Mistle17

Just realised how alike the Brugge and Espanyol crests are...

Totally agree, Pilko

In fairness some of the shit UTV, BBC, Sky Sports etc come out with I'd be fed up off replying to.

Still not convinced about us going forward, apart form Gerrard. Haven't been at all impressed by our starting wide men of Young and Milner. Parker needs no explanation, whilst Welbeck doesn't offer a huge amount to me. I think Carroll offers us more of an option. Walcott has to start on Sunday.

Can't believe we've won the group Just shows that you can't call anything in this tournament. Italy will be very tough.

The difference going forward was very obvious against Sweden when Walcott replaced Milner. Milner rarely has possession for us past the half way line so far. I'd rather play him in the middle than lumbering out on the wing. We have looked more resilient than normal, but I think that we have a relatively kinder group compared to groups B and C. I think once/if we come up against one of the better sides of the tournament we'll be shown up. But still, things are going well and I think we should have enough to see this lot off. C'mon England!!

We started with a Monday night game when we played ManU in our first season back. Of course! And a lot of the time they get moved to 'Super Sunday' fixtures. Ta mate. I'm in two minds atm, really want to book cheap flights over for the Spurs game that gets me there and back on the same day, yet there's no point in booking them if Sky could mess around with the schedule. Think I might just wait for a bit.

The latest that games on the opening day of the season start at are usually 5:15, right?

I actually cant put into words how much I utterly detest that fucking stadium name he gives St. James'. And as if that's not bad enough, there's pathetic Microsoft Word font signs spunked all the stadium. It looks vile, and as petty as I may sound it detracts from the unbelievable season we're coming off the back of. I take huge pride in our history and aspects of the club such as St. James Park, so maybe that's why its such a sensitive spot for me.

Most things UEFA

Yes! Relief. Great game and a cracking result. Can't remember the last time England have been on the right end of a comeback like that in a tournament.

Don't see why we should get away with it. Good on them Totally agree.

It pisses me off so much that shirt, purely because it would be so sharp without those fucking god awful spikes! Why are they there? What is the point in doing that??? Fucking hell.

Yep. The FAI must be one of the most incompetent associations in world football. A bunch of cowboys.

I don't think so. There's nobody playing for anybody any good. We always had a few at the like or Man U, Liverpool etc. but we haven't got a player capable of getting within an ass's roar of those teams or similar teams (i.e. us). Maybe the likes of Long, McCarthy, McClean etc. might come good if they start at the expense of Duff, Keane etc. Well that doesn't sound too good... To my mind, there's definitely one thing which should happen, Aiden McGeady needs to really step it up. Every time I've seen him, he's been so underwhelming. I don't think so. There's nobody playing for anybody any good. We always had a few at the like or Man U, Liverpool etc. but we haven't got a player capable of getting within an ass's roar of those teams or similar teams (i.e. us). Maybe the likes of Long, McCarthy, McClean etc. might come good if they start at the expense of Duff, Keane etc. Thought that while seeing them against Croatia. Some years back, there was Given, Carr, Duff, O'Brien (all NUFC), O'Shea (Man Utd), Keane (Spurs).... Irish players faded away somehow and there weren't any new players following them. A lot has to do with the fact that its (at best) the third most followed sport in Ireland. Its a long way behind both hurling and Gaelic football and I wouldn't be surprised if there were now more people playing rugby. Where I went to school there was no school football team. It was all GAA which is understandable. In a country this small its not a good sign to be that far down the pecking order. Maybe its just me but I'm just happy getting the finals. Even if we lose all our games just being involved and seeing our team compete against the likes of Spain and Italy is brilliant. Got a point there on the Gaelic and Hurling hoovering up young talent and agree entirely on just being there, its been a decade since we were last at one we should just appreciate that we even got to one and not lambasting a side for getting hammered by the best side in the world. As for future players, James McCarthy is the big hope plus theres Coleman, Duffy, Ciaran Clark, Mark Wilson and whomever we find has an Irish granny. We just don't have the structures over here in Ireland to really build a side or even a coherent policy on how to play our football. The League of Ireland clubs produce the occasional reasonably good player but really our youth policy is what the English clubs come up with. It is time to move on Given, Dunne, O'Shea, Duff and Keane but some are easier to replace than others, Keane could probably be retired at this stage since we have Long Walters Cox and Best which isn't a bad set of options up front, Given we have Westwood who's reasonably good however we really don't have anyone to replace Dunne at the moment which is a major problem. Is it a different situation north of the border? I have a lot of Northern Irish friends and they are all football daft and maybe some like Rugby but no Hurling or Gaelic Football gets mentioned. In Ireland you have the bog-land counties/provinces that treat that GAA stuff as a religion, football (or 'soccer') takes a back seat for sure. So although GAA is played in Northern Ireland, football and rugby would be the two main competitors in a sporting sense.

Ireland hardly even have a 'youth development' set up. It's appalling. But people continue to wonder why the country cant produce any (consistent) talent. Yes, every once in a while a quality player emerges, but that's really not what you'd call a conveyor belt of high quality player production. I was saying to my mate today that Ireland must be the only team in the whole tournament without a player in their squad representing a club from their domestic league. That says it all. Until serious thought and money is put into building club academies- because there aren't any proper academies affiliated with the domestic league clubs here, they would be no better than your average schoolboys team anywhere around the UK- it will continue to go around in circles of depending on English clubs who poach players at a young age to develop them and bring them through, or the English rejects who have an Irish grandparent. Depressing but true.

I must say, I've always loved the way Croatia fans support their country. Always travel in great numbers and add brilliant colour and noise to the occasions.

The amount of English accents in the Irish squad is ridiculous

I thought 'FC Rangers', or 'Rangers AFC' etc would have been their reform name? 'The Rangers' is a bit naff for me, like.

I wouldn't sell Hatem for any price. He's a match winner- as he's shown time after time- and is an absolute joy to watch. The type of player he is, supremely gifted, means he's almost irreplaceable imo.

I thought Walters looked impressive when he came on, like. Despite Cox being out of position on the left he provided the same lack of mobility as Andrews and Whelan in the centre. Still, it doesn't really matter who Trappa plays, there's not a whole lot of hope for Ireland. Imo he's got to completely pack the midfield as the movement and fluidity of Spain's midfield overload will completely overrun Ireland's static and rigid set up. Nonetheless, should be an interesting one!

Yay, more money in the game....

As awfully pessimistic as it is, I feel that even if we do qualify from our group (which most likely wont be via 1st spot) we'll be eliminated in the Quarter-Finals. Chances are Spain will await runners-up spot from England's group.

My mate who's a Man Utd fan was, with a straight face, saying before the end of the season how McLean was going to have the likes of Puyol, Ramos and Chiellini in his pocket Unbelievable. Bring him over to visit you next year, I'm sure we'd get on well. :lol: