Italia 90 or 2009 Grand Slam

Rightwing

I remember italia 90,,,,it was all hype. standard was poor, we set up for 0-0.

Funny thing was, we had quite a good team, far better than today, and could have been gone further if jack was more adventurous.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I detest all things soccer ~ but if anyone says anything other than Italia 90 they're too young to have remembered it.. It was a magical time to be Irish.

I'd not normally one who'd jump onto the bandwagon but I and just about everyone else did for Italia 90.

I even went to the airport to welcome the team home, then followed it down the M1 and into the city on my motorbike.

Absolutely magic.

/now back to hating soccer

DebDynamite

Al_Coholic wrote: »

1990 for me although i didnt see Toto Schillacis goal live at the time as i was only 10 yrs old and my mother decided to drag me to mass.

Surprised mass was even on. Where I lived they moved mass so it wouldn't clash with the Ireland games

jack presley

DebDynamite wrote: »

Surprised mass was even on. Where I lived they moved mass so it wouldn't clash with the Ireland games

You wouldn't see them doing that for a Grand Slam decider.

Lelantos

This thread is crying out for a poll!
But realistically, if you measure the 2 by the effect they have had on the country & how they have entered the folklore of our country, it's Italia 90 by a country mile .

Lawrence1895

Italia 90 for me. Germany won the title

eireannBEAR

munster winning the heineken cup for the first time was the biggest sporting achievement that this country ever produced,im a leinster fan,but the munster triumph had everything from pain to being robbed in a previous final, the shot of limerick during the match ah it was magic. a day that will never be bested in irish sport.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

munster winning the heineken cup for the first time was the biggest sporting achievement that this country ever produced,im a leinster fan,but the munster triumph had everything from pain to being robbed in a previous final, the shot of limerick during the match ah it was magic. a day that will never be bested in irish sport.

Too young to remember Ray Houghton in Stuttgart?

Rightwing

eireannBEAR wrote: »

munster winning the heineken cup for the first time was the biggest sporting achievement that this country ever produced,im a leinster fan,but the munster triumph had everything from pain to being robbed in a previous final, the shot of limerick during the match ah it was magic. a day that will never be bested in irish sport.

I agree with this one. A day never to be forgotten.

WesternZulu

Rightwing wrote: »

I agree with this one. A day never to be forgotten.

Except if you're not from Munster.
You're talking about a province, a region in the country, as a sporting achievement that the whole country got behind.

As someone from the West, it meant nothing to me.

Jimoslimos

Her name appears to be whitewashed from history these days, but would it be fair to mention Atlanta 96 and triple gold (and 1 bronze) medal winning swimmer Michelle Smith. Halcyon days indeed!

Weevil

eireannBEAR wrote: »

munster winning the heineken cup for the first time was the biggest sporting achievement that this country ever produced,im a leinster fan,but the munster triumph had everything from pain to being robbed in a previous final, the shot of limerick during the match ah it was magic. a day that will never be bested in irish sport.

I'm sure I watched that, but can't seem to remember it.

Ireland v Italy USA '94 though, that had the streets of the capital empty and every pub packed.

eireannBEAR

WesternZulu wrote: »

Except if your not from Munster.
You're talking about a province, a region in the country, as a sporting achievement that the whole country got behind.

As someone from the West, it meant nothing to me.

At least munster were irish,the 1990 and 94 soccer teams were mostly british,so either way some form of rugby event has to be our greatest achievement.

WesternZulu

eireannBEAR wrote: »

At least munster were irish,the 1990 and 94 soccer teams were mostly british,so either way some form of rugby event has to be our greatest achievement.

Yeah because Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne are as Irish as they come.

marvin80

/thread

Swan Curry

I'm a rugby fan,so I'd pick the 2009 Grand Slam.If I was a soccer fan,I'd probably say Italia 90.

Was that so difficult?

Galwayguy35

Italia 90 for me, great atmosphere around the whole place, we were doing the Inter Cert that year but no one gave a fook about that.

Lelantos

Swan Curry wrote: »

I'm a rugby fan,so I'd pick the 2009 Grand Slam.If I was a soccer fan,I'd probably say Italia 90.

Was that so difficult?

I'm a rugby fan, I picked Italia 90.

crockholm

WesternZulu wrote: »

Yeah because Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne are as Irish as they come.

Iirc, Shaun Payne was Irish qualified,he had an ACTUAL Irish granny.

crockholm

Hope I'm not going ot, but my fav was Steve Collins vs Chris Eubanks 1,not a team sport,didn't "represent"Ireland,but I just remember everyone being giddy that night.

Henlars67

I only have a passing interest in rugby, so the Grand slam was no big deal to me.

Italia 90 was class at the time. I was only 8 but remember it very clearly.

However, even If the national football team were to win a major championship now, it would mean nothing to me now.

I used to go to home internationals until the terrible treatment of Brian Kerr. Stopped going to watch them but was still a fan, though with less interest than previously.

The 4-0 defeat against Spain in the Euros was the end of following for me. nothing to do with the result, but rather with how Irish fans declared themselves the Best Fans In The World after it, and how Delaney behaved over there, while at the same time another LOI club was going to the wall.

The 'best fans in the world' would support teams in their own country, but they don't.

The league here has a small hardcore of fans and the Delaney and his cronies do nothing to promote it or help it improve.

They only care about the national team, and for those reasons I can no longer support said national team.

Lelantos

Henlars67 wrote: »

I only have a passing interest in rugby, so the Grand slam was no big deal to me.

Italia 90 was class at the time. I was only 8 but remember it very clearly.

However, even If the national football team were to win a major championship now, it would mean nothing to me now.

I used to go to home internationals until the terrible treatment of Brian Kerr. Stopped going to watch them but was still a fan, though with less interest than previously.

The 4-0 defeat against Spain in the Euros was the end of following for me. nothing to do with the result, but rather with how Irish fans declared themselves the Best Fans In The World after it, and how Delaney behaved over there, while at the same time another LOI club was going to the wall.

The 'best fans in the world' would support teams in their own country, but they don't.

The league here has a small hardcore of fans and the Delaney and his cronies do nothing to promote it or help it improve.

They only care about the national team, and for those reasons I can no longer support said national team.

Oh good, glad you cleared that up for us

eireannBEAR

Henlars67 wrote: »

The 4-0 defeat against Spain in the Euros was the end of following for me. nothing to do with the result, but rather with how Irish fans declared themselves the Best Fans In The World after it, and how Delaney behaved over there, while at the same time another LOI club was going to the wall.

The 'best fans in the world' would support teams in their own country, but they don't.

The league here has a small hardcore of fans and the Delaney and his cronies do nothing to promote it or help it improve.

Correct at least rugby built the game from grass roots,it deserve to be our number one international sport,we have some of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and a national team that actually won something,this is the problem with soccer fans,90% of them the are fickle and send their euro's to the likes of man utd in the uk rather than looking after their own first.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Correct at least rugby built the game from grass roots,it deserve to be our number one international sport,we have some of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and a national team that actually won something,this is the problem with soccer fans,90% of them the are fickle and send their euro's to the likes of man utd in the uk rather than looking after their own first.

If we're going claiming wins in tournaments with a small number of teams, Ireland's momentous victories in the Iceland Triangular Tournament in 1986 and last year's Carling Nations Cup need to be noted.

If I was a rugby fan, I'd actually be disappointed with Ireland's record in the 6 Nations as opposed to proclaiming the one victory as the greatest achievement in Irish sport. The last 10-15 years have been considered the golden era of Irish rugby yet they only managed to out on top once. And during those years, Scotland and Italy are hardly on the same level so they were really only up against 3 other contenders (who have all won on multiple occasions).

keith16

Lars1916 wrote: »

Italia 90 for me. Germany won the title

I think you will find it was West Germany :pac:

*runs away

homerjay2005

1990 and its not even close. the country would have been more happy to beat Estonia to qualify for euro 2012 over winning the grand slam.

keith16

If football is so popular here (and it is), why have we regressed so much since Italia 90?

FIFA, published a ranking of teams in the 1990 tournament based on performance etc. Incredible to see Ireland place above the likes of:

- Brazil
- Spain
- Colombia
- Netherlands
- Soviet Union
- Sweden

We have only played in two editions of the tournament since Italia 90 and realistically, we don't have any chance of qualifying for Brazil 2014.

WesternZulu

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Correct at least rugby built the game from grass roots,it deserve to be our number one international sport,we have some of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and a national team that actually won something,this is the problem with soccer fans,90% of them the are fickle and send their euro's to the likes of man utd in the uk rather than looking after their own first.

You forgot to mention the dire state of the AIL, rugby supporters are no better than soccer supporters for supporting 'glamour' teams.

The_Kew_Tour

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Correct at least rugby built the game from grass roots,it deserve to be our number one international sport,we have some of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and a national team that actually won something,this is the problem with soccer fans,90% of them the are fickle and send their euro's to the likes of man utd in the uk rather than looking after their own first.

Thats news to me.

jack presley

WesternZulu wrote: »

You forgot to mention the dire state of the AIL, rugby supporters are no better than soccer supporters for supporting 'glamour' teams.

And back in the old interprovincial days, there used to be 4 men and a dog at the games

eireannBEAR

WesternZulu wrote: »

You forgot to mention the dire state of the AIL, rugby supporters are no better than soccer supporters for supporting 'glamour' teams.

utter nonsense,munster and leinster became ''glamour'' teams due to continued financial support from a lot of dedicated fans,if soccer fans would behave in the same way they might have a half decent national league on their hands.

Amirani

eireannBEAR wrote: »

utter nonsense,munster and leinster became ''glamour'' teams due to continued financial support from a lot of dedicated fans,if soccer fans would behave in the same way they might have a half decent national league on their hands.

Your location is interesting given your stance on such matters.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

munster and leinster became ''glamour'' teams due to continued financial support from a lot of dedicated fans

Fans who only became dedicated in the past 10 years or so. Where were they in the 80's and early 90's?

eireannBEAR

jack presley wrote: »

Fans who only became dedicated in the past 10 years or so. Where were they in the 80's and early 90's?

They were at GAA matches with the soccer fans.

WesternZulu

eireannBEAR wrote: »

utter nonsense,munster and leinster became ''glamour'' teams due to continued financial support from a lot of dedicated fans,if soccer fans would behave in the same way they might have a half decent national league on their hands.

I fully agree with the sentiment that Irish fans should support their own league more and not treat it with complete disregard.

In terms of rugby, it seemed to the ultimate bandwagon for any tom, dick and harry to jump on once they sensed a bit of success.
It quickly became the cool sport to follow.

The perfect example of such fickle fans was typified by 'Lunsters', someone from Leinster who gladly hopped on the Muster bandwagon when they were the dominant province.
Funny I haven't heard the term in years and can only guess that these hardcore Munster fans conveniently remembered they were from Leinster once they started winning.

It's earlier for rugby to have big indigenous teams when they are essentially only 4 'club' teams here.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

They were at GAA matches with the soccer fans.

Yeah, I suppose they were waiting for the bandwagon to drive by so they could hop on.

eireannBEAR

WesternZulu wrote: »

The perfect example of such fickle fans was typified by 'Lunsters', someone from Leinster who gladly hopped on the Muster bandwagon when they were the dominant province.

Of course the whole country supported munster they put irish club rugby on the map when they won the european cup.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

keith16 wrote: »

If football is so popular here (and it is), why have we regressed so much since Italia 90?

FIFA, published a ranking of teams in the 1990 tournament based on performance etc. Incredible to see Ireland place above the likes of:

- Brazil
- Spain
- Colombia
- Netherlands
- Soviet Union
- Sweden

We have only played in two editions of the tournament since Italia 90 and realistically, we don't have any chance of qualifying for Brazil 2014.

Making Italia '90 all the better.


The reason we haven't progressed since then is simple, the game has evolved massively, and we haven't. Underage coaching remains the same as it ever was, we have the highest paid FA chief executive in the world who doesn't do anything to promote the local league and there isn't much money being invested in youth as there is in other countries.

Take Germany as a prime example, around 2002 they completely revamped their youth set-up, and we're beginning to see the result, after just 10 years. There is a farcical amount of young German talent coming up through the ranks at the minute, and that's all down to what the German FA did a little over 10 years ago.
Croatia is another good example. They've consistently been in the top 20 in rankings despite having a similar population to Ireland. Spain and the Netherlands 2 other prime examples of what a good footballing philosophy does for your country.

Massive changes are needed in the FAI, but I doubt we'll see any in the near future.

WesternZulu

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Of course the whole country supported munster they put irish club rugby on the map when they won the european cup.

I must have been the only one in the country then that it didn't matter in the slightest to then.

eireannBEAR

WesternZulu wrote: »

I must have been the only once in the country then that it didn't matter in the slightest to then.

id imagine you were too young.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

id imagine you were too young.

ha ha, that's funny coming from someone who thinks Irish rugby was only put on the map when Munster won their first European Cup. I think Ollie Campbell and countless others before him would disagree.

eireannBEAR

jack presley wrote: »

ha ha, that's funny coming from someone who thinks Irish rugby was only put on the map when Munster won their first European Cup. I think Ollie Campbell and countless others before him would disagree.

I said irish club rugby why are you misquoting me??

WesternZulu

eireannBEAR wrote: »

id imagine you were too young.

I was 20 when they won it in 2006.

I am a sports fan but I think that you are over analysing the significance of Munster winning the European Cup to people outside the province.

They won a cup in which they can concentrate their whole season on. It's not like say Toulouse or Wasps who play in a serious league of their own, and have to juggle playing in that with trying to win the H-Cup.
Irish teams can focus all their energy on Europe while playing b-teams in the micky mouse Rabo.

jack presley

eireannBEAR wrote: »

I said irish club rugby why are you miss quoting me??

Sorry my mistake. But what about Ulster? I know there were no English clubs that year but I remember that being a momentous occasion in Landsdowne road.

EDIT - Just remembered, wasn't that match against the hungover NZ B-team the match that put irish club rugby on the map?

Play To Kill

Italy 90 was fantastic, the entire country seemed to be celebrating the teams success. It was a huge achievement and what might have been but for Schillaci being in the right place at the right time. Rugby? meh...

Euro 88 was the best, I remember when Jack Charlton became manager and brought some shape to the team, Ireland had some fantastic players back then and I used to go to every friendly or qualifier in Lansdowne and Dalymount. I used to buy the tickets from a vegetable shop in Ballybrack. Very few people went to the matches back then. I was at the last quaifier for Euro 88 and remember watching the Bulgaria - Scotland game a month later, Ireland needed Scotland to win to book their place in the finals, it was looking bad and the nerves were frayed, all hope was gone and the match was almost over when Gary Mackay scored an 87th minute winner for Scotland. On then to beat the auld enemy with a Ray Houghton goal in Stuttgart, magic times.

ArmaniJeanss

Clontarf = Club, Cork Con = Club, Shannon = Club.
Munster, Ulster, Leinster <> Club.

Just saying.
Carry on.

Weevil

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Correct at least rugby built the game from grass roots,it deserve to be our number one international sport,we have some of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world and a national team that actually won something,this is the problem with soccer fans,90% of them the are fickle and send their euro's to the likes of man utd in the uk rather than looking after their own first.

Soccer, despite official neglect and incompetent leadership, remains the most popular participation sport in the country. Rugby, meanwhile, has a mass of puffed-up, good-time hanger ons who probably wouldn't know a stamp from a gouge. The only reason rugby has a place in the national conscience of any member of the six-nations is because of the influence the old-boy network of the respective countries.

Rightwing

eireannBEAR wrote: »

Of course the whole country supported munster they put irish club rugby on the map when they won the european cup.

True.

Munster could also beat the All blacks in 1978, the national team can't. That was the best sporting occasion until Munster won the Euro cup in 06.

So at the moment, Munster Rugby has the top 2.

crockholm

jack presley wrote: »

And back in the old interprovincial days, there used to be 4 men and a dog at the games

But while there was 4 men and a dog at those fixtures, a Shannon v Garryowen match would have had 10,000 + at it compared to the 200-500 nowadays,jebus the shannon v st. marys AIL semi in the late 90s had 12-14000 at it. The provincial set-up has pretty much killed the AIL:(

keith16

Rightwing wrote: »

True.

Munster could also beat the All blacks in 1978, the national team can't. That was the best sporting occasion until Munster won the Euro cup in 06.

So at the moment, Munster Rugby has the top 2.

I wouldn't even say they are in the top 5. Top 2 in Munster certainly, but not Ireland.

crockholm wrote: »

The provincial set-up has pretty much killed the AIL:(

But it need not be the case. AIL and Provincial set-up could be mutually beneficial to one-another but the powers that be won't make it happen.