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Poll: Is there still hope for Ireland at Euro 2012?

Should we call everyone back from Poland now, or keep our spirits high and shock Spain?

WE PINNED AN awful lot of expectation on the basis that we would win at least a point from Croatia.

But an unsighted ‘keeper here and a dodgy offside decision there and we are bottom of the group with the last two World Champions standing between us and the quarter finals.

So, whaddya say, Ireland? Can it be done?


Poll Results:

Don't be stupid. It's all over bar the drinking. (2213)
Don't be stupid. Of course it can be done. Spain don't even play with strikers and we have the measure of Italy. (952)

Forward-thinking Del Bosque defends Fabregas role

Euro 2012 analysis: Reality bites as Ireland exposed on the world stage

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50 Comments
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    Mute Ferg Breen
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    Jun 11th 2012, 10:39 AM

    You have to hope! Yeah we were absolutely atrocious last night and Traps tactics are hideous but still I want to have some kind of excitement in my bones on Thursday night so I say bring on Spain and Italy. Who knows?!

    93
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    Mute Paul Ryan
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    Jun 11th 2012, 10:29 AM

    John Delaney should ask for a replay!!

    81
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:43 AM

    Or a pay cut !!
    It’s all over the luck has run out poor performance all round

    36
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:24 PM

    Or he could ask for Ireland to be the 9th team in the quarter finals.

    39
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    Mute Proinsias Matthews
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:11 AM

    It’s a real shame we didn’t perform but I’m afraid of the Spanish backlash on Thursday. They will be more disappointed in there performance than Ireland are.
    P.S. since when was Simon Cox a better left winger than James McClean?

    40
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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:55 PM

    Since Trapattoni barely knows McClean’s name he was never going to be brought on.

    19
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    Mute Patric Juillet
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:24 AM

    Spain can be beaten. Italy too. Not the end of the world.

    34
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:25 PM

    They can, but probably not by Ireland.
    (Sorry, I’m on a bit of a downer!)

    20
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    Mute Mike Rrotch
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    Jun 11th 2012, 10:59 AM

    250/1 from ladbrokes today to win the tournament COYBIG

    34
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:18 AM

    410/1 at betfair.

    43
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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:20 AM

    Think I’ll keep my money in my pocket – I don’t fancy giving a free handout to Ladbrokes…

    20
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    Mute John Ryan
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:20 PM

    I’m throwing a thousand euros on them :)

    24
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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:11 PM

    Best of luck with that…
    ;)

    6
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    Mute Gavin McGuinness
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:38 PM

    I’ll give you 500/1 John :)

    17
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    Mute Ciara O'Halloran
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:02 AM

    I’m staying positive.. Ya never know what might happen!

    33
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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:47 AM

    Ooh, look at that, a herd of pigs flying past my window!!!

    26
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    Mute Paddy Murphy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:12 PM

    Does a herd of pigs stay a herd of pigs when they fly? or do they become a flock of pigs? just asking, ya never know when one might need to use the sentence

    61
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    Mute Gerard Fitzgerald
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    Jun 11th 2012, 10:54 AM

    we chocked last night,and playing a rusty and unfit given cost us dearly,if i were trap id make 4 or 5 changes for the next game,but id also have a playmaker in the team like a reid w hoolahan ,or s ireland,its unprofessional not to have a plan b,Trap must shoulder much of the blame,our euro dream is in tatters and it doesnt look good ,but we will tune in thursday hoping for a good start and the opening goal.

    30
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    Mute Michael Farrelly
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:04 PM

    Don’t you people realize just how bad we were ?

    29
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    Mute Paddy Murphy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:14 PM

    yeah, but it’s our little secret, so whist up and dont be Given anything away!! Jesus!

    29
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:12 AM

    They were properly chastened last night, and will come out fighting! This could actually be a good thing!!!!?!!!!!

    29
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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:22 AM

    Id love to see the same thing Dave. But can’t see it happening.

    17
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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:30 PM

    In Euro 2004,Greece won 1 lost 1 and drew 1 in a group that included Spain,Russia and Portugal and they came 2nd in their group…we all know what they ended up doing…If Ireland get knocked out or win the tournament,we all still have the same lives to go back to at the end of it all do either way,we re there and lets just enjoy it and support the lads….

    27
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    Mute Chris Wilson
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:25 PM

    We played badly and lost. It happens. Holland & Portugal lost, Spain & Italy drew and I doubt any of those teams are packing up to go home right now. 2 games left. Support the team. Come on Ireland!

    26
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    Mute B7584
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:03 PM

    Its football – anything can happen, unlikely but anything can happen.

    23
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    Mute Billy Kennedy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:35 PM

    Typical Irish to revert to a miserable, negative attitude after one game. We all knew it was going to be a tough group, with ups and downs. A wee bit of positivity and support lads, at least for the next two matches!

    23
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:30 PM

    For me the misery is therapy – I had such high (though baseless) hopes last night.
    I want to hope but I just can’t see anything but two more thrashings ahead.

    11
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    Mute Michael Farrelly
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:03 PM

    In all my years watching Ireland play this game was the poorest. Even in Jack charlton’s time we did try to play the ball on the ground at some stages. All we could do last night was play the ball backwards and lash it up from there giving the ball back to Croatia. How many times did Richard Dunne pass the ball – answer zero – awful to watch and a disgrace to the Irish team. We fully deserved to be beaten. In his interview afterwards Trap did not seem to realise that Simon Cox is not a winger – unfortunately he has been found out :(

    21
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    Mute Ruthinauld
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:01 PM

    Great to see all the positivity behind the boys. Fair to say we didn’t perform last night and other things didn’t go our way, but let’s keep up the support and hope that they come out fighting on Thursday. It can still be done. Stranger things have happened!! COME ON IRELAND!!

    20
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    Mute Oisin Mac Aodhagain
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:51 PM

    I can’t seem to justify Trap’s tactics at all. We’re playing the route 1 tactic at a major championship with no other tactics against teams that have the some of the best players in the world. At the same time we need to be realistic of our own quality of players.

    Great support for the lads all the same, the fans are doing their job, about time the Team stepped up too

    18
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    Mute Chris lynch
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:39 AM

    COYBIG two big attacking performances, we have nothing to loose.

    16
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    Mute Michael Farrelly
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:53 PM

    I would love to be positive. I have been to all of the previous tournaments since and including Germany 88. I was positive before last night – I dont mind so much if we are beaten while playing a good game

    but look at it again, that was the worst football played by any Irish team ( and that includes the 5-2 against Cyprus) Awful, awful awful – so get real

    15
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    Mute James Brendan Shorte
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:02 PM

    I would take out Given & McGeady & Keane and play Westwood with Mcklean & Long & Doyle up front.Nothing to loose give them the chance to cut loose ?

    13
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    Mute Daire Friel
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:45 PM

    whealen was terrible too

    9
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    Mute Val Kearney
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:49 PM

    Something didn’t feel right about last night. Trap, of all people, left Luka Modric have the run of the park. So I’m going with the “lead them into a false sense of security” scenario. Spain and Italy both think they’ll hammer us now. Little do they know…

    11
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    Mute long schlong
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:20 PM

    I still have hope. I still believe. I’ll be roaring passionately right to the final whistle.

    11
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    Mute Ian Walsh
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:08 AM

    It is certainly going to be difficult. I wrote something on the permutations needed for qualification pre-match yesterday: http://touchlineviews.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/permutations-can-ireland-qualify-from-group-c/

    8
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    Mute John Ryan
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:23 PM

    @Paddy: Does that mean a flock of birds become a herd of birds when they’re on the ground? :-/

    31
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    Mute Paddy Murphy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 4:51 PM

    Argh!!! stop f**king with my head John!!!

    5
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    Mute Anthony Phelan
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    Jun 11th 2012, 2:12 PM

    Looks unlikely now. We’d need 2 huge games to get through. Plus maybe rely on other results going our way. Let’s hope they give us at least 2 good nights.

    7
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    Mute Sean Carrigg
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    Jun 11th 2012, 3:49 PM

    To be honest Ireland were totally outplayed…..very bad start, defense all over the place. We got back into it and looked comfortable at times, but after the 1-1 our midfield dropped back to the edge of our own box and let Croatia come at us…..dodfy offside, possible penalty…..wouldn’t have made a difference. Croatia were in total control. Dutch commentary said we just didn’t have the ability to compete with Croatia…and they were right. Croatia looked dangerous everytime they had the ball.
    But lets not give up all hope just yet. Football is football and anything can happen….and remember win lose or draw, its party time. First tournament in 10 years, worth a drink or two whatever the outcome.

    6
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    Mute Kevin Cryan
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:38 PM

    I would like to think we still have a shot. and I’ve unearthed this little gem for the team talk before the Spanish game on thursday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guT76kAPYs0&feature=youtube_gdata_player. if trap gives this speech beforehand, last nights game will be forgotten very quickly

    5
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    Mute Philip Shevlin
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    Jun 11th 2012, 1:53 PM

    we were shit no matter which way u look at it robbie keane is so bad he wouldnt get his game for a sunday team richard dunne was still in the dressing room for the frist 70 min one word crap

    5
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    Mute Rónán O'Suilleabháin
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    Jun 11th 2012, 5:16 PM

    Lets say Ireland got 4 from 6:
    1. If all other matches are drawn, then Ireland qualify in second place to Croatia.
    2. If Spain and Italy both can beat Croatia – Ireland would qualify at the expense of whomever they beat (If I understand the tie-break rules correctly.

    The worst case scenario at this point is Croatia winning and losing a match, as it leaves them on 6, with 3 points given up to another team (Spain/Italy). That would leave us needing 2 wins.

    Best case scenario for next Thursday is for Italy to beat Croatia, and us to draw with Spain. That would leave Spain needing to beat Croatia, and us with a straight shot at Italy to go through.

    Obviously if we could beat Spain it’d be great, but as long as we’ve an interest next Monday I’ll be happy. The lads have done well to get this far.

    3
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    Mute Joe Griffin
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    Jun 11th 2012, 2:26 PM

    we’re finished, we have’nt a hope against spain and we’ll be lucky to draw against italy

    3
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    Mute Jock O'neill
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    Jun 11th 2012, 6:10 PM

    Or to put it another way if we score more goals than Spain and Italy we will go through to the 1/4 finals

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    Mute Ru Ni Digs
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    Jun 11th 2012, 6:11 PM

    We made an ordinary Hungry side look good.That should have been a sign,not for Trap,he went with the same team and were made pay for it.We were found out last night.Not surprising really when you consider we celebrate an over rated player,whose good at scoring hat tricks against even lower opposition than ourselves in matches that don’t count.People have called for Keane to be striped of the captaincy,he shouldn’t even get his game,he’s over rated muck…

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    Mute Ms Redinism
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    Jun 11th 2012, 3:26 PM

    yesterday’s game was quite painful experience.I think lads in green lost their motivation very quickly, it felt that they don’t want to play at all.They prob knew that entire country will critises and mix them with dirt. We should encourage and support our team , lift their motivation (and our of course) and boost self esteem! Common Ireland! It’s just the beginning not the end!

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    Mute conor coughlan
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    Jun 12th 2012, 2:42 PM

    we will get thought draw to spain and win italy 4pts and we r thought anyting can happen the lucl of the irish

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    Mute Tom Galvin
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    Jun 11th 2012, 12:13 PM

    no

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