Ireland v Croatia (R)

Waiting for that match. I hope that we will see good match.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1799751

Croatia has bad moments since EURO 2008, had bad moments with England in Qualificatios for World Cup 2010. They had motive because Croatia kicked them from EURO 2008. We are having problems, our coach Bilic is leaving after EURO 2012. We are not having good situation in our group, Greece is on first place, Croatia is behind 2 points. We thought that we will be first.

Ireland has good players, I remember that team from USA 1994: Bonner, Whelan, Aldridge, Staunton, McGoldrick, Roy Keane, McGrath, Tony Cascarino, Niall Quinn. Staunton was also a coach of Ireland I think.

I saw that O'Shea had a transfer in Sunderland, to bad that he went off Manchester United.

We were in the same qulification group for EURO 2000, if you remember. We came in Ireland wright after France 1998, and our third place, Ireland won 2-0, but in Zagreb, Croatia was 1-0. But Serbia won the first place, Ireland played 1-1 against Macedonia, Croatia came third back than.

Good choice of this friendly match, because friendly relations between these countries, similar history, heritage and also Croatia will play against Scotland and Wales in same group for Brazil 2014. Similar atmosphere as in Ireland.

Slovakia isn't good team, Russia has their moments, but I think that Ireland could get 6 points there.

Some Croatian-Irish music for introduction:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QKf_PUPsFo"]‪Croatian Irish music: The Skelligs - As I Roved‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

Qualification match 1999: Croatia-Ireland

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zVfu6myqCo"]‪Croatia - Ireland, Euro 2000 qualifications‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

Ireland has similar ways as Croatia to get their players, they find them in other countries, as diaspora members. Why didn't Ireland tried to get Wayne Rooney, he is of irish descent? Ireland missed also Martin Keown, Aaron Lennon, Danny Murphy, Rio Ferdinand, maybe Steven Gerrard is irish also, Aiden McGeady, Mark Delaney - Aston Villa player. Many of good english, scottish and some welsh players have irish heritage, almost whole Celtic Glasgow; Shaun Maloney for example

I'm thinking having no sound in work is a good thing!!

Bilic said that part of his preparation for the game was to bring the team to a Pogues concert in Zagreb!!

Watched the highlights on RTE. Ireland were excellent off the ball but when we had it we gave it away too easily. At this level we need to be much more composed on the ball and don't be afraid to pass it to someone who is being marked rather than just hoofing it and hoping for the best.

Watched the game on SKy, just a few points

Glen Whelan needs to learn how to defend on corners almost gave a penalty away (then theres the goals he cost us v Russia and Slovakia with poor defending)

Did Darren Gibson actualy do anything in the game?

Shane Long had a poor game(usualy he's very good) Would of liked to have seen him off before 82 mins and Cox on for longer.

I'm with you. I like Long a lot but he was dire in this game. Gibson also had not interest.

The only one who can take positives was Ward.

Match didn't had excitement at all. Croatia could got penalty, but it was friendly match. Bilic receives so many critics because of boring style of game, Croatia had ball posession, but nothing came out of this, they played like Arsenal. Without any concrete idea, just passing the ball. I saw some good irish players: Shane Long, Keogh, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne. Gibson just watched the game. Expected more of him. We could take advantage in jumps, corners maybe, because we are tall, especially in defense. You have great stadium by the way. Croatia didn't won ever in Ireland, tradition is still alive. Croatia had more controll, but Ireland played well without the ball.

Good luck against Slovakia and Russia. (Ádh mór i gcoinne an tSlóvaic agus an Rúis).

Bilic should resign before 3 years ago, after that shocking defeat against Turkey on EURO 2008. After that players don't have any confidence. Bilic is like a friend to them, without any authority, as person he is to soft. Everyone is watching their own interest in croatian football, nepotism, bad players that will always have protection, like Niko Kranjcar - his father was famous player (Zlatko Kranjcar), because of that he is in first squad always. Even though he is on the Tottenham bench all the time. Zlatko Kranjcar was also a coach of croatian team, his son was always on the field, during all 90 minutes, than on World Cup in Germany everything fall apart, his son begged him to pull him out, because he was tired. Also Ivan Strinic sucks, our goalkeepers don't have a club at all. Pletikosa from yesterday wanted to come in Celtic Glasgow, but they thought that he was bad, now he is in Rostov, Russia.

Nepotism in croatian team:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia_national_football_team

Luka Modric - he is overrated player. I don't know why Chelsea wants him so badly, he does more job in defense than in attack, he is a playmaker, but he doesn't shows that.

Dario Srna is a winger, attacker, leader, but he doesn't demonstrate that at all.

Good players that could help Croatia are Rakitic, Petric, Olic, Klasnic, Perisic, Pranjic, Ilicevic, but they were on the bench most of time.

I thought it was a good result if not a great performance. It was the 5th clean sheet in succession and that is what a team like Ireland should strive for. First and foremost they need to be difficult to beat and then learn to take chances when they arise. They just don't have the players to dominate the top sides.