Prague steels itself for England’s fans, Ireland may have a new hero in Aaron Connolly and Scotland are desperate to find goalsIn what looks certain to resemble the world’s most unedifying stag party, an estimated 6,000 England fans will descend on Prague to watch Gareth Southgate’s team take on the Czech Republic. Unsurprisingly designated as a “high risk” fixture, this Friday night game will attract no shortage of thirsty visitors to the Czech capital, hellbent on making a weekend of it in a city renowned for the cheapness of its beer and myriad other nocturnal delights. Scheduled to kick off at 8.45pm local time, when more patriotic fans will have had all day to occupy the city’s Old Town Square,...
Germany v Netherlands should be another belter, Chad make their return and will Brighton’s Mac Allister play for Argentina?Before October 2018, the Netherlands had not kicked a ball in anger against Germany for six years. When the teams walk out for the Group C qualifier in Hamburg, it will be the fourth time the fierce rivals have faced each other in 11 months. Not that neutrals should be complaining. There have been 12 goals in the two Nations League matches and one Euro 2020 qualifier that have been played since – and some scintillating football. Nico Schulz’s 90th-minute strike for Germany sealed a 3-2 victory in a pulsating qualifier at the Johan Cruyff Arena in March that left the Dutch...
The FAIs great survivor is heading off for some gardening leave and his days with the FAI look numberedAlthough John Delaney retains support from certain loyal sections of the Irish football family, he has never been more unpopular in his native land. The long-time chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland until he stood down last month to take up a newly created role as the executive vicepresident is no stranger to controversy but now the 51-year-old finds himself clinging by his fingertips to a crumbling personal fiefdom that increasingly resembles an empire of dirt.The business of sports administration is, by its very nature, staggeringly dreary but the subject of football governance in the Republic of Ireland has recently...
Many people believe it is about picking a country and sticking with it but when your heritage is dual it is trickyIt was intriguing to see the mixed reaction to Declan Rice’s decision to commit his international future to England over the Republic of Ireland. I don’t think people fully appreciate how difficult it can be to have two nationalities in football and the kind of stigma that can come with it – especially for someone who is only 20. Rice broached the issue of respect for his dual heritage so eloquently and honestly in his public statement, which I am sure will bring him respect for his decision in return.There will be a lot of Irish fans who were...
Chief executive can often be found amid the revellers when things are going well for the Republic of Ireland but that has not been the case recently and something had better changeThe decision to end the reigns of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane was the right one for the Republic of Ireland, even if it may not have been reached for entirely the right reason and does not go far enough. As so often in such cases, the effect of letting the manager and his assistant know that it would be best if they relinquished their positions is that the chief executive, in this case the Football Association of Ireland’s John Delaney, may also have made his own position a...