Interlull Break

[scotgooner]

What's with the Scottish bashing?

We are shit and we know we are shit

[Peeman]

I find a lot of Irish supporters as embarassing as the next guy, but lets not throw the baby out with the bath water here and slate everything they do - I like the fact that they go to tournaments without expectation and ready to enjoy the experience for what it is. Nobody wants to see their country heavily beaten and for the fans to laugh at it, but at the same time we have to accept that we currently have the worst bunch of international footballers we have had since the 1970's and we have to adjust our expectations accordingly

augie I know there are genuine fans of the Republic of Ireland , I remember considering myself one until the obnoxious Big Jack humiliated Liam Brady. I respect the genuine ones but the whole phenomenon of Jacks Army was built on people who knew fuck all about the game. The JCLs , the same ones who are now rugby experts because that game is now flavour of the month in Ireland.
I also have no issue with fans going to a tournament with little expectation but enjoying the experience non the less. But I cringe when I hear this we are the best supporters in the world stuff. Who judges that ? , ourselves and our media. I cringe at the "win ,lose or draw we will sing and drink " mentality. That not only belittles a football team but also a nation.

We are never gonna win anything coz we just aint good enough. I think all of the fans that go know this and are only on a jolly up the same way when a lower league team goes far in the FA Cup - they go for the day out they fill their end and make alot of noise, coz at the end its ur team and u cant change that and wouldn't. And when u do win its a bonus. But hats off to the majority of em and the likes of the Jocks coz they always bring great support for lets face it a lost cause.

Where we are lucky (being Gooners) we support a team that can and do win stuff and at the end of the day we are The Arsenal and fuck all the rest.

I always remember Johnny Rotten on Baddiel and Skinner saying couldn't give a fuck about England and that he cared more about The Arsenal players that were involved in the 98 world cup.

That would be my sentiment The Arsenal = 1. Internationals = bonus/don't really care - great when it happens.

[augie]

I find a lot of Irish supporters as embarassing as the next guy, but lets not throw the baby out with the bath water here and slate everything they do - I like the fact that they go to tournaments without expectation and ready to enjoy the experience for what it is. Nobody wants to see their country heavily beaten and for the fans to laugh at it, but at the same time we have to accept that we currently have the worst bunch of international footballers we have had since the 1970's and we have to adjust our expectations accordingly

augie I know there are genuine fans of the Republic of Ireland , I remember considering myself one until the obnoxious Big Jack humiliated Liam Brady. I respect the genuine ones but the whole phenomenon of Jacks Army was built on people who knew fuck all about the game. The JCLs , the same ones who are now rugby experts because that game is now flavour of the month in Ireland.
I also have no issue with fans going to a tournament with little expectation but enjoying the experience non the less. But I cringe when I hear this we are the best supporters in the world stuff. Who judges that ? , ourselves and our media. I cringe at the "win ,lose or draw we will sing and drink " mentality. That not only belittles a football team but also a nation.

I understand what you are saying and I agree with some of it, but as the peeman rightly points out, success is relative - big jack may well have been obnoxious/thick/bluffer, but it also has to be said that this is a results business and he led the countries football tem further than they had ever been before. Surely you will agree that there is a slight contradiction in you advocating a policy of winning being everything, and then bemoaning the very manner in which those victories are won ?
Re the jcl bit, I agree with most of what you say but not all of it - growing up in rural Ireland we were really pissing into the wind when trying to promote the game prior to '88 as football/soccer was very much a despised sport. The "success" that those big jack teams enjoyed (and all the nationwide partying that accompanied it) helped spread the game like nothing before to the point that there is scarcely a village in the country that doesn't have it's own football/soccer club now. Yes it developed a breed of jcl/know it all fans, but it also publicised the game and brought it to the people who were kids back then but who are the backbone of their clubs now and speaking as a man that is continually fighting against the gaa, that is good news to me

[officepest]

Congratulations to Norn & Wales on virtually ( ) assuring qualification for the Euros. Scotland look to have totally fucked their chances and left the door open for Ireland, but both are piss-poor sides.

There could be four 'home' nations for me to completely ignore next year instead of just one.

[SteveO 35]

The Dutch 2 down in Turkey and with a real chance of being 4th in the Group. Poor old Van Judas

[officepest]

Boyos unlucky not to beat Israel. Hartson says they were denied a blantant "pelanty" too.

[nut flush gooner]

What's with the Scottish bashing?

We are shit and we know we are shit

You'd be surprised, we have a Scotsman in our poker facebook group. He supports Rangers, if anyone was in denial about them not being a big club anymore in relation to the european powerhouses it's him. Same goes for Scottish football in general.

[northbank123]

You will never see a better argument against the extra officials than a bloke gormlessly watching and doing nothing as a ball is clipped 40 yards and a defender shepherds it out using his forearm under no pressure less than 5 yards away with a clear line of vision.

Surely this is the most aggrieved anybody has ever been about a handball not being given in a UEFA qualifying match?????

Take away the understandable hysteria and sides like Wales and Northern Ireland are going to get found out massively. Some of the players are scarily average at best - Wales have got Neil Taylor (proud graduate of the Bacary Sagna school of attacking full-backs) playing left wing and despite looking completely impotent won't make substitutions until players can't move any more because they only have the likes of Simon Church to bring off the bench. Wales will still qualify (on merit - 2 goals conceded in 8 is a great effort) but generally speaking expanding the tournament to 24 teams is a disgrace and as usual motivated by money.

[northbank123]

8 minutes left. Come on Cyprus

Belgium are the most overrated side in world football. Forget all these fashionable names they are bang average.

[northbank123]

8 minutes left. Come on Cyprus

Belgium are the most overrated side in world football. Forget all these fashionable names they are bang average.

I deserved that.

[Leyton Gooner]

Still overrated and most of them play for twattish clubs

[rodders999]

The Dutch 2 down in Turkey and with a real chance of being 4th in the Group. Poor old Van Judas

The Dutch have gone to absolute shit, they're fucking toilet.

[augie]

The Dutch 2 down in Turkey and with a real chance of being 4th in the Group. Poor old Van Judas

The Dutch have gone to absolute shit, they're fucking toilet.

The problem I have with that, is that it makes it look the dutch forehead look like he was a great manager in comparison

[donaldo71]

Its monday morning we all need a laugh

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ds-6393187

[DB10GOONER]

Interlull...

I watched the Ingerland and Oireland games just for something to watch really. Christ, they are both absolute shit. So average and dull. But at least in Oireland we know we are shit. Our expectations are zero. But the deluded stuff coming out of some of the Ingerland pundits and players is hilarious. Particularly Chris "PLEASE LOVE ME DADDY!!" Kamara.

Delph has "vision"

And Jonjo Shelvey is now on a level with Dennis Bergkamp apparently.

Fuck me, you could not make this stuff up.