Ireland's biggest sporting embarrassment?

Mongfinder General · 22-12-2014 08:15PM

Henlars67 wrote: »

I regularly have the argument with a friend of mine that the gaa isn't a top class stadium because of the Hill 16 end.

He argues that it is because of the 'very good reason' that it can't be finished.

The reason is pretty irrelevant though. It looks absolutely awful because of that end.

Same goes for the Aviva, though in fairness, at least it looks class from the outside.

Hill 16 looks abysmal, especially with that poxy looking security concrete bunker built into it. They could go at it again, it would mean shortening the pitch if possible, and using the space behind each goal to move the pitch towards the canal end. The top tier of the stadium could be brought right around over the hill and a redesigned terrace developed underneath. Planning permission would be a ****er though.

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 08:16PM

Grandeeod wrote: »

Crazy night. Found this article about it. Good read.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/seconds-from-disaster-26571556.html

I was at the game, and missed all the crush.
Paul McGrath's debut for Ireland, too! A fabulous player.

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 08:17PM

NoMore MrNiceGuy wrote: »

Test matches in rugby are not taken as lightly as soccerball friendlies. .....

Well, give there are only 10 teams able to play competitively it's hardly surprising they have to do something to try to make it interesting.

Mongfinder General · 22-12-2014 08:24PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

I would contend the likes of you are an embarrassment. The way you cannot see what actually happened in Eaipan, or do not want to see what happened, is a joke. Facts were Keane was fighting for a more professional approach from the FAI and was let down. The management and other players were on a jolly, just happy to be there.

Keane is an utter ballbag. He'd known for years that the FAI didn't give a toss about the players. He picked his moment to kick off because he wanted to cause maximum disruption and be the centre of attention. It's great to see what he's become. A sh1t coach who nobody wants to play for. He'll disappear into a hole in the ground when he finally loses it with the Irish media as ass coach of Ireland. Probably take a deal with the the Wankouver Wankcaps and flute about over there just to get some attention.

Schwiiing · 22-12-2014 08:32PM

The ridiculous clamour for tickets for an All Ireland Final in both codes. The biggest yearly bandwagon event in the world.

tastyt · 22-12-2014 08:36PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

The team was so properly prepared they decided to fly one hour time zone past Japan so they would be better acclimatised when they got there.(Ray Treacy's exact words to justify picking Saipan)

McCarthy failed to spot Spain were down to 10 men, continuing to play with 4 defenders against one attacker for half an hour.
McCarthy said it was "pointless" practising penalties so they didn't practise.
McCarthy picked Ian Harte in every match and took him off in every match, despite it being obvious to the World and his mother that he was in the depths of a slump.
McCarthy was a joke. He ordered Keane to leave.

Keane is the best player to have played for Ireland in the past 20 years. Our great shame, as a nation, was there weren't enough like minded players and staff to get the best results possible, instead, like McCarthy, Quinn, Staunton, happy to be there for the party.
Keane was a winner, the rest pathetic losers. Tell me what Mattie Holland ever did for Ireland?
McCarthy was the manager who told Denis Irwin, with countless medals, premiership appearances and international caps, to go out "and prove yourself "
I was at every home qualifying match for the campaign and we qualified despite McCarthy, not because of him. He's found his level at Ipswich, a mid table championship team. Remember the match v Holland? Roy Keane drove the team that day like never before. He set the tone and the others followed. Ireland was greatly helped by tactical naivety from Louis Van Gaal who ended up with four centre forwards on the pitch having replaced two wingers.

A blind man could see how Ireland, 2002, were so desperately let down by management. A golden opportunity lost forever.

McCarthy has found his level at mid table club Ipswich?? Well that's what they would be if it wasn't for McCarthy. In two years McCarthy has spent 10,000 Euro and now has Ipswich in second place in the championship. Amazing stuff and is doing as good a job as any manager in England at the moment.

This is of course the same Ipswich that that the ever professional and golden boy roy couldnt get into the top half never mind threaten a promotion push.

To say that a squad with players like Robbie Keane, Damien duff, given, Staunton, Quinn, Cunningham, kinsella, Steve finnan and Richard Dunne were only there for a jolly up and basically couldn't give a **** about the Irish jersey is both ridiculously stupid and offensive to those players. You think because they weren't as good as Keane that they cared less?? I think Keane has shown himself to be a very bad manager of situations and relationships in the past few years and that has to be taken into account

CrabRevolution · 22-12-2014 08:49PM

Schwiiing wrote: »

The ridiculous clamour for tickets for an All Ireland Final in both codes. The biggest yearly bandwagon event in the world.

Yes, Ireland is the only country on earth where people want tickets to the biggest sporting event of the year.

Hull's 5th round match in the FA cup this year had about 10'000 people at it including away fans. 3 rounds later they sold out their allocation of 25'000 in Wembley for the final, and presumably picked up thousands more of the "neutral" tickets. Is that a bandwagon or does it only apply when Irish people do it?

Schwiiing · 22-12-2014 08:58PM

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Yes, Ireland is the only country on earth where people want tickets to the biggest sporting event of the year.

Hull's 5th round match in the FA cup this year had about 10'000 people at it including away fans. 3 rounds later they sold out their allocation of 25'000 in Wembley for the final, and presumably picked up thousands more of the "neutral" tickets. Is that a bandwagon or does it only apply when Irish people do it?

That 5th round match was against Brighton, low attendance is to be expected.

How many people will come to see Kilkenny in January? It wont be 80,000 that's for sure.

Grandeeod · 22-12-2014 09:00PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Tell me what Mattie Holland ever did for Ireland?

Well he did score an important equaliser against Portugal in 2000 and then another against Cameroon in the 2002 world cup itself. But I fear you are a Roy Keane man and will not accept any evidence that contradicts your viewpoint.

Grandeeod · 22-12-2014 09:05PM

Since Saipan, Roy Keane has proven he is an utter attention seeking, disturbed, bell end. No question about it. He is about to find out that his "Irish issues" about winning with the national team are as overstated as his ability.

CrabRevolution · 22-12-2014 09:06PM

Schwiiing wrote: »

That 5th round match was against Brighton, low attendance is to be expected.

How many people will come to see Kilkenny in January? It wont be 80,000 that's for sure.

You've just summed up why those Hull fans were bandwagon jumpers though. They didnt go to the Brighton match because the opposition was unappealling and the match seemed unimportant.

That's nearly the definition of a bandwagon supporter, one who doesn't go to matches vs. Brighton, but goes to matches vs. Arsenal. Also Walsh Cup matches in January are like pre season friendlies on soccer, only less important.

Schwiiing · 22-12-2014 09:08PM

CrabRevolution wrote: »

You've just summed up why those Hull fans were bandwagon jumpers though. They didnt go to the Brighton match because the opposition was unappealling and the match seemed unimportant.

That's nearly the definition of a bandwagon supporter, one who doesn't go to matches vs. Brighton, but goes to matches vs. Arsenal. Also Walsh Cup matches in January are like pre season friendlies on soccer, only less important.

Kilkenny will play Tipp in the League in March. Same teams that played the AIF. If the match was moved to Croke Park from Thurles would it sell out? No.

mikeym · 22-12-2014 09:15PM

John Delaney is Irelands biggest sporting embarrassment.

Tv3 could make a programme on this.

DeanAustin · 22-12-2014 09:21PM

Billy86 wrote: »

We were deadful in the late 80s and 90s as has been mentioned, but to be fair meanwhile in football we have competed in 34 WC/EC qualifying campaigns over the span of 55 years and finished have top... never.

You may need to check your facts.

Ireland topped their qualification group once more than you were right in this post.

Bridge93 · 22-12-2014 09:21PM

The national rugby team at the 2007 World Cup. Nearly losing to countries in Namibia and Georgia that were nearly entirely amateur and 95% of their populations didn't even know they were participating in a World Cup. About 8 good rugby nations on earth and we didn't even make the quarter finals.
One off embarrassing results can happen like the footballers v San Marino, Cyprus etc at any time now and again. But for the rugby boys to do it twice in about a week...

Tugboats · 22-12-2014 09:21PM

mikeym wrote: »

John Delaney is Irelands biggest sporting embarrassment.

Tv3 could make a programme on this.

As are the thousands of Irish fans who worship him

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 09:31PM

Grandeeod wrote: »

Since Saipan, Roy Keane has proven he is an utter attention seeking, disturbed, bell end. No question about it. He is about to find out that his "Irish issues" about winning with the national team are as overstated as his ability.

Go on, admit it, you're one of those who belt out Olé, olé, olé at all the matches, thinking it's an Irish chant?

You don't know much about soccer, BTW,

Billy86 · 22-12-2014 09:34PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

You may need to check your facts.

Ireland topped their qualification group once more than you were right in this post.

Apologies, I missed 1998... so that is once in 34 attempts in football WC/EC qualifying compared to 3 times in 30 attempts (or 5 in 34, one tied with France) for rugby and the five/six nations.

Choochtown · 22-12-2014 09:44PM

I'll have to throw in another vote for Roy "I don't do friendlies unless it's my own in which case RTE can televise it live" Keane.

The man who walked out on his country on the eve of the World Cup finals complaining of poor preparation actually chose to be a pundit for an English TV channel covering the Champions League final the night before Ireland played Turkey in a Senior International match in Dublin and he was assistant manager of the team!!!!

You couldn't make it up.

And by the way what was it Roy said about pundits?

DeanAustin · 22-12-2014 09:48PM

Billy86 wrote: »

Apologies, I missed 1998... so that is once in 34 attempts in football WC/EC qualifying compared to 3 times in 30 attempts (or 5 in 34, one tied with France) for rugby and the five/six nations.

Oops

Billy86 · 22-12-2014 09:51PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

Oops

Ah for the f***ing love of typo! :pac:

Just throwing out I'm probably a bigger football fan than rugby by the way (though I was all of one year old during the '88 Euros so it's before me) since I might be coming over as a loves-rugby-hates-football type the last few posts.

Grandeeod · 22-12-2014 09:52PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Go on, admit it, you're one of those who belt out Olé, olé, olé at all the matches, thinking it's an Irish chant?

You don't know much about soccer, BTW,

And how did you come to that conclusion?

DeanAustin · 22-12-2014 09:55PM

Grandeeod wrote: »

And how did you come to that conclusion?

Usually happens when someone loses an argument. With nothing of substance left to add to the conversation, they throw out some nonsense about how you're part of the "ole ole" brigade. Usually it's based on some flimsy evidence but this fella's done it based on nothing at all.

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 10:03PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

Usually happens when someone loses an argument. ........

Not necessarily.

One only has to read his posts to see how closed his mind is.

I've outlined my arguments, those choosing a viewpoint which ignores the truth are trying to oppose me.

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 10:04PM

Choochtown wrote: »

I'll have to throw in another vote for Roy "I don't do friendlies unless it's my own in which case RTE can televise it live" Keane.

The man who walked out on his country on the eve of the World Cup finals complaining of poor preparation actually chose to be a pundit for an English TV channel covering the Champions League final the night before Ireland played Turkey in a Senior International match in Dublin and he was assistant manager of the team!!!!

You couldn't make it up.

And by the way what was it Roy said about pundits?

Is that the best you can do to denigrate a great man?

Billy86 · 22-12-2014 10:10PM

To be fair, Roy Keane was our best player of the last 20 years and arguably Ireland's greatest ever player (not including George Best since he was from the north) and I do agree that in Saipan he was more in the right than the FAI who were the very definition of amateur and unprepared (as bad as not training kits was, even amateur organisations would scoff at the thought of no footballs), though he has indeed become pretty much a parody of himself at this stage. It says a lot that when his latest debacle at Villa occurred and so soon after being appointed, many didn't even really raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Choochtown · 22-12-2014 10:10PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Is that the best you can do to denigrate a great man?

Can you defend an assistant manager that goes abroad to sit in a TV studio the night before his team has a match?

Seriously?

Grandeeod · 22-12-2014 10:15PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Not necessarily.

One only has to read his posts to see how closed his mind is.

I've outlined my arguments, those choosing a viewpoint which ignores the truth are trying to oppose me.

Could you please refer to the posts demonstrating that my mind is closed or are you really just full of **** and trolling?

Breffnigolfer · 22-12-2014 10:17PM

Choochtown wrote: »

Can you defend an assistant manager that goes abroad to sit in a TV studio the night before his team has a match?

Seriously?

1. If it was ok with Martin O'Neill, it's ok with me.
2. So what? It was a nothing, meaningless, "friendly, a full 24 hours later.

You'll obviously pick whatever suits to knock the man but you must admit that O'Neill, FAI, the players, Delaney, to a man, have done nothing but lavish praise on Keane and the contribution he has made to the job so far? Or, do you have a different view? Just to knock him?

A bigger crime for management would be to bring the squad to a chipper and fill them with fried food the night before an important qualifying match. Imagine if that happened? And imagine if it happened and the team lost heavily?

DeanAustin · 22-12-2014 10:18PM

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

1. If it was ok with Martin O'Neill, it's ok with me.
2. So what? It was a nothing, meaningless, "friendly, a full 24 hours later.

You'll obviously pick whatever suits to knock the man but you must admit that O'Neill, FAI, the players, Delaney, to a man, have done nothing but lavish praise on Keane and the contribution he has made to the job so far? Or, do you have a different view? Just to knock him?

A bigger crime for management would be to bring the squad to a chipper and fill them with fried food the night before an important qualifying match. Imagine if that happened? And imagine if it happened and the team lost heavily?

Suppose you think Big Jack should have done much better with Ireland than he did...

Ireland's biggest sporting embarrassment?

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