Dzeko and Pjanic are the standout stars of the Bosnia & Herzogovina squad but if Ireland are to reach Euro 2016, there are others they’ll have to shackle in Zenica and Dublin. Gavin Fahy runs a comprehensive rule over the ones to watch.
Historically, playoffs haven’t been kind to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ireland. Ahead of their Euro 2016 showdown, something’s gotta give, writes AngryBosnianFan
The Republic of Ireland have experienced ups and downs in our history with tournament play-offs.
There’s a reason Irish fans haven’t sung ‘You’ll Never Beat the Irish’ for around 20 years. It was seen as unlucky. Our Euro 2012 problems began when we made the song our official anthem. Still, the Thai Tims make it worthwhile.
They were the pioneers. After decades of heartache, the Republic of Ireland appeared at a major football finals for the first time in 1988. Twenty-four years on, we’re back, but many of Jack’s original Boys in Green can still be seen on our TV screens as pundits. Póg Mo Goal takes an offside look back and asks; the heroes of Euro ’88, where are they now?
Foley-gate may be no more with Giovanni Trapattoni firmly drawing a line under the subject but there are a few more faces in the Irish squad who could face tough conversations with the manager after Monday’s final warm-up game with Hungary. Players like Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt have some work to do in Budapest or they may find themselves down the pecking order come the showdown with Croatia just six days later.
It depicts chaos at home. The economy and country are in ruins. Yet the football team unites the nation. Sound familiar? It’s Coca-Cola’s Spanish advert. Olé.
Build from the back. The greatest Euro moments in Lego form, including Razor’s header against England
Setantabet.com has raised the stakes, quite literally, for the 2012 European Championships which kick off in just over a week’s time. The online bookmaker has announced that it will pay out double the odds on all winning Euro 2012 outright bets if the Republic of Ireland qualify from their group and advance to the knockout stage.
View the essential Irish guide to this summer’s football from Aer Lingus. Find out how many fans are making the trip, some useful fact’s about our opposition, and even how many of Robbie Keane’s celebrations it would take to get there.