Ireland 0 – France 1
Nov 15th, 2009 | By Seconds Out | Category: soccerIT doesn’t get much more surreal than a Frenchman allegedly insulting the entire Irish nation – and our proverbial mothers – while an Italian defends us. Does it?
A Frog, a “famous one”, as yet un-named, could be suspended for Wednesday’s second leg World Cup play off between France and Ireland in Paris after making an alleged “anti Irish” comment at the end of last night’s game in Croke Park.
France won 1-0 courtesy of Nicolas Anelka’s fortuitous second-half strike, which took a wicked deflection off Sean St Ledger before finding the net off a post. Lucky bastardo. He’s all smiles is Anelka.
The reversal was Giovanni O’Trapattoni’s first competitive loss as Irish manager.
However, the match ended in controversy amid claims that immediately after the final whistle a French player said something to one of the Irish players, possibly Keith Andrews, who appeared to be exchanging “pleasantries” with Lassana Diarra, who plays his football with Real Madrid.
The alleged anti-Irish tirade nearly provoked an altercation as a number of Paddy and Frog players looked set for a punch up, which is more than you could say for French middleweight Affif Belghecham – for eight rounds at least – at the University of Limerick last night.
Incidentally, combat-shy Belghecham, like the vast majority of the French side, is off Algerian descent.
O’Trapattoni, rushing to defend the honour of the nation, declined to repeat the alleged insult by the French player but was quoted as saying: “You win the game but you do not insult the players. You do not insult the Irish people.”
It’s only a matter of time before Trap is standing outside the GPO reading from the Proclamation of Independence. He’s a true Irish patriot.
So did le Frog insult Paddy? Monday’s papers should reveal more, and don’t be surprised in FIFA are called in to put some manners on one of our Gallic cousins.
But if he did insult all of Hibernia how should we respond?
Well, we could start by telling our children the truth about Eurodisney in Paris. No one goes there kids. It’s a ghost town, infested with garlic eating, Chateau le Plonk-swigging, existentialism spouting, Gauloises chain-smoking, unshaven, disillusioned Parisians.
And get this kids, listen up. That’s not the real Mickey Mouse in Euro Disney. The French rodent is an imposter. He’s not even related to the real Mickey Mouse – who is of course of Irish descent and lives in the real Disney World in Florida.
Meanwhile, Ireland, who drew 0-0 in their last competitive outing in Paris, will need to score at least one goal in the French capital on Wednesday night to have any chance of making next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa. A 2-1 victory would do the trick as it would enable Ireland to advance on the away goals rule. A 1-0 win would be enough to take the game to penalties.
However, if France score in Paris then Ireland will almost certainly be bidding adieu to South Africa.
Last night’s win arrived amid reports that French boss Raymond Domenech had yet another bust-up with French captain Thierry Henry. Domenech, as previously pointed out, is stark, raving mad. However, leaving aside the fact that he’s not the full shilling, isn’t it way past the time that the French FA sacked him?
France are edging toward World Cup qualification, unfortunately at our expense. However, it is now becoming increasingly obvious that they are making their way in spite of their manager, who insists on being a disruptive influence at every available opportunity.
Notwithstanding last night’s result O’Trapattoni believes that the tie is very much alive, but in order to turn things around Ireland will have to do what they have never managed to do before – win in Paris. Where will the creativity for such a win come from?
Ireland, despite the comments of Dunphy on RTE, showed a high level of commitment throughout last night’s game. They couldn’t be faulted for drive and heart and had a particularly good first half and would not have been flattered with a 1-0 lead.
However, in order to win at this level you usually need that little spark of inspiration. It’s hard to see where it will come from in Paris to tell the truth, although good old-fashioned Irish grit might yet win this day.
Meantime, Stephen Ireland was back on the papers on Friday last, reiterating his desire to never play for Ireland again. Ireland claimed that Trapattoni said this, and someone else said that etc etc. No one gives a rattlers at this stage. It’s just the hissing of spent lies.
Cobh-born Ireland, revealing a high level of paranoia, also claimed that the FAI discriminate against players from Cork.
Has there ever been a more pathetic figure involved, or uninvolved as this case may be, in Irish sport?
Shame, Ireland haven’t been any use internationally since the days of Give it a Lash Jack (okay so 2002 was alright but they’d no iconic song).
Most of the French team of Algerian decent I would beg to differ, but anyways, f**k Stephen Ireland. He should never be let near an Irish jersey again, and I do hope he breaks his legs against some lower league team, and has to retire early. He’s thick thick thick, more worried about money and cars than anything else……
I wouldn’t wish an injury on anyone.
yerra he’d be no loss, and he’s made enough to last him a lifetime, though he’s so much of a chav, he’ll have blown it all by the time he’s 30
Bock-“I wouldn’t wish an injury on anyone”
Really? and Berite Ahern?
C’est: Ahern is a United supporter so I’d make an exception there myself.
I meant humans
Second’s Out – “Ahern is a United supporter so I’d make an exception there myself.”
They say Pinochet was a fan of Boca Juniors. Thatcher was a Rangers fan.
Bock – “I meant humans”
Oh, that’s a sly out that is. Exploiting Bertie’s status of Half Man/Half Pocket to discriminate against him.
Half man? Sorry, but I can’t see it. Half reptile, half gobshite, maybe.
Ah ya have to squint a bit, but it’s there and I stand by it. Half Man/Half Pocket, All Criminal.
FAO anybody who put a bet on this game, I found this article really interesting: http://bit.ly/259yOs
It’s from the Right2Bet campaign website and it shows you exactly how much money you could have lost (yep, even if you won your bet!) because of where you happen to be based in the EU. Pretty topical at the moment given Paddy Power’s recent foray into the French gambling market. There’s also a petition on the Right2Bet site to get fairer rules across the EU, which will get presented to the EU Commission once it reaches 1million.
My hopes go to Ireland in Paris on wednesday night. And it has become not just personal but private after the anti Irish comments made by that sewer dwelling impotent warty frog. What do ya think of that description Bock?. We are not going to Sout Africa as you know but we are sending the Irish instead. Will be descending from the mountains to watch the match in some sleazy sport bar in Bergen, that is if my skis don,t fail me. Come on ya beauties, Respect from Sweden.
Charles — I couldn’t care less what this fool says. Il a plein de merde.
Anyway, I don’t entertain much hope of beating the French at home. I doubt if we’ll be going to SA.
We’re on the ropes folks but still standing. One goal – for us – and it’s level. Should be fun.
I’m still optimistic about Wednesday’s game and the Irish team. After all, the French are known to have trouble defending home territory. We’ll be all right as long as the French do what they have been known to do throughout history: surrender to their enemies. Why do you think the French celebrated their World Cup Championship win so wildly? It was the first time they ever won anything without the help of the US.
actually, i thought they played well in the first half. first time in a long while watching ireland play, that they looked like they would not concede. they created chances and if they had taken them the outlook would be a lot better. when you see anelka and henry going back into midfield to get the ball you know thing are going well. personally i thought the introduction of best was a mistake. he lost/gave away possesion the first 3 times the ball came to him. and the french goal came from him losing the ball in the french half. mcgeadys role was little better. did not create enough problems for the french, and even when he does make a run, his crossing / final pass is usually very poor. i don’t see a clamour of top flight teams looking to buy him from celtic. his not good enough. i prefer hunt above him any day of the week. he’d have been a better substitute for doyle than best.
and ultimately that will be our downfall in paris. the quality on the bench is not good enough. france improved in the 2nd half. but the tiredness of our squad made them look a lot better than they were. if we score in the first half then we have a great chance. one thing of concern to me was how few chances for set pieces we had in the oppostion half. that will need to improve.
as for stephen ireland, the only reason his in the press, is because his being asked about returning by hacks looking to create a story. traps worse nightmare would be for ireland to say ,yes i’m available. trap would then have to explain why ,the 2 most creative midfielders ireland have are not even on the bench. the quality on the bench is poor, but its not because we do not have the players.
The thing I noticed about Henry and the eternal scowl Anelka was that they were changing position without any apparent instructionsw from the bench, fuelling speculation that no one is playing a blind bit of notice to
anything Domenech is saying. Someone on the field(Henry I’d say) is giving the instructions. As for Ireland.
I said it before. He’s not one of Ireland’s most creative players. He’s barely holding down a place at Man City in fact. I’d agree with the above. Les Frogs do have a tendency to capitulate at home, but we might not have the ability to convince them to maintain this time honoured tradition.
I have a French gun for sale “It’s never been shot before, and only dropped once”… A frenchman insulting an Irishman, that’s a ironic. I bet they only have 4 Frenchman born within French borders.
If history serves us right this Wed the French will choke as they’ve done on numerous occasions… I’ve got may examples Napolean at Waterloo, the invasion of Russia, the Maginot Line, not winning any Tour De France’s since 1985, and of course ‘ French cowardice’– I think there is a picture of a french guy with beret on in the dictionary, possibly eating a croissant.
Anyone want to buy a French gun?? “It’s never been shot and only dropped once!”
As opposed to Ireland’s long list of glorious achievements?
If only we had the Dublin born Duke of Wellington in central midfield tonight.
Bock, I made it down from the mountains and the skiing was great apart from the darkness. I made it to the sleazy bar in the town but guess what no tv. But I am an optimist and am listening to the match on the webb.France 0 – Ireland 1.
Crazy stuff going on in Paris