[Kidchameleon]

One thing that nobody seems to understand about the San Marino game is that one of the opponents players had tragically died a few days before the match, there was no way they were not going to score in that game, their emotions were too raw, they done it for him... This was a big factor in that game, we got a different San Marino than usual.

[briany]

Originally Posted by DaveH

Can someone help me bring what once was a pretty interesting thread back on topic!!

You can't really talk about that game at Windsor in '93 without talking about the raw emotion that surrounded the game. I hesitate to say hatred because it's a provocative word so I'll leave it at emotion. I disagree that it was a defining moment in the relationship between the associations, though, and if anyone does find that night a sticking point in their memory then I suggest they be bigger than that and attempt to move beyond it because it's nearly 20 years ago.

As far as the San Marino angle, I'm probably guilty of starting that one but it had just struck me, based on what another poster had said about seeking out Davide Gualtieri in San Marino to shake his hand, that every side has or will have, given long enough, a "San Marino story" and that Ireland is no exception to this. I know that there were probably people in Ireland and elsewhere who took a certain amount of schadenfreude in that goal but the entertainment value of the Ireland goal was nearly as high. I don't think it broke many records but with the whole farcical Keystone Cops nature of that goal really made my jaw drop at the time.

[The_Kew_Tour]

I actually went to bed at half time as I could not watch the game was only young boy at time.

i remember hearing a huge roar from TV and straight away I knew Northern Ireland had scored so I cried myself to sleep.

All I remember next is my Dad waking me telling me Ireland had qualified and told me to get up.

Got pack of Tayto Crisp and 7up and was able to stay up till about 11pm.

Dad told me I could take next day off School too.

I owe McLoughlin a pint sometime

[The_Kew_Tour]

Speaking of Sir Bobby Robson, he would have been 79 today had he still been alive.

A Happy Birthday to true football man

[monkey9]

If this has been mentioned in this thread, apologies. Haven't read it all. But years ago, Paul McGrath brought out an autobiography. (His first one, around 1996). In it, he talked about that amazing night (and it was amazing, i'll never forget McLoughlin's goal)

As they were boarding the plane, some worker shouted at Niall Quinn "f*ck off you Fenian bastard", to which Quinn responded with "we'll send you a postcard from America"

[briany]

Originally Posted by monkey9

As they were boarding the plane, some worker shouted at Niall Quinn "f*ck off you Fenian bastard", to which Quinn responded with "we'll send you a postcard from America"

Fair play to Quinn. He wouldn't let himself be cowed by a bitter man like that, especially one with a mouth like that on him.

[The_Kew_Tour]

Niall Quinn book is actually very good.

That story about the time they were watching a recording of a Bulgaria v Belgium game is hilarious

[SantryRed]

Originally Posted by Kidchameleon

One thing that nobody seems to understand about the San Marino game is that one of the opponents players had tragically died a few days before the match, there was no way they were not going to score in that game, their emotions were too raw, they done it for him... This was a big factor in that game, we got a different San Marino than usual.

what a load of sh1te. It's San Marino.

[iroced]

Originally Posted by AnCapaillMor

He was a scapegoat, they lost at home to the bottom club after being 2 up and then lost at home to bulgaria and it was all ginola's fault not the managers fault. They shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. It was used very succesfully to get the blame away from the manager.

This.

And Houiller has always been great to put the blame on others (Ginola in 1993), Domenech in 2010 although he was his main support pushing for his renewal after Euro 2008 humiliation.

I don't know how Liverpool fans are seeing him but as a French, Houiller is associated with 2 of the 3 French football catastrophies of the last 20 years (the 3rd being WC '02). He did a good job in Lyon though but he should stick to club football. He never brought anything good to the national team.