O’Neills’ achievements

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Delighted for Martin O’Neill on taking Ireland into the last 16 of the Euros. Since his salad days ended at Celtic, Martin’s had more downs than ups as a manager. I felt the game had moved on from him, even during his five years at Celtic, the game tactically moved away from him, but he’s one of a number of managers of small nations who have overachieved.

I’m not buying Roy Keane’s tears, though. Reaching the last 16 of the Euros is a great achievement, but he disparaged Mick McCarthy’s achievement with Ireland in going out of the 2002 World Cup in the last 16 to Spain on penalties.  Maybe it’s time for some humility from Roy.

If anything, Michael O’Neill’s achievements with the north has been even greater. Michael was mentioned as a possible Celtic manager before Brendan’s appointment, but the point was made to me, whatever he achieved in qualifying, he could be embarrassed in all three Euros games. Now he needs to beat Wales for a place in the quarter finals.

The group stages have been a delight. Some big tactical lessons for underdogs, and for teams who face 10 men behind the ball every week. If you don’t make defensive mistakes you can win any game, possession and territorial advantage is a mirage of influence.

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888 Comments

  1. The Inane Rambler on

    Dear God

     

     

    Great Britain has truly become Little Britain

     

     

    May the Lord have mercy on our souls

  2. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Boris Johnson Prime Minister ffs, and Donald Trump President…….nurse….nurse

  3. AuroraBorealis79 on

    I want Ireland to be ruled by Ireland. What is wrong with Britain being ruled by Britain?

     

     

    People need to calm down & accept it. I am not sharpest tool in the box but even I can see that £365 million per week outta the UK into Europe will a massive saving. Ofcourse some of this will be offset by other means but Europe needs Britain as much as Britain needs Europe.

  4. PETEC on 24TH JUNE 2016 8:39 AM

     

    ____________________________________

     

    Hail Hail fella, hope yer guid.

     

    As you’ll probably know

     

    I know hee-haw about politics.

     

    But as sumdy who has been consumed by the

     

    zero-hours-contract-era…..I look at it like,

     

    the underdogs pulling the rug from the establishment.

     

    I can only hope that the ‘wee’ folk get a break.

     

    Looking at the lo-o-o-o-o-o-n-g game…….

     

    maybe a referendum up in Scotland will, begin the process

     

    of dismantling the butchers apron – the symbol of evil….imho.

     

    HH

  5. Ros Scott ‏@BaronessRos

     

    Farage says no £350m for the NHS. Fox says no rush to invoke Article 50. Hannan says no end to immigration . Oh Britain, have you been had.

     

     

    Brexit one big whopper

  6. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Godelpus.

     

     

    Traditional Labour voting working class areas voted Brexit.

     

     

    They`ll be the xenophobes ?

  7. McPhail Bhoy on

    Referendum result?

     

    Love, tolerance, understanding of difference, mutual respect, multi culturalism, togetherness, openness, free movement of people, goods and services, peace, harmony, clear vision, loving your neighbour as yourself…

     

    … your boys took one hell of a beating!

  8. Welcome to another Black Friday, Little Britain!

     

     

    Off oot to interview some Italians and find out their views.

     

     

    However, most of them will probably only want to talk about the match against Spain on Monday.

     

     

    HH!!

  9. AULDHEID on 24TH JUNE 2016 8:54 AM

     

    _________________________________________

     

    ;))) LOL!

     

    Hope yer well fella.

     

    C’MO’N the Res12tance-Rebels!

     

    The Fab 4 will Never Walk Alone

     

    ……in the Jungle.

     

    Hail Hail

  10. Slabhoy - Duntocher is Green and White on

    Auldheid on Kevjungle

     

     

    Ha ha, veryfunny.

     

     

    The people have spoken

     

     

    No more Europe Plc, what’s next for us?

     

     

    No more UK Plc

     

    No more PL’s Celtic Plc

     

     

    The Rodgers era heralds the People’s Summer

     

     

    Big up- yoos to the politicos out of touch, and the money- men who think they run everything

  11. Is Brendan waiting for the Euro’s to finish before he signs any players ?

     

    Is Brendan going to prove how good a manager he is by, not signing anyone and, managing the resources at his disposal into a Celtic team that will sweep all before them domestically and, make a fist of an attempt at European level ?

     

    If, Brendan is cute – I’m sure he is – I would imagine that a good European season for him would be to, get into the CL group stages, try to finish 3rd, go into Europa League and, well who knows what after that…….?

     

    Thinking out loud – CSC

  12. jinkyredstar on

    Slab hoy

     

    The money men who think they run everything……………still run everything

  13. When I attended my first tutorial at Strathclyde Uni, and every student was scared to open their mouth for fear of revealing their ignorance or drawing attention to themselves, the lecturer told us all a story. He said that the Scottish mindset for students was always like this but, one day, an English student appeared in their midst and, when the lecturer posed a question, the English student answered it. The reaction of the Scottish students was twofold. Firstly, they were amazed that someone had dared to answer back and, secondly, they were amazed at the pile of pish that was his opinion.

     

     

    Today, I wake up with similar sentiments.

     

     

    Pretty amazed that the voters have resisted the kind of propaganda that has been thrown at them but even more amazed at the stupidity of the position they have reached.

     

     

    There is a strong case to be made for leaving the EU, which has been way too slow to reform itself and become more democratic, but that case was not made or heard here.

     

     

    Instead, all we got was- “Look at all those coloured folk!”

  14. ernie lynch on 24th June 2016 9:09 am

     

     

    Thomas Mair will be a happy bunny this morning in his cell in Belmarsh.

     

     

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

     

    Where do you Live?

     

     

    You are insinuating that most of the UK are Right Wing Nutters?

     

     

    You are being incoherent.

     

     

    That Nutjob done what he done when The Brexit were going way ahead.

     

     

    I can’t understand what you are saying on this ernie?

  15. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    Brexit was voted for because mainstream political parties failed to address people’s fears over immigration ( for immigration read racism).

     

     

    Many people have a genuine fear over immigration.

  16. MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 24TH JUNE 2016 9:12 AM

     

    The people have spoken.

     

     

    ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

     

     

    Some were heard saying “Rule Britannia, God save the Queen and we are the people.”

     

     

    HH!!

  17. Captain Beefheart on

    Ernie,

     

     

    Given the state of his mental health, I would imagine that that fella sees bunnies in his cell.

  18. Captain Beefheart on

    Labour’s utter contempt for ordinary people helped with the exit. Calling people racists doesn’t work anymore.

  19. PETEC on 24TH JUNE 2016 9:16 AM

     

     

    You don’t think he’ll be happy with the result?

     

     

    How about Nick Griffin then, do you think he’ll be sharing your joy this morning?

  20. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Billybear, yer team have never been init to be oota it.

     

     

    Guid try though:_)

     

     

     

    God save the Queen of Carmyllie. Big sexy heefer that she is.

  21. Captain Beefheart on

    When Lord Mandelson, Caroline Lucas, that Lib Dem fella and numerous pompous middle class lefties are upset, you just know it’s gonna be a fine day.

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MACJAY 853

     

     

    That’s what I feared had happened when I posted the following last night.

     

     

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 23RD JUNE 2016 10:51 PM

     

     

    SAINT STIVS

     

     

    I’m sticking with my 53-47 remain forecast.

     

     

    But you are right about the south,I reckon 60-40 exit in Swindon.

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~

     

     

    The pollsters and Labour,indeed the whole of the Remain campaign,should not have been surprised. It’s simply a repeat of what happened in the general election.

     

     

     

    The big hope for exit is if working-class areas have gone UKIP as they did in the election.

  23. After Brexit and the increased possibility of a second indyref, watch the English football leagues step up their efforts to bring at least 2 Scottish Football clubs into the proposed new 5th division.

  24. So lets have a roll call of all the people who are happy with the result. Feel free to add your own name name….

     

     

     

    Tommy Mair

     

    Nick Griffin

  25. ernie lynch on 24th June 2016 9:25 am

     

     

    PETEC on 24TH JUNE 2016 9:16 AM

     

     

    You don’t think he’ll be happy with the result?

     

     

    How about Nick Griffin then, do you think he’ll be sharing your joy this morning?

     

     

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

     

     

     

    The Morning Star used their publication for Brexit.

     

     

    I am Against Big Government dude.

     

     

    Are you being obtuse, or worse?

  26. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    CAPTAINBEEFHEART

     

     

    You don’t quite get this “gracious in defeat,magnanimous in victory” thang,do you?

  27. ERNIE LYNCH on 24TH JUNE 2016 9:31 AM

     

    So lets have a roll call of all the people who are happy with the result. Feel free to add your own name name….

     

     

    I’m happy only because me an all my international colleagues/clients are numb at the result – quiet day in the office so far. Company distributing emails to everyone, saying don’t worry, we’re on top of the situation