Nations Notions

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Iceland are "Well organised, strong, together, hard to break down and good at set pieces " . Alex Scott does the full Bullshit Bingo of someone who hasn't done any research.

In fairness, This is also exactly what someone who had done their research would likely say.

What channel is this on in the UK? I can't handle any more of Niall "Laura Whitmore" Quinn.

[Satchmo Distel]

Iceland would have been relegated two years ago had UEFA not expanded the top tier.

[Diable Rouge]

In fairness, This is also exactly what someone who had done their research would likely say.

What channel is this on in the UK? I can't handle any more of Niall "Laura Whitmore" Quinn.

The banality is mind-numbing!

[Diable Rouge]

England penalty for handball - and Sterling makes no mistake.

[Diable Rouge]

And the ref makes amends!

[Diable Rouge]

But it's shanked.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Sterling very close to betraying Brexit there. as was Joe Gomez.

The jury may still be out on whether or not Covid 19 is on balance good or bad, but that was the best atmosphere at an england game in a couple of decades. I didn't once feel the uncontrollable urge to burn out a nissan or a honda.

[Diable Rouge]

Portugal destroying Croatia in the first 25 minutes, but they literally can't get the ball over the line.

[Diable Rouge]

Cancelo finally breaks the resistance.

[DPDPDPDP]

Staff members?! This is becoming reminiscent of Ireland threatening to field a team of amateurs after a player dispute in the last Nations League :

https://twitter.com/ceskarepre_eng/status/1302224495642636293?s=21

Based on last night’s shocker, I hope Czechia’s staff members aren’t decent. If so, Scotland are flocked!

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

This week's NI squad includes 7 English men, a Scot and two brothers called Evans. There''s also a black Muslim named after P?draig Piaras

In fairness, isn't this just because northern Irish young people have spent the last 40-50 years migrating at the rates that gave us Jack's army? The Catholic ones who leave, often go to the republic, and you won't be hearing from their kids. So what you are seeing here are the offspring of the higher number of young protestant emigrants.

Your goalie had a good game against Romania, some of his saves were implausible.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Cancelo finally breaks the resistance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IZ8JXNn7Js

Some amazing goals in this round of fixtures, but that goal is one of the best. The Skill involved in shooting with the side of your foot like that, at right angles to your run, is absurd.

[Duncan Gardner]

Berba- aye. Three point blank saves from poundshop Puscas, plus a hoofball assist for our goal. And those stylish boyish good looks- any prettier in pink he'd be home secretary

[Duncan Gardner]

Ps youre right that Dublin born kids of Nordie parents are likely to grow up supporting the South even if those parents used to vote Alliance or even UUP.

But remember that international choice is a career move as much as statement of allegiance. The NI side will always be easier to get into- while for some time now it's actually been slightly less mediocre than the neighbour. While an early teenager in Darndale or Foxrock has been watching the game we've won more matches in three successive qualifying series...

PPS I will address wider demographics in the parallel UK breakup thread

[Satchmo Distel]

How many catholics have played for NI and protestants for ROI?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

It depends on the time frame. There were quite a few catholics in billy bingham's teams, when things were close to being at their worst. and if you go back to the forties and before, there were players who played for both sides interchangably. The protestants in the republic have traditionally been more into emigrating, or rugby or hockey or things to do with horses.

[Satchmo Distel]

How did NI manage to have periods of being better than ROI, or at least at the same level? Are their playing populations about the same due to there being more competing sports in the ROI?

ROI seem to have produced more absolutely top class players in the last 50 years (Roy Keane, Liam Brady, etc) but NI's 1958 side had some realy quality in it.

[Duncan Gardner]

Satch- no idea, because a) even my statfoolery isn't that extensive, b) far greater numbers nowadays identify as neither, and c) sectarian headcounts are so 2019

But since you asked here are a couple of snippets

d) as above this week's NI squad includes the 8 ringers plus a similar number who learned about Brian Boru r/t Churchill at primary school. It's always like that

e) in 2016, the South's 23 man squad for the Euros included 11 men who'd never lived in the Country.

In short- both teams rely on England youth cast offs because they're better than what the local semi pro leagues can produce

NI is about 28% of the population of Ireland , 3% of Britain

[Duncan Gardner]

f) usually when we discuss this, Berba- claims that the weakness of club football in Ireland is because everything is localised at parish level to benefit the GAA. This is largely baloney- most fans gloryhunt teams in Liverpool, Manchester or London, or for the more sentimental, think that CeltGers and RangTic can compete in Europe

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I've maintained on here before my belief that an all-Ireland side could have won the 1982 World Cup. You'd have been taking the Northern Irish side that beat Spain to reach the quarter-finals, and sticking Liam Brady, Mark Lawrenson, Chris Hughton, Gerry Daly, Ronnie Whelan, Michael Robinson and Frank Stapleton into it. The Republic alone had only narrowly missed out in qualifying to France, who went on to almost win it all.

Management and tactics of such a side may have proved a challenge but they'd have been in with a hell of a shout.

[Duncan Gardner]

Comparative timeline

Pre 1980: both teams similarly mediocre

1980-86: NI Bingham revival

1988-94: RoI Charlton revival

1996-2010 Both poor. 1 qualification between them in 16 attempts

2014-date. We're on the march with Mike's army. Agent Marty return to base

[Duncan Gardner]

I'll have some of that industrial scrumpy Rogin. ta!

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I've maintained on here before my belief that an all-Ireland side could have won the 1982 World Cup. You'd have been taking the Northern Irish side that beat Spain to reach the quarter-finals, and sticking Liam Brady, Mark Lawrenson, Chris Hughton, Gerry Daly, Ronnie Whelan, Michael Robinson and Frank Stapleton into it. The Republic alone had only narrowly missed out in qualifying to France, who went on to almost win it all.

Management and tactics of such a side may have proved a challenge but they'd have been in with a hell of a shout.

hahaha, do you know what the heat does to the Gael? And to be more accurate, the Republic were cheated out of the 82 world cup by dirty corrupt belgian bastards.

[Duncan Gardner]

Mr TAB Slug had just turned 3 at the time

[VillanoXIV]

On the Czechia- Scotland game, if they do have to end up playing staff members including the kit man against Scotland’s Andy Robertson (who famously was the kit man for the national team as a part time job when playing at QP), surely this would be the first time two kit men (past or present) have lined for their respective teams?