@Leadóg: After 52 years of being ‘lost’, football is almost ‘home’………let’s all hope it doesn’t get ‘lost’ again on the ‘home’ straight………Jaysus, we’ll never hear the end of it if they win!

@Leadóg: I don’t mind the English team winning, it’s their supporters/medias modesty when they do so that gets me!

@Martin Horan: Bit jealous that Ireland will NEVER win it ?

@Gus Sheridan: looking a better bet for the rugby

@Martin Horan: Then don’t look at it

@Steve Monk: So simple!

@Gus Sheridan: Occupies my every waking moment.

@Eric Djemba-Djemba: anybody can lose on any given day. Teams don’t get to the last 8 by accident.

@Eric Djemba-Djemba: yeah Ireland should have been there blah blah

@Philip Mc dermott: Who cares about what’s happened up till now. We are in the semi finals of the world cup! Where are ye?

@Philip Mc dermott: That’s harsh, we all have a thing in ireland about hating them but can we not just get behind them for once?

@Puc Around: Have to hand it to them, could you imagine if it was us. They’ve actually a great chance of getting to a final, and anything is possible then, although France and Belgium are much stronger on paper.

@Peter: Valid point. This is actually a concern for me as I’m here 20 years with irish born children. I might have to nationalise and start hating England!

@Aging Lothario: That’s exactly my thinking

@jimmypnufc: not hating at all merely stating facts, they’ve had the easiest possible route to the semis they lost to belgium’s 2nd team and scraped past Colombia if they win it they’ll deserve it but until now they don’t deserve all the hype imo.

@Steve Monk: I’m I’m American thank God I’ve been talking to friends/family at home who’ve already had enough of all the its coming home bullshit.

@Philip Mc dermott: tell them to stop watching sky

@Philip Mc dermott: ridiculous statement, your US family won’t hear anything of England and footballs coming home on US media. Get a life

@Philip Mc dermott: No hype just win when it matters..

@Steve Monk: you’re not very bright are you? I live in the USA and have been happily for 11 years the friends/family I speak of are in Ireland, ya know were I’m from.

@bmul: good idea and ITV and bbc

@Philip Mc dermott: You weren’t here in the 90’s then when it was “ole ole ole ole” morning noon and night, and the laughable “you’ll never beat the Irish” pot and kettle here by the bucketful!! As for the bias media RTÉ panel have houlahan on a par with Ronaldo/Messi for the last 4 years!!!

@jimmypnufc: come on England even if its only to piss off the haters here!

@Philip Mc dermott: Fair point I misunderstood your comment BUT I still stand by my comment, if you or your family don’t like the way English media goes on about English football then don’t bloody read it!

@Peter:oh Always some numpty has to mention Brexit .

@Peter: Know how to spell check .

@Steve Monk: I think he means his friends and family back in Ireland. Don’t be so sensitive.

@Philip Mckenna: I’ve always hated “you’ll never beat the Irish” back then and especially nowadays.

@Philip Mc dermott: I don’t read the english tabloids. I do read widely elsewhere though and I’ve not seen a single article “hyping” this England team. We’re limited. We all know it. Every article and analysis I’ve seen or heard recognises that fact.
Do I think we’ll win it? There’s a chance but I don’t think we will.
Am I bored of the small minded jealousy of a few who hate us? Yes.

@Philip Mc dermott: Just fins it incredibly ironic when Irish fans criticize us for singing its coming home sayin we think we’re great and arrogant garbage, when the country sings you’ll never beat the Irish!!!!!! After scrapping a 0-0 with Egypt or the like?? The hypocrisy on here is beyond belief

@Robert Preston: are you mad? The English team with Lampard Gerrard Ferdinand Terry Cole et all was twice the team this lot is they just bottled it.

@Philip Mc dermott: players where better but never really made a team

@bmul: true

@Philip Mc dermott: What did they achieve then . Not much

@Robert Preston: what does best England side in 25 years have to do if there are better international squads you have to play against ….. I agree they’re are best English side btw

@JustOneScoop:They are still ayoung team Good riddance to Rooney and company . Lets see how far they go .Germany ,Spain,brazil and portugal all out .

@Robert Preston: A slight correction…most ‘effective’ side in 22 years…I suppose its semantics when one uses ‘best’, anyway..good for the young lads, they seem quite a happy and humble bunch with a manager that seems a decent fella…I expect the more experienced French or Belgians or Croatians will be a bridge too far..but I’ll enjoy watching their quest…after all..that’s why we watch sport ??

@Desmond Cassidy: Dont be so sure

@Robert Preston: Huh ???

@Fearghal: everything he said was spot on, and let me tell you if they do win it within 6 months to a year you will wish they never did because you will be so sick of hearing about it, growing up I had to constantly listen to crap about the 66 team and I grew up in the 80′s and 90′s 20/30 years after they won the fecking thing.

@DMur: And no bias in your side I see.

@DMur: Dunphy slated France yesterday and now raving about England. I would agree they haven’t been challenged yet.

@DMur: yawn

@Billy Bruce: on my side? Course there’s bias, I do not want them to win , and it’s not begruding, why would I want them to win? Like I have already said, piss easy groups, poor teams in knock out games. Arrogant media, arrogant fans (for the most part) . Have caused trouble at every tournament.And for the fact that they are still bangin on about 66 !!

@Philip Mc dermott: we could all talk about Italia 90 again, and again. You’ve no clue about how low key things have been in England about our team for years.
Try coming to terms with whatever makes you so unbelievably bitter.

@DMur: But nice to see that your over it all the same!!!!

@Simon Connolly: maybe throw in a few more exclamation points to get your view across haha. And I’d have to have a problem for me to get over it.

@DMur: ooh sour and bitter! You say you’re not begrudging and then give almost a dictionary definition of it! Bit sad that someone using exclamation marks can get under your skin so easily!! Anyway you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about if you think the English media have been arrogant or hyped at thus world cup. There’s been nothing like the usual drivel, which is actually quite refreshing as a football fan. But sure continue to be the miserable, bitter, petty person that you are coming across as!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ps is that enough exclamation marks?!!!!

@Generation Snowflake: true

@Simon Connolly: before the World cup they were all humble, then 2 games in they were back to the old usual carry on, fans and media. and no Simon , you haven’t, so please throw a few more in next time, we both know you can do so much better .

@Philip Exley: who talks about Italia 90? Were did that come from, and if I’m bitter I don’t give a shit , its ridiculous the hype around this team because they beat Panama? Sweden? Ridiculous.

@Philip Mc dermott: or maybe because there in the world cup semi final, further than I thought they would get

@bmul: they can only beat what’s in front of them and fair play they’ve done that I just think the hype is way over the top, it’s not an anti English thing its an anti English press thing.

@Generation Snowflake: not a week has gone by? Who are ya hanging around with? Packie Bonner! Spoofer.

@DMur: we only hear about it because we are still intrinsically tied the them. Do you think people in France are moaning about this or Germans?
We are just as bad for the historical stuff. People still go on about Henry!

@Philip Mc dermott: Everyone talks about 90 and RTÉ mention Saipan everytime a World Cup comes along, showed houghton Italy goal first game this World Cup! Ole ole ole banging on every tine u left house in the 90’s?? And Sweden topped their group ahead of Germany who they should’ve beat and hammered Mexico 3-0 but we beat them and suddenly their garbage! Not anti English yeh right keep telling yourself that? Also what u think Belgian tv or French tv is like?? You see ours so you don’t know ???

@Philip Mckenna: 1: nobody talks about Italia 90 not were I’m from in Ireland or not among the Irish I know in the states, 2 :I agree rte should shut up about saipan,3: Sweden were garbage today, in general their a decent team today they were terrible and that’s what I said in the first place 4:I am not anti English and I don’t give a flying f#$k if you believe that or not and finally 5: Belgium and France have every right to go a bit ott over there teams because there the best teams left and belgium’s reserves have already beaten England or did you forget???

@Philip Mc dermott: I’d write a reasoned reply but your astounding level of bitterness is well beyond the reach of reason.

@mmk: agreed Mark, chip on his shoulder is growing every game!

@mmk: it’s called encouragement…. high pressure and release it to his own players..

@Dan: didn’t look like encouragement to me, look how buffon & Chellini bounced off each other when one covered for the other, that was encouragement.

@mmk: I remember a Danish keeper that used to do it all the time. He’d never stop shouting at his defense. Quite the keeper.

@Billy Bruce: I will indeed.

@jimmypnufc: just telling a view different than yours does not make me a hater. TRUMP STYLE little picks don’t scare anyone.

@grandslamkbo: oh shut up you muppet, I have nothing against the English people just don’t like their national team. Their fans sing anti Irish songs all the time and the media are unbearable. It’s called a rivalry do your research.

@Cranky: well done for slipping the SF/IRA reference in. Their tendrils of evil are everywhere

@Conor Alexander Lynott: what exactly was statistically sound about calling football elitist? A game played in slums around the world, elitist? You think kids in the slums of South America are playing golf and tennis? Also, it was you who suggested that because South American sides are not as strong as European sides meant it was no longer a global game. I never suggested for a second the variety of ability level does or does not reduce the worldwide nature of a sport. I would suggest the interest in the game itself in each country would determine the worldwide nature of a game. If you think there is another sport on the planet that can generate as much interest as football across the planet then id argue you are very much mistaken.

@James Greene The ‘statistically sound’ point I was making was the lack of a lack of a non-European world cup winner since 2002. If we’re taking interest as the deciding factor in a sport being global, then look at America and rugby as an example. Rugby is the fastest growing sport in the United States, having hosted the World Rugby 7s earlier this year and reached the latter stages of the tournament. Host rights can only be gained with sufficient interest in the sport. Have been to ‘slums’ ?Otherwise, who are we to sugest that people don’t play golf and tennis there.

@Conor Alexander Lynott: you are talking crap. Tennis and golf are externally elitist, especially within Europe. Football is played in the worst parts of countries within Europe, so you even go further than Europe you call it elitist I don’t know.
Football has no boundaries and can be played by anyone of any age and of any ability, some places you don’t even need a ball. This is what helps to make it global. South American teams have simply not performed recently they have some of the best teams on paper.

@Conor Alexander Lynott: yeah, 4 world cups on a row will be won by a European side, but to suggest that because of that football is elitist and no longer a global sport is ridiculous. Dublin have won the last three senior football all ireland titles, I guess that means the game is no longer an all ireland game.

@Conor Alexander Lynott: Your talking garbage!!! So a non European country should b let win??? Is it European nations fault s American country’s are pants, or should Belgium and France let Brazil and Uruguay win?? Also elitist??? Do u think slum kids in Africa/Brazil run home after brunch and grab their golf clubs?? No they play football the worlds biggest most played and watched sport always will be! Talk sense cos our argument is pathetic!

@Billy Bruce: yeah you’re right. I can’t see Russia making the semi though.

@Jim Demps: anything can and has happened in this World Cup.