With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you the final extract from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, detailing his conclusions of the sorry saga. This is the Saipan Incident.
The Kevin Foley saga has cast the first cloud over Ireland’s Euro 2012 preparations. The Wolves defender confirmed he wouldn’t be staying on to watch the campaign from the sidelines, now that he has been cut loose from the squad. Yet decades of experience have thought Giovanni Trapattoni there can be no room for sentiment. With three ferocious battles ahead for the Green Army, all’s fair in love and football.
“On a personal level, I’m delighted to see so many of the players I had the honour of working with achieve their ambition in getting to these finals. They are, to a man, special individuals at a time when many modern-day players invite spite” – Brian Kerr
The first of Póg Mo Goal’s Euro Top Tens. What connects Eamon Dunphy, Sugar Puffs, and Ann Summers? They’re all in the Top Ten Signs You’ve Got Euro Fever.
And so it begins. Ireland’s great adventure back on the European stage kicks into action with the first pre-tournament friendly against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Dublin. When we took our seats at the old Lansdowne Road ten years ago to send Ireland on their way to the Far East with a farewell game against Nigeria, who would have believed it would be a decade before we would be back at football’s top table?
Peter Schmeichel won the European Championship with unfancied Denmark in 1992. The Great Dane says when facing the best players, it’s important to understand that you belong there.
With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you Part 4, the penultimate extract from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, focusing on the fall-out and player’s reaction from Keane’s infamous tirade. This is the Saipan Incident.
Stephen Ward’s shot had barely nestled in the Estonian net before Ireland’s lyricists, songsters, singsters, and gangsters were penning Euro 2012 anthems. Like a young Larry Gogan spinning discs, Póg Mo Goal brings you our Song for Europe series. Bang em on a mix-tape and stick em in the camper-van cassette player. Next up is I’m Gonna Drive by RiverGdansk.
