Do Not Hold Back - Republic of Ireland vs. Austria (11th June 2017)

If I were to hazard a guess, the majority of the articles on this blog are about the Irish national football team. What can I say! These articles give me the chance to further examine something that's a huge part of my life. Something that has given immense joy over the years. Romanticising the celebrations, painting pictures to these scenes, emphasising the civic duty that comes with following the Boys In Green. Mostly I am trying to comprehend into articles, moments that have left me speechless and nothing short of an emotional wreck. I also have no issue describing the trials and tribulations this Irish football fan has gone through over the years, only to give meaning and gravitas to the moments where things go right for Ireland. Since the days that I started going to Ireland games regularly (circa 2011) I’ve experienced my equal share of pain and joy, maybe more of the latter. And for that I am blessed. Shane Long, Jonathan Walters, fog, Polska, the Euro’s and Lille. I could go on and on. The same goes for setbacks, be it 6-1, Belgium, Glasgow in that November and so on.

Ahead of this Sundays crucial qualifier against Austria however, my mind can only summon one negative thought to keep my feet grounded, even though Ireland sit joint first in Group D.


In March 2013, I travelled to Sweden on my first proper away trip after the 2012 Euro’s in Poland. You could essentially call it my first away trip seeing as it was outside of a major tournament but overall it was memorable trip. The weather in the minus, the beautiful scenery, immersing myself into the away culture once again. The trip culminated in a 0-0 draw in the Friends Arena in Stockholm, a result unexpected and only positive for Ireland. Taking points off rivals for qualification away from home gave us great heart for the rest of the campaign. In their first three games, Ireland had robbed three points in Kazakhstan, suffered humiliation at home to Germany and a few days later laboured to a 4-1 victory in the Faroes Islands. This was the first positive performance we had in some time and we returned home buoyed ahead of our next qualifier. However, it wasn’t going to be easy. Austria were no pushovers. Austria had previous with Ireland. Austria had 7 points and Austria had David Alaba.


Having started an internship with the Connacht GAA the week previous (jetting off to Sweden on only my 2^nd day of their employment), I had reasoned with myself that it would not be feasible fair or wise to travel to Dublin the following Tuesday for the home qualifier against the Austrians. However, in what would be my first of these lessons in years to come, no amount of logic or low funds will make your absence from an Ireland qualifier any easier to bare. I felt sick to be honest, sick with jealousy seeing the crowd, hearing the atmosphere, the posts on Facebook etc.. I was only days removed from singing the usual repertoire of Irish chants and making friends I’d still be talking to this day. The trip to Sweden only confirmed that this author would be going to Ireland games home and away, permitting finances and days off and his general good health. I sat down and tuned into RTE’s live coverage, something I thought I’d never survive without before. This time however, it left me annoyed. Eamon Dunphy went through the starting team that night and lamented the absence of Wes Hoolahan. Using his populist approach, his words irked me to a degree that I find embarrassing today, knowing the immense quality Hoolahan provides to Ireland on matchday.


Back then however, I was devoutly in favour of Giovanni Trapattoni and his management style. It was not pretty, it was easy on the eye and summoned the devoted nationalistic pride inside me to support but it had for the most part got Ireland results. The Euro’s the previous summer were an unprecedented disaster for Ireland in major competition and was the beginning of the end for the Italians time in charge. On the 26^th March however, Ireland were level with Austria in 3^rd place in the group, one point behind 2^nd placed Sweden. Germany were running away with things at the top but after that draw in Stockholm, Ireland had given themselves a much needed boost. Backed up with a home win against Austria, it would give us the momentum going into the final five games in the group. I felt positive, I felt hopeful once more.


Did I feel confident? I can’t remember but Ciaran Clark felt the nerves to some degree when taking possession of the football ten minutes in. His first touch resembled Junior football and allowed Martin Harnik to run straight through on goal and put the Austrians in front. Another setback. Now we were really going to find out what we were made of. Up front, we had Shane Long but we also had Conor Sammon. The Dubliner’s sudden emergence in matchday squads had left Irish fans dumbfounded. Kevin Doyle had been out of form since the previous summer and was struggling to recapture it but many felt he was still a better option than Sammon, who had no International goals to his name. For all his endeavour and effort, he did not deliver what we needed up front. Long, on the other hand, did. Midway through the first half, he latched onto to a Sammon knockdown and got to the byline. Checking back, he was caught needlessly by Emmanuel Pogatetz and Ireland were given a penalty. Walters stepped up, buried it and parity had been restored. Long nearly made it 2-1 with a clever backheel that hit the post but it would be Walters again who did put Ireland a goal up with a header just before half-time.


We were back in the ascendency. The RTE panel at half-time now asked the must sought after question about Irish teams under Trapattoni and indeed Irish football. Would we kick on from this or settle for a draw? Numerous times in the past, we had made life difficult for oursekves to no end as we sat back on our leads. We would struggle against weaker teams and be punished by the better ones. It seemed like a mindset that we simply could not shake off. We’d have to be losing before we would come out fighting, showing our true qualities. For the first part of that second half, we revert to type and invite Austria to test David Forde in goal. The more we retreat, the more I lean on the edge of my seat in agony and anticipation. Watching games at home is now alien to me and I do not find myself comfortable, even through I’m on my 3^rd can of Carlsberg. Against the run of play, we create two superb chances. The first a header from Long that produces a world class save from Heinz Linder in goal. The second follows from the resulting corner where Marc Wilson flashes another header wide of the target. That relief injection evades us and so we continue to hold on for dear life with 20 minutes remaining.


It’s not easy on the heart, body or mind. Long is replaced by Paul Green in a move designed to fortify our defences. It will do little to alleviate the oncoming pressure but in the hope it shore up the midfield, Trapattoni is closing this game out in true Italian fashion. And in Italy, that might just be grand but this is Ireland, and we’ve a history of fucking things up late on when winning by a goal. Injury time has begun, Arnautovic has a great chance from eight yards out but the ball is cleared. You ask yourself is that Austria’s last chance? You soon find the answer. David Alaba has done nothing of note since coming close with a free-kick in the third minute but 90 minutes later finds himself in space 25 yards out from goal. He has room to shape himself for a shot that deflects off the foot of John O’Shea ever so slighty and loops over Forde in goal. 2-2 with the last kick of the game. Austria leave Dublin with a point and the pendulum swings once more.


Whatever pendulum did swing in the group when Alaba scored was nothing compared to the magnitude of that stabbing sensation in my stomach as I fell out of my chair in despair. Not since Henry had handled his way to an assist in Paris had I felt this pain. It was as if George Hamilton’s words as he uttered “Alaba’s shotttt” had jagged edges for every syllable. My father sitting beside me simply groaned in disgust, just to hammer home the reality. I was flat out on the floor, facing away from the television, unable to comprehend the devastation. The ground collectively moaned in anguish. We all knew it was coming but it was no easier to handle especially with the final whistle just seconds away. In terms of the campaign, Ireland had lost two points and any initiative they might have had before kick-off. There was still a lot of football to be played at the halfway stage of the campaign but in my mind and my heart I was crushed. All the hope I had cultivated from our result in Sweden, those hastily reconstructed dreams of going to Brazil were now up in smoke (to quote Hamilton after the goal).


Late goals against your team are never going to be acceptable or easy to bare. Some of us have never gotten over Straveski in Macedonia while those of an older generation will never forgive Eric Gerets for denying Ireland a place in the 1982 World Cup with a last minute header. For me, this one remains embedded in darkest part of my mind. While Ireland always seemed to be outside contenders for that playoff spot, I was still massively disappointed we didn’t qualify for the 2014 World Cup. We may still have not qualified if we had beaten Austria that night, as they only finished 3^rd behind Sweden. The Swedish then proceeded to lose to Portugal in the playoffs. Wishful thinking would allow you to think that was the night it all fell apart. The truth was that was a campaign too far for Trapattoni, who didn’t even finish it out in charge. He resigned after the return fixture in Vienna where, once again, David Alaba “broke Irish hearts” (to quote Hamilton again) with another late goal.


Four years on and at the halfway stage of this World Cup qualifying campaign, Ireland find themselves at home to Austria again. However, the situation could not be any more different than in 2013. We are joint top of the table on 11 points with Serbia. Austria and Wales are four points behind us on seven. Much like our last game against the Welsh, we enter the match with the chance to effectively signal the end of our opponent’s qualification prospects. Austria have been unimpressive in their first five games, still suffering a hangover from their poor showing in last summer’s European Championships in France. With Austria in the midst of an injury and suspension crisis, the aura that once surrounded this Austria side as one to be feared and respected. This was further confirmed when the sides met in November. A stunning James McClean goal, the power of which went a long way to erasing any bad memories of the past, gave Ireland a historic win away in Vienna.


Austria come into this game knowing anything but a win will leave their dreams of going to Russia all but over. You would sense that being in that situation of your backs up against the wall that it would galvanise your team but the general mood around the Austrian national team remains one of disarray. This can be best highlighted by the fact that Red Bull Salzburg full back Andreas Ulmer, who was due to be called up to the squad for the qualifier, has decided to forego participation to get married instead. I wish him the best of luck and years of happiness in the future but this is something you would never see happen with an Irish player whatsoever. Kevin Long, a new call-up to the Irish national team, has skipped his own brother’s wedding at the chance of being involved. Seamus Coleman, still recovering from that broken leg he suffered against Wales, didn’t let his own wedding clash with our qualifier against Scotland this time two years ago. The confidence and self-belief within the Austrian squad would seem to be at an all-time low but one manager Martin O’Neill is not taking for granted.


It is matter of opinion whether Ireland consolidated their advantage or missed an opportunity in drawing 0-0 with Wales last March. Only time will tell but at this stage of the campaign, Ireland cannot afford to let any advantage slip by. Facing into the first of three home games left in their schedule, we need to maintain what advantage we do have to give ourselves a chance of qualifying automatically for a tournament for the first time in 24 years. While some, maybe most, would take a play-off to qualify for Russia next summer, Ireland find themselves in rare territory in joint first place and it is not without merit. Unlike our opponents, Ireland have gotten stronger since the Euro’s, with the strength in depth available to O’Neill at a level he has never seen better before. We will find ourselves without the aforementioned Coleman but in his place Cyrus Christie has stepped up to prove himself an able deputy. Stephen Ward has survived an injury scare during the week, taking full part in training on Friday. The only question will be whether John O’Shea, who hasn’t featured in either of two friendlies preceeded this game, will start in defence. Shane Duffy and Richard Keogh would be my own preferred selection. The absence of Shane Long is a blow but it is likely Walters, who scored a superb goal in the 3-1 victory against Uruguay last Sunday, will fill the void in favour of Daryl Murphy. McClean once again showed the hunger and passion that has endeared to the country with a carbon copy effort of his goal against Austria in the Uruguay clash last week too. We may have lost our all-time record goalscorer to retirement last year but the display in last weekend’s friendly has buoyed us all with a confidence that we will score goals, regardless of who is on the field.


Instead of worrying about who will provide the firepower, it is the debate about who will stop it at the other end that dominates pre-match discussion. Darren Randolph is coming off a season where he lost his form and eventually the No.1 spot at West Ham. And against Uruguay he was culpable for allowing Uruguay equalise in the first half. He showed poor judgment in coming off his line to challenge for a cross, getting caught in no mans land and letting Jose Gimenez nod home into an empty net. Contrasted with the form of Keiran Westwood, who came into the game in the 2^nd half and made a fine save to keep Ireland ahead, many believe O’Neill will drop Randolph for the Sheffield Wednesday keeper. I thought it was strange Randolph started against Uruguay considering he played the full 90 against Mexico in New York. And although Ireland lost 3-1 that night, you could not fault Randolph for any of the Mexican goals. He was poor for the Gimenez goal the next day but at least it was last Sunday and not this Sunday, he'll learn from it going forward. Club form doesn't always translate to international football. Three years ago, Irish No.1 David Forde and his club Millwall were languishing in the Championship before being relegated to League One. This was never a factor in Forde's displays in two away games to Germany, especially in 2014. Now Forde was dropped for Shay Given in the following qualifier at home to Poland a few months later. Given was hardly setting the world alight at Villa sitting on the bench at the time and got injured in the return fixture against Germany in October 2015. Instead of Forde coming onto replace him, it was Randolph who took over. The rest is history.


O'Neill is obviously seeing a lot more in training than we are and it will play a bigger part in selection than people think. At least if his previous selections are anything to go by. Some supporters will never be convinced about Randolph starting for Ireland. I have always been a fan since that Germany encounter and he has done enough up to this point to retain the starting spot. It’s up to him to keep it. I don't see what form he had coming into the Germany game that October but he's never looked back since. At the same time, I would not be entirely surprised if O’Neill does opt for Westwood on Sunday. At this stage of his time in charge of Ireland, you would be foolish not to back his judgment. The welcome return of Robbie Brady adds greater depth to our options in midfield. Harry Arter must be a guaranteed inclusion given his performance in the return fixture in Vienna and last Sunday in the Uruguay friendly. I feel he can influence the game to the same extent as Wes Hoolahan so there is no great need to start them both. However, it would be no harm if O’Neill decided to do that. Just how much he fears the threat of Alaba and co. or his faith in our ability to cause them problems will be signalled by who starts in midfield. The presence of Glenn Whelan will depend on that alone. In reserve, you also Aiden McGeady, Preston North End’s player of the year and his club team-mate Daryl Horgan as viable attacking threats to come off the bench at any stage.


With Wales playing Serbia on Sunday, a win on Sunday would give Ireland a crucial advantage with four games remaining. The top two teams could find themselves seven points of their nearest challengers and effectively play a mini tournament amongst themselves to decide who finished first. Much like Austria, it’s imperative for Wales to win on Sunday too but they will have to do so without their talismanic superstar Gareth Bale. First and foremost though, Ireland have a job to do on Sunday. They need to capitalise on the advantage in front of them and not sit back. History has shown us what sitting back will eventually do to us. The alternative is to believe in ourselves and our ability as a team. We cannot hold back. Picture the reaction you'd get if you sat with James McClean and told him to stay calm. That man is an epitome of what every Irish fan in the Aviva tomorrow would give to the jersey if we were so fortunate to get the chance.


He done it in Vienna, and you bet your life he wants to do it in Dublin tomorrow too.

In A Land Full of Ire

                      courtesy of Mallow News on Twitter (@MallowNews)


The 0-0 draw between the Republic of Ireland and Wales last March is memorable for all the wrong reasons. The horrific tackle on Seamus Coleman and its subsequent fallout dominated headlines in the days after. The debate whether Neil Taylor was that kind of player was followed by pathetic notions that Gareth Bale was looking to overturn his yellow card offence given earlier in the game. That was for an equally dangerous tackle on John O'Shea that could have merited a straight red card itself. A more forgettable fact from that evening was that alcohol was served at a competitive home qualifier for the first time in the Aviva Stadium. It did little to entice fans into the ground on time for the kick-off though. This article will be focusing on none of the above. I have decided to single out an ensemble of individuals. They were led by a brass tubing, bent twice into a rounded oblong shape which provoked as much reaction as Taylors terrible tackle! (alliteration baby!) Where does one begin on the initiative introduced by the FAI, a brass band, to help improve the atmosphere in the Aviva. There are those in favour and support of their methods, who would gladly point to the increased acoustics around the ground whenever they played. There are those who support the idea but can see definite room for improvement, suggesting the introduction of a bódhran or more traditional Irish instruments. And then there are those who are firmly against the notion of a band ever appearing pitch side ever again.

I am of the latter.


The feeling of embarrassment at the Aviva is not an altogether strange phenomenon. When you’ve witnessed Ireland conceding six goals to Germany or watched security around Section 114 getting heavy handed (for no damn good reason) against our own fans, I can safely say I know what it feels like. On that Friday evening however, as bad as Ireland played for 70 minutes, I wasn’t embarrassed. Annoyed, yes, but we weren’t the ones who needed to win the game as much. Not for the first time, a dour performance had seeped through to the stands. The football on show did little to ignite the passions of the home fans and indeed the away support. What invoked any sort of reaction was the brass band renditions of the usual repertoire of Irish football chants. The most common were ‘Come On You Boys In Green’ or 'Stand Up For The Boys In Green'. It didn’t end there, as ‘A Team of Gary Breens’ ‘Ole, Ole, Ole’ and even Fields of Athenry were attempted. And that’s the key word right there, attempted. The execution of these fan staples were simply atrocious. What made it worse, was that a microphone was nearby and connected to the PA system so no one inside the ground could escape the misery.


Embarrassment turned to anger. The mere notion of a brass band for an Irish football team and its fans was simply pathetic. At the biggest World Cup qualifier in the campaign to date, against near neighbours to boot, the best we could muster in creating an intimidating passionate atmosphere was to stick a couple of youngsters with instruments, hook them up to the PA system, and play at various intervals during the game. It was surreal to hear a brass sound at an Ireland match. To hear it leading the chorus of the Irish fans did not sit right with me at all. It is something you immediately associate with England games instead. And what Irish fan wants to be identified with the English (I know you could highlight Premier League fans across the country for a start but let’s not go there today) The more this went on, the more it became a nuisance to the section in the ground that is designated for singing and creating an atmosphere. The rest of the ground, who stood up on cue, were oblivious to this.


If we are to analyse their performance, here are the key issues. The notion of a using an ensemble band to improve the atmosphere is wrong. Look at some of the best football fan led initiatives across Europe and you will see a minimalist approach. For example, there are those with a single microphone leading the chants. Sometimes there is a just a single instrument that orchestrates the fans. Drums alone on the night in question would have been good. Spread out across the ground would have been even better. Not only would it have been easier to keep a beat, but the sound of drums in unison with the fans would have created an atmosphere far more suitable for a game of this magnitude. However, the FAI decided it was more effective to throw in a trumpet section that nullifies any effect the drums might have. The trumpet, which was positioned closer to the microphone, was much louder than the drums. The sound quality in question was poor, extremely poor. I may have no experience in playing a trumpet myself but I sure know I would have given up after the first attempt of the night if was so out of tune and so out of time.


More than once the song being played was in the wrong key, leaving any coherent attempt to sing along futile. This was most evident during any rendition of “Come On You Boys In Green, where they failed to recognise the long drawn out intro of the chorus. Our ensemble band raced into the chant before people could even catch breath. Supporters by memory know how to sing the tune. Even if one section is a chorus or two ahead, it won’t take long before we’re all in unison. However, we can’t do anything when the band races ahead of you, leaving a distorted woeful effort of the most chanted song in the Aviva. You manage to get nearly all the stadium off their feet and you cannot even manage to play the song right. It hardly endears yourself to evoking passion but confusion. It makes wonder if the band had only met for the first time 3 hours before kick-off, given the lack of cohesion in anything they tried to do that night.


The song selection at times during the Wales games was baffling also. More than once was Olé played. That chant is best heard whenever Ireland have just scored. On a rare occasion the FAI have got it right, they used to play the chorus of 'Put Em Under Pressure' after an Irish goal. Without fail, you would have the whole crowd would be bouncing along to that chorus. Upon restart a jovial atmosphere would give way to a deafening roar that spur the home team on. Against Wales, not long after the sending off, Ireland went for the jugular and dominated the last 20 minutes of the game. The shift in momentum was wrongly judged by the band as they decided to give the Ole notes a go. This left me infuriated. Was it suddenly appropriate to chant Olé Olé Olé Olé because we had more possession or because we had won a few corners. I’d expect an upbeat celebratory tune to that if I was from San Marino, not the Republic of Ireland.


I would love to know who sat down in the decision making process before this game, when it came to deciding how to improve the atmosphere. I would love to know did they engage their brain cells in fleshing their ideas out? The FAI had banned the Welsh travelling support from having their own brass band, the Barry Horns, from bringing any instruments into the Aviva with them for the qualifier. This was despite the FA and SFA allowing them to do so in Wembley and Hampden Park respectively. At that time, there was no knowledge of the FAI having their own brass band for the game, so I thought that’s fair enough, why give them any little edge for such an important qualifier. Little did I know we’d lose any edge we had at home by massacring our own repertoire with our brass band. Unsurprisingly, the band was almost universally lambasted on social media by anyone with any sense watching the game, including the exiled Barry Horns themselves.


No one escaped the brutal sound because it was hooked to the PA. If we had managed to confine it to one section of the ground, those hard of hearing at the game and at home might have been spared the torture. In order to reach every corner of the stadium, we attached microphones to the band and let them at it without any thought to its result or impact. It just compounded the embarrassment further that we’ve had to use the PA system in order to boost the atmosphere. Teams across the world are sometimes fined but universally slaughtered for employing such techniques to make their stadium and their support sound more impressive than it actually is. I thought we were supposed to be the Best Fans in The World? The ones who don’t need grand initiatives or the acoustic aid of a PA to make an impression on the football world.


The issue of atmosphere at the Aviva is a concern and I do appreciate the efforts made by those to improve it. For years, and of their own fundraising, You Boys In Green were the single most active group trying to improve the atmosphere in the new stadium. No shortage of banners, TIFO’s, initiatives etc. were thought of, arranged and carried by this group and those who stand in Section 114 and surrounding seats. Some failed, some worked, some continue to this day. However, in recent years, the efforts of this group have been stifled by the FAI. This is given the groups decision, perfectly within their rights, to peacefully protest ticket arrangements and the handling of the association itself. It is no secret that Section 114 in the Aviva Stadium section has been more policed than other areas of the ground. As a regular of the section myself, it is appalling that we are subject of this treatment whereas other areas are not. It gives way to the theory that this trumpet and supporting cast are only being utilised to drown out any anti-FAI chants that arise before and during the game.


The intention, without the cynical element I’ve alluded to just there, is good. The thought process and the execution especially has been appalling. Instead of labouring over the fact Ireland had two shots on target in 180 minutes of football in the last week, we find ourselves debating the merits of a young lads poor attempts to play the trumpet. Now the argument has to be heard FOR the band, for the positive influence they did have on the support. It’s unfortunate that many in the ground felt the need to have a band playing before they get up off their asses and offer their vocal support. I mean, can they not hear us in the South Stand belting out the words to COYBIG to our hearts content. I mentioned at the beginning that good football is conducive to a good atmosphere. I’ll never forget the aftermath of Shane Long scoring against Germany and how the entire ground awas immersed in ecstasy that made the 20 minutes after he scored fly by. However, it is very easy to support a team doing well. It is more to our measure as a loyal fanbase to sing when we’re not winning. And while I don’t expect everyone to stand up every time the fans in the Singing Section in 114 start chanting, as a football fan, an Irish football fan, surely to god the efforts that Friday night and the following Tuesday were not conducive to passionate support and creating an atmosphere.


Look back at the Irish fans at Euro 2016 and the memories we created and ask yourself was there a trumpet to be seen or heard at all in the midst of it. Did a mellow bass help that baby on the train fall asleep or was it the Irish fans lullaby? Did we serenade the public and security with a trumpet or just good ol fashioned and well thought out chanting? To look at it from a different angle, how often do you see flares going off before or during an Ireland game? There is nothing drastically wrong with the atmosphere we generate. We should be looking to evolve it than change our approach altogether. Settle for drums instead of introducing brass bands. Draw upon our identity and culture instead of copying other people or other countries. Maybe not everyone is going to get up and sing, but if we can create a positive vide that spurs on the players, they’ll take the care of the rest. Everyone will be standing and singing when we score.


We can pride ourselves on the fact that we are not comparable with English fans in any shape or form. Countries, tournaments the world over wax lyrical about our support and marvel how we can travel, drink, and have a good time without making a show of ourselves or causing a mess. We’ve never erupted into a mass brawl amongst ourselves or with anyone else for that matter. We can create seas of green, evoking unexplainable passion for our national team, filling any stadium In the world. Imagine what some English fans could have resorted to if they were losing 4-0 to Spain in Euro 2012? While I will point out that not ALL English football fans are of the scumbag element, they hardly endear themselves to the World with their rather infamous brass band who follow them home and away. The second I heard that trumpet on Friday night, immediately it reminded me of them and all negative feelings I have for our nearest rivals. How is that gonna inspire me and others to improve the atmosphere in the ground. What it did inspire was an altogether much more negative response.


Anyone who was standing beside me that Friday night and again for the Iceland game Tuesday will note my utter contempt for this band. I quite happily told them to Fuck Off, even if they were never gonna hear me. For the Iceland encounter, there was a noticeable change in their demeanour, as if they knew very well they weren’t welcome. However, much to my dismay and many others, they played on. The infamous trumpet player got going after the third song. However any time they did play, they were treated to a chorus of boos from some fans, myself included. I had made my mind up. They were fucking awful on Friday night and no matter how much they could improve, the mere concept of them was something I was firmly against. I jeered more loudly at them than at what I saw on the pitch, which was as bad. The people playing are in an impossible situation. And I really wish no ill on them. They are more talented at playing music than I am, and they got to step onto the Aviva pitch which is something I don’t see myself doing in the future. However, as a band, none of them should get near it again.


This Sunday we play Austria in another massive qualifier at home. A win will put them out of the equation in qualifying but more importantly give us a massive boost in our bid to qualify. Last Sunday, at a home friendly against Uruguay the band was nowhere to be seen. However, the presence of microphones in the area they played gave fear to notion that they were about pop up and subject us to more misery. I sincerely hope that the presence of those microphones was a memorial to an idea that didn't work and that will never be tried again. The last thing we need against the Austrians is a repeat performance, for everyone's sake.  

In Absentia

For the 2^nd year running, I will not be attending a Connacht Senior Football Championship encounter involving my county Galway and our neighbours/rivals Mayo. For the 2^nd year running, the reason is the same, my country. With the Republic of Ireland playing Austria in a World Cup qualifier at 5pm the same day the Connacht Semi-Final throws in at 4pm, I have been placed into limbo over the teams I’ve pled my sporting allegiance and native pride too. In the end, I have dictated that my country comes first, that the prospect of qualifying for a World Cup supercedes that of qualifying for a Nestor Cup showdown.


It wasn’t as difficult last summer. Euro 2016 was in full flow and there was never a chance I would miss out on that. There were sacrifices made to make it possible, between saving money, selling jerseys, taking holidays, and missing Galway secure their first win over Mayo in eight years. Earlier that day, I had watched Belgium tear Ireland apart in the second half of our group game in Bordeaux, that left our qualifying hopes in the balance with one game to play. To complete our misery, both my Galway friends and I would have to wait till 8 that evening for our two and a half hour journey back to our base in La Rochelle. We wouldn’t even get to chance to watch the Gaelic Football. As we sat in the sun drowning our sorrows, I defiantly stated that “I’d rather be in Bordeaux right now than Castlebar”. The lads laughed, stating what situation would you rather be in Castlebar. Well a few hours later there was a valid situation when word came through that Galway had overcome the reigning Connacht champions by 1-12 to 0-12. We relied upon text updates on the bus back and celebrated our victory by cracking more cans open, and smirking in the general direction of our solitary Mayo friend with us on the trip.


As a result of my absence, I’m doing my level best to avoid all pre-match talk of the game. My logic is that if I remove myself as far away as the game as possible, then I won’t be bothered so much about it. Every notification on Facebook that Tribesmen GAA puts up, or tweets from Connacht GAA (my former employers and a great bunch of people) about the game isn’t helping that however. You see, I’ve NEVER witnessed Galway beating Mayo in person in my life in the Senior Championship. So part of me laments the fact that last year I missed it. And this year I could miss it again. Right now I’m spending a couple of days back home in Galway so I can’t escape it. Thoughts have crossed my mind of praying for a draw on Sunday so I could attend the replay. That’s the ideal scenario. Maybe I just need to devote all my focus on the Ireland v Austria game instead. And I will, right after I finish this article


Galway are Division 2 Champions, they reached the U-21 final not long after, and ended 8 years without a provincial title last summer. They are a team that has been on a steady rise in the last of couple of years ever since Kevin Walsh took over in 2015. Mayo in 2017 have consolidated their Division 1 status, after losing last year’s All-Ireland final narrowly to Dublin. There is a lot of mileage on the team over the last 5 years but there are a few bright talents making a name for themselves coming through. Are they a wounded animal? How badly do they want to get one over on Galway after last year? Do they envisage beating us this Sunday and winning the Connacht final next month? Do Galway need to win this to firmly announce their intentions of returning to the top table? Are they more motivated to win Connacht or to reach a semi-final instead? Will we see either team in August and how will this game impact upon that? They are just some questions I’ve thought about off the top of my head in the most intriguing battle between Galway and Mayo for some time.


I watched the 2^nd half of Mayo-Sligo 3 weeks ago. I felt Sligo were very naïve and could have made things very uncomfortable for Mayo late on had they been more ambitious or clinical. It wasn’t so much because Mayo were poor but because Mayo were so wasteful. What turnovers they usually forced or were gifted to them by Sligo were not punished enough. It was only until their 2^nd goal had they put the Yeats County challenge to bed, and put a more respectable look on the scoreboard from their perspective. However, we’ve been here before. In 2015, I felt Mayo were there for the taking after they left Salthill with a four point win. Last year we did take them but in both years it was Mayo and not Galway who were making headlines at the business end of the season. They were the team that have given Dublin the biggest challenge they’ve had since their last defeat in the Championship. I’m of the opinion that Mayo simply do not have the firepower to propel them to an All-Ireland title and their wastefulness in front of goal time after time reinforces this. Cillian O’Connor offers little aside from his free-taking, Andy Moran, a very good footballer, cannot do it on his own. Aidan O’Shea, the most talked about Mayo footballer since Conor Mortimer and Ciaran McDonald, is still trying to find his most effective position. Is it full-forward, centre half forward or even midfield. Mayo have excellent footballers on their team and bring an intensity and an effective gameplan to their matches that serves them well. Will that be enough to get them over the line in 2017 however? On Sunday, we could see an ever improving Galway side win. Far from it to be a death knell to Mayo’s chances though. While I do believe theirs is a team that time is going against in search of their holy grail, I’ve learnt that at this stage it is foolish to write them off.


Everything was going great for Galway last year before Tipperary came along and burst our bubble. It was back to the drawing board according to some, another false dawn, another setback at Croke Park. However, we’ve bounced back and enter this years Football Championship in great form. The initial goal this year was to gain promotion to Division 1 and we’ve done that. We went one better by doing it as Division 2 Champions, defeating Kildare by 0-18 to 0-16 at Croke Park. It was our first victory at HQ in 16 years and a massive step in this team’s development. Our strength in depth as a squad continues to grow, with a variable approach to our front six and different options available in defence. How Kevin Walsh manages this new found depth and optimism in the Galway camp is important. I’ll admit in getting carried away myself before the quarter-final against Tipp and thinking about the last four. We were served with another reminder that there is still some way to go before we can think about September. However, our optimism is not unfounded this summer. Galway are going places and it is going into a game against Mayo not relying on hope or for our opponents to have an off day for the first time in a number of years.


That being said, it could be the making of this Galway team to go through the back door to reach the quarter finals this time around. During their League campaign, they started off with a two wins and a draw before meeting Meath in Navan. An interesting and close game where Meath prevailed by a single point could have been a setback that derailed Galway in the past but they rallied back to win all their remaining games and ensure promotion. I would be very interested to see how we would react to losing against Mayo and go through the qualifiers. It done Mayo no harm last summer and I think it could be the same for us. The extra games in the qualifiers would serve as a great development to a team that is still progressing all the time.


One whole aspect of this game I am delighted I will miss (apart from the prospect of witnessing Mayo beat Galway) is the tedious complaints that will follow about the game being held in Pearse Stadium. It will rear the ugly debate about Pearse Stadium-Tuam Stadium. An extension of a city versus county debate, West versus East divide, Tradition vs. future or the traffic coming into Salthill versus the Traffic that would be in Tuam. Whatever angle you decide to adopt, I’m sick to death hearing of the usual merry go round of opinion that dominates the discussion more than the game would do in the aftermath. The primary reason why I hate it so much is because, as a Tuam native (exiled in Dublin) who has no issue with Pearse Stadium, this is a debate that is greatly harming Galway GAA and it is something that will not be resolved until a lot of people take a step back and inject a dose of realism into their nostalgic driven complaints.


Let’s state for the record, driving to Pearse Stadium on matchday is a nightmare. I’ve been there as a passenger many times, contemplating my life decisions while waiting in traffic. It’s something that does impact upon the match day occasion and the Galway County Board have done their level best to rectify the issues surrounding it. There is only so much they can do however. And in applying some common sense and thinking ahead, you can avoid ample levels of stress in the build-up. My experience going to Galway vs. Mayo in the same venue two years ago opened up my eyes a lot. I had stayed in Galway city the night before as I had travelled back from Dublin that evening. The day of the game I was left waiting for my father to travel up. He left Tuam that morning at 12pm on a private bus operator. Arriving in Eyre Square before one, he then took a Bus Eireann commuter bus to Salthill and before 20 past one, we were having pints in The Bal Bar. Upon the final whistle, we walked back to Eyre Sqaure and got the bus home at 6.20pm. We were back in our house 7.15pm. No long delays or hassle for either of us, other than sunburns on our faces.


It wasn’t arduous, or torture of any kind. Neither of us had any hassle because we used public transport and our own two feet. Now imagine if others had done the same? I don’t expect 30’000 people plus to hop on Bus Eireann or hire private buses from Mayo but you don’t all have to get parking at the Promenade or nearby. That same day, I met a Mayo family, who arrived into the pub at 12pm having left Foxford that morning. They had 4 hours plus to relax before the game, either settling into a pub or restaurant or taking in the beautiful weather that was on show that day before making their way to the Stadium. Four hours may seem long but it wouldn’t take long before you’re immersed in the pre-match atmosphere and enjoying yourself in the build-up. Too many people, especially from East Galway leave it far too late to travel to the game, getting themselves caught up in traffic and eventually missing some of the action. Who is to blame for that? I’ve been to countless sporting matches across Europe and through trial and error, I know when to leave for a game. You need to take everything into account. I had no sympathy for people who only got home around 9pm that evening.


Switching stadiums does nothing drastic to alleviate the problems you face on matchday. Tuam is no stranger to traffic. When I worked in Galway City, I saw traffic every morning leaving for work on the bus as the town was engulfed with the school runs. I remember coming home from Cologne in 2013 on the same day as the county final between Corofin and Salthill-Knocknacarra, which was being held in Tuam Stadium. As the bus came into the town, a good half hour after the final had ended, large amounts of traffic were still coming out of the vicinity of the ground. In case people have forgotten, there have been extensive roadworks going in Tuam for years now. Most significantly, the new motorway on the Galway Road would be an absolute disaster this weekend if the game was on in the Stadium. For Galway fans that is because if anything, switching to Tuam would make it far easier for Mayo fans to travel than it does for Galway supporters. The town is only 15-20 minutes from the border. You could put the game on in the Moon and Mayo fans would find their way to the game so why make things easier for them?


It feeds into a greater ignorance, an insular attitude amongst some people in this area. They would rather move games to Tuam, thus making it easier for Mayo fans and solving nothing in the process, and make it incredibly arduous for supporters travelling from the West of Galway. Our support in the West is arguably more vocal and most evident in the last 10 years, especially when things haven’t been going well. It’s an insult to give them no thought because you are only interested in what’s best for your own town. Why bow down to a tradition that is becoming more a myth than it is practice? Where were the great crowds for the Interprovincial games at Tuam Stadium in 2014? Crowds didn’t even break 500 as the best footballers in Ireland played out two superb games of football. Where was the great football tradition then? I’d much rather think about what is best for Galway football than my home town. And bringing Senior Inter-County games back to Tuam Stadium is not whats best for Galway football.


This notion has gathered greater momentum in the last 3 years because of the advent of fundraising group called Development Advocates for Tuam Stadium, or DAfTS for short. This group was set-up to raise funds for a Four Phase Redevelopment of Tuam Stadium, beginning with the dressing rooms. Now far from it from me to question the merit and intentions of those involved in DAfT. For a town that complains about losing everything, finally one group has stood up and made an effort. And for that they must be applauded. However, what is the end game for them? Their mission statement is to support the future and further development of Tuam Stadium as a major centre for playing GAA games at all levels”. That’s fantastic and well worth supporting but numerous individuals in the town believe them to be the driving force in facilitating the return of Senior Championship football at Inter County level. Numerous businesses in the town offered their support, and there is one particular proprietor of a local ale house who has been vocal for years on the issue. His ramblings are typical of this pathetic insular attitude I’m referring to. For example, in his opinion “the County Board continue to mess Tuam about with their stalling tactics” and its “downright outrageous behaviour towards the diaspora and the people of Tuam”. It is despairing stuff. Continuing to feed into the notion that Tuam Stadium is the HOME of Galway football. Tell me how much of a fortress the stadium was when it was losing to Leitrim in the mid-nineties? No disrespect a great Leitrim team by the way but there is no mythical aura about the ground that serves to benefit Galway football.


The thing is everyone tends to complain about the traffic and not about the facilities. Pearse Stadium is by far the best multi-purpose stadium in the county. Eamonn Deacy Park is fantastic too but far too small and hard to access. And the Sportsgrounds, the home of Connacht Rugby, is a Greyhound track primarily throughout the year. That is why Pearse Stadium is listed as one of the venues in Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid. However hard it might be to get there, there is no better place to have Galway’s footballers and hurlers playing. Some people in the county need to realise this. Too much has been invested in the ground to simply cast it aside in favour of investing more into another venue. If Galway need to invest somewhere, I’d much rather they continue to upgrade their facilities in Loughgeorge or supporting the coaching efforts in our future. What good is it having two great stadiums and having no players worthy to play there. All-Ireland finals won’t be played in Galway, and people won’t be complaining travelling to those when we get there so why should it be an issue for our home games then? Why can’t you support the team, through thick and thin?


Tuam Stadium would need to be completely overhauled much like Pairc Ui Chaoimh has been for modern demands. More and more GAA grounds across Ireland will be become more and more obsolete as the landscape of sporting venues continues to change in the future. Now the cost would not be as high as the 78 million that was used for Corks premier venue, but you’re still talking astronomical amounts for the people involved. The capacity of Tuam Stadium is 6’700 as of today. Imagine the level of work needed to upgrade it to a suitable 25’000 plus venue to host GAA at all levels in years to come. As successful as DAfTS has been so far, they are going to need to win the Euromillions to properly renovate the ground to those standards. That is if they want to satisfy the section of supporters, Galway and Mayo alike, that want to travel in Tuam instead of Salthill. They are going to do great things for Tuam Stadium and when their project ends I hope people can appreciate that, whatever happens.


What am I ranting about however? I’m gonna be in a completely different stadium anyways on Sunday! Galway and Ireland to win. And more double headers for me to lose hair over in the future.

It's Time... Juventus

Every step towards this years Champions League final in Cardiff, the primary focus around Juventus remains Gianluigi Buffon and the one trophy he hasn’t won. Never mind the fact that at 39 years of age, he remains arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. His form in the 2016-17 season has been imperious in all competitions. He has captained Juventus to their sixth straight Scudetto title in Italy. And while he took a substitutes role in Juventus’s third straight Coppa Italia, he will be the man the football world outside of those affiliated with Madrid will be hoping to see lift the Champions League trophy on Saturday evening.


I love Gigi Buffon. I’m very select about which players I truly idolise. Alessandro Del Piero was the reason I first began to follow Juventus during their run of 3 successive Champions League Final appearances in the late 90’s. There was no shortage of superstars at the club back then between Zinedine Zidane, Edgar Davids, Angelo Peruzzi, Christian Vieri. It was Del Piero who caught my imagination however. Everyone has been raving about Francesco Totti and his final season coming to an end at Roma but in my mind, there was no debate about who was better. Del Piero was a club legend and captain when they reached the final again in 2003 against AC Milan. It was a decider that remained scoreless over 120 minutes of football, going to penalties. Milan, with their Brazilian goalkeeper Dida were victorious, but it was Buffon who made a bigger impression on me. His defiant passionate celebrations after each of his two saves immediately endeared him to my heart. But his passion, clean sheet and two penalty saves were not enough to prevent a sixth final defeat for the club. Their seventh and most recent came two years ago against Barcelona. Buffon was still there, much older, but still the fearless protector of that net.


I watched that final in Donegal with friends. After completing a triathlon in the morning, I spent the rest of the day walking around in a Juve tracksuit, with my classic 1996-97 Kappa home jersey underneath, in nervous anticipation. I was adamant that Juventus would beat Barcelona that night. They were without Giorgio Chiellini but there was still enough quality in their squad to overcome their opponents. And although Messi did not score, Neymar and Luis Suarez did. We had all put money into a pot for first goal scorer. No one had Rakitic but I had Alvaro Morata, who scored the equaliser. I was delirious when he scored, not only because I won money but I felt it was a real turning point in the game that Juventus could kick on from. Sadly that would be the height of my joy. Barcelona would score twice more to win 3-1. Pirlo was reduced to tears, many Juventus fans followed suit. Gigi was left to rue another final chance gone a begging.


Every neutral across the football world wants to see Juventus win on Saturday evening for Buffon. It would be the final chapter in a wonderful storied career. However, it would be remiss of us to define his career about the one medal he does not have. He’s won 10 Serie A titles, 4 Coppa Italias, 6 Supper Coppas, the UEFA Cup and oh yeah, the fucking World Cup in 2006. I wrote two years in an article that winning the Champions League would surely end the debate of who is the greatest goalkeeper of all time. I don’t hold such feelings this time around. He is simply the best I have ever seen or ever will see. On that sentiment, its not just Buffon why I want Juventus to win. 21 years have passed since the club last won a Champions League title. Since then, they’ve gone through several managers and stadiums. Become a home for some players (Nedved & Trezeguet) and a passing stop ahead of bigger things (Zidane & Ibrahimovic). There was Calciopoli, demotion to Serie B, promotion back to Serie A. A couple of years of mid table mediocrity followed before they embarked on a run of dominance that continues to this day.


I don’t remember the 1996 final but I do remember the 1997. Borussia Dortmund came into the game as outsiders but didn’t let it deter them in taking a 2 goal lead inside the first half. Del Piero pulled one back through audacious heel flick only for Lars Ricken to lob Angelo Peruzzi late on to secure the game. There was nothing Zidane, Del Piero Vieri et al. could do but watch on. A year later it was Real Madrid, where a dour game was decided by an offside goal from Mijatovic. I never forgot that name. He done relative fuck all in his career but score one poxy goal in a Champions League final and another goal against Ireland for me to remember him to my dying day. Three finals in three years but one victory to show for it. Atletico Madrid fans would probably bite your hand off for a similar return right now but 21 years have passed since Juventus defeated Ajax on penalties. No club is more hungry to win a title in football than the Blanconeri.


I remember the sense of unease I felt when Massimiliano Allegri replaced Antonio Conte as Juventus manager in 2014. Conte, despite his shortcomings in Europe, personified the clubs return to dominance he took over as manager in 2011. He was passionate, he was defiant, he took no prisoners and imparted his attitude onto the club in such a manner that no club in Italy would stand in Juventus’ return to the top. Such a management style leaves you open to burnout and that’s what happened to Antonio. He couldn’t bring his team any further and a change, at least for himself was needed. Allegri was a former AC Milan manager who after winning the league in his first season was sacked halfway through his 2^nd, and was out of a job in the two and a half years that followed. It was an appointment at the time that was safe at best, unambitious and reckless at worst. Yet, did anyone expect what has followed since then?


Three consecutive seasons winning the League and Cup double speaks volumes. An achievement unmatched in Italian Football history, Allegri has built a team that had won 3 league titles in a row and made them substantially better. Amidst the tactical innovations that have brought this team on further, it’s been achieved amongst the backdrop of significant squad overhaul. After that Champions League final in 2015, Pirlo ended his spell in Turin and went to America. Tevez returned home to Argentina. Those were moves not entirely unexpected. More painful however was the decision of Arturo Vidal to leave for Bayern Munich, a decision motivated by the desire to win the Champions League. It would be Vidal and Bayern Munich who would eliminate Juventus from the competition in 2016, despite being mere seconds from being knocked out themselves until a stoppage time equaliser from Thomas Mulller forced extra time. Undeterred, Allegri and his side completed their 2^nd League and Cup double.  Morata, the hero in that 2016 Italian Cup final against AC Milan, went back to Real Madrid. Paul Pogba also returned to his former club as Man United shelled out 105 million for a player they let go on a free transfer.


All five of those players started the final in Berlin two years. To lose five key players from your team at any level would be hard to recover from. Instead, Allegri has reinvested the money and brought in new players integral to a team that is arguably better than the one that lost to Barcelona. Paulo Dybala is slowly announcing himself as the next big thing in football. Two superb goals in the quarter final against Barcelona brought him to the wider attention of the football world. Yet his progression has been steady and impressive, having scored 23 goals in his first season at the club, averaging one in every two games. His pace and agility blend superbly with his technical ability to cut open defences on his own or assisting his teammates. Continuing the clubs trend of picking up quality players on a free transfer, Sami Khedira joined the club that same summer giving the midfield even greater versatility. Mario Mandzukic immediately endeared himself to the support with his tireless displays. More impressive about the Croatian’s good form for Juventus is the fact he is often deployed on the right hand side of midfield and not up front.


Last summer, Juventus had a huge budget to contend with given the money they got for Pogba and Morata. We’ve seen how easily it is to waste such vast amounts of money on poor players. Liverpool and Tottenham in recent years could be accused of replacing their own superstars with quantity rather than quality. No such argument could be levelled at Juventus. Marko Pjaca and Miralem Pjanic arrived for a combined fee of 55 million, the latter being viewed as a devastating statement of intent to the rest of Italian football as the Bosnian left rivals AS Roma for Juve. They also picked up Dani Alves on a free transfer. Despite the fact Alves broke his leg in November, he has recovered in time to put up in some excellent performances, especially in Europe. As the transfer of Pogba dragged on, the club announced another signing that left shockwaves across Italian and indeed World football when they signed Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for €90 million. Many balked at the fee, stating it was way over the top for Higuain, no matter how talented he was. Although he had scored 91 goals across the past three seasons for Napoli, questions still remained over how effective he would be for Juventus. The questions have been answered emphatically. He has scored 32 goals in all competitions, totalling 54 games altogether. It’s a statistic not seen at the club since Del Piero scored the same amount 20 years ago.


One more would give him a record of his own, it would give him something to remind Madrid fans about. Higuain spent a number of years at the club. I hope, unlike Morata, he is celebrating with every ounce of passion inside him. Juventus need to score goals. I have no doubt they can contain Ronaldo et al. They did a superb job at the semi-final stage two years ago, where only a dubious penalty and a defensive mistake allowed the Portugese superstar to beat Buffon. Throughout the 180 minutes, the Spanish club struggled to break down a defence that still contains Bonucci and Chiellini today. Barzagli, along with Medhi Benatia are in reserve just in case. If either Alves or Alex Sandro are having an off day, Stephan Lichtsteiner can come in and do just as good a job. I’m not being dismissive about the firepower Real have. I feel too many are being dismissive of how complete a team this Juventus side are. There are, in my opinion, no real weak spots that can be exploited or exposed enough to decide this final. Of course, Juventus can not show up on the night. They’ll only have themselves to blame if they do not win this final. 2015 was one that got away. There should be no similar feeling this time around.


Its easy to get caught up in romanticism of Buffon winning that final medal. There would be no chance of the man himself doing that. Lets turn it around though. Maybe this will be the first of many Champions League medals for Dybala, Higuain, Pjanic etc. Maybe Dybala himself will collect everything and retire a legend for club and country. Juventus have enjoyed an excellent record over Real Madrid since that 1998 final in Europe. Two were memorable semi-final victories in 2003 and 2015 but victory on Saturday will be a true measure of revenge for that final defeat. For a club of Juventus’ stature, to only win this competition twice is not good enough. And one of those victories will forever have a shadow over it. There is more than enough reasons to support Juventus this Saturday than Gigi Buffon. They shouldn’t do it for him and he’d say as much himself. He has forged an unbreakable bond with the supporters since arriving from Parma in 2001. You only have to look at countless post match videos after important Juventus victories. He’d love nothing more than to share this title with Juventus supporters the world over.


He’ll do it for himself as much as he’ll do it for Ju.