England to play Ireland in Dublin

[Ryan]

England set to play Ireland in Dublin for first time since 1995

• Countries plan Euro 2012 warm-up
• Match dependent on draw in Kiev

David Hytner in Dublin, and Dominic Fifield guardian.co.uk, Sunday 13 November 2011 23.01

England could play the Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2012 warm-up game in Dublin after the football associations of both countries revealed they are hopeful a fixture can be arranged. There would be clear security implications around the match, potentially the first between the teams since a friendly at Lansdowne Road in 1995 was abandoned because of crowd violence.

That game was called off after 27 minutes when England hooligans went on the rampage. The violence was roundly condemned, with Jack Charlton, the Ireland manager and a 1966 World Cup winner with England, saying he had "seen a lot in football but nothing like this". There has been the feeling in Ireland that the Football Association has an obligation to offer them another game in Dublin, which would represent a money-spinner and the FA fully accepts this. It is expected that travelling England fans would be vetted and watched. It would certainly be classed as a Category One fixture.

The Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, said: "Maybe we already have this appointment. We have spoken, for two years maybe. Two years we ask them but the diary was busy. Now I think England accept. We wait. We have played France, Italy, Croatia, Russia … we meet Germany in the future [in the 2014 World Cup campaign]. We have met 50% of the great teams."

The tie would have extra spice for Trapattoni and his assistant Marco Tardelli, given the friendly rivalry they have with their fellow Italian Fabio Capello, the England manager. "I think it is possible to play England in a friendly," Tardelli said. "And it will be a good thing for England and for us. It is very important to play against a big team before the tournament. I think we would do well against England. Why not? It's possible."

Tardelli was asked whether he would consider it a wise move to play a Euro 2012 rival on the eve of the tournament in, for example, June, which appears to be the most likely date for the tie. "I think so," he replied. "Why not? It is a good test."

The meeting would not go ahead if England were to draw Ireland in the group phase of the finals in Poland and Ukraine. The draw takes place in Kiev on 2 December. It should also be noted that Ireland have not yet qualified, although they are 4-0 up after the away leg of their play-off against Estonia. The return will be played at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, the rebuilt Lansdowne Road, on Tuesday night. "If we don't see it through now, we don't deserve to play at the finals," said the defender Richard Dunne.

England are scheduled to play Holland at Wembley on 29 February, after the original meeting in August was postponed due to the riots in London. But again, this would not go ahead if Capello's team were to draw the Dutch in the Euro 2012 group stage. It appears that the FA does not want to confirm Holland's visit until after the draw in Kiev. Were England to face Holland next summer, the February friendly date could conceivably be freed up for Ireland.

Capello wants to give his players at least 10 days off after the final game of the Premier League season and there is a window for international friendlies in the first week of June, before the start of Euro 2012. The FA is expected to seek two friendlies during the window, with the second expected to be at Wembley, raising the prospect of a visit to Dublin on 1?2 June. There is also the possibility of a fixture being accommodated towards the end of May.

England will be among the second seeds at the draw in Kiev, with Ireland, assuming they get past Estonia, in the bottom pot, almost certainly alongside France, meaning they cannot draw the team that controversially eliminated them in the 2010 World Cup play-off.

England are expected to become Sweden's first opponents in their new national stadium when it is opened in Stockholm in November next year, with the game at the 50,000-seat arena agreed in principle as part of a reciprocal arrangement for the friendly at Wembley on Tuesday night.

Good. Hopefully this time the game won't have to be called off cos your 'fans' aren't taking to while to seeing your team get battered. 😉

 

[Sunny]

Whilst we're on the subject of national stereotypes Ryan, that last sentence of yours is doing nothing to dispel the thick Irish myth is it ?

I think this game is a bad idea myself.

 

[Ryan]

What's "thick" about it? Apart from the fact that I typed too while instead of too well obv.

 

[Sunny]

I'm just ribbing you Ryan, relax

 

[Jürgen4PM]

The most improved international side in world football would batter both of these teams.

 

[Ryan]

Not hard to improve when your baseline is; absolute fucking laughing stock.

 

[Modo]

Eire all the way...

 

[peterhague]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=47515.msg1425652#msg1425652 date=1321263346]
Not hard to improve when your baseline is; absolute fucking laughing stock.
[/quote]

Doing nothing to dispel that thick Irish myth with such flagrant misuse of the semicolon, there, Ryan.

 

[Fabio]

Look, based on squads we know who should win, we've just trumped those Spaniards with our sexy magic and we're OBVIOUSLY going to win the euros*




*hasn't seen Spain match, no desire to see the Spain match, no desire to watch the upcoming Irish match either.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

[quote author=Fabio link=topic=47515.msg1425668#msg1425668 date=1321265650]
Look, based on squads we know who should win, we've just trumped those Spaniards with our sexy magic and we're OBVIOUSLY going to win the euros*




*hasn't seen Spain match, no desire to see the Spain match, no desire to watch the upcoming Irish match either.
[/quote]

Based on squads, Spain should have won. But they didn't...

 

[Fabio]

Re: Re: England to play Ireland in Dublin

[quote author=Gerry_A_Trick link=topic=47515.msg1425675#msg1425675 date=1321266030]
[quote author=Fabio link=topic=47515.msg1425668#msg1425668 date=1321265650]
Look, based on squads we know who should win, we've just trumped those Spaniards with our sexy magic and we're OBVIOUSLY going to win the euros*




*hasn't seen Spain match, no desire to see the Spain match, no desire to watch the upcoming Irish match either.
[/quote]

Based on squads, Spain should have won. But they didn't...
[/quote]

Engerland are winning the euros! The star will say as much in 5 months

 

[Woland]

Would be funny if the EDL bulbs got their asses handed to them.

 

[Sunny]

[quote author=Woland link=topic=47515.msg1425682#msg1425682 date=1321267137]
Would be funny if the EDL bulbs got their asses handed to them.
[/quote]

Fucking hilarious. I hate those In-ger-lund wankers.

 

[Whaddapie]

I was at that last match.

We would have battered them.

Then.

Now... Maybe not so much.