Ireland 1 France 2 (agg)

Hindsight is easier. Six months on... we still should have got the second goal in Paris before Henry stepped up. A proper performance but should have got the killer goal...

No excuses from now on. We know we're good enough to compete. Every game as if we're in Paris.

We didnt get the World Cup, but we did get three top testing games against Italy and twice against France which has pushed us to another level.

Roll on the AVIVA stadium!

Play Off Draw!

What a great draw! Its exactly the type of team we rise to when we play. Oh roll on croker! I feel so sick, just cant afford the away leg at this time... Paris would be amazing, but just cant afford the money at the moment.............aaaagh!

Roll on Croker anyway. I'll be there in the Singing section with my son and I'll come back with no voice I promise!

Ireland 2 Italy 2 Sat 10 October 2009

Pride comes at the end of a night of bitter disappointment! Not a hint of the poison that came from the RTE panel after the game. Frustration at the team selection or performance? Whistles and boos with 10 minutes to go? Anger at the manager? All lies...complete lies. The Luas home was quiet - sad...but no anger...no frustration. This was finally Croke park and a singing section we had been waiting for! What a night of passion and it shows the love is still there for this team even if it doesnt exist in the RTE studio. The sooner O'Herlihy,Giles and Dunphy are off the air the better.

But finally.. bring on the playoffs. No fear.. The bigger the better in my opinion. No guarantees, but it'll be a great night of pride and I trust the players and manager.








Joy unbounded!

"This fella is a proper manager. He reminds me in many ways of Bob Paisley, a wise old guy who just understands football and footballers. He came in and spotted what needed doing, and then did it. He’s looked at what is available to him and has decided this is how we’re going to play – and, when you look at the table, how on earth could you argue with him? We were in there with the world champions, what do people want, for goodness sake?

Our greatest strengths are our raw energy, our desire and endeavour – and he has harnessed all of that. We should be shouting from the rooftops" MARK LAWRENSON

IRELAND V ITALY. IRELAND V MONTENEGRO

Thinking about the games coming up...

Hunt is such a key player now in my book. I dont quite see McGeady as his equal. It's like that moment when you realise that Benitez is right about Dirk Kuyt, and you never have a bad word to say again... Hunt is like that.

Secondly, it'll be some trip up and back from Cork next Saturday. The 8pm kick-off is a blessing and a curse at the same time - you have to say it'll be absolutely ideal for the atmosphere. Atleast those who are normally late wont have any excuses! Having said that by the time you get through the inexplicable queue at Connolly Luas stop, and then pack in like sardines for the 30 minutes or so to the Red Cow, it'll probably be 11.30pm. Then the three hours to West Cork, will make it about 2.30am... Plenty of coffee thats for sure!

Montenegro could actually be a monstrously important game... It's been a long time, but it really could end up being massive and it excites me. Yes Italy will be big, but Montenegro.............. Still have to decide what to do with my tickets.. a few people need to get back to me.

Wed 1 April
Italy 1 Ireland 1 (Keane)

After such a brilliant result, the RTE panel really got on my nerves tonight. Talk about down to earth in 2 seconds...

The naivity of the arguments flying around are frightening... Expecting this team to suddenly play free flowing attacking football and win every game without a challenge is just ludicrous. No international side in the world can justifiably expect this, except perhaps the top 2 or 3 nations. Of course we long Ireland to improve, but the starting point is always stability and making yourself hard to beat. Does noone know this? Dunphy and co are pushing an agenda to get rid of the manager as always, and its almost incredible that people take them seriously... they are not willing to allow any positive to stand without qualifying it with a negative. Being positive is seen as immature... well sorry for being immature, but I think I know a little bit about football, and there is no way on earth I would swap a Newcastle or Brazil approach (gung ho...useless at the back)instead of a more Italian or Liverpool approach (structured and organised...less glamourous). My view is that the latter approach will provide better results in the short term, with a few disappointments, but in the long run confidence grows and the team begins to play better football as time goes on. Liverpool are classic example of this. The Istanbul team was not as good to watch as the team today. It takes time... and obviously we're not exactly loaded with top quality players.

This means we need to stick with "structured and organised" for now, and live with the growing pains like the Bulgaria game, without acting like spoiled children who want some fantasy to suddenly appear miraculously before us on the pitch.

Republic of Ireland 2 Georgia 1 (Keane 2)


A great second half performance of attack attack attack produces the result in the end!
I dont accept the line that the approach of Trap is too conservative. Its clear what he's trying to achieve and quite exciting actually.



Singing section was a major disappointment. Far too many didnt turn up on time, and me and my friend couldnt stand because we were told to sit down by people behind us. My advise is to limit it to a smaller number for Bulgaria - maybe 100 fans, and just let the hard core into that section. It can grow from there.

(Click on photos for better view!)

Singing section focus on Spinelli for Valentines!


When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's Spinelli!


a nice little suggestion from : http://www.youboysingreen.ie/