Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness

Northern Ireland fans probably deserve the summer off after the disastrous Carling Nations Cup campaign, but no such luck I'm afraid.   Nigel Worthington named his latest squad today, ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifier against the Faroe Islands, scheduled for August 10 th .   To be fair to the manager it is a fairly adventurous selection.   He names six forwards in the 23 man panel.   David Healy is back in the frame, Burnley’s Martin Paterson gets a recall and Jamie Ward, the Derby County striker who secured a permanent move from Sheffield United last season, has finally made a breakthrough to the senior set-up. Another new face is James McClean, who has attracted the attention of a host of English clubs, playing for Derry City in the League of Ireland.   There is a suspicion that he has been promoted too early, with the threat of FAI poaching in mind, but Pat McCourt and Niall McGinn graduated successfully from the Brandywell to become influential ful...

My personal trip to Serbia turned into something of an epic, thanks to travel complications.  Via seven airports, five delays and six flights, though, I finally made it back.  Tonight it’s Northern Ireland vs. Slovenia in a match which could signal a premature end to our qualification hopes. The match in Belgrade posed more questions about Nigel Worthington’s future.  Fans questioned his choice of personnel before the game had even started, but it was the tactical decisions (or lack thereof) during play which were fatal. Northern Ireland took a 1-0 lead, after unexpectedly dominating the first half.  Rather than press home the advantage the team reverted to the slow, negative approach which the manager so clearly favours. Worthington was unfortunate that Lafferty had to be replaced by David Healy at half-time.  But he chose not to give the striker more support and he refused to make changes as his players became pinned back by wave after wave of Serbian at...

Keen not to corroborate Andrew Marr’s observation that bloggers are ‘very angry people’ subject to ‘spewing and ranting’, I kept my counsel last night.  Unfortunately the bile has not yet subsided and I suspect that it might persist until March, at the very least.  That is Northern Ireland’s first opportunity to make good the debacle in the Faroe Islands. If we go to Serbia and win, then maybe - just maybe - I might begin to calm down.  How do you start to describe last night’s performance?  Is there even any point? Eleven professional footballers, passing the ball aimlessly in front of the proverbial set of teachers and postmen, without a hint of threat, without any penetration.  And it wasn’t an aberration, however much the Worthington apologists will tell you otherwise.  That is how his teams play football. Against better sides, who actually attempt to play themselves, we occasionally get away with it.  Last month Slovenia pasted us for seven...

If pride comes before a fall Northern Ireland fans are teetering on the brink ahead of their team’s European Championship qualifier with Italy.  The last time such dizzy optimism infected the Green and White Army a new campaign was starting at Windsor Park, with Lawrie Sanchez’ men fresh from beating England the previous season.  The result?  A 3-0 mauling at the hands of Iceland. The circumstances are slightly different this time.  Northern Ireland has already got this set of qualifiers up and running with an unlikely away win in Slovenia.  So 3 points are already on the board.  And the Italians comprise precisely the type of opposition which the Windsor roar has a habit of unsettling. These portents have persuaded some supporters that Italy’s scalp will inevitably be added to those of illustrious predecessors like Spain and England.  It will surprise no-one to learn that I‘m not so certain. Tomorrow evening has all the incipient ingredients of ...

The bad news for Northern Ireland fans, when the draw was made for European Championship qualification, was that three out of our five opponents had made it to the 2010 World Cup finals.  The good news is that none of our Group C rivals have performed very well in South Africa. Most conspicuously, Italy crashed out in the early stages, finishing bottom of a group which, on paper, was rather underwhelming.  Northern Ireland fans know very well that Slovakia, who yesterday inflicted a 3-2 defeat on the Italians are a formidable outfit. Strong, athletic, organised and technically gifted, I was surprised that the Slovaks took so long to get into their stride.  The world champions did not disgrace themselves yesterday but two lacklustre displays against Paraguay and New Zealand ensured there was no room for a slip-up. The team is clearly on the wane, and lacks the guile which Totti and Del Piero so memorably brought to previous Italy sides.  There will be retiremen...

Members of the Green and White Army are compelled to put on a brave face as regards the Euro 2012 draw, but Mark Watson seems to have weighed our chances pretty accurately on his spoof football blog . Obviously the comedian has spent many hours studying bumbling IFA chief Ray Kennedy, because he captures his idiom with unerring accuracy. ‘Nigel’s done a tremendous job of reviving us as a serious contender,’ Kennedy told reporters, ‘which is why we’re… hang on. Sssh. Italy. Bollocks. No, as I was saying, there’s a real feeling of optimism at the moment, which… Slovenia. Ah, bollocks. But even so, we’re very hopeful that… hang on. Serbia. Are they one of the ones that are a bit of a joke, like Azerbaijan, or one of the really good ones that used to be Yugoslavia?’ After reporters supplied the answer, Kennedy added: ‘ah, bollocks. Bollocks to all that, then.’

The best that can be said about Northern Ireland's draw for the European Championship qualifiers is that it will make for some interesting trips. World Champions Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Faroe Islands. It doesn't get much tougher. Serbia finished above France on their way to World Cup qualification and Slovenia we know all about, having finished below them in our group. Even the Faroe Islands, managed by former Republic boss Brian Kerr, are tricky opponents. I can almost see the headlines already. O'Neill is preparing his tank again , but I hope that Northern Ireland fans will get a warm welcome in Belgrade. Estonia is an accessible trip and I always enjoy travelling in Italy. Perhaps the Faroes is the one to miss this time?