Fair enough, but I nevertheless doubt the few Liechtenstein supporters would be too optimistic before a match against Brazil...
"You'll never beat the Irish" The Swiss don't need too, as the Irish are already beaten by their own supporters and the Irish media. Richard Dunne had this to say in the article in the Irish Times. Now why would a Irish player feel that way right before one of the biggest games of his career? Why would a Swiss fan ask us where is the Irish fighting spirit?
For once I've got to agree with Sporting-Celtic. There is too much apathy and criticism around regarding the team. I just wish everyone would get behind it 100%. Take a word from those Red Sox last year. Believe.
... And don't forget that Switzerland hasn't been able to beat France, to beat Israel, and to beat you, plus the fact they were 1-1 against the Faroes 15 minutes before the end of their match (won 1-3) and that they've beaten Cyprus 1-0 with a goal from Frei at the 85th minute. Basically their qualification campaign has been mediocre (too, like ours and yours )
I know he hasn't been in the best form lately (or more accurately, his spell of good form seems to have ended), but he does provide a dynamism in midfield that's completely lacking with Holland, and to a lesser extent with Kavanagh. Kilbane's entire game is based on energy. I think that with a Holland/Kavanagh partnership we'd sink too far back on the pitch. If we're going to replace Kilbane let's do it with Steven Reid. Anyway, it's all moot. Kerr's not one for rash decisions, and Kilbane has never missed a competitive game under him (or under McCarthy either back to 1999 IIRC - who'd have guessed?!).
Man..... It seems as if, you guys were more positive about playing France than Switzerland. This is Landsdown road for Christs sake. 40,000 crazy Irishman can carry this team to three points. You guys need some bloody faith.
Yeah, there's no probelm believing or wanting the team to do the business on Wednesday. The problem is believing in the face of the crap served up as football in this qualifying campaign, with the exception of the two French games. I really think Dunne has a lot of gall to claim that the team that the team aren't getting a lot of support. How many traveled to Cyprus? 14,000+, right? How many traveled to Paris? The same if not more. The Israel trip might not have seen that many, but it was still in the region of 5,000, I believe. With the possible exception of the Dutch and the English, I think the Irish fans are the ones known through the length and breadth of Europe as the largest, most passionate travelling support. The reason the fans are frustrated is with the crap served up. The game against Cyprus was about as bad as I've ever seen the team play and allied to the meek surrenders to Israel, the lack of ambition in Paris and lack of belief in Basel, the fans are plenty entitled to be worried and pissed off. What has passed for football under Kerr is simply not good enough. This essentially is a team that was in striking distance of the WC quarters and semis a little more than 3 years ago and now it needs a superlative performance by Given, plus a saved penalty to beat Cyprus!! This team would find it hard to beat the Saudis, forget about the other WC opponents. I have no problem supporting the team, but I won't to play Pollyanna, refusing to admit what I'm seeing. And what I'm seeing is a team that has no idea how to take control of a game, no idea how to play as a team, no idea how to instill fear or even concern in opponents, no idea how to play anything other than second best to Cyprus. Yep, the 1-0 was great, because it was three points in the bag, but who really thinks that Ireland played well, and deserved it? The only time Ireland have been unlucky in these qualifiers was at home to France when a draw would have been the fairer result. In all the other games against the French, Swiss and Israelis, they have been poor or scared or just plain awful, usually a combination of all. Take a quick look at Saturday's game - the team and manager were under pressure from all fronts due to the piss poor performances. "Fair enough", they said, "we'll do our talking on the field", refusing to talk to the press. And when the talking on the field was nothing more than twenty types of shite backwards, what's the excuse? "We don't feel like we're getting enough support!!" When one of the largest traveling armies ever went abroad, and when the fans had the stadium to themselves? Bollocks! It should be Dunne to apologise to those superb traveling supporters who spent their hard earned cash to watch the crap they served up, calling it football in the cause of Ireland. For this qualifying campaign Kerr got pretty much everything he wanted. Everything. He got Roy Keane to return. He got the schedule he wanted; he has been lucky with injuries and suspensions (Roy Keane for the next game excepted) and he has had the FAI give him almost everything for which he has asked regarding training and preparation. And with all that, Ireland have only managed to beat The Faeroes and Cyprus? And suppose Ireland do manage to turn the Swiss over? What then? Look forward with relish the tonking they'll so obviously give to Spain or Sweden or some other real team? Look, I'll be shouting as loud as the next man come Wednesday, but it'll be from hope and hope alone, not expectation.
And who have France and Switzerland beaten in this campaign? Every team has sucked it up big time in this group except maybe Israel who got some late goals that produced important draws And because of this, I believe we still have a GOOD chance on Wednesday.
Y'know, I really don't take much comfort from saying "We're crap, but so are they also." I'm not really worried about whom the French and Swiss beat - as long as it's not Ireland - it's more important that Ireland play well and get results. And they haven't. The blame for this is spread between Kerr and the players - and I really don't care what the breakdown is there - but what I do know is that based on talent alone, Ireland should be so much better than this. You know you're in a bad place when not even Cyprus fear you - and that has nothing to do with either Switzerland or France.
“Knowing that we cannot afford to lose might have some bearing later on in the match,” said Kuhn. “We’ll certainly bear in mind the fact that we beat Ireland in Dublin the last time we played. “But the main thing and the big difference is that Ireland absolutely have to win. They are under more pressure than us. We are in pole position going into Wednesday and that’s where we want to stay.” -Kobi Kuhn
Irish Home Records vs. Swiss confidence coming from France = DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW DRAW !!!!!!!!!!!!!
England played like crap in their group and everyone was calling for Eriksson to be fired after they lost to NI. Now I see Rooney is shouting that they will be World Champs and the English media are singing "their boys" praise, typical English behavior. But the fact is they're in and could win it. All because as they have stayed "together" long enough to finish the race. Portugal just about beat Liechtenstein and Scolari got a roasting the press and has now announced he is quiting after the WC. Portugal, with all their skill, will now be lucky to get out of the group stage in the WC after this self destruction. Remember this team beat Russia 7-0 during the qualifying rounds and looked world beaters. Almost every team has had bad days in the qualifying rounds. It does not matter how you get to the WCFinals as long as you get there. Qualifying is a marathon not a sprint.
Like in : "Believe during 8 decades or so that you'll finally win something !" Hey, if you have dignity, you can't lose. OK ? Don't lose ! Thanks...
I was up at 5:45 am, on my first day of school, for the French match, and up until 2:30 am for the Cyprus match I believe Ireland can win, but dont know if I should hope that Ireland play Spain in a playoff, but if they do, they better kick their @$$es What I always liked (Duff and Morrison are VERY over-rated) Keane Connolly (Morrison) Keane Kinsella Kilbane McAteer (Duff) (Holland) Harte Breen Cunningham Dunne (Carr) Given (Taylor)
You gained some respect. Then you lost most of it. You lost the rest. Roy Keane as a winger? Are you mad!?!? And McAteer has retired internationally. and Taylor as the backup keeper? What about Paddy Kenny? I don't really know what to say about the whole Richard Dunne at rightback to accomodate Breen as a CB thing. You are taking the mick, right?
Ach, leave him alone. That's more or less the team from a few years ago without the niceties of formation (swap Keane and Kilbane), but with a dash of kidnapping and passport forgery (Maik Taylor, I can only presume?). Not the most knowledgeable of fans, but at least his heart's in the right place. At this stage we need all the enthusiasm we can get. theworm2345 - welcome to the boards. I suggest you watch the Swiss match a bit more closely than you watched the French and Cypriot games - half of your preferred team has retired...
My mum and dad are getting worried about this game, they don't think Ireland will win I personaly think Ireland will, the Swiss are nothing special, you've got better players than them and probably as a lot of your fans say play better as a team. I'll go for a 2-0 to the Irish then you gotta hope you get someone kinda easy in the play-offs hope you qualify, I like to see Ireland do well as my parents are Irish