for Italy to win 2-1.

At 60/1 though, it's a long shot!

stovelid

HOPE ENGLAND GET BATTERED BY ITALY.

HATE THEM.

TIOCFAIDH AR LA

MUFCTID

My name is URL

stovelid wrote: »

HOPE ENGLAND GET BATTERED BY ITALY.

HATE THEM.

TIOCFAIDH AR LA

MUFCTID

What are you trying to get at? :pac:

stovelid

My name is URL wrote: »

What are you trying to get at? :pac:

Just a brief attack of the bitters:).

Cork boy 55

COME ON ITALY

Sunnyisland

Come on EINTGALANYD

Super-Rush

Up the sassanachs.

hondasam

Good luck England

MonkieSocks

Very close match with probably a mistake from Harte to give Italy the victory.

Hande hoche!

stovelid wrote: »

HOPE ENGLAND GET BATTERED BY ITALY.

HATE THEM.

TIOCFAIDH AR LA

MUFCTID

United fan?

Sunnyisland

Cheeses

My name is URL

What a strike by De Rossi :eek:

Sunnyisland

****

Sunnyisland

England playing well so far imo

tayto lover

Two poor teams imo. England just the better so far.

Sunnyisland

Looking & listning to both rte2 & bbc1, Think there both looking at different games :-)

Happyman42

realies wrote: »

Looking & listning to both rte2 & bbc1, Think there both looking at different games :-)

Definetly BBC anyway. 'England playing well'???????????????????????????????:D

bnt

My name is URL wrote: »

What a strike by De Rossi :eek:

What a miss by De Rossi :eek:

Super-Rush

Happyman42 wrote: »

Definetly BBC anyway. 'England playing well'???????????????????????????????:D

Lawrenson is fucking awful as a co commentator.

My name is URL

y u no put on di natale????!!

Sunnyisland

Haven't watched a few of these games, have to say the Irish fans did bring some atmosphere into the stadiums.

SHOVELLER

Lord Bafford wrote: »

There's always a buzz when England play. Threads spanning many pages develop(even in the group stages)-- no other foreign team achieves this.

I sense genuine excitement as people discuss the players as the squad's announced.

I feel people try and recreate this when Ireland play, but there is a flatness to the atmosphere -- no spark, a going through the motions feel about the whole thing.

As an Englishman I find it amusing, but also highly hypocritical giving the sheer volume of anti-British/English sentiment I witness on here.

Nail on head. Check out suddenly Italian all the pubs are now. Yet in the morning they will all fall back supporting "mankpool" without seeing the glaring hypocrisy.

I think you will get through on penalties. Pirlo is their fulcrum and he's getting tired.

Naturally as a proper Irish man I hope you lose;)

Pherekydes

England's control and passing is embarrassingly bad for international level soccer.

Yet you have their fanboys sneering at Spain's possession game.

Says it all really.

Super-Rush

Jebus crisp England are really terrible.

Everyone of those players should be shot.

bnt

Oh, I dunno. Rooney seems to be doing a pretty good job as a defender ...

Super-Rush

.....for Italy.

Sunnyisland

Super-Rush wrote: »

Jebus crisp England are really terrible.

Everyone of those players should be shot.

Lets try and keep the politics out of it now

Super-Rush

Piers Morgan must have been ****ting himself there.

hondasam

Hope it goes to penalties.

My name is URL

The English commentators are schizos. When Rooney missed a sitter; Lawrenson said something like 'typical Rooney', and when he made a great effort it was 'that's what we're used to seeing'

Fratton Fred

Doesn't matter if we do win. We've got Germany in the semi.

Sunnyisland

no yes no

Super-Rush

The longer this goes on the more likely England are to win.

Sunnyisland

I am not a soccer supporter but I honestly thought England where better than this ????

Mint Sauce

England are even more stressfull to watch than Liverpool!!

Jimoslimos

I hope it goes to penalties.

If only for the chance to see that rarest of sights, an opposition player in the Italian box not being manhandled by a dirtbird of a defender.

bnt

Jimoslimos wrote: »

I hope it goes to penalties.

You got your wish. Rooney looks knackered ...

Super-Rush

The ref never gave England a thing.

Hope they win it but there are some very tired players on the english team. Rooney and Gerrard to miss.

hondasam

My nerves will be wrecked after the penalties.
I dunno if England can win this now.