# Richard Dunne - what a man !



## Deiseblue (7 Sep 2011)

One of the bravest performances I've had the pleasure to watch by an individual player.

His desire allied to defensive nous & stubbornness was hugely admirable.

But my God we were lucky to get a point.


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## Sunny (7 Sep 2011)

Right up there with Roy Keanes performances against Spain in Seville and the Netherlands in Dublin. Even Paul McGrath would have been proud of that performance (McGrath just wouldn't have broken sweat putting in a performance like that though!). Amazing how a match like that can be so enjoyable to watch. We don't have a creative bone in our bodies though!


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## One (7 Sep 2011)

He was very good. And quite unlucky to get the yellow card I thought. He seemed to make contact with the ball first. That running track is much too close to the football pitch.


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## callybags (7 Sep 2011)

I think the yellow card is a blessing in disguise.

He will miss the Andorra match but will be available for the more important one against Armenia.

We were very lucky not to lose, depending on an heroic performance from Dunne coupled with some terrible finishing from the Russians.

I still think Trappatoni is far too conservative ( Worse than Brian Kerr ) and if the team were given more freedom to play an attacking game, we could be looking at topping the group.


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## zztop (7 Sep 2011)

Dunne deserves to qualify Ireland dont.


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## hastalavista (7 Sep 2011)

Dunne for prezo


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## nai (7 Sep 2011)

Sunny said:


> Right up there with Roy Keanes performances against Spain in Seville and the Netherlands in Dublin. Even Paul McGrath would have been proud of that performance (McGrath just wouldn't have broken sweat putting in a performance like that though!). Amazing how a match like that can be so enjoyable to watch. We don't have a creative bone in our bodies though!


 
McGrath is suitably impressed - http://www.joe.ie/football/international-football/dunne-was-better-than-me-mcgrath-0015612-1


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## Shawady (7 Sep 2011)

Class. Also Given had a great game.

This must be the weirdest group ever. I was hoping Armenia would nick a point off Slovakia and they beat them 4-0! We play them in our last match and it is now likely they will have a chance of the play-offs.
Some twists and turns left.


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## micmclo (7 Sep 2011)

If Ireland win their next two they get a playoff spot, is that right?

What needs to happen for them to win the group?


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## callybags (7 Sep 2011)

If Slovakia beat Russia and Ireland win their last two games then we top the group.


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## Shawady (7 Sep 2011)

Yes Callybags, that the ideal situation.
From my reading of it, Slovakia have to beat Russia to have any chance of qualifying so will be up for it.
However, when Armenia come to Dublin for the last game it is likely they could qualify by beating us.


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## notagardener (7 Sep 2011)

Fantastic performance from Dunne. Just a pity Declan Kidney can't take him to the World Cup


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## DB74 (7 Sep 2011)

At least it's all in our own hands and it's realistic

If we win our last 2 games then we make the play-offs


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## One (7 Sep 2011)

DB74 said:


> At least it's all in our own hands and it's realistic
> 
> If we win our last 2 games then we make the play-offs


 
Yes. That sums it up perfectly. I'm looking forward to it all.


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## Bill Struth (7 Sep 2011)

zztop said:


> Dunne deserves to qualify Ireland dont.


 Here come the purists!

You should stop listening to Dunphy and the lads. Do you think Ireland didn't deserve to go to Italia 90 either? The football we played back then wasn't much different. Not too long ago we were turned over 5-2 by the mighty Cyprus. We will never have a squad good enough to open up every game and knock the ball about like Brazil. If grinding out results gets us to major championships I'll take it every time.

Fantastic team effort last night from the lads, there'll be a few sore bodies this morning. Apart from Dunne and Given, Aiden McGeady, just back from 2  months out injured, did some fantastic tracking back, and Darren O'Dea who was solid as a rock.

Passion and Intensity seem to be terms reserved for the GAA these days, but you'll struggle to see more effort for the shirt than you did last night. 

COME ON YOU BOYS IN GREEN!


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## Sunny (7 Sep 2011)

Bill Struth said:


> You should stop listening to Dunphy and the lads.


 
Dunphy should be taken off the tv. He was funny in the 1990's. Same as Hook in the rugby. 

We will never outplay the top teams and no-one can knock any of the players for effort but at the same time, we would have lost that game last night 9 times out of 10. The system and style makes us very difficult to beat and to be honest, I think that is the best we can hope for at the moment. We have one world class player in the shape of Given, a couple of top premiership players in Dunne and O'Shea and that is about it. 

As you say though, they were a credit to the shirt last night.


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## Liamos (7 Sep 2011)

We had a much better team in Italia '90. We put teams "under pressure". I don't remember the team from Italia '90 giving the opposition 26 shots at goal!

Delighted with the result, but lets not fool ourselves into thinking that this team is as good as the ones containing McGrath, Whelan, Houghton, Aldridge or Keane (Roy).


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## DB74 (7 Sep 2011)

Sunny said:


> Dunphy should be taken off the tv. He was funny in the 1990's. Same as Hook in the rugby.



Totally agree about Dunphy & Hook. They have become caricatures of themselves at this stage, being different and whinging for the sake of it.




Sunny said:


> We will never outplay the top teams



We don't outplay anybody, even Andorra.


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## Paddyman (7 Sep 2011)

Richard Dunne and Shay Given deserve a real manager. 
Why not Brian Cody?


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## Bill Struth (7 Sep 2011)

Paddyman said:


> Richard Dunne and Shay Given deserve a real manager.
> Why not Brian Cody?


If somebody who has won 10 league titles in four different countries and won 3 european trophies at two different clubs isn't a real manager I don't know what is.

He gets the best out of what we have, which is all that can be asked of him.

If Brian Cody  isn't available, who, realistically, would you get to take over from Trapp?


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## gebbel (7 Sep 2011)

We have a few great players, but we also have no better than average ones. The big issue as I see it is our midfield. Whelan and Andrews are not really up to it in my opinion and we will struggle to be creative as long as they are in the side. They give the ball away and don't have the ability to dictate a game. When Trappatoni was winning all the trophies he did, he had world class players all over the pitch. Therefore it must be said that he has done very well with our squad.

Delighted to be in the position we are in though.


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## Sunny (7 Sep 2011)

The Whelan/Andrews thing is getting a life of it's own just like the 'bring back Andy Reid' campaign. They are limited players but the system leaves them hugely exposed. Genuine midfielders are a dying breed (apart from Spain of course).


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## DB74 (7 Sep 2011)

LOL at the Facebook page called

"Richard Dunne: "Put on more Russians"; Trap: "There ARE no more Russians"


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## Shawady (8 Sep 2011)

nai said:


> McGrath is suitably impressed -


 
Speaking of Paul McGrath, did anyone see one the news last night that he's bringing out an album of some of his favourite songs. Never had him down for a singer.

http://entertainment.ie/celebrity_gossip/Um-Paul-McGrath-Singing-'Going-Back'-Anyone/84231.htm


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## DB74 (9 Sep 2011)

Removed


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