clubhappy Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 My first introduction to football was Chelsea in 1970 , from that moment on i had absolutely no interest in any other team . Then my dad took me to an International game , it was Ireland v Italy in a friendly at Dalymount park . So began my love affair with my national team along with the rest of the football loving country. As the years went on , all i was interested in was Osgood, Hudson , Droy , Bonetti , Webb ,Walker, Rhodes Brown etc etc . Then i had my other heros . Stapelton , Brady , Moran , Whelan , Aldridge , Giles , Givens etc etc . I went to a lot of Ireland home games through the 80's and felt a lot of pride when we finally qualified for Euro 88 , we all went mad here , great pride and passion , big pub sessions i was able for the beer then , the country finally could rejoyce in the fact that for a small nation , we were capable of producing a successful international side that we could all be proud of , ok some players spoke with strong foreign accents , but we didnt give a toss , who cares , we had a side that could compete with the best in Europe . We did WC 1990 , 1994 , 2002 and the memories are still fresh in the minds of the majority of Irish people and i look back on them with a wide grin . I'll get to the point . Unfortunately we dont posess the talent we did some years ago , average players apart from maybe Shay Given , Duffer on his day but thats really it , so i suppose im maybe asking a bit too much to expect us to put in a world class performance and take sides apart . Maybe im asking too much yeah , but what i cant ignore is the fact that we played a side ranked 195 in the world, have lost all their prevoius game , 5 nil , 8 nil , 4 nil , havnt scored a competitive goal since 1999 and were beaten 13 nil at home by Germany . You can blame the players , which i do 100% but my anger is towards the reaction of our manager towards the fans after the game . His interview on Irish TV will live in my memory till i die . If ever there was a moment when i wanted to kick the living sh*t out of anybody it was last night . I can admire aragonace and confidence in a person if its justified in ability and talent but Staunton's attitude towards the Irish fans last night was a f*****g disgrace. When asked by the intervewrer ....''Steve , a lot of fans were booing you at the end of the game '' Staunton....''Well , thats football and they should learn to accept it '' Interviewer .....''Steve , do you have a mesage for those at home watching ''? Steve ....''No'' Interviewer..''Bad performance Steve ,will you be making any changes for our next home game'' ? Steve....Im not here to discuss our next game '' To me Staunton is an aragoant ,ignorant bad mannered p***k who is out of his depth and has absoultely no communication skills and has a desire to become the most hated man in this country . Not because of his recent results , but because he treats decent genuine Irish fans like something stuck to the end of his shoe . We didnt want him as manager ok , but we were prepared to give him a chance , listen to what he had to say and hopefully part company on good term if he fails . Now he has become public enemy NO 1, because he hasnt got the ability to be honest , to treat the travelling Irish fans with a bit of respect , admit he made mistakes and his unconvincing attempts to spin Wednesday's woeful display by talking of the "tremendous fighting spirit" will not wash with the vast majority of Republic supporters. Me included. Granted, Staunton doesn't have the healthy hands dealt to his predecessors Eoin Hand, Jack Charlton, Mick McCarthy and, to a lesser extent Brian Kerr. But, Staunton was still able to start with nine players who are regulars for Premiership clubs. Recent results .. San Marino - Spain 0:6 San Marino - Bosnia-Herzegovina 1:3 San Marino - Belgium 1:2 San Marino - Lithuania 0:1 San Marino - Serbia and Montenegro 0:3 Sorry Steve , we dont like you as a manager , or as an individual because you show no respect for the people who pay your wages and its only a matter of time before your snug aragorant I dont care attitude sends you back to where you came from , and the sooner the better . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g3.7 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 he seems exceptionally rubbish. you've only got a couple of real international players, but you've also got a lot of premiership standard ones- really, you should be doing a lot better IMO. at 100% of your potential I would expect to see ireland in major tournaments, or getting very close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Well said Clubhappy. I agree with every word. I'd add that I hate that w*nker Delaney as well and would love to see him go. I've known Fran Rooney for years through football and the stories I've heard of the snakelike Delaney you wouldn't believe. The Staunton interview was full of gems like "San Marino are going to be a handful as the competition progresses". Yes Steve, a handful of sh*t. Incidentally did every Irish Chelsea fan discover Chelsea in 1970? That FA cup final must have made a huge impression. I know a lot of people my age (42) who are Leeds fans. They're well pissed off now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I always look out for the Ireland results, as I have a soft spot for them. How can you not smile when see the pride and joy of a team when they qualify for the finals of a big tournament, when they've had to battle hard to accomplish that (Clubhappy's reference to Euro 88)?! But goodness, how they disappoint lately.... They may not have big name players, but as a unit they should lift each other to a higher level and get some good results. Now they are just very mediocre Sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubhappy Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 We were promised a big name top class manager by the FAI when Brian Kerr left and we ended up with an idiot with the personality of a bag of vomit who has no understanding of how International football operates. If Staunton showed any sort of sympathy for the travelling Irish fans and had the guts to apologise to them for their poor performance then he might be accepted in a different manner . Instead he couldnt care less . Its awful to say this but im hoping we get hammered in our next qualifer , simply because it might make this smug bad mannered ignorant w***er realise that hes out of his depth the fans are far more important than he thinks . John Aldridge for me would be a good choice , ok he might not be the biggest name on the planet but at least if we lost a game , he'd have the ability to face the cameras and the Irish public with a lot more dignity. Hes honest , hes upfront and lets face it , will have the respect of the Irish public and the players too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubhappy Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 I just watched a re run of of Wednesday night TV . A high profile red head with sex appeal leading a group of professionals Unfortunately it was CSI Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 He has sex appeal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Not for me he hasn't (and that's the case for both Staunton and the red head in CSI Miami) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gem Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 CSI Miami is rubbish, its Gary Sinise from CSI NY that has the sex appeal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Actually, I prefer William Petersen in the original CSI. And as we're talking tv crime and punishment: Sam Waterston in Law & Order. Getting on in age, but some men carry that well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gem Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Erugh, nah, William Petersen does nothing for me I surrender officer Even more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Once again, you and I will not have to fight over a man BTW, I put Carlo as my image in Messenger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gem Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Glad to hear it, and glad to hear you've managed to change your MSN picture! small steps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerie Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Now I have to figure out how to invite someone to chat with me But like you said, small steps.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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